Quiet Shop Vac: Top 11 Quietest Shop Vacs Reviewed

 

So you are looking to purchase a quiet shop vac that won’t blow out your ear drums out when you flip that on switch.

We’ve done a ton of research the top rated brands of shop vacs in the industry that will help you pick one out that will get the job done and will be quieter and safer to use.

So here are the range levels you need to keep in mind to buy a quiet shop vac.

The quietest shop vac level will be in the range of 60 decibels or (dB). The medium level of sound would run around 65-70 dB and loud would be anything over 75 to 90 dB and at that point you will want to have some form of good hearing protection!

Shop Vacs that operate at 80dB are the normal loud ones you want to avoid.

There are many features to consider when buying a shop vac, and we’ll touch on all of them but with this post we are mainly interested in a shop vac that produces the least amount of noise while operating them.

quietest shop vac

In A Hurry ? Here's My Top 3 Picks

>>>CLICK ON ANY IMAGE IN THE TABLE TO SEE MORE INFO

Our Best Overall Choice for a Quiet Shop Vac…….

Nilfisk ALTO Aero 6.6-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum - HEPA

25-liter capacity, 127 maximum CFM, and 84 max waterlift.

64 decibels on the noise factor

Electric Autostart Feature: Example: Plug-in your miter saw, it starts up and sucks in the saw dust as you saw!!!!

HEPA certified filter system that complies with OSHA, EPS, RRP, DoD, and NIOSH requirements

Whats Included: 16ft power cord, 11.5-foot hose, extension tube, suction brush, and tool holder kit.

Weighs 24 pounds, with dimensions of 16 x 16 x 25 inches, a great portable size.

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The main feature that makes the Nilfisk ALTO our overall best pick is that it operates at 64 decibels on the noise factor. It’s a powerful wet/dry vacuum engineered for indoor and outdoor use and works great for professionals as well as the DIYers.

The CFM is at 127 and has a water lift of 84 inches at max for quick clean up jobs. The canister capacity is 6.6 gallons or 25 liters that would be acceptable for all users.

The flat-top design quality is exceptional and useful.

The set of wheels on the back of the canister are larger than the front set to ensure stability.

The Nilfisk ALTO weighs 24 pounds, with dimensions of 16 x 16 x 25 inches, a great portable size.

More Quality Features of the Nilfisk ALTO

Another great feature is the quality HEPA certified filter system that complies with OSHA, EPS, RRP, DoD, and NIOSH requirements.

This vac will help protect your health and the company is known for making some of the best dust extractors on the market.

The 16 foot power cord and the 11.5 foot suction hose are both at an acceptable length for a shop vac. There are also additions such as an extension tube, suction brush, and a tool holder kit.

The final feature that made this shop vac our favorite is the auto start. You can use it as a power source to plug in small tools and power them up. Say you are going to use a circular saw that is plugged into the shop vac, as soon as the saw starts, the shop vac starts and is there to pick up the debris right away. Pretty cool, huh?

The 2 year warranty is another plus to consider on the Nilfisk Alto shop vac.

Best Quiet Shop Vac for Those on a Budget

Vacmaster 4 Gallon-2-Stage-Industrial-VF408

18 Foot power cord automatic rewind

5 peak HP motor is at 72 decibels

Exhaust is made of HEPA Material and machine washable for reusability.

Only weights 17.2 lbs & is compact for storage

Includes 7 foot hose, dust brush, floor nozzle, tool caddy and 2-in-1 nozzle brush.

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The Vacmaster VF408 is our choice for those that want a superb shop vac that is not super loud and  without having to spend a ton of money. The decibels for this vac with a 2-stage, 5 peak HP motor is at 72 decibels, not to bad for the price!

The industrial motor on the Vacmaster provides great suction!

Tank volume on this model is 4 gallons, plenty big for around the house clean up and perfect for a small shop. The 18 foot power cord has an automatic rewind, (great feature) plus the onboard suction hose is 7 foot long by 1 ¼ inches. That’s kind short for a hose but it does have 3 extension.

Other quality accessories include a crevice tool, round dust brush, floor nozzle, tool caddy and a 2-in-one nozzle brush. I really like the large on/off switch since I usually end up turning it off and on with the wand!!!!!!

I know that’s not the right way to do it but……..

The exhaust filter on this model is made of HEPA material and is washable, and the wet filter is made of foam. The inside cartridge filter is also washable, another plus!

Wire guards on the vac let you wrap the hose around it making for quick storage while the tool caddy will hold all your accessories. The handle on the top of the vac makes it easy to transport to any part of the house, upstairs or downstairs and the weighs is 17.2 pounds!

For a shop vac with a low profile, the Vacmaster VF408 will serve you well at a reasonable price. It also comes with a 2 year warranty.

Our Runner Up on the Quietest Shop Vac

FEIN Turbo I Set 5.8 Gallon Shop Vac

Ultra Quiet at 66 Decibels

The suction ratio of CFM at 151 and the water lift is 98.4” way above average!

2 metal (not plastic) extension tubes, combination tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, 13 ft suction hose, and filter bag

17.8 lbs & wide wheel base, 5.8 Gallon Tank

31 feet reach with this one. Longest of them all!

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My favorite feature on the Fein Turbo I Set, is the exceptional design of the product and the wide wheelbase that allows it to turn 360 degrees without a fight. Remember the old style canister that would tip over when you pull on the hose to move it?

As far as the noise is concerned, the FEIN Turbo puts out a low volume of 66 decibels. Remember on average a shop vac is considered quiet operate below 80 decibels, so this vac is a winner in this feature. It’s what you’re looking for!

Weighing in at 17.8 pounds makes it easy to transport anywhere.

The suction ratio on the FEIN is CFM at 151 and the water lift is 98.4”. A good average on these two stats are: CFM-125 and water lift at 80” and this is well above average.

Accessories that come with this shop vac set are: 2 metal (not plastic) extension tubes, combination tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, elbow, 13 foot suction hose, and filter bag.

This vac does have a collection bag that fits inside the 5.8 gallon tank. A bypass motor keeps the dirty air from reaching the motor that has a filter that can be easily cleaned. The neat part is, you don’t have to do anything with the filter when using the vac in a wet operation.

With the FEIN I you can be 50+ feet from an outlet because of the 13 foot hose and a super long 18 foot power cord.  A short power cord on any tool or appliance gets me angry! Grrrr!

Is there a warranty?

YUP!  It’s called a 1+2 warranty and the way it works is there is a 1 year warranty when you take it out of the box! When you register it online, you get 2 additional years.

More Quiet Shop Vacs Reviewed For Your Consideration

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

FESTOOL CT 15 HEPA Dust Extractor

Rather small and compact in size but built close to the ground which improves its stable mobility factor. Larger wheels on the back also contribute to its stability.

Canister can capture 3.96 gallons of dust, dirt, or water.

Works for construction sites as well as home workshop clean ups.

Comes with a sturdy hose and a 25 ft. power cord.

Has a changeable HEPA filter that is accessed from the outside of the vac and a replaceable in-tank filter.

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This FeStool quiet shop vac is a cool looking piece of equipment and puts out only 62-64 decibels of noise! I really like how it is built close to the ground and the dimensions of 18” x 12” x 17” (approx.) make it a stable vac.

It has an amazing water lift of 96” and a volume flow of 130 CFM. With a canister capacity of almost 4 gallons, it can master a water spill in minutes.

Another great feature of the FeStool is the long 25 foot power cord that gives you plenty of travel length. With the 11.5 ft collection hose it increases your travel length to over 35 Feet.

The back of the vac is equipped with a cord rack so you can keep your cord wrapped up and out of the way when storing. You have a sort of bungie cord to strap the hose to the canister when not in use. This help give it an A+ when finding a storage space for the vac.

You can access the HEPA filter from the outside of the vac (handy!), while the inside caster filter bag can be removed for cleaning. It’s sure to keep your work area spotless!

The “auto start” feature allows you to start the vacuum process as soon as you start your saw or sander that’s kicking out sawdust. It also features a LED panel for viewing the starting and stopping of the tool.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

The DeWalt DXV1OP Wet/Dry Shop Vac

Complete wet/dry vac with a total attachment kit. It operates at 65 dB, not perfect but darn good.

No more searching for accessories due to a built-in storage bag attached to the back side of the unit.

The handy built-in tank drain makes it super easy to empty liquids when using the wet vac feature.

This quiet shop vac has wheels made of rubber instead of plastic for smooth swivel abilities.

With the five piece attachment kit you can clean even in super tight areas.

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The DeWalt people claim that this quiet shop vac 2 stage motor is up to 50% quieter than other brands and that’s what we’re looking for!

We all know you can pretty much trust any tools made by DeWalt and this shop vac is no exception. The large 10 gallon capacity tank can handle large cleanup jobs, no problem!

Not only does the DeWalt DXV10P have ample suction, it also has a blower port that comes in handy not only in the shop, but you can blow the neighbors leaves off your driveway!

As far as the filter is concerned, it’s washable and reusable with a disposable filter bag.

The 1 7/8” hose length is 7 foot; the accessories have two extension wands, and the power cord is 10 foot. This means you have about a 25 foot cleaning tool!

This quiet shop vac weighs 22.7 pounds, easy to move around. It was created, mainly to service the homeowner but can be used on small professional jobs.

The warranty is a 3 year limited, 1 year free service and 90 day money back guarantee.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

Makita VC4210L HEPA Filter Dust Extractor/Vacuum

Lower center of gravity quiet shop vac prevent unit from tipping over.

Quality HEPA filter prevents dust from escaping into the air.

Large 11 gallon capacity canister good for professional use.

Equipped with a 13’ anti-static hose easily stored onboard.

Works great on concrete dust collection with its 3 filter system.

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The is a quiet shop vac with only 60 dB of sound level, actually, the best we have reviewed. The material it is made of is sound-absorbing.

It was designed for commercial contractors in mind with its ability to do such a good job on cement dust collection.

Thinking about wet abilities of the machine. it generates 148 CFM of suction power and a water lift feature of 92” making it a master at cleanup.

All the attachments and the hose can be stored onboard to lessen its storage footprint.  The wheelbase design makes the Makita a stable, safe unit.

There is a three stage filtration system, an automatic filter cleaning system and a certified HEPA filtration system that collects 99.7% of all dust particles.

Automatic start/stop function activates the vac when a connected power tool is being used.

Included with this unit are plastic disposal bag, fleece filter bag, quick-connect adapter, hose cuff adapters and a 25 foot power cord.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

CRAFTSMAN 16 Gallon 6.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac

Large 16 gallon capacity tank for large projects with 72.36 decibels.

Tank has an oversized drain for easy emptying. Just slide it near a drain and open it up.

Accessories are endless, everything you need for home use as well as an on the job tool.

Extra long 20 foot power cord and a 7 foot hose.

Has a built-in blower port that only adds to the Craftsman versatility.

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This Craftsman quiet shop vac just looks like a worker, short squatty, and powerful! With the large capacity tank, you’ll never have to stop in the middle of a clean-up job to empty the canister.

The accessories include 2 extension wands, nozzles for the car cleaning, wet clean up and a utility nozzle that works on about any surface, and a 2 ½” x 7 ft. hose.

When looking at the filter system on the Craftsman shop vac, it’s called the Qwik Lock Filter System. Filter is easy to remove and clean and reused and if you need to replace it in time, they are available for purchase.

The hose attaches securely to the vac tank and maneuvers at 180 degree flexibility at both ends. It’s referred to as a dual-flex locking hose.

Looking at other stats, the max CFM or water lift power is 165 and the decibels put out for noise is 72.36, a bit louder than some of the other brands.

There is a 3 year limited warranty on the Craftsman Shop Vac.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

Makita 2 Gal. HEPA Filter Portable Wet/Dry Dust Extractor/Vacuum Kit

Operates at 66 decibels when considering the noise factor.

Completely portable unit with a shoulder strap sold (separately) and a carry handle that stores out of the way when not needed.

Powered by an 18V lithium-ion battery that when added to the vac weights 10.1 lbs.

Although the hose looks short compared to other shop vac, it fits this style of shop vac and delivers CFMs of 57, 27” water lift.

Two gallon capacity and the battery will run for 1 continuous hour on low with 1 charge.

For dust management, a HEPA filter is used that will capture 99.97 % of all particles.

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If you’re one of those people that love all cordless tool, Makita has you covered. The XCV11T comes with a charger station and two lithium ion batteries.

It has a pretty powerful brushless motor that will give you a water lift of 27” (not great) but this unit isn’t made to clean up an entire professional work area.

The unit has a Low, Off, and High switch, and has a battery indicator light, so you always know how much power you’re carrying.

Surprise----the decibels for this quiet shop vac are at 66 which is acceptable for a portable unit.

The suction power on this little guy will satisfy all your cleaning needs and in a small amount of time with the 1” x 6.5 foot hose.

If you are concerned about the dust factor, the Makita quiet shop vac comes with a HEPA filter that collects 99.7% of all dust particles.

If your home is a “crafter” home, the size, power, and versatility of this wet/dry vac would be a quality, useful addition. (My wife wants one!) With its 3 year warranty, you can’t go wrong.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

Stanley Wet/Dry Vacuum, 8 Gallon Shop Vac

Decibels of noise are at 70, but the motor is a 4 hp so it will be louder than some of the other vacs we have reviewed. (high decibels are 75-90)

16 foot cleaning range with the 10 foot power cord and a 6 foot hose including 2 extensions.

Drain port is at the bottom of the 8 gallon canister to make emptying it easy when doing wet clean-ups.

Included is a blowing port for leaf and grass clean-up. It also works good for blowing off a light film of dust in your shop.

Equipped with a disposable filter bag and a cartridge filter that is easy to clean.

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You’re going to love this little guy that looks like R2D2! It has a powerful 4 HP motor, the ultimate in suction and blowing power with air flow at 85 CFM and 70 dB of noise.

Included with the quieter shop vac, accessories are 2 extensions wands, floor, utility and crevice nozzle, 1 7/8” hose, cartridge filter, and a disposable filter bag.

The wide base has 4 wheels that swivel. With the 10 ft power cord and 6 foot hose you will have a travel range of 16 feet.

This unit is easy to clean with its wide drain port, and the filter can be cleaned and used again, if you’re using it dry, there is a disposable filter bag. Since the canister is stainless steel, I would suggest drying the canister after wet use.

This is a basic shop vac that would work good in a professional setting due to its large capacity dusk tank, and it would be just as useful in a home shop.

Above I described 3 of the quietest shop vacs, “Best Overall”, “Best for those on a budget”, and our choice for “Runner Up”. If none of the three interest you, keep reading, you’re sure to find one that is right for you.

RYOBI 18-Volt ONE + Lithium-Ion Cordless 3 Gallon

Light weight, quiet shop vac that’s easy to transport to any site

Unique style canister holds 3 gallons of debris.

Powered Ryobi 18-volt ONE plus battery for a desired cordless tool. A battery station comes with this offer.

Easy on-off button on the top of the unit where the hose output is also located.

Even with its small size, it is also a wet vac and has blower capabilities.

*** Click Image Above For Best Price

I’m lovin’ the looks of this little guy! With its dB of only 65 it is going to be a quiet shop vac for the home or on the job.

No more carrying those 20+ pound vacs to the third floor on a construction site. This vac weights only 6.6 pounds and is cordless.

The transparent hose is 6 feet long and 1 ¼ in wide. You can see what’s going on if it ever gets plugged up. There is also an onboard storage option for the hose and two attachments.

You can switch from vacuum to blower by directly attaching a utility accessory to the exhaust output. The battery has a visible gauge, so you always know how much power is available.

Air volume is up to 45 CFM which for this style of quiet shop vac is sufficient. Oh! It also has a 3 year tool warranty. The air filter can be cleaned and replaced by unlocking the top of the unit and lifting it up. There is not dust bag on this model, the debris flows right into the canister.

Factors Increasing the Noise of Shop Vacs

The design of motor used-some motors that are used in constructing a vac are small and make a loud whinny noise

Amps and wattage delivered to the motor-the degree of power sent to a motor can also affect the noise that is put out.

The airflow and suction that is generated- if this feature is obstructed by debris, it affects the suction of the vac and create more noise.

The type and style of the filter- most filters are made of foam and if that get dirty it can constrict the operation of the machine.

Condition and ability of the fan to operate- if operating improperly can cause a strange noise at a higher pitch.

The capacity of the canister—this can vary from 2 gallons up to and over 12 gallons, most will shut off automatically when full and other will produce an increase in sound when full.

Type and construction of hose---if the hose gets bent or smashed it will lessen the flow of debris into the canister and increase the suction noise.

F.A.Q

If you are going to use this vac on big jobs, you want a large capacity canister over 5 gallons.

Quietest Shop Vac Conclusion

Well hopefully you have a better idea of what options you have to buy the quietest shop back that you can work with in your shop or on the job.  Our recommendation is to go with Nilfisk Alto Aero the which has a large 6.6 gallon canister, long water lift and operates at a really below average level of 64 decibels.