Euroclean vs festool vacs

[Jeff Bartley]

Hi Folks,
We're shopping for a HEPA vac for work and have found the Festool (CT26) and the Euroclean GD930-HSP to be the front runners.
While I've certainly heard a lot about the festool I had never even heard of the Euroclean.
Does anyone have any first-hand experience with the Euroclean GD930-HSP?
TIA!

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd never heard of Euroclean either. But that vacuum you linked is not tool-triggered, which makes it a non-starter for my shop.

("tool-triggered"...You plug a tool into the vac -- a sander, a router, a track saw, whatever. When you turn on the tool, the vac turns on. Particularly for sanding, the feature in invaluable.)

[Patrick Curry]

Not familiar with the Euroclean but I recently picked up a Nilfisk-Alto Attix 30 HEPPA that's worth mentioning. The specs compared well to Festol's vacs. Very quiet, strong CFM, and less expensive.
They have a few different models. I believe the one with the tool start has a variable suction dial but I'm not certain. I went cheap ($400) and just added the tool start and variable power (extra $50 in accessories) since I was building a station and wanted these mounted up front

[Stew Hagerty]

Actually, I have a Fein with a HEPA cartridge and I absolutely love it! I have a dust deputy in-line so I very rarely have to empty it or clean the filter. It has more than enough suction for my needs and at the time it was, if I remember correctly, even quieter that the comparable Festool.

[Jeff Bartley]

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming.
Nilfisk-Alto is actually part of Euroclean, I'm surprised to have never heard of them.
Stew- with the dust deputy in line is it still easy to move it around?
And I think you're right about the tool-trigger Jamie, that is a valuable feature!

[Martin Wasner]

I think the upper end vacuums are all about the same. Pick your features, decide which color box matches your decor, hand over an enormous amount of cash.

I have a Nilfisk, it's a fine vacuum. If I had it to do over again I'd get the festool just because of the ability to clip a dust deputy on the top of it.

[Greg R Bradley]

A couple points:

That vac is designed for cleaning houses and isn't even remotely appropriate for a shop vac. Even worse for connecting to tools.

Clearly a dust deputy sacrifices portability. There is a dust deputy module that goes on top of the Festool vacs and doesn't increase the floor size since the unit goes on top. Still no way anyone would be doing any more moving than just rolling it around one shop. You also lose the ability to clip systainers on top of the vac and the ability to pull the vac around with the hose. If you are going to build a huge roll around vac, then no reason to start with a Festool vac.

Here's the Dust Deputy on a Festool Vac: http://www.festoolproducts.com/oneida-axd000009-ultimate-festool-dust-deputy.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CI3dhvOpjM8CFU1ffgodxgUOkw

Don't forget the new Feins have little in common with the Feins that most people have. Not even made in the same country and don't have variable suction for sanders.

[Robin Frierson]

I was told there is a Fein accessory that allows you to vent some suction out of the line. Where are the Feins made now.....China? Are you saying the quality of the Feins have gone downhill. I am on my second one and have had it for 11 or 12 years with no problem. But its one of the old stainless models and is huge. I was thinking of parking it at the router table and getting a smaller one with the dust deputy. But with the dust deputy you are getting close to a 1000$ vacumn....thats hard to swallow.

[Greg R Bradley]

My 20+ year old Fein 9-20, 8 year old Turbo III, and 5 year old Turbo II HEPA are all made in Italy. The new square ones that came out two years ago are made somewhere in Eastern Europe. The don't have variable suction and seem to have nothing in common with the models everyone has. My local tool dealer looked them over and tried them out. They sent them back and no longer sell Fein vacs.

[Peter Kelly]

The Fein vacs are now made in Romania now by some other third-party vendor (they were previously made in Italy). I looked at one of the new Turbo IIs at Toolnut over the summer and noticed that the auto-start plug is now limited to 6 amp tools and under, build quality looked pretty cheap and not typical of Fein, no variable suction on the vacuum.


I wouldn’t say they’re at all worth it for the $$$.

[George Bokros]

The Fein vacs are now made in Romania now by some other third-party vendor (they were previously made in Italy). I looked at one of the new Turbo IIs at Toolnut over the summer and noticed that the auto-start plug is now limited to 6 amp tools and under, build quality looked pretty cheap and not typical of Fein, no variable suction on the vacuum.


I wouldn’t say they’re at all worth it for the $$$.


So if you want a Fein Vac find one of the older models or buy a good used one.

[Peter Kelly]

Or one of these for $200: http://www.cpooutlets.com/karcher-1-348-197-0-6-6-gallon-wet-dry-vacuum-with-power-outlet/karn1%2e348-197%2e0,default,pd.html

[Stew Hagerty]

Stew- with the dust deputy in line is it still easy to move it around?
And I think you're right about the tool-trigger Jamie, that is a valuable feature!

Absolutely. I built this cart for it:

344022 344023 344024 344025 344026 344027

Oh, and yes, the switched outlet is one thing I specifically looked for when I made my purchase. By the way, this is a Turbo II model. I put large casters on this cart so it moves easily, even over cords and sawdust. If you notice, I also cantilevered the front casters out in front just a bit. Doing so, moved the center of gravity back enough that pulling on the hose with any reasonable force won't cause the cart to topple over. The 5-Gallon bucket sits inside another bucket so it can be easily lifted out to empty. Since I almost never sand without connecting the vac, I mounted my sander sitter right to the top of the cart. To do the occasional maintenance on the Fein, there are just a couple of knobs on the back of the cart and it slides right out.

OH.... And if anyone is interested in how I connected the special Fein hose to the Dust Deputy, let me know and I'll post photos. The way I did it retains the clip-on feature so that the hose doesn't just pull off.

[Stew Hagerty]

One more thing...
That extension cord on the back. I hunted all over to find that thing. See, almost all retractable extension cords are designed to be mounted next to an outlet and then you pull out the female end and hook it to your tool.
Well I wanted just the opposite. I wanted one like this, that I could mount on the cart and pull out the male end and plug it into whatever socket I wanted to. It comes in a variety of lengths (from 10' to 52') as well as 3 cord sizes (16/3, 14/3, & 12/3). I chose the 30', 14/3 model. 30' is great for almost anything I may need. I would have preferred the 12/3 model, but it's 3 times the price (granted it also only comes in 50 or 52'), and my budget was already busted.

Here's a link if anyone is interested: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BH2RUA8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8

[George Bokros]

Or one of these for $200: http://www.cpooutlets.com/karcher-1-348-197-0-6-6-gallon-wet-dry-vacuum-with-power-outlet/karn1%2e348-197%2e0,default,pd.html

Those do not have good reviews

[Peter Kelly]

According to who? I bought one of them a few months ago and it has been nothing short of great for the price. My only gripe was the hose which is easily remedied with a bit longer one from Bosch for $35.

[Jeff Bartley]

Great feedback! And that's an awesome cart Stew!
One of the biggest uses for the vac we need is for the clean up of lead dust in old paint (historical restoration work). But I'm guessing things like a tool-trigger would be used with some tools from time to time.
And if we do get the festool hopefully it won't trigger a full-blown slide down the festool rabbit hole!
Thanks all!
And PS: good news----Van Huskey's back!

[Robin Frierson]

I am confused....I am looking at this Ad for Fein Vacs in woodworkers supply and they say there is a suction control on the inlet and the vacs are made in Germany? Is this an old ad?

http://woodworker.com/turbo-i-58-gallon-25-liter-dust-extractor-mssu-167-612.asp?search=fein&searchmode=2

[Peter Kelly]

Fein is indeed based in Germany and there is a vacuum dial on the hose of the Turbo II for a sort of "variable suction" so you could surmise that the description is sort of accurate depending on how you look at it.

[phil harold]

I have been considering this

https://www.amazon.com/Vacmaster-Gallon-Stage-Motor-VK811PH/dp/B007ULBA4W
And using my old craftsman switch

[Rick Christopherson]

One of the biggest uses for the vac we need is for the clean up of lead dust in old paint (historical restoration work). But I'm guessing things like a tool-trigger would be used with some tools from time to time. If you are doing lead abatement and cleanup, one thing that could come in handy for you is remote activation, not just when running a tool. Consider being up on a ladder and needing to switch the vac on and off without having to climb up and down. The Festool vacs can be upgraded to include wireless remote control directly in the vac, so you can have manual control, tool control, and wireless control all at the same time. The add-on module is called Maxsys (http://www.rts-engineering.com/).