The best wet and dry vacuums
A leaking washing machine, plaster dust after drilling, a garage floor full of sawdust: five wet and dry vacuums compared on tank size, suction and the extras that earn their keep.
A wet and dry vacuum is the tough cousin of the one under the stairs: a canister that takes water, plaster dust, rubble and wet leaves in its stride. Each has its own routine for switching from dust to water, usually a filter swap, so it pays to read that page of the manual before the first spill.
The numbers to compare are the tank, the suction and the cable. A bigger tank means fewer trips to the drain; suction is given here as each maker’s maximum vacuum, so a higher figure lifts heavier dirt; and a long cable saves hunting for a socket. A blower port clears leaves from a path, and a power tool socket starts the vacuum with a sander or saw to catch the dust as it’s made.
What matters
- Tank size, and for water the wet capacity, which can be less than the headline figure.
- Suction: each maker’s maximum vacuum, in kPa.
- Cable length, or a battery where there’s no socket nearby.
- Extras: a blower port and a socket for power tools.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Kärcher WD 2 Plus Wet and Dry Vacuum (12L)
£50–£75 Price range
A light, low-slung vac for the jobs the household vacuum shouldn’t touch: plaster dust after drilling, a leaking washing machine, sawdust on the workshop floor. Swap the hose to the blower port and it clears a workbench or a path too.
What owners say: Owners find the bag and filter quick to change, like how light it is to carry about, and say it lifts dust and pet hair well from carpets and hard floors.
Heads up: The 4m cable is the shortest here: keep an extension lead with it for bigger rooms or the car on the drive.
A closer look: It sits low and steady on the floor, and the tubes and nozzles park on the body between jobs, so nothing wanders off round the garage. After a wet clean-up, empty the tank and let the cartridge filter dry out before vacuuming dust again, or the dust cakes onto it.
- 1,000W, 220 mbar maximum vacuum
- 12L tank
- Blower function
- 4m cable, 1.8m hose
- Cartridge filter plus fleece bag
Best for: Everyday DIY mess and spills
- Tank
- 12L
- Power
- 1,000W
- Suction (maximum vacuum)
- 22kPa (220 mbar)
- Cable
- 4m
- Blower
- Yes
- Power tool socket
- No
#2 of 5
Best premium
Numatic Charles CVC370-2 Wet and Dry Vacuum (15L)
£199.99 RRP
Charles is the wet-and-dry sibling of Numatic’s Henry, which first appeared in 1981 and is made in Chard, Somerset. Numatic pitches it at plumbing mishaps, blocked sinks and leaks, and the 10m cable reaches a long way from one socket.
What owners say: Owners praise the strength of the suction, even across a large kitchen floor, and find the change between wet and dry modes simple.
A closer look: Wet capacity is 9 litres against 15 for dry dust, so keep an eye on the level when clearing a flooded floor and empty it in stages. The kit has a separate wet floor tool alongside the combi floor, crevice, dusting and upholstery tools, and they all store on the machine.
- 15L dry, 9L wet
- 1,000W, 2,400mm suction
- 10m cable, 26.4m cleaning range
- Tritex filter and HepaFlo bag for dry use
- Float valve for wet pick-up
Best for: Leaks, floods and long reaches
- Tank
- 15L dry, 9L wet
- Power
- 1,000W
- Suction (maximum vacuum)
- About 23.5kPa (2,400mm)
- Cable
- 10m
- Blower
- No
- Power tool socket
- No
#3 of 5
Best for power tools
Vacmaster Multi 20 Wet and Dry Vacuum with Power Take-Off (20L)
£69.99 RRP
Made for a workshop: plug a sander or saw into its power take-off socket and the vacuum starts and stops with the tool, catching the dust as it’s made. The 20L tank is the biggest here, and the blower port pumps up paddling pools and airbeds as well as clearing leaves.
What owners say: Owners use it on brick dust and plaster shavings, and find it light enough to move round a garage or workshop without a struggle.
A closer look: The universal adaptor in the box fits the hose to a tool’s dust port; check the tool draws no more than 1,740W before plugging it into the socket. Fit the dust bag for fine dust, then take it out to vacuum rubble or water straight into the tank.
- 20L tank
- Power take-off socket, up to 1,740W
- 1,250W motor, 18kPa
- Blower function
- 2.5m hose, 4m cable
Best for: Workshops and power tools
- Tank
- 20L
- Power
- 1,250W
- Suction (maximum vacuum)
- 18kPa
- Cable
- 4m
- Blower
- Yes
- Power tool socket
- Up to 1,740W
#4 of 5
Best cordless
Einhell TE-VC 18/10 Li-Solo Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum (no battery or charger)
£72.95 RRP · no battery or charger
No cable at all, so it goes where there’s no socket: the car in the street, the shed, a leak under the sink. It’s sold as a bare tool, which suits anyone who already runs Einhell Power X-Change batteries; everyone else needs to buy an 18V battery and a charger as well.
What owners say: Owners like its strong suction and how easily it goes out to the car and back, and find it simple to empty and clean.
Heads up: The battery and charger aren’t in the box: Einhell recommends a Power X-Change battery of 2.5Ah or more.
A closer look: Quick-release clips let the tank off in seconds for emptying, and the on/off switch sits where one hand can reach it while the other holds the hose. Einhell supplies a foam filter for wet jobs and a filter bag for dry dust, so swap them over when switching between the two.
- 18V Power X-Change, bare tool
- 10L tank, 2m hose
- Blow connection
- 3.05kg, fold-out handle
- Accessories store on the body
Best for: Jobs with no socket nearby
- Tank
- 10L
- Power
- 18V battery (extra)
- Suction (maximum vacuum)
- 9kPa (90 mbar)
- Cable
- None: cordless
- Blower
- Yes
- Power tool socket
- No
#5 of 5
Best budget
Draper 90107 Wet and Dry Vacuum (15L)
£30–£50 Price range
The simplest way into wet and dry cleaning: a 15L tank, a 1,250W motor with an 18kPa maximum vacuum, a blower port and a 5m cable, in a compact body with the tubes and brushes stored on board.
What owners say: Owners find it powerful for its size, and several single out its suction as the best thing about it.
A closer look: With a 1.5m hose, move the vacuum along with the job rather than stretching the hose, which can tip a light machine over. It’s at home on garage floors and in car footwells; for a big flood, the larger tanks higher up the list mean fewer trips to empty it.
- 15L polypropylene tank
- 1,250W, 18kPa, 25 l/s airflow
- Blower function
- About 5m cable, 1.5m hose
- Foam and cloth filters, dust bag
Best for: Occasional garage clean-ups
- Tank
- 15L
- Power
- 1,250W
- Suction (maximum vacuum)
- 18kPa
- Cable
- About 5m
- Blower
- Yes
- Power tool socket
- No
How they compare
| Feature | #1Kärcher WD 2 Plus | #2Numatic Charles | #3Vacmaster Multi 20 | #4Einhell TE-VC 18/10 | #5Draper 90107 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best for power tools | Best cordless | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 7.9 |
| Price | £50–£75 Price range | £199.99 RRP | £69.99 RRP | £72.95 RRP | £30–£50 Price range |
| Tank | 12L | 15L dry, 9L wet | 20L | 10L | 15L |
| Power | 1,000W | 1,000W | 1,250W | 18V battery (extra) | 1,250W |
| Suction (maximum vacuum) | 22kPa (220 mbar) | About 23.5kPa (2,400mm) | 18kPa | 9kPa (90 mbar) | 18kPa |
| Cable | 4m | 10m | 4m | None: cordless | About 5m |
| Blower | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power tool socket | No | No | Up to 1,740W | No | No |
| Best for | Everyday DIY mess and spills | Leaks, floods and long reaches | Workshops and power tools | Jobs with no socket nearby | Occasional garage clean-ups |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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