The Best Shop Vacs to Tackle Tough Cleaning Jobs

Best Overall: Vacmaster VBV1210 12-gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum with Detachable Blower

4.7

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An all-purpose shop vac is an indispensable tool for a wide variety of household tasks and light-duty garage clean-up, and the Vacmaster Wet/Dry Vacuum with Detachable Blower is our top pick. This 12-gallon model with a 5HP motor offers enough capacity and suction to handle dry or wet messes. However, it's so powerful, it might trip your breaker, so be sure to plug it into a 20 amp receptacle, if possible. Once it's plugged in, this shop vac is easy to maneuver, thanks to the lightweight polypropylene tank and casters. For liquid clean-up, keep in mind that capacity will be more limited. An internal float will shut off suction once the canister reaches full capacity at 8.5 gallons. 

Some shop vacs can be rather noisy, but this Vacmaster includes an exhaust cover that keeps noise levels to 71 decibels, which is likely quieter than your regular household vacuum. It has a CFM rating of 133, which comes in handy if you use the detachable blower to clear leaves and small debris from your space quickly. The blower outputs air at speeds up to 210 MPH, so you can quickly and powerfully clean your garage, renovation area, or outdoor patio in no time.

Best Budget: Armor All VOM205P Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum

4.4

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The Armor All Portable Utility vacuum combines a 2.5-gallon canister with a 2 HP motor for a compact solution to cleaning up wet or dry messes. This affordable shop vac may lack some of the features and accessories found on larger, more expensive models, but it doesn’t skimp on essential items. For instance, a wet foam filter and reusable cloth filter can be swapped out for different types of cleaning jobs. A blower port lets you use the 4-foot hose for blasting away leaves or light debris using 65 CFM of air. And the entire unit can be wall-mounted for convenience, just keep in mind the hose length and remember that there are no wand attachments included with this budget wet/dry vacuum. 

Best Large Capacity: Ridgid 16 Gal. 6.5-Peak HP NXT Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

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Most average-sized shop vacs give you 5 to 8 gallons of debris capacity, but choose a large capacity shop vac if you have heavy messes to clean up or don’t want to empty the canister as often. Ridgid has equipped this shop vac with a 16-gallon canister, the largest in their wet/dry vacuum line-up. It’s powered by a 6.5 peak horsepower motor for serious suction of wet or dry debris. 

The 7-foot hose locks onto the canister and has a diameter of 2.5 inches for unhindered suction of larger objects. Attachments like a wet nozzle, car nozzle, or extension wands add to the Ridgid wet/dry vac’s adaptability. In addition, this heavy-duty shop vac has a detachable blower. While it’s useful for removing sawdust or light debris from your workbench or garage, don’t expect it to do major yard duty. 

Best Portable: Craftsman CMXEVBE17250 2.5-gallon Wet/Dry Vac

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A portable shop vac should be easy to carry but powerful enough to lift both dry and wet debris from your home, car, yard, or workshop. The Craftsman 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac fits the bill, with an ergonomic handle and a total weight of just 6.7 pounds. As a result, it’s easy to carry up and downstairs, unlike some wet/dry vacs with wheels. It’s also small enough to store in a closet or under the sink.

Another big advantage of this portable shop vac is the onboard attachment storage. Instead of trying to corral the tools, hose, and vac separately, lock the hose into place on the canister and snap the crevice tool and utility nozzle onto the vacuum. While the included attachments are minimal, you can use other shop vac accessories with a 1.25 diameter to expand your cleaning kit. 

Best Cordless: Milwaukee M18 2 Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac

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Put the power of a shop vac to work anywhere with the help of a cordless model, like this compact but powerful version from Milwaukee. The M18 2 Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac runs for at least 30 minutes on the power of a lithium-ion battery. It can pick up dry or wet messes; just be sure to remove the HEPA filter before sucking up liquids. 

This cordless wet/dry vac stands out for its 45 CFM, which is more suction power than many other models for the type and size. The 6-foot hose also gives you plenty of reach for tasks around the garage, underneath seats in the car, or quick clean-up at the job site. 

Best Wet/Dry: Vacmaster Beast 14 Gal. 6.5 HP Wet/Dry Vac

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The Vacmaster Beast is a good pick if you’re specifically looking for a reliable, easy-to-clean wet/dry shop vac. This large capacity model has a 14-gallon tank, equipped with a drain port for quick emptying of liquid contents. Like polypropylene tanks, this stainless steel one is rust-proof, but keep in mind that it’s not dent-proof. When you put this wet/dry shop vac to the test, use the included foam filter to suction up water. 

Not all shop vacs include a foam filter, but using it helps to preserve the life of your machine. If that puddle you’re cleaning up has gravel, glass, or other debris, the foam filter can help capture these particles before they reach the motor of your vacuum.

Best for Dust: Fein Turbo I Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner

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Most shop vacs capture debris and suction up liquids with ease, but not all models are as proficient at collecting fine dust particles. A wet/dry vac for dust is especially important in woodworking shops and other environments where dust is abundant. Keep things clean with the Fein Turbo I. This model has frequently been named a top dust extractor; it’s a Class L dust device. 

An outstanding feature of the Fein Turbo I is the bypass motor system. This prevents dust exposure to the motor, which can cause premature motor burnout. In addition, several filters are available for the vacuum. It ships with a pleated filter cartridge, which catches particles as fine as 1 micron. When connected to power tools for dust capture, this shop vac will start automatically.