Car and Driver
caranddriver.com › home › parts, gear, tools, and accessories › tested: the best shop vacs you can buy
Best Shop Vacs for 2025, Tested - Car and Driver
March 27, 2024 - If that's the case, this Micro Shop-Vac is the one to grab. It's super compact and easy to move around—perfect for storing out of the way. Size is, of course, the one drawback. But if you need it only for occasional spills, why spend money on a big one? The small size does translate to struggles against larger chunks, and an angled inlet to the drum doesn't help either.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/tools › looking for a good shop vac for cleaning the car and other messes. don’t know what to look for.
r/Tools on Reddit: Looking for a good shop vac for cleaning the car and other messes. Don’t know what to look for.
July 20, 2024 -
Hey guys I just wanted some advice on choosing a shop vac. I recently bought a pressure washer to use on our cars and now realize I don’t have a nice shop vac (just a small harbor freight 1gal that does work pretty good). I’d like to not have to go to any of the local auto car washes anymore to use their vacuums to clean the dirt and spilled French fries my dog and twerps leave under my truck seats. I know it’s probably unrealistic to expect the super suction like those at the newer car washes, but what’s the closest I can get and keep in the garage?
Do I want high horsepower? Does that always mean higher suction? Does size of the canister matter? Is the Rigid 12gal with 5.0peak hp gonna be stronger than the 4gal same hp? I buy most my stuff off marketplace when I find good deals, unless the price of new is good, so just wondering what I should be looking for :) Thanks in advance
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Yeah just buy a rigid 12gallon or so.
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I can't recommend a particular model. But I personally like using the biggest shop vac I have, then I put two lengths of hose on it. The first being the big stock hose, the second necked down to the smaller shop vac size (1 1/4"). The smaller hose/tips suck harder, are easier to maneuver in the interior and with two hoses you don't end up pulling the shop vac over every 5 minutes! I have dogs that shed and have found this works the best of what I've tried.
Videos
11:45
The QUIETEST Shop Vac For Car Detailing - Dewalt Stealth Sonic ...
10:15
TOP 5 Best Shop Vacs | Best Shop Vac Review (2025) - YouTube
06:44
Best CAR Vacuum 2024! - Vacuum Wars! - Wet / Dry Vac - Shop Vac ...
03:05
RIDGID ShopVac Wet Dry Vacuum Review | Portable 4-Gallon Shop Vac ...
BEST WET DRY VACUUM FOR CAR DETAILING? Rigid 5hp ...
06:13
Quietest, Wet/Dry Vac I've Ever Tested! - YouTube
Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › product reviews › the 6 best small shop vacs for cleaning up major messes, from hurricane floodwater to diy dust
The 6 Best Small Shop Vacs of 2025 - Best Wet/Dry Vacuums
August 14, 2025 - I’ve found that these are light and compact, so you can easily carry one up a set of stairs or set it on the backseat of a car. Even within that smaller scale, I found a wide variety of quality options from brands we trust, including Ridgid, Milwaukee, and Shark. For each selection I compared such specs as air flow, motor size, and water lift (when available). ... This pint-sized shop vac from Rigid comes in three capacities–3, 4, and 5 gallons. I like the middle size best, though, as it hits a sweet spot between suction and weight.
The Drive
thedrive.com › the garage › tools › best shop vacs: get everything cleaned up in a hurry
Best Shop Vacs: Get Everything Cleaned Up in a Hurry
February 20, 2025 - All of these accessories make the Stanley Wet Dry Vacuum equally effective with carpet, floor, upholstery, car, and even outdoor cleaning going after fallen leaves. ... This little Craftsman was a low-key MVP, as whenever there was a small spot ...
Pro Tool Reviews
protoolreviews.com › home › best shop vac and wet-dry vacuums: expert picks
Best Shop Vac and Wet-Dry Vacuums: Expert Picks - Pro Tool Reviews
June 30, 2025 - While it’s not capable of cleaning wet messes, Skil’s PWRCore 20 Slim Vacuum is a great little vac to keep in your car for quick cleanups on the go or to make quick work of cleaning out the crevices in your couch.
TechGearLab
techgearlab.com › floor cleaning › vacuum cleaner reviews
Best Shop Vacs of 2026 | Lab Tested & Ranked
Craftsman 16-Gallon
The smaller hose diameter limited ... machine out there, this shop vac stands out among budget picks and can clean up most small projects for casual DIYers. ... The brush attachment on the Dirt Devil 5-Gallon uses stiff bristles to agitate carpet fibers and lift dirt that has ... Tired of your regular vacuum choking on sawdust, screws, or big messes? A shop vac gives you serious power and durability to tackle heavy-duty cleanups...
Vacuum Wars
vacuumwars.com › best-car-vacuum
Best Car Vacuum | Vacuum Wars
July 5, 2024 - Basically, the more expensive a vacuum was, the more points they lost. As far as the best car vacuum to buy, our top choice is the Craftsman 5 HP 5 Gallon followed by the Vacmaster Professional 5.5 HP 5 Gallon, and the Armor All AA255.
Facebook
facebook.com › groups › 580149545785912 › posts › 1916520532148800
What shop vac is recommended for vacuuming cars?
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Grassroots Motorsports
grassrootsmotorsports.com › forum › off-topic-discussion › wet-dry-vacuum-recommendation › 192910 › page1
Wet dry vacuum recommendation| Off-Topic Discussion forum |
I filled it with water (over flow) during a garage floor painting and now it screams like a banshee. I purchased it a Lowes. mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork 3/27/22 11:15 a.m. to be fair, the best small and portable shop vac I ever owned was a cheapie I got from Home Depot.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/autodetailing › best vacuum for car interior?
r/AutoDetailing on Reddit: Best vacuum for car interior?
January 17, 2023 -
No matter what vacuum I try, none of them seem to do a good job and I end up spending hours vacuuming my car. While that sounds like a lot of fun, it actually isn't so what vacuum are we loving these days?
Top answer 1 of 14
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Small vacuums with 2hp or more usually suffice, just depends on the mess. 5hp or more vacuums are the big guns. - also you still need to agitate carpet and mat fibers for best results.
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It could be the carpet you're vacuuming. Most cars manufactured after 2012 have had a decline in the quality of the carpeting & upholstery. With the addition of all the tech, car companies need to cut costs somewhere, and unfortunately carpet has been the target. Vacuums that have a HP of 4.5 or greater are excellent! A really good Wet/dry vac I like is by vacmaster: Beast. It's 5.5 peak HP, has a blower port, and it's very powerful. The suction, in my opinion, beats any of the rigid/shop vac brands. If you're looking for just a vacuum such as a wall mount: Bissell makes a low cost option that rivals many other Wall mounts @ a $300 price point. If money isn't an issue, than you can get industrial grade which have a peak HP of 10. A pro tip, get a cone shaped drill brush and use it on the carpet before vacuuming. It'll get deep into the fibres even the low pile ones. I hope this helps.
The Home Depot Canada
homedepot.ca › tools › wet/dry vacuums & accessories › wet/dry vacuums
Wet/Dry Vacuums - Wet/Dry Vacuums & Accessories - Homedepot.ca
Perfect for professionals that ... and can easily be carried into small work spaces. Accommodates all RIDGID 1-7/8 in. (4.8 cm) diameter accessories.See less - ... The RIDGID PRO PACK PLUS 37.5 Litre (10 Gallon) Wet Dry Vacuum is the ultimate shop vacuum for contra...
Motorvate
motorvate.io › blog › best-shop-vac-for-car-detialing
How to Choose the Best Shop-Vac for Car Detailing?
DeWALT DXV06P The DeWALT DXV06P is a 6-gallon wet/dry vacuum with 4 HP; it is perfect for car detailing. It's lightweight, has excellent suction power, and comes with a range of attachments, including a crevice tool and utility nozzle.
Tacoma World
tacomaworld.com › home › forums › off-topic › garage / workshop
which wet/dry shop vac? | Tacoma World
Moisture meter DIY Bookshelves ... in 'Garage / Workshop' started by slater, May 25, 2024. ... CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17925 5 Gallon 5.0 Peak HP Wet Dry Vac, Portable and Wall-Mountable Shop Vacuum with Filter, 2 Hoses and ...
The Garage Journal
garagejournal.com › forums › the tools › general tool discussion
Recommend me a shop vac that isn’t Craftsman and works well for...
July 10, 2023 - It was stupid money, but it really was a buy once, cry once then you have a fantastic vacuum for life kind of thing. There may be other fancy vacs now that you should look at, but I can almost guarantee, you'd love the Fein. I have the smallest ...
BMW Z4
g29.bimmerpost.com › forums › showthread.php
Auto detail vacuum recommendation
Auto detail vacuum recommendation
The Spruce
thespruce.com › best-shop-vacs-4151284
We Tested 25 Shop Vacs, and These Are the Best for Quick Cleanup
August 13, 2025 - If you mostly want a powerful option for vacuuming your car or other small jobs around the house and garage, we recommend this battery-powered model from DeWalt. The canister holds up to .5 gallons of wet or dry debris, which is perfect for car care, although not best for big jobs like tackling a woodworking shop.
Auto Geek Online
autogeekonline.net › forums › detailer's library › ask your detailing questions!
Good Shop Vac for mobile detailing | Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum
February 27, 2014 - Wet/Dry Vaccum-WD4070 at The Home Depot RIDGID Premium Car Cleaning Kit-VT2534 at The Home Depot ... This is what I have and it has some really nice features. It is fairly small so it is portable, and with the longer hose and the remote feature on the end it is very handy.
Canadian Gearhead
canadiangearhead.com › home › i found the best vacuum for detailing: ridgid 5hp [updated]
I Found The Best Vacuum For Detailing: Ridgid 5hp [UPDATED]
June 14, 2025 - The 4 gallon capacity is more than enough for detailing cars. This isn’t something you need to worry about. As long as you empty it out and clean the filter periodically, you’ll never have an issue. Going overkill on the capacity of your vacuum translates to a bulky unit that takes up too much floor space or is very difficult to travel with. This Ridgid takes up very little space whether you’re traveling with it in your vehicle or keeping it in your garage at home. Its small size combined with its large handle and light weight makes it very easy to grab and go.
MotorBiscuit
motorbiscuit.com › home › 5 best small shop vacs for your car according to popular mechanics
5 Best Small Shop Vacs for Your Car According to Popular Mechanics
July 5, 2021 - Popular Mechanics found this shop vac could run for about 20 minutes on one charge, giving enough time to vacuum most cars quickly. It also charges decently quickly — 15 minutes on the charger provides approximately 15 minutes of vacuuming time. Whether you’re cleaning up after your kids or looking to spruce up your car, a small shop vac makes it significantly easier to keep your vehicle spic and span.
Shop-Vac
shopvac.com › collections › wet-dry-vac-small
Wet/Dry Vacs (Small) | Shop-Vac Store
Shop-Vac Wet Dry Vacuum works great for small job site cleanup, workshops, garages, basements anywhere you need a wet dry vacuum.