Let’s jump straight into the answer of which shop vac has the best suction?. Upon searching and testing, we found that the maximum suction power of the shop vacs available in the market is 172 CFM.
Below we will also discuss the CFM of a shop vac and how we calculate the CFM of a shop vac?
Our Top Pick
Ridgid WD1851 16 Gallon Most Powerful Shop Vac
The Ridgid WD1851 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vac has the highest cfm ratio of 172 CFM. Let’s look at some features of this most powerful vacuum Rigid WD 1851. Its 6.5 Peak HP Motor’s powerful suction makes it the perfect shop vac for auto detailing. Most professional car detailers use Rigid WD 1851 to get the best results and ease of cleaning.
List of Shop Vacs with Best Suction Power
Below are the top 6 shop vacs with the best suction power.
- Ridgid 31693 WD1851 16 Gallon
- RIDGID 14-Gal. 6.0 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac
- Vacmaster Professionalâ Beast Series™ 16-Gallon 6.5 Peak Wet/Dry Vac
- Ridgid 14-Gallon 6 Peak Horsepower Wet/Dry Vac
- Craftsman XSP 12-Gallon, 5.5 peak horsepower Wet/Dry Vac
- DeWALT 14 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac
The 8 Gallon Industrial vacuum by Shop-Vac® claimed to have the highest suction power of 185 CFM, but unfortunately, this item is now discontinued by the company.
Ridgid 31693 WD1851 16 Gallon
Editor’s Choice – Best Overall
The most powerful Shop-vac from Rigid with an airflow ratio of 172 CFM. Its 16 Gallon capacity enables you to vacuum the workspace easily. 6.5 Peak HP Motor Operates on 12V, and Powerful suction enables this shop vac to suck up about 1 Gallon of water per second. The noise reduction feature also makes it stand out in the line of most silent shop vacs. The long carry handle is also very handy to make it portable and easy to move around your workspace.
Ridgid 31693 WD1851 16 Gallon shop vac comes with the longest 20’ power cord that can easily wrap around the vac and handle. 7’ long suction hose also makes it approachable in all the areas around your shop.
| Best Over All | |
| Product | Ridgid 31693 WD1851 16 Gallon |
| Airflow CFM | 172 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 7 ft |
| Voltage | 116 Volts |
| Weight | 28.2 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 16 Gallon 6.5 HP |
| Dimensions | 20 x 20 x 28 inches |
RIDGID 14-Gal. 6.0 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac
Best Suction Power
The second on our list is the RIGID 14-gallon six-peak horsepower wet dry shop vac. The powerful 6.0 peak horsepower motor provides a high-performance vacuum experience for heavy-duty pro cleanups. The suction power of this shop vac is 165 CFM. A perfect shop vac designed for powerful suction and ease of mobility. Its large heavy-duty 2-piece drum and wet-dry vacuuming capability fill every professional’s needs. This shop vac will be your love for its noiseless operation capability.
It has several attachment accessories and perfect placement, so you don’t have to worry about storing the shop vac accessories. Its Premium Car Cleaning Kit comes with several accessories. Must-have shop vac for every car detailing professional. The long 20’ power cord and 7’ hose attachment make it possible to suck every inch of your worksite.
| Best Suction Power | |
| Product | RIDGID 14-Gal. 6.0 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac |
| Airflow CFM | 165 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 7 ft |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Weight | 29.3 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 14 Gallons 6 HP |
| Dimensions | 22.2 x 19.5 x 26 inches |
Vacmaster Professionalâ Beast Series™ 16-Gallon 6.5 Peak Wet/Dry Vac
Most Loved – Highest HP Shop Vac
With a high-performance motor and powerful suction power of 150 CFM, the 16 Gallon beast from Vacmaster is the love of every shop professional. It is a perfect shop vac for heavy-duty industrial cleaning projects. It weighs about 29 Pounds with a large 16 Gallon vacuum tank.
This Vacmaster professional wet dry shop vac operates on 120Volts high-performance motor with amazing suction and power. The 360-degree swivel casters enable it to move all around your worksite. All the accessories can be easily stored with the shop vac.
| Highest HP Shop Vac | |
| Product | Vacmaster Professionalâ Beast Series™ 16-Gallon 6.5 Peak Wet/Dry Vac |
| Airflow CFM | 150 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 7 ft |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Weight | 29 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 16 Gallon 6.5 HP |
| Dimensions | 19.8 x 19.8 x 23.8 inches |
Ridgid 14-Gallon 6 Peak Horsepower Wet/Dry Vac
Best Airflow
The 16 Gallon Rigid Wet dry noiseless shop vac has a suction power of 150 CFM and runs on 116 volts. It can be used as a blower as well. The long 20’ power cord can be wrapped around the carry handle for easy storage. It comes with a 7’ long hose enabling you to vacuum all-around your work area. It`s a top performer in its class and the best shop vac you will ever come across.
This vacuum is a common tool for every commercial construction site for heavy-duty jobs.
This powerful shop vac is hands down the best suggested in terms of power, budget, and performance.
| Best Airflow | |
| Product | Ridgid 14-Gallon 6 Peak Horsepower Wet/Dry Vac |
| Airflow CFM | 150 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 10 ft |
| Voltage | 116 Volts |
| Weight | 25 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 14 Gallon 6 HP |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 26 x 19.5 inches |
Craftsman XSP 12-Gallon, 5.5 peak horsepower Wet/Dry Vac
Best Wet/Dry Vac
One of the most reviewed shop-vac Craftsman XPS 12 Gallon comes with a 5.5 peak HP motor. The Horsepower is a great, high-standard-built vacuum. It has a suction power of 144 CFM and weighs only 24.6 Pounds.
This powerful shop vac comes with 20 feet long cord and a 7’ long suction hose enabling you to vacuum everything around 27’. Check here for our detailed review.
| Best Wet/Dry Vac | |
| Product | Craftsman XSP 12-Gallon, 5.5 peak horsepower Wet/Dry Vac |
| Airflow CFM | 144.8 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 7 ft |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Weight | 24.6 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 12 Gallon 5.5 HP |
| Dimensions | 17 x 19 x 23 inches |
DeWALT 14 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac
Best Budget Shop Vac
One of the best budget heavy-duty shop vacs, the DeWALT 14 Gallon Poly wet dry shop vac, is a perfect solution for most of your cleanup jobs.
The powerful 6-peak HP motor provides enough suction power of 110 CFM for every regular vacuuming work site. This shop vac can also be used as a blower, making it stand out. It is 3 in 1 wet, dry, and blow shop vac.
| Best Budget Shop Vac | |
| Product | DeWALT 14-gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac |
| Airflow CFM | 110 |
| Cord Length | 20 ft |
| Hose Length | 7 ft |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Weight | 29.54 Pounds |
| Capacity (Gallon) | 14 Gallon 6 HP |
| Dimensions | 20.2 x 27 x 19 inches |
What determines the suction power of a Shop-vac?
To analyze the suction power of a Shop vac, consider the following three factors; You should look for these factors attentively when buying a shop vac.
- HP – Peak horsepower
- CFM – Airflow
- Capacity – Suction capacity
What is the CFM of a Shop-vac?
CFM is the amount of airflow that’s coming through a vacuum; the higher the CFM, the more of that dust you will be able to affect and pull in.
How do you calculate the CFM of a vacuum?
Section off your shop vac into a square. Let’s say if you could section off your shop into a square area, you know two hundred CFM is 200 cubic feet per minute. that vacuum is pulling through; let’s suppose something like 70.
CFM is cubic feet per minute, and to measure that, you need a tool that can measure the flow rate; it’s called Anemometer, and then you also need to take into account the cross-sectional area of the shop vac that the air is flowing through, for instance, if we have 100 miles an hour worth of air traveling through the hose that’s the rate that it’s traveling through it’s only traveling through this very small cross-section.
How many CFM should a vacuum have?
In other words, the CFM ratio of a shop vac determines how much suction capacity a shop vac has. it’s a difference in how much air mainly affects your ability to collect dust and small particles effectively. Less CFM shop vacs are good for house and general cleaning, while if you need a shop vac for heavy-duty industrial vacuuming, consider a shop vac with a higher CFM ratio.
How much CFM do I need for dust collection?
There’s no particular ratio of CFM and water lift to remember when choosing a shop vac for dust collection.
Now, because most of our dust extractors are making multiple applications, any time you’ve hit 70 CFM, you’re gonna be pretty effective on dust collection, and then you get into that as low as 50 inches of water lift.
You’re still pretty effective, and most shop vacs clean up, so as long as you’re hitting those two numbers at a minimum, you’re gonna be in a good place. If you find you’re doing a lot more than one or the other, look for a higher CFM shop vac.
What is Peak HP on shop vac?
The Peak HP of a shop vac determines the maximum power production of a motor when it is started. Most of the time, Peak HP is higher (5-7 times) than running HP.
How much horsepower do I need in a shop vac?
Suction power also depends on the HP of the shop vac; the greater the hp better the suction. You will need a shop vac with a 4-5 horsepower motor if you are using your shop vac for vacuuming all kinds of debris, sand, and dirt. Otherwise, a 1-2 HP shop vac will do the job in your house shop vacuuming. The purpose of the shop vac determines how much HP a shop vac needs?
Waterlift vs. CFM – Shop Vacs and Dust Extractors
The water lift tells you about the strength of that vacuum pull. So if I want to start picking up stuff like concrete chips or wood shavings, I even screws or nails or small bolts sitting around the shop after a job I need more water lift to do that. While the CFM stands for cubic feet per minute.
Hopefully, that gives you some kind of comparison on how much power these shop vacs consume, which is important, and how much suction they can provide for that amount of power.