Ridgid or Craftsman wet/dry Vac?

[marchboom]

I will be buying a wet/dry vac soon and have narrowed it down to the Ridgid WD1450, 14 gal unit and the Craftsman model 17762, 20 gal vac. Was wondering from the posters here which one would be a better unit. I will be using it for the average home shop projects, the cars, etc.

Thanks

[garager]

I do have the craftsman and it's the best I've had yet, lots of power and holding capacity. Since I use it with one of my table saw I don't have to empty it all the time. I don't own the Ridgid so I could not compare the two and tell you which one is the best. Good luck, there will be others to let you know about Ridgid.

[SCBOB]

I have the Ridgid 12 gal. 5HP and suggest going for the craftsman.
Take another look at sears tools front page, they have a special today.

[Woussko]

That model Craftsman is a big 20 gallon vac. The Ridgid you mention is a 14 gallon. In the online listing of the Craftsman it shows large dirt collection bags which are nice if you suck up lots of fine dust with it. When it comes to Ridgid and bags, you'll need to look at their 16 gallon WD1850. If you don't mind the size of the Craftsman, I would go for it. Also, Sears has far more in accessories even though they are made in the same factory. People that do have Ridgid brand vacs would do well to check the Sears tool catalog for bags, filters and other accessories. If you go to Home Depot or Sears in person, look over all the models they have. You might want to set a given size and look again. The big 20 gallon machines get heavy when full and they take up room.

[SWLigler]

I've had the same Craftsman for over 15 years. It's a real work horse and has never given me a moments trouble.

Steve

[Wild Weasel]

They're both made by the same company so I'd expect quality to be identical. Just pick the one that's got the features you want at the best price.

[CWSmith]

I have the Ridgid 12 gal vac. I like its power, as it certainly has great suction and the motor is not too loud either. The warranty is better than it's Craftsman cousin, but either one would be a great choice in my opinion.

As far as size goes, this is about as large as I'd want and still maintain portablity, especially if your need to use it outside the shop. Going up and down stairs a bigger unit can be bothersome.

The one thing I do not like about this particular Ridgid is that the top doesn't seal down when moving it around (motor off - when motor is on, it seals great). Subsequently, when you pick it up and move it, dust drops from the seal area.

CWS

[Roadrunner]

I've had my 16 gal Ridgid for a while now, and I'll tell you it really sucks, in a good way. I upgraded to the gore-tex filter, since it's easier to clean. The detachable blower is a plus too.

[amcnerl]

Roadrunner,

A gore-tex filter??? I've never heard of that. Was it expensive and worth the money??? Where did you purchase it?? Sorry for all the questions... I have the same vac as you. The filter is a PITA to clean, anything easier, I'm all for it.

[marchboom]

Decided to get the Ridgid 14 gal. vac. Much quieter than my friend's Craftsman vac. I added the Muffler/defuser and it takes away some of the noise. Very powerful too. Totally satisfied, so far.

Thanks to everyone for their advice.