Just like every other product that you purchase - a new car, a house, furniture - you have to decide what the best item is for your personal likes and needs. The same goes in choosing a wet-dry shop vac. When you visit stores to choose and buy one, you'll need to choose the best machine to suit your personal needs.
You can use a wet-dry vac to vacuum water messes up, clean sawdust and other dirt up in your workshop, sweep your garage, and more! Since wet-dry shop vacs come in a variety of sizes with different features, you'll need to have a basic use in mind. For example, if you want to use the machine to vacuum water out of your basement, then you'll want to purchase a model that has a large capacity tank. One such model features a fourteen and a half gallon tank and a ten foot vacuum hose. The large basin would enable you to clean up a lot of water at a time without having to stop and empty the tank. The long hose would also allow you to reach a greater area without having to constantly move the wet-dry shop vac.
One handy feature you should look for on a large capacity wet-dry vacuum is a drain right on the bottom of the tank. That way, you won't have to pick the basin up and dump it out. On some models, you can screw a garden hose onto the drain. Then, run the garden hose to the nearest drain and you don't have to dump it at all!
Another handy feature to look for is an assortment of tools that come with a wet-dry shop vac.
These can include extensions, nozzles, a squeegee, a crevice tool, and more.
Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of a larger machine is that it is considerably louder than the smaller models. Some wet-dry shop vacs are so loud that it is recommended that you wear ear plugs when you use them.
Some of the larger vacuums also have the capacity to convert into a blower. This might be a feature you want if you want to blow leaves, et cetera.
There are also mid sized shop vacuums that you can choose from, and there are the smaller models for the smallest of jobs. The smallest machines have a one gallon canister. These wet-dry shop vacs are ideal for apartment dwellers or for anyone who wants to vacuum up the occasional wet or dry spill. The smallest machines take up very little space to store them in too.
In conclusion, keep in mind what you want a wet-dry shop vac to do for you as you are shopping for one. Compare the air flow (which is measured by CFM) between the different models you're interested in. The higher the airflow, the better the machine will pick up a wet or dry mess.
Also, most wet-dry shop vacs have a thin fabric filter in them. Look for a machine that has a filter that traps down to at least thirty to fifty microns of dust and other allergens. If you are someone in your household is an allergy sufferer, you might want to find a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.
Compare the features that each wet-dry shop vac offers versus their prices, and determine which machine will suit your needs the best.
