Customer Reviews

Fein 9-20-24 Turbo I 6-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum with Auto-Start

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The new version of the Fein Turbo II has some improvements that answer criticisms of the previous model, and it's more expensive. Fein added two additional casters, metal clips to hold the top to the base, the ability to change suction power by changing motor speed, and a drain plug to make it easy to get liquid out. It still comes without any accessories except for a nice long 16' 1-1/4" hose and a rubber adapter to mate the hose with to a Fein power tool dust outlet. Fein wants far too much money for its accessory tool set, IMHO. But a 2-1/4" Sears or Shop Vac hose will fit the inlet, and/or you can buy 3rd party attachments for the 1-1/4" hose that comes with the vacuum. If you're going to attach it to a sander or other power tool for dust extraction, it's a good idea to buy the stepped hose adapter Fein sells. It's available at Amazon for a reasonable price.

Why would anyone pay Fein this much for a shop vacuum? Two reasons: quiet operation and the onboard power outlet that turns on the vacuum when you turn on a power tool plugged into the outlet.

Quieter operation may not seem important until you hear the difference. As another reviewer says, a big old Sears shop vacuum sounds like the deck of an aircraft carrier during takeoff operations. You need hearing protection if you're going to run it for more than a minute or two. The Fein sounds like quiet household vacuum, but it has enough suction and capacity for a workshop. The advantage of the auxiliary power outlet is obvious if you use a vacuum to extract dust when you're using a sander or a miter saw. The vacuum turns on just when you need it and shuts off on its own when you turn off the power tool.

The Fein comes with a cloth filter that will capture particles down to 5 microns, which is probably marginally OK for dust generated by a miter saw, but not for handling fine dust from orbital sanding or if you vacuum up after sanding wallboard seams. Fein will sell you a cartridge filter for 1 micron particles or a HEPA cartridge filter that gets down to 0.3 microns. You can buy a Gore Clearstream HEPA filter - the "Ridgid-Sears Red" version -- at Amazon or at a home center for less than a third what Fein charges for theirs. Gore does not list the Fein as one of the vacuums its filters will fit. But it does. Just buy a 2-1/2" x 3/8 fully threaded carriage bolt, a 3/8" wing nut and a 3/8" nylon washer and screw the filter down snugly. You don't need a bag if you use a cartridge filter unless ou're vacuuming hazardous materials.

Barely five stars considering that Fein ought to include vacuum tools in the box, but this thing really delivers on "quiet," on power and on convenience.

Apologies for the length of this review, but I bought just about every connector and adapter sold by Amazon to find those that work, and this provides the results of that search. As well as a comparison to a new top-of-the-line Shop Vac.

Listed below are the necessary connectors to use the Fein Turbo Vac I hose with the Fein Multimaster; to use the Fein I hose with Shop Vac 2.5" accessories; and with Dyson accessories. As I noted in my review of the Fein Multimaster, the Multimaster dust extractor doesn't even connect to their own Fein Turbo Vac I hose end without some type of modification. The Multimaster dust extractor comes with two connectors, small and large, referenced below. Neither of these work directly on the Fein hose, and if you use some soft plastic sleeves under the connectors, it will be difficult to get the connector on and and off the hose very many times. What is needed, and what Fein should have provided, are connectors that enable the Fein hose to be easily connected and disconnected from the their own Multimaster as well as other US and European accessories. Fein does make a rubber stepped adapter that works with a variety of other connections and accessories, but it is less rigid or has to be cut down compared to the below. NOTE that all connections mentioned below are using the Fein hose that comes with the Fein Turbo Vac I. If the Fein II or III come with larger hoses, then the below may not apply, as I own and have only tested with the Fein Turbo Vac I hose.

(1) CONNECTORS -

Fein Turbo Vac I to Fein Multimaster dust extractor: The Vac connects to the Bosch VAC003 which connects to the smallest connector on the Multimaster dust extractor. Buy a Bosch VAC003. I just leave the Bosch permanently connected to the smallest connector.

Bosch VAC003 Airsweep Vacuum Hose Adapter

Fein Turbo Vac I hose to Shop Vac 2.5 inch accessories - use Shop Vac 90649 connector. It is a tight fit on the Fein hose, but it works

Shop-Vac 9064900 2-1/2-to-1-1/2-Inch Conversion Unit

Fein Turbo Vac I hose to Dyson attachments (at least those that come up with the top of the line Dyson) - Fein hose to Bosch VAC003 to a Dyson provided converter to the specific Dyson attachment

(2) THE BEST ATTACHMENT FOR HARDWOOD FLOORS FOR THE FEIN TURBO VAC --

The Miele SBB400-3 XL Parquet Twister Floor Tool

Miele SBB400-3 XL Parquet Twister Floor Tool

Don't buy the Fein kit or other generic floor attachments if you want a brush for hardwood floors. The Fein attachment and those other generic attachments only move left and right, so if you push up or down on the tube, you lose suction as the head is no longer aligned with the floor. The Miele is much better, and fits perfectly on the metal tube available for the Fein. The Miele pivots both up and down and left to right, as it is "double jointed," and is very maneuverable -- much more than the Fein or any other generic attachment for hardwood floors. The Miele is entirely soft horse hair with no wheels. The hair is what hits the hardwood. No wheels that might jam or scratch the wood, but it moves across hardwood floors just as easily.

I use the Fein I as a tank type cleaner on my main floor, which is all hardwoods. Vacs with plastic heads like Dyson or Hoover scratch hardwood floors, based on reviews, whereas the Fein I with the Miele accessory would never do that.

(3) HEPA FILTER -- I ordered the Gore HEPA filter for Rigid/Craftsmen. It fits perfectly on the Turbo Vac I. It is a snug fit, which is a good thing, so it won't fall off as it hangs down. You can attach it more permanently with a long carriage bolt and screw. Many thanks to another reviewer of the Turbo Vac who pointed this out, and it was based on his review that I ordered the Gore filter for Rigid/Craftsmen. It is 1/3 of the cost of the Fein HEPA filter.

(4) COMPARISON OF FEIN TURBO VAC I TO NEWER MODEL OF 16 GALLON SHOP VAC:

I compared to the newest model of Shop Vac 16 gallon, the Ultra Pro 16 gallon

Shop-Vac 9552600 6.5-Peak HP Ultra Pro Series Wet or Dry Vacuum with Vacuum Cart, 16-Gallon

NOISE - One of the big selling point for the Fein is claimed to be the lower noise level, as well as the auto on-off (see below). I haven't bothered to measure the noise level with a meter, but in my opinion the Fein Turbo Vac I is only a little quieter, as compared to the above Shop Vac. I don't personally believe the noise difference justifies the cost difference. Or that the Shop Vac is so much louder as to be objectionable. Note that the more powerful Fein II or III would be louder than the Fein I, and then I wonder if the Fein II and III really are any quieter than the newest big 16 gallon Shop Vacs, but I haven't compared. Since the Fein II or III are louder than the Fein I, and the Fein I is only a little quieter than the Shop Vac, I assume the Shop Vac, the Fein II and the Fein III have similar noise levels. Comments that the Fein is a lot quieter than Shop Vacs might be based on older Shop Vac models. I compared to the newest Shop Vac model that is supposed to be quieter.

COST - The Shop Vac is 1/3 less than a Fein I and half the price of of the Fein II or III. Shop Vac has many more accessories, that are also far lower in cost. (One of the most useful Shop Vac accessories is a separate head for vacuuming up and mulching leaves with a huge 3" hose. It fits the above 16 gallon Shop Vac, and it really works.) The Shop Vac filters and bags are lower in cost. Shop Vac sells bags for dry wall dust. The Fein II has a HEPA bag, but that may not work with the Fein I or III.

ACCESSORY AND HOSE STORAGE - None at all on the Fein. This is significant flaw in the design. You can buy a basket for $50 to strap on the top. I haven't used that, and it appears, based on the photo, to interfere with the handle on the top in terms of carrying the Fein from one location to another. In any case, Fein should have provided a means to store acccessories or the hose,and not be charging $50 for a little strap-on basket.

DUST EXTRACTION - The Fein has auto on and off. You can plug a 20 amp tool into the Fein, and the Fein vacuum turns on and off automatically with the tool. There is a Shop Vac, different from that listed above, that has a similar auto on-off feature, but check the amp rating -- the Shop Vac might not work with really powerful tools based on the reviews. The Fein does.

(5) OTHER USES FOR FEIN I - The Fein Turbo Vac I gives me triple duty, for dust extraction with auto on-off for the shop tools; as a tank type vac for hardwood floors on my main floor, and finally, as a semi-portable vac. With regards to dust extraction, the smallest Fein can suck up a lot of dust from shop tools, and I don't need anything larger for that. But if I did need more capacity for dust extraction, I could, of course, use the Shop Vac, and I listed the necessary connector to go from the Fein Mulimaster to the Shop Vac in my review of the Multimaster Top Pro. With regards to using it as a tank type vac cleaner, my entire main floor is hardwoods. I use the small Fein with the Miele head for the hardwood floors. The Fein casters work really well, so it is easy to move it on hardwood floors. The rubber edge around the Fein also prevents it from damaging anything it bumps into, which is better than many tank type vacs. With regards to the Fein I as a portable unit, it is also light enough to carry to any quick jobs where I need a portable vac. This made more sense than investing another $100 in one of the portable Shop Vacs, which get bad reviews. The Fein I is only a little less portable, and a little larger, but it works much better as a portable vac. And it is completely impractical to lug the above 16 gallon Shop Vac up and down my stairs. So I use the Fein I as a tank type vac on my main hardwood floors; as a portable vac; and for dust extraction with tools. Your mileage may vary depending on what you already own and need. For my own use, I bought the above Shop Vac to use in my basement and garage as a vac, and outside as a mulcher with the great Shop Vac mulching accessory. If I need a wet vac for a lot of water, I will use the Shop Vac. The Shop Vac can be ordered from Amazon with a cart, that inclues storage for accessories, and large rear wheels to pull or push around. My only carpeted area is also in the basement, and I use a Dyson for that.

(6) CONCLUSION - Personally, with regards to the Fein II or III, I believe you get better value for your money if you buy the above Shop Vac. I'll bet the noise level is about the same, since the Fein I is only a little quieter than the new Shop Vac, and the Fein II and III are louder than the Fein I according the published specs. The Shop Vac is simply better value for half the price, even if it is not built quite as nice as the Fein. You will, however, have to turn the Shop Vac on and off with shop tools, as there is no automatic feature. If you really want the auto on feature, and need a big unit, then you can pay twice as much for a Fein II or III. Some of you with shops who will only use a vac for dust extraction might want a more specialized Fein II or III with auto on-off, If you work all day in a shop, the cost difference might be justified. But then you have to deal with the hassle of the German hoses with weird metric connections. If Fein really wanted to sell their units in the American market, they would provide the connectors, and even make their vacs work with their own Multimaster shop tool. Fein hasn't done that, and IMHO, Fein has ignored the American market for that very reason. I ordered every connector sold on the Amazon site to find the ones that work with Fein and to even connect Fein's Multimaster to their own Fein Turbo Vac. If you stick with Shop Vac, there is a wide range of attachments. Many more than for the Fein, and the Shop Vac attachments, bags and filters cost far, far less. The mulcher for the Shop Vac is a great accessory, and not available for the larger Feins.

As it is, I may have been nuts to buy both the Fein I and the Shop Vac, but I didn't already own a tank type vac for my main floor or a portable vac, so I could use the Fein I for those purposes -- as well as for dust extraction. Others may need a big unit devoted only to dust extraction and might consider the auto on-off feature to be a necessity.

One final correction -- many web sites state that the Fein I has a valve to open to empty any water. It does NOT have such a valve, so is not very practical to use as a wet vac. Anyway, it is too small for that. Get a big Shop Vac for a wet vac.

I does all Fein claims, and very well. The ability to choose the suction level between 5 settings allows me to keep the noise down if I don't need high power, but even at high power it's pretty quiet ( I measured 75db at 3 ft). European hose sizes are a little different from US so be prepared to get creative with hose adaptors.
To use the auto on/off feature you plug the tool into a power socket on the side of the vacuum, the socket is protected by a spring loaded cover which is hinged at the top, hence, with the cover open you cannot see the holes for the plug; not a big problem but I find it annoying.
Still, this is a huge improvement over my Shop Vac.

Well, I did, after burning out my last hardware store special. I was skeptical, even after getting the beasty out of the box, but I figured for once in my life I would get a really good shop vac.

And to find out why you pay $400 for a shop vac, all you need to do is turn it on. It's incredibly quiet, will not tip over and will suck a rock through a straw. Okay, I get it.

One thing I don't understand is the hose. I assume Fein did some field surveys, and that was the preferred length, but it's way too long for me. Why didn't they split it in two, put a joint in the middle? Seems like an obvious feature they could have added. Anyway, I'm using the hose from the burnt out jobby, and the Fein anaconda sleeps on a hook.

I think I bought the best sucker out there, a lot of the time I have the suction turned down, what I like most is not having to use ear-muffs
while cleaning up. I wish the capacity was more but over all its a nice machine. they furnished a hose with it but no tools, which was alright
because all the tools I had were compatible.it rolls real good which is another plus,it lacks a exuast center hole so I can't use it to blow-
out hard to reach spots over=all an excellent machine, thats very quiet
thanks
Larry

I have lusted over one of these for years, mostly due to their relatively quiet operation. When I used my old Sears Shop Vac, it screamed so loud that you either needed to wear hearing protection or risk going deaf. When my daughter got her own house I 'let' her take my Shop Vac and I got this one as a Father's Day gift.

This has the famed Fein reduced-noise design. You definitely know it's running, but you can use it without feeling like there is a military hovercraft landing next to you. The new caster design makes it much more stable if it bumps up against a cord or hose, and much less likely to tip over. It's big enough for any job I can think of, but it's light enough to pick up and carry up or down a flight of stairs.

And did I mention that it sucks Big Time?! It seems to have significantly more suction than my old Shop Vac with a lot less noise - which is exactly what I wanted.

I haven't used the auto-on feature yet, except to play with it a little. It will certainly be handy to use with a grinder or sander, but again I mostly bought the Fein vacuum to protect my hearing.

If you can get past paying over $400 for a vacuum, you will not be sorry you bought this. It is a joy to use and I highly recommend it. Your ears will thank you!

I am building a boat and have a Bosch orbital sander hooked up to this vac. It is amazing, and I mean amazing how little dust that gets away from this thing. I sand at times for almost an hour and have seen no dust floating in the air. I did install a "Craftsman red Stripe HEPA filter" that was 1/2 the price as the Fein filter and it works great!! I know $300 for a vac is a bit much, but keeping the dust to a minimum is worth every penny.

I got my Fein from Amazon so the purchase was simple. The Fein Turbo-II is a top quality shop vacuum. It is really quiet compared to all the other shop vacuums I have used. I have a small woodworking business so even though I also have a large central shop dust and air filter system, I still use a shop vac to complete the cleanup. Since my shop connects directly to the house living areas, clean up is essential to keep peace with my wife after most work sessions. Even with having the large dust systems, the Fein still gets prolonged and continuous use with certain shop tools and operations. I especially like the fact that it is compact and the extra wheels make it very stable. The Fein hose and tool system are not a standard size, but if you already have the normal 2 1/2" hoses, they will fit directly into the Fein vacuum port. From there, with normal couplings you can use all the other 2 1/2" or 1 1/4" accessories that you may already have without having to change over to the complete Fein tool system. While the Fein does cost more than the big box brands, I have learned with all my other shop tools that you get what you pay for in the long run. If you can afford it, treat yourself with the best.

This is my second Fein vac. I have always been happy with their performance. We use the tool activating switch frequently. The suction is always consistantly strong.

The 6-gallon rating must be only for wet pickup; the motor and its cage take up so much space that the filter bag doesn't have enough room to collect but a fraction of the 6 gallons of dry material. No provision for cord or tube storage make this vacuum take up way too much space in my shop.

I returned the vacuum and bought a Festool CT 22 instead. Though it costs a good deal more, it actually does what is claims to do.