WORKSHOP Wet/Dry Vacs Shop Vacuum Accessories WS25021A Long Hose Attachment, 2-1/2-inch x 13-feet Locking Hose for Wet Dry Shop Vacuum Cleaners

What it is and why I reached for it

I keep a few shop vacs in rotation for different tasks—one that lives next to the miter saw with a cyclone, another that rides shotgun for car detailing, and a big canister for yard work. The weak link across all of them has always been the hose: too short, too prone to kinks, or too narrow to keep up with leaves and planer chips. I picked up the WORKSHOP 13-foot hose to solve two problems at once: extend my reach and move more air without constant clogging.

This is a 2-1/2-inch diameter, 13-foot locking hose with adapters intended to fit most standard 2-1/2-inch shop vac inlets. The headline here is the size and length. At this diameter you get real airflow, and at 13 feet you stop playing musical chairs with the vacuum every time you change sides of a vehicle or pull a board through a tool.

Setup and compatibility

Out of the box, the hose includes a locking end and multiple adapters to fit common 2-1/2-inch ports. On my WORKSHOP vacuum, the lock engaged directly and felt very secure—no wiggle, no whistling leaks. On a mid-2000s Ridgid and an older Craftsman canister, I used the included adapters. The fit was snug enough to lift the vac slightly by the hose without it popping off (not that I recommend that), yet it still released easily using the tab when it was time to coil and hang it.

A note on “2-1/2-inch” compatibility: this size is nominal, and different brands vary a bit on inside/outside diameter. The included adapters covered my mix of machines, but older or proprietary collars can be finicky. If your vacuum’s port measures quite a bit under 2-1/2 inches or uses a keyed bayonet, plan on a brand-specific adapter. In most cases, though, this hose will plug-and-play.

Build quality and design

The hose is a traditional ribbed polyethylene style that prioritizes durability and airflow over supple, rubbery flexibility. The cuffs are properly formed and bonded, and the locking mechanism is reassuringly positive—enough spring tension to keep it latched, but not so much that you wrestle with it. The interior is smooth enough at the joints that I didn’t notice turbulence noise or snagging at the transitions, which matters when you’re vacuuming chips and leaves that love to bridge.

At 13 feet, coil memory matters. Right out of the box the hose had a moderate set from the packaging. After a day hanging on a wall hook it relaxed nicely. In cold weather it stiffens, as most poly hoses do, so if you work in an unheated space, expect a bit more spring in the line until the shop warms up.

Performance: airflow, reach, and real-world tasks

The diameter is the hero here. With the larger 2-1/2-inch bore, the WORKSHOP hose moves noticeably more air than the typical 1-7/8-inch or 1-1/4-inch hoses that come with many vacs. That translates to fewer clogs when collecting planer shavings and leaves, and better pickup of heavier debris like pea gravel or drywall chunks.

Reach is the second win. Thirteen feet is long enough to vacuum an entire midsize SUV interior without skating the canister around the garage. Around stationary tools, the extra distance lets me park the vac and cyclone off to the side, keeping the floor around the saw clear. I’ve used it between a table saw and a separator, and the length made it easy to position both without awkward bends. For yard work, it’s long enough to snake around raised beds and patio furniture without dragging the canister into everything.

Any time you add hose length you add some pressure loss. Compared to a shorter OE hose of the same diameter, there’s a small drop in peak suction at the end of the line. In practice, with the bigger bore, the net performance has been superior for the kind of tasks that overwhelm narrower hoses. For fine dust at tools with small ports, you’ll still need a reducer, and in those cases a shorter whip hose can feel snappier. Where this hose shines is bulk cleanup and general shop duty.

Ergonomics and handling

The ribbed profile gives decent grip and glides over concrete and OSB without scuffing. Because of the length, you’ll catch a corner now and then; it’s not heavy, but there’s mass to manage. I’ve had good luck keeping a loose “S” loop near the vac so it feeds smoothly rather than dragging. The locking tab is exactly what you want: it prevents mid-job disconnects but releases instantly when you’re done.

Storing a 13-foot hose is always the unglamorous part. Coiling it tightly fights the plastic’s memory, so I don’t. I hang it on a wide wall hook and use a Velcro strap to keep the bight from sliding. If you must coil, do it in large loops. A quick blast with a heat gun on low (or a few summer days in a warm shop) helps the hose relax into a gentler curve.

Durability and maintenance

So far, the hose has shrugged off shop abuse—metal shavings, landscaping gravel, and the occasional screw. The cuffs haven’t loosened, and the locking collar still snaps confidently. The wall thickness is stout enough to resist collapse under normal vacuum pressure, even with wet pickup, and I haven’t experienced kinks during tight maneuvers.

It’s not a premium crush-proof or anti-static hose. If you drive a truck over it, it’ll flatten like most standard hoses. And if you move a lot of bone-dry fine dust in the winter, you can build up static and get a zap. If that’s your reality, a specialized anti-static hose belongs on your shortlist. For general shop use, this one hits a sensible durability balance.

Maintenance is straightforward: knock it against the floor to clear chips, then backflush with the vac if you suspect a partial clog. After wet work, run a few minutes of air through it to dry; a long hose can hold a surprising amount of water in the corrugations.

Limitations and quirks

• Length tradeoff: the extra reach slightly reduces peak suction compared to a shorter hose and makes it more unwieldy in tight spaces.
• Cold-weather stiffness: it’s bendable, but noticeably stiffer below about 45°F.
• Not anti-static: fine dust users may want grounding or a different hose.
• Compatibility edge cases: most 2-1/2-inch ports are covered, but a few older or proprietary collars may need an additional adapter.

Practical tips for getting the most out of it

• Measure your inlet: check inside and outside diameters of your vac port to confirm you’re in standard 2-1/2-inch territory.
• Use reducers strategically: keep this hose for the main run and add a short, smaller whip only at the tool if you need to match 1-1/4-inch ports. That preserves airflow.
• Manage the run: avoid sharp bends at the inlet by giving the hose a gentle loop; it reduces turbulence and keeps suction consistent.
• Store smart: hang it in large loops on a wide hook to preserve flexibility and prevent kinks forming at the same spot.
• Wet pickup: after vacuuming liquids, elevate one end and drain; then run air to dry the corrugations.

Who it’s for

• DIYers and pros who want more reach around a garage, shop, or jobsite without moving the canister constantly.
• Anyone frustrated with clogs in smaller hoses when dealing with chips, landscaping debris, or general demolition cleanup.
• Users running a shop vac with a cyclone or separator who need the length to position equipment conveniently.

If your work is dominated by fine dust collection at high-static tools, or you demand anti-static properties and maximum flexibility, you’ll be better served by a specialized hose system. For everything else, this is a solid upgrade.

Verdict and recommendation

The WORKSHOP 13-foot hose does exactly what I wanted: it extends reach meaningfully, keeps a secure connection with a sensible locking collar, and moves more air and debris than the stock hoses that ship with many vacs. The build feels robust without being cumbersome, and the included adapters made it essentially universal across the vacs in my shop.

It’s not without tradeoffs—any 13-foot hose is going to feel a touch lazier at the nozzle than a short one, and cold weather magnifies the stiffness. There’s no anti-static provision, and a few edge-case vacuums may need an extra adapter. Those caveats aside, the performance and convenience gains are real.

I recommend this hose to anyone looking to upgrade a shop vac for general cleanup, car detailing, yard debris, or as a main run to a cyclone. The combination of 2-1/2-inch diameter, secure locking, and generous length hits a practical sweet spot. If you need anti-static properties or have a vacuum with a proprietary connection, consider brand-specific or specialty options; otherwise, this is a reliable, well-executed hose that makes a shop vac meaningfully easier to live with.