How Much is a Shop Vac?

A wet and dry vac also known as a shop vac are often used by the DIYers due to their versatility and powerful sucking option to pick up such things as nails, screws and other pieces of debris which would destroy other vacuums.  If you’re in the market for one of these bad boys, you might be wondering how much one will set you back and whether they will offer any value for money.

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Like most things, it can be a case of you get what you pay for with more expensive models providing more features over the more basic models.  For this reason we have provided a range of different options to give you some insight on what’s on offer for the asking price as you don’t want to buy something, you’re not going to need.

**Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, with no additional cost to you, I can earn from qualifying purchases. I sure do appreciate it as it helps to maintain this site.  Knowing me though, I’ll most likely buy a beer with it instead!  Of course you can buy these products in a retail store too.  Totally up to you!

Quick Overview of Our Top 5 Shop Vac’s Compared

Shop Vac Question and Answer Guide

Why buy a shop vac?

Shop vacs are a type of vacuum cleaner that belong in a class of their own. They are designed for heavy-duty use and can handle both liquids and dry debris – while providing great value for money. They are an essential tool for diyers’s who often have a bit of mess to clean up after using power tools such as random orbit sanders, sawzalls, miter saws, circular saws or even mess outside made by chainsaws.  A shop vac lets you keep your work site neat and hazardous free.

How do shop vacs differ to regular vacuum cleaners?

Shop vacs can be used both outdoors and inside, which isn’t the case for most vacuums, while being suitable for clearing spills. These vacuum cleaners have powerful suction which is why they are capable of sucking up even the larger debris. They are especially useful for cleaning in construction sites so a good one need to be both powerful and durable.

How do shop vacs work?

The machines are built with a waterproof collector. This acts as a barrier between liquid and any electrical components, so you can use it to suck up water and other liquids (when in the correct mode).

What are the three components of shop vac?

The shop vac consists of three major components. The bucket, or collection chamber, the motor unit and the hose. The motor sits atop the collection chamber and drives a fan which draws air through the collection chamber and hose. As the air passes into a smaller area (the hose) it increases in speed and creates suction.  This allows it to pick up the particles and carries them to the collection chamber. As the air enters the larger collection chamber the air slows down and the particles are released. The air is then vented out the upper portion of the vacuum.

Some example uses for a wet and dry cleaner include:

• Keeping work sites clear and dust free.
• Getting rid of wood dust from power tools.
• Thoroughly cleaning inside cars or vans.
• Drying a cleaned hard floor.
• Cleaning big areas with larger debris.

Types of Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaners

You will find wet and dry vacuum cleaner models in small medium and large sizes rated by their capacity in gallons. They are generally more powerful than regular vacuums.

Small

These types are small enough to be handheld. They are perfect for the small wet and dry jobs around your home. They are often between 1 to 4.5 HP and 2 to 6 gallons tank capacity.

Medium

Good for heavy-duty works. A wet and dry vacuum cleaner with 5 to 6 peaks. They often have a tank capacity of around 8 to 14 gallons.

Large

A wet and dry vacuum of this type possesses power in the excess of 6 HP. This type of vacuum is used on large-scale projects for cleaning debris.

Attachments

Most wet/dry vacuums come with attachments. Also you can buy attachments which will allow you to extend the types of cleaning you can do.

5 Best Shop Vacs – Our Reviews

We’ve put together this brief guide on some of the most popular wet and dry vacuum models in the market out there across a range of different price points to help you find one that suits your needs.

DEWALT 9 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac – Top Pick

This Dewalt vacuum cleaner is a best seller commonly used on construction sites.  It is durable and heavy duty.

It has a great suction to clean up most of the finest dust and dirt off floors. You would still have to pick up the heavier items by hand from the floor (which is often the case with most vacuums) but does do the job it is intended for.

You can also use this vacuum after a heavy mop.  I find this gets rid of the residual surface dust off the floors leaving it look like a professional finish.  The mobility of this vacuum makes it easy to move around on the floors. It stays quite stable even under a load.

Dewalt always offers a quality product and this is another example of one.  They also have impressive after care. Definitely worth checking out.

To check the price of the DEWALT 9 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac, click here.

The Good:

• Large built-in tank drain makes it easy to remove liquids picked up
• Sturdy 9 Gallon wet/dry vac ideal for large pick-up applications
• a dust cartridge filter for small, dry debris and wet materials.
• a strong handle for easy carrying
• water-resistant design for safe and quick access
• accessory bag included

The Bad:

• Not suitable for cleaning fire place ashes
• This cord is a 2-prong 110v plug

DEWALT DCV581H 18/20-Volt MAX Cordless/Corded Wet-Dry Vacuum – Vacuum and Dust Collector Accessories – Most Light Weight

This is a great little hybrid wet n dry vacuum cleaner.  What this vacuum cleaner allows me to do is to separate the garage to the main living areas of the house.  It has more of an industrial use for me.

I have a pretty active workshop in my garage and my shop vac is set up for a quick and easy clean. So much so it really has not left me much space for my actual car.  It is really perfect for the small area I use it in. But it does have the functionality to be moved anywhere.

Its great and compact to be used upon any worksite as well.  It can only really be used for lighter work. It does not cope well with heavier debris, but it is perfect for the final clean on most floors.

I also like the feature of the HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particle Air Filter). This gives me great comfort when I attached it to my tools that I am not breathing in the debris.

I would easily recommend this wet n dry vacuum cleaner to any homeowner or DIY user.  It does the job it is designed to do and is well worth checking out.

To check the price of the DEWALT DCV581H 18/20-Volt MAX Cordless/Corded Wet-Dry Vacuum, click here.

The Good:

• Flexible – can operate corded with an AC outlet, or cordless by an 18v or 20v MAX battery
• Washable/reusable filter
• 2-Gallon tank capacity

The Bad:

• It does not charge while plugged in unfortunately. Batteries charged separately.
• Does not come with vacuum/filter bag

CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17595 16-gallon 6.5 Peak Hp Wet/Dry Vac –  Most Innovative

I am a carpenter by trade and in todays world we are bound by certain laws in relation to breathing in dust particles on worksites.  To maintain a good balance onsite and to reduce general dust and debris, I make sure I complete a daily clean.

Not wanting to spend a lot on a shop vac, I went looking for a reasonably cheap model to buy.  The one that suited was by Craftsman.

In the rugged world of the worksite this little master holds up to its value and does an amazing job collecting the dust I leave behind.

It’s a great vacuum cleaner and I like the versatility of it being combined with the wet vacuum as well as the dry. So if there is a spill onsite we can easily convert it over to vacuum up any wet waste.

I also like how the bucket sits low to the ground giving it a great center of gravity. I am very happy with this shop vac by Craftsman and it hasn’t let me down.

To check the price of the CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17595 16-gallon 6.5 Peak Hp Wet/Dry Vac, click here.

The Good:

• Powerful 6.5 Peak HP motor (good for large cleanup projects)
• Includes a car nozzle, utility nozzle and wet nozzle
• large 2-1/2-inch diameter hose with added dual-flex that resists kinks and crushing
• Equipped with an oversized drain (the tank empties liquids quickly and easily)

The Bad:

• Inlet tube is not available separate as it’s part of the entire drum assembly

Shop-Vac 5895200 2.5-Peak Horsepower All Around EZ Series Wet/Dry Vacuum – Budget Friendly

As a carpenter it can be quite difficult to lug around a large vacuum cleaner and what makes it even harder is to try and clean high areas, such as on the top of door frames.

That’s one of the advantages of a shop-vac is it’s versatility to compete with the big boys of industrial vacuuming.  This model is definitely not too large to be cumbersome and it’s smaller size makes it easier to move around.

As it only has a 2.5 gallon tank, it is easy to pick up off the ground to reach those more difficult spaces.

Surprisingly for a 2.5 horsepower motor it is actually quite gutsy and works very well. Best of all it converts into a nice little blower as well which has its benefits on a worksite.

The only negative that I can say about this vacuum cleaner is the hose is a little too short for my liking, but that is not a bit deal in the whole scheme of things.

It is great for those final cleans, it probably would not cope very well with anything heavy duty but perfect for sucking up things such as wood shavings.  A great lightweight unit.

To check out the price of the Shop-Vac 5895200 2.5-Peak Horsepower All Around EZ Series Wet/Dry Vacuum, click here.

The Good:

• versatile accessories: 7-foot 1-1/4-inch friction fit hose, (2) 1-1/4-inch extension wands, dual surface nozzle, gulper nozzle, crevice tool, round brush and wall mount bracket.
• Filters included; the foam sleeve and collection filter bag.
• Comes with a 18-foot power cord, side tank handles,
• Dolly with easy roll casters and top carry handle.
• Designed for house hold use with quiet operating motor and the power of a full-sized vacuum with the convenience of a hand-held model

The Bad:

• No dry filters

Vacmaster 2.5 Gallon, 2 Peak HP, Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum, VP205 – Low Budget Basic

What a little bargain this wet vacuum is.  It is compact, easy to maneuver and quite light to carry around.  One thing I have noticed too is that it is much quieter than most wet vacuums I have used over the years.  You could almost say its music to my ears!

This would be a great vacuum when needing to tidy up a worksite before you leave.  It leaves you with a professional finish.

Even though it is a low priced vacuum, it performs like an expensive one and to me that’s money well spent.  Even if it was to break it’s not going to cost the bank to replace it.

Comes with a strong 2 Peak HP motor plus a blower feature to clear debris or even inflate a pool toy or two.  It’s convenient size make it useful for quick clean ups and stores easily.  For the low price, it’s well worth checking out.

To check out the price of the Vacmaster 2.5 Gallon, 2 Peak HP, Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum, VP205, click here.

The Good:

• 4 ft. Hose, 8ft. Cord with Cord Wrap, 2-in1 Utility Nozzle, and a crevice tool, reusable cloth filter, and a reusable foam sleeve
• Auto Shut Off prevents overflow

The Bad:

• It does not have a port to hook a drain hose

Final Thoughts………

So whether you need it for your household, for your business, or just something you can use for occasional heavy-duty mess, shop vacs come in pretty handy allowing you to maintain a clean work environment.

For further information including feedback, comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us as we would love to hear from you.

Quick Links to Our Top 5 Shop Vacs

1. DEWALT 9 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac – Top Pick
2. DEWALT DCV581H 18/20-Volt MAX Cordless/Corded Wet-Dry Vacuum – Vacuum and Dust Collector Accessories – Most Light Weight
3. CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17595 16-gallon 6.5 Peak Hp Wet/Dry Vac –  Most Innovative
4. Shop-Vac 5895200 2.5-Peak Horsepower All Around EZ Series Wet/Dry Vacuum – Budget Friendly
5. Vacmaster 2.5 Gallon, 2 Peak HP, Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum, VP205 – Best for Beginners