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Woodworking is a lot of fun. No wonder a woodworker can spend hours in his or her workshop without even knowing it. At the same time, it’s messy, and being around all that sawdust for long can be more than irritating. It’s not good for your health and can be especially damaging to your respiratory system.
Maintain a safe environment in your workshop by investing in the best dust collector. While it’s true that most of the modern woodworking tools come with built-in dust collectors, not every device in your workshop will have one. It’s better to get a specialized dust collector to keep your surroundings clear of sawdust no matter what tool you are using.
There are plenty of dust collectors in the market to choose from. They vary with their size, price range, company, and tons of other factors. Read these dust collector reviews that we have put together for you. Hopefully, with our guidance, you will be able to pick something that suits your workshop.
Top Rated Dust Collector Reviews
| Dust Collector Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Editor's PickJet DC-1100VX-5M Dust Collector 1.5HP 1PH 115/230-Volt 5-Micron Bag Filter Kit
| LATEST PRICE → |
 | SHOP FOX W1685 1.5-Horsepower 1,280 CFM Dust Collector
| LATEST PRICE → |
 | SHOP FOX W1727 1 HP Dust Collector
| LATEST PRICE → |
 | Festool 583492 CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor
| LATEST PRICE → |
 | Grizzly Industrial G8027-1 HP Dust Collector
| LATEST PRICE → |
Jet DC-1100VX-5M Dust Collector 1.5HP 1PH 115/230-Volt 5-Micron Bag Filter Kit – Editor’s Pick
Jet has brought forth a long line of dust collection tools in the market, each one gaining excellent response by the customers. Jet DC-1100VX-5M is by far the best dust collector they have produced.
Equipped with Vortex Cone technology, Jet DC-1100VX-5M is an efficient dust collection system that can keep your workshop free of sawdust even when working with heavy-duty power tools. The purpose of the Vortex Cone is to prevent the filter from clogging. It does so by improving the separation of the chip. This increases the dust collection efficiency of the machine since the collection bag will be capable of packing more dust in less space.
This dust collector is driven by a powerful motor of 1.5 HP and includes a 5.3 cubic feet dust collection bag to store all the sawdust that you will empty once the job is done. The heavy-duty motor makes it possible to collect dust at a rate of 1100 CFM. At this rate, your workshop will be cleared within minutes, even if it was covered with sawdust when you started the cleanup.
The snap rings make it simple to remove and reinstall the dust collection bag for taking out the sawdust. Adding to the convenience, four heavy-duty casters are included as well, which make the unit mobile. You can quickly move the dust collector around your workshop and clear the entire area of dust.
Pros: Excellent suction rate, easy-to-use design, quiet operation, and durable parts are some of the positive highlights of the product.
Cons: The components that hold the bag in place aren’t too strong, and the price is a bit high.
SHOP FOX W1685 1.5-Horsepower 1,280 CFM Dust Collector – Best Choice
Equipped with a 1.5 HP motor, SHOP FOX W1685 is a powerful machine that excels as picking dust created by any woodworking tool. It comes at a reasonable price. It’s packed with all the features that are essential for maintaining a clean environment in your workshop.
The powerful motor operates at 3450 RPM and sucks in sawdust at a phenomenal rate of 1280 CFM. This rate suggests that it can clean the entire place within minutes and includes a generous dust collection bag, 5.4 cubic feet in volume. This size of collection bag will be sufficient to clear most workshops, and the chances are that you will not need to empty it during the cleanup.
Besides the speedy performance of this dust collector, it has plenty of intelligent features that make it easy to use. The 2.5-micron dust collection bag is translucent so that you are well-informed of the remaining capacity that can be utilized. Once it’s filled up, it can be emptied within seconds. The power switch at the front of the unit is accessible at all times, while the base rollers make it easier to move the unit.
There’s also a 2-year warranty with the product that further makes it a reliable purchase. With all the fantastic features, the price isn’t too high.
Pros: Large capacity dust bag, micron filters to keep the air healthy, durable structure, and ease of use.
Cons: It’s a bit heavy and creates noise while operating.
SHOP FOX W1727 1 HP Dust Collector – Best Budget Buy
Here is another model by SHOP FOX that deserves a spot on our list and for good reasons. As compared to SHOP FOX W1685 that you’ll find at the top of this list, SHOP FOX W1727 is a smaller, portable, and more affordable dust collector. You’ll especially find it preferable if you have a smaller area to clean.
Equipped with a single-phase 1HP motor, the dust collector is powerful enough to collect dust at a rate as high as 800 CFM. At this rate, the machine quickly clears the area of dust and collects inside a 2.5-micron filter bag. The 2.1 cubic feet capacity of the collection bag is sufficient for a small workshop. If you have a larger space to cover, you will need to empty the collection bag at intervals.
With the quick disconnect clamp, the lower bag is easy to remove whenever you want to empty the system of the sawdust. The purpose of the upper bag is to filter 2.5 microns of dust from the air and passes it down to the lower bag to collect with the rest of the sawdust.
Additionally, the device features a safety switch and a removable key using which you can lock the device once you are done using it. This unique feature makes it a preferred option for users who share their workshops with others.
The base is portable and includes casters for easier mobility. You can use the dust collector as a stationary or mobile unit, depending on the cleaning job at hand. Handles are also included to transport the unit conveniently.
SHOP FOX has used durable parts in the construction for reliable operation even if you use it frequently. A 2-year warranty backs the dust collector by the company so you can put complete confidence in its quality.
Pros: It is compact, affordable, powerful, mobile, and produces little noise while operating.
Cons: The size of the bag and the power aren’t sufficient for larger shops.
Festool 583492 CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor
If you don’t want a bulky dust collector and would prefer over it a more compact, portable unit that can also clean from under the cabinets and other tight spots, Festool 583492 will serve you best.
Being one of the most modern dust collectors in the industry, it’s easy to move around the place. It features adjustable suction and automatic start to make your work as convenient as possible.
Operating at the lowest suction setting, the dust collector collects at 137 CFM. In this setting, it works at 62dBs only, which isn’t too loud for a dust collector. Conventional dust collectors are much louder than this.
The large, ergonomically designed wheels make it easier to move while the 11.5-foot anti-static hose collects the dust from the place. There is, additionally, a parking lock that will lock the wheels in place to prevent unnecessary sliding when you want the unit to be stationary.
It works much like a vacuum cleaner, other than the fact that the suction is much stronger for faster cleaning of dust and is installed with HEPA filters. These filters have proven to remove 99.9% of the dust from your workplace. With this, the machine maintains as healthy an environment as possible.
As for the dust collection bag, it features a 6.9-gallon capacity and is self-cleaning to remove dust between the cycles and allow a longer runtime for maximum efficiency of the machine.
Pros: It features a contemporary and compact design with large wheels and is convenient to use.
Cons: It’s rather expensive and the features are limited.
Grizzly Industrial G8027-1 HP Dust Collector
Grizzly offers this powerful dust collector at a surprisingly low price for keeping your workshop free of sawdust. It’s the best dust collector for you if you are looking for an affordable unit that you can use on shared facilities. It’s the safety switch with a removable key that makes it a preferred pick for use on shared facilities since unauthorized people won’t be able to use it without the key.
The single-phase, 1 HP motor makes it a heavy-duty dust collection system that collects dust at a good speed and quickly clears the area of sawdust. The air suction capacity produced by the motor is 500 CFM, and all the collected dust is captured inside a 30-micron filtration bag.
There’s a separate upper and lower bag to filter the air of dust breaking it down to 30 Microns and delivering it to the lower bag that collects sawdust. The total collection capacity is two cubic feet, which is large enough to clear a small workshop in a single go without the need to empty the bag at intervals.
Furthermore, the green powder coating on the exterior gives it a long-lasting finish. The steel base and steel impeller further add to its durability. There’s a standard 1-year warranty that safeguards your purchase. Additionally, the base will include durable casters that roll smoothly an make the structure mobile for more comfortable dust collection.
Pros: It is low in price, durable, portable, and includes security features to prevent unauthorized use.
Cons: The suction capacity of the dust collector is low, its dust bag is small, and the high weight makes it somewhat difficult to move.
Final Verdict
Health isn’t something that you can take lightly. It is, therefore, essential that you pick the best dust collector for your shop. There are plenty of options in the market but the 5 dust collectors we have reviewed above are by far the best models, taking into consideration a number of factors. Other than minimizing the risks associated with sawdust in your workshop, a good dust collector must also be convenient to use, economical and compact enough to be stored easily. The model that caters all these factors in the best possible manner is Jet DC-1100VX-5M Dust Collector 1.5HP. We crown this dust collector by Jet as the best dust collector of 2020. Housed with a 1.5 HP motor, it is powerful and can collect dust at an excellent speed. The dust collection bag is large and easy to detach and reattach. Even with the impressive performance, the size isn’t too large and can be stored easily inside a small shop.