Best Garage Vacuum in 2020 [Our Reviews & Comparisons]

Vacuuming is tough to do even on regular ‘in house’ flooring. When it comes to the floor in your garage it’s a whole other matter. Not only do your garages get super dirty fast, but you also need to clean the mess in the garage and a car to tidy too.

We are going to be looking at 10 of the best garage vacuum cleaners to help you decide which of them is best for you by comparing their features. So we will dive into their pros and cons to understand the products better.

Related Reading: The Best Wet/Dry Shop Vacuums

Best Garage Vacuums Compared

PRODUCT	FEATURES	LATEST PRICE
1. Armor All, AA255 , 2.5 Gallon 2 Peak HP Wet/Dry Utility Vacuum	Compact and easy to move around Has a 10 foot cord Suction and blowing settings	Check Price
2. The Vacmaster VBV1210 Vacuum	Large 12 gallon tank Moves around the garage easily High volt power	Check Price
3. The Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 Vacuum	20 foot power cord Works well on wet and dry Cleans pet hairs and shop messes	Check Price
4. The Vacmaster VWM510 5-Gallon Vacuum	It can be mounted on the wall It has a 41 foot reach It has 2 stage motors	Check Price
5. The Shop-Vac 3942300 Vacuum	Sucks up debris from all sorts of surfaces The hose locks on tightly Mounted out of the way	Check Price
6. The Stanley SL18116P 6 gallon Wet and Dry Vacuum	Portable Vacuums multiple surfaces Easy to use	Check Price
7. The Porter-Cable PCX18301 Vacuum	Compact and easy to move Can take a few bumps and stays strong Rechargable Simple to operate	Check Price
8. The DeWALT DXV10P Garage Vacuum	360 wheels glide easily Built in accessory bag Blows out air	Check Price
9. The Shop-Vac 3940100 Vacuum	Has a long hose Lightweight Hangs out of the way	Check Price
10. The RIDGID Wet Dry Vacuums VAC3000	Lightweight Great car cleaning features Easy to store	Check Price

Our Best Garage Vacuum in 2020 Reviews

1. Armor All, AA255 , 2.5 Gallon 2 Peak HP Wet/Dry Utility Vacuum

Product Highlights

The Armor All AA255 Vacuum is specially designed to clean the interior of your car and any light mess that is around in the garage. The Armor All vacuum is compact and lightweight so moving it around your car and garage isn’t hard at all.

Features

• The Armor All has a cord wrap to keep it tidy whenever it is not in use
• The vacuum is attached to a 10 foot cord
• 2.5 gallon polypropylene tank
• Has a strong suction ability
• You can easily switch between suction and blower functions
• 2 peak HP motor
• Can be used on wet or dry surfaces

What We Like About Armor All Vacuum

• The suction power is strong enough to remove embedded, hard to get dirt;
• It isn’t any louder than a regular vacuum cleaner;
• Easily vacuums sand from the carpet in your car;
• Switch between vacuuming wet and dry dirt without the suction power being disrupted;
• The Armor All vacuum cleans other minor household and garage messes;
• Superb to use if you don’t want to get a big vacuum out to clean a little bit of mess;

What We Don’t Like About Armor All Vacuum

• There isn’t enough room to put all the extra parts inside the trash collector when you the vacuum isn’t in use;
• The clamps connecting all of the vacuum components together can be difficult to align;
• Pet hair and other mess is difficult to remove and requires a lot of scrubbing
• If you don’t empty the trash out completely, dirt and debris gets blown about making a bigger mess than you had to start with;

2. The Vacmaster VBV1210 Vacuum

Product Highlights

The Vacmaster VBV1210 vacuum is multifunctional. Use it to blow leaves in the garden, tidy the garage workshop or vacuum your car.

Features

• 210 MPH handheld blower setting
• Great drainage system from the extra large drain pot
• 5 peak HP motor
• 12 gallon tank
• Comes with an air and noise diffuser
• 120 volt power
• Detachable blower

What We Like About The Vacmaster VBV1210 Vacuum

• Use the vacuum on your carpets, stairs, work surfaces and car;
• The detachable blower is really strong;
• It is really easy to roll around;
• The hoses can be unclogged by simply removing them and pouring water through the hose;
• All of the attachments that it comes with get any job done;
• Removes dog hairs from fabric and gets it off the floor;

What We Don’t Like About The Vacmaster VBV1210 Vacuum

• If a lot of water is being sucked up with the vacuum, it can get waterlogged and needs emptying frequently;
• If you intend to pick sawdust with the vacuum, a Hepa filter is required;
• The accessories fall off and don’t stay in place;
• It looks as if it was made from cheap plastic;

3. The Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 Vacuum

Product Highlights

The Craftsman vacuum is a heavy-duty shop vacuum. Those of you that need to clean your cars with it, or in renovations would benefit from giving the Craftsman ago. You can even tackle minor flooding with this vacuum.

Features

• 20 foot power cord
• 7 foot hose with dual-flex technology that allows for 180 degree flexible mobility
• Built in drainage system
• Accessory storage compartment
• 16 gallon tank
• Use the vacuum wet or dry
• Separate wet, utility and car nozzle
• 6.5 peak HP
• It has a built in blower port

What We Like About The Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 Vacuum

• The vacuum is quiet enough to talk over when it is in use;
• Collection bags are used to collect dust, keeping everything clean during disposal;
• Sawdust and fine shop dust is picked up hassle free;
• You can pull on the hose to move it around without it flipping;
• It is easy to assemble;

What We Don’t Like About The Craftsman CMXEVBE17595 Vacuum

• It is a bit wide and bulky;
• It doesn’t come with a foam filter;
• Spare and replacement parts are hard to find if something malfunctions;
• If you want to clean your car it is heavy to lift in and out;

4. The Vacmaster VWM510 5-Gallon Vacuum

Product Highlights

Here we have another great vacuum from Vacmaster. This time we are looking at a vacuum with a smaller 5 gallon tank, but that doesn’t mean it is inferior!

Features

• 2 stage motors so that you can choose between quiet mode and strong suction
• 20 foot cord along with convenient cord storage
• The hose and power cord combined gets you a reach of 41 feet
• 5 PHP wall mount vacuum
• It is portable

What We Like About The Vacmaster VWM510 5-Gallon Vacuum

• Mounts easily to the wall with a single screw;
• It has automotive cleaning, perfect for cleaning cars and vans;
• Mounting it to the wall makes cleaning the car and the floor really easy;
• It comes with a blower noise diffuser;
• It has a foam filter for vacuuming wet substances;

What We Don’t Like About The Vacmaster VWM510 5-Gallon Vacuum

• You must buy the power handle batteries separately;
• The flex hose shrinks while it is in use;
• You need to wrap the hoses around the vacuum’s body which looks clumsy;
• The power isn’t strong enough to lift shop debris from carpets and flooring;

5. The Shop-Vac 3942300 Vacuum

Product Highlights

Use the Shop-Vac 3942300 in your utility room, hobby room or garage. It is the perfect wall mounted vacuum for anyone that needs a hands free vacuum.

Features

• 5 gallon tank
• 4 peak HP motor
• Clean the garage, workshops and car with the Shop-Vac
• 12 inch hose nozzle
• 18 foot hose that locks on
• Use the cordless rechargeable dry and wet vacuum on all surfaces

What We Like About The Shop-Vac 3942300 Vacuum

• Although the hose length is long, the suction is incredibly strong;
• The width of the hose makes sucking up even large debris easy;
• It doesn’t get in the way when it is mounted to the wall;
• Works wonders on wet dirty fabrics and uneven hard floors;
• You can place the vacuum from off the wall if you need to use it in a hard to reach spot;

What We Don’t Like About The Shop-Vac 3942300 Vacuum

• The vacuum is loud, if you have sensitive ears then wear ear protection when you use it;
• The suction is rather low for its power capabilities;
• The hose chokes even when sucking up light weight debris;
• The long hose can be a pain when the vacuum is in a small space garage or utility room;

6. The Stanley SL18116P 6 gallon Wet and Dry Vacuum

Product Highlights

The Stanley SL18116P is a 3-in-one vacuum that cleans your car, work surfaces, workshop, basement and garage with no problem at all.

Features

• 6 gallon tank capacity
• 4 peak HP
• Sucks up 75 cubic feet of air per minute
• The vacuum is round and on wheels so it can be pulled around the garage with ease
• 10 foot cord length

What We Like About The Stanley SL18116P 6 gallon Wet and Dry Vacuum

• It is capable of sucking up debris like a big shop vacuum;
• You can store it in your truck and take it around with you without using much space;
• Cleans work vans and workshops in no time;
• It sucks up broken glass with no trouble;

What We Don’t Like About The Stanley SL18116P 6 gallon Wet and Dry Vacuum

• It struggles to lift liquids from fabrics and hard floors;
• The plastic latch that holds all the main components together is flimsy and breaks easily;
• Debris gets stuck in the hose and requires frequent cleaning;
• The hose length is short considering the vacuum is meant to be pinned to the wall;

7. The Porter-Cable PCX18301 Vacuum

Product Highlights

The Porter-Cable vacuum is a small and lightweight garage vacuum. If you have a little garage or hobbies room and struggle with storage then the Porter-Cable PCX18301 vacuum is a strong choice that is worth considering. Let’s take a closer look at how it works.

Features

• 4 peak HP
• 120 Volt power
• 4 gallon tank
• Sturdy and made out of stainless steel
• The vacuum is lightweight – only 11.6lbs
• Water resistant on/off switch
• Sucks and blows air
• The wheels swivel in the direction that they are being pulled

What We Like About The Porter-Cable PCX18301 Vacuum

• It sucks up and blows out air very quietly;
• Lightweight which makes it quite portable;
• The on and off switch is waterproof, as well as made from stainless steel, which prevents it from getting damaged by water;
• It isn’t complicated to use by any stretch of the imagination;
• You can recharge the vacuum battery and use it cordless;

What We Don’t Like About The Porter-Cable PCX18301 Vacuum

• Vacuum bags are really expensive;
• It won’t lift any heavy duty dirt from the floor or your car;
• The motor smells after it runs for too long;
• It is lacking in power;

8. The DeWALT DXV10P Garage Vacuum

Product Highlights

This vacuum is great if you hate loud vacuums. It promises to be 50% less noisy when it’s in use.

Features

• Wheels with 360 degree rotation
• Comes with an accessory bag to store all the detacheable parts in one place
• Waterproof on/off switch for safety
• 10 gallon tank
• 5.5 peak HP
• Wet and dry vacuum
• Built in tank drain removes liquids picked up
• The blower port can blow off sawdust from work surfaces

What We Like About The DeWALT DXV10P Garage Vacuum

• The insert sizes are pretty standard, so you may find old bits from previous vacuums can be used with this one too;
• Much quieter than other shop vacuums;
• Plenty of suction strength;
• 20’ power cord means moving it around the garage with ease;
• It feels like it is built to last a long time;
• The accessory bag is built into the vacuum so there is no need to go rummaging for parts very far;

What We Don’t Like About The DeWALT DXV10P Garage Vacuum

• The hose isn’t long enough for taller people to stand up straight and use it comfortably;
• It only lifts small debri off the floor;
• Needs emptying frequently;

9. The Shop-Vac 3940100 Vacuum

Product Highlights

Shop-Vac has another great garage vacuum that we are going to have a look at. This one is a little less ‘serious’ with a 3.5-gallon tank and 3 PH.

Features

• 3 PH
• 3.5 Gallon tank
• 18 foot lock on hose
• Wall mountable
• Weighs 13 lbs
• It is corded and uses 120 volts

What We Like About The Shop-Vac 3940100 Vacuum

• Out of the way when mounted on the wall;
• Removes lots of water;
• Can clean your vehicles without taking it off the wall;
• Can run for a long time without overheating;

What We Don’t Like About The Shop-Vac 3940100 Vacuum

• Struggles to pick up thick liquid spillages;
• The suction decreases over time;
• Small particle collection isn’t very strong;

10. The RIDGID Wet Dry Vacuums VAC3000

Product Highlights

Sometimes simple is all you need. The Ridgid vacuum is little and simplistic but gets the job done.

Features

• Patented Qwik-Lock filter
• 3 gallon wet and dry vacuum
• LED car nozzle
• Extending locking hose that doesn’t move while in use
• Integrated dust-pan
• 7 foot hose length
• 10 foot cord length

What We Like About The RIDGID Wet Dry Vacuums VAC3000

• It is easy to store;
• Sucks up dry and wet dirt;
• Lightweight and easy to move about;
• Perfect for small pickups;

What We Don’t Like About The RIDGID Wet Dry Vacuums VAC3000

• Not appropriate for large dirt and spillages
• There isn’t enough body space for the vacuum bag;
• The vacuum bag needs to be changed frequently;
• Very noisy for such a small vacuum;

Final Verdict

From the 10 garage vacuums we have reviewed, I would recommend purchasing the Stanley SL18116P. It has a large tank capacity of 6 gallons and blows air in and out of the vacuum at 75 cubic feet per minute. That is a strong vacuum!

It is easy to pull around the garage and picks up all moderately sized debris and spillages. It’s simple enough not to be spending half the time trying to figure out how to work it and just get on with the job in hand. It is reliable and robust, so it won’t get damaged easily as you work on other things in your garage.

Check out our reviews and comparison for the Best Commercial Vacuum Cleaners in 2020