The 13 Best Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner for Home or Workspace

Cleaning a home or workplace with a vacuum is a thrilling activity. Just plug the unit into a nearby electric socket, turn the power button on, and start vacuuming to draw dirt & dust into a canister. It’s just simple.

But the heck is- every vacuum in the market can’t pick up both wet and dry debris. Besides, every vacuum also can’t handle both household stuff and workshop garbage. For example, a vacuum cleaner for cleaning a home doesn’t come with enough suction to suck away sawdust.

That’s why we enlisted some of the best wet-dry vacuum cleaners for home and workplace. Each of the shop-vac provides enough suction you need to pick away light to stubborn dust like sawdust. Therefore, you can collect water or oil spills from your garage using the vacuums we included.

Indeed, you can find the best vacuum you need for cleaning both for your home and workshop.

What is the Best Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner for Home and Workspace

Finding a wet-dry vacuum that can handle both wet and dry messes is challenging. But our experts make it easy and include some of the best shop-vacs after scrutinizing hundreds of products. Take a look at those vacuums to discover the right one that serves your needs.

1. Best Overall: DeWALT 12 gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac
   “Whether it is easy to pick up debris or sawdust scatters around your workshop, the Dewalt 12-gallon Poly Wet-dry vacuum can handle that. It comes with a 5.5HP motor with powerful suction to take care of just anything.”
2. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Home: BISSELL CrossWave Wet and Dry Vacuum
   “Although the machine is suitable for different floor types, bare tiled floors are recommended. With a power rating of 4.4A, this one is certainly one to take a look at.”
3. Best Small Wet Dry Vac: Stanley SL18910P-3 Wet/Dry
   “It will be your best pick if you look for a compact yet functional wet-dry vacuum. Though it is small in size, the vacuum features a 3HP motor to suck away debris.”
4. Best Wet Dry Vac for Car Detailing: Armor All Wet/Dry Utility Shop Vacuum
   “This wet-dry vacuum from Armor All will be your best friend to leave your car dirt-free. It features a car nozzle to pick up debris from tight spots. Therefore, you can convert it to a blower to stubborn filth from wheels.”
5. Best Budget Wet Dry Vac: Vacmaster VOM205P 1101 Portable Wet Dry Shop Vacuum
   “This budget-friendly wet-dry vacuum for Vacmaster comes with a 2HP motor to provide the suction you need for a small cleaning operation. Therefore, it has a built-in blower to blow away sticky and hard-to-remove grime.”
6. Best Portable Wet Dry Vacuum: RIDGID Vacuums for Car, Garage or Home
   “Have you ever wondered if the companies would incorporate a feature like leaf-blowing into their vacuum cleaners? Well, RIDGID pulled off a miracle and took the bizarre path just for enthusiastic customers.”
7. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Hardwood Floors: Tineco iFLOOR Cordless Vacuum Mop
   “The device from Tineco will pick up sticky spills or your canine friend’s fur in a jiffy. It’s also got a two-tank system so the dirty water won’t get mixed with the clean solution.”
8. Professional Wet Dry Vacuum: TACKLIFE Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner
   “While on dry cleaning mode, the 4-layer filter gets activated and helps keep dust out. All the debris is then collected in a bag while the machine discharges clean air. So, it also helps out with the environmentally friendly aspect.”
9. Best for Heavy Duty: WORKSHOP Wet Dry Vac
   “For handling tough cleaning operations, Workshop Wet-dry Vac WS1600VA will be your go-to option. It comes with a 16-gallon tank capacity and a 6.5HP motor to pick away dirt from a large room or workplaces.”
10. Best Wet/Dry Vac with Detachable Blower: Shop-Vac 12-Gallon Wet or Dry Vacuum
    “This wet-dry vacuum comes with a detachable blower. You can attach it and convert it to a blower to blow away leaves from sidewalks. After completing the task, you can simply detach it to use it as a regular vacuum for handling dirt and debris.”
11. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Pets: Roborock E25 Robot Vacuum and Mop
    “With its dual functionality, this robotic vacuum will work as both a vacuum and a mop. You can choose from either of the two from the app or choose both the options to get the best of both worlds.”
12. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Carpet: BISSELL Crosswave Cordless Max Vacuum
    “If you want a bit more power with the wireless functionality by sacrificing the lightweight factor, you can opt for this one from Bissell. The half-hour cordless power is one of the best in the industry.”
13. Wet Dry Vacuum for Tile Floors: Eufy L70 Hybrid Robot Vacuum Mop Combo
    “You’ll fall in love with the laser navigation system of this device. It’s called the iPath Laser Navigation, and boy, does it work like magic! You can expect better performance than the previous version since it has a higher efficiency rating.”

Top 13 Best Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner for Home and Workshop

Now that you know why you need a wet and dry vacuum cleaner let’s get into the reviews of some of the top choices.

1. Best Overall: DeWALT 12 gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac

Whether you look for a wet-dry vacuum to clean up your home or workspace, DeWALT 12 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac meets both needs. It has a powerful 5.5HP motor, delivering enough suction you need to pick up light to stubborn dirt efficiently. 

With this DeWALT wet-dry vacuum, you can pick off both wet & dry dirt. On top of this, it has a 12-gallon capacity canister, which is enough to store every mess in your home. In return, you don’t need to empty it frequently. 

For cleaning your workspace optimally, it has a blower port. Now, you can blow away stubborn dirt, sawdust, and debris that scatters around your workspace. Indeed, there will be no trash that can hide in or around your workshop. Forget to mention that it also has a built-in drain tank to collect and pick off liquid-based leftovers. 

Indeed, DeWalt 12 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac is a well-around vacuum that can catch wet and dry dirt to keep your home or workspace crystal clean. 

Apart from these, the notable feature of this 3-in-1 cleaner is- it has a 20 feet long power cord. It means you can reach every filth, grime, or debris and remove them. 

Now, let’s talk about its maneuverability. It has four rubberized casters that allow you to maneuver it around your workspace. In return, you can clean every area of your home or workshop as it is easy to lug around. 

Nonetheless, you will get a nifty storage bag to store small accessories like crevice tools. You can also remove it if you want.

2. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Home: BISSELL CrossWave Wet and Dry Vacuum

Let’s start the list off with a banger of a vacuum cleaner. This one’s from Bissell. Whether you’ve heard about them or not, they’re in a subliminal run of form when it comes to making top-notch home appliances. And this one’s no different.

The Crosswave from Bissell is by far one of their top sellers, and for a good reason. This is a wet and dry vacuum cleaner that is worth the money. If you were looking for a cleaner that washes and vacuums surfaces simultaneously, this is it!

An exciting part about this one is probably the presence of a unique brush system. It’s labeled “Dual Action,” so you can kind of guess what this does. You can pretty much pick up debris and mop the floor simultaneously.

The cleaning water and the wastewater inside the vacuum always stay separate. So, you don’t have to worry about the dirty water getting mixed with the cleaning solution.

That’s not all; you’ll even get the top of the line smart touch controls with this one. Quickly jump between different modes by pressing the various buttons on the handle.

This one’s so good that we can call it the best wet and dry vacuum cleaner for carpet. But it does have its share of flaws. When you’re using force to mop floors, the machine leaves streaks. So keep that in mind.

Pros

• Can mop and vacuum simultaneously
• Built for multiple surfaces
• Comes with Bissell’s Dual Action technology
• Has separated liquid containers
• Equipped with smart touch controls

Cons

• Leaves dirty streaks if excessive force is applied.

3. Best Small Wet Dry Vac: Stanley SL18910P-3 Wet/Dry

If you want to get a compact yet multi-functional vacuum, Stanley SL18910P-3 will be your go-to option. This versatile cleaner allows you to suck away both wet and dry dirt & debris from every surface. 

For optimum cleaning operation, the wet-dry vac features a 3 horsepower motor. It means you will get the suction you need to tidy up both dry and liquid-based messes from your home or workshop. You can even pick up dirt and debris from your car. 

Unlike other vacuums, it has two filters- a dry filter and a foam filter. Using the cloth filter, you can pick away leftovers or filth from everywhere- from your car seat to bed. On the other hand, the foam wet filter helps you by sucking away liquid-based trashes.

Turns out, this small wet-dry vac includes two nozzles- a crevice tool and a gulper nozzle. Attaching the crevice tool to the hose, you can trap and catch dirt from tight spots like corners, between cushions or under the sofa. 

On the other hand, a gulper nozzle allows you to take out debris or filth from upholstery, car seats and carpets. The best part is- this nozzle can suck away both wet and dry pickup. 

Therefore, this compact wet-dry vac is only 8 pounds. So, you can move the vacuum around your home or job site. On top of this, it has a top handle to carry it wherever you go and clean every space of your home or workshop.

4. Best Wet Dry Vac for Car Detailing: Armor All Wet/Dry Utility Shop Vacuum

Are you hassling to suck away dirt, grime, and filth from your car to leave it incredibly clean? Then, Armor All AA255 2.5 Gallon Wet-dry Vacuum is just for you. 

It is specially designed to catch & trap trash from your car’s seat, carpet, and dashboard. The wet-dry vacuum has a 2 peak HP motor, which gives the suction you need to suck away both liquid and dry messes. 

Unlike other vacuums, the wet-dry vac has a deluxe car nozzle. Attaching the nozzle, you can get into every nook and cranny of your car and pick away dirt, filth, and debris optimally. Besides, it also has a detailed brush to tidy up dashboards, events, and electronic components of your car. Above this, you can easily convert the vacuum to a blower as it has the blower function. So, cleaning the stubborn dirt from your car wheels will not be challenging anymore. 

The noteworthy feature we spot out is- its auto shut-off function. Because of this feature, the vac can detect when the canister gets filled and prevents overflow. 

Optimum vac organization system is another breathtaking feature of the wet-dry vacuum. It has an onboard hose and accessory storage function to store small stuff like crevice tools, nozzles, and more. In return, you can effortlessly maneuver the unit from here to there.

5. Best Budget Wet Dry Vac: Vacmaster VOM205P 1101 Portable Wet Dry Shop Vacuum

A vacuum cleaner makes our life easier by making the cleaning workflow simple. And getting a functional vacuum that can pick both wet and dry messes is challenging. It will be more difficult when you are on a budget. But this wet-dry Vac from Vacmaster changes the scenario. 

Though the price of the vacuum is affordable, it doesn’t sacrifice its cleaning efficiency. This Vac has a 2 HP motor, which gives you the suction you need for household cleanup. Like other vacuums, you can clean both dry debris and liquid. 

The blower function of this Vacmaster vacuum is just mind-blowing. When you convert the vacuum to a blower, it gives you 65 CFM airflow to blow away stubborn debris. 

Apart from these, Vacmaser VOM205P has a 10-feet cord. As a result, you can clean hard-to-reach areas like under the couch and remove the filth to leave your room dirt-free. 

The weight of this Vac is only 6.16 lbs, which is an upside. In return, you can carry, store, and operate it with ease. Plus, the onboard accessory storage system allows you to organize a cord, hose, and more. 

Nonetheless, the unit also includes essential attachments like crevice tools and utility nozzles to ensure optimum cleaning.

6. Best Portable Wet Dry Vacuum: RIDGID Vacuums for Car, Garage or Home

RIDGID is a pretty well-known name among the wet and dry vacuum community, and for a good reason. Their machines have a premium build, and they will last you for a long time. And the same goes for this wet dry vacuum from them.

The drum size might fall under a compact category, but this monster boasts a whopping 22 lbs. of weight. So, we can’t call this lightweight by any means. This beast is built to be used professionally.

But don’t worry, it’s not just a leaf blower; it does the vacuuming part quite commendably too. If you don’t want to blow any leaves on your yard, you can easily detach it and set it aside.

A lot of vacuums lack a large drain when it comes to disposing of dirty liquids. Well, RIDGID has you covered in this department with its larger than average drain.

You’ll get well-built caster wheels as you get on some office chairs. And these babies make moving this mammoth around a whole lot easier.

If you’re concerned about maneuverability, the device comes with a sturdy handle and ample storage space.

The device comes with RIDGID’s patented Qwik-Lock filter. This makes the entire filter changing process seamless. You don’t have to bring out any tools for the replacement process.

Pros

• Comes with RIDGID’s Qwik-lock filters
• Has caster wheels
• Doubles as a leaf blower
• Boasts a carrying handle

Cons

• Flex hose is a bit rigid

7. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Hardwood Floors: Tineco iFLOOR Cordless Vacuum Mop

Next up is a pretty formidable offering from Tineco. They’ve been in the game for quite a while now. And they’re still going strong because of their high-quality products. The same goes for the iFLOOR vacuum cleaner.

This grey beast might look pretty bland from the outside. You might think of this as any other vacuum cleaner from the convenience store. But it’s what’s inside that counts.

The dual functionality is probably the most exciting thing about this model. This means that you can clean your floor by washing it while vacuuming it. The whole thing has a lighter weight when compared to its competitors.

If you’re not a fan of electric corded vacuum cleaners, then you’re going to love this. This little puppy boasts a cordless design that makes your cleaning troubles go away quickly.

You might be thinking about battery life. A lot of the cheaper knock offs can’t get you over 10 minutes of usage. But the iFLOOR makes sure you can go around your whole house with a stunning 22 minutes of runtime.

Wondering what type of help you could get with this one? Well, you can get the best use out of this if you’re using this on hardwood or tiled floors. And its performance on tiled floors is pretty commendable too. Not too many vacuum cleaners do well on vinyl floors, but the iFLOOR does it all!

The best part about the iFLOOR is probably the self-cleaning mechanism. Both the rolling brush and the tubes are flushed with the solution after use, which also helps keep the product fresh and free from odors.

Pros

• Comes with dual functionality system
• Portable and lightweight
• Cordless mechanism for convenience
• Works on different surfaces
• Self-cleaning mechanism prevents odor

Cons

• It needs to be wiped clean after use

8. Professional Wet Dry Vacuum: TACKLIFE Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner

If you’re had enough of the lightweight and compact vacuums, and you want a professional-grade one, look no further! TACKLIFE has made sure that all its customers get the best out of their high-quality products. And the situation’s quite similar to this one.

Looking for a durable and tough build? TACKLIFE’s got you covered in this department too. Alongside the pure copper motor, you get a stainless steel tank that’s built to take a beating.

The size and shape will surely make you think that it needs electric power but think again. A lithium-ion battery cell powers the device and keeps it running till you’re done with your cleaning.

With a robust 5.5HP motor that’s been built with pure copper, the device generates incredible suction. You also get a ton of accessories that help you get to the nook and crannies while you’re cleaning around the house.

Apart from all the bells and whistles, the machine has its fair share of gripes too. You just can’t seem to find a proper replacement filter for this one. So, you can’t buy another one when the stock one wears out.

Pros

• Tough stainless steel tank
• High powered copper motor
• Four layered filtration system for cleaner exhaust
• Cordless, so it’s convenient

Cons

• No replacement filters available

9. Best for Heavy Duty: WORKSHOP Wet Dry Vac

Cleaning a job site requires a robust wet-dry vacuum with a large capacity, greater suction, and durability. Regarding these, Workshop Wet-dry Vac will be your best trait. 

Unlike the regular vacuums, it has a large debris tank of 16 gallons capacity. Because of the large canister size, the vacuum can hold a lot of messes. So, you don’t require an interval during the cleaning session, which saves you time. 

When it comes to cleaning efficiency, this vacuum outperforms every cleaner we enlisted. It features a 6.5 peak HP motor, which provides greater suction to remove every speck of dirt. Indeed, this wet-dry vacuum is a powerhouse, which delivers the power you need to suck away both wet and dry debris. 

Large drain port and integrated blower port makes the Vac stand out from its competitor. Due to the drainage port, wet cleaning now becomes a piece of cake. The best part is- the manufacturer technically places the drain port at the bottom of the unit. As a result, emptying the liquid will be a breeze. 

On the other hand, the built-in blower port lets you convert the vacuum to a blower to blow away dirt and debris optimally. 

Qwik Lock filter fastening system is an exceptional feature of the Vac. Because of it, you can easily and quickly change the filter between wet and dry cleaning. On top of this, each of the filters contains an auto shut-off float mechanism. It helps to prevent overflow during wet cleaning. 

10. Best Wet/Dry Vac with Detachable Blower: Shop-Vac 12-Gallon Wet or Dry Vacuum

Getting a multifunctional vacuum cleaner that can pick off wet, dry, and blow leaves at the same time is challenging. But Shop-Vac 9633400 makes the task simple. 

You can use this versatile vacuum as a wet-dry cleaner that allows you to pick away a wide range of messes. With it, you can suck off the sawdust from cutting lumber, oil spills, and water. Backed by a 6.5 HP motor, the Vac gives you higher suction to let you remove those messes efficiently. 

Detachable blower, something we love most about the wet-dry vacuum.  Attaching it with the unit, you can blow away leaves from flower beds or clean the garage floor optimally. 

Therefore, it includes several attachments, including a crevice tool, floor nozzle, blower nozzle, and filters. You can use all of these to ensure efficient cleaning operation. 

Lastly, ease of maneuverability is an advantage of the vacuum. It has smooth-rolling casters, which make it easy to lug the unit around and clean the home.

11. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Pets: Roborock E25 Robot Vacuum and Mop

Here we have a pretty formidable smart vacuum for those tech-infused houses. Roborock has been in the smart robot mop and vacuum game for a considerable period now, and they’re just getting better and better.

If you’re a college student living in a dorm and have no time to do any cleaning, you can opt for this one. Its intelligent, efficient, and gets the job done with a voice command through Alexa.

The main concern about these sorts of devices is the random bumps. But Roborock’s algorithm makes sure that the vacuum does not hit any object while cleaning.

Its sensors successfully detect carpet surfaces and immediately turns to carpet mode. This mode initiates the super suction mode to get the maximum performance.

Pros

• Comes with dual gyro motion tracking sensors
• 2000Pa of impressive suction power
• Works as a mop and a vacuum
• Automatically detects surface types
• Boasts app control and voice commences

Cons

• No room mapping

12. Best Wet Dry Vacuum for Carpet: BISSELL Crosswave Cordless Max Vacuum

Well, what do you know? Another top of the line product from Bissell. So you can probably guess how good they are when it comes to making appliances like these for them to be featured on our list a couple of times.

A very delicate part about their products is that an amount of your money goes to charity for homeless animals. So you will be helping animals get a new home if you buy their products.

You can easily mop your floor while vacuuming with this one, as the dual functionality allows simultaneous actions. The dry system also helps to pick up pet fur and hair relatively quickly.

If you’re wondering about use on different surfaces, then the CrossWave has you covered too. It works like magic on wooden tiles, laminate, floor mats, and vinyl flooring too. And, yes, your carpet will look squeaky clean if you use this one.

The two different tanks separate the clean solution and the dirty water, which goes back into the vacuum. You can even download an app to find out the different tricks and tips about this one.

Pros

• Works on multiple surfaces
• 30 minutes of wireless power
• Comes with dual functionality
• Separate tanks for a cleaner solution

Cons

• The vacuuming noise is a bit loud

13. Wet Dry Vacuum for Tile Floors: Eufy L70 Hybrid Robot Vacuum Mop Combo

Let’s end this list on a high note with another smart robot vacuum cleaner. This time, it’s from Eufy. They’re a pretty new company, but they’re slowly making a name for themselves with their high-quality smart vacs. And this one is no different.

If that’s not enough for you, you can even customize the boundaries and targets for it to clean, right from your smartphone! Just head straight into the app, and you can move on from there. It’s pretty intuitive, so you will get used to it quickly.

We can go on and on about the features all day, but the hybrid system is a must-have nowadays. This one is no exception. The hybrid mop and vacuum system does the two jobs simultaneously and works just as it says.

You probably think that the device is all brains and no muscle, and you’ll be wrong because this baby can deliver a high 2200Pa suction power that’s enough to pull in the stickiest debris on your carpet.

And that’s not all; once you’ve got it set up, you can use voice commands with Alexa to control the vacuum and give instructions. It’s incredible to think how far vacuum technology has come!

But it doesn’t come without its gripes. You can sometimes experience sensor-stuck errors. Just restart the device when you see that, and you should be good to go.

Pros

• Comes with hybrid 2 in 1 cleaning system
• Ultra-portable and lightweight
• Has voice command support through Amazon’s Alexa
• Can navigate accurately

Cons

• Might require restarts sometimes

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

Take a look at the following criteria before choosing a versatile wet-dry vacuum for cleaning homes and workshops. 

Horsepower 

The cleaning efficiency of a vacuum depends on how much suction it produces. And the amount of suction you will get from your wet-dry vac depends on the motor’s horsepower. A wet-dry vacuum with greater HP gives you powerful suction to pick away tiny to stubborn dirt. In this case, you can go for either WORKSHOP Wet Dry Vac or Shop-Vac 9633400. Each of them comes with a 6.5 peak HP motor.

Can pick up both wet and dry dirt or Not

Whether the vacuum you will pick has the capability of sucking away both wet and dry messes or not matters a lot. To leave your home and workshop dirt-free, you need a vacuum that can catch & remove dry debris & liquid spills. Fortunately, every wet-dry shop vac on this list allows you to tidy up both types of messes (wet-dry). 

Come with a built-in blower or not

A shop-vac with a built-in blower ensures you pick up hard-to-remove messes with ease. Most vacuums on the list have the blower feature. It means you can convert the wet-dry vacuum to a blower and blow away sawdust, dirt, debris, and leaves optimally. 

Capacity

Here capacity means the tank and filter capacity of your wet-dry vacuum. Both tank and filter capacity are crucial as they determine how much time it takes between refilling & emptying the tank & filter. If your vacuum comes with a large capacity, you don’t need to fill and empty the tank frequently. In return, you can clean your job site or home optimally without wasting a lot of time refilling and emptying the tank. 

Cord length

Cord length of your vacuum is another criterion you must take into account. An extended cord will help you to reach every dirt and dust. So, a single speck of grime can’t hide, and you can remove the filth optimally to leave your room crystal clean. 

Maneuverability

Greater suction of your vacuum can’t alone ensure optimum cleaning operation. Maneuverability also impacts cleaning workflow. You can carry a portable wet-dry vacuum wherever you want and suck off dirt and debris. Fortunately, each of the shop-vacs we enlisted is easy to lug around. Most vacuums feature swivel casters or top handles to move the VAc from here to there with ease. 

Attachments

Every wet-dry vacuum we enlisted above includes accessories like crevice tools, nozzles, onboard storage systems, and more. All of them ensure efficient cleaning operation. For example, by attaching the crevice tool to the vac, you can suck away dirt from tight spots like a corner or under the sofa.

What to look for in the best wet dry vacuum cleaner for home?

You can’t just go ahead and buy any odd wet and dry vacuum cleaner. It’s essential to keep a few things in mind before making your purchase. Let’s take a glance at these factors.

Size

Not everyone can keep a large vacuum in their house, especially when they live in a studio apartment in the middle of NYC. So if you’re one of these guys, you should opt for the smaller and compact wet and dry vacuum cleaners.

If you’ve got enough space in your garage, you can opt for the heavyweights since they usually boast higher suction power to clean your whole house.

A college student who just can’t manage time to clean their dorm room can opt for the smart robot-vacuums too. They make dorm life a lot easier.

Simultaneous Use Case

Getting things done faster is essential, but you shouldn’t opt to sacrifice quality. And that’s why you should consider whether the vacuum you’re about to buy can clean and vacuum at the same time or not.

This feature might not make sense to a lot of new users. But once you get into the world of vacuum and mop dual-action vacuums, you can kiss those old one’s goodbye.

Noise Level

No one likes a noisy neighbor. Even you will get annoyed when your neighbor’s out blowing leaves with their loud vacuum cleaner, even if it’s on the weekend.

So you’ve got to consider buying a vacuum cleaner that remains relatively quiet while dishing out just enough power to clean all the floors in your home.

Portability and Cords

Another thing to keep in mind is the portability factor of wet and dry vacuum cleaners. Although many cordless vacuum cleaners are overflowing the market, you need to get one that provides just enough juice.

If you wish to stay on the traditional side of things, you can still opt for the corded electric powered vacuums. But they are starting to become obsolete over time.

Surface Support

A wet and dry vacuum cleaner that works like magic on a carpet might leave dirty streaks on your expensive vinyl floor. So you’ve got to check whether the vacuum you’re buying supports the type of surface you want to use that on.

Difference between a wet and dry vacuum cleaner

By now, you’re probably wondering what the actual difference is between a wet and dry vacuum cleaner. Well, that’s normal and, we shouldn’t have kept you in the dark for so long. So let’s get straight into it.

So many things end up in the waste container of our vacuum cleaners. You’ll be surprised, and of course disgusted, when you open it up. So let’s get into some of the factors that’ll help you distinguish between them.

The Structure

This is pretty much the visual difference you get to see whenever you’re comparing the two types of vacuum cleaners. You can probably distinguish between the two quite quickly when you see their respective sizes.

A wet vacuum cleaner tends to be a little on the larger size. This is engineered so that the liquid waste doesn’t come in contact with the firm and robust motor.

On the other side of things, dry vacuum cleaners are relatively compact. Their motors don’t need as much power since they only suck in dry waste. You can observe that the motor is right beside the suction unit in these types of machines.

Purpose

You can tell the difference between dry and wet vacuum cleaners when you learn about their respective purposes. Whether you’re looking for the best wet and dry vacuum for hardwood floors or tiles, you need to know about this.

It’s perfectly normal to have dog fur, dust, and dirt to accumulate on your carpet. And a dry vacuum cleaner will do its job by picking these off of the floor. These work for many different floorings too.

And when it comes to a wet vacuum cleaner, you can easily remove spilled liquids or waste from different flooring types. If you have a history of carpet stains, these devices will help you remove them from the carpet too.

Wet machines have a protected lining that comes in handy when you’re trying to vacuum a wooden flooring. It helps prevent scratches from your beautiful tiles.

Storage Concerns

You might think that this is a pretty funny and meaningless point to talk about. But you do have to keep this in mind. Dry machines are easier to maintain as you don’t have to let them dry after use.

But when you’re done using a wet machine, you have to wait till the brushes are dry. If not, the quality of the device will degrade over time.

Waste Container

The waste containers or bags for the two types of machines are also slightly differently made. Waste bags for dry vacuums aren’t made with too much care. They are made to store dry waste like debris.

But the waste containers of wet vacuums are made to stay sealed. This is to ensure minimum spillage of any sort of liquid waste. Most of them are also transparent. So, you can have a peek at what the machine sucked in.

Use on Different Surfaces

The fact that you need to keep the surface that you’re cleaning in mind while using a cleaning machine like this might seem annoying. But if you do tend to take good care, the device will last you for a longer time.

Tiled floors and hardwood floors are the most common flooring systems that people tend to lean towards. And you can rest assured that both of the types of cleaning devices can work their magic on these types of floors.

But things are different for vinyl floors. You need to opt for devices that give you the option for height adjustment when you’re planning to use them on vinyl floors.

Emptying the Waste Bag

Although this might sound a bit too critical, the ways differ depending on the type of vacuum cleaners. It’s much easier to empty the container for dry vacuum cleaners.

Take the bag out by unhooking it from the device and dump the insides into a trashcan. You can use a stick to get any sort of dirt clump out too.

The problems arise when it comes to a wet vacuum cleaner. You have to dump the liquid waste carefully so that the bag doesn’t leak. You can end p making a real mess if you’re not too careful.

Maintenance

When it comes to taking care of your cleaning devices, you need to follow different systems’ different steps. First off, you have to clean the brushes of dry vacuum cleaners before storing them away after use.

If you’re not following this step, the debris might as well consume the brushes and render your precious machine useless. You should also clean the waste bag regularly to keep it from smelling too bad.

On the other hand, if you’re dealing with the wet side of things, you must periodically soak the waste bag in warm water mixed with detergent. Or else a very pungent smell will generate, and your garage will smell bad for quite a while.

Regular cleaning is also pretty essential to prevent different harmful bacteria from growing inside the waste containers. So take special care about that.

Disadvantages of wet and dry vacuum Cleaner

Like any other modern-day invention, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows with these machines too. These vacuums bring a lot of good stuff with them, but they do have a few gripes.

Smells Weird if You Aren’t Careful

Well, the foul smell part should be pretty common for all types of cleaning devices. But that part goes to the next level when it comes to wet and dry vacuum cleaners. And even the slightest lack of care will haunt your garage for days.

No kidding! If you aren’t taking proper care of these machines, you will likely have to deal with a very peculiar smell. This mostly happens with these types of devices because they clean wet stuff too.

So, if your feline or canine friend let it out on the carpet and you’re using a device like this to clean it, the chances are that the device will start to smell like your pet. And I’m not talking about the good smell.

What do you do to take care of this? Just get a disinfectant attachment. These little things can come in handy when all you’re dealing with are wet messes.

The comparatively Higher Weight

The other grip about these types of devices is the weight. Since they help you out by removing both dry and wet messes, they tend to feel a little heavier. This isn’t a big deal if you have a large home.

But if you’re living in a small apartment with very little space to maneuver this device, the added weight will just be a pain.

FAQs of Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Final Words

After researching hundreds of products, we enlisted these best wet-dry vacuum cleaners for home and the workplace. 

You can go for any wet-dry vacuum as each of them are functional, offer greater suction, and has a built-in blower. 

Among them, we recommend the Dewalt 12-gallon Wet-dry Vacuum most. It features a powerful 5.5HP motor, which offers superior suction you need to pick off both wet and dry debris. Besides, it has a built-in blower function to blow away sawdust, dirt, and leaves. 

Besides, you can choose BISSELL CrossWave Wet and Dry Vacuum if you look for a wet-dry vac for home.

On the other hand, if you look for a wet-dry vac for car detailing, Armor All Wet/Dry Utility Shop Vacuum will be best. It comes with a deluxe car nozzle to remove dirt from every nook and cranny of your car. 
Lastly, you can choose Vacmaster VOM205P 1101 Portable Wet Dry Vacuum if you are on a budget.