Craftsman 6 Gallon 3.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac vs Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac
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Quick take: The Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac costs $6 less.
| Spec | Craftsman 6 Gallon 3.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac | Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$85 | ~$79 |
| Type | Wet-Dry Shop Vac | Wet-Dry Shop Vac |
| Suction | 3.5 HP | 5 HP |
| Battery | Corded | Corded |
| Navigation | — | — |
| Filtration | Qwik Lock pleated paper filter | VF3500 cartridge filter (VF3700 wet filter sold separately) |
| Cordless | No | No |
| Bagged | No | No |
| Noise | — | — |
| Dustbin | 6 gal | 3 gal |
| Water tank | — | — |
| Self-empty dock | No | No |
| Auto mop washing | No | No |
| Hot water washing | No | No |
| Obstacle avoidance | No | No |
| Carpet detection | No | No |
| Auto mop lifting | No | No |
| Multi-floor mapping | No | No |
| App control | No | No |
| Dimensions | — | — |
| Weight | — | 12.6 lbs |
| Warranty | 3 years | Lifetime |
Pros & cons
Craftsman 6 Gallon 3.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac
- ✓Compact and light enough to keep in a car trunk or small closet
- ✓Swivel casters and rear wheels for real mobility despite the small size
- ✓Affordable entry point into the Craftsman lineup
- ✓3-year limited warranty
- ✓Pleated paper filter and attachment set included
- ✗Smallest, weakest motor in the current Craftsman lineup at 3.5 peak HP
- ✗10.25-foot cord is notably shorter than Craftsman's larger units
- ✗No blower function mentioned in official specs, unlike the bigger models
- ✗No published noise rating, weight, or dimensions
- ✗Long-term owner reports for this exact SKU are thin online
Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac
- ✓RIDGID Sweep built-in dustpan is a genuinely useful, unique feature
- ✓Lightweight and stackable for easy storage
- ✓High CFM (100) for its compact size
- ✓Corded, so no battery runtime ceiling to manage
- ✓Full lifetime warranty on the vac body
- ✗3-gallon tank empties fast on anything beyond a small job
- ✗No wheels — this is a carry unit, not a roll-around one
- ✗Tethered by a 15-foot cord
- ✗No published noise rating
- ✗Ridgid also sells a larger, non-NXT 4-gallon portable (WD4070) that's easy to confuse this with