Dust collector, shop vac or dust extractor: what the makers' figures show

What is the difference between a dust collector and a shop vac?

WEN's Dust Collection 101 gives it as a general rule of thumb: wet/dry vacuums offer higher pressure and lower flow rates, and dust collectors offer lower pressure but higher flow rates. (WEN Products)

WEN says a shop vacuum's higher pressure lets it pick up heavier debris than a dust collector can, and that it is usually connected to flexible hoses. (WEN Products)

WEN says dedicated dust collectors are very good at moving lots of small debris such as sawdust, and that this is why wet/dry vacuums are almost never used as central dust collectors. (WEN Products)

Taikra doesn't rank or test tools; every figure here is from the maker's own page or manual, linked.

What do the spec sheets show?

Festool lists the CT 26 EI HEPA dust extractor at a max. volume flow of 138 CFM (3 900 l/min) and a max. vacuum of 96" static water lift (24 000 Pa).

Makita lists the VC4210L dust extractor/vacuum at 148 CFM of air flow and 92" of static water lift. (Makita U.S.A.)

Harvey lists the G-700's max static pressure as 18-1/2 inches of water | 4600 Pa, against Festool's 24 000 Pa for the CT 26, while the G-700's max air flow of 1110 CFM compares with the CT 26's 138 CFM. (Harvey Woodworking)

DEWALT's DXV09P wet/dry vacuum page lists a 5 peak horsepower motor and a 1-7/8-in x 7-ft hose but no CFM figure.

What hose sizes does each type use?

Makita ships the VC4210L with a 1-1/4" x 13' anti-static hose plus 15/16" and 1-3/4" hose cuff adapters. (Makita U.S.A.)

DEWALT lists a 1-7/8-in x 7-ft hose on the DXV09P.

On the tool side, DEWALT lists a universal 1-1/4-in dust port on the DWS520K track saw.

What makes a dust extractor different from a plain vacuum?

Makita says the VC4210L's on-board tool-activated power outlet starts and stops the vacuum with the power tool, with a 10 second 'off' delay to clear remaining debris. (Makita U.S.A.)

Makita describes its Auto-start Wireless System (AWS) as letting cordless power tools wirelessly communicate power-on/off with the dust extractor. (Makita U.S.A.)

Festool lists the CT 26 EI HEPA and its siblings under 'workshop dust extractors' and gives a 6.9 gal (26 l) container capacity.

Which tools pair with which machine, according to WEN?

WEN writes that a dedicated dust collector may not perform as well as a shop vacuum on machinery that produces large chips, naming planers and jointers, and that dust collectors excel on machines that produce fine sawdust, naming sanders, band saws and table saws. (WEN Products)

WEN says wet/dry vacuums work well as point-source collectors, attached to one tool at a time. (WEN Products)

Other makers may frame this differently; the pressure and flow figures above are the checkable part. Setup and operating instructions are in each maker's manual.