Vacmaster Pro 8 gallon Certified Hepa Filtration Wet/Dry Vac,Black

Update. 6/9/20. I still use this vac constantly and it is functioning great. Ive sucked up dirt, paint chips, sharp nails, whatever EXCEPT water. I still refuse to use this as a wet vac because the multi layer filtering worries me mold/mildew wise if they get wet, would be hard to dry thoroughly. Suction is still good. Bags are easy to replace....and disclaimer I have yet to change the HEPA filter Ive only replaced the large bags.-------------Orig review:This is a real HEPA vacuum. The reason it costs more then your standard wet/dry vac is because of the intense filtering layers and also because it needs to have certain criteria met with sealed compartments. From doing my shopping, this was also one of the lowest price points where you can find a true HEPA vacuum. I bought this mainly to help me clean up restoration projects and general home renovations. You never know what kind of bad things you stir up and it's nice to know I can now contain all of that with this beast and not spread it through the air with my regular vacuum.The two tools I use most often are the pole w/ squeegee attachment (it can be used sort of as a floor vac) and the edged plastic nozzle. I've found that when you are drilling a hole into a wall, you can just place the nozzle underneath the drill bit and it will suck away almost all of the dust created from drilling. Afterwards, you can use the pole attachment and finish the cleanup.Suction power is fierce and strong. The power level reminds me of those commercial vacuums outside self-service car wash stations. The noise level is not as bad though, but still very loud. These vac's are also expensive to operate because the filters are so expensive. To save money, you can keep replacing the pre-filters before you have to actually replace the costly hepa filter. There are several layers of filtering protection before you start damaging the HEPA filter. If you do choose to use this as a wet vac (I don't know why you would, buy a cheaper shopvac for that), it came an optional foam filter you can use so you don't damage the other fabric filters.If I have one complaint, I don't like the quality of the yellow flexible hosing. The front hose attachment came loose quite easily, it doesn't seem to be glued or permanently attached. This is probably done so by design, but it was something unexpected. Otherwise, it seems like you get a great quality HEPA vac for the price. Also, vacmaster accessories seem prevalent and easy to purchase.

I purchased this vacuum because I was restoring our wooden windows and needed something that could suck up lead paint. It did a great job, my blood test came back with hardly any in my system after 200 hours in sealed off remediation areas. I work in property management and occasionally use it for nasty questionable stuff. For the most part I use it as a home vacuum now, it's suction power is amazing, the vac attachment does a great job separating hair and dust so it doesn't clog up. My house has never been so clean and dust free. The bags are a little expensive and it's a fairly heavy machine, but it's a HEPA unit so idk what people expect lol. I don't even use our normal vacuum anymore. Why bother, this thing is a beast and does a superior job.

This thing is a workhorse!- Suction is unbelievable- Picked up nails, staples and pieces of carpet tack & never jammed up- Really easy to move around for being a pretty big shop vac.- Doesn't constantly tip over like every over shop vac I've had before- Doesn't blow dust around - keeps it contained- Attachments are great & pretty easy to take on & off- Hose length is great for maneuverabilityONLY complaint is the metal sections of the hose are near impossible for me to take apart after initial connection - bc of the paint. My husband & I each have to grab an end & wrestle them apart. But I will just keep that section assembled bc it's not worth the hassle.I got it to remove mold spores from carpet & deep clean the subfloors before putting down new flooring. A professional mold removal co was going to charge me $4000 to do the job. Once I did my research I realized I could do it myself with the right equipment (and process). This shop vac was a critical element to the success of the project. This was one of the highest rated & most affordable true HEPA vacs I could find. I know I made a good call getting it.It works so good that I am continuing to use this as my primary vacuum on new LVP. I did clean it out with an antifungal spray & change the bag. Good as the day I took it out the box.