Therefore, it should be safe to use Ridgid 18V batteries with an adapter on Hyper Tough 20V MAX power tools. But you might consider disassembly your Ridgid 18V battery to ensure that there is an over discharge protection circuit. There are plenty of other wet/dry vacuums available, most notably from Shop-Vac, a company so well known for its wet/dry vacuums that its name has become synonymous with all wet/dry vacs. In most ways, hyper tough tool set Shop-Vac models are going to deliver the same thing as the Ridgid vacs. However, on the 12-gallon model, the accessories are bunched at the upper rear of the vac, instead of stored on each caster, and we’ve found they get knocked off much easier this way. The Shop-Vacs models’ availability is also a little more scattered, so you may not be able to get one in an emergency at a place that is as convenient as Home Depot.
This might not sound like a lot, but for the way a wet/dry vac is typically used, we never noticed it as a hindrance. But since the Greenworks vac is more powerful, with the larger hose, we think you could accomplish more with it over the course of a single charge. You get the best value from this vac if you already own compatible DeWalt batteries. If you don’t, having to buy a battery and charger makes the investment a little steep for what you’re getting.
Recently, cordless models have appeared that emphasize portability over power. These are more for quick, little messes, like clean-up after a minor repair or home upgrade. hyper tough tool set In the cordless category, we prefer the smaller models in the 2- to 3-gallon range. One of these might be the only wet/dry vac you need for a smaller home or an apartment.
In fact, the HD1200 is so powerful that the tester said it was pulling loose plaster off the walls, so she had to be careful in certain areas. Consumer Reports recommends more than half the battery lawn mowers in our current walk-behind lawn mower ratings. Among the more than 60 push- and self-propelled cordless electric mowers we’ve tested, most models earn strong overall ratings. So there are plenty of appealing options at a variety of prices.If you have a lawn that’s less than a quarter-acre, you’ll probably find a battery push mower that will fit your needs.
It became an invaluable tool and was relied on far more than initially expected. It was especially useful for quick clean-ups of minor messes, like drywall repairs and smaller amounts of sawdust. With this little vac on hand, it was nice to not have to lug around the full-sized Ridgid canister just for some little dusty piles. The DeWalt vac has a wide utility nozzle and a crevasse nozzle, both of which are smartly stored on the tool (the crevasse tool slides into the handle of the vac). There is also a clip the hose fits into, so it’s out of the way when stowed. One of the distinctions of the Ridgid vac is that the hose actually clips to the vacuum and the wand attachments, creating a very stable connection.
Cleaning up high—like if you’re sucking cobwebs off a garage window—is less of a problem with the DeWalt vac because you can just hold it. Although Ridgid vacs come in other sizes (many of them great), we think the 12-gallon size offers the best balance of capacity and mobility. It’s usually competitive on price, too, both within the Ridgid lineup and against similar hyper tough battery models from other brands. At a little over 17 pounds, this vac is more manageable on stairs than some larger, more powerful, also-popular versions. There is a wide dry nozzle, a wet nozzle, and a small crevice nozzle (for corners and detail work). Other models might come with more options, but I’ve found that they just tend to get in the way or lost over time.
They also nicely complement a larger, corded wet/dry vac, especially if you’re someone who takes a hands-on approach to your house. Whether you want to get a wet/dry vac for a flooded basement or general garage cleanup—or you’re simply someone who has a DIY mentality—it will clean the worst kinds of messes most floors ever see. These tools tend to last years, and they’re durable enough to get banged around a little—or a lot. We also looked at three larger cordless wet/dry vacs, Ego WDV0904 Power+ 9 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum, the Ryobi 40V 10-Gallon Wet/Dry Vac, and the Greenworks Pro 60V Wet/Dry Vacuum. Couple these limitations with the high cost, and we’ve come to the conclusion that for a full-size wet/dry vac, it’s best to stick with the Ridgid corded option, at least for now. For the cleaning power you’re getting with a cordless option, we don’t think the value is there just yet.
We also have a recommendation for a more compact, cordless model for smaller messes. Every model’s Overall Score in CR’s ratings incorporates all of that performance data with predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings. We compile those ratings from our latest member surveys, leveraging data on more than 36,500 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2013 and 2023.
The DeWalt is really a tool meant for small messes, like drywall dust, sawdust, and wood shavings. In our other test, the DeWalt vac sucked out 2 gallons of water in 11 seconds—more than twice as long as it took the next weakest vacuum (the cordless Greenworks vac). That lines up with the DeWalt vac’s given CFM number—indicating suction—of 31, which is half that of the Greenworks vac. This isn’t an extremely high-powered tool, but it really is convenient to use. This wet/dry vac (aka “shop vac”1) has a large capacity and a powerful motor for sucking up debris.