ShopVac vs. RidGid

K

Kikkomann

New member
Our 15++ year old vacuum recently broke down and now currently on the market for a replacement. I've searched the forums but wasn't able to find any good/decent reviews of any vacuum/extractor.



I went to local hardware store recently and found these two brands (ShopVac and RidGid - I need a wet and dry vac). I'm now comtemplating on which one to get. Will be using it for general interior detailing (and periodic vacuuming/cleaning) of our two cars.



Any owner of these two? Please share your comment/s and experience/s.



TIA. :getdown
 
I have a Rigid 4050 which is the portable one. I love it, its powerful and compact and comes with a lifetime warranty.
 
I bought the 3.5 Rigid and it is fantastic.



Accesories added up to almost as much as the vaccum cleaner though
 
Ridgid products are practically indestructable . . . Though never used for detailing (I have a craftsman, and it works well but is extreamly to loud..) I have used a Rigid wet/dry vac for a plumbing company I once worked for when we did core drilling into cement - I dont know how the thing still works . . .
 
I have a shopvac. I bought the 3.5 hp 3 gallon. It's the one you can hang on the wall and has a quick release and a 20 foot hose. It has incredible sucking power and usually gets even the bad stuff in no more than 1 or 2 passes. Came with quite a few different attachments and with the superlong hose, I can just set it down next to the car and get the entire car without moving the vac. It's probably one of my favorite detailing purchases.
 
Kikkomann said:
Thanks for all the feedbacks.



Any ShopVac users? :D
Click to expand...



I have one of each. The Ridgid is more powerful 6.5 h.p. rating verses the ShopVacs 6.0 h.p. rating. I also have a Craftsman. The reason I bought the Ridgid was that I thought the other two were just too noisy. The Ridgid is quieter and works very well. I bought one of the slimmer hose and accessory kits (not Ridgid) to go along with it and really like my set up now. I have only tired the larger machines I believe it is a 16 gallon unit.
 
165710_3.jpg
:up



Features:



Compact, light and portable

easy to store and to take it with you on the job.

5.0 Peak HP

it delivers more high performance power than vacs twice its size

Tug-A-Long Positive Locking Hose

Locks 7-Foot hose to Vac-Hose Won't Pull Out During Use

1-7/8" hose

this size gives clog-free performance of larger hoses with the fexibility of smaller hoses

Use for wet and dry cleanups

includes a blowing port for maximum versatility

2-Layer High Efficiency Filter

great for drywall and other fine dust

On board accessory storage

keeps accessories on hand and easy to reach



Specifications:



Gallon Size: 4

MOTOR:

*Peak Horsepower: 5.0

*Air Watts: 235

*Voltage: 120

*Amps: 9.0

Cord Length: 20

U.L. Listed: Yes

Replacment Filter: VF3500

Accessory Size: 1-7/8"

Shipping Weight: 17lbs

Net Weight: 12lbs



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Includes

Accessories Included: 1-7/8" x 7' Positive Locking Hose, Mutli-Purpose Nozzle, Muffler / Noise Diffuser; 2-Stage Drywall Filter
 
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I call him R2, short for R2D2 of course. I picked it up a few months ago because my OLD craftsman one died and I needed a cheap one that would do the job. It was a pretty good deal for 40 bucks, but I definitely wish it had more power, and that the casters wouldn't fall off everytime I pick it up.



I know it's a while, but I'd wait until Black Friday and pick up a Ridgid vac at Home Depot for cheap. I just might have to pick up one if the big ones go on sale then. :cool:
 
I have a 5 HP Rigid and a smaller Shop Vac. The one thing I like about the Shop Vac is they offer an optional disposable filter bag that makes for a cleaner transition between wet or dry use.



The Rigid is fairly large at 12 gallons, but it was pretty cheap at Home Depot (on "Black Friday") a couple of years back, it has a lot of suction, and is very easy to drain after extraction or other "wet" uses.
 
I've been through literally over 50 Rigid vacumes purchased at Home Depot. I keep 5 in use at all times and every time one breaks down I take it back and exchange it for new one. If Home Depot gives me ANY problems, I just send it back to Rigid and they automatically send me a new one. They have a lifetime warranty and they honor it every time. Plus it's designed for commercial use, where Shop Vac isn't. I started out using Shop Vac's and after returning 3 of them back to Sears, they put me on the look out list at each register warning cashiers not to allow my returns. ***?? They explained that I was using it for commercial use and they won't warranty it. I then switched to Rigid and have had nothing but great experiences. Shop Vac sucks(no pun intended)!!!
 
Ridgid all the way. Those are the preferred vacs of choice for even the construction industry. You could imagine how much abuse they go through, yet they all still pull through strong.
 
Gee, thanks for all the suggestions.



I have some bad news and good news:



Bad: I initially went for ShopVac and bought it (Pro30).

Good: I changed my mind and went for RidGid instead. Visited the shop where I bought ShopVac and had it replaced.



Here's what I opted for:



WD1245.jpg




Thanks so much guys. :getdown
 
So is the Ridgid something I can use for extraction on carpets???? Is the sucking power enough??? I was thinking of getting a Craftsman but seems like Ridgid would be the way to go. I'm looking for something for carpet extraction without spending a lot of money on professional stuff....



Chris
 
I doubt the Ridgid really has enough vacuum power for deep extraction but it may work for a stop-gap measure until you get an extractor.
 
I have the WD1245 (12 Gal, 5HP) and it has served me well. It is rated at 54-56" of lift, I found this out after emailing their tech support. I wouldnt say it can extract carpets, but I do use it after cleaning carpets, although they can be quite damp afterwards.



I bought this unit when they had a super nice deal... I want to say it was $39 on sale over a year ago.
 
I too have the Ridgid 4050. I bought it last month when my 1 year old Shop Vac exploded. My only regret is that I wished I had purchased it earlier. So much suction. It's one of the best. Lifetime warranties help too!
 
I just picked up a 4550 Ridgid and only have used it once, I love how it's compact and wow never new it had this much sucking power.



WD4550.jpg


The package cost me like $117 total, I decided to puchase this one since it had everything included really....



Chris
 
I used my RidGid when I shampooed my backseat (removed it, scrubbed it with Meg's APC, some mixture of liquid dishwashing soap) then hosed it down. Extracted the remaining water, then sun and air-dried for 2-3 hours tops. A bit damp after extraction, but will do for me
 
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