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In our latest Head-to-Head tool testing we evaluated eight of the industries top Dust Collectors in the 8 to 12 gallon capacity size. The lineup includes dust extractors from: Bosch, DEWALT, Fein, Festool, Hilti, Makita, Metabo and Milwaukee. Read on to find out who makes the Best Dust Extractors!

Dust Extractor Lineup

The eight dust extractors used in this Head-to-Head evaluation are listed below. A link to each is included with specific manufacturer specifications.

Bosch VAC090A 9 Gallon Dust Extractor with Automatic Filter Clean
DEWALT DWV012 10 Gallon Wet/Dry HEPA/RRP Dust Extractor
Fein 69908195402, Fein Turbo II X AC 9.3 Gallon Wet/Dry Dust Extractor
Festool 584014 9.5 Gallon Dust Extractor CT 36 E AC
Hilti VC 150-10 XE 10 Gallon Universal Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner with Automatic Filter Cleaning
Makita VC4710 12 Gallon Xtract Vac® Wet/Dry Dust Extractor/Vacuum
Metabo ASR 35 ACP HEPA (US602057800) 9 Gallon All-purpose Vacuum Cleaner
Milwaukee 8960-20 8 Gallon Dust Extractor
Dust Extractor Testing / Evaluation

For the Dust Extractor Head-to-Head we evaluated the tools in the following categories:

Air Volume (CFM) Test – Tests the Air Flow volume of the unit in Cubic Feet per Minute. This test was conducted twice, once with a clean set of filters/fleece bag and once with the dirty filters/fleece bag.
Suction (Water Column) Test – This provides a relative measure of the motors suction power. We also tested suction with a meter to compare the results to the water column test. This test was conducted twice, once with a clean set of filters/fleece bag and once with the dirty filters/fleece bag.

Airwatts – Calculated standard measurement used in the vacuum industry. Best indicator of the overall relative power and efficiency of the units because it takes into consideration both the water column and the CFM factors. Airwatts was calculated for both the clean and dirty filters/fleece bag.

Noise – Decibel measurements including the average and maximum value under high load.

Cost – Current costs available online.

Ergonomics and Features – We ranked each vacuum in categories including: Canister handles, wheels, locking caster feature, accessory attachment, hose attachment to vac, ease of controls, auto-clean switch, power broker switch, maneuverability, hose storage, cord storage, cord length, hose features, ease of filter change, mess changing filters without fleece bag, compactness, and weight.

All of these tests and evaluations were performed by our Tool Box Buzz Team of contractors. Each of the guys on the team is a contractor, a PRO, a guy that actually uses tools every day to make a living. We know you have lots of places to get this sort of evaluation of tools, but we think ours are the best based on our vast construction experience.