The 6 Best Shop Vacs to Clean Up Messy Projects

With over 3,300 ratings and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, there's no guessing why the DEWALT DXV06P Six-Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac is our top pick for the best small-capacity shop vac for home use.

This shop vac features a six-gallon tank and easily cleans up dirt and debris through its seven-foot hose with its 4 HP motor and 80 CFM of airflow. Perfect for smaller jobs around the home, the shop vac weighs under 15 pounds and sits on four 360-degree rotational caster wheels for excellent maneuverability.

It has a built-in blower port that can be used to blow sawdust and other light debris from work benches and other areas. And the DEWALT Wet/Dry Vac comes with a washable cartridge filter and plenty of attachments to help make short work of messy areas.

The Vacmaster VBV1210 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum easily changes from a wet/dry vacuum to a handheld blower, capable of producing air flow up to 210 mph.

Thanks to its lengthy 19-foot hose, you can place this shop vac in one spot and reach lots of debris around it without needing to move the machine. This shop vac features a 12-gallon tank, 5-HP motor, and 133 CFM of air volume.

It comes with a wide variety of accessories, from car nozzles to crevice tools, and both a standard cartridge filter and a foam wet filter (this protects the motor from any debris in water it is sucking up). And the Vacmaster VBV1210 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum is backed by a two-year limited warranty.

Another Amazon best-seller on our list — with more than 6,600 ratings and 4.8 out of 5 stars — is the Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac.

Our pick for the best large-capacity shop vac, this tool features a 16-gallon tank and 6.5 HP motor, making it a tough competitor for large clean-up projects. The wet/dry vacuum's included seven-foot-long hose has a 2.5-inch diameter and features the company's dual-flex technology, meaning it can move 180 degrees at each end without kinking.

And the vac’s 20-foot power cord allows you to plug it in and move it almost anywhere. Finally, the Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac has built-in storage for the wide variety of attachments it comes with, and its patented Qwik Lock filter system allows for easy changes of the filter.

If you like the idea of a shop vac that's not tethered by an electric cord, then you'll love the Makita XCV11Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Two-Gallon Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum.

This battery-powered wet/dry vacuum uses an 18-volt lithium-ion rechargeable battery (sold separately) for up to 60 minutes of continuous runtime. Weighing only about 10 pounds, the cordless vacuum is easy to move wherever you need to clean up a mess, thanks in part to its top carrying handle.

It also has a two-gallon tank, can work at two different cleaning speeds at the push of a button, and comes with a HEPA filter that captures 99.97 percent of particles.

Who says you can't find a hardworking shop vac for under $50? The Armor All 2.5 Gallon Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum will set you back less than $35 and features a 2.5-gallon tank and a two-HP motor, making it a great option for small cleaning jobs. It can also be used as a blower to disperse light debris like sawdust off a workbench and can even be used to inflate pool toys.

This wet/dry vacuum comes with a variety of attachments, including a 2-in-1 utility nozzle and a deluxe car nozzle. And the Armor All 2.5 Gallon Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum can even be mounted to the wall for trouble-free storage.

If your home gadget budget allows for a more expensive shop vac, may we suggest the BISSELL Garage Pro Wall-Mounted Wet Dry Car Vacuum/Blower.

This wet/dry vacuum is designed to be mounted on the wall of a garage or workshop, keeping it off the floor and out of the way. Its 32-foot hose means you won't have any trouble reaching messes, from workbench messes to cleaning your car.

This shop vac comes with seven attachments designed specifically for vehicle cleaning, and it also converts to a blower. The four-gallon tank is semi-translucent so you can see when it's time to empty it. And the BISSELL Garage Pro Wall-Mounted Wet Dry Car Vacuum/Blower comes with a two-stage filtration system and is backed by a two-year limited warranty.

Shop vacs are a versatile and reliable tool for anyone who needs to clean up messes, big or small. With their powerful suction and range of features that make them easy to use, they are a great investment for anyone looking for an effective cleaning solution.

Do you have a shop vac that helps to keep your garage or shop super clean? Tell us about it in the comments below!