A budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner is an essential for every car owner. As enjoyable and rewarding as car ownership can be, it can also be, regrettably, rather unpredictable. Most motorists squirm over the perils of the natural world while on the road, but it’s within the cabin where the real terror can take place. A poorly secured drink goes flying around a tight bend, a passenger reacquaints themselves with their breakfast under heavy braking – whatever the incident, you’ll want to address the situation fast and to do that, you’ll need a great vacuum cleaner. Want our advice? Start with a budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner.
A wet and dry vacuum cleaner is a vacuum capable of sucking up both liquids and solids, making it a very versatile piece of cleaning equipment. No matter whether you’re lifting crumbs, dust, or spilt liquid – a wet and dry vac is the only piece of equipment that you need. Unfortunately, however, the majority of them don’t come cheap.
The best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaners at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Wessex 18L Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner 230V – Buy now from Toolstation
Best lightweight budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner: Draper 90107 Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner for quality: Kärcher Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner – Buy now from Amazon UK
Given the quality of the components onboard, wet, and dry vacuum cleaners tend to be more expensive than their regular dry vac counterparts, but not all of them are necessarily so. There are still several models on the market that you could pick up today, even on our budget. To save you time, we’ve found the best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaners.
The best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaners
Editor’s pick
Pros
- Huge capacity
- Great value
Cons
- Unwieldy given size
| Weight: | 5.7kg |
| Capacity: | 18L |
| Power: | 1300W |
| Corded: | Yes |
Best lightweight budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner
Pros
- Good capacity
- Easy to transport
Cons
- More cumbersome unit
| Weight: | 4.8kg |
| Capacity: | 15L |
| Power: | 1250W |
| Corded: | Yes |
Best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner for quality
Pros
- Versatile
- Lightweight
Cons
- Other options with a similar price tag may offer more power
| Weight: | 4.25kg |
| Capacity: | 12L |
| Power: | 180AW |
| Corded: | Yes |
Best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner for capacity
Pros
- Powerful
- Huge capacity
Cons
- Not the most portable
| Weight: | N/A |
| Capacity: | 30L |
| Power: | 1500W |
| Corded: | Yes |
Best wet and dry vacuum cleaner for portability
Pros
- Very portable
- Perfect for reaching awkward areas
Cons
- Tiny capacity
| Weight: | 0.61kg |
| Capacity: | 0.38L |
| Power: | Not specified |
| Corded: | No |
The best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaners: FAQs
What happens if I use a normal vacuum on liquid?
If your vacuum isn’t rated to suck up liquid, you could cause some serious damage to the internals if you proceed to do so. Wet and dry vacs, especially robust corded units, feature robust internal mechanisms that are fit to process water.
Should your vac not contain such equipment and you vacuum water anyway, a leak may occur that could short-circuit the electrical motor, causing a fire in the most extreme case. We would always recommend only using a vacuum cleaner to address liquid spills if it specifies that it is capable of doing so.
Can I use a wet vac on any liquid?
So long as the liquids you’re clearing aren’t flammable, your wet vac should be okay to use on just about any liquid. It may struggle to lift more viscous liquids or thicker debris, but with the right amount of power behind it, a wet vac should do the trick. In the event of a fuel or oil spill, you should absorb the spillage rather than try to suck it up. Stains to upholstery can be dealt with using a spot cleaner.
Seth Walton is an Autos Product Writer for Parkers and CAR, specialising in car cleaning and motorsport. He also contributes to What’s The Best with interests in audio equipment and technology.
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