Shop-Vac 971-05-00 2-Gallon 3 HP Wet/Dry Vacuum

What's in the Box
6-foot-by-1.25-inch locking hose with extension nozzle, two 16-by-1-1/4-inch extension wands, 12-inch deluxe combination nozzle with swivel end, brush and squeegee insert, gulper nozzle, crevice tool, round brush, foam filter, reusable dry disc filter, and 2-gallon disposable filter bag

My house is definitely cleaner and I find that housecleaning takes less time since I have had this little machine. I move through the house quickly, switching from the floor cleaning accessory to the duster in seconds making cleaning the floor, furniture, ceiling fans, windows sills etc. a snap. I use it in every room in my house and the car and can definitely recommend this machine as a worthwhile investment!


JUST what I needed!   February 24, 2006
Dominion D'Chagrin
24 out of 24 found this review helpful

Short and sweet: This little vac DOES deliver the power it claims to without taking up the space. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who likes the POWER of full size shop vacs without the bulk of one.

The attachments are NOT on board, but I just toss mine in with the other cleaning supplies. The canister itself is rugged and small enough to carry without it being cumbersome. I couldn't rate this equipment any higher. Even if I had the space for a larger vac, it wouldn't be needed unless I had a huge space to care for/clean. This takes care of a 3 bedroom home with 2 ferrets, 2 cats and 2 dogs (FUR!!), my workshop (glass dust) and my car. I love, love, LOVE IT and you will, too!!


GREAT vacuum, but . . .   January 27, 2006
K. Santiel (Los Angeles, CA USA)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful

I purchased my Shop Vac All-Around in 2002. Agree with other reviewers that it is a GREAT little vacuum -- I've owned Hoover, Dirt Devil, Vorwerk, Oreck, etc. -- this one beats them all, hands down. The drawback is when something goes wrong. As one reviewer mentioned, the on/off switches are not the greatest -- mine has always been finicky and finally went out. I called Shop Vac to find an authorized service center, only to be told they discontinued/closed their service centers in August 2005! And, since the warranty is only 3 yrs on the All-Arounds, mine is out of warranty. I have a choice of either purchasing a new motor -- yes, you have to purchase the whole motor unit -- for $46.29 -- OR purchasing a new one altogether. Obviously, at approx $60 for a new one, it makes better sense to just buy a new one. I find it rather frustrating they no longer have service centers and, unless they've improved the on/off switch, I might end up having to purchase a new one every few years!!

So . . . my rating for ease of use and capabilities of the unit itself would definitely be a 5 -- however, poor on/off switch, having to replace entire motor unit because of a poor switch, lack of authorized service centers brings my overall rating down to a 3.


Powerful and efficient for the price   February 23, 2006
Kate (Rhode Island)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

I have never met a vacuum cleaner I could cozy up to. They are too heavy or they repeatedly fall over, or attachments are not easy to change quickly. When my last vacuum died as I was putting my house on the market I had to scramble to find a replacement that would not require a major investment as in Electrolux or other major high end vac. I saw my son whisking around his house doing a quick mid holiday vacuuming while I was visiting. He recommended the 7-amp Shop-Vac that he was using. I immediately ordered it from Amazon and was rescued. It is light weight AND has good suction. Easy to pick up to do the stairs. Attachments go on and off without effort. Cord is nice and long. Doesn't require much storage space. I will probably not invest in an expensive vac for my next house as I thought I would. This Shp-Vac is serving my needs just fine. Since vacuuming is my most hated house chore, I wouldn't say I am feeling "cozy" about it, but I have not had thoughts of throwing it out the front door!

Note: it is not perfect, does fall over from time to time. The ball mechanism inside falls out of place necessitating shutting off and restarting. Still the best vac I have met, and I have kissed alot of frogs. For the comparatively small price, it does a big job.


Good little vacuum   November 8, 2006
G. Gaboury (Washington DC)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

What can I say, it works well. My only complaint is that the on/off switch is a bit of a pain. It can be hard to turn on sometimes, hence 4 stars instead of 5.