Whether you’re a plumber, handyman, or just want to be prepared for the occasional cleanup, owning a shop vac is a must have. Maybe you already have a bigger shop vac and you’re looking for something a little more portable, or maybe you’re simply looking around for an affordable and cheap shop vac.
It doesn’t matter what occupation or hobbies you might have, it’s always great being able to clean up a huge mess in just a short amount of time. Forget the broom, some dirty messes simply require a shop vac!
However, as I’m sure you’re well aware, shop vacs can be quite expensive. In fact, some shop vacs are over $500! Not everyone has that kind of money to shell out for a shop vac, which is why we looked around and researched the best shop vacs under $100 for you.
You’ll get the best bang for your buck, all while still getting a fully capable and powerful shop vac that can get just about most cleaning jobs done with ease.
Let’s take a look at some of the best shop vacuums under $100 around, so that you can get a quality shop vac at a reasonable price.
Note: prices are subject to change based on inventory, price changes, and so on.
Best Shop Vacs Under $100:
Table could not be displayed.Stanley 6 Gallon, 4 Horsepower Wet/Dry Shop Vac
We’re sure that you’ve probably heard of Stanley, especially if you’re shopping around for shop vacs. Stanley is one of the most recognizable brands when it comes to shop vacs, hand tools, work gear, and so much more.
They’ve been around for almost 200 years, which is extremely impressive and shows that they clearly know what works and what doesn’t.
Before we continue, it’s worth mentioning that you can actually get slightly stronger or weaker configurations of the same shop vac, additionally with added combo sets – such as a blade set, extension cord, pipe clamp, combination square, and variable angle strap clamp. However, buying any of these will still put you just shy over $100, although, it’s always worth mentioning considering bundles usually save you money in the long run.
We’ll be taking a look at the 6 gallon, 4.0 HP model in particular.
You might be wondering why does this shop vac in particular belong on our list of the best shop vacs under $100.
Even though this shop vac is under $100, that doesn’t mean that you’ll be sacrificing on the functionality that a shop vac can offer.
This shop vac comes with plenty of accessories, so don’t think there are no reasonably valued cheap shop vacs out there. You get the following:
- Clamp ring
- Crevice nozzle
- 2x Extension wands
- Disposable filter bag
- Floor nozzle
- Gulper nozzle
- User manual
- Reusable dry filter + wet foam filter
- And of course, a hose
That’s plenty of accessories and helpful tools included, especially for shop vac that’s under $100.
Not only that, but using the shop vac couldn’t be any easier. It’s very straightforward, simple, and gets the job done – and although it might be nice to get some additional features, power, or accessories that come with much more expensive shop vacs, not everyone has that kind of money.
Not only does it provide plenty of suction, but because it’s fairly lightweight – coming in at 13.8 pounds, it can also be an absolute joy to use.
Just because this is a cheaper shop vac, it doesn’t mean that it’s not capable of getting most jobs done just as well as more expensive shop vacs can.
This shop vac is designed incredibly well, is very easy to use, is cheap, and certainly has many redeeming qualities about it, despite the fact that it’s so cheap.
It doesn’t fall over or is annoying to move. The wheels don’t get stuck like they might on other shop vacs, either.
One of the most redeeming features about this shop vac is just how portable and small, yet powerful it truly is. The thing about more expensive shop vacs is how generally large they can be. This is incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to clean in a smaller space or don’t have too much room to move around in.
Pros
- Long hose
- Lightweight
- Large 6 gallon capacity bin should be large enough for most cleaning jobs
- Plenty of accessories included
- Compact and perfect for a variety of uses
- Tons of value in this small package
- Quiet in comparison to other shop vacs
Cons
- Short power cord (nothing that can’t be addressed with an extension cord)
- Short 1 year warranty
- Not as powerful as more expensive shop vacs
Verdict:
A very cheap, well-designed, and small shop vacuum that can get most jobs done. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the garage using tools and starting a new project, are cleaning upholstery, or simply are looking for something that’s portable and powerful.
Everything is included inside the shop vac, but don’t forget to properly assemble it!
This shop vacuum is reviewed extremely favorably from more than 2500 reviews.
It’s Stanley – a name you can trust, despite it being affordable and less than $100.
Stanley 10 Gallon, 6 Horsepower Wet/Dry Shop Vac
Another shop vac on our recommended list of best shop vacs under $100 is, you guessed it… Another Stanley shop vac!
This shop vac is a suitable choice for those tougher cleaning jobs that a weaker or less powerful shop vac might not be able to handle.
Although this shop vac still includes plenty of tools, is powerful, and is under $100, it’s not as compact or lightweight as our previous reviewed one.
Despite that, this shop vac still shines in plenty of other aspects.
For one, this 6 hp shop vac has a huge 10 gallon capacity. Although you’re losing in on the portability and lightweight aspect of it, you’re still getting plenty of other great features such as a built-in drain, more horsepower, higher capacity gallon, and a much longer cleaning reach. (more than 24 feet total)
Accessories include:
- Cartridge filter
- Disposable dust bag
- Foam filter
- Utility nozzle
- Product manual
- Floor nozzle
- Crevice nozzle
- Extension wand & hose
This particular model will be a perfect fit for someone who knows that they’ll use a shop vac on a regular basis for a wide variety of cleaning jobs, some being on the larger scale of things rather than using it for a few seconds for a quick cleanup.
You still get exceptional value at an even cheaper price than the first model we reviewed, but lose out on the portability and lightweight benefits that the other Stanley model offers. However, you gain almost 33% more horsepower, almost double the bin capacity, have a much longer power cord and cleaning reach, and have a drainage plug which is incredibly convenient and handy.
Pros
- 2 year warranty
- Powerful 6 horsepower motor to get even the toughest cleaning jobs done
- >24 ft of cleaning reach (6 ft hose + 18 ft power cord)
- Huge 10 gallon capacity bin
- Built-in drain plug
Cons
- Not as lightweight as other shop vacs – 21.7 pounds
- Fairly large
Verdict:
This is one of the best wet/dry vacs under $100 for those looking for a powerful, yet cheap shop vac that is primarily used for larger or medium-sized cleaning jobs.
This shop vac is an excellent option for anyone who might be dealing with lots of liquid or water, as the drainage plug is extremely convenient for such a cheap shop vac.
This might not be the best option for those who are just looking for a very compact and lightweight shop vac that doesn’t take up too much room in their house or garage. We recommend the 4 hp, 6 gallon Stanley shop vac for that instead.
If you’re looking for something even more portable, keep reading!
Best Shop Vacs Under $50:
Vacmaster 5 Gallon, 3 HP Wet/Dry Shop Vac
Yes, you read that right, there are still plenty of quality shop vacs out there that are not only under $100, but also under $50 too!
This Vacmaster 5 Gallon, 3 HP Wet/Dry Shop Vac is an excellent contender for some of the best shop vacs under $50 that you can possibly buy.
This shop vac is astoundingly lightweight – coming in at just 10.47 pounds, it also has a surprisingly large capacity 5 gallon bin that can clean anything from dust to liquid to sand! Not only that, but you have plenty of reach with this shop vac.
With an 8 foot power cord length, an additional 6 foot safety cleaning hose, and three extension wants, you’ll be able to use a generous 17 feet cleaning range to tackle whatever outdoor or indoor aspects of your home that could use a cleaning.
Another neat little feature that the shop vac offers is that it’s “Safe Buoy” technology. In the event that water completely fills the capacity of the bin and endangers the motor, the shop vac will automatically turn off suction so that the motor will be protected.
Although this shop vac in particular does not use a single/washable filter which is always nice to have in a more expensive shop vac, you’ll still get above average performance for an extremely cheap price.
It’s worth mentioning that the power cord on his vacuum isn’t the longest, so you will definitely have to consider using an extension cord for the majority of the times that you use this shop vac. Hey, when you’re spending less than $50 on the shop vac, you have to compromise somewhere.
This is honestly a great shop vac for the price. You still get plenty of attachments, it’s very affordable, lightweight, doesn’t take up too much room, and has plenty of suction for most jobs.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Strong suction, especially for a shop vac that’s under $50
- 2 year warranty
- Doesn’t take up too much room
Cons
- Short power cord
- No crevice tool included
- Attachments don’t always stay on
Verdict:
A great shop vac under $50 for those who are looking for something that’s lightweight, doesn’t take up too much space, doesn’t mind using an extension cord, and for someone who will primarily not be using a shop vac to clean tight to reach spaces, as the included nozzles aren’t ideal for certain things: such as vacuuming your car or other very tight spaces.
Workshop WS-255VA 2.5 Gallon, 1.75 HP Wet/Dry Shop Vac
We decided to include this Workshop WS-255VA 2.5 Gallon, 1.75 HP Wet/Dry Shop Vac on our list for several reasons.
Not only is this one of the best shop vacs under $50 that you can buy, but it’s also one of the most portable shop vacs that you can buy, too. With a generous 10 foot power cord, 4 foot hose, and included attachments, you’ll be able to clean up messes and spills around your home or garage with plenty of ease.
Because this shop vac is so lightweight and well-designed, you’ll have no problem picking it up and moving it around, cleaning wherever you might need to. This can also be a great choice for a neat little lightweight and portable shop vac for your elderly parents or friends.
It’s barely over 7 pounds, which is definitely one of its most redeeming qualities.
However, when you’re sacrificing that much portability and weight and still coming in at under $50, you’re going to have to take some cuts somewhere.
Pros
- Very lightweight (7 lbs) and affordable
- Easy to use and surprisingly powerful for its compact size
- Comes with useful accessories
- Great for small spaces, such as RVs
Cons
- Not nearly as strong as other shop vacs
- Hose storage is poorly designed and and doesn’t stay in place
Verdict:
If you’re looking for an extremely portable and lightweight shop vac that can clean up minor messes, then this is the perfect shop vac for you. It comes with accessories, is much lighter than a majority of shop vacs, and is among some of the best shop vacs under $50 that you can buy.
The emphasis on this one is clearly the portability, as you do lose out on some gallon capacity and horsepower in comparison to some of the other options that we listed above.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to spend as much money as contractors do to get an affordable and quality shop vac.
Both of the Stanley shop vacs are excellent choices for shop vacs under $100. We tried to not include tons of recommendations, but rather give you some options for a few reliable, yet affordable best shop vacs out there that are still under $100 and don’t break your bank.
Whether you’re looking for a very small and portable shop vac that’s great for several different uses, or you’re looking for a shop vac that’s simply powerful and can get those pesky and troublesome cleaning jobs done, we’ve got you covered.
We even decided to include some very cheap options, including a few options for the best shop vacs under $50 that you can buy if you’re especially strapped for cash and are really trying to simply get something cheap enough to get the job done.
Not all of us have the budget for those more expensive shop vacs, so it’s nice to have a few solid options that don’t compromise on the performance that most people are looking for when they’re shopping around for shop vacs to buy.
Last update on 2023-03-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Laura
Laura Smith is an author and philanthropist; runs several trust funds and teaches people in different forums the importance of developing actionable solutions, to help in the conservation of energy while limiting environmental degradation. She is passionate about everything tech and has written different reviews on a myriad of electrical gadgets. Technology and environmental degradation are a major challenge around the globe today, and many companies produce gadgets without a guideline on how to dispose of, after they have served their purpose. Laura has thus dedicated her life to finding eco-friendly solutions in the disposition of electrical gadgets in the middle of technological advancements.
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