Shop vacuum cleaners are not something I get really excited about. I mean its a vacuum right? You use it to suck up things you are going to get rid of in most cases. That being said, having a good wet/dry shop vac at the ready can be a lifesaver. Today we are looking at the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac
Disclaimer ~ This post is a paid partnership with The Home Depot. The tools were provided to Humble Mechanic at no charge. Links to products included in this post are affiliate links to The Home Depot. The information listed in product description is either my personal experience, or information provided by tool manufatorer or The Home Depot
The Ridgid Shop Vac has the features you would expect from a shop vac 15ft electrical cord, 7ft hose and a number of accessories that all store on board the vacuum unit. The vacuum comes mostly assembled, requiring a few screws to be put on.
The neat thing about this vacuum is the locking hose connections. The 7ft x 2-1/2″ hose and all the accessories have locking connections. Having a connection that locks is not anything really new. But the way these connects is simple to install and remove. You don’t need to fiddle around with twisting the hose 5 turns, or take your gloves off to disconnect the hose or attachment. Even in cold weather removing an accessory was as simple as a slight twist.
The Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac comes with 2 extension wands, utility nozzle, wet nozzle, car nozzle and a standard filter VF4000. For most jobs this will get it done. Including the constant vacuuming of sand out of my kiddo’s car seat. I have no idea where that even comes from. There are also a few other filter options. If you want to add a wet filter, or even a HEPA filter, you can do that.
There are two easy ways to empty the vacuum. You can do what it feels like every shop vac ever does, remove the top and empty that way. You can also remove the cap at the bottom and empty that way. Both ways work great, but if you are filling it with liquid, the lower cap is really nice.
Pros of the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac
- Accessories have easy quick lock
- Onboard storage of all included accessories
- Several filter options for different jobs
- Includes Ridgid LIFETIME warranty
- Big On/Off switch can be operated with gloves on
Cons of the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac
- Unit takes large amount of space when stored
- No crevice tool included with unit
Overall this shop vac gives you what you need from a shop vac. IT SUCKS – sorry can’t pass up that dad joke. My only gripe is not so much with this vacuum. It delivers on what you would expect from the tool. I do think that it’s time vacuums like this be battery powered. Now if you are using this as a vacuum for your saw, or other power tools, battery is probably not the best for you. I use this for shop and car clean up, so mobility is important. Eliminating the need to plug in to the wall would set this tool over the top for me.
