Shop-Vac 201-14 1-Gallon Mini Hang-Up Wet/Dry Vacuum
by Shop-Vac Corp
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List Price: Our Price: $29.99 You Save: $38.77 (56%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $27.99 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Shop-Vac 201-14 1-Gallon Mini Hang-Up Wet/Dry Vacuum
Customer Review: Saved a urine-soaked mattress!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this (well, actually the one I bought was 1.5 gallon for $30 because they were all out of the 1 gallon mini) in hopes of a cheap solution to a terrible problem: my kid wet the bed several times, and I didn't know because each day, the sheets, etc had all dried out.. but underneath, when I lifted the foam mattress-topper, was a horror-show: a giant yucky orange circle of stinky dampness, with gross black edges where it had started to mold in the summer heat! I hadn't smelled it because I guess the mattress topper covered it! UGH!!!!
So I hoped this vacuum would work like a high-powered carpet steamer, except I would spray the cleaning solution on, then use the wetdry vac to suck it all out of the mattress. Worked beyond my wildest expectations! After I was done, the mattress showed no stains or smells, and once it dried, you couldn't tell anything had ever happened! Needless to say I got a mattress protector after that, but this vacuum is so powerful, it's great for anything from mattresses to furniture, for nasty wet food spills, bodily accidents, etc. It can get all that out of carpet, mattress, upholstery, etc.
I agree with others who say it has a short cord and suction nozzle, but for these little jobs where you need great suction power, the ability to pull wet nasty messes out of anything, but don't need a full-scale steam cleaning machine in there, it's perfect. It will tip over on a mattress, so I hold the unit with one hand while using the other to direct the suction head. If I have to, I can use an extension cord.
I'm no longer worried about kids vomiting on the couch when ill, or occasional accidents, or anything else life brings, because this takes care of it, right then, and hangs on the wall nice and tidy til next time. Best $30 I ever spent. Easy enough to clean, compared to the giant Bissel green clean machine I once owned. Parents, take note. This could be your best little buddy. I'm trying it in the backseat next, where kool-aide met with cookies and had moldy offspring on a hot summer day behind the booster seats. Spray bottle in one hand, mini wetdry vac in the other, I can do anything.
Customer Review: Its OK
Summary: 3 Stars
This Shop Vac is OK. The bigger, more expensive models are more powerful, but thats to be expected. Unfortunately, with Shop Vacs, you inevidibly, compromise power and performance when you go for the smaller models.
What I like about this vacuum:
1. Its lightweight-easy to carry around, especially when cleaning the car. I occasionally use it indoors as well.
2. I've used it a few times. If you clean the filter (or whatever it is that they tell you to empty and clean after each use) as recommended then the vacuum maintains its "full strength" power (as time goes by, it does lose strength when you're using it, but thats due to its small "holding" capacity-it can't stomach 16 lbs. of debris).
3. Price. Hey I paid ~$30, so I can't expect the performance of an industrial strength commercial cleaner or even my household canister that cost a few hundred bucks. But for the price, its a nice little tool for little jobs.
What I don't like about it:
1. It seems to blow a lot of dust around sometimes. But this may have more to do with how you hold it then the product itself. Because when I was cleaning my car, I'd notice sometimes an area that I had just cleaned would be dirty a few minutes later. And I think this was in part due to the how the vacuum was positioned because there is a part of it that vents out air which I think is responsible for blowing around debris and dirtying areas that had just been cleaned. So be mindful of how the vacuum is sitting or how you're holding it and you will be OK.
2. Not a lot of power. But like I said-for $30, I didn't buy this with unrealistic expectations. In fact, I was more impressed with what I got for the price, then anything.
3. Not place to store attachments-but hey, its a small vacuum made to be portable so I understand that there isn't room for that.
Customer Review: For power and convenience this can't be beat.
Summary: 4 Stars
I have one of these I used in my work as a contractor. For small jobs it was outstanding. put it right in the top of the tool bucket. It is unbelievably powerful for it's size, equals or beats many full sized vacs.
As far as the clogging other reviewers are complaining about, it will clog with wood shavings, so does my Euroclean shop vac, anything short of a big vac with a 2"+ hose will. This is a small vac designed for things like sawdust,sand,dog hair. if you have a big pile of debris use a broom, or lug out the full size vac. Sure the cord is short, but what do you want for the money.
the good
+Power, and plenty of it. Nothing is worse then a wimpy vac.
+size, tiny and very easy to carry
+price this thing would be a good deal if it was half again as much.
+ guarantee- I had a part break after almost a year and they sent a new one-free
Not so good
-it is messy to empty if your not careful. It's best to do it over a trash can.
-the filter system is a bit lame, the paper is hard to get on properly and if it gets off center it can leak and blow dust out, this is the reason I got a dewalt dual powered vac. the dewalt has a standard filter cartridge.(it also has about 25-30% less power and costs more then 3x as much) If the 1x1 came with a better filter I would pay double for it.
Customer Review: Limited Usefulness
Summary: 1 Stars
I planned on using this attach to the dust collector port of various power tools but it kept tipping over and had to be reset. So then I tried leaving it in the mount and put a hose extension on.
It didn't generate enough suction to do the job. I ended up picking up an old shop vac at a second-hand store. I suppose this is the right tool for some job, but I can't figure out what it is. The small capacity and difficulty in opening the cover makes it impractical for cleaning up spills. You're better off with a mop.
Pros:
It's cute
Target let me return it for a full refund
Cons:
Messy to empty
Difficult to attach hose
Difficult to open cover
Filter has to be cleaned often
Short hose length, adding an extension dramatically decreases suction.
Tips very easily. When it tips over the unit has to be turned off and back on to restore suction once its uprighted. Essentially you have to carry the machine in one hand and vacuum with the other.
Suction is less than my Dirt Devil M085590RED Featherlite Bagged Upright Vacuum Cleaner.
Loud - comparable to a full size shop vac, but higher pitched
Customer Review: Stink Bugs
Summary: 4 Stars
We purchased this mini shop vac for the office where stink bugs keep popping up. At one point, we were trying to catch them and take them outside, but it took too much time. We've researched bug vacs but all of the reviews say they weren't powerful enough to suck up a stink bug. We saw this mini shop vac and thought it was small enough to keep in the office, but powerful enough to quickly rid of the pests.
When we received the mini shop vac, the first thing we did was removed the foam filter from the inner canister. We realized with the attachments, the hose wasn't long enough to reach the ceiling...the place the pests like the most. We simply brought an attachment (from an old vacuum) from home. This resolved the short hose issue.
Then one day, our first victim appeared. We jumped into action with the mini shop vac and sucked the stink bug right up. We opened the canister and the pest was dead. Took the canister to the bathroom and flushed the remains.
Cons: Hose not quite long enough....power cord is a bit short....and with power comes noise, just like a larger version of a shop vac.
Pros: A solution to the stink bug problem....Cheap and easy extermination!