7 Best Wet And Dry Vacuum Cleaners UK 2025 – An Expert Buyers Guide

As the Appliance Hunter, I’m always on the lookout for the best cleaning tools, and my latest mission has been to find the top wet and dry vacuums available. These versatile machines handle everything from dust and debris to spills and wet messes, making them perfect for homes, garages, and workshops.

I first put together this guide to help you find the best models, and I’ve updated it again for 2025 to ensure you’re getting the latest and most reliable options. While not much has changed in the past year, the top 5 vacuums remain strong contenders, with only slight updates in availability and pricing.

Below, you’ll find a detailed summary of the best wet and dry vacuums, including key features, pros, and cons. Simply click the name in the list or hit the Price & Review button to check the latest deals on Amazon. Whether you need a powerful industrial model or a compact home-friendly option, this guide has you covered.

Top 5 Best Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaners

• Top Choice – Kärcher WD5 Indoor and Outdoor Wet & Dry Vacuum
• Best For Car – Draper Handheld Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner
• Best For Carpet – Henry Charles Wet and Dry Bagged Vacuum Cleaner
• Best For Garage/workshop – Vacmaster Power Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner (bagged or bagless, and dust extractor)
• Best Budget – Karcher WD2 Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner

1. Top Choice – Kärcher WD5 Indoor and Outdoor Wet & Dry Vacuum

For starters, it comes with interchangeable heads—one is the standard dust pick-up, which works well on carpets and exceptionally on hard floors. The other is a wet head, designed with two squeegee blades that efficiently wipe up liquids so they can be vacuumed with ease.

One of the standout features of the Karcher WD5 is the built-in power socket on the front. This lets you plug in a power tool and connect the vacuum nozzle, so if you’re using something like a sander, it’ll suck up dust as it’s created—a brilliant feature, similar to what you’ll find on the Vacmaster I mention later.

When switching to wet vacuuming, you’ll need to remove the filter, as leaving it in place will cause it to clog. If it does get wet, though, it’s easy to remove—just rinse it in warm water, let it dry, and you’re good to go.

The vacuum also features an auto-cleaning function that helps clear out any mid-job clogs, though regular cleaning is still recommended.

With a 25L heavy-duty stainless steel body, the Karcher WD5 is built to handle even the toughest construction messes. Plus, all the attachments can be neatly stored on the back, making it convenient to transport.

When it comes to wet and dry vacuums, this one truly sets the bar high.

2. Best For Car – Draper Handheld Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Your car goes through a lot and sometimes you need something more heavy-duty than a regular handheld vacuum, you need a wet and dry vacuum that can get in and deep clean your car.

Because you aren’t trying to replace your regular vacuum, this doesn’t need to be an all-in-one tool like the Karcher above. It does, however, have so many uses beyond cleaning in your car and after your pet that it will pay for itself many times over.

The Draper is compact, yet powerful. Small enough to fit in the back of a closet, yet strong enough suction to remove even the biggest accident your pet could surprise you with. The 1000-watt motor on such a compact vacuum means you can get a professional cleanup in your car. It only weighs 3.8 kg so you can carry it around anywhere.

As for accessories, you have pretty much everything you will need and all kept on an onboard tool holder. It comes equipped with a crevice nozzle, an upholstery nozzle (perfect for stains on your furniture or car), a mini-cleaning kit and a brush. Basically, everything you would need to clean up the inside of a car.

The filters are foam and washable to save you money on replacements. And the suction is strong enough to even handle wet dog hair.

As is the case with other wet and dry vacuums, switching from wet to dry or vice versa means opening up the unit and switching the filters.

Using a wet and dry vacuum to clean up after a pet is ideal as it prevents the stain from penetrating the upholstery or carpet. When you rub the mess off, you are really actually rubbing it in. With a wet vac, you can soak the mess with water and hoover it right up before it has a chance to get absorbed.

3. Best For Carpet – Charles Wet and Dry Bagged Vacuum Cleaner

If you’re looking for the best wet and dry vacuum for household use, then Charles by Numatic is an excellent choice. While there are more powerful professional-grade wet-dry vacs out there, Charles is perfectly suited for home cleaning needs.

He may have a quirky look, but don’t let that fool you—Charles is all about performance.

It’s no surprise to see a Numatic vacuum ranking high on a “Best Of” list, but many might not expect Charles to take the spotlight as a wet-dry vacuum. Just like his well-known sibling, Henry, this model focuses on reliability over unnecessary extras, and that’s what makes it stand out.

With a 15-litre dry capacity and a 9-litre wet capacity, Charles is a medium-sized wet-dry vacuum that can handle spills, dust, and debris with ease. It even comes with a blower function for added versatility.

The cleaning wand is made of rustproof aluminium, keeping it lightweight and durable. The sturdy hose locks securely to the body, ensuring no air leaks. It also includes two-floor head attachments—one for wet cleaning and another for dry vacuuming, much like a traditional vacuum that works well on both hard floors and carpets.

In addition, Charles comes with a brush attachment for delicate surfaces and a crevice tool for tight spaces, making it a well-rounded option for household cleaning.

At just 7.1 kg, Charles is lighter than most upright vacuums and even some cylinder models. It moves smoothly thanks to its castor wheels, allowing it to glide over most surfaces unless you have an extremely deep-pile carpet.

Another major plus? It’s surprisingly quiet. Unlike many industrial-style wet-dry vacs that roar like a workshop machine, Charles runs at just 72dB, making it quieter than most standard vacuums.

But the real star here is the powerful suction. With a 1200-watt twin-flow motor, Charles can handle just about anything you throw at it, from fine dust to large debris and even liquid spills. Plus, it includes a HEPA filter, which helps trap fine particles, preventing dust from circulating back into the air after vacuuming.

The one drawback is that switching between wet and dry modes requires manually swapping filters inside the vacuum body. While this only takes about a minute, a simple toggle switch would have been a more convenient option.

If you’re looking for a vacuum with extra accessories and high-tech features, Charles might feel a bit basic. However, if you want a reliable, everyday vacuum that can handle both dry debris and spills, this Numatic wet-dry vac is an excellent investment. Unlike some wet-dry vacs that sit in storage waiting for the occasional big mess, Charles is versatile enough for everyday use, making it a smart and practical choice for any home.

4. Best For Garage/workshop – Vacmaster Power Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner (bagged or bagless, and dust extractor)

The Vacmaster Power is the ideal choice of wet and dry vacuum for a garage or a workshop, it’s got an onboard power socket for plugging tools into and you can connect it up as a dust extractor.

Plus it doubles as a blower so you can use it to clean up leaves in the garden!

You can use it as bagged or unbagged when you’re dealing with dry dust, I prefer using a bag as it stops any leftover liquid from the wet vacuuming from turning it all into a paste that’s hard to clean up. Plus it’s hard to turn upside down over the bin.

But you can use it unbagged if you don’t want to buy more bags.

Now as a wet vacuum, it’s ideal because it’s got a stopper cap on the back which you unscrew and all the water drains out where you want it to so you can quickly clean up even large quantities of liquid because it’s got a 30-liter capacity.

The only thing I wouldn’t touch is paint because it will dry along the inside and block the whole thing up.

And finally, all the accessories are stored on the machine itself so you can save yourself the hassle of finding a drawer to lose them in, they aren’t the best but they do come in handy.

All in all, a superb choice of wet and dry vacuum for your garage.

5. Best Budget – Karcher WD2 Wed & Dry Vacuum Cleaner

When you go for a cheap option you need to remember that’s what you’re going to get, a cheap option. But this Karcher is the same great quality, just with a bit less power and parts.

This is an amazing price for a synonym of a brand that is synonymous with wet cleaning.

It’s got the right amount of power required for a home with the suction power of 180 air watts, so it is still powerful enough to get all the leaves and other bits that end up all over your garage.

The power cord is 6m long which is OK and the hose is 1.8m which is on the shorter side but still enough for a general room-by-room clean when used with the floor brush head.

It’s a model designed for smaller indoor dry cleaning, but the stainless steel tank is resistant to any stones or other hard objects that might get thrown into it by chance around the house or in a garage.

Overall, Not nearly as good as the Karcher WD5 but at half the price it’s great for smaller home projects.

What is a Wet Dry Vacuum?

Also commonly referred to as a shop vac, a wet-dry vacuum is a bucket vacuum that can handle cleaning up water just as easily as dry debris.

Their power and versatility make them indispensable in a worksite where your debris is much more extreme than what you normally find in a home.

Because they have such heavy-duty capabilities, they are often overlooked when buying a vacuum for home use. But, after reading this article, I believe you will find that there are many good reasons to keep a wet-dry vacuum for home in your cleaning arsenal.

How Does a Wet Dry Vacuum Work?

A wet-dry vacuum is very similar to cylinder vacuums that you pull around, rather than upright vacuums.

The concept is very similar except that the cylinder is a bucket. Instead of using a vacuum bag, the wet and dry cleaner usually uses a two-bucket system that separates the liquids from the solids into two different chambers.

When the debris or water enters the cylinder, the airflow slows down and lets gravity handle the rest. Heavy liquid falls out from the slow-moving air into the wet bucket, and lighter debris continues onto the dry bucket.

Air that flows through the filter and out of the vacuum is usually cleaner than many domestic vacuums permit since the dirt and dust get absorbed by the water. After a thorough cleaning of a workshop, the air may actually be cleaner than in your home!

Some wet-dry vacs also have a blower option to blow air out rather than suck it in. This is helpful if you want to clear an area outside of leaves or debris. Where it comes in handy, however, is to unblock clogged drains as I mentioned.

The blower function also comes in handy when inflating balls or rafts or other things like that.

How to Maintain a Wet Dry Vacuum

A vacuum that is exposed to the rigours of an industrial site needs a little more maintenance than your typical home vacuum.

Regular maintenance will keep your vacuum in good working order. Don’t be scared off, I am only talking about taking a few minutes occasionally. It’s all very simple, really.

• Clean filters after every use. The owner’s manual will give you specific directions for your model. Keeping your filters clean will keep fine dust away from the motor extending the life of your vacuum considerably.
• Replace filters as needed. Again, refer to your owner’s manual about the frequency necessary to replace them.
• Always empty the bucket after every use, especially when you vacuum anything wet. Clean with soapy water after every 5 or so uses to prevent bacteria.
• Disconnect the hose from the body when not in use to prevent the hose from cracking at the connecting point.

What to Look for in a Wet-Dry Vacuum

Professional shop vacs can be very basic without any frills or accessories. When buying a wet-dry vacuum for your home, your needs may be a little more refined, so here are a few things to consider when you are looking for a good wet-dry vac.

Accessories

A crevice tool is indispensable in your home. If you don’t have one with your wet vacuum you may find yourself missing one. Spills are not always in wide-open areas. A crevice tool can make sure you cover all of your ground.

A brush tool for more delicate surfaces might not seem like it would belong, but let’s not forget, that the wet-dry vacuum for your home will need to do many of the things that your regular vacuum does. Including removing cobwebs from your ceiling or dusty surfaces on cupboards.

Car nozzles also come in handy, though they aren’t often included and must be purchased separately.

Size

Wet dry vacs can range in size from large industrial ones to small handheld ones. What size you need depends on how often you will need to bring out the big guns.

For most households, the medium size one will fit most needs. These are easier to store so you will be more likely to use them often. Large ones that are kept in a basement will likely only be used in an emergency.

Then there are the small handheld ones that are only meant to handle small cleanups that you wouldn’t want to use your traditional vacuum for.

Filters

Most shop vacs will come with filters to get you started, but if you use your vacuum often for big jobs, you will need replacements.

Replacing filters can be an unexpected expense so if you think you will be getting a lot of heavy use out of your vacuum, consider getting washable filters for wet dry vacuums. They aren’t cheap but last considerably longer than the non-washable kind.

Obviously, filters are an integral part of any vacuum, but they are essential in keeping your wet-dry vacuum in working order.

Hose diameter

The size of the hose and nozzle doesn’t need to be quite as wide as what you would need in an industrial area, but you should think about what you will be vacuuming. A too-narrow hose will limit you considerably when you do find yourself needing to clean up some larger debris.

You may not need a hose that can hoover up tennis balls, but it’s better to have a big hose and not need it than need one and not have it. I won’t expand on that analogy any further, thank you.

Now that you understand more about the ins and outs of wet-dry vacuums, let’s get into what wet-dry vacuums are best for you.

Other Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner Reviews

Dewalt Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum

A benefit to this vacuum is the fact that it is not only lightweight but cordless. You never know where your emergency will take place, so having the option to be far from a socket is nice.

Since pets come with dander, dust mites and bacteria, the washable HEPA filter is a welcome addition. It traps 99.7% of allergens in the cylinder and out of the air.

One of the things I love best about this robust little wet dry vacuum is the fact that the filters don’t need to be swapped when switching from wet to dry. Not to mention the suction is very strong and can easily clean up wet dog hair.

And it has a blower function. This might not be used in any pet cleanup, but it is a nice feature for other uses like unclogging a drain or blowing up inflatables.

All in all, I would consider this a handy, compact wet and dry vacuum that can also be used to clean up after pets.

Vacmaster Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Whatever you do make sure you put the cap back on after you’ve poured out the water! Otherwise, you’ll be vacuuming up and it’ll be pouring out behind you…

But as long as you do remember to put the cap back on this is an excellent way to empty it and much easier than trying to tip the whole thing out.

It’s got powerful suction and does a reasonably good job on carpets and rugs but is much better suited to hard surfaces in a workshop or garage. Especially because you can connect power tools to the power take-off socket and attach the vacuum to work as a dust extractor.

It’s compatible with a dust bag if you’re doing dry vacuuming and if you’re wet vacuuming you just swap out the cartridge filter for the foam filter and don’t use a bag. It’s a little fiddly to do this because you don’t want to rip it but only takes a couple of minutes max.

Unlike the Karcher, this only has one floor tool for wet and dry use which makes it slightly worse at carpet cleaning but it’s also a lot cheaper so there’s that to balance it out.

Overall, good suction power and a large canister make this an excellent cleaning solution for your home DIY projects.

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