Our car experts choose every product we feature. We may earn money from the links on this page.
Tested: Best Shop Vacs for 2023
Keep your garage looking spiffy with one of these wet/dry vacs. We tested six of them, including a Shop-Vac, to find the best for you.
The trusty wet/dry vacuum is a cornerstone of garage cleanliness. Commonly called "shop vacs" after the popular Shop-Vac brand, these handy large-capacity vacuums can suck up both dry and wet messes, from oil-soaked kitty litter to wood shavings. They're perfect for construction, woodworking, and general filth cleansing. But like anything, there are a slew of varieties. Which one do you get?
With this test, we aim to answer that question. We've called in a wide range of wet/dry vacuums to evaluate which ones perform better in various situations.
Things to Consider When Buying a Shop Vac
Capacity
Capacity is the most important aspect of a wet/dry vacuum. It's quite simple: The larger the capacity, the more gunk and garbage a vacuum can hold before needing to be emptied. The caveat is storage space—not all of us have room to keep a 16-gallon vacuum in our precious garage. A mid-size shop vacuum is enough for most people, but consider your usage carefully.
Power
Shop vac power ratings are measured in peak horsepower, and this affects the amount of overall suction the motor can produce. Generally, the higher power, the more suck (although there are other factors that come into play, such as level of blockage in the filter and hose size). High-power vacuums also excel in wet suction, slurping up liquid and mucky messes much better than a low-power vac.
Wet Capabilities
Most shop vacuums are capable of picking up liquids, which is a huge advantage over your typical household vacuum. This can come in handy if your basement floods or you need to remove water from your toilet, but you must verify that your vac can do it. Wet/dry vacs come with a sort of foam filter to control chunks, and it's quite easy to swap them over from dry to wet mode. The instruction manual is your friend.
Weight and Portability
You'll likely be moving a wet/dry vac around quite a bit. Thankfully, most shop vacs roll on wheels, but not all do. For the wheel-less wet/dry vacs, you'll want to take weight into consideration. This leads to the portability aspect—you want good casters that move freely. The Vacmaster in our test is wall mountable, which limits some portability while freeing up floor space.
Noise Level
Running these for extended periods of time can damage your hearing, so it's recommended you use some kind of ear protection. Use a wet/dry vac in a small space like a bathroom and you'll quickly realize how valuable a quiet vacuum is. Take a look at the readings we recorded from our average decibel reading to help you make your decision.
Power Source
The vast majority of wet/dry vacs are powered by your standard 120-volt wall outlet. However, battery-powered models are starting to show up in the market. Cordless power greatly increases portability, but you'll always need to take time to recharge the batteries. If you choose a battery-powered option, it's wise to stick with your favored lithium-ion battery system and brand, such as DeWalt's 20V MAX or Milwaukee's M18.
How We Tested Wet/Dry Vacuums
To give our shop vacs the Gear Team treatment, we tested them on both objective and subjective parameters. Of course, we had to know: Do they suck up real-world messes? We fed these hungry machines a buffet of wood chips, trail mix, kitty litter, and even a golf ball. Here's the full list of tested parameters:
- Suction performance on various-sized items
- Wet capacity
- Noise level
- Portability
- Usability
- Weight
After running each vacuum through these testing parameters, we were able to determine which works best in a given situation. For a more in-depth look at our testing, see below.
Here are our picks for the best shop vacuums.
Collin Morgan is an Associate Commerce Editor at Hearst Autos, where the former Rust Belt mechanic and gadget enthusiast presents the best gear for your automotive endeavors.
Best Garage Flooring of 2023, Tested
Best Portable Tire Inflators of 2023
9 Best Coffee Makers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Top-Rated Tire Pressure Gauges