Shop Vac

[Flingarrows]

I have a craftsman shop vac from one of the big box stores. The filter is always coming loose and falling off into the bottom. This happened one too many times and toasted the motor.

What vacs have you had good luck with? Nothing fancy is needed, I use an Oneida Dust Deputy when I am cutting/routing wood, or sanding auto paint.

My requirements are longevity and filters that are easily procured.

 

[rhamersley]

Shop-vac maybe? Have one at home that's about 25 years old.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I think Shop Vac is out of business. I couldn't find that brand when I needed to replace mine about a year ago. Bought a Dewalt. Happy with it so far.

 

[boogieman]

Lowes and Amazon still sell shop vac brand. Home depot does not. That's who I would recommend also. I have had good luck with the plastic ones over the years. The metal canister ones I have always had a hard time with the motor sealing to the canister and blowing dust out everywhere.

 

[Ingomike]

They are all cheap junk because that is what the market wants. Motors with no bearings, I’ll fitting parts, purely a disposable item, not a long lasting tool…

 

[HoughMade]

I have a Ridgid from Home Depot. It been going strong for about 8 or 9 years so far.

I seriously abused it when I was finishing the concrete floor in my basement.

 

[COOPADUP]

Bought a small Stanley to use for a couple of room renovations. Stainless steel can and good suction.
Still not as good as those old true shop vacs from years back.

 

[BR8818]

I second the Ridgid vac mines over 10 years old, was used in a commercial construction business for 5 of those years. Was only retired to home use after tumbling off a roof and breaking a wheel.

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

Shop Vac

Sold on Amazon

 

[stocknup]

I have an older Stihl SE100 ( that model no longer available ) that I have had for about 12 years and "stihl " runs like new .......
Super quiet and can suck up drywall dust all day long without slowing down .
I can`t imagine the newer ones not performing the same ( mine is similar to the SE 122 today ) .......Pricey but worth it IMHO . Cry once .........

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

all day long without slowing down

I have no frame of reference but the vac I have needs to have the filter cleaned out every so often, the finer particulate matter the worse it is.

 

[d.kaufman]

Have a craftsman one I've been using for 15 years now without issue and it sees a fair amount of usage.

Have seen shop vac brand at Meijer as well as other already mentioned locations

 

[indyblue]

Have a craftsman one I've been using for 15 years now without issue and it sees a fair amount of usage.

Mine’s going on almost 30 years now and I can still find filters for it in most places that sell them.

 

[mmpsteve]

Rigid brand here too. 10 years old, still runs good.

.

 

[Butch627]

I think all the consumer value priced models are about the same. I would go for a plastic tub and see how the filters are held in place. some are just friction and hope, some have a stud that with a nut holds the filter on tight. Also look for amp rating. The db sound rating doesn't mean much as they will get louder after use.

 

[firecadet613]

I bought a Black Friday special 15+ years ago and it's still going strong (filters can be found on Amazon).

I picked up a 2nd BF special from Menards a year ago with a whisper quiet motor and its still going just fine.

To @Ingomike's point, they are all cheap junk. Buy one that gets the job done and if it lasts, great...

Edited to add - I have a third one (again, BF special). It's a 2.5 gallon. I tossed the filters out years ago, as I kept it in my dock box. Now that in sold my boat, it's nice to have one dedicated to wet/yucky stuff only.

 

[Lmo1131]

Another vote for Rigid.
Mine is only four years old and I’ve put it through hell; I’ve used it drain the sump in our basement, and to suck loose dirt out of post holes. No issues with it at all.

 

[Gaffer]

Shop Vac more or less went out of business in 2020, and then some chinese company purchased them. I just have older ones that work great (for many years) but would be skeptical with the new ones.

Ron

 

[Ingomike]

I bought a Black Friday special 15+ years ago and it's still going strong (filters can be found on Amazon).

I picked up a 2nd BF special from Menards a year ago with a whisper quiet motor and its still going just fine.

To @Ingomike's point, they are all cheap junk. Buy one that gets the job done and if it lasts, great...

Right! The fact is nothing sold today, that looks like what you have had for ten years, is made in anyway like the old one. Talk to a vacuum repair guy, a vacuum made like they did in 80’s costs at least $700 and likely more. They tell me that in mainstream vacuums the rotor is set right in the plastic, no bearings at all, the plastic is the bearing. That is a big read they scream when they go bad…

 

[Hoosier Carry]

I’ll second the Stihl vacuum.

Have the SE33 Which is the smallest of the brand and have been very happy with it. Takes up less room than the big ones that Ive had in the past, and has a high cfm rating for a small unit.