Best Shop Vac For Woodworking - Buying Guide and Reviews
Contents
If you have tried using an ordinary vacuum to handle woodworking messes, you probably were very disappointed. This buying guide is intended to help you not make the same mistake. The recommended best shop vac for woodworking is able to manage both the fine textured sawdust as well as chunks of wood that may have been discarded on the floor.
These shop vacs combine power and filtration to ensure that the end result is satisfactory. It is usually not easy to differentiate a good woodworking shop vac from some other similar vacuums so this guide will give you pointers to make it easier for you to make the best pick.
5 Best Shop Vac For Woodworking Comparison
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How To Choose The Best Shop Vac For Woodworking
Suction
We have already mentioned the time factor. If you do not have to go over the same place over and over again, you will be able to finish the task faster so when choosing a shop vac for woodworking, find something with powerful suction but at the same time do not get one that is too powerful since workshops have lots of tools that you would not want getting sucked up and then thrown away by mistake. A shop vac at a maximum of 7hp or minimum of 2.5 would do the work well. You may also want to take into consideration:
- Air flow of the motor
- Diameter of the hose
- Voltage
These also contribute to the suction.
Filtration
The filter system is another important consideration. Filters will determine if the vac will be able to keep the finer dust inside. Many low-quality vacuums allow the dust to escape back into the air and this can be harmful to your health as well as frustrating as you try to get the air clean. High-quality filters also protect the motor since dust and debris getting into the motor will reduce its performance. It is important that the shop vac has a filter bag, filter cartridge and they should be easy to replace if the need arises. Find out how easy it is to clean the filter as well since that affects the performance of the shop vac. A clogged filter will be of not use to you.
Accessories
A good shop vac for woodworking needs to have a number of useful accessory tools. These will help you clean different surfaces as well as different situations. The accessories may need to be bought separately or they will come with the unit. The best ones like we have listed here come with their own accessories. Some of the important accessories to look out for are:
- Hose
- Extension wands
- Crevice tools
- Brush
- Squeegee
- Gulper tool
Noise Level
Most shop vacs are noisy but the noise levels differ. Take into consideration your own comfort in this case. Woodworking itself is noisy and the question is when you are done with your work, are you able to stand the noise from a shop vac? If you notice that customer reviews actually mention the noise level of a shop vac as being high, then it probably is very high and if you do not have a pair of noise cancellation earphones, you should not think of using the particular shop vac. But sometimes the noise is something you will have to tolerate if you want a very powerful motor.
Price
The best shop vac for woodworking does not have to be expensive. There are a number of good ones that are likely to fit into your budget without compromising performance. It is also important to compare price with the features you are getting. Some shop vacs may be deceptively expensive yet they may not be able to do what you want to use it for. It is important that you get value for money and sometimes value for money depends on personal choice so consider what you would find a good price.
Other Considerations
- Durability is important; the warranty can let you know how long you can expect to use the shop vac.
- Woodworking involves a lot of moving around so the shop vac should also be able to move around easily. Features like wheels and handles are important
- Length of the cord or the hose is also important as it determines your reach
- Do you want one that is mounted on the wall or carried around?
Recommended 5 Best Shop Vac For Woodworking Reviews
Shop-Vac 8251600 Wet/Dry Vacuum Yellow/Black
Editor Rating:
If you are searching for the best shop vac for woodworking in a busy workshop, then this is what you should opt for. It has a big tank that can take up a lot of dust and debris, it is able to suck wood dust from tiny cracks and spaces and the filter system is quite impressive. It has a lock system for the hose which makes it possible to pull it around using the hose as you vacuum.
It can also be carried using the top handle, although when it is full especially with water, the handle gets uncomfortable.
Highlighted Features:
- The motor has a longer life thanks to the SVX2 technology
- Big 16 gallon tank
- 6.5 peak horsepower motor
- 6-foot power cord
- 4 wheels on the bottom for easy movement
- Improved filter performance with filter minder
- 8-foot hose with lock on ability
Pros
- It is a heavy duty shop vac for the workshop
- The motor lasts longer than other shop vacs in this list
- Improved filter system ensures dust does not escape into the air
- It has strong suction for both wet and dry vacuuming
- The lock on hose prevents it from coming off when you pull the unit by the hose
Cons
- When it is full especially with wet debris, it is not easy to move around.
Shop-Vac 3940100 Wall Mount Wet/Dry Vacuum
Editor Rating:
In a workshop, it is quite convenient to have a hands free dedicated vacuum and this is exactly that. It can be mounted on the wall and the long hose will give you ample converge of the workshop whenever you need to clean up.
The wall mount design keeps it out of the way and yet handy. It is reasonably strong and will effectively deal with residue from woodwork. Many customer reviews have rated it highly as a great shop vac for woodworking. It comes with all the accessories you will need to keep the workshop clean.
Highlighted Features:
- Wall mount bracket
- Long 18-foot lock on hose
- Filter bag, cartridge, and retainer
- Variety of accessory tools including wands, round brush, wet and dry nozzle, crevice tool and gulper nozzle
- Storage bag for tools
- 3.5-gallon tank
- 3.0 peak horsepower motor
Pros
- The wall mount provides a centered vacuum that is easily accessible
- It has a long hose which makes it easy to reach different areas in the workshop
- The strong suction easily sucks up saw dust and other debris
- It comes with a number of accessories
- All the tools can be stored together in a bag
Cons
- This shop vac is very loud
Shop-Vac 5980700 Quiet Plus Series Wet Dry Vacuum
Editor Rating:
This is a cheaper and quieter shop vac for woodworking that still has enough capacity to handle an entire cleanup of your workshop. It may not be as powerful as some of the other best shop vac for woodworking, but it is still powerful enough to get most of the residue from your woodworking in almost the same amount of time.
It comes with onboard storage for the different tools it comes with. You can easily move it around on the wheels that have swivel technology or you can lift it with the top handle or the side ones.
Highlighted Features:
- 6-gallon capacity tank
- 2.75 peak horsepower motor
- Reduced noise level as it operates
- Blower port at the rear side
- Cord length of 6 feet
- 3 handles (2 on the side and one on the top)
- Tool and cord onboard storage
- Small swivel wheels
Pros
- It is affordable yet effective
- It is easily portable
- It does not make as much noise as some other shop vacs
- It has onboard storage
- Does not tip over easily
Cons
- The power cord is short if you have a big workshop
Shop-Vac 5870800 Bull Dog Wet/Dry Vacuum
Editor Rating:
The bulldog comes recommended as the quietest shop vac for woodworking but it does not compromise suction to achieve the quiet operation. The shop vac is quite powerful and will suck up any wet or dry debris, dust and whatever you want to vacuum.
It is versatile and comes with tools that can be used for different situations. It does not look big yet it has more capacity than the 5980700. It has wheels and handles for better portability and mobility. Whatever the task may be, you can count on this shop vac to do the job.
Highlighted Features:
- Low noise level
- 8-gallon plastic tank
- 8-foot power cord
- 4.5 peak horsepower motor
- 12-foot hose for greater reach
- Top carry handle
- Wheels for better mobility
Pros
- It does not make as much noise as other shop vacs
- Powerful suction that gets the job done quickly
- It comes with versatile and useful tools
- It is easy to move around
- Compact but has ample capacity
- Does not let dust escape into the air
- The long hose lets you reach every part of the workshop
Cons
- The cord should have been a bit longer
Shop-Vac 5873410 Right Stuff Wet/Dry Vacuum
Editor Rating:
This is a powerful shop vac that you can easily carry around as you vacuum or you can push it on the dolly that is actually detachable. The power from the motor makes it ideal for woodworking and the filter system can handle even the finest dust. The manufacturer actually intended this shop vac to be used for drywall dust which is very fine so it has no problem handling the residue from woodwork.
It comes with a number of accessories that help in cleaning different surfaces and the workshop or site would be left free of dust in no time.
Highlighted Features:
- Powerful 6.5 peak horsepower motor
- 10-gallon capacity tank
- Compact design for portability
- Detachable dolly
- Long, 20-foot power cord
- Variety of accessory tools
- Can be used as a blower
Pros
- The strong suction gets the job done quickly and properly
- Filter system does not allow fine dust to escape into the air
- It can be used on wheels or detached and carried around
- The long power cable gives you more radiuses to move around
- It works well on both wet and dry surfaces
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Some of the accessories need an adapter which is sold separately
Final Verdict
Most of the time woodworking is going to produce residue that is light and will fly into the air easily. It is important that you have a shop vac that will deal with that easily. All 5 best shop vac for woodworking are just perfect to deal with that. When choosing any of them, you should consider how big you want the tank to be which is why there are different tank capacity sizes recommended. At the end of it all, any of these will be perfect for dealing with a mess from woodworking.
