Dust Collection Machine Comparisons
Three kinds of machine pull dust away from your tools, and they are not the same. These guides put them side by side so you can match one to the work you actually do.
The Short Version
- Shop vac
- Moves a small amount of air very hard. Good for handheld tools, spills, and cleanup.
- Dust extractor
- The same idea built for tool dust. Finer filters, suction you can dial down, and an outlet that starts it when your tool runs.
- Dust collector
- Moves a huge amount of air gently. Built for big machines like a table saw, planer, or jointer.
Shop Vac vs Dust Extractor vs Dust Collector
Three machines, three jobs. What separates a shop vac, a dust extractor, and a dust collector, which tools need which, and what each one really costs.
Start here if: You are not sure which kind of machine your shop needs yet.
Read the comparison →Shop Vac vs Dust Extractor
Shop vac or dust extractor, side by side. Price, filtration, noise, hose sizes, and auto start, with the specific models each one suits.
Start here if: You already know you want a hose on a handheld tool and you are picking between two machines.
Read the comparison →Picked a machine? The hose still has to reach the tool.
Tool ports and hose ends almost never match out of the box. Tell us your tool and your hose and we print the part that joins them, made in the USA.