Hey there! If you have reached this humble place on the interwebs because you are looking for the best dust extractors the free-market capitalism has to offer, then fear not. Because we have just the thing you are looking for.
Yes, a list of the best dust extractors, complete with a buying guide, an FAQ section, and the answer to the secret question – should you really be getting a dust extractor? Maybe. Maybe not. Read on and find out.
We have made sure the products on this list are not only efficient, they can actually clean the air you breathe, which is a big bullet point in the job description of a dust extractor. And finally, they are also very convenient. So, remember to thank us later once you find the right dust extractor.
Table of Contents
Best Dust Extractors Review
We promise to help you find your match if you work in a woodshop creating up a dust storm in there. If you want some peace and quiet while the cleaning’s being done, there’s something for you too.
1. DEWALT Dust Extractor, Automatic Filter Cleaning, 8-Gallon (DWV010)
If a dust extractor could play jazz, this would be it. It is light; it is fast; it is easy on the ears. And it can pack a punch on eight gallons of dust without so much as batting an eyelid.
The perfect wingman for your cleaning needs it keeps itself presentable 24/7. Automatically cleans its filters every 30 seconds, it gives you the optimum 15-amp motor experience even after long use.
It only gets better with a consistent airflow of 130CFM because it stays optimum as it came out of the box. You buy this gorgeous piece of equipment, and you are ready to go right out of the box.
Fully assembled and easy set up capability with any tool at source, you know this is a reliable dust extractor for your shop. It is HEPA certified, so you know you can trust it to make sure your workshop floor looks like a jazz club dance floor.
Highlighted Features
- Cleans itself every 30 seconds.
- Lightweight design with all of 27 pounds.
- Quiet around the edges with 76 dB noise.
- Swivels smoothly with its rolling wheels.
- Comes fully suited up, so no worry about assembly.
2. Festool 584174 CT SYS Dust Extractor
Did you know this dust extractor has a sister sustained systems so you can have it fully integrated, and let the system do its work? It is a blessing for remodelers and painters who want a fully loaded dust extractor with no intention to compromise on portability or style.
Open the carry box, and you will see a professionally laid out presentation of attachments and extra filters that is a must-have for a professional on the move. The hose, cable, and nozzles are easy to reach. There will be no incident of clogging or embarrassing errant shocks because the makers have thought it all.
The anti-static hose will make sure no dust buildup ever occurs even on the outside of the hose, let alone the inside. HEPA certified at 99.99% extraction picking up dust even .3 microns in diameter.
Give it a thought when you want to leave the job site spick and span ready to impress your clients. Yes, it is a professional’s most reliable companion, attached to shoulder straps and the most ergonomic handle.
A builder is not one without it. It gives you that extra edge through the tool trigger. And then there is the system integration because you trust in the brand and can set up all your operations in the most reliable way. You will have the most confidence when all your machines are running at their most optimum.
Highlighted Features
- Ergonomic handle.
- Shoulder strap and compact size.
- The best extraction rating of 99.99%.
- Perfect for remodelers and painters.
- Can be operated by triggering through a tool.
3. CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17656 20-gallon 6.5 Peak Hp Wet/Dry Vac with Cart
Talk about horsepower. 6.5 to be exact. This beast of a dust extractor has all the makings of the professional quality dust extractor. Take the large dust collection chamber, for example.
If you are going to be boasting about a piece of heavy-duty machinery that you can wheel around in a cart, you might as well put your money where your mouth is. And you bet they did us right with this one — a 20-gallon chamber for taking down a mammoth of a mess.
With a wet/dry option, you may forget about taking care while you make messes or when you clean them up with this dust extractor. With the accessories provided, you can reach all the hard to reach spots you used to depend on a shop vac for.
Now this machine will do it all for you. Purify your air, check. Clean up the floor, check. And finally, wet dust, no problem.
It has those filters that every dust extractor wishes it had. So, you don’t have to worry about durability. Because all of the components, including the hose, is professional quality. Also, cool feature: it has strong exhaust air from a blowing port that will help you sweep through dusty decks and sidewalks like it was nothing.
Highlighted Features
- It can roll like a cart.
- Can roll 360 degrees for easy movement.
- Can carry on the shoulder with the strap provided.
- Perfect for heavy-duty cleaning.
- A large chamber for dust collection reduces cleaning hassle.
4. FEIN Turbo I Vacuum Cleaner, 5.8 Gallon, 1100W
This is the napoleon of dust extractors. Light, agile, and lightning-fast suction of 152 CFM. Beats the other big bulky machines right out of the water with not only sleek looks, good performance, but its super stealthy 66 dB noise.
It is a sophisticated machine that understands itself well enough to shut down when you have been using it for too long so as to overheat it. It does not complain when you vacuum over a wet surface, though. It has the right protective filter cassettes, so you can say goodbye to your worries about cellulose filter replacement.
Has wheels that roll in with such comfort you forget you are pushing around such a powerful dust extractor. As you point the 13 ft hose towards heaps of dust, it almost feels like a long magical hose that just makes your mess disappear in seconds.
Did you know this machine can start up automatically if you set it up with your power tools? This dust extractor will make you forget that cleaning up ever was a headache. All while lasting for years because of the high-quality build and choice materials.
Highlighted Features
- Suitable for wet and dry surfaces.
- Very compact size for the power it commands.
- It is light, easy to move, and easy to put away.
- Super discrete. Can clean on a Sunday morning without waking up the family.
- Really smart gadget has an auto-shutoff feature for overheating.
- Takes care of itself.
5. Vacmaster 8 Gallon HEPA Vac with 2 Stage Motor, VK811PH
You may call it the ghost whisperer of dust extractors because it is so quiet. It is not even funny, and the proof is in the HEPA certification pudding. We put the confidence with which it boasts “Professional” and “HEPA” on its body to the test.
And we were impressed. This humblebrag, even in independent tests, displayed over 99% efficiency in dust extraction. What more can you ask for? World-class filters, world-class accessories, and professional build are almost taken for granted by the makers.
They seem to keep pushing the dust extraction technology to the cutting edge by providing a plethora of attachable to reach any cutting edge of your working floor.
The four filters inside cover cartridge, microfiber, fine dust, and exhaust filter technologies. You have the whole industry’s inventions fashioned into a brilliant piece of equipment.
With a 30 ft cord and casters as smooth as butter, this machine can drive off to the sunset with you. On its back a mammoth 8-gallon bag, it will carry whatever you throw at it.
Highlighted Features
- The patented foam filter will take care of wet surfaces without worry.
- The 2-stage motor is the reason why it has a suction rating of 99.97%.
- The inside is as beautiful as the outside with its four-ply filter.
- Rolls around with its casters even with 8-gallon collection capacity.
- Has the perfect accessories for versatile cleaning needs.
6. Makita XCV11T 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 2 Gallon HEPA Filter Portable
Meet the little boy that lives down the lane which you didn’t know had suction enough for bags and bags of wool. This portable dust extractor can work for a whole hour without you ever having to worry about charging.
Think about the last time a vacuum job took you an hour! It didn’t. But think when you wished there were no damned cords on the cleaner. You did. This cleaner is an answer from the heavens for your perfect soulmate of a dust extractor.
They thought of it all with this one. There are a low power mode and a high-power mode for a variety of applications. If you thought there was no way this vacuum could double as a blower, you are wrong. Quickly converts to the blower with minimal effort.
Charges up in 45 minutes and lasts for 60. Talk about efficiency. Yes, this machine is also HEPA certified. Get your hands on this if you want the best that dust extractor technology has to offer for all the versatile cleaning needs, wet or dry.
So, what are you waiting for? Find a place to store this with a charging port nearby, and it can be your ready and willing companion wherever your messy job or butterfingers needs you to be.
Highlighted Features
- It is cordless
- One-hour charge backup plus battery low light indicator
- The polymer shell is highly durable.
- It has straps.
- Compact yet packs a punch with 57 CFM suction
7. Bosch 9 Gallon Dust Extractor with Auto Filter Clean and HEPA Filter VAC090AH
An automatically cleaning feature that cleans the filters after every 15 seconds and your most reliable HEPA compliant filters. This makes for a durable and efficient machine that will outlast all other tools in your shed.
And since the designers made sure to optimize the suction capacity of this machine, it will be sucked right up regardless of the nature of the debris. Leaving the sad memories of dust once been and a site looking shiny clean in seconds.
Putting reliable water level technology into the mix, a sensor shuts down the device based on the maximum fluid level to preserve the internal machinery for the most durable use. And the power broker dial will protect against circuit errors.
Just because something is perfect does not mean it has to be complicated. That is why the machine is very easy to set up. The makers believe operational efficiency is in design, not extension cords.
Talk about biting down and getting into a mess knee-deep to get every bit of it out, the heavy-duty caster wheels and hose wrap hooks make sure you can get to the source of the dust no matter the difficult angle or surface planeness.
Do we need to tell you it is good for heavy dust extractions? Just look at the 9-gallon collection bag, and you know this is the right choice for your job.
Highlighted Features
- Auto clean every 15 seconds.
- High-suction force.
- Rubber wheels have locking caster.
- Power broker dial.
- Automatic water level sensor.
How to Choose the Best Dust Extractors?
Now that you have gone through the best options out there in the market for someone looking for a dust extractor, we would like you to put a few extra minutes to read through this guide to buy the ideal dust extractor.
We have put this together, keeping in mind that this might be your first purchase of such as equipment, so please give it a read.
Type of Use
It is foremost to give consideration to the types of equipment that will be creating dust if you are a professional.
For example, woodworking equipment is notorious for creating the most amount of dust. Painters and remodelers, on the other hand, will give more attention to hard read spots.
Additional Feature Requirement
Take smart functions, for example. There are plenty of models with energy-saving features, and you should be looking for them if that is a component you will need for the job.
Do not opt for options just for having them, as those options might need to be repaired after a while of use. Opting for expensive features and more maintenance is not smart for professional use, especially.
Give durability and sturdiness a reconsideration as well. How durable does your machine need to be? Because you will find really heavy-duty models, but if you spend on a heavy-duty machine and only use for small cleanups, that is a waste of the budget.
Applicability like dry/wet might be very useful for all types of jobs and is one less thing to worry about. An automatic shutoff feature pertaining to maximum water levels might be your requirement if you frequently have to work with wet spillage, even if you have a wet/dry model.
However, for cleaners attached at the source will be completely redundant, so keep that in mind.
Portability
There are two basic options when it comes to portability. One kind of vacuums has to be mounted onto power tools, which are also known as on-board variants.
These types of dust extractors attach onto power tools and collect dust as dust is created. Perfect for office use, maintenance workers often use these machines to prevent causing any kind of spillage during the job.
However, if you want to employ a dust extractor in your workshop where different applications require varied types of dust in uncertain locations, you will need a general-purpose dust extractor. These are usually lightweight, sometimes cordless, and can easily be carried around.
Suction
A rule of thumb for identifying a heavy-duty dust extractor is one that can lift 50 inches of static water. Please pay attention to the water lift rating of the dust extractor before purchasing it if you are specifically looking for strong suction force.
Unless you are working with dense material as are found in construction sites and need to suction liquids frequently, you will probably be satisfied with generic variants without such athletic features.
Ease of Movement
The matter of convenience is very subjective to the operator of the machine and the type of application. If dragging around luggage with wheels is your instinct, then you may find the models onboarded onto carts the easiest to use.
The average cleaner always has wheels attached to the machine so you can walk around with the machine in a room. However, that requires a plane that is devoid of any interference. Just imagine dragging a suitcase on a rocky road, and you’ll get the picture.
So, if you require such models that can be carried, your best bet would likely be lightweight and ergonomic variants that are designed to be carried around by professionals for extended use and portability.
Hose and Nozzles
Hose and nozzles can be hard to locate and will cause a lot of waste in time and effort if they have to be stored separately from the entire unit. So, you may be looking for a unit that either has a separate box with designated storage capabilities for the individual pieces.
This is applicable for units with a large number of attachments for professional use. Another option may be the unit having slots on the sides and bottom to fit the nozzles.
Generally, your hose should be long and flexible to reach crevices that are hard to clean using a general-purpose shop vac if you are working in a workshop.
Different types of tips will come in handy for reaching the tricky spots, cleaning up larger surface areas, and complete cleanup tasks efficiently in general.
Is There Any Fundamental Difference Between Dust Extractor and A Shop Vac and Cyclone Dust Collector?
Let’s start from the most basic to the most efficient. A shop vac is best when paired with portable power tools. A cyclone dust collector can be mounted on stationary power tools i.e., the ones typically found in woodworking workshops.
When attached to the source, all the sawdust in the woodshop will be sucked into the dust collector as they are produced. To conserve power, the mounted collectors can be automatically turned on and off with the power tool.
Dust extractors are the most advanced models that serve all of the above functions in addition to also filtering the air. If you have an expensive model with high horsepower, high gallon count, high suction force, and weight, then you are probably on the more advanced end of the spectrum.
The Dust extractors, while having multi-stage filtration, also uses a higher volume of air inside a larger volume hose to safely extract larger chunks of dust i.e., woodchips without endangering the unit’s components.
This draws us to our overarching point, which is heavy-duty machines are more suited to professional use where the conditions will be averse for a humble machine.
It is better to err on the side of caution and acquire a heavy-duty model to protect your safety. Once you identify the job requirements, please do not try to discount the safety for the wallet.
And finally, if you have a dedicated power tool with ports that you are trying to attach to a machine with a higher volume of air and lower suction, you are talking about a cyclone dust separator.
You will know you need these when your power tools are equipped for such machines. So do not wait for a huge mess and cleaning up with shop vacs. Instead, keep your job site neat and professional by attaching a mounted-on dust collector.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to worry about static pressure?
Ans: Yes, it is one of the only things to pay heed to when you are a regular user.
Q: Is my model built for wet use?
Ans: Not always. Please check the features to identify a wet/dry variety. For more advanced users, a 50-inch static water pressure variant is compatible with heavy-duty wet dust extraction.
Q: What is HEPA?
Ans: HEPA is a certification of vacuum filters and machines from the namesake association. If you are a professional, you will most likely be better off purchasing a HEPA compliant machine for greater durability and the best extraction.
In order to be HEPA compliant, a machine’s efficiency rating has to be over 99%, and it has to be able to extract dust particles as small as .3 microns.
Q: How to make a shop vac last a long time?
Ans: Clean it often. No filtration will be done inside the collection mechanism. Hence this could hurt the motor if you use it for long intervals without cleaning out the collection bag.
Conclusion
We hope that our review of the best dust extractors has been helpful to you. Please let us know if we missed any of your favorite dust extractors. Which is your favorite? Why? And remember to read the buying guide and FAQ section to consult expert advice on the topic.
And if you are one, leave your thoughts with us and help the community. In any case, we are proud to be in the presence of a community that assigns importance to cleanliness and the environment. Stay smart and efficient in and around your workshop. Good day.
Dust extraction equipment should also include their Db rating for small shop use. Yes they are noisy, but hearing is just as important as the dust control for lungs.