1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best overall: Henry HVR160
3. Best for dust: Karcher WD4
4. Best for plaster: Makita VC2512L
5. Best budget vacuum: Vacmaster Wet & Dry
6. Best for spills : Charles CVC370-2
7. Best cordless vacuum: Makita DVC750LZ
8. How to choose
9. How we test
There’s one guarantee that when working on a self-build/DIY project, there’s going to be dust, dirt, and debris lying around at the end of the day. No one wants to drag out a broom and start sweeping; it's slow, boring and messy. That’s why you need one of the best vacuum cleaners for builders to do the hard graft for you.
You might be tempted to use your everyday vacuum during a renovation, but it simply won’t cut it. To remove plaster, building debris, dust, and any liquid spills, you’ll need a heavy-duty wet & dry vacuum capable of handling the task. Here, you’ll find our top picks that will make cleaning up after any project quicker and easier.
The Quick List
Check out our handy short list for a quick overview of the best vacuum cleaners for builders in our roundup. Click the 'Read more below' links to navigate to a detailed review of each selected vacuum.
The Henry HVR160 is a compact, lightweight all-rounder that maintains powerful suction. It has a roomy 6-litre capacity, but you'll need to remember to buy extra bags.
The Karcher WD4 is a versatile wet and dry model that's ideal for dust, rubble, and liquids alike. It boasts a 20-litre capacity, onboard storage, and unique filter system. However, its size and 5-metre cord require ample storage.
This powerful wet and dry vacuum is suitable for heavy materials, including plaster and wood chippings. It's pricier than its competitors – and less versatile for home cleaning – but it excels on busy renovation sites.
This competitively priced builder's vacuum excels at sucking up builder's dust. It addition, it features unique functions, including a blower for leaves and an inflator for mattresses. Its power take-off socket makes it ideal for DIY, allowing activation with power tools and minimising cleanup.
Despite its 15-litre capacity, this model is surprisingly lightweight. Its powerful 1060W motor handles everything from house cleaning to drain unblocking. However, its hose design makes it difficult to store.
A lightweight and portable wet and dry vacuum, perfect for cleaning small spills and dust. It features a neat carry handle and weighs only 4kg. It's quick and simple to empty, but you'll need to buy a nylon filter and swap it out for liquids and spills.
The best overall vacuum cleaner
Henry is an instantly recognisable vacuum brand, but not only is he a design icon, he's also a durable and easy-to-use vacuum cleaner for a renovation site. With strong suction and a variety of fittings, you'll find it simple to vacuum even larger debris.
The HVR160 is a slightly more compact model, making it marginally lighter than other versions of Henry, yet it has the same suction power and a 10-metre cord. This means it has a slightly smaller dust bag than its larger counterparts, such as the Henry HVR200-11 vacuum cleaner available from Amazon, but its 6-litre capacity is more than ample. Just remember to pick up extra dust bags to avoid running short.
The best vacuum cleaner for dust
If you're searching for the best vacuum cleaner for builder's dust, you'll likely encounter wet and dry vacuums. These vacuums are extremely powerful, designed with suction that makes them excellent for dust and rubble, as well as liquids, whether that's water pooled in your weather-exposed extension or paint spills.
Karcher's WD4 vacuum is a prime example, built to handle messes that a standard home vacuum couldn't manage. It comes with plenty of accessories for various tasks, all of which can be stored on the vacuum itself, making it a convenient cleaner to have on your building site.
It features a large 20-litre capacity and an innovative filter system that allows for easy switching between wet and dry functions without the need for changing bags, unlike many vacuums.
However, the cord is quite short at just five metres, and the large capacity results in increased size, which can make storage more challenging, though it's ideal for keeping in a garage or similar.
The best vacuum cleaner for plaster and clay
Makita, the popular power tool brand, may not be your first thought for a vacuum cleaner, but in keeping with the rest of its range, the VC3011L is an excellent option for a busy site.
This wet and dry vacuum is strong enough to pick up heavy materials as well as dust, including gypsum used in plaster, soft wood, plasterboard, and even chippings from worktops such as Corian.
With this extra power comes a higher price, and even when you find a deal on a Makita VC3011L, you'll see it costs around four times more than the cheapest heavy-duty vacuums available on Amazon or at a DIY shop. Additionally, it's less versatile for general household cleaning.
The best budget vacuum
In our opinion, this Vacmaster wet and dry vacuum cleaner is one of the best buys for beating builders' dust. Not only is it a powerful and robust vacuum that holds its own against Henry and all the other vacuums on this list, but it has some interesting extra functions that you can take advantage of.
The blower function can be used as a leaf blower and also to pump up air mattresses — a nice feature to have, but not necessarily a key concern for your building project. However, the power take off is something we think all vacuums should have for the DIY inclined.
A power take off socket is basically where you can plug your power tool (think your best mitre saw or corded drill) and when you power on your tool, it will cause the vacuum cleaner to turn on too. You can connect it up to reduce the amount of dust, sawdust and debris and avoid a major clean-up later on.
The best vacuum cleaner for liquids and spills
Charles is another member of the Numatic vacuum cleaner family; however, unlike Henry (also in this guide), this cleaner is both a wet and dry vacuum, making it a better choice for building sites.
Although the Charles CVC370-2 is significantly larger, with a capacity of up to 15 litres of dry matter, it's actually lighter (when empty) than the smaller Henry vacuums. It also features a powerful 1060W motor that ensures it packs a punch, suitable for everything from light cleaning around your home to unblocking drains.
The best vacuum cleaners for builders' dust tend to be this type of hosed product; however, the size and location of the hose protruding from the cleaner can make storage tricky, especially when space is in short supply.
Best cordless vacuum cleaner
If you want a lightweight and portable wet and dry vacuum, ideal for clearing small spills and dust, then this small but mighty offering from Makita could be just what you need. It won’t be able to deal with heavy-duty cleaning, but it's ideal for small jobs.
It features a handy carry handle and weighs just 4kg. However, the hose length limits how far you can move from the unit. Fully extended, it's just over a metre long.
The bonus of any cordless tool is that you can take it anywhere without worrying about finding a power outlet to use. But, your runtime is restricted; on the high setting, you get more suction, but only for around 30 minutes.
On the low setting, you get double the time, but obviously less suction power. And, you will need to factor in the cost of the battery and charger if you don’t already own any Makita cordless tools.
How to choose the best vacuum cleaners
Not sure what you're looking for in a vacuum cleaner that's up to the job of tackling tough mess creating from a building project. Here's what you should consider:
- Price: While professional vacuum cleaners sometimes come at a high price, it's worthy shopping around to find the best vacuum cleaner deals in order to keep the cost of your house renovation down.
- Bagged vs bagless: A bagged vacuum cleaner means you'll need to buy dust bags separately, but this is easier to empty when full without having to interact with the dust and mess itself
- Power: The stronger the vacuum's motor, the more suction it will have. This will make all the difference when vacuuming up debris from a renovation project.
- Weight: Consider how heavy the vacuum is and how easy it is to transport from room to room. If it's too heavy, you'll be unable to use it in some areas, such as the stairs.
- Cord length: A short cord means limited movement and more unplugging of the vacuum, something that can be particularly irksome when you've only got a few sockets live during a renovation.
- Wet and dry vacuums: Many powerful vacuums suited to building mess are wet and dry. In most systems, you'll need to change bags in order to use the wet function, but it's a useful tool to have at your disposal for water-based issues.
- Storage: Many vacuum cleaners with good suction are large and can be difficult to store. You might even consider this as part of your renovation, ensuring there's a dedicated space in the utility room for vacuum cleaner storage.
It's also worth noting that most of these vacuums are perfectly suited to domestic life after your renovation project has ended.
How we test vacuum cleaners
Choosing the best vacuum cleaner for builders' dust and debris is no easy task, but the Homebuilding & Renovating team is here to guide you through the process with our hands-on experience and rigorous testing procedures.
In our reviews, we delve deep into key features:
- Bagged vs bagless: Evaluating the convenience of bagged versus bagless systems and the cleanliness of the emptying process.
- Suction strength: Measuring the motor strength and suction efficiency for handling renovation debris.
- Weight and portability: Testing the weight and portability across challenging spaces.
- Cord length: Gauging the practicality of cord lengths, especially in socket-limited renovations.
- Switching functions: Assessing the ease of switching between wet and dry functions.
- Storage: Considering the storage requirements of high-suction vacuums, ensuring they fit seamlessly into your cupboards or garage.
Our passionate team has an in-depth understanding of the leading vacuum brands and the unique demands of DIY and home improvements. So, you can trust in our insights to ensure you're equipped with the best tools for your brilliant home renovation project.
