VacmasterPro 8 gallon Certified Hepa Filtration Wet/Dry Vac,Black

This is one mammoth machine! I use this during some home renovation projects where there was some lead paint present. The vacuum is easy to operate and the accessories are great. And it does a wonderful job!

I purchased this vacuum recently (Feb. 2015), so haven't had it very long. I bought it for use in my cellar, where I use a tablesaw and other power tools for woodworking. Thus far, I have been very pleased with this vacuum - the cellar is 24' x 28', so the cord and hose length are more than ample to my needs. The unit seems to be solidly made and durable, with nice attachments made of good plastic, and on a smooth concrete floor it has given absolutely no problem with tipping. I can see that, on a more uneven surface or if you moved it about harshly or in the wrong fashion, that could be more of an issue. I am impressed with the fit and finish, especially the hose attachment to the canister, which is a screw fit, not friction. And it certainly has strong suction and moves plenty of air - but the exhaust does not shoot out in a hard stream stirring up the same dust clouds that you are trying to deal with - a problem with a previously used shop vac. The noise seems reasonable especially considering the power - certainly quieter than the 3 hp I had used previously which had the high pitched vacuum sound that we all love so well.....The only problem I had was having the bag pop off its stub a little bit. There is a flexible sealing membrane that fits over the inlet, but it didn't hold on strongly enough. There is a sliding cardboard handle (apparently used to pull a sealing flap over the hole in the bag for disposal ) with a small V in it along one side. I found that if I put the bag on and gently pulled on the tab, the V apparently secured it against the inlet. I don't know if that was what was Supposed To Happen, but it seemingly worked.Before stumbling across that method, I had called Cleva, and was very pleased with their customer service. The woman who answered thought there might possibly be a flaw in the supplied bag, and immediately said she would send a new one, hassle-free. It looks the exact same, but the notch seems to do the trick. If that is What You Are Supposed To Do, it would be nice for VacMaster to say so in the instructions.In the short time that I have had and used it, I would very much agree with an on-line reviewer who said that it is the best value for a machine of its quality and HEPA certification. It likely isn't perfect, but it really is very nice and certainly the best buy I could find after searching the Internet for 2-3 weeks. I've been using a broom for the big piles of sawdust and planer shavings on the floor, and this vacuum for the dust and other surfaces that never used to get cleaned, like board piles and overhead pipes and joists and sawhorses- the cellar is much more pleasant and healthier to be down in, after just a little time using this vacuum.I am very happy with my purchase, consider the $200 well spent and have already offered it to a friend to try out.

This vacuum is the closest shop vacuum by far to getting a "golf ball thru a garden hose "that I've found out there for the price.. filled up 6 bags so far and the filter cover is the only thing I've had to blow out. The big filter hasn't had any dust on it, and even the bags are awesome. They last and don't fall apart or come off where the hose attaches. It's surprisingly quiet for the power and suction it produces. Only issue I can find with it is the front wheels need to be larger because they won't role over a tooth pick. I guess it keeps you from yanking it around by the hose so it could be a good thing in the long run. Hose is still a lil stiff but it seems to be built good to. It will probably outlast the machine. I would definitely recommend this 8 gallon wet/dry vacuum 100% 5 stars to anyone. It's worth every penny that it costs.. You can't say that to often now days. It 9th

This vacuum deserves ZERO or MINUS FIVE (-5) STARS !!!This is a expensive piece of junk. Almost no suction after 5 minutes even with filters removed. I take it apart and it sucks for 5 minutes but then stops for some reason.I purchased this Vacmaster Pro 8 gallon Certified Hepa Filtration Wet/Dry Vac on Amazon on April 11, 2021. I bought this particular vacuum because I need a HEPA 5 to safely vacuum possible asbestos fibers, mouse poop, and fine drywall dust in my basement and my 2 rental units where I live.My primary intent and the purpose for this purchase is to use it as a HEPA 5 vacuum to safely remove potential asbestos fiber, and fine dust in my basement. I first tested it to see how well it performs and filters regular household and garage dust and debris. It did not perform even close to its specifications. And I have not yet tried use it for the high performance HEPA 5 applications.I followed all instructions for assembly and usage. It started failing during the first two hours of use. Now it has almost no suction at all after the first 5 minutes even with HEPA filter canister and bag removed. I gave up with it less than 2 weeks after I bought it -- after trying it in different configurations. I have not abused it in any way, and only used it for materials for which it is designed. I have it so far used it only for regular household dust, dirt, and sawdust from cutting wood.The filters are not clogged and there is nothing obstructing the hoses. After I take it apart, check the bag, the hoses, and put it back together it has good suction for 5 minutes, but then the suction stops for some unknown reason. I use it only in the upright position. Sometimes I keep using it to see if the suction will return, but it does not have enough suction to use pick up small nails or small wood chips or other debris. The motor gets hot after 10-15 minutes but does not appear to be overheating.I have had two other shop vacs for more than 10 years, one Shop Vac brand 1.5 gallon 6 AMP, and one Rigid Brand 5 gallon, 6 HP vacuum that I purchased from Home Depot. They both perform very well after all more than 10 years. The Rigid 6HP vacuum is a "monster mega-suck" and will vacuum up large nails, small pieces of wood, newspaper scraps, and almost anything that fits into the hose, including small hand tools if I am not careful. However, I will not use them for asbestos or mouse droppings because they are not HEPA 5 safety rated.I have tried using it multiple times in every possible configuration (with and without the HEPA filter, with and without the bag filter, and with and without the attachments.) Air blows out from exhaust, but the vacuum will not even pick up sawdust once the significant suction stops, even with the thick HEPA filter or regular filter removed.Cheap. Bad attachments. Aluminum instead of steel. Proprietary hoses and tubes not reversible and do not interchange with each other. Manufacturer expects you to buy additional attachments to make up for the ones that are missing.The Rigid 6.5 HP vacuum that I bought at Home Depot runs circles around this, but Rigid unit is too big to carry up 4 flights of stairs. It is too big and powerful for my wife to use for small jobs.Time and money wasted. Cannot return BECAUSE Amazon would not take it back.I asked the manufacturer for a refund or repair but the manufacturer has not responded.I am really disappointed with VacMaster. This cost more than my Rigid Vacuum and perform much worse. I am waiting for the manufacturer to stand behind their 1 year professional warranty.I will NEVER buying Vacmaster again until they replace this junk with a quality product. I feel like I was cheated out of money for this junk that stopped performing within days of use.I need a full resolution by VacMaster for this defective unit or I will never go near their products again!DO NOT BUY VACMASTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!