DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac vs Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac
Quick take: The Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac costs $31 less.
Which one to buy
Roll it or carry it: these two cheap shop vacs are nearly opposite in shape. The DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly at $75 is a rolling shop vac: a 6-gallon tank on rubberized casters, a washable cartridge filter, a blower port and 80 CFM published alongside its 4 peak HP. The Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT at $79 is a 12.6 lb toolbox-style unit with no wheels, 100 CFM, a built-in RIDGID Sweep dustpan and a Full Lifetime Warranty against DeWalt's 3 years.
Ridgid owners like the Sweep feature for clearing floor debris without bending for a dustpan, the onboard storage for cord, hose and tools, and how easily it stacks away or carries one-handed. They also list its limits: a 3-gallon tank that needs frequent emptying, a 6-foot hose, 48 inches of water lift that suits light spills more than standing water, and a lifetime warranty that only applies once you register it.
DeWalt owners describe respectable everyday suction and wet/dry use from workshop debris to car detailing, while saying it is not the most powerful shop vac and that the poly tank lacks the toughness of DeWalt's steel models. Their main warning is never to run it without the filter in place, and some point to Ridgid's lifetime warranty as an advantage DeWalt doesn't match.
For wet cleanup or a garage floor, the DeWalt's double-size tank and wheels make it the better tool. For a workbench, truck or small shop where you carry the vac to the mess, the Ridgid's warranty and Sweep feature are worth the extra $4.
DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac
Suits rolling garage cleanup and wet spills where a larger tank and casters matter.
Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac
Best for carry-along workbench and truck cleanup, and register it to activate the lifetime warranty.
| Spec | DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac | Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$110 | ~$79 |
| Type | Wet-Dry Shop Vac | Wet-Dry Shop Vac |
| Suction | 4 HP | 5 HP |
| Battery | Corded | Corded |
| Navigation | — | — |
| Filtration | Washable and reusable cartridge 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 | 19.5 x 15.5 x 16.5 in | — |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs | 12.6 lbs |
| Warranty | 3 years | Lifetime |
Pros & cons
DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac
- ✓Under 15 lbs — easy to lift into a truck bed or up a step
- ✓Washable, reusable cartridge filter instead of disposable ones
- ✓Built-in blower port doubles as a basic blower
- ✓3-year limited warranty plus 1 year of free service
- ✓Rubberized casters roll easily on concrete and gravel
- ✓Widely stocked at Home Depot, so replacement filters and hoses are easy to find
- ✗No published noise rating
- ✗Some owners question whether the 4 HP figure reflects real running power
- ✗6 gallons fills up fast on bigger cleanup jobs
- ✗Running it without the filter seated will damage the motor — an easy mistake to make
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
DeWalt 6 Gallon Poly Wet/Dry Vac vs Ridgid 3 Gallon NXT Portable Wet/Dry Vac: common questions
Is the Ridgid's lifetime warranty worth choosing it over the DeWalt?▾
If the smaller tank suits your work, yes. DeWalt owners themselves point to Ridgid's lifetime coverage as an advantage. Ridgid owners stress that it must be registered after purchase to activate, otherwise you are left without it.
Which handles water better?▾
The DeWalt, mainly through tank size: 6 gallons against 3. Ridgid owners say its 48 inches of water lift fits light spills more than standing water, and the small tank fills quickly on wet jobs.
What is RIDGID Sweep?▾
It is a built-in suction dustpan on the Ridgid, so you can push floor debris straight into the vac without bending down with a dustpan. Its owners call it a useful feature that most portable vacs at this price lack.