Cordless shop vacs

[OM617YOTA]

Getting sick of lugging my big shop vac around and dragging out a cord when it's only a small job.

Debating between a small dustbuster form vacuum, or one of the toolbox form wet/dry vacs with a hose. Cordless in either case.

I'm invested in the Milwaukee 12v and 18v platforms, and Rigid 18v. Would really prefer to stick with those platforms.

Anyone have any experience or recommendations? Would you get the dustbuster or toolbox vac? Both?

 

[Blue Oaks]

I've got a DeWalt about the size of a tool box and it's great. I made a PVC "wand" for it and I go around the house getting spider webs and dog hair with it for the most part. I'd get it again over something like a dust buster.

https://www.amazon.com/Dewalt-DCV58...zZEyIfN9B7skPEGDptTUi644cr_TYO_xoCwvsQAvD_BwE

 

[oldfortyfive]

I've got the 12v Milwaukee for small jobs at my rentals. Works well, but suspect the 18v version would be better. Just not as handy.
Also have a couple of the Ridgid 18v shop vacs. Use them every day in the shop. No complaints.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Good news, thank you both.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Thank you. Something that size looks perfect.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I went with the 12v Milwaukee vacuum. The 18v was about the same size and I'm sure more power, but I went with the 12v because it was quieter.

I think this is going to wind up being one of those things I wish I'd done years earlier.

 

[SCMtnHaul]

I'm interested to know how the 12v performs. I really want a convenient shop-vac for cleaning up ash and bits of wood around our woodstove and vacuuming the catalysts.

 

[OM617YOTA]

So far so good. The workbench in the pic is relatively clear because I vacuumed it with that shop vac. My 12v batteries were nearly dead, so I still have no clue how it performs on a full battery, but I was impressed with how it did on a nearly dead one. I'm not expecting long run times, no matter how full the battery.

The hose is short, you have to pull on it and apply constant pressure to get it to expand to a usable length, like an old school curly telephone cord. The constant pull back is kind of weird. Doesn't impact use at all, it's just a little weird.

The large surface attachment stowage place is right in the way of the unlocking tab on one side of the battery, and those tabs are kind of a pain to use on M12 anyway. I will definitely be storing that attachment somewhere else. Based on the amount of use I expect that attachment to get, that "somewhere else" might be the garbage can.

The vacuum isn't heavy, but I thought it was surprisingly heavy for it's size. I expected it to be mostly empty open air space inside, and it's not. It's essentially a plastic toolbox with a top tray, I'm guessing there's a chunky motor in there somewhere. Magnetic flux is amps x volts. If you want a powerful motor and only have 12v to work with, that means you need a lot of amps, which necessitates thick windings, which means heavy. Not expecting long battery life, but then this isn't meant for big jobs at all, only supposed to run a couple mins at a time.

Edit: The jigsaw is nice too. I've only had $1 garage sale jigsaws, or a "one plus" attachment for my Rigid multitool, and haven't been impressed by any of them - the Rigid in particular is absolute junk. Have a job coming up that needs a solid tool, so pulled the trigger on the Milwaukee, and I'm impressed. It may not be a particularly good jigsaw as such things go, but it's lightyears ahead of the garbage I've had in the past.

Yet again, cheaping out is a false economy. Spend the $$$$ up front, get quality from the very beginning. Saves $$$ in the end, as well as endless amounts of frustration.

 

[SCMtnHaul]

like an old school curly telephone cord.

Boy that's a dated reference. Kind of like saying someone "sounds like a broken record". Oh how I miss old-school phones. AT&T is currently trying to bypass legislation and physically remove all their infrastructure from our area.
Thanks for the info on the vac. As long as it sucks I guess it's working as intended.

 

[lone wolf]

So far so good. The workbench in the pic is relatively clear because I vacuumed it with that shop vac. My 12v batteries were nearly dead, so I still have no clue how it performs on a full battery, but I was impressed with how it did on a nearly dead one. I'm not expecting long run times, no matter how full the battery.

The hose is short, you have to pull on it and apply constant pressure to get it to expand to a usable length, like an old school curly telephone cord. The constant pull back is kind of weird. Doesn't impact use at all, it's just a little weird.

The large surface attachment stowage place is right in the way of the unlocking tab on one side of the battery, and those tabs are kind of a pain to use on M12 anyway. I will definitely be storing that attachment somewhere else. Based on the amount of use I expect that attachment to get, that "somewhere else" might be the garbage can.

The vacuum isn't heavy, but I thought it was surprisingly heavy for it's size. I expected it to be mostly empty open air space inside, and it's not. It's essentially a plastic toolbox with a top tray, I'm guessing there's a chunky motor in there somewhere. Magnetic flux is amps x volts. If you want a powerful motor and only have 12v to work with, that means you need a lot of amps, which necessitates thick windings, which means heavy. Not expecting long battery life, but then this isn't meant for big jobs at all, only supposed to run a couple mins at a time.

Edit: The jigsaw is nice too. I've only had $1 garage sale jigsaws, or a "one plus" attachment for my Rigid multitool, and haven't been impressed by any of them - the Rigid in particular is absolute junk. Have a job coming up that needs a solid tool, so pulled the trigger on the Milwaukee, and I'm impressed. It may not be a particularly good jigsaw as such things go, but it's lightyears ahead of the garbage I've had in the past.

Yet again, cheaping out is a false economy. Spend the $$$$ up front, get quality from the very beginning. Saves $$$ in the end, as well as endless amounts of frustration.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-cheap-false-economy-sue-barrett

 

[OM617YOTA]

Alrighty, I've used this vacuum a bit now. 100% win.

Does great on a full battery, even the low setting is plenty powerful enough for most jobs. A battery lasts a lot longer than I expected, even on high. Never run one out, but it'll easily handle anything this little spot vacuum is meant for.

Work environment stays cleaner now because it's 10 seconds to clean as I go. I get less slivers, and track less shop mess into the house.

Definitely quieter than other shop vacs, I notice and appreciate that every time I use it. Dog still doesn't like it, but it doesn't send her running like my full size corded shop vac does.

Wish the quiet tech was available in 18v, it really is working that 12v battery hard, even the "big" batteries. 12v Milwaukee batteries are also just a pain to swap out, on any tool, because the retaining tabs aren't very user friendly.

Recommended, would buy again.

 

[stillhunter]

I bought this V40 craftsman saw 3 or 4yrs ago and it works great.I bought this weed wacker about 3 weeks w V20 battery and it works great for $100. Last week I saw this sale and I bought the multi tool and the Vac. The Vac is also a blower and it works great.