The Finest Ash Vacuums Examined and Reviewed

A crackling fireplace provides coziness and atmosphere, however the ensuing ash cleanup is disagreeable; that’s the place an ash vacuum is available in. Whereas conventional fireside cleansing entails a brush, a dustpan, and clouds of ash particles floating by the air, ash vacuums could make that methodology out of date.

Based on Wealthy Mullins, mechanical professional and proprietor of H2O Plumbing in Corydon, Indiana, ash vacuums are “sport changers for owners who desire a clear and hassle-free method to keep their fireplaces.” Since these specialised fire vacuums are comparatively new, we wished to place them to the take a look at on our personal fireplaces and fireplace pits. We researched greater than 24 completely different ash vacuums earlier than selecting a number of prime fashions for hands-on testing. Our favourite was the PowerSmith PAVC101 Ash Vacuum due to its superior portability, snug noise degree, and a number of extensions and nozzles. Preserve studying to be taught what to search for when searching for an ash vacuum, and learn the way the next ones earned a spot in our lineup of the very best ash vacuums for many customers.

1. BEST OVERALL: PowerSmith PAVC101 Ash Vacuum
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Snow Joe ASHJ201 4.8-Gallon Ash Vacuum
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3. BEST MULTIUSE: Earth Sense Power Techniques Pellethead Ash Vacuum Professional
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4. BEST LIGHT-DUTY: Porter-Cable PCX-18184 4-Gallon Ash Vacuum
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5. BEST HEAVY-DUTY: BacoEng 20L Superior Ash Vacuum
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Our High Picks

A lot of the following vacuums for fire ashes (not all) are designed to face up to sucking up heat ashes (as much as 140 levels Fahrenheit) due to their versatile steel hoses, heat-resistant filters, and metal canisters. Assortment capability varies, as does wire size, hose size, and sound degree, however each earned a spot on this lineup by successfully and safely vacuuming ash in our checks—with out spewing them into the air. One is certain to be a sensible choice on your fire ash cleanup wants.

Product Specs 

• Wire/hose size: 16-foot-long wire, 50-inch-long hose 
• Ash capability: 3 gallons
• Weight: 10.8 kilos 

What We Like

• Warmth-resistant steel hose and canister 
• Protected to hoover up heat (not sizzling) ashes
• Comes with a number of extensions and nozzles 
• Fireplace-resistant filter system traps high quality mud 
• Comfortably quiet at about 82 decibels when working

What We Don’t Like

• Care is required when emptying out the canister and shaking ash mud from the filter

This highly effective 10-amp ash vacuum by PowerSmith comes outfitted with a 16-foot wire and a 50-inch hose. The canister has a 3-gallon ash capability, a locking hermetic lid, and a user-friendly on/off button on prime. 

The PowerSmith was a pleasure to check, beginning with caster wheels that snapped on shortly. The vacuum rolled easily, which is a pleasant comfort, but it surely additionally has a prime deal with, and at simply 10.8 kilos, it’s comparatively easy to hold.

When turned on, the PowerSmith generated about 82 decibels (producer cites 79 decibels), which is about as loud as a normal vacuum cleaner. We discovered the noise degree fairly snug. We vacuumed a big quantity of wooden ash (from three consecutive fires) with the PowerSmith, which amounted to about 2.5 gallons of high quality ash.

The ash vacuum comes with two extensions and a brush nozzle that was helpful for brushing ashes out of crevices in our travertine-stone fireside whereas vacuuming them up. It additionally contains a turbo nozzle that doubles as a ground brush, which we discovered effectively suited to vacuuming ashes from a fire. 

The PowerSmith comes with a fire-resistant filter that retains all of the ashes from recirculating within the air. If there’s a draw back to the PowerSmith, it’s the mess that may ensue when dumping the ash canister. We discovered accumulations of high quality mud on the filter that we needed to shake out to scrub it. Because of this, emptying have to be executed open air and, for the very best outcomes, we suggest shaking the filter downwind if potential.

Learn our full overview: PowerSmith PAVC101 Ash Vacuum

Get the PowerSmith ash vacuum at Amazon, The Dwelling Depot, Wayfair, or Walmart.

Product Specs 

• Wire/hose size: 8.5-foot-long wire, 3.9-foot-long hose
• Ash capability: 4.8 gallons 
• Weight: 8.8 kilos 

What We Like

• Light-weight and compact 
• Comes with cord-winding prongs on prime of vacuum for storage
• Constructed-in dual-filtration system captures high quality ash particles

What We Don’t Like

• No wheels included
• Comparatively loud—in checks, the vacuum registered 95 decibels
• Not a heat ash vacuum; vacuum chilly ash solely

There’s nothing extravagant in regards to the Snow Joe ash vacuum—it doesn’t boast any bells and whistles, and its budget-friendly worth displays that. Nonetheless, in our checks, this primary ash vacuum did an excellent job of sucking up ashes from fireplaces, fireplace pits, and chimineas.

The Snow Joe ash vacuum makes use of a 4-amp electrical motor to tug ash right into a 4.8-gallon canister, and it weighs simply 8.8 kilos. The producer didn’t do a lot to insulate the vacuum’s motor, and so this mannequin is sort of loud. It’s listed at 92 decibels, but it surely registered 95 decibels in our checks. Thankfully, not like cleansing a totally carpeted residence, vacuuming a fire solely takes a couple of minutes; some people could discover a louder working noise trade-off for a less expensive worth level.

In contrast to the opposite ash vacuums in our lineup, the Snow Joe is designed for chilly ashes solely; in truth, vacuuming heat ashes is taken into account a hearth hazard, despite the fact that the vacuum has a versatile steel hose and a metal ash container. The twin-filtration system retains cool ash mud at bay very effectively. We examined this vacuum on an outside chimera and an indoor fire and didn’t discover any mud particles within the air. Although this mannequin doesn’t have wheels, it does embrace a carrying deal with that makes it straightforward to tote. This Snow Joe ash vacuum has an 8.5-foot-long wire, a 3.9-foot-long hose, and an 11.8-inch-long nozzle.

Get the Snow Joe ash vacuum at Amazon, Tractor Provide Co., or The Dwelling Depot.

Product Specs 

• Wire/hose size: 10-foot-long wire, 7-foot-long hose
• Ash capability: 5 gallons
• Weight: Roughly 13.5 kilos

What We Like

• Lengthy wire and hose; no extension wire wanted
• Able to safely dealing with heat ashes as much as 140 levels Fahrenheit
• Excessive-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter 
•  Use with or with out a wheeled base

What We Don’t Like

• Barely heavier at about 13.5 kilos than different examined fashions

With an ample 10-foot wire plus a 7-foot hose, the Earth Sense Techniques Pellethead ash vacuum gives versatility and permits customers to plug into shops farther away from the firebox or fireplace pit that requires cleansing. We examined the Pellethead indoors and out, and it was nice to have an extended wire that permit us work with out an extension wire. 

Like most ash vacuums, the Pellethead is designed to suck up ashes as heat as 140 levels Fahrenheit. It contains a sizable metal ash canister with a 5-gallon capability and comes with a number of attachments, together with a crevice instrument for reaching into tight spots and a brush instrument that allowed us to take away packed ashes from between cinder blocks on our fireplace pit. When vacuuming with none attachments, utilizing simply the aluminum tube, we may suck up items of burned wooden as much as about 1 inch in diameter. 

The producer doesn’t listing a decibel degree, however the Pellethead registered 87.5 decibels throughout operation in our checks, which isn’t as loud as some fashions, however not as quiet as others. We didn’t discover the extent of noise to be uncomfortable. 

The mannequin takes its title, Pellethead, from its skill to hoover on a pellet range, and whereas we didn’t have a pellet range for testing, we imagine it will do an excellent job as a pellet range vacuum. It has a HEPA filter that traps extra-fine ash mud particles to maintain them from recirculating within the air. It’s a tad heavier than some at about 13.5 kilos, but it surely has a wheeled base for simple rolling on a tough ground. 

Get the Earth Sense Power Techniques ash vacuum at Amazon.

Product Specs 

• Wire/hose size: 8-foot-long wire, 4-foot-long hose
• Ash capability: 4 gallons
• Weight: 7.9 kilos 

What We Like

• Compact and light-weight; straightforward to hold and retailer
• Strong suction for cleansing up each dry and moist ashes
• Comparatively quiet throughout operation; examined at 88 decibels whereas working 

What We Don’t Like

• Not appropriate for sucking up sizzling ashes

The Porter-Cable ash vacuum is compact and light-weight but gives strong suction for cleansing up chilly ashes in small fireplaces or fireplace pits. It even sucked up all of the ashes from three wooden fires. It has one of many smaller ash canisters (4-gallon capability), and it lacks wheels for rolling alongside, so it’s finest suited to light-duty cleanup and frequent emptying. Thankfully, it weighs simply 7.9 kilos and has a big fold-up deal with. 

The Porter-Cable comes with a heat-resistant filter bag, a versatile hose, a steel wand, and a metal canister. However, because it has a normal filter that’s not heat-resistant, the producer suggests vacuuming solely chilly ashes. Whereas the heat-resistant parts would probably maintain sizzling ashes from beginning a hearth, the usual filter could possibly be destroyed if it got here into contact with smoldering ash. Observe our and the producer’s recommendation and keep on with chilly ashes with this one.

This Porter-Cable is appropriate for vacuuming moist ashes in addition to dry, so if smoldering ashes must be dampened to make sure they’re utterly out, the entire soggy mess could be sucked up with this mannequin.

This ash vacuum is quieter than some. It registered 88 decibels in our checks, which made it about common by way of noise. We didn’t discover it uncomfortably loud throughout use. 

Get the Porter-Cable ash vacuum at Amazon, Walmart, or Zoro.

Product Specs 

• Wire/hose size: 15-foot-long wire, 5-foot-long hose 
• Ash capability: 5.3 gallons
• Weight: 12.17 kilos 

What We Like

• Highly effective 1,200-watt motor; strong suction
• Multifunctional; consists of a number of extensions, together with a carpet accent
• Appropriate for each heat or chilly ash

What We Don’t Like

• Pretty loud, registering 96 decibels in hands-on testing

The double-stage filtration system is a perk of this BacoEng ash vacuum that contains a highly effective 1,200-watt motor and a large 5.3-gallon steel tank to go together with it. The mix of a HEPA filter and a secondary filter ensures that high quality ash particles don’t escape again into the air as soon as cleaned from the hearth, wooden range, or pellet range. We examined the BacoEng on each an indoor fire and an outside chiminea, and it shortly sucked up all of the ashes we’d gathered with a number of fires. Plus, there was nonetheless ample room within the ash canister for extra.

We actually favored the rotating caster wheels on the BacoEng. Some fashions we examined got here with curler bases that the canisters set into however weren’t completely hooked up. That was often high quality, however once we picked up these vacuums, the curler bases had been all the time left behind, and we needed to carry them individually. In distinction, the wheels are completely linked to the BacoEng vacuum, in order that they stayed put once we carried the unit to a brand new spot.

The BacoEng is appropriate for each chilly and heat (not sizzling) ashes. It has a 5-foot-long versatile hose and a 15-foot-long energy wire, offering ample attain for many cleanup conditions. With extension wands, a crevice nozzle, an upholstery nozzle, and an attachment for carpets and laborious flooring, this versatile vacuum can be utilized for greater than mere ash cleanup. On the draw back, this mannequin registered 96 decibels throughout operation, which is sort of loud, so we didn’t suppose we’d use it to hoover massive areas in our properties due to that.

Get the BacoEng ash vacuum at Amazon.

How We Examined the Finest Ash Vacuums

Earlier than hands-on testing, we fastidiously analyzed over two dozen ash vacuums, contemplating construct high quality, supplies, wire and hose size, and acknowledged noise ranges, earlier than selecting the highest-rated fashions for testing in our fireplaces.

In precise testing, we used the vacuums to suck up ash mud and small wooden particles from fireboxes, fireplace pits, and chimenea bowls. We famous suction skill, portability, ease of use, and whether or not the interior filters saved ash mud from recirculating into the air as we labored. We additionally licensed sound ranges with a decibel tester.

Every ash vacuum was scored utilizing a rubric—the higher a mannequin did on a selected take a look at, the extra factors it acquired. After testing, we averaged the factors to find out the very best performers and assist categorize the ash vacuums by their execs and cons.

What to Contemplate When Selecting an Ash Vacuum

When trying to find the very best ash vacuum, take into account every unit’s capability, portability, energy, weight, and different important options. “Whereas ash vacuums are extremely useful for anybody with a wood-burning fire or comparable warmth sources, they is probably not an absolute necessity for everybody,” says Mullins. 

Capability/Storage 

Earlier than searching for an ash vacuum, take into account the dimensions of the hearth and its frequency of use. If the hearth produces a variety of waste as a result of it’s used recurrently or it’s particularly massive, search for an ash vacuum with a bigger capability.

Fashions vary in measurement from small handheld ash vacuums to bigger shop-vacuum-style pull-around cleaners. Their storage canisters vary in quantity from 3 to 16 gallons. Most of the finest ash vacuums have sealed canisters that not solely include the ashes but additionally their odor. 

Frequent fire or wooden range customers who usually benefit from the heat and atmosphere of fires could need to spend money on a strong large-capacity ash vacuum to cut back the need of emptying it usually. Informal fire customers could also be proud of a small handheld mannequin with diminished ash capability. 

Portability

Of us who’ve a number of fireplaces might want an simply transported ash vacuum. And since these units look moderately utilitarian and may muddle up an ornamental fireside, house owners could effectively need to tuck them away for storage.

Ash vacuums could also be comparatively light-weight for portability, however extra highly effective fashions could be heavy and unwieldy. Many fashions have some sort of rudimentary deal with for toting. Some even have caster wheels for rolling on laborious surfaces. When factoring the necessity for portability, take into account the gap from the vacuum’s space for storing to the hearth. If there are stairs to maneuver or it’s a trek to get to an outside trash can, a lighter-weight vacuum could also be the only option.

Building and Warmth Resistance

Whereas ash vacuums resemble customary shop-type vacuums, there are just a few notable variations. Store-type vacuums are often made with heavy-duty plastic canisters that aren’t designed to carry heat ashes. In conditions the place smoldering ashes are vacuumed up in a shop-type vacuum, there’s an opportunity the plastic canister may soften and a hearth may ensue.

Many ash vacuums are made with heat-resistant supplies, equivalent to versatile steel hoses, aluminum wands, and metal canisters that gained’t soften or ignite. Not all ash vacuums are appropriate to be used on heat ashes, nonetheless. Some specify they need to be used solely on chilly ashes. Whereas heat-resistant supplies will maintain a hearth from beginning within the canister, cold-ash vacuums usually include filters that aren’t heat-resistant. These filters could be destroyed by vacuuming sizzling or heat ashes, however customers are nonetheless afforded a measure of fireplace security from the metal canisters.  

Hose and Wire Size

Since most ash vacuums require exterior energy, hose and rope size go hand in hand with portability. The space between the closest outlet and the hearth could make the distinction between straightforward cleansing and barely reaching. Entry to the fireside or range can be important. Longer cords and hoses supply simpler choices for cleansing each inch of the hearth. 

For big fireplaces or hard-to-access wooden stoves, an extended hose could also be obligatory. Make sure to verify the size of the hose earlier than buy. Although not all fashions have them, hoses usually vary between 3 and 10 ft lengthy.

Equally, the size of the electrical wire, which might vary between 6 and 30 ft, is a crucial consideration. Some fashions supply retractable cords and integrated tube-management programs. 

Energy

The better the motor power, the extra highly effective the suction of the vacuum. Energy for an ash vacuum is rated in amps or watts. A better wattage or amperage interprets to an ash vacuum able to drawing in even the densest pile of ash.

Most producers listing the amperage and wattage of the motor of their specs. Nearly all of ash vacuums plug simply into family shops, whereas smaller fashions could also be battery-powered. 

Noise Stage

Noise is one other necessary think about selecting the very best ash vacuum. A jet engine clocks in at 140 A-weighted decibels, whereas a family fridge produces about 55 decibels. Conventional vacuum cleaners generate a mean of 75 decibels, in order that they do create noticeable noise ranges. 

Not all producers embrace decibel rankings of their product specs, however most high-powered vacuums are louder than low-powered fashions. Most ash vacuums function within the 79- to 90-decibel vary. The minimal variance between excessive and low decibel ranges means noise could also be a secondary issue when selecting the very best ash vacuum for a house.

FAQs 

To be taught extra about ash vacuum cleaners, maintain studying for solutions to a number of the most often requested questions on these merchandise.

Why Belief Bob Vila

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. Because the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV sequence together with “This Previous Home” and “Bob Vila’s Dwelling Once more,” he popularized and have become synonymous with “do-it-yourself” residence enchancment.

Over the course of his decades-long profession, Bob Vila has helped thousands and thousands of individuals construct, renovate, restore, and stay higher every day—a convention that continues as we speak with professional but accessible residence recommendation. The Bob Vila group distills need-to-know data into undertaking tutorials, upkeep guides, instrument 101s, and extra. These residence and backyard specialists then completely analysis, vet, and suggest merchandise that assist owners, renters, DIYers, and professionals of their to-do lists.

Meet the Tester

Glenda Taylor is a product tester and author specializing within the development, reworking, and actual property industries. She and her husband personal a common contracting firm, and Taylor is skilled in each residential and industrial constructing purposes. She checks a variety of energy instruments in addition to different residence enchancment, family, and lawn-and-garden merchandise.

Further analysis supplied by Mike Burton.

 

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