Best Shop Vacs (or Wet Dry Vacs) [2024]

Shop vacs, also known as wet dry vacuums, are indispensable tools for both professional tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts alike. Their versatility makes them essential for a range of tasks, from cleaning up large spills to dust extraction in workshops. Unlike traditional household vacuums, shop vacs are designed to handle wet and dry materials with ease, making them ideal for environments where liquids may be present, such as garages, workshops, or construction sites. The powerful suction capabilities of shop vacs allow for efficient cleanup of debris, sawdust, metal shavings, and even water, saving time and effort compared to manual methods.

Moreover, shop vacs are not limited to cleaning tasks alone; they serve multiple purposes beyond mere vacuuming. Many models come equipped with blower functions, allowing users to clear away leaves, debris, or even light snow from outdoor areas. Additionally, shop vacs often feature interchangeable attachments, enabling users to tackle various surfaces and crevices effectively. Whether it’s unclogging a drain, inflating pool toys, or detailing a car interior, the versatility of shop vacs makes them indispensable tools for any home or workspace, offering convenience, efficiency, and reliability in a single machine.

Our Recommendations

After looking into many options, we’ve picked out the best Shop Vacs (or Wet Dry Vacs) for 2024 based on what works well and gives great results.

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Stanley – Wet/Dry Vacuum

Official Product Description: Stanley SL18116P Wet / Dry Vacuum has a larger capacity over 22 L, makes small clean-up jobs a breeze for you as you don’t have to empty the bucket frequently any more.Runtime: 300.0 hours
Thanks to the 4 peak HP motor, this vac offers powerful enough suction needed to almost any cleanup jobs in vehicle, jobsite, workshop, garage, basement, van, house, etc.

Armor All Utility Wet/Dry Vac

Official Product Description: The 2.5-gallon durable polypropylene tank is perfect for small messes and the wheel-base and top handle make it easy to carry on the job.
Equipped with a 10-ft cord and 6-ft x 1-1/4-inch hose, (3) extension wands, crevice tool, blower nozzle adapter, deluxe car nozzle, round dust brush, detail brush, 2-in-1 utility nozzle, floor brush/squeegee nozzle, reusable cloth filter, foam wet filter, this vac is designed to handle various cleaning needs.

CRAFTSMAN Wet/Dry Vac

Official Product Description: The CRAFTSMAN 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac, with a 1.75 Peak HP motor, is great at home, in the garage, or jobsite detail cleaning. With its small size and carrying handle, this shop vacuum goes wherever you need to clean. It’s equipped with the crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach places and the utility nozzle good for a quick garage cleanup. This 2.5-gallon wet dry vac can also be used as a blower, making it a great two-in-one tool. If you’re looking for a portable solution for small messes, requiring little storage space, this vacuum is the answer. *Gallons indicated reflect drum volume, not necessarily collection capacity, actual capacity dependent upon type of debris collected, condition of filter and other factors. Peak horsepower represents a level at or below the maximum horsepower output of an electric motor tested in a laboratory using a dynamometer.

DEWALT Wet/Dry Vacuum

Official Product Description: DEWALT shop vac features cordless or corded operation powered by either an 18V or 20V MAX* battery – or an AC outlet.
HEPA rated wet/dry filter of DEWALT 20V vacuum traps dust with 99.97% efficiency at 0.3 microns.
DEWALT cordless vacuum has easily accessible, washable/reusable filter; tap or water rinse to clean.

Shark MessMaster Portable Wet Dry Vacuum

Official Product Description: The MessMaster wet dry vacuum and small shop vac powers through life’s toughest wet & dry messes—kitchen catastrophes, pet pandemonium, kid chaos, and DIY disasters.
Rinse & Ready means your vac can rinse itself in seconds. Just vacuum up a cup of water, and clean out the hose and dust bin completely.

Best Shop Vacs (or Wet Dry Vacs) [2024]