The garage is that weird transitional space in the home that’s not quite “inside” but not quite “outside.” So how clean do you keep it? Do you vacuum once a week when vacuuming the house? Or are you a once-a-year garage spring cleaner? If you’re one of the latter, you don’t have to be so shy about cleaning out there. It might be less tiresome than you realize to clean the garage with the right tools, and you’ll then have a space that’s tidy and neat for your parking, storage, workspace, and more.
What To Look At When Choosing Garage Vacuum:
- Cost: Vacuums can be expensive, right? And it might be something that’s setting you back from considering a new one that makes vacuuming less of a pain. Let’s look at vacuums for every budget.
- Bulk: For a lot of people, lugging around the bulk of a shop-vac makes hoovering the garage more trouble than it’s worth most of the time. But there are also models available of all shapes and sizes to make vacuum-sweeping less of a burden.
- Power: Your house’s vacuum might not have the power you need to clean the debris that accumulates in a garage. So let’s explore vacuums with a range of power levels to suit your needs.
- Features: Technology has come a long way in previous years, even with vacuums. New features are available to make your vacuum experience less of a hassle like (i.e. Portable wall-mount vacuums, smart vacuums controlled by your phone, wearable wet/dry vacuums).
Our List of Top Garage Vacuums
#1 VacuMaid Professional Wall-Mount Garage Vacuum
This vacuum is for big-budget spenders who want it all. No bulk, plenty of power, every attachment imaginable, and a large 7-gallon vacuum bag all make this the go-to if you’re willing to spend a few hundred dollars to have the best.
Because it’s wall mounted, there’s no lugging around a vacuum unit. The hose spans 50-feet so you don’t have to take the actual vacuum with you around the garage while you use all the attachments to get into every nook and cranny. Could it be that it even makes sweeping the garage – dare I say it? – FUN?
Best for garage owners who are ready to make an investment for a spotless garage.
The biggest advantage: This unit truly does it all and is easy to use even for folks with mobility issues.
Key parameters:
- Hose length: 50’.
- Vacuum bag capacity: 7 gallons.
- Storage: Permanently wall-mounted.
Pros:
#2 Craftsman Wet/Dry ShopVac
Power doesn’t have to mean expensive. While it’s true that you get what you pay for, if your priority is heavy-duty cleaning, you don’t have to fork up hundreds of dollars to accomplish a clean garage, especially if basic functions is all you need.
The truth is that many of the messes involved with a garage are sticky, wet, and even hazardous, and cleaning them shouldn’t be attempted with a household vacuum. That’s when a shop vac comes in handy because it can tackle messes the household vacuum simply can’t withstand.
Best for heavy duty garage cleaning on a budget.
The biggest advantage: For only $75, this shop vac can clean wet and dry messes.
Key parameters:
- Dirt capacity: 9 gallons.
- Included accessories: 1 ⅞ in. x 7 ft. Pos-I-Lock Hose, 2 Locking Extension Wands, Utility Nozzle, Car Nozzle, Wet Nozzle, Qwik Lock Filter and Dust Collection Bag.
- Power: 120 volts, 996 watts.
#3 DEWALT Portable Wall-Mounted Wet/Dry Vacuum
This vacuum fills the gaps between the two aforementioned hoovers: a bit pricier and more versatile than the Craftsman shop vac, but more affordable and durable than the VacuMaid wall-mounted vacuum sweeper.
With a 20-foot hose, the vacuum will reach most places in most garages from the wall. However, for extra large spaces (or even messes elsewhere), the unit can easily be removed from the wall for maximum versatility. And because it’s a wet/dry shop vac and wall-mounted vacuum in one, it can tackle literally any mess.
Best for multifunctional and large spaces in a mid-range budget.
The biggest advantage: This vacuum cleaner provides the ease of a wall-mounted vacuum and the versatility of a shop vac in one hoover.
Key parameters:
- Power: 5 horsepower.
- Functions: Wet vacuum, dry vacuum, blower.
- Dirt capacity: 6 gallons.
#4 OVO Central Vac Garage Extension Kit
If your home is equipped with a central vacuuming system, you might not even need to invest in an entire new vacuum for your garage. Perfect for folks who can’t lug around (or don’t want to lug around) a heavy duty vacuum unit, central vacuum systems are installed in many homes as a permanent fixture and have accessory kits available for different cleaning purposes.
Designed for the kind of cleaning typical to a garage, this extension kit is perfect for cleaning the insides of cars, leaves and cobwebs that accumulate in this transitional space, and comes with a separate hose so your household hose doesn’t get gross from the heavy-duty cleaning.
Best for people who already have a central vacuuming system and don’t want to splurge on a separate heavy-duty vacuum for the garage.
The biggest advantage: This accessory kit can plug into an existing central-vac system and comes with all the attachments needed for typical garage vacuuming.
Key parameters:
- Hose length: 30 feet.
- Included: Straight air hose, telescopic adjustable wand, deluxe storage bag, combo brush, dusting brush, upholstery brush, crevice tool, chrome hose hanger.
- Storage: Wall-hung hose and organized accessory bag.
#5 Dewalt Portable ½ Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
Every vacuum meets different needs, and you might not even need a large, high-powered garage vacuum cleaner. Sure, you might benefit from the most expensive wall-mount garage vacuum available, but it might be superfluous for you.
If you’re someone who wants to maximize versatility and you want to be able to take your vacuum anywhere for any job, consider this Dewalt portable handheld shop vac. It’s small, handheld, cordless, and can clean up any mess no matter how wet or gross it is.
Best for people who desire versatility in their garage vacuum above all else.
The biggest advantage: This unit cleans every mess literally anywhere: cordless, handheld, high-powered, and wet/dry.
Key parameters:
- Dirt capacity: ½ gallon.
- Battery power: 20 volts.
- Filter specs: HEPA wet/dry that traps 99.95% of dust at 3 macrons.
#6 Black + Decker Handheld Dustbuster
Not everyone who has a garage wants or needs a shop vac. For a lot of people, the garage is for storage and parking – not for projects that make a ton of heavy-duty mess. In this case, a simple handheld vacuum is going to be perfect for your garage vacuuming.
This unit is great for both indoor and garage use, meaning you won’t be purchasing a vacuum for one space in your house. A handheld unit is great for vacuuming out the car and cleaning up unexpected messes in the garage, and the price-point is perfect for those small jobs.
Best for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money and want a multifunctional vacuum unit for basic garage and household use.
The biggest advantage: This handheld vacuum cleans messes inside and outside on a budget.
Key parameters:
- Power: 16 volts.
- Power source: Battery.
- Dust capacity: 20.6 ounces.
#7 Bissell BigGreen Commercial Vacuum
There’s a time and a place for affordable, versatile vacuums. But if you use your garage for tasks that create huge messes – especially with fine powders and dusts – a cheap vacuum won’t cut it. Most vacuums don’t possess the power required to suck up the finest of powders, and this is when a heavy-duty industrial vacuum comes in handy.
For instance, woodworking has a tendency to create a lot of sawdust, and proper cleanup requires a larger dust bag and enhanced suction power. With the proper equipment, cleaning up this kind of mess is just as easy as cleaning everyday debris, but without the proper equipment it’s all but impossible.
Best for heavy duty cleanup of large messes, fine powders, and dusts.
The biggest advantage: This vacuum has the power behind it to perform the biggest garage mess cleanup.
Key parameters:
- Dust bag size: 7.3 liters.
- Cord length: 50 feet.
- Includes: crevice tool, upholstery tool, dusting brush, combination floor tool, metal telescoping wand.
#8 Roborock Automatic Vacuum
When looking for a garage vacuum, don’t limit yourself to heavy duty commercial models if you don’t plan to make a commercial-grade mess. Consider your lifestyle, instead, and what is going to work best for you, even if you use the vacuum for an off-brand purpose.
This automatic smart vacuum is great for folks who only use the garage for everyday parking and storage. It takes all the work out of cleaning such a large, open space, and is just hefty enough to sweep up routine garage mess tracked in on the cars’ tires and dust that settles around storage. It’s also small enough to sneak in between storage so you don’t have to move things around to clean.
Best for cleaning everyday, routine mess in the garage as needed.
The biggest advantage: This vacuum automates cleaning, so you don’t need to worry about vacuuming out your garage on a schedule.
Key parameters:
- Run-time: 180 minutes.
- Suction power: 2000Pa.
- Required battery: 1 lithium ion.
What to Look for When Choosing a Garage Vacuum
#1 Suction Power.
The suction power available in a vacuum will determine what messes it’s capable of cleaning. If your main concern is stray leaves that work their way into the garage, you can afford to skimp on power. However, if your garage doubles as a shop and dust and powders are a regular cleanup, you’ll want a high powered device.
#2 Dust Capacity.
When selecting any appliance, trade-offs must be considered. For instance, you can purchase a super light-weight, handheld device that’s easy to maneuver, but it comes at the expense of a smaller dust capacity. You’ll need to clean out or replace the dust compartment several times during the span of one vacuuming session when dealing with a large mess. There are, however, heavy duty vacuums available that can accommodate multiple gallons of dust in one cleaning. It’s up to you to decide what trade-offs you’re willing to make before making a selection.
#3 Know Your Budget.
Vacuums can range in price drastically. It’s another part of the trade-off when considering a new garage hoover, and it’s important to have your priorities set before you begin looking. Otherwise you risk derailing your search and buying something you’ll regret. Buyer’s remorse is a real thing, and it can occur whether you spend too much or too little for your garage vacuum appliance. Spend too far below your budget when the space requires something high-powered, and you’ll have wasted your money on something useless. Spend hundreds of dollars above your budget when what you really need is a simple vacuum for everyday mess, and you’ll regret the wasted money forever. Know what you can afford and don’t compromise.
