DeWalt 16-Gallon 6.5 HP Wet/Dry Vacuum

I put the 16‑gallon DeWalt to work across a messy week in the shop—post‑demo debris, a couple of wet spills, and the usual fine dust from sanding and routing. It’s a big drum vac with the right headline specs for jobsite cleanup, but what stood out wasn’t just power. It’s the combination of quieter operation, useful accessories, and thought‑through details that made it easy to live with.

Setup and build quality

Out of the box, assembly is straightforward: snap on the casters, fit the hose, and choose the right filter setup. The plastic tank keeps weight manageable for a 16‑gallon unit, and the top handle is robust enough to yank it over thresholds without feeling flimsy. The switch is oversized and has a water‑resistant boot—easy to hit with a gloved hand. The accessory pouch is more useful than most molded trays; it actually holds the wands and nozzles securely, so I’m not hunting for the crevice tool under a pile of offcuts.

The included 2‑1/2 in. hose locks in positively and doesn’t pop loose when you catch it on a workbench corner. It’s more flexible than the stiff hoses that often ship with budget vacs, which helps when you’re working around a vehicle or machinery. The 20‑ft cord is a real quality‑of‑life improvement; I rarely needed an extension cord in a two‑car garage or standard room.

Noise and power

DeWalt lists this vac under 65 dBA. I don’t put much stock in vendor noise numbers because measurement setups vary, but subjectively it’s noticeably quieter than most shop vacs in this size class. I could carry a normal conversation a few feet away without shouting, and I didn’t feel the need for double hearing protection. The tone is lower, too, which makes it less fatiguing over a long clean‑up.

On paper, you get 75 CFM and 135 inches of sealed pressure (static lift). In practice, that balance favors strong pull through smaller or restricted paths (great for heavier debris and water pickup) over sheer airflow across a wide floor nozzle. With the 2‑1/2 in. hose and utility nozzle, it had no trouble grabbing screws, gravel, and chunks of drywall. Floor sweeping felt controlled rather than “hurricane,” and I appreciated not sandblasting dust clouds back into the air.

Performance in the shop

• Jobsite debris: Nails, chips, and sawdust disappeared without clogging. The larger hose diameter helps prevent bottlenecks, especially when you’re milling a lot of shavings.
• Fine dust: With the disposable filter bag installed, drywall dust and sanding powder stayed out of the cartridge and the exhaust felt clean. Without a bag, the cartridge will load up faster—as you’d expect with any shop vac.
• Tool cleanup: This isn’t a dust extractor, so don’t expect miracle capture on a planer or sander. The 2‑1/2 in. hose is great for cleanup but too large for many handheld tool ports; you’ll need a reducer. The 75 CFM is also below what you want for continuous extraction from stationary tools, but for end‑of‑day cleanups and short runs, it’s excellent.

Wet pickup and draining

For spills and rinse‑downs, the vac’s static lift shines. It pulled standing water from a basement slab and left only a damp sheen. The built‑in tank drain is the unsung hero here—it’s large enough to empty quickly without tipping the drum, and it spared my back when the tank was full of slurry. Just remember to remove the disposable bag before any wet work, and use the correct filter configuration recommended for liquids.

Mobility and handling

The casters roll smoothly on concrete, and the rubber tread keeps the vac from skating on polished floors. On my unit, the front casters swivel and the rear wheels track straight. That setup makes it stable when pushing forward, but it’s not as eager to pivot if you’re tugging it backward around a corner. Not a deal‑breaker—just plan your path a little. With a full tank, it’s still stable and doesn’t feel tippy, which is more than I can say for some tall drums.

Filtration and maintenance

The washable cartridge filter is easy to pop out, rinse, and reinstall. If you’re cycling between wet and dry tasks, give it time to fully dry to avoid musty odors and fine dust clumping. The disposable filter bag is worth using for fine dust; it keeps suction more consistent over long sessions and reduces maintenance. Everything seals up well; I didn’t notice fines puffing from seams or the lid, and the exhaust stream felt clean when using the bag.

Accessories and storage

You get a sensible kit: two extension wands, floor and utility nozzles, crevice tool, and a round brush. The accessory pouch is big enough to keep the set together, which is rare. I’d call the floor head “adequate”—it’s not an engineered dust‑extraction shoe, but it glides well and has enough opening to prevent clogging when you hit larger chips. If you do a lot of interior cleaning, you might want to add a soft‑bristle floor tool; the vac’s 2‑1/2 in. fittings are common, so third‑party options and adapters are easy to find.

Power draw and circuits

At 8 amps on 120 V, it’s kinder to household circuits than many high‑horsepower shop vacs. I could run it alongside a miter saw on a 15‑amp circuit without nuisance trips. Note that “6.5 peak HP” is a marketing spec; the real‑world performance is better understood by the CFM and static lift numbers—and those bear out the strong suction I saw in use.

What could be better

• Hose length: The 7‑ft hose is fine for floor work, but a longer primary hose (or a second, longer option) would be welcome for vehicle interiors and reaching across a bench without moving the drum.
• Steering in tight spaces: With fixed rear wheels, it doesn’t love backing around obstacles; a four‑swivel setup would improve maneuverability at the expense of straight‑line tracking.
• Not a dust extractor: There’s no tool‑actuated outlet or variable suction. That’s not a flaw for a shop vac, just clarity: it’s built for cleanup, not for capturing dust at the source on sensitive handheld tools.
• Storage for the hose: The cord wrap is excellent; the hose parking is “good enough.” A more positive dock would keep it tidier on a crowded truck or trailer.

Durability and safety

The tank material is plastic, which I prefer for weight and dent resistance. It will scuff, but it won’t crease like thin steel drums. The ETL safety listing and a 3‑year limited warranty offer baseline confidence. After dragging it through a week of concrete dust and wet slurry, the latches, handle, and casters still feel tight.

Who it’s for

• General contractors and remodelers who need a quiet, strong cleanup vac that won’t blow breakers and can handle both fine dust (with a bag) and heavy debris.
• Garage and shop users who value a long cord, easy maintenance, and a real tank drain for wet jobs.
• Anyone who’s tired of the high‑pitched scream of typical shop vacs and wants lower noise without stepping up to a dedicated dust extractor.

If your primary need is on‑tool extraction for sanders or planers, look at a true dust extractor with higher airflow, variable suction, and HEPA options. For everything else, this DeWalt is very capable.

Recommendation

I recommend the 16‑gallon DeWalt for jobsite and shop cleanup. It combines strong static suction, a genuinely quieter sound profile, and practical features—20‑ft cord, secure hose lock, useful accessory storage, and a real drain—that make daily use easier. The limitations are clear (shorter hose, average maneuverability, not a dust extractor), but they don’t undercut its core purpose. If you need a dependable wet/dry vac that can tackle heavy debris and liquids while keeping noise in check, this one is an easy pick.