Best Shop Vac for Heavy-Duty Cleaning Tasks
No matter if you are a homeowner or a contractor, you might depend on heavy-duty suction power to clean up messes. From an overflowing sink to sawdust on the ground, the power behind shop vacuums can make cleaning up easier. You’ll find that most major DIY brands sell shop vacs, including Stanley, Dewalt, and Craftsman. This guide is to help you find the best heavy-duty vacuums for your shop and answer some frequently asked questions.
How To Choose The Right Shop Vac
Whether you own a workshop in your backyard or work professionally, shop vacs are a must-have. With so many models available, you might get confused about which product will work best for you. Major brands manufacture cordless shop vacs and stackable wet-dry vacuums for various levels of heavy-duty cleanup. This detailed buyer’s guide will help you choose the right shop vac.
Key Considerations for Heavy-Duty Shop Vacuums
Size
Large models deliver the quickest and most thorough cleanups, in part because they can hold greater dust, debris, or fluid. Consider the space available and choose size accordingly.
Don’t believe capacity-claims
It is a common practice that manufacturers overstate the capacity of the shop vacuums, so you shouldn’t solely rely on these claims.
Hearing protection
Wet/dry shop vacuums are notoriously loud and can affect your hearing. For example, the Dewalt DXV05P has a noise rating of 75 dBA, which compares to a loud restaurant or your home vacuum. We recommend wearing ear protection to prevent hearing damage and paying attention to noise ratings.
Extra accessories
If you are looking for a shop vacuum for professional as well as personal use, you should look for models that include accessories. Useful attachments may include a crevice tool to reach out to tight spots or an extended hose for greater reach. The Vacmaster VBV1210 has the best options and accessories package on our list.
Features to Look For in a Shop Vac Model
Here are some of the basic specs to give you an idea of what you should look for in a wet-dry shop vac.
Power usage
A typical shop vac defines power in terms of horsepower. If you are looking for a shop vac for personal use, it should be at least 1.5 to 3 HP. For a powerful, professional vac, aim for 6+ horsepower.
Sealed suction
Suction capability is measured by the amount of liquid that a wet/dry vac can pull in against certain water pressure. The hose takes a drastic toll on motor performance when it is submerged in water. We recommend a water lift suction power of around 50 inches.
Noise levels
Shop vacuums will only add to the noise of your workshop. However, there is a misconception that loud or noisy shop vacs are more efficient and powerful. You can find a lot of shop vacs that are powerful yet quiet, and low noise levels are a convenient perk of smaller models.
Cord length
Unless you go cordless, you’ll need to plug your shop vac into a power outlet. Therefore, you’ll want a long cord for a hassle-free cleaning experience. Some options on this list include extension cords with your order.
CFM
Shop-vac motors are built to demonstrate performance in terms of CFM or cubic feet per minute. This measures how much air the vacuum cleaner can suck in over a period of time. A non-commercial shop vac should have an air flow rating around 90 CFM.
Just like with every machine, a shop vac also needs regular maintenance. You can increase the life of your shop vac with simple modifications that can not only make your machine quieter but also save you money on filters. Check the video from House Doctor Ray on some easy DIY upgrade hacks.
How We Chose the Shop Vacs on This List
The best way to choose a shop vac is to do in-depth research, read reviews from customers, and check out guides like this. We strive to provide you with recent and updated information on the products. Here is what we considered while choosing the best shop vacuum.
- Brand reputation
- Customer reviews
- Average price points
Top Shop Vacs on Amazon in 2023
Stanley Shop Vacuum
– Best Overall
Stanley offers a compact vacuum that works great for indoor purposes. This portable vacuum has 3 peak HorsePower motors to fulfill your hardcore cleaning needs like cleaning cars and sofas. The availability of the 3-in-1 crevice nozzles and a double filtration system makes it a versatile option.
Moreover, it comes with a 10-foot cleaning reach and a 4-foot-long hose that allows you to clean dust or liquid from unreachable places. It even has 3 gallons worth of storage space, so you can knock out your cleaning task in one fell swoop.
- Portable
- Suction is remarkable
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- The power cord is short
Workshop Wet Dry Vacuum
– Runner Up
An extremely affordable option on our list, this excellent portable wet/dry vac weighs just 7.48 lbs. It has 2.5 gallons of capacity with a 2200-watt output. With this type of raw power, you won’t miss anything while cleaning (including pet hairs). If you’re outdoors and simply need to disperse dust or shavings, you can utilize this option’s ability to blow air.
With onboard storage for nozzles and hoses that make transporting and storing easy, the four-foot hose and the ten-foot power cord make it easy to reach every nook.
- Lightweight and easy to carry with its handle
- More capacity than a handheld unit
- Convertible into blower
- The suction isn’t that impressive
DEWALT Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum
– Best Wet/Dry Vac
This robust 4-gallon portable vacuum has amazing features. It has a 5-peak HP motor for extreme suction with a 7-foot-long ultra-flexible hose. It comes with a washable cartridge filter for both wet and dry cleaning (For wet cleaning, you can find the waterproof power switch at the top.).
The box-like shape and foldable handle at the top make it more convenient to store. It has the necessary space to neatly store the hose and 20-foot-long power cord.
- Compact and powerful
- Easy to store
- Outstanding suction
- Sturdy and long hose
- It is a bit more on pricier side
- Doesn’t come with brush tools
DEWALT Gallon Poly Wet-Dry Shop Vacuum
– Best Bang for Your Buck
For under 80 bucks, this vac is packed with a lot of good features that will make your life easy. Dewalt dxvo5p is ideal for small cleaning jobs. Powering this beast is a 4-peak HP motor that provides good suction (up to 5 gallons worth) and blowing pressure.
It has a 360-degree rotation rubberized caster that allows it to move easily. This versatile vac has a 7-foot hose and a 10-foot power cord. It even comes with washable and reusable cartridge filters.
- Built-in blower
- Long cleaning reach
- Makes less noise
- Can’t handle heavy wood chips or large debris
Vacmaster Wet-Dry Shop Vacuum
– Best for Heavy-Duty Clean Ups
The Vacmaster VBV1210 is an excellent 2-in-1 dry and wet vacuum. This 12-gallon vacuum, having 5 peak HP motors paired with 210MPH of blowing speed, is perfect for heavy-duty cleaning jobs.
With great sucking power, it picks up absolutely everything, including pet hairs. Furthermore, it comes with two extension wands, a utility nozzle, a blower adapter, and many more useful accessories. It has a 19-foot reach thanks to the hose and power cord, which means no need for an extension cord.
- Suction power is awesome
- Lightweight with exceptional power
- Produces less noise
- Build quality is a bit compromised
CRAFTSMAN Heavy-Duty Shop Vacuum
– Best for On-The-Go Work
If you are looking for a heavy-duty vacuum, Craftsman is the way to go. It has 6.5 peak HP to perform indoor and outdoor tasks flawlessly and offers more than enough sucking and blowing pressure for any clean-up job. The oversized drain port allows for a speedy drain.
It comes with several nozzles such as car, wet, and utility nozzles for easy and deep cleaning. It has dual flex technology for 180-degree mobility to keep the hose from kinking. The length of the power cord is 20 feet, while the hose itself is 7 feet.
- Produces very little noise
- Powerful performance
- Wheelbase
- Cleaning reach is impressive
- Large body size
- Weak manufacturing material
People Also Asked
A: Yes, a wet/dry shop vac will clean almost any type of liquid, be it water, soda, feces, urine, or anything. However, you must ensure that you have switched it to dry vacuuming. Also, your vacuum should have the necessary filters and other accessories to do the job. A HEPA filter is the best one for this purpose as HEPA filtration offers a special design to filter out harmful allergens.
A: No, shop vacs are designed for heavy-duty suctioning containing larger pieces of debris, while normal vacs are primarily designed to clean carpets or floors. The regular vacuum will collapse if you try to suction up wooden or metal objects with it, but a shop vac is designed for this type of job.
A: It is wiser to look for higher horsepower as it translates to the shop vacs’ overall performance. Cheaper models can also boast a higher horsepower, but they will come with low-quality bearings and windings. A horsepower of 2 is the minimum requirement for a shop vac.
