15 Best Shop Vac for Woodworking, Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

The best shop vac for woodworking has replaced the old cleaning methods and has become an important tool in households and industrial factories. A shop vac is an extraordinary and versatile tool that safely removes debris, dirt, and fluids.

If you’re looking to buy one soon, we have done the research and narrowed the many options in the market down to the 15 best units to make it easier to find the right one for your needs.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	FEATURES	PRICE
EDITORS CHOICE	Vacmaster VBV1210 5HP Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum	Dimensions: 18.44 x 20.52 x 24.49 inches Weight: 24.4 pounds Cord length: 12 ft Smart feature: Extra Large Drain Port	Check on Amazon
BUDGET PICK	Armor All 2.5 Gallon 2HP Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum	Dimensions: 10.6 x 14.2 x 14.4 inches Weight: 7 pounds Cord length: 10 ft Smart Feature: Auto shut-off	Check on Amazon
TOP CHOICE	STANLEY SL18115 Wet/Dry Vacuum	Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 x 18 inches Weight: 14.02 pounds Cord length: 10 ft	Check on Amazon
BUDGET PICK	Vacmaster VF408 4 Gallon 5HP Wet/Dry Floor Vacuum	Dimensions: 17.1 x 13.2 x 17.3 inches Weight: 17.2 pounds Cord length: 18 ft Smart Feature: HEPA filter	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	Craftsman XSP 12 Gallon 5.5HP Wet/Dry Vac	Dimensions: 17 x 19 x 23 inches Weight: 24.6 pounds Cord length: 20 ft	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	Shop-Vac 5-Gallon/4.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vacuum	Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 21 inches Weight: 12 pounds Cord length: 6 ft Smart Feature: Bagged	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	DEWALT DWV012 Dust Extractor	Dimensions: 23 x 19.25 x 28.25 inches Weight: 44 pounds Cord length: 15 ft	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	Shop-Vac 6.5-Peak HP 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum	Dimensions: 18.25 x 22.75 x 18.25 inches Weight: 25.7 pounds Cord length: 18 ft Smart Feature: Bagged, Corded	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	Ridgid WD1450 14-Gallon 6-HP Wet/Dry Vacuum	Dimensions: 22.5 x 26 x 19.5 inches Weight: 25 pounds Cord length: 20 ft Smart Feature: Scroll noise reduction	Check on Amazon
EDITORS CHOICE	WORKSHOP Wet/Dry Vac WS1600VA 16-Gallon 6.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vacuum	Dimensions: 20.38 x 20.25 x 34.5 inches Weight: 23.4 pounds Cord length: 240″ Smart Feature: Qwik Lock Filter Fastening System	Check on Amazon

15 Best Shop Vac for Woodworking Reviews:

This machine converts easily from a wet and dry vacuum to a 210-miles-per-hour handheld blower, which allows you unlimited versatility in your cleaning needs.

Additionally, the x-large drain port allows you to clean for a long time without the need to empty it, which means that you can finish cleaning faster and save time. The drain port is also simple to drain and you won’t find any hassle in doing that.

This unit gives you 19 feet of cleaning reach thanks to its long power cord and hose. To allow you great versatility and make the machine as effective as possible, many accessories are included such as car nozzle, blower adapter, utility nozzle, extension wands, concentrator nozzle, etc.

Conclusion

Whether you want a heavy-duty unit for commercial or household purposes, this unit has what it takes to get the job done. With a host of extra accessories, this unit allows you a lot of versatility for a comprehensive, multi-purpose cleaning experience.

With a 2.5-gallon polypropylene container, the unit allows great portability. You’ll be able to easily carry it around and perform most of the cleaning tasks. This unit’s 2HP offers enough suction power to remove debris and dirt from surfaces.

What’s more, this unit can convert to a blower and offer you unlimited versatility. The auto shut-off function will quickly detect the fill limit and shut the unit off to prevent overflow. Also, the handle and onboard accessory storage ensure that you find carrying the unit easy.

The unit operates quietly to provide a calm cleaning environment. The integrated noise and air diffuser come in handy in minimizing volume. Additionally, the 10 feet power cord with convenient wrap, 6 feet & 1.25 inches hoses allow you great reach and ensure fast and hassle-free cleaning.

This unit comes with extra accessories, including a reusable cloth filter, 2-in-1 utility nozzle, deluxe car nozzle, crevice tool, detail brush, blower nozzle, and reusable foam sleeve. These tools enhance its convenience.

Conclusion

When you don’t have a large area to clean but you still need an efficient unit, opting for Armor All 2.5 Gallon 2HP Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum won’t be a bad choice. With its lightweight and portable design, it’s easy to carry and clean around.

 

What’s more, it’s very easy to convert this vacuum into a handheld blower, which allows great convenience in your cleaning. This feature lets you clean dry debris and wet spills, dirt, marks, and any other types of undesirables.

The storage and wrap feature for the tube and power cord allows you to easily arrange the accessories for easy storage of the unit once you’re done cleaning. Also, this unit boasts of a 4 horsepower motor that delivers great suction that you need to handle nearly any kind of job.

The 15 feet cleaning range means that you can clean a large room in the shortest time possible and save a great deal of time since you won’t have to unplug now and then. Moreover, the STANLEY SL18115 Wet/Dry Vacuum’s four wheels with 360-degree rotation mean that you can easily maneuver the unit with ease while cleaning. These wheels also enhance portability.

Conclusion

Though a few previous buyers have reported that the unit suddenly stopped working, the majority have reported that the unit works fine and is reliable. With its great features, lightweight, and portable construction, this unit is a perfect choice for everyday clean-ups.

 

With this range, it means you can clean a large area without unplugging, which is less tiring and saves time.

With the 2-stage motor, this unit produces powerful suction that helps to suck up all types of debris and dirt. Additionally, this unit operates quietly, which is great for those that prefer working in a calm environment.

The storage of its long cord is easy thanks to the auto cord rewind. That allows you to easily wrap the cord around the unit for easy storage. Besides the cord storage, there’s also an onboard hose and accessory storage for smooth storing of the unit after a cleaning session.

Some of the useful accessories that come with this unit include the crevice tool for cleaning tight spaces, HEPA filter and Foam wet filter, tool caddy multi-surface floor nozzle, utility nozzle, and brush, and round dust brush.

Conclusion

If you only have light to medially tough jobs, whether on a commercial or household level, the Vacmaster VF408 4 Gallon 5HP Wet/Dry Floor Vacuum will get them done. It’s well equipped to handle both wet and dry suck up with maximum efficiency.

 

Moreover, the large-capacity 12-gallon tank means that you’ll have fewer fill-ups, which imply faster cleaning. The unit allows a large cleaning reach. With a 20-foot power cord and 7-foot extension wands, you’ll be able to reach larger spaces without unplugging the vac. That will enable you to finish cleaning faster and focus on other duties.

The 2.5-inch diameter securely fit hose unit keeps the hose well in position during the entire cleaning process.

Conclusion

If you don’t plan to be using your shop vac for household purposes but only on a commercial level, and you don’t mind a little noise while cleaning, then you can also consider this unit. It’s one of the powerful vacuums for at-the-shop clean-ups. Also, the machine stands out with its 27 feet cleaning reach.

 

This unit’s heavy-duty offers you great reliability in dealing with tough jobs. As the name tells, this unit handles both wet and dry clean ups. With its high-quality filters and other accessories, this unit is definitely up for the task.

Besides power, this unit also offers great portability. That allows you to easily carry it around for multi-surface cleaning experience. Its carry handles on the side and top also enhances portability and increases maneuverability.

This vac shop will do a great cleaning job for you with its host of accessories that include 1.25-inch diameter, 7 feet hose and 3 extension wands. Additionally, it comes with a crevice tool for tight spaces, floor nozzle, gulper nozzle, cartridge filter, filter bag and foam sleeve.

Conclusion

With 5-gallon tank capacity, 4.5 Peak HP, lightweight and portable body, this unit is a perfect choice for cleaning around your workplace or at home. With a host of accessories, Shop-Vac 5-Gallon/4.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vacuum delivers great efficiency in your cleaning.

 

With variable suction settings, it’s easy for you to control the suction amount and the unit’s power consumption depending on your cleaning needs.

With 15 AMP motor, this duct extractor offer up to 155 CFM of airflow to allow maximum suction. A high-quality filtration system is included to ensure a thorough cleaning and extraction of dust particles.

What’s more, the power tool actuation feature controls the ON and OFF functions of this unit with a power tool. Transporting the unit is a hassle-free experience thanks to its telescopic handle. The universal hose connection system offers a powerful connection with a swivel feature to ensure smooth cleaning experience.

Conclusion

This unit offers enough suction for light to medially heavy jobs at workplace or at home. With a powerful hose connection with swivel offers a smooth cleaning experience. When what you need the most is cleaning dust, this unit will do the job.

 

Additionally, the quality of this unit stands out among the others in the market. Coming from a reputable brand, this unit will serve you well for a long time. This unit can easily convert into a portable handheld blower to allow greater convenience.

The length of the power cord is 18 feet, which offers a large cleaning reach for smooth cleaning without too many unplugging. Its hose has a 2.5-inch diameter for effective pick up of debris and dirt.

Lastly, the Shop-Vac 6.5-Peak HP 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum offers you a host of accessories to make the cleaning more diverse. That means you can several surfaces at your workplace or home.

Conclusion

When all you care about is the power and capacity, this unit can be a good option for you. With a 12 gallon capacity, you can be sure that you’ll have minimal filling ups even when cleaning a larger area. Also, it’s a powerful unit that will effectively get the job done.

 

That’s very convenient and allows easy and quick finish ups. Its 6 Peak HP motor is designed using advanced noise-reduction technology to ensure a powerful collection of undesirables within a quiet environment.

Like other units on our review, you can also convert this unit to a handheld blower for more effective cleaning of above-floor surfaces. With a 20 feet power cord, you know you can clean a large area without unplugging. The cord wraps conveniently around the unit to allow easy storage.

When it comes to portability and maneuverability, this machine is equipped with a pull handle and caster wheels that roll smoothly. The side handles also provide you with perfect grip when you need to lift the unit up.

The fin-dust filter allows easy picking up of dry materials and small liquid amounts. Its quick-release bag stores accessories and keep them close when you need use them.

Conclusion

Do you love working in a quiet environment? Well, this is one of the units you should consider. With its sophisticated noise-reduction tech, this unit will effectively do the job without making a lot of noise. It’s a perfect machine for commercial cleaning needs.

Additionally, the efficient locking tab helps to keep the hose connected to the unit during the cleaning process. The WORKSHOP Wet/Dry Vac WS1600VA is a large capacity unit offering a 16-gallon tank capacity. That means you can clean a large area without refilling frequently.

On power, this unit delivers great suction to take all the dirt out. With a 6.5 Peak horsepower, this unit won’t leave any undesirable behind. Additionally, the unit comes with high-quality lock filtration system to ensure easy and quick wet and dry vac filter changes.

Its automatic shut-off float mechanism comes in handy to prevent any chances of overflow during the wet suck ups. The heavy-duty construction ensures durability and easy handling of pressure that comes with every day cleaning.

Also, with the built-in blowing port, you enjoy great versatility by allowing you to blow debris easily out of your workspace. It features a drain port that enables easy emptying of wet messes.

Conclusion

This unit is one of the largest capacities you’ll find in the market. Its powerful suction offers effective cleaning of both wet and dry messes. Whether you want a unit for commercial or household uses, this one can be a suitable option.

 

The cord conveniently wraps around its handle to allow easy portability and storage. Its hose is also 8 feet long and is 1-7/8-inch in diameter, which enables effective collection of debris and other undesirables.

With a 5 Peak HP, this compact and portable unit is suitable for professional purposes and any contractor who’s looking for a highly performing unit without sacrificing size and portability. The unit features a patented filter fastening system that enables easy, tool-free filter installation and removal for replacement or cleaning.

It’s easy to convert this unit into a handheld blower, which offers great versatility as you switch to blow dirt, leaves and debris from decks, walkways, job sites and warehouse floors. Durability is a priority in this unit.  It’s constructed with heavy-duty materials to ensure a long-life of service.

Conclusion

With up to 28 feet cleaning reach combined with 5 Peak horsepower, this unit offers great cleaning power. At the same time, it maintains a compact and lightweight design that allows a lot of convenience when you want to carry the unit around.

 

With a 9-gallon tank capacity, the unit allows you to clean without a lot of trips to refill.

Additionally, the unit also generates a lot of suction that’s enough to collect debris and dirt. With an auto filter cleaning, the unit will clean the filter after every 15 seconds to ensure a maximum, consistent power.

The lightweight and portable design helps to create a mobile cleaning tool that you can use to clean around your workplace. This unit allows you the convenience of wet and dry suck ups. When it comes to wet vacuuming, this unit features a water level sensor that will automatically shut it down when water reaches a certain height. That way, the motor will stay safe.

What’s more, the power tool activation function allows automatic switching of the vacuum ON/OFF. Also, the power broker dial works to optimize power usability and help to avoid blown circuits.

Conclusion

With a 9-gallon tank capacity and enough suction to take all debris and dirt out, this unit is one of the best options for commercial setups. It’s designed with the first-time user in mind. Even if you’ll be using a shop vac for the first time, you won’t find it difficult using this one. It’s worth the money.

 

With its 1800W motor, this unit offers great air flow that sucks up debris leaving you with a cleaner environment that you want. This unit has a 5.3-gallon capacity, which is enough for small cleaning tasks at your workplace or at home.

Additionally, this high-quality unit offers both wet and dry vacuuming convenience. It comes with a compact design that allows great portability without sacrificing power. Its compact design is suitable for small spaces and convenient storage.

This unit’s top-mounted filter ensures that the tank capacity is fully utilized. With a host of extra accessories, including extension wand, hand grip nozzle, hose, pleated filter, standard floor nozzle, crevice tool and fleece bag, this unit will help you get the job done!

Conclusion

When you want to get a unit that offers power and efficiency without sacrificing compactness and portability, this is one of the ideal units to go for. And if you want a shop vac that can handle both commercial and household cleaning, this too will be one of your best choices.

 

This high-capacity unit comes with a sturdy 10-gallon tank with dual-stage wet and dry vacuuming convenience that allows unmatched convenience in your cleaning. Additionally, the unit offers you with a quiet cleaning environment that you’ll appreciate.

When it comes to draining the liquid it picks up, the integrated drain tank makes the work easier. Moreover, the integrated blower port is not just convenient but also power to blow debris and sawdust from your workshop.

With a 10-foot long power cord, this unit allows you a great reach so that you can clean any area that you need. What’s more, this unit comes with a host of accessories to enhance its versatility in the cleaning. The integrated accessory storage bag helps to keep the accessories well organized.

Conclusion

This unit is rich in features. From the 10-gallon tank capacity to its 10 feet long power cord and 5.5 Peak horsepower motor, this unit has got what it takes to handle all types of cleaning at your workshop. Its compact body with convenient accessories organization feature enables easy storage. The only issue is the lack of upholstery brush though you can purchase it separately.

 

With a powerful suction with 98.4-inch of static water lift, this unit will do a great job whether on commercial or household uses. Additionally, the tool coupling and suction control feature allows smooth control of the suction power.

The convenient auto-start feature allows the vac to switch on automatically, which again provides great convenience. Additionally, the 19-foot power cord and the 13-foot vac hose with an onboard storage facility allow extensive reach for faster cleaning without hassle.

To make your cleaning experience even smoother, this unit is equipped with wheels that have 360-degree rotation feature for maximum maneuverability even in hard-to-access areas. Lastly, the unit operates quietly, producing only 66dB of noise.

Conclusion

Fein 13′ Suction Hose Turbo I Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner is all about performance and efficiency. With its large wheels with a smooth rotation feature, it’s easy for you to maneuver and clean even the hard-to-reach areas. It’s also a perfect unit for both commercial and household uses.

Buying Guide: Factors to Consider Before Buying?

1. How much Suction?

Although shop vacuums are created to offer more power than ordinary household vacuums, they don’t all come with the same amount of power. While some may offer 6 and above horsepower suction others offer as little as 2 horsepower.

With this in mind, you have to be careful to ensure you pick the right machine for your specific needs. Remember that the more suction a unit delivers, the better it collects debris and dirt. Additionally, a unit with more suction can collect larger debris than the one with less suction.

When it comes to woodworking undesirables like sawdust, you need a powerful unit that handles this kind of work without clogging issues. However, the amount of suction you go for will depend on the cleaning needs of your workplace.

If you know you’ll be cleaning larger debris and a lot of sawdust, then you need to choose a unit with at least 5 Peak HP. With such an amount of power, you’ll easily handle this type of cleaning without much hassle.

But, if you’ll be doing some small to medium cleaning at the workplace or home, a unit with 2 Peak HP and above won’t be wrong. So, choose wisely.

2. How long is the cleaning reach?

The cleaning reach is determined by the length of the hose and that of the power cord. When you’re going for a shop vac, you need to consider how long the reach is for your convenience.

When it comes to the power cord, different units come in different cord sizes. While some vacuums may come with a cord that’s less than 10 feet, others may come with cords that are 20 feet and above.

The length of the cord is important because it determines how often you’ll need to unplug the vacuum during the cleaning session. If you have a short cord and you’re cleaning a large room, you’ll need to unplug and plug into a different power outlet anytime you reach the maximum distance that the cord can go.

But if you have a unit that has a long enough cord, you can even clean an entire room without unplugging or at least with minimal unplugging. That will help to save a lot of time that you would waste with so lots of unplugging.

Additionally, the length of the hose also counts. Like in the case of the power cord, the hose also contributes to how much cleaning reach you have. If you’ll be cleaning a lot of hard-to-reach areas, you’ll need a long hose that can access them all.

The best shop vac will come with about 6 or more hose length. With such a length, you’ll find it easy to suck up debris from under the furniture and other hand-to-access areas, including above-ground surfaces.

3. Does the unit come with accessories?

Accessories are important as they increase the versatility of your machine. Keep in mind that you’ll be investing a lot of money to buy this shop vac. That means you would require digging your pocket deeper to buy accessories if your unit doesn’t come with them.

Some of the units that the best shop vacuums come with include car nozzle, blower adapter, utility nozzle, extension wands, concentrator nozzle, hand grip nozzle, hose, pleated filter, standard floor nozzle, crevice tool, and fleece bag, etc.

All these tools and accessories are required to ensure smooth cleaning of the various surfaces in your workplace. While some units may come with these accessories, others need you to them separately, which can be an added cost.

Additionally, while some units may come with just a few accessories, others may come with a host of them, which allows you unlimited versatility in your cleaning. With that in mind, it’s good that you check the number of accessories a unit comes with depending on your cleaning needs. If you’re going to be cleaning both floor and above-ground surfaces, these accessories will come in handy. Remember that the more accessories a unit have, the better.

4. What’s the tank capacity?

Generally, the bigger the tank capacity a unit has, the better. A shop vac with a large capacity tank means that you’ll be cleaning large spaces without the need to empty them, which can be time-consuming and make the cleaning a tiring chore.

Some of the best shop vacuums come with a tank capacity of at least 12-gallon. However, the size that a unit has will depend on your cleaning needs. If you won’t be requiring doing a lot of cleaning, you can go for a unit with even 5.5-gallon or less and it will be just fine.

However, if you’re looking for large capacity cleaning, then you should better go for a unit that comes with a bigger tank capacity. With such a unit, it will be smooth for you to clean without frequent emptying.

You should know that the size of the tank most goes hand in hand with the amount of suction that a machine produces. Though not always, units with powerful suction come with large capacity tanks for large commercial cleaning projects. Those units designed for household uses, come with less suction and smaller capacity because there not much dependence at the household level.

Final Thought

It’s now easier for you to find and buy the best shop vac for woodworking that you need thanks to our top 15 best units reviewed above. We also mentioned some important factors that you ought to consider before you make the ultimate buying decision. With that, we are certain that you’ll invest your money in a product that disserves it.

FAQs

1. Can I utilize a regular vac for sawdust?

Shop vacuums are designed to handle sawdust and other cleaning needs in construction sites while regular vacuums aren’t made for that. Though, some people have used regular vacuums and claimed that they work, sawdust is likely to clog a vac faster compared to ordinary dust.

2. Can I use a shop vac to clean a carpet?

A shop vac can used to clean carpet by sucking up the cleaning solution. However, you need to utilize a floor attachment and press down hard to ensure the vac removes all the solution. Use clean water for rinsing the carpet and with the vac, suck up the water. If there are any bubbles, a towel can help to clear them.

3. Are shop vacuums more powerful than regular vacuums?

Shop vacuums are equipped with more powerful motors than regular household vacuums. That’s because they require sucking up large and heavy objects. Also, shop vacuums have robust suction and lifting capabilities. They are able to remove both dust particles and liquids. On the other hand, regular vacuums are less powerful because they only handle small particles.

4. What should I not vacuum?

8 things you shouldn’t vacuum include:

1. Large glass pieces
2. Wet or moist food
3. Fine dust
4. Paperclips, coins, and other small things
5. Fireplace ashes
6. Hair
7. Dry cereal
8. Gravel
9. How does a shop vacuum and dust extractor differ?

The difference is the range. Shop vacuums can be utilized in cleaning a host of materials that aren’t wood-related, including fluids. On the other hand, dust extractors can’t as they are limited to just wood-related matters like sawdust and dust.