The Best Wet/Dry Vacuums to Effortlessly Clean Up Debris in Minutes

Kat de Naoum
·9 min read

Courtesy of Amazon

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The best wet/dry vacs, also known as shop vacs, leave carpets, flooring, and other areas of your home looking good as new. They also come in handy during home emergency situations, like floods. And now many of these vacuums that clean liquid spills and dry dirt cost the same as—and perhaps even less than—regular vacuum cleaners.

Smaller, lighter, and more economical than ever, wet/dry vacs have come a long way. In fact, once you own one, you'll likely never have to pay for a professional carpet cleaning service again.

Of course, floors aren't the only surfaces you can clean with a good shop vac. These heavy-duty machines are useful for cars and even upholstery. They come in cordless, portable, and wall-mount versions, too, so even those with minimal storage space can benefit from a wet/dry vacuum.

11 Best Wet/Dry Vacs to Buy in 2021

Scroll down to read about the best wet/dry vacs you can buy online at Amazon and The Home Depot, and learn why thousands of customers recommend these options for cleaning dust, liquid, and debris in minutes.

Best Overall: Stanley SL18115P

From top power tool company Stanley comes the SL18115P wet/dry vac that effortlessly sucks up liquid spills, dirt, and larger bits of rubble like sawdust and drywall debris. Available in four sizes ranging from five to 10 gallons, this shop vac is simple to operate thanks to its 10-foot power cord and swiveling wheels. Nearly 1,000 shoppers left the appliance a five-star rating on Amazon, with many raving that it's effective and powerful despite being smaller than other options. Its compact size makes it easy to maneuver, and it also comes with several convenient accessories—including extension wands, a crevice nozzle, and a floor brush—that make it even more versatile.

One shopper called it "the best purchase" they've ever made and wrote: "Not only can this thing clean out your car better than a dealership, [but also] I used it in the first week we had it when I dropped a large 3-wick candle on my patio. Glass was everywhere. This cleaned it up in no time. Great investment!" Another called it a "great all-purpose vac" that's "super for pet hair."

Buy It: Stanley SL18115P Wet/Dry Vac, from $54 (originally $60), Amazon

Best Budget: Vacmaster VOM205P

Starting at just $47 for the smallest size (2.5 gallons), the Vacmaster Red wet/dry vacuum gets you sparkling results for a low cost. Effortlessly clean floors, cars, and areas like radiators and baseboards, or switch to the blower mode to rid porches and decks of fallen leaves. Plus, it's easy to store—you can even mount it on a wall. It only weighs six pounds, but according to one customer, the wet/dry vac has "great suction power [and] does the job of much larger vacuums."

Buy It: Vacmaster Red Edition VOM205P, (from $47, Amazon)

Best for Cars: Ryobi 18-Volt Wet/Dry Vac

If you want to keep the inside of your vehicle impeccably clean, this RYOBI 18-volt option—which comes in a nifty tool box-like case—is the best shop vac for cars. It's small enough to fit in your trunk for easy access and includes all the accessories you need for detailing floors, seats, and even those hard-to-reach car nooks and crannies. It's powerful, lightweight, and cordless, and shoppers call it "impressive for its size."

One user wrote: "I bought this unit a few months ago, and it has been one of the most surprisingly helpful purchases that I have ever made! I didn't realize until now how much extension cords and bulky vacs had made a 'cleaner' life difficult. This unit has the perfect 3-gallon waste bin capacity for the everyday messes that I run into. The motor is surprisingly strong with a lot of vacuum power. The fact that the battery power source is interchangeable with my other power tools was one of my purchasing factors. This unit may cost more than some cheap, corded wet/dry vacs, but I guarantee you, its versatility is worth it!"

Buy It: Ryobi Wet/Dry Vacuum with Accessory Storage, ($99, The Home Depot)

Best for Dust: Fein Turbo Wet/Dry Vac

If dust elimination is your top priority—perhaps someone in the house suffers from allergies or asthma—then a powerful dust collector like the Fein Turbo wet/dry vac is just what you need. The corded shop vacuum has a 5.8-gallon capacity, a long 13-inch hose, and a 19-foot cord for added convenience. "This machine offers a powerful vacuum for near-total dust removal," said one satisfied owner, while another added that it is "wonderfully designed and 100% effective in removing dust and debris while filtering the return air."

Buy It: Fein Turbo Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner, ($326, Amazon)

Best Handheld: Rigid Handheld Wet/Dry Vac

This pick-up-and-go handheld wet/dry vacuum from Rigid has a 9-gallon capacity with powerful suction to match its size. Battery-operated and easily transportable, it's a great machine for cleaning cars, garages, and anywhere that finding an electrical outlet might be challenging. Many five-star reviewers are thrilled with the handheld device, and one wrote: "Very pleased with both the suction performance and portability of the unit ... Accompanied attachments are solid quality and effective."

Buy It: Rigid Handheld Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum, ($99, The Home Depot)

Best-Rated Wet Dry Vac: Armor All AA255

With almost 6,000 Amazon reviews and a collective 4.5-star rating, this utility shop vac from Armor All is easy to use and extremely affordable to boot. The machine is lightweight and portable thanks to its 2.5-gallon tank, and since it weighs just seven pounds, it's very easy to maneuver. It can pick up anything wet or dry, convert to a blower, and has an array of cleaning accessories stored on the machine itself so you never lose them.

One reviewer calls it "an exceptionally great budget vacuum [that] performs like a champ" and says it comes with everything most will need for simple cleaning. "The vacuum does well with a mix of wet and dry vacuuming. I was able to vacuum up sand on a carpet, followed by standing water, then back to a sandy carpet. It also did a thick wet mixture quite well. The collection bucket holds quite a large amount while still being easy to handle."

Buy It: Armor All AA255 Wet/Dry Utility Shop Vacuum, $53 (originally $72), Amazon

Best Cordless: Milwaukee M18 Cordless Wet/Dry Vac

In addition to its powerful 18-volt motor, the Milwaukee cordless wet/dry vac has an impressive run time of 30 minutes on a single charge. . It also comes with a HEPA filter and many cleaning accessories, including a crevice tool and utility nozzle that stack onto the machine for neat storage. "This Milwaukee vacuum is a powerhouse; it puts the usual large shop vac to shame," said one reviewer, while another wrote, "I can vacuum out all four of our cars and [there's] still plenty of battery left."

Buy It: Milwaukee M18 Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum ($119, The Home Depot)

Best Small: Craftsman Wet/Dry Vac

An Amazon's choice product for the best small shop vac, this 2.5-gallon Craftsman machine is lightweight and portable but still strong enough to clean up debris. The wet/dry vac, which also doubles as a blower, is great for picking up water spills and leaks, and it's easy to store thanks to its compact size.

While it's not ideal for larger cleanup tasks, one reviewer explained that it's the "perfect size for my apartment, car, DIY, window tracks, and so much more." Another user called it "small but mighty."

Buy It: Craftsman Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum, ($52, Amazon)

Best Compact: Workshop Wet/Dry Vacs Small Shop Vacuum Cleaner

Small yet powerful, this compact shop vacuum has a 2.5 gallon capacity for tackling minimal messes and doubles as a blower when needed. It has a 10-foot power cord, and 4-foot hose, a utility nozzle attachment, and a car nozzle attachment. With an ergonomic handle and a light weight of just over 7 pounds, the wet/dry vac is easy to move around.

"It's small but has a powerful punch," one Amazon reviewer wrote. "You can vacuum up anything from fine powder, like baking soda, to larger particles."

Buy It: Workshop Wet/Dry Vacs Small Shop Vacuum Cleaner, $51 (originally $59), Amazon

Best Portable: DeWalt Cordless Wet/Dry Vac

From the trusted DeWalt name comes this portable shop vac that's sleek yet highly durable and effective. It's ideal for on-the-go cleanup jobs thanks to its battery-powered operation, large handle, dual cleaning modes (utility nozzle and rubber extendable hose), and half-gallon removable waste tank. This cordless wet/dry vac even comes with a washable HEPA filter system that traps 99.97% of dust particles, according to the brand.

Buy It: DeWalt Cordless Wet/Dry Portable Vac Kit, ($219, Amazon)

Best Wall-Mounted: Vacmaster Wall-Mounted Wet/Dry Vac

The Vacmaster wet/dry vacuum has everything you'd expect from a good shop vac, including various cleaning accessories with onboard storage, a large collection tank, convenient wheels, a blower port, a large hose, and a utility nozzle. But what sets this highly effective machine apart is that it's wall-mountable for easy storage, too. "It has great suction and picks up everything including pet hair on any surface, even carpet," said a customer. "It is lightweight and I have no trouble moving it around or lifting it."

Buy It: Vacmaster Wet Dry Wall Mounted Shop Vacuum Cleaner, $55 with coupon (originally $60), Amazon)