Buyer's Guide Table of Contents (Click To Expand)
Wet and dry shop vacuums clean your workspace and home with precision and are designed to help you do so with ease. Use this guide to help you determine which shop vacuum is the best one for you.
Best Wet Dry Vac/Shop Vac
Pros:
- Detachable blower
- Durable and sturdy build; made to last
- Quiet operation
Cons:
- Wand diameter is narrow and clogs easily
More About The VacMaster Vbv1210
Vacmaster brings everything to the table with their VBV1210 series. This wet/dry vacuum is built tough using a material called polypropylene. It comes with a few useful accessories, like the crevice tool for getting deep in cracks. The drain port is located near the bottom of the bucket for convenient drainage.
On top of being a wet/dry vacuum, it also converts into a powerful blower. Detach it from the main body easily with one hand so you can switch between jobs without a pause. Blowing speeds equal to about 210-mph making it capable of removing most debris.
Related Content:
- Best Backpack Vacuum (Click Here)
- Best Vacuums For Allergies (Click Here)
- Best Handheld Steam Cleaners (Click Here)
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum  | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak  |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum  | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum  |
Pros:
- Lightweight and portable
- Useful flat attachment for carpets and seats
- Easy to convert from dry to wet
Cons:
- No wheels included
More About The VacMaster Professional Beast Series
The appearance of this machine screams power with its black body and yellow detailing. Vacmaster Beast Series is perfect for use around the shop or home. The polypropylene tank is built tough and is resistant to impacts and corrosion.
There is a blower port, so conversion into a blower is simple. With an 18-foot power cord, you can walk around and get the job done without needing to switch outlets. Powerful suction allows you to pull up liquids or debris with ease.
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
Pros:
- Collection bag collects finer dust
- Large tank size
- Oversized drain
Cons:
- It’s loud
More About The Craftsman 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
Craftsman’s classic looking shop vacuum is made for large projects. The 16-gallon tank allows you to continuously work without needing to empty it frequently. It has the most powerful motor on this list.
This vacuum converts into a blower easily. Meanwhile, the drain is supersized like the tank so you don’t have to wait around while it drains. Other accessories, like two extension wands, are practical and useful.
Related Content:
- Womow W9 Vacuum Review (Click Here)
- Best Vacuum For Stairs (Click Here)
- Best Vacuum For Small Apartments (Click Here)
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
Pros:
- Mounts on the wall
- Transparent tank
- Lengthy hose
Cons:
- Suction can be weak
More About The Bissell Garage Pro Wall Mounted Wet/Dry Vacuum
Bissell brings the world of wet/dry vacuums into the future with this versatile machine. It works on all floor materials and upholstery with a combination of nifty attachments. When not in use, you can hang it up with the included wall-mounting kit.
The tank is small at 4-gallons, but it’s transparent so it’s easy to see when it needs emptied. This vacuum is perfect for use in the car or around the home for small jobs. The hose stretches to a lengthy 32-feet, so you may not even have to remove it from the wall to use.
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
Pros:
- Powerful motor
- Lengthy and bigger hose
- Storage for accessories and comes with a utility nozzle
Cons:
- Some components break easily
More About The Dewalt Quiet Poly 10 Gallon Vacuum
In classic DeWalt colors, this bumblebee colored vacuum is sturdy and powerful. It’s seated on swiveling wheels to keep it steady and go where you need it. The built-in blower quickly clears your work area while the 5.5 peak horsepower motor sucks up extra debris.
The 10-gallon bucket makes it easy to complete larger jobs without halting progress to empty. Likewise, the 20-inch power cord is lengthy enough that you can maneuver without having to switch outlets.
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
Pros:
- Includes a 5-year warranty
- Powerful and retains suction power even after years
- Sturdy and durable construction
Cons:
- Some parts seem cheaply made
More About The Workshop Wet/Dry Workshop Vacuum
This Workship vacuum is worth the price for the superior work it does. The van is durable; proven by its 5-year warranty. The large back wheels prevent it from tipping as you reach for places to clean. The 20-foot power cord gives you plenty of room to work. This powerful machine picks up approximately 1-gallon of water per second – quickening your tasks and leaving you open for other work.
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
Pros:
- Powerful suction
- Various accessories
- Decent length cord
Cons:
- Cord length is a bit short
More About The Shop Vac 8 Gallon Stainless Steel Vacuum
The classic Shop-Vac name and quality products keep this brand on top. Many accessories are included to ensure you get each job done with ease. It’s a wet/dry vacuum with a blower port in the rear, so you get double the features. It hits all the good qualities of a vacuum: Power, good tank capacity, and easy to transport. The power cord is about 12-feet and the hose length is about 7-feet.
RElated Products | |
|---|---|
Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum | Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5 Peak |
Dewalt-DCV580H Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum | Armor Gallon Utility Vacuum |
All About the Wet Dry Vacuum
The wet-dry vacuum, also known as the shop vac, is the only tool capable of cleaning up a mess that a regular vacuum can’t tackle. A wet-dry vac, like the name implies is able to clean up wet along with dry messes. This is because it’s motor is separate from it’s airflow, meaning the motor won’t stop when liquid is pulled up through the air tube.
This means that if you have a big spill, you don’t have to break out the bucket and mop. Simply vacuum up all the liquids that are creating the mess.
You can also use the wet-dry vacuum on large dry messes, like sawdust or a large dry spill. This is a great advantage if you are having construction done on your house or if you enjoy handy hobbies out in the garage. With a wet-dry vacuum, gone are the days of having to sweep up the majority of the mess before vacuuming.
Factors to Look For
Size/ Capacity
The first thing to think about is how much you’re going to need your wet-dry vacuum to hold. Businesses and construction workers usually need a large wet-dry vacuum with a large canister. A larger canister is going to be able to hold more and larger debris before needing to be emptied.
On the other hand, if you are only looking for a wet-dry vacuum for your house, a smaller size may work for you. A smaller canister is going to be perfect for cleaning up those larger-than-average home messes and for sucking up leaves on the front porch.
Suction and Airflow
The vacuum’s suction and airflow relates to its ability to pick up debris. Airflow is what is going to help you pick up large pieces of debris, and it’s measured in CFM, or cubic feet per minute. If you need to be able to pick up large debris, such as wood pieces, you’re going to want really strong airflow.
Suction is what tackles wet messes. If you’re frequently sucking up water or other liquid spills, you need a wet-dry vacuum that can pick up an amount of liquid all the way up the hose. Remember that liquid is much heavier than most dry debris, so suction is especially important.
Hose Length
The length of the hose is another important factor to consider when choosing a wet-dry vacuum. When it comes to hose length, there is an important trade-off to remember: a short hose means less reach, but a long hose needs more suction.
When choosing a hose length, there’s an easy rule of thumb. For smaller messes in hard-to-reach areas, such as a car or house, choose a long hose. For large, heavy messes, choose a short hose that requires less distance to lift the debris.
Advantages of Using Wet Dry/ Shop Vac
One of the main advantages of using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner is its versatility. You’ll be amazed at how well your shop vac can clean up both wet and dry messes of all sizes. Without a wet-dry vac, you’re usually forced to mop up water spills or sweep up large bits and pieces before vacuuming, but a shop vac is the tool that does it all.
The shop vac is also great because it can even handle debris like wood chips, nails and sharp pieces of metal and wood. This is not only much easier, but also much safer for the cleaner. Handling sharp, hazardous debris can lead to injury, but these injuries can easily be avoided by sucking it all up the wet-dry vac.
The wet-dry vac is well loved for its size. A wet-dry vac can hold a lot more debris than your conventional vacuum due to the large size of the canister. This makes it perfect for use on a construction site or in a store or restaurant, as well as in a home.
Conclusion
The wet-dry/ shop vac is truly the cleaning tool that does it all. While they are typically used in commercial settings, such as in stores, businesses, or on construction sites, there are many great wet-dry vacs that can be used within your home.
Many people get tired of having to spend a long time tediously cleaning up large messes their regular vacuums can’t handle. The shop vac will make life so much easier by eliminating many of the steps in cleaning up those messes.