Working with wood is a messy business and the fine dust that is created by power tools can make the air in your workshop dirty and dangerous. If you are sweeping the dust-up by hand or your home vacuum cleaner is struggling to cope, a dust collector is an efficient wood dust management machine for a workshop or DIY renovation workspace.
A dust collector, sometimes called a dust extractor, is an indispensable cleaning machine for any woodworking enthusiast. Woodworking tools like a band saw, a miter saw or a belt sander, generate a lot of fine dust that is tough to clean up and hazardous to your health. Whether you work at home or in a professional carpentry shop, a dust collector will help you to work smarter by creating a dust-free workspace that is full of fresh, clean air.
The 8 Best Dust Collectors
- WEN 3401 Dust Collector
- POWERTEC DC5370 Wall Mounted Dust Collector
- Shop Fox W1826 Wall Dust Collector
- SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector (Our Top Pick)
- Delta Power Equipment 50-723T2 Dust Collector
- JET JCDC-1.5 Cyclone Dust Collector
- BOSCH Dust Extractor
- Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy Kit
Our Top Pick for the Best Dust Collector
Our top pick for the best dust collector is the SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector. We highly recommend this dust-busting workhorse for your workshop.
The W1687 delivers a reliable dust filtration performance. Powerful and portable, this dust collector will keep your workshop free of dangerous sawdust and improve the air quality so that you can work safely and breathe easily.
Check the price on AmazonHow Does a Dust Collector Work?
Dust collectors are designed with a powerful 1 HP or 1.5 HP motor and a strong impeller fan that creates speeds of 3450 RPM for smaller dust collectors or 6,000 RPM for larger machines.
A dust collector is very easy to use. Just attach it to your wood cutting, beveling or wood smoothing tool with a flexible hose and the advanced filtration system will suck the dust out into an attached collection bag. Once the bag is full, you can safely dispose of the dust in the trash.
How to Choose a Dust Collector
To find the right dust collector for your workshop, consider these important features.
Filtration System
Dust collectors are designed with either a single-stage or 2-stage filtration system.
Single-Stage Dust Collector
If you have a small workshop or you are a hobby woodworker, a single-stage dust collector like the SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector is perfect for you. A single-stage dust collector’s filtration system captures dust particles with a size of 2 or 2.5-microns, which is sufficient for most small-medium woodworking tasks.
Two-Stage Dust Collector
A 2-stage or cyclonic dust collector is a must-have machine for any DIY woodworking enthusiast or a professional carpenter. Extremely efficient, a 2-stage dust collector has improved suction power that can suck up the smallest of dust particles down to 1-micron as well as larger wood chips.
This type of dust collector is ideal for medium-to-large woodworking tasks, but it might be too bulky for a small workspace.
Dust Separator
If you already have a wet/dry shop vacuum, you can transform your vacuum into a 2-stage dust collector by attaching a dust separator like the Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy.
Wall Mounted and Mobile Dust Collectors
If your workshop has limited space consider a wall-mounted dust collector like the Grizzy Industrial G0710 Wall Hanging Dust Collector. If you are looking for a unit that you can transport easily around your work area, consider a dust collector with a rolling base or a mobile dust extractor.
Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM)
The airflow speed of a dust collector is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) which is usually between 537-800 CFM. To find the right dust collector for your work needs, think about the CFM rating of the power tools that you use daily. For instance, a bandsaw can create between 300-400 CFM and a planer between 500-800 CFM.
Dust Collection Bag
A dust collector may have a plastic collection bag or a collection drum. Plastic collection bags are very easy to empty and may also have a viewing window that helps you to monitor the amount of dust inside the bag. Even though a plastic bag is lighter than a collection drum, the bag can break if you overfill it.
Hose/Inlet Port Sizes
You also have to consider the size of the hose or the inlet port that connects the dust collector to your woodworking machine. A dust collector may have a 2 or 4-inches inlet or hose, so make sure that you check the size of the port on your miter or band saw first. You also need to be aware that the hose may or may not come with the dust collector.
Noise Production
The noise production of a dust collector will depend on its suction power and filtration system. Fortunately, most dust collectors produce an acceptable level of noise in the 70-90 decibel (dB) range. A more powerful dust collector can still be too noisy in a small workspace, so make sure you invest in ear protection.
8 Best Dust Collectors – Reviews
1. WEN 3401 Dust Collector
Not only will the WEN 3401 Dust Collector create a dust-free workspace, but its compact design will keep your work area free of clutter.
This single-stage dust collector has a powerful 5.7 amp induction motor and a fast 6-inch impeller fan that moves over 660 CFM. Its 12-gallon zippered dust filtration bag collects harmful dust particles down to 30-microns and even wood chips. Although the 3401 is powerful, it is a quiet operator.
The dust collector has a 4-inch dust port that fits most woodworking machines such as a table saw, a jointer, or a planer.
Perfect for controlling dust at the source, the WEN dust collector offers you plenty of placement versatility. It can be securely mounted on the wall, a bench, or on the floor by using the built-in black powder-coated steel bracket. The detachable, lockable swivel casters lock in place to prevent any unwanted movement during operation. An onboard carrying handle makes the dust collector easy to transport and store.
Pros
- High quality
- Great value for money
- Very good price
- Ideal for a small workshop
- Powerful
- Fast impeller fan
- Comes with a 4-inch dust port that is compatible with most woodworking power tools
- Large 12-gallon zippered dust filtration bag
- Quiet
- Compact
- Versatile placement design
- Can be mounted on the wall, a bench, or on the floor
- Built-in black powder-coated steel wall bracket
- Detachable, lockable swivel casters
- Carrying handle
Cons
- Not ideal for heavy use
- Zipper is not overly durable
2. POWERTEC DC5370 Wall Mounted Dust Collector
Maintaining a dust-free workshop is so quick and easy with the POWERTEC DC5370 Wall Mounted Dust Collector.
The POWERTEC has a super-strong 1 HP motor and the fast 3450 RPM impeller fan produces an airflow capacity of 537 CFM, which allows it to capture 2.5-micron dust particles and small wood chips.
You can target dust at its source as the DC5370 has a 4-inches inlet port that is compatible with a range of woodworking tools. The included mounting bracket and exclusive clamp and bolt locking system allow you to attach the dust collector to the wall, a workbench, or even on the floor. Perfect for a small workspace, the POWERTEC is very quiet.
Dust disposal is easy too as the reusable 15-gallon bag has a built-in viewing window and a zipper on the bottom of the bag.
Pros
- High quality
- Great value for money
- Affordable price
- Ideal for a small shop or hobby workspace
- Strong motor
- Fast and efficient impeller fan
- Sucks up 2.5-micron dust particles and small wood chips
- Quiet operation
- Designed to capture dust at its source
- 4-inches inlet port connects to most power tools
- Mounting bracket and exclusive clamp and bolt locking system
- Can be mounted to the wall, work-bench, or floor
- Reusable micron bag has a built-in window and dust disposal zipper
Cons
- Inlet hole is not suited for large machines
- Opening on the bottom of the bag is a bit small
3. Shop Fox W1826 Wall Dust Collector
Compact and efficient, the Shop Fox W1826 Wall Dust Collector is an excellent choice for anyone who works with wood.
Creating a dust-free workspace is quickly achieved with this wall-mounted unit that is designed to capture dust particles at their source. Just wall-mount the W1826 and attach it to your woodworking tool and it will clean up the surrounding air.
The sturdy powder-coated dust collector has a powerful 1 HP motor and a balanced steel impeller fan creates an air suction capacity of 537 CFM and sucks up 2.5-micron dust particles. As the dust collector has a 4-inches inlet hole, it can be used with most types of woodworking machinery.
The collection bag stores up to 2-cubic-feet of dust and even small wood chips. You can easily check the amount of dust in the bag via the small window and dispose of the waste with the bottom zipper.
For safer operation, Shop Fox includes a foam-padded handle, a paddle switch and the locking key prevents any unauthorized use of the collector.
Shop Fox offers a 2-year warranty on the dust collector.
Pros
- High quality
- Excellent value for money
- Good price
- Efficient performance
- Balanced steel impeller
- Very strong suction
- Captures 2.5 dust microns and small wood chips at their source
- Zippered collection bag has a viewing window
- 4-inches intake hole is compatible with most power tools
- Compact design
- Comes with mounting hardware
- Foam padded handle
- Safety paddle switch
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- Can be noisy in a very small space
4. SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector
The SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector is perfect for professional carpenters and DIY woodworking enthusiasts.
This single-phase dust collector has an extra-strong 3 HP 3450 RPM motor and the 13-inch balanced steel impeller fan creates an ultra-powerful air suction of 2800 CFM.
Not only does this unit provide efficient air filtration for fine 2.5-micron dust particles, but it is also a quiet operator. Highly versatile, the SHOP FOX W1687 has four 4-inch inlets that can collect dust from multiple machines at the same time. You also have the option to remove the 4-way fitting to expose an 8-inch inlet, so you can run long main-line ducting to even more machines.
The W1687 has 2 large dual collection bags and the lower heavy-duty plastic bags are very easy to remove and clean.
Designed for effortless portability around your workshop, the dust collector has built-in caster wheels.
For safe operation, the machine comes with an oversized paddle switch and a removable lockout key that protects against unauthorized use.
Shop Fox offers a 2-year warranty on the dust collector.
Pros
- High quality
- Excellent value for money
- Perfect for professional and home woodworking tasks
- Ultra-powerful and efficient filtration performance
- Balanced steel impeller
- Efficient single-phase filtration system
- Dual filtration bags
- Plastic collection bags are easy to remove and clean
- Four 4-inch inlets can collect dust from multiple machines at the same time
- 8-inch inlet allows for long main-line ducting to even more machines
- Caster wheels
- Oversized paddle safety switch
- Removable lockout key
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- Pricey
- Loud
- Too bulky for a small workspace
5. Delta Power Equipment 50-723T2 Dust Collector
The Delta Power Equipment 50-723T2 Dust Collector delivers powerful dust collection exactly where you need it and when you need it.
Featuring an improved design, this single-stage dust collector has a very powerful, smooth-running, and long-lasting induction 1 HP motor. The fast dynamic impeller fan captures small 2-micron dust particles and even larger wood chips.
A sewn-in and snap-in filter bag allows for faster dust disposal and eliminates the need for locking-style clamps. The clear plastic collection bag lets you see when it is time to empty the debris into the trash can.
Instead of one intake port, Delta has incorporated two 4-inches intake ports, so you can use this dust collector with 2 woodworking tools at the same time.
The sturdy steel base with 4 easy-gliding wheels allows for great maneuverability around your workspace.
Although there have been some complaints about no instructions in the box, it is quite easy to assemble.
Delta offers a 5-year limited warranty on the dust collector.
Pros
- High quality
- Very good value for money
- Ideal for woodworking enthusiasts
- Upgraded design
- Powerful smooth-running and long-lasting motor
- Fast dynamic impeller fan
- Collects 2-micron dust particles and larger wood chips
- Easy to use sewn-in and snap-in filter bag
- Clear plastic collection bag
- Two 4-inches inlet ports
- Sturdy steel base has 4 easy-gliding wheels
- Easy to assemble
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- Collection plastic bag is not very durable
- Noisy in a small workspace
- Does not come with instructions
6. JET JCDC-1.5 Cyclone Dust Collector
If you are fed up with your shop vac producing poor suction, upgrade to the smartly-designed JET JCDC-1.5 Cyclone Dust Collector.
The JET dust collector features a superior 2-stage filtration design that is perfect for medium-heavy-duty woodworking projects. It has an extra powerful 1.5 HP motor, a steel impeller fan with super-fast airspeeds of 6396 RPM and 763 CFM, and a direct-mounted filter eliminates inefficiencies that can be caused by standard hoses that have ridges and bends.
Not only can the cyclone dust collector capture the smallest dust particles down to 1-micron, but it can also even pull larger wood chips down into the large 20-gallon collection drum.
You can use the JET dust collector with a wide range of woodworking machines that require a 4 or 6-inches suction hose.
Transporting it around your workspace is effortless as the rolling base has easy-glide swivel casters. Quick-release levers on the collection drum allow for easy disposal of the dust.
Jet offers a 5-year warranty on the dust collector.
Pros
- Great quality
- Excellent value for money
- Ideal for medium to heavy-duty dust production
- Superior 2-stage cyclonic filtration design
- Extra powerful motor
- Steel impeller fan with ultra-fast speeds of 6396 RPM and 763 CFM
- Direct mounted filter
- Filters extra fine dust particles down to 1-micron and larger wood chips
- Compatible with a wide range of woodworking tools
- Large 20-gallon drum has quick-release levers
- Rolling base with swivel casters
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- Hard to assemble
- Can be loud in a small space
7. BOSCH Dust Extractor
The BOSCH Dust Extractor is the perfect combination of power and portability which makes it a very good choice for small to medium-sized workshops.
Maintaining a safe and clean working environment is no problem for this amazing machine. The dust extractor has a high-performance 150 CFM engine and an advanced automatic-cleaning HEPA filter that can filter out 99.97% of dust particles at 0.3-microns or larger.
So whether your woodworking machines produce dust particles, or wood chips, shavings, or cement dust, the HEPA filter will capture the dust before it hits the floor, and a fleece filter bag protects the filter from abrasive materials and can hold a lot of dust and debris.
Once you turn the vacuum on with the Power Tool Activation dial, you can tweak the suction power to match your project via the Power Broker dial. The wet vacuuming water-level sensor automatically shuts down the vacuum when the water reaches a maximum height to protect the motor.
Even though this dust collector only produces 150 CFM, it is still very powerful. If you need to work in a restricted space, the BOSCH dust extractor is a quiet little operator and produces 70 dB at the maximum setting.
Designed for mobile operations, this lightweight machine is very portable, and the durable wheels and locking caster allow it to scoot across any surface.
The suction hose also provides increased flexibility. Additional smart features include the hose and cord wrap, a convenient onboard storage area, and the L-Boxx integration on top of the unit instantly creates a mobile workstation.
BOSCH offers a 1-year warranty on the dust extractor but you have to register the dust extractor on the BOSCH website.
Pros
- High quality
- Excellent value for money
- Ideal for small to medium professional workshops
- High-performance engine
- Fast and effective
- Superior self-cleaning HEPA filter
- Smooth antistatic suction hose
- Sturdy filter bag protects the filter and contains dust and debris well
- Simple to use controls
- Wet-vacuuming water-level sensor
- Lightweight and portable
- Hose and cord wrap
- On-board storage
- L-Boxx integration creates a mobile workstation
Cons
- Expensive
- Not ideal for heavy-duty dust control tasks
8. Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy Kit
The Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy Kit will take full charge of the dust in your workshop and home.
Proudly made in the US, the Dust Deputy dust separator kit comes with everything you need to convert your wet/dry vacuum into a 2-stage dust filtration system.
The kit includes a sturdy translucent anti-static resin cyclone separator, a vacuum connection hose, 2 elbow adapters, an adjustable hose/band clamp, a 5-gallon bucket, 3 caster wheels, a dual “sidecar” bucket for direct mounting to a vacuum, and all the mounting hardware.
Amazingly efficient, the Dust Deputy uses innovative Smart Boost Technology for extra suction power. Neutral Vane Cyclonic Technology filters over 99% of dust and debris from the air stream and traps just 1% of the dust in the vacuum. This ground-breaking system eliminates clogged filters, reduces suction loss, and extends the life of your shop vacuum.
Highly versatile, the Dust Deputy can filter a huge range of materials: wood dust, drywall, concrete dust, clay/silica dust, blasting soda, cooled ash and soot, water, metal shavings, baking flour, grass and leaves, pet/animal hair, and pharmaceutical waste.
So as well as using the Dust Deputy to keep your workshop fresh and clean, it will take all your household cleaning chores to a whole new level.
Pros
- High quality
- Great value for money
- Affordable price
- Ideal for a workshop and home cleaning tasks
- Made in the US
- Sturdy resin plastic construction
- Can be attached to any type of wet/dry vacuum
- Highly efficient dust filtration removal system
- Removes 99% of dust and traps just 1% of the dust in the vacuum
- Can be used with a wide range of materials
- Smart Boost Technology
- Neutral Vane Cyclonic Technology
- Portable
- Easy-to-empty 5-gallon bucket
- Dual “sidecar” bucket for mounting to the vacuum directly
- Comes with mounting hardware
Cons
- Not to be used with highly explosive dust, corrosive, or hot/smoldering materials
- Overall performance will depend on the power of your wet/dry vacuum
Our Top Pick for the Best Dust Collector
Our top pick for the best dust collector is the SHOP FOX W1687 Dust Collector. We highly recommend this dust-busting workhorse for your workshop.
The W1687 delivers a reliable dust filtration performance. Powerful and portable, this dust collector will keep your workshop free of dangerous sawdust and improve the air quality so that you can work safely and breathe easily.
Check the price on Amazon
