We have had a 16 gallon Craftsman vac for about 15 years and it has done a good job, however the motor is starting to arc and sometimes not run at full speed so I think it is time to think about a new one. I also have a dust collector in the shop, so this vac gets used for general shop cleaning and is hooked up to the spindle sander dust port sometimes.
It also gets used weekly to vacuum the building we live in, which is a converted barn with a concrete floor. We don't have a household vacuum, this one does everything. The only down side to the large vacuum is that it is a bit awkward to carry up and down stairs because of how big it is. It is used only very occasionally for wet jobs, so having the large volume is not critical, but from what I have seen it seems that bigger vacuums have more powerful motors, though of course all of the ratings are wildly inflated. Our Craftman says 6.5 HP in large letters, which is clearly absurd, but seems to be the norm.
I have been looking around online and it seems like Ridgid vacs are pretty well regarded so I have been thinking about a 16 gallon, or maybe a 12 that would be easier to move around. I know I don't want a Shop Vac brand machine unless they have changed as we had 2 that were here when we moved in that had really lousy filters and thus poor suction at best. Are there other brands I should think about? How much difference in actual suction should I expect between a Ridgid vac that is rated 6.5 HP vs one rated 5 HP? I have found the removable motor/leaf blower function on the Craftsman handy on occasion but I am not attached to it. I'd like to get something under $200. I will be very grateful for any suggestions.
Zach