Wet/Dry Vacs

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KD0AXS

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My 3 year old Shop Vac is DOA, so I need a new one. Needless to say, I won't be buying another Shop Vac brand one. I'll need to get one in the next couple days because we're doing some demo this weekend in preparation for basement waterproofing that we're having done in a couple weeks.


This Ridgid vac at HD seems nice, and the top detaches to convert into a leaf blower. It gets great reviews on HD's website and has a lifetime warranty.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-16-gal-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-with-Detachable-Blower-WD1680/202554974/

I was also looking at this Vacmaster at Northern Tool. I do have a $20 off coupon for NT, but this one doesn't have the detachable blower and only has a 3 year warranty.

http://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200633735_200633735


Any input on these or any other vacs?

Thanks!
 
I've owned several wet/dry vacs over the years, and hated them all. Some just more than others.

However, I have a very nice Ridgid vac, and I am actually starting to even like it. I don't know if the lower-end Ridgids are any good, but the high-ends are nice. Mine is the model right below the contractor model with the stainless steel body.

I've had this vac for 8 years and it is still going strong. If and when it dies, I'll get another Ridgid.
 
i live in a apt and its hard to use a shop vac
but i always prefered craftsman but i hear rigid is good also
 
The basic Ridgid 12gal is a nice unit. They are usually $80 but they go on sale for around $40 during the holidays. Mine is 6-7 years old and has survived 6 house remodels/flips.

I added the 'noise reduction muffler' ($13) to quiet the exhaust a bit.

Pantyhose stretched over the paper filter extends the FCI quite a bit.

Top tip - if you ever have to replace a toilet, use the vac to empty ALL of the water from the tank and p-trap - so you don't have several gallons of water sloshing all over when you remove it.
 
Craftsman. I have a 15y/o craftsman that has done everything from clean up overflowed toilets to pulling dirt out of the postholes during fence installation (filled the canister full several times). It will not die.
 
Originally Posted By: jacky
i live in a apt and its hard to use a shop vac
but i always prefered craftsman but i hear rigid is good also


It's Ridgid, not rigid.
Ridgid, Craftsman, GoClean and Workshop wet/dry vacs are all manufactured by Emerson Tool Company.
 
I don't think that I have ever really used a bad Wet/Dry vacuum. They're quite strong and last forever, mostly! I have(over the last 40 yrs) used/owned:

ShopVAC's, some I can't even remember and now, RIDGID!
Whether I used them at work or at my home/garage! They're quiet tough and long lasting.
 
Originally Posted By: howie2092
The basic Ridgid 12gal is a nice unit. They are usually $80 but they go on sale for around $40 during the holidays. Mine is 6-7 years old and has survived 6 house remodels/flips.

I added the 'noise reduction muffler' ($13) to quiet the exhaust a bit.

Pantyhose stretched over the paper filter extends the FCI quite a bit.

I use discarded pantyhose as prefilter for many applications: shopvac, bagless vacuum, engine and cabin filter in cars ...
 
I have the Ridgid Model WD1851 with handle extending over top of vac to roll / drag around.
Best wet/dry we have had. Being able to move around easier than most sold it to me.
 
my choices are based on the models having drywall dust filter bags available.
 
Originally Posted By: tcp71
Craftsman. ......... to pulling dirt out of the postholes during fence installation (filled the canister full several times). It will not die.


I thought I was the first to figure this trick out. I also have a Craftsman shop vac that is pushing 15 years old....tough as heck. Got a $20 Black Friday Rigid shop vac for small jobs and it seems to work OK, but hasn't been seriously broken in yet.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: jacky
i live in a apt and its hard to use a shop vac
but i always prefered craftsman but i hear rigid is good also


It's Ridgid, not rigid.
Ridgid, Craftsman, GoClean and Workshop wet/dry vacs are all manufactured by Emerson Tool Company.


The Craftsman vacs used to be made by Emerson in Mexico. Sears released new models a while ago that are made in China and appear to be made by Vacmaster.

The Craftsman vac was my runner up choice and appeared to be a good value. I chose the Ridgid as my top pick.
 
Well, I stopped at HD and picked up the Ridgid WD1680. It has awesome suction power, and the fact that the powerhead detaches to become a blower is convenient since I wanted to get a blower anyway. Might as well get both tools in one. The deciding factor was that Ridgid has a lifetime warranty, which no one else has.
 
I have the Ridged model that's about $100. Found it at a garage sale for ~ $15. My old Craftsman finally went Toes Up after several decades of use. The Ridged is pretty quiet, has a tub drain valve and great suction. I've been very pleased with it. I immediately bought the ClearStream gore-tex filter. These things are great! It'll easily stop sheetrock dust and rinses clean with water.

I already had 2-1/2" hose I use in my woodshop. You can buy it + accessories at Woodcraft. Not sure the quality of hose that comes with the HD vacs, but a quality hose goes a long way towards ease of use.
 
The hose that came with this one is pretty decent. It has the locking tab which securely attaches the hose to the vacuum, unlike the Shop Vac which used a threaded collar that would always seem to work its way loose and make the hose fall off. It is a bit short, but I have plenty of extra hose to extend it.

We got most of our demo done today, so I gave it a good workout and it does an awesome job. Just using the basic paper filter that came with it for now, but I'll probably get a good filter when it needs replacement. This one can use bags as well.
 
I used to go through a Shop Vac every 2 years until I bought a Ridgid at a garage sale.
Had it 7 years now, best Vac I've ever had.

DO register your on line lifetime warranty. It's not difficult, they do honour it if somthing goes wrong, and it IS transferable if your Vac is ever replaced.
 
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