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Customer reviews for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
This RIDGID 16 gallon stainless steel wet/dry vac is designed to deliver the powerful suction, large capacity, rugged construction, unique features and excellent mobility that Pros demand for job site or shop. The powerful 6.5 Peak HP motor easily handles the toughest job site clean-up tasks. A 3-layer fine dust filter captures dry wall dust. Moving up & down steps or across rough terrain is a snap with the large fixed rear wheels. Add a top handle with a cord wrap, stainless steel drum construction, an accessory storage bag attached to a quick release handle plus patented Scroll Noise Reduction for quiet operation and you've got a wet/dry vacuum that meets the demands of Pros on the job site.
Overall rating:
(49 reviews) 49
Rating breakdown 49 reviews
5 stars
39
4 stars
9
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
47 out of 47(100%)customers recommend this product.
Customer reviews for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Review 1 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
For what we are using it for, this is an awesome product. I would love to have one at home.
,PostedApril 24, 2012
MSer
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Female
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Daily
Suction
4
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
On line ordering went slick. Arrives in perfect condition. Product is what we expected. Couldn't ask for a better experience from start to finish.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 2 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Amazingly easy to clean- retractable handle a nice touch
,PostedMarch 27, 2012
Champion
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Usage frequency:Weekly
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Excellent quality- a simple wash out of the cannister with a garden hose makes clean up fast. Drywall doesn't stick to the inside like a plastic canister. I would like to see a two button catch for the handle so that it doesn't drop down too far and touch the rear wheels. Overall would highly recommend to any contractors or homeowners.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 3 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Product worked great for our application.
,PostedFebruary 21, 2012
Bainer
Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Daily
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
We do detailing in our shodp and unit is easy to move around and works great with attachments
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 4 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
product net expectations
,PostedFebruary 13, 2012
bfblack
Suction
4
/
5
Weight
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
I needed a new shop vac as the hose on the old one was cracked and covered with duct tape. Old hose could not be removed so new vac was required. Product arrived in a timely manner, opened box and could see broken piece of plastic in bottom of box. Customer service said 7-10 days for replacement part to arrive and that was about right. Assembly took about 1 hour. There were issues with getting metal handle through plastic housing because of undesirable lip left on inside diameter of plastic from molding process. The solution required sandpaper and a round file. Assembly instructions were ok. The 1/2" cap nut was somewhat difficult to install; hard to hold it in place while you pound on it. I ran a comparison test between old and new shop vac using shaving from my jointer. The new (Rigid) vac took about 40% longer time for same volume of chips but was much quieter.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 5 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
It is very easy to use and move around.
,PostedJanuary 31, 2012
Woodman007
Age:65 or over
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Weekly
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
assemble was easy. Mobility is very importation, the bigger wheels help, Can be transported with easy.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 6 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Great vac
,PostedJanuary 24, 2012
plainclothesfireman
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:1 week
Usage frequency:Daily
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Ridgids 16 gallon vac is the easiest to pull around by the hose and attachment storage is handy. The best I've found to roll across the yard from the shop to the garage, or across air hoses and extension cords. Only wish it had a smooth interior hose. I spend some amount of time clearing debris that gets stuck, even with optional 12ft. hose. Over all think this is the best one I've used.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 7 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Great for the price. Easy to assemble
,PostedJanuary 10, 2012
bobz
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Monthly
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I purchased this shop vac to connect to my router table. It is super quite and does a great job
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 8 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
great vac
,PostedJanuary 1, 2012
ausitn
I bought this mainly for woodworking to help with dust control. All I can say is wow! I had this hooked up to my DeWalt planer which puts out a ton of dust and it sucked it all up until the drum was full. Only used it one day but very satisfied with the purchase. Better than the Harbor Freight dc system I used previously. They also found a way to make a shp vac look sexy. Works great and looks good in the garage.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 9 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Great machine
,PostedDecember 27, 2011
Nick
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
I use this on the job...great machine to have. Does every job that I need it to do and more. Very dependable.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 10 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Is quiet
,PostedDecember 20, 2011
6120
Age:65 or over
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Weekly
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
3
/
5
Value
5
/
5
bought this unit because I was tired of Shopvacs burning up with less than a year use.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 11 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Purchased as a Xmas gift for my son
,PostedDecember 13, 2011
Paul
Age:65 or over
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:1 week
Usage frequency:Weekly
It is the nicest wet/dry vac that I could find -- the base is heavy enough so that it won't continuously tip over when dragged about by the hose.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 12 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Great Machine!
,PostedDecember 6, 2011
sms12345
Home improvement profile:Professional
Length of ownership:1 month
Usage frequency:Daily
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Elegant, powerful, easy to maneuver, all around a great buy!
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 13 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Good Product
,PostedNovember 28, 2011
Rec21
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:6 months
Usage frequency:Weekly
Suction
4
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
This replaced a late 1950's Sears dry vacuum that is still going strong, however, I needed the wet vac option and needed better filtering. We live in a Jeffrey pine forest and the early summer pollen is so heavy in some years that the driveway turns yellow and after 38 years in this type of forest we have both developed allergies to it. I purchased the 5 step filter and will be trying it out next summer.
The 3 step filter does much better than the cloth sack on the old Sears vacuum to say the least. No haze in the shop like the older vacuum when cleaning up fine sawdust from my disc sander. Does a great job vacuuming cars as well. I gave it a good rating for suction because it always seems like you can use more, enough to pick up a bowling ball! Actually it doesn't seem to have enough suction to get a good flow through me tine detailing attachments that I use in crevices in the cars and for cleaning the insides of electronic devices. Then maybe its the 1/4" diameter of the detailing tools that require two reducers just to attach to the hose. Otherwise the suction is very good for all other uses.
This vacuum weighs less than the old Sears even though that vacuum had a very heavy cardboard or fine particle board tank. The noise is considerably less as well. Instead of a loud, high frequency whine the noise Rigid puts out has less volume and none of the whine the older vacuum did. It is less noisy than most shop vacs I hear on a regular basis, of which many have that high frequency whine even though they are fairly new models.
I purchase the model with the stainless steel drum as I'm thinking it will be more durable over the long run. After all it needs to last as long as the Sears, which my dad bought when he was 15 years younger than I am now! With some of the smelly stuff I have to vacuum up at times I think it will be less prone to absorbing odors. It will probably be easier to clean when oily products need to be cleaned up.
Someone mentioned that they would like to have this vacuum equipped with castors on all four corners as it would be more maneuverable. I find the larger rear wheels to be much more convenient than the small castors on all four. You can lean it back by the large handle and move it quickly around the shop, and more importantly, the driveway when cleaning cars. It used to take forever to roll the old vacuum around the shop and the small castors caught up on little pieces of debris like twigs and gravel on the asphalt driveway. When I pull the hose into a car enough to pull the vacuum closer to the car it follows with very little effort. The large wheels keep the vacuum in place better than the old four castor models I've used. These last two statements appear to conflict but this is what I've found through use. The handle mounted storage bag saves me a lot of steps to where I used to have attachments hung on a tool rack.
The only problem I've experienced is one of the plastic tabs for power cord storage broke off when I bumped the top portion of the vacuum (the motor unit and lid) when I set it on top of the drum after cleaning the filter. The cord scan still be rolled around the top, but metal tabs would have prevented this. Even if they are made of plastic the tabs could be longer and wider to roll the cord easier.
All in all, a good purchase for me. I did so after a lot of research before buying this unit. I look forward to using it for 2-3 decades, after which I will be 90 and I may wear out before it does!
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 14 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Love it
,PostedNovember 15, 2011
FyreinMO
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Cleans up the dirtiest of messes without blowing more back out into the air.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 15 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
This thing would suck the crome off a bumper!
,PostedNovember 13, 2011
bobo66
Age:25 to 34
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Usage frequency:Daily
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Great vac, Very powerful, Large capacity,Great for contractors. Only downfall is the hose, after alot of use will suck shut , buy upgrade hose at the depot.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 16 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Although quite, pretty and convenient as a shop vac can be, it doesn’t have the suction power of my old machine.
,PostedNovember 8, 2011
icicicles
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Usage frequency:Weekly
Suction
3
/
5
Weight
3
/
5
Value
3
/
5
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
Most of the features seem compatible with other brands.
I bought this machine because I needed great suction power, as I was installing my own in-wall vacuum system. The reviews I’ve read on its suction power convinced me to purchase this machine. This is where my disappointment came in.
My 18 yr. old Craftsmen 5hp. wet/dry shop vac has much more suction power. It is nosier then a busy flight deck of an aircraft carrier but performs the power I need.
A true test of power would be to test how quick a machine could suck empty a five gallon pale of water, then every machine could label the time rating on it.
I recommend it for average work around the house but not for heavy duty work.
I bought this machine because I needed great suction power, as I was installing my own in-wall vacuum system. The reviews I’ve read on its suction power convinced me to purchase this machine. This is where my disappointment came in.
My 18 yr. old Craftsmen 5hp. wet/dry shop vac has much more suction power. It is nosier then a busy flight deck of an aircraft carrier but performs the power I need.
A true test of power would be to test how quick a machine could suck empty a five gallon pale of water, then every machine could label the time rating on it.
I recommend it for average work around the house but not for heavy duty work.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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-2points
0out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 17 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
w/d vac
,PostedNovember 7, 2011
pfromal
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
very nice product - has every accessory you could want. adequate as a blower - GREAT as a w/d vac. garden hose drain attachment is wonderful for draining/cleaning our little pond.
wish the front rollers were a litle sturdier. not sure if the extra dollars for stainless are justified.
also, how about putting a zipper on the storage bag so accessories won't flop out if unit is tilted...
Yes, I recommend this product.
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0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 18 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
we're very happy with this product
,PostedNovember 5, 2011
steve
fortunately, we have not had to use it yet, but feel very confident that if flooding were to occur in our basement, that we would be well prepared with this vacuum
Share this review:
-4points
0out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 19 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
Great, except for the wheels...
,PostedOctober 29, 2011
Doug7856
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
4
/
5
Value
3
/
5
I'm pleased with the suction of the unit, but the wheels are cheap and fall off. A shame the manufacturer cut corners because its a pain as you pull along the unit and the wheels fall off...
I recommend with the understanding that the wheel design is poor.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 20 for 16 Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vac
Overall rating
excellent product, does everything it said it would and more
,PostedOctober 25, 2011
none
Suction
5
/
5
Weight
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Before purchasing this wet/dry vac I read all the reviews about it and they were all positive and they were also all correct. It's an excellent vac. I made a plastic extension for it so I could clean out my rain gutters without having to get up on a ladder and it worked beautifully with no clogging. I have many trees around my house so the gutters need cleaning regularly, a job I used to dislike immensely, but not any more. The only thing I would change is the length of the suction hose that comes with the vac, it could be about another 2 feet longer but it is adequate as it is. All in all, works great, excellent suction, a well made product well worth the money.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.