DeWalt 6.5 HP Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vacuum (16 gal)

I put the 16-gallon DeWalt vac to work on a week that included everything from ripping cedar to cutting tile. By the end of day one, a couple of things stood out: it pulls hard, it’s far quieter than the shriek I associate with many shop vacs, and it’s built to take a beating. The stainless drum and wide stance make it feel planted, and the big capacity means fewer trips to empty, whether I’m chasing planer chips in the shop or wet messes in the driveway.

Build and design

This is a full-size unit with a stainless-steel 16‑gallon tank, a rigid top handle, and a chassis that rides on rubberized front casters and large fixed rear wheels. At 38 pounds, it isn’t light, but that mass translates into stability—important when the drum is half-full and you catch a hose on a sawhorse. Fit and finish are solid, with tight latches and a lid that seats squarely every time. The 2-1/2 in hose locks into the port with a reassuring twist, and the included extension wands and floor, utility, and crevice nozzles slot into the onboard accessory bag so they’re not rolling around the floor.

The stainless drum looks the part and shrugs off scuffs, though it shows fingerprints and the occasional ding like any polished metal. The cord wrap is simple and secure, and the 20 ft power cord reaches across most two-car garages without a cord reel.

Filtration and setup

Out of the box, the vac comes with a washable/reusable fine-dust cartridge filter and a disposable filter bag. I like running bag plus cartridge for anything that produces fines—MDF, drywall prep, or concrete dust—because the bag prevents the filter from loading up prematurely and keeps disposal tidy. For general shop cleanup and joinery work, I’ve run it with just the cartridge and had no issues. Changing between configurations is quick, and the drum lip and seal line up easily, avoiding the frustrating fumbling I’ve had with cheaper units.

For wet pickup, I remove the bag and filter to keep things simple and avoid saturating the cartridge. The large built-in drain at the base of the drum is one of those small features that becomes a big one after your first big spill—no wrestling to tip and pour; just roll it to a suitable drain and open the plug.

Suction and dry performance

On paper, the motor’s 6.5 peak horsepower, 116 CFM airflow, and 73 inches of sealed pressure paint a picture of a strong performer. In use, that holds up. The 2-1/2 in hose diameter matters as much as motor specs; with the floor nozzle, I had no trouble pulling up piles of planer chips without clogging, and the crevice nozzle has enough pull to lift stubborn debris from subfloor seams. On a miter saw station, it won’t replace a dedicated dust extractor at the tool port, but as a general cleanup vac, it clears chips and dust quickly.

Suction remains consistent as the drum fills, and with the disposable bag installed, I noticed less fine dust escaping when I cracked the lid to empty. The hose’s flexibility is a nice change from the stiff, coiling types that love to pull tools off benches. The locking connection kept the hose from popping free when it snagged around a bench leg.

Wet pickup and drainage

I tested wet capacity with a mix of mop-bucket dumps and a shallow flooded section after rinsing pavers. The vac takes in water fast through the utility nozzle, and the drum fills evenly without the slosh that can tip lighter models. The large drain makes emptying straightforward—open the plug and the tank evacuates without you bear-hugging a full, slippery drum. Stainless cleans up quickly afterward; a quick rinse and wipe inside the tank leaves it ready for dry work again. As with any wet/dry vac, plan your workflow so you’re not swapping between wet and fine-dust tasks without giving the internals time to dry.

Noise and maneuverability

Noise is conspicuously low for a vac this size. I can carry on a normal conversation a few feet away without feeling like I’m shouting, and the pitch is less piercing than typical shop vacs. You still know it’s running, but it’s more of a whoosh than a scream, which makes long cleanup sessions far less fatiguing.

Maneuverability is strong on smooth floors. The rubberized front casters roll over cords and chips without skating, and the large rear wheels help with door thresholds and moving over asphalt. Because the rear wheels don’t pivot, turning on the spot or backing it around tight corners takes a little planning; it tracks straight very well but resists side-scrubbing. The upside is stability—on a sloped driveway, it stays planted instead of crab-walking.

Usability touches

The 7 ft primary hose is a workable length for floor cleanup and general use. For bench work, I often add a longer 2-1/2 in hose if I need to reach across a room; the motor has the headroom to tolerate that added length. The accessory bag is more useful than a few molded slots—it actually holds all the common attachments and keeps them handy. I’d rather have that than chasing a crevice tool that fell behind a cabinet.

The built-in blower port is genuinely useful on a jobsite. I used it to clear sawdust off outdoor workpieces and to push leaves out of a garage bay before sealing. It’s not a leaf blower replacement, but with the 2-1/2 in hose reversed it moves debris well enough for quick cleanups.

Power draw at 11 amps means standard 15A circuits are fine, and I didn’t trip breakers unless I ran it alongside a heavy saw on a marginal feed. The top-mounted handle balances the unit nicely when you need to lift it over a threshold.

Maintenance and durability

The washable cartridge filter rinses clean and dries overnight, which cuts consumable costs. With the disposable bag installed for fine dust days, I can go weeks without touching the cartridge. Stainless holds up to knocks and scrapes, and the drum lip and latches show no signs of loosening after being opened and closed repeatedly. The cord jacket is flexible in the cold and doesn’t take a memory coil that fights you.

Routine care is straightforward:
- Use the bag for fine dust to preserve suction and keep disposal tidy.
- Rinse the cartridge filter and let it dry fully before reinstalling.
- Crack the drain after wet use to make sure residual water is out before storing.

What could be better

A few nitpicks surfaced. The fixed rear wheels make straight-line tracking great but can complicate backing out of tight spots. The 7 ft hose is fine, though I’d love a stock 10 ft option given the unit’s capacity and motor. The accessory bag can flop into the way if you overstuff it; a semi-rigid caddy would keep things tidier. And while the stainless drum is tough, it shows fingerprints and small dings—purely cosmetic, but noticeable.

If you need HEPA filtration for lead-safe or silica compliance, this isn’t the right tool out of the box; it’s designed as a general-purpose wet/dry vac, not a certified dust extractor.

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt vac to contractors and serious DIYers who need strong, consistent suction, a big tank, and friendlier noise levels than the average shop vac. It excels at whole-shop cleanup, jobsite debris, and wet messes where the large drain and stainless drum pay off. The stable chassis, locking 2-1/2 in hose, long cord, and practical accessory storage make it easy to live with day to day. If you work mostly in tight spaces, need HEPA-rated filtration, or want a more agile, compact unit with a longer stock hose, look elsewhere. For general wet/dry duty with fewer compromises and less racket, this is a capable, durable choice.