16 Gallon 6.5 Peak HP NXT Shop Vac Wet Dry Vacuum with Detachable Blower, Filter, Locking Hose and Accessories (HD1600)

Thousandaire here. I’m your competition and have the Festool ecosystem. The Hepa vacs are compact and relatively quiet. They do an excellent job of dust collection when tools are attached. I used my ETS125 sander to prep a wall for repainting and there was almost no dust on the floor to clean up after. Added bonus: The tool plugs into the vac for automatic start/stop and there’s a Bluetooth accessory for remote starting. The little MIDI has become my go-to vac for quick cleanups. For reference I have the MIDI, the 36 (bigger version for saws and dust intensive activities, a Bosch 14 gal Hepa with the auto filter clean feature (thumps the filter at regular intervals), a DeWalt shop vac (the newer silent series), and two Ridgid 16 gallon shop vacs for general construction debris. All my regular shop vacs have Hepa filters and I run fleece (not paper) bags. I buy the fleece bags on Amazon. The fleece bags work so much better than paper bags and they can be filled all the way without degradation. When I change them, the filters and inside of the vacuum container are virtually dust-free. The only downside is the vacs get very heavy when the bags start to fill.

Rigid vacs....I have a big 16 gal one that ive had since 2005....only had to replace filter and the on/off switch. I also have a 4 gal Rigid for smaller areas and jobs.

Go to the pawn shop and get a construction vac (wet/dry vacuum). Never have to worry about suction, never have to worry about the mess to be picked up, bag or canister, works on any surface. Usually it'll be a Home Depot Rigid, so attachments and bags will be easy to find. And if you're really lazy, you can go a year or more without emptying. Like you might need to change the filter first. Oh! And it uses HEPA filters.

Miele. But if I had the room for it, I’d love to have a vintage Electrolux or a Hoover just for show. Edit: of course a RIGiD NXT shop vac as well. This is one case where the Home Depot house brand gets really good reviews. I also a VersaMatic left over from a previous place, which I don’t use. Not sure if they’re still made? Or maybe no longer imported into US? They’re great if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, which I don’t anymore. It’s a “hotel vacuum”. A skinny upright that can slide under furniture.

My m18 Fuel vacuum is my new favorite tool. Homeowners always appreciate a clean work site and this thing makes it insanely easy. It’s compact, has good battery life, and stores the attachments inside. Plus I have the pack out gear so it clips right on. I use a big ass corded rigid vac for the really messy stuff though.

This is my exact loadout. It’s the perfect combo

I use rigid corded for dry since I can find parts and accessories locally without having to order and have a corded Dewalt for wet. Haven’t had issues from either and both have great suction. Also have a battery makita handheld vacuum for smaller spots and when it’s a small cleanup and I don’t want to have to get everything else drug out. It works great but imagine there’s a better one for the price. I just happened to already have the batteries.