As a recreational woodworker and a home improvement weekend warrior, I value a good shop vacuum. I use them for three basic tasks: general clean up (sawdust, wood chips, small chunks of plaster, concrete, bits of wire, the occasional nail or screw), dust extraction from small power tools, and drywall sanding. Having burned out my trusty Shop Vac after 7 years of dedicated hard service, I decided to upgrade to the Fein Turbo II. I've seen these all over the woodworking shows, and the reviews are consistently good. This is my initial impression.
The Good: It is reasonably quiet and powerful, generating about the same noise as my wife's Electrolux, though with a lot more suction. Unlike your basic home center Shop Vacs, I can run this thing without ear protection. The unit is nicely designed, with the weight distributed low to prevent tipping. It tucks nicely in a corner, or in my case, under my outfeed table. Metal buckles hold the motor assembly to the lower body. Switches are solid. It has a long, high quality electrical cord and good castors that actually roll. The unit is lightweight, plastic throughout (except for the buckles). The auto feature is nice for use with handheld power tools. There is enough hose to hang yourself (16 ft!), making it easy to maneuver around a crowded garage shop without dragging R2D2 with you. The hose is narrow (1 1/4") and lightweight, making it easy to handle with handheld tools such as an orbital sander. The positive lock mechanism on the hose is helpful, as shop vac hoses tend to "disconnect" at inopportune moments.
The Not-So-Good: The hose does not appear to be terribly robust. I wouldn't want to step on it. This makes it light and maneuverable, an asset when using a sheet rock sander overhead, but could be a problem over the long haul. For the greatest shop vac hose on the planet bar none, get the orange Wet/Dry Vacuum Accessory Kit from Lee Valley Tools. You can stand on this hose in work boots, yet it's flexible and light. Unfortunately, it's available only in the standard 2 1/4" size, which you can slip fit into the Turbo II's inlet, but I'm concerned about breaking the hard plastic locking mechanism. Why oh why does Fein fit their vacuum with a non-standard hose? We know the answer, but it bears asking here. Be sure to buy Fein's rubber adapter; you're going to need it.
The Bad: The hard plastic hose ends and hose lock mechanism do not inspire confidence. My old ShopVac was made out of some indestructible plastic and everything was more or less jammed together. I'm concerned with how this one will hold up under hard use. The unit comes with nothing in the way of accessories. You would think for $300 Fein could throw in at least a brush or a crevice tool or some token tool. All you get is a hose and a short piece of rubber tubing that acts as an adapter for the Fein sander. Fortunately, all my old accessories (including those from the Lee Valley kit) can be made to fit using the Fein rubber adapter (sold separately). The unit ships with a useless cloth bag designed to blow the most dangerous dust particles all over your shop. I bought the 1 micron filter kit and intend to upgrade to an aftermarket HEPA filter as others have suggested. Speaking of aftermarket, I'm hoping that some home center bag will fit this puppy, because Fein bags go for $5 a pop.
Summary: The Turbo II looks like a good choice for the woodworking shop and weekend warrior. I'll leave it to the contractors to comment on how well it fares in the field. What you get for the big bucks is quiet and power. We'll see if it lasts as long as my old ShopVac.
| Brand | Fein |
|---|---|
| Special Feature | Wet, Dry |
| Form Factor | Cannister |
| Surface Recommendation | Fabric |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Wattage | 1300 watts |
| Sound Level | 57.8 dB |
| Manufacturer | Fein |
| Part Number | 9-55-13 |
| Item Weight | 29.6 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 23.8 x 16.6 x 15.9 inches |
| Item model number | 9-55-13 |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Wet, Dry |
