Ridgid has actually totally overhauled the Ridgid wet/dry vacuum line so there is a total of 12 new wet/dry vacuums in all (these are in addition to the Ridgid “Orange” vacs at home centers). The new Pro series offers several compact options in 4-6 gallon range as well as some nice specialty options for HEPA, stainless steel tank and a couple 2 stage options. One of the really interesting options that caught our eye was the 16 gallon Motor-On-Bottom 1650RV ($189) which has a couple of very nice features that make it a smart option for professionals.
By putting the Motor-On-Bottom “MOB” there are some obvious advantages such as the center of gravity is lower and more importantly emptying the full load is much lighter/easier. With heavy duty wheels, solid construction, powerful suction and somewhat muffled sound this unit performs much more like the $500+ vacuums we have tested. While is does lack the pulse technology and it doesn’t offer plug-in control on/off with your other power tools it does have a very handy foot peddle switch to leave both hands free. It also features the only quick-access debris door we’ve seen on a vac which could be very handle.
When it comes to professional wet/dry vacuums there are certainly a lot of options as there needs to be with so many different applications. The Ridgid professional series offers 12 very nice options for an everyday user who needs a good quality unit. Give the guys at Ohio Power Tool 800-242-4424 a call if you’ve got any questions about dust collection, wet/dry vacs, HEPA options or any other vacuum questions.
