Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita dominate the professional cordless tool market. All three sell cordless vacs and dust collection accessories. But the three are not interchangeable, and a brand name does not tell you your port size. Tool makers change port sizes between models, and sometimes within one line.
Here is what to compare, and what to measure.
What to Compare
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Does the tool you want have a dust port at all? | Some tools in every line have a port and some only have a bag or a chute |
| Does the maker sell a cordless vac on the same battery? | A shared battery means fewer chargers and less to carry |
| What filter does the vac use? | Fine sanding dust needs HEPA |
| How big is the canister? | A small canister is fine for cleanup and tool capture, but fills fast on a long job |
Milwaukee M18 FUEL
Milwaukee sells a range of M18 FUEL cordless vacs, from compact to larger and PACKOUT-style units. They share the M18 battery with the M18 tool line. Compare capacity, filter, and weight on the maker's own spec sheet.
DeWalt 20V MAX and FLEXVOLT
DeWalt sells a compact cordless vac and a larger FLEXVOLT one. The two are different sizes, so an adapter made for one vac hose may not suit the other. Measure the hose end on the vac you own.
Makita LXT 18V and XGT 40V
Makita sells a compact cordless vac and a larger one for longer sessions. The larger one includes a HEPA filter as standard. Measure the hose end on the vac you own before you order a part.
Which Brand Is Best for Dust Collection?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you already own. The best cordless platform for dust collection is usually the one whose batteries are already in your shop.
For the best dust capture at the tool, a dedicated extractor such as a Festool CT system captures more fine dust than a basic shop vac. That is a different price tier, and its hose end does not match tools from other brands without an adapter.
Measure, Do Not Assume
Whichever brand you run, the steps are the same:
- Measure across the inside of your tool's dust port with calipers or a ruler. If the port is a stub, measure the outside.
- Measure the end of your vac hose the same way.
- Give us the two numbers and we print the adapter to them.
If you own a mix of brands, measure each tool separately. Two brands can look alike and still differ by a few millimeters. Our size guide shows how, and the brand pages for Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita have more. For a starting point, the 1-1/4 in. size page and the 36mm size page show what we print at each size. When you are ready, Build My Adapter.
For a starting point, the port size pages show what we print at each size. Your own measurement is what decides the part.
