Dewalt has a new cordless vacuum on the way, model DCV501HB. The new Dewalt 20V Max vacuum has a stick vac-like form factor and ships with a HEPA-rated filter as standard equipment.
The Dewalt vac looks to be designed for general jobsite cleanup tasks and comes with 6 different cleaning attachments.
Additional features include a 23.6 oz (0.7 liter) tank capacity, 65W (air watts) power level with a 5Ah battery, and LED light.
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With the HEPA filter, the new Dewalt vacuum is said to “follow OSHA Table 1 Compliance under housekeeping rules.”
The vac can be used in the same manner as an upright stick better for cleaning the floor without having to bend down.
Key Features & Specifications
- 65W (air watts), w/ 5Ah battery
- 46 CFM max airflow
- Up to 21.4 mins runtime w/ 5Ah battery
- Belt hook
- LED worklight
- Weighs 3.3 lbs (presumably tool-only)
Included Accessories
- Extension wand
- Flexible hose
- Crevice nozzle
- Round brush
- Gulper brush
- Floor nozzle
- HEPA filter (DCV5011H)
- Accessory bag
Price: $149-159 (tool-only)
ETA: April-May 2022
Discussion
The new Dewalt cordless HEPA vacuum has somewhat of a unique design. There’s no context behind the geometry, but I would guess it has to do with giving the vac a lighter or balanced feel.
A belt hook for a cordless vacuum seems like an interesting design choice. But I have to ask – is anyone ever going to hook this onto their tool belt? Then again, I often connect different tools to carts and other such not-belt-related structures using their belt hooks.
From the product images, it looks like the new cordless vacuum only has an on/off switch, rather than a variable speed dial or switch.
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According to online specs, the vac can operate for up to 21.4 minutes of runtime using a fully charged 5Ah battery. It can fill up 15 collection tanks per charge using a 5Ah battery.
A search for the HEPA filter’s model number, DCV5011H, suggests that the replacement HEPA filter is new and unique to this model.
What I Like: Seems compact. HEPA filter is included.
One thing I don’t like about cordless stick vacs is how loose accessories get scattered around. Here, Dewalt includes a drawstring mesh bag to help keep all of the attachments in one place. But, it might not be very durable if it’s similar to the one that’s bundled with their 20V Max cordless power cleaner.
What I Don’t Like: Performance specs could be better, no brushless motor, not speed/power controls.
What I Find Curious: The design seems unusual, and it’s not clear why. My first instinct was to guess this geometry is done for balance or ergonomics reasons, but maybe it helps improve collection tank volume or emptying.
Cordless stick vacuums can be nimble or awkward, depending on how they’re configured and the size of battery used. Dewalt and their sibling companies, notably Craftsman and Black & Decker (Dustbuster), know how to make great cordless vacuums, and so I have high hopes for the new DCV501HB.
At the time of this posting, several authorized Dewalt dealers announced the new vacuum on their websites, newsletters, and social media channels, but Dewalt itself has not yet shared any information with press or media channels. We’ll update this post once we learn more.
skfarmer
i am a dewalt guy but that thing looks like a cobbled together hot mess.
it better perform flawlessly and be able suck a golf ball through a garden hose because it looks horrendous with no ergonomics.
Travis
In looking at the picture of the guy using it, there is what looks to be a collated screw gun in the closet that I haven’t seen before. Are they trying to sneak a new tool in like they did with the fan a couple of years ago?
meso
no brushhead?
Duane
From what I have read this little vacuum is much stronger (cfm) than the much bigger cordless canister DCV580 (which is way too weak to bother buying). By the way I have been trying to buy a replacement hose for my DCV501 but can’t find one on the internet. Anyone seen where to buy this?
Franck B.
I was hoping for more suction. The Craftsman stick vacuum is 45CFM, and it uses (one kind of) Dustbuster filter. I don’t think SBD/B&D has HEPA versions of the filter but they seem to be available from 3rd parties.
Unfortunately it seems the Craftsman is only available with the small battery, and I usually prefer larger batteries. So the pricing of the Dewalt is somewhat better as it also comes with a greater number of accessories in the “tool only” configuration.
I guess these vacuums are really more suited to quick cleanups and light dust. The CM and B&D Dustbuster little vacs seem to be sufficient for this though. I find the Dysons to be slightly low in power and runtime and until the most recent super-expensive version, didn’t have replaceable batteries. So the CM stick vac I found to be superior to the Dyson V10.
I’d give the Dewalt a try but I’ve decided I expect too much from small vacs to do a whole cleanup. Plus real vacuums have switches that stay on. Although that Dewalt Flexvolt dust extractor has some good suction, tho it’s not meant to be a GP vacuum and thus the technology and price.
Duane
The DeWalt DCV501h supposedly sucks at 46 cfm.
MM
The geometry just looks like extreme simplification to me. The motor has the filter right on its intake, the strange angle at which the intake tube meets the body of the vac looks like it’s trying to induce cyclonic motion.
Given that it’s running on 20V and it’s a HEPA I doubt it’s vacuum performance is going to be anything impressive. HEPA filter = major airflow restriction.
I wonder if this vac does have some kind of lock-on feature? There is big button with a lock icon on it in front of the handgrip, but that may be the release to empty the unit?
Chris S
My first thought with the inlet was that if it doesn’t have enough power, all the dirt and particulates are going to be sucked into the closest section of filter first and just keep working around the “clog”. Doesn’t seem like enough surface area to create a sufficient cyclone effect.
MM
That’s certainly possible. I have had that happen with my DCV517, though it doesn’t really have the same sort of cyclone shape to its catch bin.
Big Richard
The lock button is indeed to release the bin. it is a simple on/off switch, so it does technically have a lock-on feature.
Jared
I don’t have any strong feelings either way about this vacuum. Seems nice to have a stick vacuum option from Dewalt. Might have to see it in person to decide.
Joatman
Been looking for something cordless that I can use for my vehicles. Tempted to give this a try but will need to see it in action first….,You Tube, no doubt. Not sold on the fact that it’s not brushless.
Koko The Talking Ape
Turns out the advantages of brushless motors aren’t so great for tools that run at a constant speed. See Franck’s and MM’s comments below.
Jim Felt
I’ve both the M18 1 Gal. Cordless 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum and the M18 FUEL 0.25 Gal. Cordless Jobsite Vacuum since they came out.
Neither is great. But good is okay given the options I seen and thought about.
Maybe this will be okay too the the Dewalt world?
They all have portability over the Fein and even bigger Dewalt 120VAC units I’d otherwise use and prefer power wise. Too bad their hoses are so low end. AKA relatively inflexible.
I wonder if better quality relatively short ones are somewhere available?
Jim Felt
As an aside my favorite actual hand vac is still this amazingly useful, if dorky, consumer unit:
BLACK+DECKER dustbuster AdvancedClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum (CHV1410L) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LXOJC0/
I’ve bought replacement filters and that’s about all according to Amazon just now after 6 years of work related use.
Koko The Talking Ape
What’s the run time? That matters a lot when you can’t swap out the battery.
Jim Felt
Never timed it. Surely not more then 15-20 minutes. But it lives on a charger base and I never use it for really nasty stuff or liquids. It’s just convenient.
As is btw a Dyson stick unit that lasts no longer but has much more vacuuming power and a bigger catch can.
OldDominionDIYer
Interesting. Seems awkward looking with the suction connection on top. Probably okay for floor use but with a short attachment it seems they made it really cumbersome. 21 minutes on a 5ah battery on that little vac seems poor, After the blowout introduction of over 70 components in what amounts to a total system from Milwaukee, this seems rather trivial.
Big Richard
Runtime is 21 minutes per Ah, not per 5Ah battery.
Steve
I’ve been waiting a long time for this and it appears not to have a rotating brush head, which makes me very disappointed.
fred
I’ve been noticing that Milwaukee seems poised to launch some new vacuums and accessories. They include vacuum tips for pulling through conduits and some interesting looking nozzles. They also seem to be introducing a stick pump in M12 configuration that looks to compete the Reed Pump Stick that can be adapted to use Bosch, Dewalt, Makita or Milwaukee 18V batteries.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Pipeline
It looks like quite oa bit of these new items are available for preorder at Acme and perhaps others too.
Stuart
Here’s more on the vacuums and accessories: https://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-cordless-wet-dry-vacuums-air-tip-accessories/
fred
I must have been sleeping that day.
Here is a link to the M12 pump at Acme – but it can be preordered at Toolnut too
https://www.acmetools.com/milwaukee-m12-stick-transfer-pump-bare-tool-2579-20/045242604593.html
Roger
Why are 90% of the cordless vac not brushless? Isn’t a vac the most demanding? This disappoints. Brushless motors should be the standard now. Even a $79 drill has a BL motor.
As much as I’d want one, it’s going to be a pass for me.
Stuart
Cost?
Franck B.
Brushless motors are well suited for variable speeds and high torque requirements. The extra cost, higher efficiency, and sometimes reliability issues for a brushless motor aren’t generally worth it for a vacuum cleaner. Brushless motors require electronics which aren’t necessary for brushed motors, and electronics are currently part of the supply problem (and don’t forget the COO of most electronics is no longer “USA”).
Portable drills weren’t always variable speed, and the non-brushless motors were fine for their mission–single speed, not a lot of torque. The changing mission of the drill/driver and now being primarily cordless has made brushless “a thing”.
MM
This is correct. We’ve been conditioned to think that “brushless = better”, but that’s not really true. Brushless motors have huge advantages for variable speed applications. But for something like a blower, vac, or air compressor–where the unit is running at one speed the whole time–a brushless motor doesn’t really offer much advantage.
Nathan
second this – note there is no speed changes and no power settings. and a vac doesn’t need a feedback loop system to maintain torque etc.
Brandon
Ryobi has a couple brushless models of their stick vac. I’ve had the older version for three years now and for household chores, it works fine, and has a much better battery life at up to 45 minutes. The biggest downfall of the Ryobi stick-vac is the small debris canister
Steve
I think cost is right. This and the power cleaner could benefit from brushless motors. I’ll bet they kept cost down for now with brushed motors and left an easy upgrade path with brushless motors for new improved models later on.
Saulac
The geometry is to eliminate the flapper seen on almost all stick vacuums. The M12 stick for example has the intake tube right in the center of the bottom of the bin. There must be a flapper valve so stuff don’t fall back out when the vacuum is off. Also note that when the vacuum is on, all the stuff inside must stick to filter because the intake is on the bottom. Essentially, these vacuums have no bin. Dewalt design has a real bin that stuff can fall into. My guess/hope is that when the filter seem full, I can tap or shake the vacuum so tuff fall into and stay in the bin, instead of remove the bin and clean the filter. I would love to test this one out.
Reno Paddy
There appears to be a flapper at the end of the intake, inside of the canister (top). Opens when on but does not fully return to the closed position when the unit is turned off.
Koko The Talking Ape
” is anyone ever going to hook this onto their tool belt?”
HELL yes! To look cool, obvi. 😉
“Then again, I often connect different tools to carts and other such not-belt-related structures using their belt hooks.”
Actually that’s what I was thinking: hanging it on the side of the bench for dust collection and cleanup.
Peter
I have been using this hook a lot while emptying the bin… I hang it on the side of the trash can while I’m emptying the bin and knocking out the filter… something that is all too frequent given the tiny capacity. Also, side note but I wish it had a mesh pre-filter like the makita stick vac.
Koko The Talking Ape
I wonder if you could improvise one from something like window screen. Use wire to stitch it closed.
Koko The Talking Ape
Just goes to show, you don’t know what you don’t know.
I just saw a YouTube review from a bathroom tiler. He hangs the vacuum on his belt to use as a dust extractor when he’s moving around a room, with a circular saw or OMT. Much handier than big shop vac with a long hose. It also gets the vac out of the way when he’s cleaning out shower stall before tiling.
So! The belt clip is useful for at least some people. I didn’t know.
Saulac
I wish they make the exhaust port same as the intake so it can be used as a blower, at least with the flexible hose. Could be a decent blower for small task, especially if the bin and filter are removed.
Philip
I use dyson stick vacuums a lot. I think dewalt has done what I wanted dyson to do.
The ergonomics here on dewalt allows it nicely to be used simply and quickly as a handheld wandless vacuum. Inside a car or stairs. Tight spaces etc.
The inlet spout is extended just a bit to pull wand off and quickly use handheld only. Essentially a narrow cone does not need to transition manually onto the intake like other stick vacuums. Plus of course it has the attachments that will extended further.
Peter
Ergonomics are pretty good with a tiny power stack battery. Any bigger and the balance shifts behind your hand and requires more effort to keep it pointed down at the ground.
Nathan
people complain about the looks but I see a streamlined industrial afair. no extra overmoldings and the tube inlet setup looks very useful. like the comment above on the bin empting situation. One thing I hate about the wife’s dyson is that I have to touch the dirt to empty it.
might as well just use a broom.
Not sure I’ll buy one but mostly I like the idea. if it had a rotating brush attachment it would replace our old dyson I hate with a passion
AlexK
It might “look funny”, but picturing it with a battery on it, I can see it being well balanced. When installing kitchen cabinets there are always small wood chips and dust inside the cabinet that need to be vacuumed. I can see it being handy to have on my belt, and for that kind of quick, light clean up, the suction could be fine. Looking forward to seeing the reviews and handle it in person.
Big Richard
Couple specs I wanted to correct or didn’t see listed in the article or throughout the comments:
– Runtime = 22min/Ah (5Ah yields 110mins)
– LPA (emission sound pressure level) = 75 dB(A)
– LWA (sound power level) = 87 dB(A)
– Weight = 2.2.lbs bare tool
– Hose length = 24.6″
Stuart
Source?
Both retailers explicitly say:
“Up to 21 minutes on 5.0Ah battery (DCB205).”
“Up to 21.4 minutes of runtime per charge using DCB205 battery (sold separately).”
“Compact – DCV501HB is 3.3 lbs with a well-balanced design.”
When weights are given for tool-only SKUs, it’s usually for the tool without battery.
Big Richard
Source is DeWalt: https://www.toolservicenet.com/i/DEWALT/GLOBALBOM/QU/DCV501HB/1/Instruction_Manual/EN/DCV501_T1.pdf
But I think they goofed on their info, because they list the weight as “2.2 lbs (1.5 kgs)”, but 1.5kg is 3.3 lbs, not 2.2 lbs. So I’m not sure which to believe now. The similarly spec’d Craftsman CMCVH001B is 2.25 lbs, though that may not mean anything.
They make no mention of battery size, only “Runtime (min/Ah) = 22”. Which I’m beginning to question as well. Perhaps it is supposed to say min/5Ah. 22 minutes off a 5Ah seems a little low, but 110 minutes seems quite high. Their older DCV580/581 got about 40 minutes on a 5Ah battery, but also had 33% less CFM – which potentially means it had 33% less power, thus its better runtime.
I’m always leery of trusting retailer website specs – especially on a new tool – and tend to defer to the manufacturer, but in this case they are equally unclear. So I am not sure and I very well may be mistaken. Should have read my notes a little better before posting.
MM
For comparison’s sake, a Japanese guy reviewing the Makita XGT air duster reported anywhere from 50 minutes runtime on the lowest setting to 13 minutes on the highest setting, running on a 4ah battery. (4ah x 36v = 144 watt-hours). An ~18V 5ah pack is about 90 watt-hours. Now granted a vac and a blower aren’t the same thing, but its still about pushing a lot of air through a restriction as fast as possible. This makes me believe the 22 minute runtime for the whole 5h pack.
Big Richard
The more I think about it the more I question it. I pulled that directly from official DeWalt literature, so I never bothered to question its accuracy. Perhaps I was just expecting more than 22 minutes off of a 5Ah pack.
Stuart
The manual is a good find, and I would also expect it to be accurate.
I’ve seen errors in both online sales sheet specs and online user manuals.
One of Bosch or Dremel’s online user manuals was recently published with editing markup.
Sometimes existing charts are used as templates, but the weight looks to be human error.
1 kg is 2.2 lbs, and so the user manual author must have made an erroneous calculation, inputting 1kg instead of 1.5kg.
Big Richard
I should have analyzed it further before posting the info, that was also a human error on my part.
Stuart
Maybe, but I wouldn’t blame you for for trusting reasonable-seeming specs in an official user manual.
For what it’s worth, the sales sheet specs and user manual specs might both be wrong.
Travis
No one is curious about the tool in the closet?
Stuart
@Travis – drywall screwgun?
MM
What sure looks like a drywall screwgun with an automatic feeder can be seen in the background of the photograph of the man in the fluorescent safety vest working with the stick vac.
I don’t know anything about that tool but Travis is right, it sure looks like that to me.
https://i0.wp.com/toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Dewalt-DCV501HB-Cordless-Vacuum-with-Accessories-in-Upright-Stick-Mode.jpg?resize=600%2C428&ssl=1
Travis
It doesn’t look like the current drywall gun with the screw strip attachment. Something bigger like maybe for screwing decking
Travis
From the dark gray color of the end of the tool it would lead me to believe it’s a flexvolt drill. That’s the only time they use that color scheme
Stuart
https://www.dewalt.com/product/dcf6202/collated-drywall-screw-gun-attachment
I don’t know, looks pretty similar to me.
Dave the tool
My concern is the hepa filter getting clogged to fast and require constant cleaning in very short intervals. Perhaps that’s the idea of putting the intake off to the side? I know Ryobi stick vacs clogged too fast so Ryobi came up with a slanted type pre filter to insert in the bowl in front of the filter but it takes up too much room IMO. Coming up with some sort of pre-filter to keep the larger stuff away from the main filter seems like a good idea especially if the pre filter can be quickly emptied, cleaned or even removed when needed. But this would require extra production costs therefore adding to the already high prices of these units. There is also the possibility of clogging the pre-filter, not paying attention and causing motor burnout I suppose?
Robert Adkins
I’ve found that HEPA rated filters clog up way too fast to be useful in a shop.
MM
Yes, HEPA filters clog extremely easily. One thing that confuses me is why pre-filters seem so rare on most shop vacs. Even just a basic foam pre-filter makes a huge difference in how long a HEPA filter can go without becoming clogged. A cyclonic separator helps a lot too; the more dust you can get out of the airstream before it gets to the filter, the better. A lot of home-oriented vacuum cleaners have these features as standard. They’re also extremely common in industrial applications for dust collection. So why is it that they’re so rare in terms of “shop vacs”? I know Festool has bag style filters in their vacs, and a cyclone module which can fit on top, but they seem to be rather unique in the market. Yes there’s things like the Dust Deputy, but they’re rather clunky solutions. I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a rethinking of the basic shop vac design the way that domestic vacuum cleaners have made huge improvements over the last few decades. Get the motor up out of the waste container. Integrate a cyclone and pre-filter to keep the suction high and less clogging of the HEPA element. This is applicable to everything from compact models to full size vacs.
Franco Calcagni
I would say that on a vac of this size and many other vacs, HEPA is more for marketing. If you check OSHA, when HEPA vacs or dust collectors are required, having a HEPA filter is not enough. The whole system has to be certified as HEPA rated.
MM
Yes, I agree their goal is likely more marketing than it is with OSHA compliance, but it still seems silly that very few companies don’t bother to improve the performance of their vacs by making some improvements. For example I have a DCV517 cordless vac. I put a foam pre-filter meant for a motorcycle over the hepa filter and it maintains suction a lot better now than it did without the pre-filter. I’m not using it for OSHA dust collection by any means, but even just for cleaning up a basic mess it’s a nice upgrade to have.
MicahMc
I’m really curious to see this demoed on YouTube or elsewhere. I have a Wyze vac and Dyson stick, but neither have impressed me (except the price for Wyze – but this DeWALT is comparable)! I have buddies who swear on the Makita stick but I’ve been holding out for DeWALT since all batteries in the workshop are interchangeable still!
Suckability, battery life, ergonomics, and the collection tank (not clogging up frequently) are going to be the big factors for me here. I’m hopeful though!
MtnRanch
NOISE?
The 18v DeWalt vac that I had required hearing protection because of the loud, high-pitched scream that it put out and it really didn’t work that well. All show and no go.
Is there a noise rating on this thing, maybe with a spectrum graph so we can know if it’s just wind noise or the scream of a cheap motor?
Julian Tracy
No doubt! I had that Dewalt screamer – it was nearly unusable. Super loud high pitched. Just plain silly loud.
Stuart
They don’t say; most brands hardly ever say.
Peter
It is pretty loud. But not unreasonable. If you want quiet and more suck get the makita 40v stick vac.
Julian Tracy
Everyone here is missing the point of the stick vac’s. I’ve had the Makita versions for near 10years now. Never have I complained about it not being brushless or runtime , hepa or whatever.
I use it every single day I’m on the job for quick pickups and to keep my client’s floors clean. Who wants to bring a Festool vac with wand or the little battery operated shop vac’s with a two foot hose for such wide range floor cleanup? 21min runtime – so what?! I only use it for a few minutes here or there and don t even wish it had an ON switch. I like the trigger design.
My stick vac gains me such good will from my clients, they think I’m the most thoughtful contractor ever as I’m vacuuming up their floors. If they are around, even if it doesn’t need it, I’ll quick use it for their front entry way mat so they can see how much I care about their house.
Dewalt sucks ass for adding yet another useless, can’t compare measurement like air units; such BS.
Tell us decibels and tell us CFM. NOTHING else matters with a tool like this.
Philip
45 cfm. Should work well. But yes dewalt in past chose runtime over cfm. Big mistake.
Peter
100% this! Love the pre filter on the makita as well!
Koko The Talking Ape
CFM is analogous to electrical amperage in a wire. Useful, but we also need to know pressure, which is analogous to voltage.
Sometimes they multiply the two numbers to give “airwatts,” (analogous to power = voltage x amperage) but that doesn’t give a full picture. A big, slow fan can create huge CFMs and low pressure, but it won’t pick up debris. A tiny, fast fan can create huge pressure, but will actually move very little air. But the two fans will have the same airwatts.
We need both numbers, and both have to be high “enough.”
Franco
20v?
Stuart
Yes – I mentioned this in the first paragraph.
Franco
My thing is that it is another 20v tool. I would like to see Dewalt come out with more variety in their FV60v system. OK, I understand that no one needs a 60v impact driver for screws, and maybe a couple of other tools. But it looks like Makita is introducing lots of tools on their 40vXGT system.
I know that Dewalt does have some specialized FV tools like the pipe threader, cutoff saw and rotary hammers for cement. I suppose the big deal about the FV system is that to round out your tool collection, you can go with the large variety of 20v tools that run on FV batteries.
Nathan
cfm without a pressure is also useless. I mean he it moves 700 cfm – but that’s though a 9 inch nozzle and about -2.3 psi so it doesn’t pick up drill chips.
you know something like that.
the air watts thing is an interesting idea but it’s a shame there isn’t a better vaccum standard rating. and what’s the size of that inlet diameter.
Franck B.
For most US-marketed exchangeable accessory vacuum cleaners, there’s really only two major sizes of inlets. From which one and from the CFM, you can get a good idea of the pull. And those who’ve used vacuum cleaners before, most understand that the user can change the pickup tool to vary the velocity which can affect how much they suck. A crevice tool is going to have more directed suction than a wide floor tool because of the higher velocity. Pressure will make a difference on heavier items, but if you’re picking up dust or debris, the velocity is probably more important (queue images of Oreck vacuums holding bowling balls).
So the CFM through the bottleneck is going to give you an idea of what you can expect. So the Craftsman Dustbuster-style vacuum is rated 45CFM, the stick vacuum is 45CFM, and while the pressure may differ they both can get a relatively high velocity through a small opening.
Robert Adkins
Exactly!
CFM and also air velocity at the hose attachment point closest to the impeller should work. Both CFM and velocity are useless until you put them together. Using these 2 specs, there’s no way to pad the specs and fool the users. CFM is like amps, velocity is like volts. Only catch is, both have to be measured at a very specific place for it to be honest.
Julian Tracy
For a reference, the Makita stick vacs I’ve been using for years (every few years get a newer version and sell off the older model…) have all been around 45-49cfm and they’ve all done a great job at doing what their designed to do.
Will it pickup drywall screws? Who cares! But it does a great job and with a fresh battery and a clean filter, the wand nozzle feels relatively stuck to the floor or carpet.
bj
I have three stick vacs – two in the house and one in the van. The wife loves it because it is light and quiet. The cyclone filter attachment is a must, especially if you have members in the household with long hair.
Robert Adkins
Been waiting for a DeWalt stick vac, I hate bending over to vacuum! While waiting for DeWalt, I bought a newly released, pretty yellow and black stick vac for $60 that actually uses DeWalt batteries. I love it! It has good enough suction and capacity for my needs. It’s light duty, but that’s all I need.
The DeWalt looks a little awkward, but the proof is in the using. If my cool little Chinese vac dies, I will get the DeWalt.
About HEPA: I find they’re not really good for sawdust, sanding dust, or drywall dust. The filter stops up very quickly, and suction drops off to 50% after a minute of use. A super-large HEPA would work, but the vac then wouldn’t be very portable.
Tony
Mellif?
JoeM
Funny thing: I ended up buying this model for my Mother a couple months ago. We were looking into replacing the cheap-as-hell hand vac we had, that never held a charge, and couldn’t lift a paperclip without burning out.
2? Entering 3 months later… Bought a 2 pack of 5Ah batteries, and a DCB1112 12 Amp Fast-Charger (Fan Cooled) for it, and I rigged an old belt so my Mother can sling it over her shoulder while in use….
…She has named it “Suzie” and she keeps saying “It’s So Beautiful!”… I’m not sure if it was wise to buy this for her or not, but it seems to work well. Now I just need a few spares on the Hepa filter, and maybe a DeWALT TSTAK rolling deep box to keep “Suzie” in, and this may be a perfect little Vacuum.
Oh… and… For those worried about the rotating brush… There’s a 2-in-1 carpet tool, with a slide-on set of bristles… it’s more “Broom” than rotating brush, but I think you can buy air-powered rotating brushes for vacuums separate. Yes, the Lock Button releases the canister, yes it’s an on/off switch instead of a power control wheel. LED is bright as hell, overall it’s a lot better as a vacuum than it appears. And yes, the shape is ergonomically balanced. It’s foreward-heavy out of the box, and balanced at the grip with a decent sized battery loaded in the slot.
It really is a good vacuum… Even if my Mother naming it does creep me out.
Tony
😂 😂 😂 😂 😂
Appreciate the laugh and the review.
JoeM
Tony, I am very glad you got some laughter out of this. I also wish I was joking, or exaggerating, about her naming it “Suzie”… But none of that is fiction, I’m afraid.
She named it, she calls it “Beautiful” and she is ga-ga orver the Yellow batteries, Yellow charger, and overall DeWALT Yellow that dominates everything. She’s 75, there’s nothing I can do about her mental quirks. I try to take care of her, while simultaneously introducing Technology or Routines that make her independent, so I can lessen my responsibilities to her.
Turns out… She likes DeWALT Yellow, therefore, loves the company… long before I ever bought my tools. On the upside: When she dies, I get to keep the DeWALT stuff I’ve bought her. Yay Me.
I would love to say we use “Suzie” a lot, but sadly that isn’t true. We’ve done some preliminary tests to see how “She” works, and what all the bits and bobs are best for, and this model is super simple, rather tough-bodied, and seems to be capable of the job, whatever that might be, within common sense limits, of course.
And, yes… Every time I buy my Mother something to make her life easier… she names it… It’s creepy from my perspective, but I can hope others get a kick out of it. Explaining why she calls a large-number LED Clock I bought her “Precious” is still somewhat keeps me up at night. This is the woman who taught me how to use Tools in the first place… yet this “Out of Left Field” talk is still a real thing.
Tim
I was irritated by the lack of a pre filter. The ultra fine debris is easy enough to knock out but this then this gets intermingled with larger debris within the corrugated hepa grade leaves and then is almost impossible to clear without a watchmakers eyeglass, pair of tweezers and a lot of time on your hands. So I improvised a pre filter with 75mm wide stainless soffit mesh (my builder left this for me as I’d paid for a large roll of the stuff several years ago) then cut off a strip a couple of centimetres longer than the minimum necessary to go round the larger base diameter ring with the two cylindrical lugs. A cheap single-holed paper hole puncturer (as used for filing documents) is adequate to make the holes through the mesh and the trick is to make the holes in adjacent corners (ie along one of its long edges) so as to unite the mesh in a cylinder of the fits over the hepa filter and punch the final hole to accommodate the other lug (it’s not a bad idea to make a paper template first to assist in getting the measurements right and avoid squandering material on false starts!). The open end of the resultant mesh cylinder can be closed with a 9cm plastic container lid such as the one from a Cornish sea salt container (or humous style container lid is of similar size) which has a convenient recess in its original lid function to accommodate sealant or glue to hold it in place permanently. The resultant pre-filter detaches and then cleans easily and if you make more than one each can then be bunged through the dishwasher from time to time with always a spare to hand. This has obviated the need to frequently change the hepa filters (which as well as being difficult to get hold of are ludicrously expensive). This simple modification converts the DCV 501 L from a good portable vacuum to a simply great one!
Micah
Woah – what a great idea and very innovative! If you have any photos you could share as well (I’m a visual learner) I’ll totally copy your plans and make a couple myself! I just bought a 2-pack of those filters and swore I wouldn’t do that again for a long time due to the cost…
MM
Pre-filters are a great idea.
One option for people looking for one but not willing to DIY one is to check out “Outerwears”. This is a company which makes pre-filters for a variety of motorsports applications and R/C cars. They work great, are inexpensive, and are easily cleaned. They have a huge catalog that fits all manner of different filters for motorcycles, small engines, go-karts, lawn and garden, etc. I am sure they will have a model off the shelf which would be a close enough fit for this vac too.
Tim
Also I’ve discovered that the attachments fit (and therefore are directly interchangeable with) the (always cheerful looking red and black top-hatted) ‘Henry’ vacuum cleaner and all his attachments (which are fairly ubiquitous in any self respecting workshop – at least in the in the uk!) and this is probably fortuitous rather than any underlying design cunning by intent – so this does increase the range of attachments available for each device for what it’s worth….
Donny
Watch videos on this. The dirt is in front of the filter to keep the HEPA clean longer. Cyclone action. I think the big issue is the accessories are friction lock. So say you’re using it as a stick vac when you pull back on the brush head like you would say on carpet using any normal vac it could catch the edge of the rug and come undone. A serious POTENTIAL PIA. Am I willing to try one for $149 just to see? I don’t know. As for power. It’s got more CFM than the other Dewalt handheld everyone seems to love so I don’t see power being an issue. Since this is the newest it might mean you can pick up that one cheap.
Bottomline is nobody really makes a CORDLESS vac that doesn’t suck. Ha ha. Pun intended. Dirt devil and eureka both used to make fantastic CORDED handhelds but this obsession with all things battery today has caused those to stop being made. I’ll take a cord all day for true vac performance. It’s just unfortunate nobody makes one.
And ps a rotating brush head for carpet would have been nice. And of course accessories that actually lock together. Twist lock or detent I don’t care. This just seems like an overpriced Dustbuster to me with Dewalt’s name on it.
pss – I don’t mind the look if it works. Form should follow function.
Will
Why didn’t they make this brushless? Seems like it’s already an outdated design. Maybe the XR version will come out next year?
Stuart
I asked that same question, and was told:
Will
That sounds like marketing for they wanted a lower price point. Why would a brushed motor perform better in a Vac? Dyson uses brushless motors, dewalt uses brushless in their premium tools.
Stuart
Why is it outdated? Are you disappointed in the saw’s performance and feel it would do better with a brushless motor?
Milwaukee’s recent finish sander doesn’t have a brushless motor – https://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-m18-cordless-finish-sander-2649/ .
Not all tools need brushless motors. This vac doesn’t have one. If you want a brushless vac, there are plenty of others.
Will
I’m not sure what saw you mean, but when I had brushed motor saws, they were not impressive and the batteries did not last very long. The brushless saw I have now is amazing, seems to run all day off of one battery and has power.
Back to the vacuum, it looks like a big improvement on dewalts previous cordless vacs, but can’t compare to a cordless dyson. No one should expect it to, considering its a quarter of the price.
Stuart
Dewalt’s older 7-1/4″ miter saw also has a brushed motor.
I asked them at the time why it wasn’t brushless, and they basically said “doesn’t need it.”
Brushless provides benefits, not just efficiency, such as easier engineering of power/suction settings, or so I have been led to believe.
But it’s not always needed.
Brushless is often (almost always?) better than brushed, but brushed is less expensive, simpler to engineer for, and could very well be all this particular tool needs to deliver good performance.
If in doubt, one could always buy from a store with a generous return policy.
So far, I haven’t heard any complaints from actual users.
MM
We tend to think of brushless motors as being flat out “better” than brushed, after all a lot of higher end tools do use brushless motors. But that’s not really true, brushless motors aren’t automatically “better” than brushed. The main advantage of a brushless motor is that its timing is not fixed and can be controlled by the computer operating the motor. That means they can be more efficient over a wider RPM range, or when running in both forward and reverse, compared to a brushed motor. For something like a vacuum or a compressor which runs at a constant RPM all the time those advantages are lost.
Will
That makes sense, but I was under the impression that brushless was also more efficient because of lack of friction from brushes.
MM
That is technically true, but it’s negligible. Brushes have extremely low friction.
Dalong
I designed 3D-printable prefilter for DCV501HB which can be downloaded here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6004670
Took some effort to finish. Work reasonably well and easy to be replaced/cleaned
Micah
Thanks so much for designing and sharing this! I found my local library has a 3d printer I can use for free! I noticed 4 files on the link provided. Should I be using the “Rev 5” 1MB file? Thanks again!
Dalong
Yeah you can use Rev5 files (prefilter and screen retention bracket). I would suggest using PETG if that is an option. I found PLA too stiff/brittle for this design. There is a template diagram for you to make a template for screen cut. There is also a remix for generating screen template: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6114638