BEST WET DRY VACUUM FOR CAR DETAILING? Rigid 5hp 4gallon wet dry vac

This Rigid Wet Dry Vac is used by more car detailers than any other vacuum. Its compact size, powerful performance, inexpensive price, and availability at Home Depot make this thing an amazing choice for your car detailing needs. In fact, this shop vac is the reason I always recommend a 5hp shop vac. But are all 5 hp vacuums the same and is the RIgid 5hp 4 Gallon Vacuum really the best choice? I will put this through aa number of tests to find out the true numbers for water lift, cfm, and air watts to see how this compares to other wet dry shop vacs. ENJOY!!!
See the items I use and join the mailing list at: www.DTLRsupply.com
RIgid 5hp 4 gallon Shop Vac - rb.gy/vnx23
My favorite style On Amazon - amzn.to/3Q2pg82
Hose Upgrade Kit - amzn.to/3FgV97J
Vacmaster Shop Vac - amzn.to/3FfuurP
TIME CODES:
0:00 - Best Vacuum for Car Detailing
1:29 - Whats included
3:16 - Testing the Rigid 5hp 4 gallon
4:57 - Comparing to the Vacmaster
9:48 - Testing with smaller hose
12:12 - Testing with no hose
18:31 - Real Life Performance Test
23:00 - Final Thoughts
#ShopVac #wetdryvacuum #cardetailing
**These are affiliate links to the products. We make a small commission on anything purchased from our links.
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond my control, I cannot guarantee against improper use of the information I share in my videos. (IMJOSHV) assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not (IMJOSHV) or any business affiliated to (IMJOSHV).

[@JG_20_25]

Great video! Bought a new car and got more into detailing about 4 months ago. Subscribed to your channel shortly after and now you are one of my top choices for detailing tips and knowledge. Your product tests are the best. Appreciate all the hard work you put in to do them.

[@revilo76]

Appreciate the effort in your comparison, Josh. Looking forward in watching your future uploads.

[@NothingButKitty1]

What a journey, great video loved the unedited surprise and stress very relatable

[@bjones804]

Hey Josh, another great video. I would love to see this Rigid 5 hp vs. the rectangular Rigid 5 hp box without wheels. Thanks!

[@Thatsilvere46]

Thanks the very honest review, helped me out a lot, looking to get into part time detailing business until I pick up some more clients,

[@skypupx]

I bought this vac about 6 months ago and it is GREAT for a number of reasons. Very low center of gravity so you don't have to worry about it tipping over when you pull it. A very long cord. The rear wheels are fixed so you don't have to worry about the vac wandering all over the place (crashing into cars) when it is pulled. It has as much suction as any of the big shop vacs I have. The long Mr Nozzle hose I've had for years mated right up - - very happy about that. This is the best wet/dry vac I've owned regardless of price and I already had 3 other shop vacs sitting in my basement. Home Depot is still selling this particular model.

[@mrbonecrusher96]

Closing on a house and I have some future projects I have in mind, 4/4 videos I looked up you had great detailed review and answered all my questions. Definitely subscribing, can’t wait for more.

[@imjoshv]

Thanks so much I appreciate it! And congrats on the house

[@mikem2537]

buy the 6hp version of this vaccum if you havent made your purchase yet

[@craigs6380]

Great work I got the pool sock hack from your channel & use it on my Rigid 😂

[@davestewart9146]

Awesome comparison, I really appreciate all your effort, thanks Josh 😁👍

[@imjoshv]

Thanks dave!

[@gregory3227]

I think a great measure in real world situations would be to have floor mats, weigh them dry, pour water by measure on them, and vacuum it up in the same pattern for each vacuum in a specific time frame and see which one pulls the most water in that time frame.

[@tylerheitz9933]

Hey, I have gotten really into your videos. Could you do a video talking about how, when and what your need to polish?

[@ryanshutz4748]

I’m very happy with the ridgid’s performance. I’ve only had it about a a month, but has done everything I’ve wanted it to do so far easily. The hose is trash, so upgrading to the 10ft orange hose is a must!

[@coreymerritt7742]

Thanks josh I’ve had that same vacuum for over 5 years and I did the pool filter hack it works great I’m also looking at getting the hose kit thanks 👍

[@anthony1113]

What is the pool filter hack?

[@Auto-Bots.Custom.Detailing]

Where do you get all your little Guage’s and measurement tools? I’ve never even seen anything like that water lift guage. Awesome little tool. Thanks for the video, I went with your suggestion and got the rigid 5hp box with upgraded car kit and love it. I also have an old school craftsman the has 5.75hp that is pretty powerful but I just use around the garage and a newer rigid on wheels with the car kit but that one got beat up from someone I let borrow it.. that was a mistake. Great video as always.

[@s2kologist]

It would be cool if you make a spread sheet with all your results so over time we can look back and compare with out haveing to rewatch every video.

[@archiepezek]

Thanks for the work Josh. With the performance of the two vacuums pretty much equal, I like the Vacmaster because of the lower noise level and the retractable cord.

[@Auto-Bots.Custom.Detailing]

you should of gotten a defuser in your detailing kit, i did, and it makes a world of difference on noise. its almoat like an exhaust filter for the blower, but definitely worked. thanks for the video! i need a new vacuum for the shop.

[@daveezrin1896]

That one looks sweet. I have an old rigid that's really big. But I use my dyson v11 for quick clean ups on my and my wife's rides. Great to have both. That 4 gallon tho I'd prob get if mine died.

[@koreywilliams4570]

I have this vacuum with the car detailing kit.

[@georgemyers6518]

Maybe do a test that’s opposite of gpm test on a pressure washer ? Fill a bucket with water.suck water out with both units for a set time like 10 seconds or 20 seconds and measure how much each unit pulls in the time frame

[@SlowDelSol]

I’ve had one for a long time but recently I got a deal at HD for 99 for the vaccum and car detailing hose kit so now I have two, it’s that good.

[@mikem2537]

is it the 1.25" hose? if it is your loosing tons of power with that tiny hose.

[@okioki1131]

Bigger hose less suction this isn't quite true ​@@mikem2537

[@winner1604]

Another great video. Can that be converted to an extractor’

[@justplanefred]

I think it would be interesting to see if that water gauge you have correlates to show that the Vacmaster would suck a gallon bucket of water down before the Rigid. but I can't see why it wouldn't. May also be interesting to see if some sort of filter could be rigged up on the Rigid to see if it helps quiet the Rigid and then how it changes the measurements from it.

[@johnbainbridge9034]

PSI is a measure of pressure, which is what inches of water lift also measures. CFM is a measure of fluid flow rate, which is what GPM measure on pressure washers. There will absolutely be a similar tradeoff between the two for a given vacuum. Fluid-watts is the real metric for both of them, as it quantities how much work the fluid medium does for you.

[@lockhammer3481]

Josh please review the new Ego cordless pressure washer and vacuum as soon as you can get one , I hear they will be available before December. I have the pressure washer on preorder.

[@johnbainbridge9034]

Think of the hose diameter like a larger resistance in an electrical circuit. The motor must work far harder to move the same amount of air through a smaller tube. Or for a given motor, less air can be moved through a smaller tube. And the cross section of that tube scales as the square of the diameter.

[@chrisw.7039]

There is a diffuser on Amazon , kind of like a muffler that makes this quiet like the other one

[@briansegovia2656]

Try a longer hose on the blue vacuum maybe 🤔

[@AllenRobberson]

I would say for your wind ometer you need to 3D print a thing that will go around it to seal it up so that the hose is directly attached to it so that every vacuum you test is exactly the same way

[@crosshairs89]

I was coming to comment this. A printed attachment would work much better and be more consistent.

[@Tiffany.Detailer]

I’ve had the red/grey version of this rigid (same specs besides not having wheels) for years now. It’s been great! Have been wanting buy another one for strictly for extraction purposes. I’m torn between these 2, the Vac Master Beast and the newer Rigid version (only $10 more than this one). The newer rigid is almost the same besides adding a blower, and a cord wrap on the top, plus it’s rated at 6 peak HP instead of 5. I’m SO torn especially when doing this on a budget. I still have an extra orange hose saved from years ago. So on paper the second Rigid looks better (from the little I know), but I’m not sure what to do! Torn between these 4! Any ideas for which one would work best strictly for wet extraction? Either making my own, unless it’s cheaper to buy the RipClean instead of completely from scratch. Man they have to be making a killing these days now that the secret is out lol.

[@adamschehl8346]

Try with the exhaust filter off of the Vacmaster.

[@sergiohurtado99]

please please please do a review on the bauer 6 gallon, 4 hp shop vac from harbor freight pleeeeeaaaaase and thank you :)

[@mathieularocque1953]

For the suction test on you arm, you need to take into account the weight of each hose... If the rigid is 4 pound and the vacmaster 2 pound the suction will not feel the same when you let go of the hose because the gravity pull is different...

[@kenh733]

I have that ridgid and the larger hose would have sucked the dirt out way faster, and Ridgid makes a bigger orange hose and if you use a larger crevice nozzle it really works good on cars

[@beijingbiden5931]

What is model.number for the larger hose?

[@caseypeploe1273]

you should test the METROVAC VACNBLO

[@joshuaperez2216]

Can you do a review on the Vacmaster Beast 5 gallon 6Hp

[@anthony1113]

To get a better CFM..Maybe get a 3D printer adapter to complete cover the CFM meter fan and try to make it air tight

[@extrariceplease]

can you compare rinseless washes in the future? dyidetail, absolute and onr? which one is most efficient for detailers?

[@tomhenry4993]

Just a thought, ease of purchasing filters for the vac years out, and warranty terms. I have used Craftsman in the past and they switch filter sizes every week (or so it seems), and have to use Amazon to find filters from a 2 year old vac... Sucks when you need one quickly and Ace or HD doesn't have them.

[@ronald5728]

I have had this same vacuum about five years now. I've used it a lot as a handyman and I must say this is a workhorse. Powerful suction. Easy to carry around.

[@imjoshv]

It’s great!!

[@superado2k]

I would say that the difference between those two regarding water lift is the smaller diameter hose on the VacMaster. And isn't the crush proof hose longer than the included hose with the Ridgid? If so, that should decrease your cfm from one hose to the other. A smaller diameter nozzle shouldn't affect cfm as much as a smaller diameter hose does. The cfm vs water lift must be similar to hp vs torque...the Ridgid is a gas powered truck and the VacMaster is a diesel truck.

[@franciscoayon9470]

Yeah,good comparing would he comparing both with similar hose size,to actually see the difference

[@Kelz8900]

Wanna start by saying I appreciate you making comparison videos and helping me make better buying decisions, but in watching ur video I noticed something that might help make a more clear comparison. Just my thoughts and or suggestion: When you did the dirt test in the cardboard box, I feel that a better way to judge that would’ve been to suck up the first layer with both vacuums, and then see what is left on the second layer for both vacuums. That would’ve then gave you an idea as to which one is going to suck up more than the other under the same circumstances. What’s then leftover, let’s say for example the rigid had more left over, that then would say that the other would’ve done a better job cause it would’ve pulled up more. This is all, of in u using that first layer as if it was a wet carpet. An even better approach would’ve been to use two pieces of carpet that are wet and simply giving us your opinion in the touch and feel of both carpets and of course, using visuals, and at that point overall seeing which one is more dry than the other

[@mll7674]

Would like to see the comparison between the stihl se33 vs the craftsman xsp 5 gallon 5.5hp vacuum. Do you have any experience with them. I did look at the craftsman shop vac that hangs with the 25 ft hose. But cfm seemed low.

[@KingDaDetailer]

I run a 50ft vacuum hose reel and use the pack pro from rigid but it's not enought for it , might have to upgrade to a 6.5 if your running a 50ft vacuum hose

[@prawnstar9213]

I found the craftsman 5 gallon has more suction power after trying both. It picks up hair that gets stuck in the carpet when I use the brush.

[@joeschmoe6908]

Hose length and diameter does indeed make a huge difference in performance. A small diameter hose loses energy due to squeezing the air through a smaller opening, and a longer hose loses energy because there is more total friction with the hose walls. So basically you want the shortest, fattest hose you can get. Imagine you're drinking through a straw, a very thin or long straw will make it much more difficult.

[@joebal9044]

Exactly. Static pressure matters. If he was willing to punch a hole in those hoses to insert a static pressure measuring probes attached to a manometer, he would see this.

[@joebal9044]

Just to add, some motors can deal with higher static pressures than other motors. It appears the vacmaster is one of them. Probably works a lot better with a dirty filter too.

[@1painter4hire]

​@@joebal9044 Exactly, It's a stronger motor under pressure.

[@flytyingguy1]

I have the rigid vac & I put a sock cover over the filter. It keeps the filter cleaner longer

[@s2kologist]

it would be a cool test to see if this has any measureable differnce in preformace. in the real world i really doubt it would but it would be fun to see if there is a small diffrence in the numbers.

[@kenh733]

They make a bag for it too, and that keeps the filter clean

[@imjoshv]

Yep i did a video on that a while back! Great way to save money and the filters

[@dtna]

​@@imjoshvThnx, Josh. I clean my dryer vent out every six months and that tip has really helped to keep my filter in good shape!

[@charlesbrasington7599]

You needed to try the orange hose on the vac master the orange hose is heavier therefore it want stick to your arm

[@mofarmer9923]

Have you tested any cordless vacuums or battery vacuums

[@richardpbenaidrene6458]

As matter of fact I have 3 shop vacs one from Costco and Porter form Costco and Crasftman from Lowes . I just purchased the rectangular one without the wheels from Home Depot for $119 . Not sure If I like the rectangular one I might take it back

[@tinorodriguez89]

Vacmaster brand is inconsistent. I purchased the extractor based on the price and recommendation and I was very disappointed

[@valthalin7613]

How many watts does this rigid 4G actually pull when working hard? Wanted to use it with a jackery, but not sure my 1k will work since the specs state 120v 10A = 1200 watts. Thank ya,

[@nickycabanillas7074]

Would you recommend using this vacuum as an extractor?

[@azimpetra]

- Ease of Access (to the tank, water/dust filter) - Size & Shape (Round/Rectangular/Tall/Short) - Price - Cords(Retractable, Crank, Hand Wrap): > [Tidy] Retractable are nice, but are bound to break in the future. > [Tidy] Crank, some effort, maybe not for everyone with hand problem(?) > Hand wrap, More effort, not so tidy - Performance - Noise - Wheels/Feet What else do we wanna know?

[@Steven_R_]

if it wasn't that loud yes, but for now DEWALT Stealthsonic Quiet has it for me

[@imjoshv]

The Dewalt stealth is awesome..> I reviewed that in the past but didnt test the actual numbers.. Maybe ill pick up a new one and do that

[@Steven_R_]

yeah that would be great@@imjoshv

[@mattmccauley5561]

Water lift is the number I look for first personally it's the number that means the most really for power of the vac, the cfm is good too but is just the measurement of moving air, or speed of airflow and isn't as important for what you guy use them for, it's the same for carpet cleaning electric vac there the same thing just bigger motors.

[@chrisw.7039]

Could you try this again slowing down the exhaust port on the rigid with foam or something. The other one seems to have an enclosed exhaust where are is not escaping as fast creating a little back pressure like a cars exhaust. There may be a sweet spot between air intake and exhaust and the size hose used much like in a car. Just an opinion. Great videos.

[@jasonmelgar1122]

Could you test Walmart Hart 6 gallon 5hp model number VOC608S 3702

[@kimosworld]

Do you have experience with a Vacmaster Professional Beast 5 gal and will the Rigid accessories hose fit a Vacmaster? The Beast is still small, no wheels, stronger motor, about the same price.

[@imjoshv]

I dont but ill look in to it... The Rigid hose upgrade did not fit on tis vacmaster (atleast not without an adapter)

[@elpilotodeldesierto3113]

Will the Rigid Car Kit work with my 1 1/2 Shop Vac?

[@piggietruckerjones7545]

You should reach out to the vacuum wars guy. They have a KZbin channel.

[@0nemoa]

I use a RIDGID HD1800, 16 Gal 6.5 peak HP. 185 CFM as for water lift I’m not sure of that number but it really sucks, it’s like 1 gallon a second. Whatever that equates to. I can’t imagine using anything with less than 140 cfm or so. The difference in cleaning power is huge. As for the car detailing kit, I don’t recommend it at all. You loose way too much cfm. I stick with the standard 2 1/2” hose. They do sell a 1 7/8” crush proof hose but even with that you are going to lose out on cfm. But I would say get that before you downgrade yourself to a 1 1/4” hose. At bare minimum you want at least 100 cfm. If you absolutely need a small vacuum for some reason I would say the best starting point would be The Beast. It’s 100 cfm and 5 gal so very compact and it’s got just enough cfm to get the job done. If you’re new to shop vacs. Don’t go under 100 cfm. And remember that if you downgrade to a smaller hose, you will lose a lot of cfm. It’s best to use the hose diameter your vac comes with or buy an aftermarket hose that is the same diameter as the one that came with your vac. Your going to be spending about $80 minimum on a good quality crush resistant aftermarket 2 1/2” hose. The 1 1/4” hose that comes with the car kit is the cheapest option but if you are going from a 1 7/8” or 2 1/2” and downgrading to that the amount of cfm you will loose is just too much. If you absolutely need a totally crush proof hose thank you buy a higher end vac, they come with a pretty good hose. For example. My RIDGID HD1200 came with a 2 1/2” hose as did my HD1800 NXT. But the HD1800 hose is much better quality, it flexes much more and each end has 360 degrees of rotation. The HD1200 does not. It’s definitely not fully crush proof but honestly, how about you just don’t step on your hose and sling it around the vac when your done with it and you are good. Also if you did mess it up the replacements are fair priced, right now anyway. Because seriously, having a crush proof hose only to take a huge hit on cfm, the reason you pay so much for a good vac just to throw half of your cleaning power out the window. Whatever you do don’t go with the 1 1/4” hose. If you must have a crush proof go with the 1 7/8” your still going to take a hit on cfm that simply isn’t worth it though.

[@IamDetailedAF]

Similar price, similar performance.... BUT Vacmaster has a cord reel and quieter. Alhtough I own a Rigid... Vacmaster has the edge due to cable management and noise. 😎🤪

[@imjoshv]

That auto retract cord is awesome! and yea way quieter

[@archiepezek]

Agree. Less noise and a cord retract is a winner for me.

[@danielarthurs4173]

Put a exhaust filter on the rigid makes a huge difference in sound

[@DelgadoDetailing]

They make a 6 peak hp 4 gal ridgid. I'd be interested to see the difference between them because I want to switch out my shopvac

[@mikem2537]

i have both. (actually i have 5 total shop vaccs and the 6hp 4 gallon vac/blower combo is the best by far its not even close actually. its only avaliable on home depot website or Ebay. but they run 99.99 sales for it all the time

[@1painter4hire]

​@@mikem2537 Thanks 👍 I was wondering about that model with the blower. Appreciate it.

[@GLI_1701]

I have the exact same rigid next 3.5 gallon Shop-Vac. So I added a gasket around the bottom portion to help seal the vacuum and it works great I'm literally losing no suction

[@ingguidesmedia]

Can you give specifics on the gasket please?

[@GLI_1701]

@@ingguidesmedia it's just your basic thin strip of weatherproofing from Home Depot

[@ingguidesmedia]

@@GLI_1701 Thank you

[@1painter4hire]

​@@GLI_1701That makes a lot of sense, Thank You, Appreciate the Information.

[@franciscoayon9470]

​@@GLI_1701yeah,but he also comparing 2 different hose sizes,vacmaster hose is 1 1/4" from the vaccum to the tip,riding its only 1 1/4" at the tip,but u also thought the same about putting a seal when I buy the vaccum

[@danielarthurs4173]

For a diy extractor would it be better to go with a vacuum with the highest water lift?

[@mikem2537]

yes. and the best vacuum is the ridgid 4 gallon 6hp vacuum/blower combo

[@franciscoayon9470]

Yeah,but remember to make the hose be 1 1/4" from where it connect to the vaccum to the tip,all the hose being 1 1/4" and not just the tip,the vacmaster suction it's better bcuz the hose its 1 1/4" including the tip,the ridgid it's lower bcuz the hose it's bigger and only the tip was 1 1/4"

[@CBRFRENZIE]

What kind of filter was in the Vacmaster?

[@imjoshv]

Just the standard one that it comes with

[@ARAM619s]

Vs DEWALT STEALTH SONIC ?

[@DerPic]

Big difference between the 5hp 4 gallon and 6hp 4 gallon for the Ridgid?

[@clintsaines9274]

Yeah that 6hp might be better.

[@mikem2537]

i think so.

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

Nice

[@dtna]

My favorite is the Ridgid HD1400 w/6.0 peak HP. I think Metrovacs are very overated and $$.

[@mikem2537]

the best shop vacuum (performance numbers wise is the ridgid 6hp 4 gallon

[@jamesp57867]

This was on sale with the free detailing kit. Saved about 32% but had to take it back to Home Depot for a refund. It was my birthday present but I found out after I bought it that I need hip replacement surgery. 🙁

[@shojus]

Ya, I just bought the Rigid w/ car kit for $95. Seems like a good deal with the kit

[@imjoshv]

oh man... take care of that hip!

[@imjoshv]

@@shojus Where are you? My local Home Depots havent had that deal

[@danielarthurs4173]

@imjoshv I also picked up that deal from Home Depot in Nc. They also have the Milwaukee Da polisher with battery and charger for 299.

[@shojus]

@@danielarthurs4173 I found it's most definitely state specific for some deals.

[@franciscoayon9470]

Honestly not a good comparison,ridgid bigger diameter hose and decreases to 1 1/4" at the tip,compare to vacmaster being 1 1/4" hose all way to the tip,i think if you compare both with same hose diameter and so,there would be a difference in suctio and well CFM aswell for ridig,and honestly would be good seeimg

[@AngelGuzman-ij7pl]

It nice but to expensive

[@mamab4]

I challenge you to listen to your video instead of watching your video. It is extremely frustrating to need to listen without watching as the products were nearly always referenced as this one and this one. Using the product names is much more beneficial. (I even tried glancing at the video but the camera angle meant I couldn't easily depict which this was being referenced.

[@AMore429]

5 HP doesn’t mean anything.

[@imjoshv]

That’s very true! I’ve tested a bunch of 5hp units now and they all have different amount of water lift and cfm

[@tomlogan1531]

I have an old craftsman and a new ridgid. The craftsman destroys my ridgid. I bought the ridgid cause of popularity, but ridgid is a trash brand.

[@Anonymouscarpetcleaner]

🧢

[@mikem2537]

the old craftsmans(and daytons) have beast motors..i believe they are 7,2" motors

[@jnmc-vx4fw]

Only one is the best …..Festool. But they won’t end you one for free so you’ll never know

[@mikem2537]

haha..whats the model number

[@DelgadoDetailing]

Lol festool🤦🏻‍♂️☠️