Vacmaster Beast 14-Gallon Review

Using the Vacmaster Beast is straightforward and intuitive. The large latch assembly that secures the lid to the canister was snug, secure, and easy to unlatch quickly. The drain port at the bottom of the canister is large, and makes dumping out water quick and easy. Thanks to its noise diffuser, we were surprised that this high-powered machine is much quieter than most of the competition at 89 decibels.

Suction Power

The Vacmaster Beast is one of the most powerful in our lineup. Its airflow of 223 feet per minute is a close second, but its measured water lift suction of 94 inches (inH2O) is unmatched. This correlated into impressive suction power on the job, as it was able to pick up some of the heaviest objects. We used the Vacmaster for removing thick beds of pine needles or debris that's difficult to grab in a crack, relying on the pure suction to knock it loose.

A 6.5-horsepower motor combined with a 2.5-inch-wide hose enables this product to lift large items like bolts and washers, or even gravel and small rocks. For this reason, it was one of our favorite shop vacs to use around the yard and for home construction projects requiring heavy debris cleanup.

Floor Cleaning

Despite its impressive suction, it fell short in overall floor cleaning performance. It took 11 seconds to suck up 2 gallons of muddy water, almost twice as long as the fastest in our lineup. Similarly, it took surprisingly long to clean up the mixed construction debris in our dry pick-up test at 66 seconds. The Vacmaster Beast can be overburdened when the hose is submerged in heavy debris. It clogged more frequently than we were expecting.

We discovered that the culprit was the vacuum port assembly, where the hose enters the canister. There is a diverter to direct the debris towards the bottom of the canister, but in return, the right angle tends to restrict the flow of debris.

We continued to use the Vacmaster in real-world applications, picking up piles of leaves in the yard and sawdust and wood chips in the garage. Using the floor head in these clean-up jobs helped control the flow of debris while still delivering impressive suction. We could feel the strong seal as it latched to the floor, especially when using the squeegee to clear the last traces of puddles from leaks.

Tool Use

This shop vac has 3 high-quality attachments: a squeegee nozzle, a crevice tool, and a floor brush. These all fit into the grooves with a friction fit that never came loose during our testing. The additional noise diffuser is a unique feature that secures to the blower port on the canister. This small attachment to the outside of the canister dampens the noise exiting the canister slightly, using a foam core.

Another convenient accessory is the tool storage bag. This hangs off the push/pull handle and carries some of the small tools and attachments. The rest are mounted onto the lid of the canister, except the extension wands that tuck in snugly behind it. The cord wrap and hose storage rack are both excellently designed to keep all loose ends tied up when moving across the garage or yard. After hours of use, we came to appreciate the secure and snug storage of all tools and attachments, keeping them from being misplaced while working.

Portability

There's no getting around it: the Vacmaster Beast is heavy and bulky. Weighing in at over 31 pounds and standing almost 30 inches tall, it is the largest shop vac in our lineup. You likely won't want to carry this vacuum up and down stairs, and it was challenging to get in and out of the back of a truck with only one person.

Its size also requires ample room to store it. If you're someone with limited storage space or do not have a dedicated workspace for storing tools, this may not be the vacuum for you. It does have the biggest wheels of any vacuum we tested, making it one of our favorites for outdoor use. The large rear wheels allow you to tip the vacuum back and roll it over rough terrain. Once in place, you can lock the front casters to keep it from rolling away. For its size, rolling the Vacmaster around is a breeze and greatly increases the portability of this otherwise bulky vacuum. Whether it's the right choice for you will depend on where most of your project messes occur.

Should You Buy the Vacmaster Beast 14-Gallon?

The Vacmaster Beast is purpose-built for professionals or serious DIYers requiring some of the strongest suction power and pickup performance on the market. In particular, those using their shop vacs on different terrains and surfaces will love the easy rolling maneuverability the large wheels provide. Unless you have a dedicated workspace to stow this vacuum in, it's likely too large for in-home use or for those without much storage space. It comes at a premium price point, but for anyone wanting a high-quality tool, the Vacmaster Beast is built durably to help last through the years.

What Other Shop Vacs Should You Consider?

With a slightly larger canister volume, but smaller overall dimensions, the Craftsman 16-Gallon is another powerful option for professional use. If you like the quality and user design of the Vacmaster Beast, but are looking for something smaller, the Vacmaster 12-Gallon is another high-performing option in a smaller platform.