12 Best cordless shop vacs on the market in 2022: Comparison Table
What is the best cordless shop vac? When compared to regular vacuums, these devices are typically more powerful, have a hose with a larger diameter and do not have an automatic filter cleaning feature. Battery-powered shop vacs have a more manoeuvrable nozzle and a lighter frame than corded ones.
They are particularly helpful for cleaning attics, crawl spaces, vehicles, woodworking shops, and other challenging areas. Depending on your needs, you can choose a small, portable model or a large-capacity unit. The most essential features to consider include suction power, battery life, capacity, and accessory storage.
Cordless Shop Vacs Compared
Battery lifespan is a crucial factor determining the performance of a cordless shop vac. The most powerful models run on 18V or 20V batteries, with the latter option providing an exceptionally long runtime of up to 45-minutes on a charge.
Another important feature is suction power or the machine’s capacity to suck the debris and dirt at a certain power. Various models use different suction power measurement units, with the most common ones being cubic feet per minute (CFM), amps, and watts. The CFM value measures the volume of air that flows through the machine in one minute. The higher the CFM the more air handling capacity the machine has. The CFM varies across models, ranging from 31 to 96.
Trusted Manufacturers
You will never go wrong buying a shop vac made by a trusted, well-established brand. Makita is a Japanese producer of power tools with factories located all over the world. Founded as far back as 1915, today the company manufactures drills, saws, gardening equipment, measuring tools, and more. Another trustworthy brand is Greenworks with offices in Sweden, Canada and the USA. The company, which specializes in the production of lawnmowers, chain saws, power tools, and vacuums, controls the entire supply chain and has subsidiaries worldwide.
Let’s compare two cordless shop vacs made by these brands, a more portable and manoeuvrable Makita and a more powerful and heavy-duty GreenWorks Vacuum.
The Makita XCV11Z vacuum cleaner is equipped with an 18V Li-ion battery and a brushless motor. It features a blower function, a HEPA feature, and a variable suction power control. With a weight of only 4 kg, the machine is compact and measures around 42 x 26.5 x 30 cm. Suitable for both wet and dry vacuum cleaning, the machines deliver up to 6.7 kPa of max sealed suction and 1.6 CFM of airflow. The vacuum features 7.5 litres of dust bag capacity and 4.5 litres of wet tank capacity.
If you need a cordless shop vacuum with a larger capacity, you will be better off with the GreenWorks Vacuums WDV40B00 model.
The machine operates on a powerful 40V Li-ion battery with no memory loss after charging. It offers as much as 70 CFM of airflow and 9 kPa of suction power, which significantly surpasses those of Makita.
In addition to a HEPA filter that traps dust and debris, the GreenWorks WDV40B00 includes a crevice tool and a large, extendable 2-meter hose. Another beneficial feature is the ability of the unit to quickly convert into a blower for removing dust. The downside to this product is that it is bulkier, measures almost 50 cm in length and weighs more than 6 kg.
Best-Selling Cordless Shop Vacs | Comparison Table
Customers' Choice | Best Trusted
Makita XCV11Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless by Amazon.com
- Powerful BL Brushless motor delivers 57 CFM and 27 inches water lift of suction using an 18V LXT Lithium Ion battery (battery not included)
- Filter cleaning system is designed to maintain optimum suction efficiency and longer filter life. Working Sound Level- 76 dB(A)
- Efficient HEPA filter captures 99.97% of particulates. 3 microns and larger
Products with 5 star rating
Testing & Customers Reviews
Here are the reviews from YouTube bloggers who tested the cordless shop vacs and have found them effective and worth buying.
Pro Tool Reviews: "Makita's XCV11 vacuum runs on a single 18-volt LXT battery. And it's ready to go for a variety of jobs, including concrete, wet/dry vac.
The XCV11 vacuum comes with a HEPA filter and the canister seals to make it fully HEPA certified. The filter actually has a pre-filter, surrounding it, and a damper over that. So, when you use the vac, larger particles collect on the damper and it drops, and when you shut the vac off and it returns to its original position. It's Unconventional. But it works.
Powering this 2 gallon wet/dry vac is a brushless motor. How much suction power you get on a vac this size is relative. It's not designed to keep up with your large portable dust extractors.
In high there's play of suction, for like clean up and dust collection on tools with a dust port. Blow is good, if you're working with fine dust clean up in collection, but for anything heavier than concrete party board or fine sawdust high is gonna be a much more effective.
This vacuum matched it's estimated runtime pretty well in testing. Using a 5 amp hour battery it ran for over 31 minutes and high, and for more than an hour in low. That's pretty solid for a cordless vacuum it only uses a single 18 volt battery for a power source. The hour long runtime is a pretty big deal for a 90 watt battery pack. Most cordless vacuums we work with they're only good for about 20 to 30 minutes.
It's super easy to move this back around the shop or the job site, with the top carry handle or the optional shoulder strap. For punch less work it's a fantastic tool.
Makita pens the loudness at 76 TVA's dead-on in our tests, when I'm vacuuming right next to the unit, we measured 75 DPA on low and 77 DBA on high.
Makita does a great job storing the accessories right to the footprint of the housing. The hose is flexible extendable style, while springing back to loop and clip against the side. Crevice and upholstery nozzles also have dedicated storage out-of-the-way.
The Makita XCV11 cordless vacuum brings together a tight design with balanced performance and runtime. You can keep this in your trailer. Is a lightweight highly portable option to move around the job site or just have it handy at the shop, you don't need the power of a larger dust extractor."
Other Popular
WORX Nitro WX031L 20V 2.1 Gal Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum, Black
- [THE POWER TO OUTPERFORM] Worx NITRO tools are engineered to provide greater power, performance, and run time
- [WET AND DRY CLEANING] Quickly and easily pick up a variety of wet or dry messes with 17 kPa suction
- [POWERFUL BRUSHLESS MOTOR] Highly efficient to provide longer run times and extend the life of the product
- [SAME BATTERY, EXPANDABLE POWER] The same battery powers over 75+ 20V, 40V, and 80V lifestyle, garden, and power tools in the Power Share family
- [2.6 GAL CAPACITY] Easily contain small to large messes, quick disconnect latches for emptying and cleaning
- [HIGH/LOW SPEEDS] High/Low suction settings to clean your car, workshop or other areas around the home
- [SHOULDER STRAP] For mobility when cleaning around tight areas or when covering large areas on the go
- [STRETCH HOSE WITH ONBOARD ACCESSORIES] 6.5 ft extendable hose with convenient onboard crevice tool and wide nozzle
- [COMPACT AND LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN] Easy to store and carry with included shoulder strap and integrated carry handle
- [INCLUDES] Wet/Dry Vac, 4.0Ah Power Share PRO Battery, Quick Charger, crevice tool, wide nozzle, shoulder strap
BOSCH GAS18V-3N 18V 1.6 gallon Vacuum Bare Tool , Blue
- Cordless wet dry vacuum design – provides sustained suction, prolonged runtime and HEPA filter in a light 18-Volt tool
- Rotational airflow technology – produces sustained suction, due to a special structure of the vacuum canister
- Outstanding runtime – operates efficiently to deliver up to four minutes per battery amp hour (Ah)
- Powerful cordless motor – delivers up to 51 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow
- Washable HEPA filter – captures 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns and larger
Armor All CKA203A Cordless 20V Utility Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum 3-Tool Kit
- Portable 20-Volt, 2.5 Gal. design for hassle-free cordless operation
- Perfect for on-the-go messes and those tight spots and when corded models just wont reach
- Integrated hose and accessory storage keeps tools handy and secure
- 150 MPH blower makes for quick clean-up and is a huge help in getting that streak-free shine when detailing your vehicle
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: 20-Volt Maximum 2.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Battery, 0.5 Amp Charger, Digital Tire Inflator, Handheld Blower, 3-in-1 Utility Nozzle with Pet Hair Rake and Dust Brush Adapters, 2-in-1 Crevice Nozzle with brush, 3-Piece Inflator Nozzle Adapter Set and Cartridge Filter.
DEWALT 20V MAX Wet-Dry Vacuum, Cordless (DCV580H)
- Cordless operation powered by 20V MAX battery
- Easily accessible, washable/reusable filter; tap or water rinse to clean
- Heavy-duty, crush-resistant, fully-integrated 5' (by 1-1/4" diameter) hose provides durability, flexibility, and ease-of-use
- On-board hose and accessory storage makes the vacuum easy to carry/transport
- 2-Gallon tank capacity provides enough storage to empty a toilet or clogged pipe
- HEPA rated wet/dry filter traps dust at 0.3 microns
- 31 CFM
- Cordless operation powered by either an 18v or 20v MAX battery
- Easily accessible, washable/reusable filter
- Heavy-duty, crush-resistant, fully-integrated 5' hose
- 2-Gallon tank capacity
- Battery and Charger sold separately
DEWALT 20V MAX Vacuum, Wet/Dry (DCV581H)
- DEWALT shop vac features cordless or corded operation powered by either an 18V or 20V MAX* battery - or an AC outlet
- HEPA rated wet/dry filter of DEWALT 20V vacuum traps dust with 99.97% efficiency at 0.3 microns
- DEWALT cordless vacuum has easily accessible, washable/reusable filter; tap or water rinse to clean
- Heavy-duty, crush-resistant, fully-integrated 5 ft. (by 1-1/4-inch diameter) hose provides durability, flexibility and ease-of-use
- On-board hose, cord and accessory storage makes the vacuum easy to carry/transport
- 2-Gallon tank capacity provides enough storage to empty a toilet or clogged pipe
- 31 CFM
DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Vacuum, Wet/Dry, Portable, 1/2-Gallon, Tool Only (DCV517B)
- Gore HEPA wet/dry filter of DEWALT cordless vaccum traps 99.97% of dust at 0.3 microns
- Dual clean-up modes of DEWALT 20V vacuum allow for debris removal with either the front utility nozzle or extendable rubber hose
- 1/2 gallon tank with heavy-duty latch is easy to empty and clean
- Washable filter; Tap or water rinse to clean
- Heavy-duty rubber hose provides durability and flexibility
- Large on/off switch that is easy to access with one hand
- Runs off of 20V Max DEWALT battery packs for long run-time
Milwaukee 0880-20 18-Volt Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum, Red
- Included Components: Shop Wet Dry Vacuums
- Power Source Type: Battery Powered
- Works on all Milwaukee 18V slide-on batteries, Li-ion or NiCd
- The powerful motor to provides strong suction and air flow
- The tool box design provides easy transport and storage
- Includes on-board accessory and hose storage
- Features built-in blower port and reusable wet/dry filter ideal for both wet and dry applications HEPA rated high efficient filter
- Works on all Milwaukee 18V slide-on batteries, Li-ion or NiCd
- The powerful motor to provides strong suction and air flow
- The tool box design provides easy transport and storage
- Includes on-board accessory and hose storage
- Features built-in blower port and reusable wet/dry filter ideal for both wet and dry applications HEPA rated high efficient filter
Vacmaster - DVTB204 0201 Professional DVTB201 0201 4-Gallon 20V Cordless Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum
- Cord-like Suction Power without the Cord
- Complete Vac Organization with On-Board Hose and Accessory Storage
- Floor to Ceiling Cleaning Reach
- Conveniently Converts to Blower
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: 6' x 1-7/8" Flexible Hose, (2) Extension Wands, Car/Utility Nozzle with Brush, , lexible Crevice Tool, Washable HEPA-Material Cartridge Filter, 1-7/8" to 1-1/4" Adapter, Inflator Nozzle 3-Piece Set, Removeable Shoulder Strap, High Capacity 4Ah Lithium-Ion Battery and Quick Charger.
