Best Dust Collectors for a Small Shop - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide
by Scott Miller Updated on
Many people would not think about buying a dust collector when they open a shop.
This is due to the fact that there are a lot of tools which have inbuilt dust collectors and it is more affordable purchasing one machine which will do two or more tasks.
As you are reading this, you are probably in need of one, so you are researching dust collectors available on the market.
These tools are important and investing in one can be a vise choice, if you pick the right model suitable for your needs.
The reason why these devices are of great significance is not only the cleanliness of the shop, but also the fact that dust can cause a huge health hazard to a person working there.
A regular vacuum cleaner can do the cleaning, but it would not be good enough.
They lack a duct bag big enough for heavy-duty work.
So, we have created a list of the best dust collectors in order to make purchasing your dust collector a lot easier.
When we speak about woodworking dust collectors, the Jet DC-1100VX-5M is the first one that comes to our mind as it is a device not too loud which cleans up even the smallest of debris.
This dust collector has great qualities – 1.5 horse-power and a fan, designed to prevent overheating.
It is equipped by the special Vortex Cone technology whose aim is to eliminate any filter clogging and allow the dust collector to be easily used and cleaned.
Furthermore, it improves the performance and durability of the machine.
This model of dust collectors does not require regular cleaning as it effectively packs the dust in the bag.
Being that its weight is just over 8lbs, you can move it easily.
Without drawbacks, this is the model you are suggested to buy.
If we think about a dust collector, portability is what comes to our mind as an important characteristic of a good device.
While some dust collectors can be too heavy and it would be difficult to carry it around, this manufacturer has created the Festool 583492 model, which is definitely the best portable dust collector available.
Once you take a look at its features, you will notice that it has an adjustable suction with an on-off switch, an 11-foot long anti-static flexible hose and the large wheels.
The wheels enable the user to easily move about and move the machine wherever it is necessary, and the device is not of a great size, meaning that it does not take too much space.
The only disadvantage is its price, as it is a lot more expensive than you might expect to be.
Being that the price is high, you might want to check for some other models of a good quality which are not so expensive.
If you are a person who has a limited budget or do not want to invest too much money in a dust collector, then the third model on our list is certainly for you.
The SHOP FOX W1685 model is an affordable and budget dust collector which is portable and you will be able to work with it wherever you want.
It is true that people avoid buying low-cost products believing that a low price is due to the bad quality of the device.
However, with the SHOP FOX W1685 that is not the case.
When we speak about its advantages, it can be said that it is an effective machine with a first-class filter and a 1.5 horsepower motor.
As it does not come with a new micron-bag or switch, buying this additional equipment can cost you a lot of money that you initially have saved by purchasing a low-cost device.
This model is designed for those who are aware of the damage that dust can cause to their health, but, at the same time, want to save some money.
The fourth on our list is a dust collector which is a lot bigger than other models.
We are speaking about the Grizzly G1028Z2 Dust Collector Machine whose producers claim that its suction and power is better than the average.
This model boasts with a large micron-bag for filtration, but it cannot boast with its price as the quality you get for that amount of money is not great.
The good features of this model are definitely the horsepower of 1.5 and portable wheels.
The main disadvantages are its size and weight and it would be troublesome transporting it.
Furthermore, smaller areas are unreachable by this huge device and it requires quite a lot of space to store it.
Last, but not the least, this model is coated in is scratch-resistant and erosion free color which is a huge bonus.
For those people wondering which model is the best, we can say that even though it is on the last place of our list, this model is also worth consideration.
The reason why it is not on a better position is the fact that we would recommend it to people who want to waste their money on it.
We came across so many negative reviews and the only positive thing said is that the device does its job.
The Grizzly G8027 1 HP producers claim that it is designed for small dust and debris, but the users say that it is not at all efficient.
Its durability is in question and due to its heavy weight and small wheels, it is not easily moved around.
The device requires larger sized wheels and less than 67lbs weight.
So, when all this weaknesses are taken into consideration, its low price does not make much sense.
Everyone would avoid buying this product once he/she gets familiar with all the cons.
You should look for a better quality product which will offer durability, reliability and affordability.
Dust Collectors for a Small Shop: The Ultimate Buying Guide
What we offer you in this part of the article are very useful tips on buying a dust collector.
Even though it is not such a great investment, you would still want to make sure you are going to buy a quality product.
In order not to waste your time an effort going through various websites in search of specifications , we are giving you a guide which will be of great help to you in making a decision which dust collector model to buy.
What should I have in mind when buying a dust collector?
Consider all your options – As producers are doing their best to make the most efficient dust collector of all, you can choose among various models and brands offered on the market.
Being that your budget plays a very important role, you might have enough money for a certain expensive brand, but if you go through other options, you might come across a even better model for a similar price.
What you have to do is a research is, no matter if you think that this is not such a big purchase for your small store.
In many small shops, home hoovers would do the job, but if you consider that they are not satisfactory, you will have to look at dust collectors.
Go with a model that is small and compact – Deliberating on the space necessary for a dust collector to be put, we came to a conclusion that in the majority of small shops storage is precious and small and compact dust collectors are a better option than those larger ones.
Maybe, a more bulky dust collector would have more power and it would be cheaper, but if you want to invest a little more and have no trouble with the lack of space, you should get a smaller designed one.
Try a two-stage system rather than a one-stage– Dust collectors can have a single-stage or two-stage systems.
The fact is that one-stage collectors are cheaper than two-stage but at the same time not as efficient and may not filter as well as two-stage ones.
Two-stage systems will do the job properly because they can filter bigger chips and don’t clog the filters with larger pieces of debris.
What are the things that should be considered prior to purchasing it?
Before you buy your dust collector, you should go through specifications of certain model and in the majority of cases, people do not understand those technical terms written on the specification list.
Here, we give you a short explanation of important characteristics related to dust collectors.
Size of the filter – Due to the fact that the size of the filter determines how much the dust collector collects this is one of important aspects of this device.
As there is a difference between one-stage systems and two-stage systems, we have to mention that single-stage collectors have 30-micron bags not very useful for small dust particles which are more dangerous for our health than those smaller ones.
Make sure not to choose anything smaller than 10 microns if you want the smallest particles to be effectively removed.
The producers are investing a lot in making better models, and it is possible to get particles as small as 0.3 microns, but the most frequent models boasts with 0.5 microns, which considered satisfactory.
Furthermore, pay attention that there are some cheaper models of collectors with a higher micron’s level which do not pick up the small pieces of debris and dust.
Know the terminology – The majority of people who are not into that field would not know certain words mentioned in specifications, such as static pressure resistance, cubic feet per minute and drop.
You have to know what they mean in dust collector terminology and in terms of workshop.
Micron is an important word to understand being that this is the unit of measure for dust particles.
The price and the quality of the product – Besides quality features the price is very significant and people do not want to waste too much money on dust collector model which will stop working in a short period of time.
The reviews offered by both satisfied and dissatisfied users would be of great help to show you whether the quality of the model is good and that way you will see if it is worth your purchase.
Some budget dust collectors have a bad reputation like the SHOP FOX W1685, so choosing a good quality one would provide the safety and health of you and your employees.
Its portability and ease of use – Dust collectors should be easily movable and portable so you should avoid buying a big bulky dust collector.
Each model which weights over 50lbs would be considered heavy, so you should look for a model that is a lot lighter and more portable.
Furthermore, the bigger wheels are designed so as to make the collector easier to move which will certainly be of greater help and functionality in your small shop.
Conclusion
If you are still interested in buying one of the above mentioned dust collectors, we would like to suggest you to buy the Jet DC-1100VX-5M.
Besides the fact that it is lightweight and compact, we have gone through users’ reviews and have noticed that there are so many positive elements of this machine that are appreciated by satisfied customers.
It is true that it is not inexpensive, but what you get is a great quality and durability for the money you pay.
We also offered you some tips on buying a dust collector, in case you cannot afford purchasing the best of the best.
The purchasing is a tiresome job, so getting an ideal dust collector requires a lot of time and effort.
Our aim was to save you some time and we hope that now, as you have gone through our reviews, you have more of an idea of what you want and what best suits your needs.