What is a wet/dry vacuum used for?

[OM2]

Sounds like a dumb question.
Seen on sale for £40 in Lidl.
Screwfix have one for £45.

What do people use these vacs for?
Do they suck up things you wouldn't want to use your precious Dyson on?

Just wondering.

 

[Burnerman]

Sucking out silted drains, loft tanks, anywhere there are wet nasties!
Great for blocked showers too.
John

 

[CACKATALLTRADES]

Saves washing up a colander when you're doing spaghetti

 

[thomp1983]

I've seen several plumbers drain down a system at the boiler with them instead of running a hose off a rad

 

[bernardgreen]

Used an Aqua vac to remove the very wet slurry from the bottoms of the holes we were digging for pile foundations.

 

[foxhole]

Sounds like a dumb question.
Seen on sale for £40 in Lidl.
Screwfix have one for £45.

What do people use these vacs for?
Do they suck up things you wouldn't want to use your precious Dyson on?

Just wondering.

Dyson = paper weight

 

[HERTS P&D]

Unblocking sinks, basins and baths.

Andy

 

[CBW]

What do people use these vacs for?
Do they suck up things you wouldn't want to use your precious Dyson on?

As you can see from the replies, they’re mainly used on wet applications by plumbers. They’re capable of both as you can see, but generally have to change the filter. I have a Lidl one, plastic, iirc the latest is metal. I use mine sometimes when changing boiler components or if soldering and need to get water out of the pipe.

 

[OM2]

Thanks for the replies guys
And here I was itching to get one ‍‍

@foxhole
Dyson = paper weight?
What would you recommend is the best vacuum? Henry? (Used by all commercial cleaners I see.)
Would like to know. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

What would you recommend is the best vacuum? Henry? (Used by all commercial cleaners I see.)

The commercial cleaners I've come across use stuff like Nilfisk (all aluminium and heavy duty), Alto and Karcher. Makita backpack cordesses are also making inroads into the market for cleaning buses, coaches and trains, etc where there may not be mains power - at least I've seen them in quite a few places in the last 12 months. Henry (Numatic) aren't as popular as they once were, although the hire fleets still seem to like them

 

[blup]

Thanks for the replies guys
And here I was itching to get one ‍‍

@foxhole
Dyson = paper weight?
What would you recommend is the best vacuum? Henry? (Used by all commercial cleaners I see.)
Would like to know. Thanks.

I use Nilfisk, very robust, long lead and hose, pto, and reasonably priced hepa quality filters. Much much cheaper than the Makita etc equivalents

https://www.screwfix.com/p/nilfisk-aero-26-21-pc-1250w-25ltr-wet-dry-vacuum-cleaner-240v/66972

Blup

 

[foxhole]

Thanks for the replies guys
And here I was itching to get one ‍‍

@foxhole
Dyson = paper weight?
What would you recommend is the best vacuum? Henry? (Used by all commercial cleaners I see.)
Would like to know. Thanks.

Have the GEORGE , wet version of a Henry and a great carpet cleaner .

 

[OM2]

All of the mentioned vacuums are super expensive

QUESTION: why would you want a vacuum with a bag?
Is the pain of having to have a bag worth it?

I looked on Amazon. They have Amazon Essentials branded vacuums. Really highly rated and cheap compared to buying most of the mentioned.

£250 vs £60 Amazon vacuum - is it really 4x better?

 

[CBW]

£250 vs £60 Amazon vacuum - is it really 4x better?

Amazon one is dearer than Lidl

 

[OM2]

@CBW I guessed the Lidl one would be pants and have low suction and not be good for a general cleaner?
There's loads of other places where you can get wet/dry vacs. Screwfix have one for £45 for example.