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Head-to-head · Best Shop Vacs

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac vs Vacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B 5-Gallon

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about Trades on the jobsite, remodel contractors, and Milwaukee M18 platform owners who need cordless wet/dry pickup with PACKOUT integration and don't want to drag an extension cord across a finished floor — read the strengths below before deciding.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac
Higher ratedRanked #5 in Best Shop Vacs
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac
$309

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 is the cordless shop vac to buy if you're already on the M18 platform. Pro Tool Reviews gave it 9.4/10, measured 109 CFM and 77 inches of water lift, and tested the reinforced wheels past 50 miles of jobsite travel. PACKOUT compatibility and the modular NEXUS canister system make it the most workflow-integrated cordless option. Batteries sold separately is the obvious cost catch.

Strengths
  • — Pro Tool Reviews scored it 9.4/10 — the highest rating any vac in this guide received — citing 'fantastic' wet/dry performance
  • — Pro Tool Reviews measured 109 CFM and 77 inches of water lift, outperforming many 4.25 peak HP corded competitors
  • — Up to 49 minutes of runtime per pair of M18 12.0 Ah batteries in Max Runtime mode, plus PACKOUT-compatible cart for jobsite mobility
Watch-outs
  • — Bare-tool price of $309-329 doesn't include the two M18 batteries required to run (add $200-400 depending on capacity)
  • — Even on Max Power mode, runtime caps at 34 minutes — long jobs need spare battery packs
  • — Filter is non-HEPA-certified standard high-efficiency element — for OSHA-compliant silica cleanup buy the 0888-20 dust extractor instead
$309 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Vacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B 5-Gallon
Ranked #4 in Best Shop Vacs
Vacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B 5-Gallon
$110

The Vacmaster Beast 5-Gallon is the high-suction compact: Pro Tool Reviews measured 102 CFM and 82.6 inches of water lift — sealed-suction numbers that beat most 16-gallon vacs — and gave it 8.3/10 plus 'Best For Vehicle Cleanup.' For garages, vehicles, and small workshops where portability and raw pickup power matter more than drum capacity, the Beast is the highest-performance unit you can get at this price. Storage layout is the consistent weak point.

Strengths
  • — Pro Tool Reviews measured 82.6 inches of water lift and 102 CFM — the highest sealed-suction figure of any shop vac in this guide
  • — Awarded 'Best For Vehicle Cleanup' in Pro Tool Reviews' 2026 best-shop-vac roundup at 8.3/10 overall
  • — Cartridge and foam filters both included with a fine-dust bag — covers wet, dry, and drywall use without buying separate consumables
Watch-outs
  • — Pro Tool Reviews flagged 'difficulty securing all included accessories' — the on-board storage layout is sub-par
  • — 5-gallon drum is small for any sustained cleanup; the trade-off for the portable footprint
  • — Hose holder design rated 'unstable' in testing — the hose can pop off the cradle in transit
$110 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vac

Vs the corded Ridgid HD1600 16-Gallon NXT at $199, the Milwaukee is the cordless answer at 1.5x the price plus batteries — you trade hose-length-and-cord-length reach for genuine no-extension-cord freedom and PACKOUT integration. Vs the Festool CT 26 EI HEPA, it's two-thirds the price (with batteries), corded-free, but doesn't HEPA filter. The Ridgid HD09001 has the same drum size for a third the price, but tethered to a 10-foot cord. The Vacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B pulls more raw water-lift suction in a much smaller drum.

Vacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B 5-Gallon

Vs the Ridgid HD09001 9-gallon at the same price tier, the Beast has 82.6 inches of water lift to the Ridgid's modest spec and includes both cartridge and foam filters out of the box — but only 5 gallons of drum vs 9. Vs the Festool CT 26 EI HEPA, the Beast costs 1/8 as much and pulls comparable raw suction, but trades HEPA filtration, Bluetooth, and a fleece-bag system for a basic cartridge. Vs the cordless Milwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20, the Beast is tethered to its 18-foot cord but costs a third as much before you factor in M18 batteries.

Specs side-by-side

SpecMilwaukee M18 FUEL 0920-20 9-Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry VacVacmaster Professional Beast VFB511B 5-Gallon
Tank Capacity9 gal5 gal
MotorPOWERSTATE brushless (>4.25 peak HP equivalent)5.5 peak HP / 11 A / 320 air watts
Max Airflow109 CFM102 CFM
Max Water Lift77 in82.6 in
Hose1-7/8 in x 9 ft (crush-resistant)1-7/8 in x 7 ft
Filter TypeLarge high-efficiency cartridgeCartridge + foam + dust bag (1-micron)
Power SourceBattery (2x M18 18V REDLITHIUM, sold separately)120 V corded
Runtime34-49 min per charge (HD12.0 batteries)—
WeightNot published (rated for one-person lift)18.5 lbs
Wet+Dry CapableYesYes
Warranty3-year5-year limited
Cord Length—18 ft
Blower Function—Yes (blower port)
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