Vacmaster Vacuums

Vacmaster belongs to Cleva North America, an independent manufacturer whose other brands include LawnMaster, and it is mostly a wet/dry vacuum company: Cleva's Vacmaster store lists dozens of shop vacs next to a handful of household vacuums, air movers and spot cleaners. The Professional label marks its heavier-duty line, and the Beast Professional 14 Gallon VJE1412SW 0203 ($200) is the one listed here.

It is a big-tank workshop machine. Vacmaster rates the 11-amp, 6.5 peak HP motor at 123 CFM, 82 inches of water lift and 380 air watts, and pairs it with a stainless steel tank, a 2-1/2 inch by 7-foot hose, a 20-foot cord, large non-marring wheels with a locking caster, a drain port and a blower conversion. The box holds 18 accessories, including five dust bags, and the cartridge filter is rated to capture particles down to 1 micron. The warranty is 5 years limited.

Owners rate the suction highly and say it handles gravel and construction debris that stalls smaller vacs. They also find it quieter than expected for its power and say the attachments stay put in use. Their complaints are about bulk: it takes real floor space, is awkward on stairs, and takes a while to assemble. Some also report that the right-angle inlet clogs on larger debris, and that a few heavy users have tripped breakers under sustained load. Before buying, check what else shares the circuit you will plug its 11-amp motor into, and where a 14-gallon drum will live between jobs.