SHOP VACUUM REVIEWS
QUICK NOTE: To buy any product reviewed below, click on the “Buy Now” button to go directly to the appropriate page on another secure site to get more information on that product and/or make a purchase. The "Bob's Pick" logo below indicates which of the products below has earned Bob Gillespie’s highest purchase recommendation. Below the reviews is a SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON CHART and, finally, an article by Bob Gillespie on important features to consider when shopping and why.
FEIN TURBO III 15-GALLON AUTOSTART SHOP VACUUM
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This is the largest in the series of Fein Autostart shop vacuums. The smaller models (Turbo I and Turbo II are very similar in design but have smaller tanks and slightly less suction. These shop vacuums are made to extract dust from Fein power tools so if you plan to use them with other makes of tools, make sure the hose fitting is compatible. A rubber power tool adapter is included. All three Fein shop vacuums have a variable suction control that allows them to operate at lower power settings, as needed.
These shop vacuums are made to turn on and off with the tool to which they are attached. After the tool is shut off, the shop vacuum continues to run for a few seconds to clear the hose before shutting down. Six, not four, caster wheels are provided to help prevent tip-over while the shop vacuum is being dragged around by the hose.
Street Prices: Turbo I (6 Gal) $ 315, Turbo II (9 Gal) $412, Turbo III (15 Gal) $469.FESTOOL CT36 E SHOP VACUUM
Like Fein, Festool makes four similar shop vacuum models designed to collect dust from power tools. These shop vacuums are designed to work with Festool power tools and turn on and off with them. They may not be compatible with other makes of tools, so check this out if you think it might present a problem for you. These shop vacuums are variable speed like the three models from Fein.
Compared side-by-side with the Fein shop vacuums, they offer a bit less suction but they are up to the job they were designed for. The CT 33 E is the largest in the line. As such, it has the most suction, the largest tank and the highest price. The tops of these vacuums are flat with a rack designed to hold a Festool Systainer or two containing parts and/or equipment relating to the vacuum or the Festool tool attached to it. The CT 33 E has an 8.7 gallon tank and develops 134 CFM of suction with a decibel level of only 72 dBA.
Street Prices are: CT 36E, (9.5 Gal) $600, CT 25 E (5.8 Gal) $550 and CT Mini (2.6 Gal) $385.
| SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON CHART: SHOP VACUUMS |
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| Brand | Model No. | Price | HP | Tank Size | Autostart | Variable | CFM | Weight |
| Speed | Suction | (Lbs.) | ||||||
| Fein | Turbo III | $450 | n/a | 15 Gal | Yes | Yes | 126 | 36 |
| Festool | CT33 | $580 | n/a | 9.5 Gal | Yes | Yes | 134 | 30 |
ALL ABOUT SHOP VACUUMS
Cleaning up at the end of the day is not the most exciting and satisfying job in woodworking but it is necessary. Making this chore pass quickly depends on having a shop vacuum that is up to the task. You can buy cheaper shop vacuums than we have reviewed here but they may not have enough suction or tank capacity for a woodworking shop.
In recent years, woodworkers have become increasingly conscious of how dangerous airborne wood dust can be to your health. At some point, it occurred to the people who design our tools that it might be best if wood dust never got into the air in the first place. There has been a great deal of thought and innovation applied to this problem and many of the power tools we use today can be hooked up to a shop vacuum so that the dust is sucked away the moment it is made. A dust mask is still advisable to protect against whatever dust does get into the shop environment as some dust always will. The more dust that is extracted at the point of origin, the cleaner the shop and the less work at the end of the day.
Some of the shop vacuums we reviewed here are smaller units, 
principally designed to be attached to tools and to power on and off with them. Other shop vacuums are meant more for removing sawdust from the shop floor, workshop shelves and bench tops. A shop vacuum is one of the best investments you can make in terms of shop cleanliness and your health. You may also want to consider investing in a motorized air filter to hang from the ceiling but that is the subject of another review for another day.
