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Ridgid WD0319 Review

This machine can't be beat in suction and airflow, excelling in dust collection
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Ridgid WD0319 Review
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $109 List
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Manufacturer:   Ridgid
By Nick Miley and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jan 11, 2022
60
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 8
  • Dry Work - 40% 7.0
  • Wet Work - 30% 7.0
  • Battery Life - 20% 3.0
  • Convenience - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

Few would argue that the Ridgid WD0319 is a perfect wet/dry vacuum. It has an irregular shape, no internal storage for its accessories, and the hose is left to just hang out. Moreover, this model has a limited runtime. What it does have though are knock-your-socks-off airflow and suction and extra-wide hose diameter. Thanks to these features, it earned scores for wet and dry sawdust collection that was only rivaled by the Milwaukee. So, if loose debris like sawdust is what you aim to capture, this machine will not disappoint. Check out how the Ridgid stacks up to the competition in our full review of cordless wet dry vacuums.
REASONS TO BUY
Dust crusher
High airflow
Tons of suction power
REASONS TO AVOID
Touchy float ball
Shoddy floor attachment
Bulky
Editor's Note: The Ridgid WD0319 review was updated on January 11, 2022, with additional information on comparable products and what we would purchase ourselves.

Compare to Similar Products

 
ridgid wd0319
This Product
Ridgid WD0319
Awards Top Pick Award
Best for Dust Collection
Editors' Choice Award
Best All-Around Wet Dry Vacuum
Editors' Choice Award
Best Toolbox-Style Wet Dry Vacuum
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Best Buy Award
A Great Value
Price $109 List$99 List
$93.93 at Amazon
$150 List
$121.00 at Amazon
$100 List$119 List
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line For capturing loose debris, this machine is a bossThis machine performed well across the board but particularly in wet clean-up and runtimeA compact, powerful tool that can handle just about anythingThis competitively priced vacuum is powerful and efficient but lacks in battery lifeAn affordable vacuum that is tough on wet and dry messes
Rating Categories Ridgid WD0319 Craftsman CMCV002B Milwaukee M18 0880-20 Kobalt KWDV 0124B-03 Ryobi P3240
Dry Work (40%)
7.0
7.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
Wet Work (30%)
7.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
7.0
Battery Life (20%)
3.0
8.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Convenience (10%)
5.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
6.0
Specs Ridgid WD0319 Craftsman CMCV002B Milwaukee M18 0880-20 Kobalt KWDV 0124B-03 Ryobi P3240
Measured height x width x depth (inches) 15 1/2" x 20 1/2" x 15 1/2" 13" x 18 3/4" x 10 1/2" 12" x 16 3/4" x 8 1/2" 13" x 17 1/2" x 10 3/4" 9 1/2" x 18 1/2" x 12"
Measured weight (w/o battery) 8 pounds, 3 ounces 7 pounds, 8 ounces 10 pounds, 2 ounces 10 pounds,12 ounces 8 pounds, 6 ounces
Measured runtime (minutes) 15 min 34 min 23 min 20 min 19 min
Measured hose length min/ max (inches) 27" - 92" 26" - 94" 24" - 90 1/2" 24" - 96" 20 1/4" - 84"
Attachments dusting brush, multi-purpose tool crevice nozzle, wide nozzle crevice nozzle, floor nozzle crevice nozzle, floor nozzle utility nozzle, crevice tool
End of hose diameter (inches) 1 1/2" 1" 1" 1 1/16" 1"
HEPA rated filter No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Canister volume (gallons) 3 gal 2 gal 2 gal 3 gal 3 gal
Washable filter No Yes Yes (dry only) Yes Yes
Battery (volts) 18v 20v 18v 24v 18v
Measured suction (inches of water lift) 29" 19" 25" 22" 22"
Battery life indicator on machine On select batteries On select batteries On select batteries On select batteries On select batteries
Blower feature Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Tool connection adaptor No No Yes (sold seperately) No No
Auxiiary power cord No No No No No
Dry sawdust clean-up (seconds) 8 sec 15 sec 13 sec 13 sec 15 sec
Wet sawdust clean-up (seconds) 15 sec 42 sec 36 sec 51 sec 42 sec

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Ridgid WD0319 is a singular machine. It forgoes many design considerations that earned its competitors accolades. However, it put all its eggs into the airflow and suction basket, and as such, we could not simply disregard it as a poorly designed machine. Is the Ridgid easy to store? No. Does it have a streamlined design? Absolutely not. Does it have a prolonged battery life? Not even close. But — and this is a significant but — this vacuum eats sawdust like the hose's end is the event horizon of a black hole.

Performance Comparison



ridgid wd0319 - this machine disappears sawdust like the bermuda triangle disappears...
This machine disappears sawdust like the Bermuda Triangle disappears ships.
Credit: Laura Casner

Dry Work


The dry work evaluation rendered mixed results for the Ridgid WD0319. This model's wide diameter hose, combined with the high airflow and suction, makes it great at grabbing light materials or those with a lot of surface area. As such, this vac did very well at taking up sawdust, washers, and bolts. It did so-so at pulling a 100-gram calibration weight and smaller machine bolts. It couldn't take up the small but dense lag screws at all.


As you might imagine, this machine's unique characteristics make it particularly well suited to dust collection. No kidding, this sucker gobbled up 9 cups of sawdust in a mere 8 seconds. The average for the group is 15 seconds! Unfortunately, this machine is a bit of a one-trick pony, evident in the subsequent crevice test. The bulbous crevice tool could only penetrate our test slot 5 ¾ inches, though its suction had a reach of an additional ⅝ inch, which is top-notch.

ridgid wd0319 - nearly 30 inches of water lift? what a beast!
Nearly 30 inches of water lift? What a beast!
Credit: Laura Casner

Wet Work


The wet work tests hammered home just how different this machine performs compared to its peers. In this metric, we look at how well the devices will move water uphill, how well they can clean up wet sawdust, as well as their ability to remove liquids from a linoleum floor. We also looked at how much of a known quantity of water the vac can pull from a wet carpet. Finally, we measure the suction of each machine with a water lift gauge.


The Ridgid dominated the entire class in wet sawdust cleanup and the suction tests. No other model even came close. The second-best performer in this test is the Bosch GAS18V-3, with more than double the time. However, the machine's performance fell off sharply in all other sub-metrics. Regardless, its execution of the sawdust and suction tasks was so exceptional that its wet work score was well above average for the class.

ridgid wd0319 - the battery life of this model left more than a little to be desired.
The battery life of this model left more than a little to be desired.
Credit: Laura Casner

Battery


Battery life is a key metric and one that shouldn't be taken lightly if you have prolonged work in mind for your wet/dry vac. To put it bluntly, the WD0319 is one short-lived machine. We take a freshly charged battery and plug it into the vacuum to test this. We then run the machine on a healthy diet of air until the charge runs down and the machine shuts off. The interval between a fully charged battery and a dead one is the runtime.


So, what was the Ridgid's runtime? A pitiful 15 minutes. Dividing the runtime by the battery's amp-hour rating for comparison to other models, we find that it's just 3 minutes and 45 seconds. To give you some perspective, the class average is almost 6 minutes. Yowzers!

ridgid wd0319 - odd honey-dos? check!
Odd honey-dos? Check!
Credit: Laura Casner

Convenience


The convenience metric is essentially an assessment of how easy — or hard — it is to use the vacuum. While the Ridgid didn't crush this evaluation, it didn't flop it either. What holds the machine back from a higher score is its size and noise. Because this model foregoes any attempt to provide storage for its hose, it has much larger outer dimensions than its competitors. Additionally, at 83 dBa, it's way the heck louder than the competition.


It's not all bad news for the WD0319, though. The machine is relatively light at 8 lbs, 3 oz, similar to the Ryobi P3240. Additionally, the hose is just about average in length, stretching from 27 to 92 inches, and it is resistant to being crushed by a folding to the side when weighted.

ridgid wd0319 - hose out, the ridgid is always ready for action.
Hose out, the Ridgid is always ready for action.
Credit: Laura Casner

Should You Buy the Ridgid WD0319?


The Ridgid outperformed almost every single other model in terms of sawdust collection and is one of the more affordable options we tested. If you frequently find yourself in need of a quick and powerful way to take care of dusty messes, you can't go wrong with the Ridgid. Just keep in mind that you need to have adequate space to store the bulky machine and may have to change/charge the battery often. However, if you want more of an all-around machine, you may want to look elsewhere.

What Other Cordless Wet Dry Vacuums Should You Consider?


The Ridgid is a fantastic vacuum for specific situations, but if its limitations are dealbreakers for you, there are some good alternatives to consider. The Kobalt KWDV 0124B-03 falls in a similar price range, has better overall performance than the Ridgid in most metrics, except for battery life, which was similar. The Craftsman CMCV002B is a highly versatile machine that may be better for the average household. It does not have any particular specialty but is suitable for people who need efficient sucking power in various situations. It excels in battery life and has a more compact design than most.

Nick Miley and Austin Palmer