7 Best Shop Vacs of 2023, Tested by Experts

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Even your most major messes are no challenge for these powerful picks.

Some messes are just too big for your everyday vacuum cleaner, and things like sharp nails, screws and piles of sawdust can leave your stick, upright or canister vacuums looking quite a bit worse for the wear. Enter: the shop vac. Shop vacs can tackle those tough messes without any trouble, both wet and dry, and easily clean up liquid spills and dry debris that your other appliances just can't quite cover. While regular vacuums are still great for sucking up everyday dust, dirt and pet hair, they aren't equipped with the ability to suck up water or leaves like top-rated shop vacs can. Also known as wet/dry vacs, these heavy-duty cleaners can also whisk away almost anything you need, for example, water from a flooded washing machine or burst water line.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute in the Cleaning and Home Improvement Labs teamed up to identify and test the best shop vacs in today’s market. The Cleaning Lab has tested hundreds of vacuum cleaners over the past few decades including everything from the best robot vacuums and top-performing HEPA vacuums to the best handheld vacuums and stick vacuums. When it comes to shop vacs, our pros reviewed more than 20 models and tested close to a dozen to provide you with as much information as possible to make your choice. While testing, we conducted a battery of performance tests while also assessing durability, value and ease of use. Here are the best shop vacs of 2023:

Head to the end of this guide to read more information on why you might need a shop vac, what to consider when picking out the right one for you and how we tested these wet/dry vacuums. Looking for a wet and dry combo for less hefty projects, check out our favorite vacuum mop combos.

This 10-gallon shop vac by DeWalt is tried and trusted. Not only is this brand a big hit with our experts due to its solid performance and reliability throughout years of testing (its cordless drill and circular saw also make our recommended lists), but it offers both a powerful and effective clean. Carolyn Forté, Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director at the Institute put this electric corded model through its paces during an extended at-home test. The machine performed superbly across the board, showing serious suction power, thanks to its 5.5 horsepower motor and extra-wide 10-inch nozzle.

“There was no scattering or snowplowing [of debris] during repeated dry tests,” Forte says, which involved vacuuming up oatmeal and baking soda. “I was impressed!” We also found that the shop vac is very easy to operate, great for those that might not have as extensive experience with this type of machine. The 360-degree wheels roll smoothly, the lid is easy to put on and take off and an onboard accessory pouch keeps tools and attachments in order. The cord is a bit of a nuisance, but at 20-feet-long it provides good range, and the machine’s handle doubles as a cord wrap for tidy storage. Like all electric shop vacs, you definitely hear the DeWalt when it’s running at full tilt, “but it's not as high-pitched or irritating as other models we’ve tested,” says Forté.

In the category of vacuums, there's simply no bigger name than Hoover, so our experts were particularly excited to try their hand with this battery-powered shop vac. Our testers found that this vac's 6-gallon tank provides decent cleaning capacity for most homeowners. But, keep in mind that it's not built for serious job sites since it's constructed of less rugged materials. However, a downside our engineer did notice while testing was that “one of the latches that locks the lid in place kept falling off." Also, the storage bands that hold accessories aren’t as effective or user-friendly as other systems, and there’s no drain plug.

That being said, when it comes to handling the primary task of sucking up wet and dry debris, the Hoover handled it quite well, though testers dinged it for the absence of a squeegee on the wet attachment since it left the surface slick even after several passes. Overall, for the at-home DIYer, this Hoover shop vac is a solid value, especially if you already own the brand's ONEPWR battery and charger.

Ryobi's 10-Gallon Shop Vac had no trouble acing our tough tests from cleaning up 2 gallons of water in under 10 seconds to picking up dry debris. “It was very good at sucking up spilled water from our test surface, thanks to the squeegee on the wet vac attachment, which left the surface completely dry,” says Alec Scherma, a test engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute. It's cordless so you can use it in places where you may not have access to a wall outlet, and also features a collapsible handle for easy transport, quick-release latches, on-board storage spaces for accessories and more.

Our experts have now tested several products from Ryobi’s 40-volt line of battery-powered products, from leaf blowers to lawn mowers, and we've been consistently impressed with their performance. This Ryobi comes loaded with features and accessories, like dual-extension wands, a wet filter and a drain plug, which makes it easy to empty the tank, especially when it reaches the 10-gallon capacity. The cordless battery-powered design is a big convenience, particularly since it’s a bulky machine, though the lid is a bit tricky to take on and off. Finally, we found the Ryobi to be quieter than the other shop vacs we tested, even at its higher speed.

If you need a machine that can handle some hefty tasks, this large capacity pick from Craftsman may just be your new best friend. With its 6.5 horsepower motor and 16-gallon tank, this electric-corded Craftsman shop vac can do a whole lot. “It saved me during a flood that otherwise could have led to catastrophic damage to my basement,” says Rachel Rothman, Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, who tested the machine at her home over the course of six months.

Whether you're pumping water or vacuuming up dry debris, our experts found that this model delivers impressive dry and wet vacuuming, aided by its 2-1/2" wide x 7' long flexible hose. Thanks to a built-in blower port, you can easily take it outside to clear small piles of leaves and grass clippings from the garage or driveway. Other convenience features include onboard organizers for the hose, accessories and power cord, as well as an oversized drain plug, essential when sucking up large spills. Just note that it does take up a lot of storage space.

The compact design, stainless-steel construction and bevy of accessory tools make this corded-electric Stanley shop vac one of the most multi-functional models on the market. Though our experts haven’t tested it in the Lab yet, we're impressed by the specs and technical data. For example, it’s one of the few shop vacs that comes with a floor brush, in addition to the usual wet/dry nozzle and crevice tool. There’s also a dust collection bag, which is good for keeping the air clear when vacuuming inside living spaces. The 10-foot power cord is shorter than others and its 8-gallon capacity isn't the largest on this list, but if you’re looking for a mid-sized shop vac to tackle minor messes all around the house, this Stanley is worth a look, especially at this price.

DIYers will definitely want to take a look at this 12-gallon shop vac by Ridgid that's specifically geared towards us, regular people, (as opposed to their commercial-grade shop vacs). It still has a ton of heavy-duty features, including the 5-horsepower motor is capable of moving air at a rate of 140 cubic feet per minute — twice that of other shop vacs.

Many pros swear by Ridgid as a maker of quality tools that are built to last, and we tend to agree, having had favorable experiences with the brand’s cordless vacs, cordless drills and more. While the power cord is on the short side at 15 feet, the comfort-grip handle and 360-degree casters allow for easy maneuverability. The shop vac can also be converted into a blower to handle small piles of leaves or blow sawdust off a workbench. Ridgid also touts a patented sound reduction technology that controls air flow for quieter operation.

You can take your vac wherever you need to go — no wall outlet necessary — when you snag a portable shop vac like this 2-gallon version from Craftsman. Portable shop vacs are designed for smaller jobs, say, clearing crushed cereal from the back seat of the car or cleaning up minor messes in a home studio or wood shop. Given its limited airflow (35 CFM), this Craftsman has more in common with handheld vacuums than other shop vacs in this round-up. “But it still did a decent job sucking up screws and nails in our tests, plus its 20-volt battery pack can be used to power other Craftsman tools from cordless drills to hedge trimmers,” says Scherma. Like all shop vacs, it’s rated for both dry and wet spills, and its True HEPA filter, good for capturing 99.7% of dust and allergens, isn't something you'll find on the typical shop vac.

Our experts in the Cleaning and Home Improvement Labs have a sense of all the leading brands in this category, especially having tested vacuums and power tools for decades. They hone this knowledge by attending trade shows and industry events throughout the year as well as running a variety of different brands and models through our rigorous testing process both in-Lab and at home with consumer testers. Using that expertise, they identified the most promising models available for sale right now.

Hands-on evaluations for shop vacs took place in our Lab, where we performed controlled tests on over a dozen models designed to measure a shop vac’s performance. Dry vacuuming tests included sucking up a mixture of oatmeal, baking powder and rice from both bare and carpeted surfaces, as well as an assortment of screws, nails and other hardware from the same two surfaces.

To measure wet vacuuming performance, we had each vacuum suck up 2 gallons of water from a bucket, then 2 cups of water spread across a wood floor. We also evaluated shop vacs in testers’ homes to get a sense of their performance and ease of use under real-world conditions. We considered the range of accessories and utility of any onboard storage features, the presence of a drain plug for quick draining, battery runtime (where applicable) and noise level since it impacts user experience.

✔️ Power type: Shop vacs can either be corded electric or battery-powered. Here are the pros and cons of each:

✔️ Capacity: This is determined by the size of the tank (a.k.a. “canister”), which can range from as small as 2 gallons all the way up to 18 gallons. Our experts recommend a tank size between 6 and 10 gallons for the average homeowner. If your main intention for the shop vac is to clean out the car, a 2-gallon model will do the trick. On the other hand, if you’re a serious DIYer with a workshop in the basement, or if flooding is a constant issue, a larger shop vac might be in order.

✔️ Cost: You can spend as little as $50 for a shop vac or more than $500. While cost is largely determined by capacity, with most under-$100 models having 5-gallon tanks or smaller, quality and convenience factor in as well. Our experts say it’s worth spending more for a shop vac with casters to move freely throughout the room. Multiple shop vac attachments also make things easier, including extension shafts for increased reach and a squeegee nozzle for getting the last bit of wet spills.

For most small, household messes, you can easily use a classic everyday vacuum cleaner like a stick vacuum, upright or canister to get your home back in tip-top shape. If you have a bigger job that needs to get done, or something involving a lot of liquids, a shop vac may be a lifesaver. For tasks requiring you to pick up larger or sharp objects like screws and nails, a shop vac will be able to suck them all up and you'll avoid destroying your regular vacuum cleaner. These wet-dry vacuums are also great for pumping large quantities of water or sucking up big spills.

Dan DiClerico has written about the vacuum cleaner market for more than 20 years, reviewing hundreds of models from every leading brand, as well as newcomers to the space. Prior to becoming a home expert, he worked on various construction crews, where shop vacs were part of the everyday clean-up. In his role as Director of Home Improvement and Outdoor at the Good Housekeeping Institute, he worked closely with other cleaning experts on staff to develop testing criteria for shop vacs. Dan has also served as a consumer advocate on the vacuum committee for ASTM International, the organization that creates voluntary consensus standards across a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.

Carolyn Forté has tested and reviewed hundreds of vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, mops and other major (and minor) home appliances as Executive Director of the Home Care and Cleaning Lab. She oversees all testing done in the Cleaning Lab and recently tested all of the handheld, stick, upright and canister vacuums that were submitted for consideration in the most recent Cleaning and Organizing Awards. She is an active member of the ASTM Committee on vacuum cleaners and chairman of the consumer information sub-committee.

Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.

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