Okay, so calling this the Dewalt cordless vac the BEST option for pros working in the field might be a bit extreme, but it’s definitely still a highly recommended model.
Actually, I think I’ll stick to my original thought – this Dewalt cordless + corded is the BEST portable vac option for field use. Seems like a better idea than a cordless and corded backup, doesn’t it?
Advertisement
Last week we had our HVAC ducts cleaned. Talking to the techs, I knew they’d vacuum up around the vents when they’re all done and ready to reattach all of the grills, and anywhere else where there’s ejected dust or debris.
I didn’t see it, but they described having a Milwaukee M18 cordless vac, probably the same one I bought last year, or maybe an older version of it. It’s a great vac, perfect for small cleanups.
There was one problem – one of the techs like to use Dewalt cordless power tools, and the other Milwaukee. I don’t know what the situation was with their gear selection for that day, but I didn’t see any Milwaukee tools leave the truck. When it came time to clean up, they realized that the M18 battery was never charged. No battery, no cordless vacuum.
The techs ended up walking around with a small 1.5 or 3 gallon wet/dry shop vacuum, plugging it in where they could.
Okay, so this means the techs have two vacs, either one in each truck, two in one truck, or maybe more – I didn’t ask.
Let’s say you’re a pro, service tech, or other field professional with the need for a cordless vacuum. I’m sure that you’ll always have a charged battery in your truck, right? No? It seems wasteful to have to allocate the space for both a cordless vac and a corded backup.
Advertisement
There are lots of reasons pros need small portable vacs.
This Dewalt 20V Max cordless wet/dry vacuum, DCV581H, received a perfect score when I reviewed it a few years ago. I felt it had decent power, runtime, capacity, and convenience.
The vac has a 2 gallon capacity, washable HEPA filter, and it’s overall a very nice and tidy package. It’s also one of the rare cordless vacs that can be powered via an AC outlet if or when needed.
A cordless vac is obviously meant to be powered by a Li-ion cordless power tool battery. But, there are bound to be times when you’re going to need a compact and portable corded solution. That’s what makes this Dewalt so versatile – it’s a cordless vacuum and its own corded backup. With something like this, you don’t need two separate cordless and corded vacs of similar sizes.
To be fair, there are some compromises compared to having separate cordless and corded vacs. At the top of my mind, small wet/dry shop vacuums can be equipped with different accessories. Product selection is usually very slim, meaning different filters or hose attachments can be hard to find. But, there are usually some accessories, which isn’t often true for cordless vacs. You’re not going to attach a 20-foot 2-1/2″ hose to a 3 gallon vac, but you *could*, which can’t be said for most cordless vacs.
I like this Dewalt vac. It’s not really the best cordless vac, nor would I describe it as the best corded vac. But, it has some great features and delivers solid performance. As a combined cordless/corded vacuum, it’s extremely versatile.
If I were equipping a work truck or van, this would be the clear frontrunner. I like other cordless vacs better for different reasons, but having the AC cord on this vac would definitely make a difference at times.
I could probably count on one hand as to how many times I’ve used the AC cord on my review sample, but it’s still a greater-than-zero number. And what I saw last week is that some pros could definitely benefit from having dual power options on a single vac.
The downside is that upgrading from the cordless-only model to the cordless/corded model comes at a premium – there’s currently a $30 difference. Then again, how much does a small corded vac cost, and how much space does it take up in a cramped van or truck?
One last note – these vacs can be powered by 20V Max or 18V batteries. Believe it or not, some pros are still rocking Dewalt 18V cordless power tools.
- Powered by 20V Max or 18V Dewalt batteries
- AC power option
- 1-1/4″ x 5′ hose
- 5′ power cord (and you can use an extension cord if needed)
- HEPA filter
- Wet/dry collection
- 2 gallon capacity
- 31 CFM
Price: ~$130-140
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now via Acme Tools
See Also: Cordless-Only via Amazon
What kind of portable vacs do you prefer, cordless, cordless + corded, or corded-only?
Thank you to Dewalt for providing the review sample.
Steve
I have one, I like it, it works great, the hose just doesn’t stay in the holder clip too well. I got it for under $100 when Amazon did that $25 or was it $30 off Dewalt orders over $100. It came out less than the battery only one that didn’t break $100 to qualify for the sale.
Chris
First comment !!!! Exciting.
Anyway, I received this model as a gift. And I’m not a pro, so my usage and needs will differ from those described here.
But, I have already used it corded and cordless a number of times. I have plenty of 20/60V batteries around, but they are nearly always in the garage and not the house. So when I have the vac inside or when the installed battery dies sometimes its faster to just plug it in.
Also, it makes it full proof for the kids and wife, they don’t have to go into the garage and know where to look for a charged vs uncharged battery. They can just grab and go on the plug.
The versatility is a huge win.
Kizzle
You’re actually the second comment. ;-P
Dust
I have 3 vacs on my truck. Two Milwaukee cordless, one for wet and one for dry. And a bigger 10g Ridgid pro (WD1022) for bigger cleanups or sucking up floods.
Having the option to do big or small is awesome, and a dedicated cordless wet is a game changer for a service plumber.
AngryDrumGuy
I do the same thing; two small for wet/dry and a large one for the “oh @#$%” moments, lol. The ability to grab a small one for a minor leak without removing filters is so helpful.
Eric
It’s a feature that really should be on a lot more cordless tools. Lighting, vacuums, stationary saws, etc. Really anything big and bulky enough that a little extra space and a little more weight wouldn’t be a deal breaker, or anything likely to be stationary once it’s setup. I get that they want us to spend more money on more and bigger batteries and fast chargers. And I’m sure that professional users do that to some extent. But the prosumer side is probably more likely to shy away from tools like that, especially the more expensive ones and power hungry ones.
PlaneGrain
Corded helps extend your battery’s cycle life. Battery keeps you safe from AC amp electrical shock, when working in wet, damp locations. Dewalt has the 4 battery power/ charging station. It allows you to plug your electric only device into a 15amp AC circuit. But it’s a modified wave current, works for more basic electric tools.
Alex
How would this vac compare to the t-stack dust extractor? Apart from the convenience of wireless starting and better “kitting”? I’m a pro in foundation leak repairs. They are both hepa rated so I could plug either into my 4.5inch grinder? I currently haul out my 10gal dewalt dust extractor to make sure I don’t send concrete dust in the air. But on my short list is a compact cordless option.
Nils
I have both. Would recommend both.
I don’t think this little one could handle all the dust generated during grinding. The filter is effective but rather small so would clog quickly. Surprising battery life.
The tstak one works, wireless works well, cleans its dual filters by itself but is bigger than this but smallish capacity. Batteries go fast- maybe 10-15 continuous for the small FlexVolt, 20 or so for the big one.
I like them both, thus one great for handyman work, plumbing as suggested above. Tstak one good for small jobs-I would use for anchor holes, 3-10 sqft grinding, great for use with track saws.
If your jobs have you chasing just a few cracks then patching them tstack for extraction would be good I’d think.
Bruce
There is only one criteria to choosing a cordless shop vac, that it uses the same battery as your cordless tool set. I understand why toolguyd would have dozens of different brands of cordless tools running around, no work truck should have that problem. I have one tech that uses Ridgid cordless tools, the rest of the team uses Dewalt. If/when the Ridgid set dies, we’ll move everyone to big Yellow. Each tech as a cordless vac (in the Dewalt case, the very one you’ve got listed here). It’s lightweight, easy to operate, and because it uses the same battery as the rest of the tools that went to the job site, you can always eek out enough charge to clean up after yourself.
Michael Quinlan
I agree. If I were deciding between battery platforms, a corded option would be a “pro” for that platform, but battery platform consistency is more important to me than adding a cord to a cordless tool.
Stuart
There were two techs, two trucks.
The local electrician outfitted their truck with Milwaukee cordless power tools exclusively.
Local deck builder has all kinds of different corded and cordless power tool brands.
Local general contractor and carpenter has an assortment of corded and cordless brands on their truck too.
In this case, the HVAC company has a dedicated plumber and an installer, presumably with different tools on each.
One tech had a Dewalt 18V drill and a 12V Max screwdriver, the other presumably had a Milwaukee drill and impact in their truck, along with the M18 vacuum, with one or two batteries that both needed to be recharged.
Some pros have very well-equipped trucks or vans, others only have a couple of tools.
Consider a locksmith that needs to drill into a door for new or retrofit installations. How many cordless power tools do they need on their truck? How many Li-ion batteries? Our local locksmith is also still using a Dewalt 18V drill, a Frankenstein that’s been repaired using parts from two other drills.
Some pros and users are all but guaranteed to always have a fully-charged battery to power a cordless vac with. But this isn’t always the case, and last week’s experience reminded me that it can be good for pros to have a corded backup.
John E
I’ve had this vac for about three years and that’s about how many times I’ve used it. It’s main purpose now seems to be a place to store a spare battery.
The reasons I don’t use or depend on it are: its too short vacuum hose and its terrible suction. It may be cordless but I can run a cord and clean up much faster with a better vac than this thing will suck up slowly.
My go-to punch out vac is a dedicated Miele cannister with retractable cord, variable suction, fleece bag, HEPA filter and 10 foot hose with crevice tool. I can work off a ladder with it on the ground. A cheap yard light remote makes it even easier. Costs about the same used off eBay, takes up about the same space, is quieter, cleaner and pulls around 150 CFM compared to 31CFM with the DeWalt. Sometimes cordless isn’t better.
JohnE
Just to add…I have probably $6-8K of DeWalt power tools and this may be the only one that hasn’t shown a positive return on investment. It just doesn’t work for me. Of course, YMMV.
Flotsam
I think the opportunity here is to have a dual power vac. I have a small fan like that from Ridgid. Also I’m starting to see more tools like that and i think there is a miter saw like that now as well. I think that would be ideal.
Use 115 vac when it is available but have limited run time capability off battery. I would be curious to see the DeWalt in this article in action. Too bad some of these tremendous articles can’t have a link to a short youtube clip.
Bill
I Loves mines. Got it for $89.00 at Sears during a Veteran’s Day sale with the Veterans Discount.
I like the weight which is just perfect to tote around when I spill soil from the Home Depot garden runs.
I am able to connect it to the Dewalt 60 Flex Volt for extra Power and this will just suck up anything.
It’s practically undestructible having falling off ladders when I am cleaning up the dust buildup on the ceiling fans.
No bags required
A real simple winner.
I just wished that I could take it out on the lawn to suck up leaves 😉
John
31 CFM. That’s awful. I have the Makita equivalent for less than a year, and I thought its 57 CFM was poor but gets basic needs done.
Marc
I would think this could be solved by the Los Gatos Power adapter (if it was still in business). Stuart, your comments in the Los Gatos post are very similar to this post “Personally, I don’t think that I would ever want to use something like this. But, I also don’t work in a professional environment where I’ll get chewed out if I let something like a drained battery delay me from completing a job.”
I’m a little surprised that such a solution does not exist (AC power to battery converter). just for this reason.
KJ
Praise for this vacuum dumbfounds me.
I bought it a few months ago and was shocked to discover DeWalt would sell a vacuum with insufficient power to even help clean my car.
PlaneGrain
I have this model, cleaned the vehicle very well. Dog hair on certain material it will only remove 50 percent easily. The remaining 50 percent is a struggle. I don’t yet have a. rating on this vac. Will be using it more in the warmer weather. From the usage so far, looks good for plain sawdust.
Troy
I tend to agree. I have this vac. It’s convenient, but not a game changer. Suction isn’t that great and the hose feels a little short. Its great when I do a quick sanding or cutting job, but only marginally more convenient than grabbing the household stick vacuum.
Corey Moore
My just burnt out after 6 years of heavy abuse. Used it to bail out an oil separator for 3 hours, I’ve drained more clogged toilets and dishwashers than I can remember, crazy amounts of drywall and saw dust, easily a hundred pounds of metal chips/shavings out of cabinets over the years, blown string through smaller pipes, and cleaned my vehicles thoroughly plenty of times. That filter is the weak point, it clogs easily, and from the inside. Thought the thing kicked the bucket once, until I saw that my guy was checking the filter without taking it off. Showed him how, and smacked a small cloud out of it, suction returned. Been expecting it to die for a couple years, but she just finally refused to fire up the other week, underground. Replacement is already inbound.
Jared
Just to add on to this, I have the smaller battery-only Dewalt vac. I love it and use all the time. When the filter gets clogged though, its feeble and useless.
My guess KJ, is that the vac’s filter is dirty. Tap it, blow it out or wash it with some water.
I’ve had mine for about a year and use it a lot. After some emergency use sucking up a bunch of coolant (that task didn’t go the way I wanted), I noticed the vacuum was weak even after trying to clean the filter several times. I figured it was time for a new filter. I decided to try cleaning it in my parts washer and it’s back working again. I wouldn’t recommend that operation though and it’s probably no longer HEPA rated.
Jim
I work for a large general contractor building both private and public works projects. I have a crew currently building a warehouse with over 900 Storage racks (think Costco type racks)
We have the Dewalt vac you posted above (DVC581H). Its great for light general clean up on the job site. Cleaning areas where you do not need or want to drag a large corded vac to. We also used to have a couple of the Rigid 12 & 16 gallon shop vac’s, but because we also need to drill an anchor to two into a slab (15K holes) and need to comply with Silica regulations we have switched to the Dewalt Model # DCV585B 60-Volt Max Cordless Dust Extractor for those hard to reach area’s and the DWV012 10 Gallon Wet/Dry HEPA Dust Extractor for the main production work.
The DCV585B has been great, no issues so far. light, easy to empty and change filters.
The DWV012 10 Gallon Wet/Dry HEPA Dust Extractor has been great. We had 2 going nonstop for over a month before one quit working on us. Dewalt was great about replacing it under warranty
JohnE
Just to add…I have probably $6-8K of DeWalt power tools and this may be the only one that hasn’t shown a positive return on investment. It just doesn’t work for me. Of course, YMMV.
SteveS
I have this vac and my only significant dislike is the lack of suction (as several posters have already commented).
The reasonable price, small form factor, light weight, onboard hose and tool storage, and corded/cordless capability are all excellent. I only wish it had a bit more power. Ultimately it doesn’t seem capable doing much more than a dustbuster style hand vac; anything beyond loose debris like saw dust really challenge its ability. Mine struggles with car interior cleaning.
JohnD
I’m still waiting for the 60/120V Flexvolt vac. Take my money already Dewalt! A vacuum seems to me to be one of the tools that would most benefit from dual Flexvolt batteries.
John
Im in the hvac field and had this vac but it wasn’t good enough. I switched to the 6 gallon dewalt which is money well spent.
Micheal T.
Vacuum is garbage and I am not sorry for the Harsh Words. Cut out and out hole in some drywall and it did not have the power to pull up small pieces. Tried using it to Vacuum the car, Nope. Ended up bring the Kirby outside.
I am a Dewalt Fanboy, and only own Dewalt Power Tools. This is a unit I wish I could have sent back.
Big Richard
Clean/replace your filter. As it clogs suction goes down. It’s actually the same concept as any vacuum. Also check that the “lid” is securely latched.
You also may have got a lemon, it does happen. But that hardly makes it junk. I use mine to clean out my pellet smoker and it has no issues picking up tar caked, greasy, sticky soot and ash. Mine is far from junk.
Sheena Ormes
So darn true!