I’ve been using the same shop vac for the past 5 years, and I was long overdue for a replacement. The suction in my old vacuum had become so weak that I couldn’t even pick up small pebbles from floor mats, so I took to the internet to find out what my options were.
After looking at various products ranging from permanent wall mounted units, to other shop vacs, and everything in between, I decided to try the Metro Vac N’ Blo Professional Series tool. I had always heard good things about the Vac N’ Blo, and since I already own a Master Blaster & Blaster Sidekick, I knew that Metro makes high quality products.
The Vac N’ Blo Professional is available with either a 24 foot hose (comes as four 6′ hoses) and 30 foot hose (solid 1.5″ diameter, 30′ in length), both units come with an incredible amount of attachments, though the 30 foot option does include a few more. Also included with the vacuum is a nice storage caddy that can hold the supplied attachments/tools, a bracket that allows you to hang the canister on the wall, out of the way, and a hose hook to help keep your work area organized.
The steel vacuum canister is mounted on 4 wheels and easily rolls around behind you as you move around the car. The canister feels very sturdy and seems like it could take a beating in a production environment. There is an attachment points for the hose at each end of the canister – one side blows, and the other side sucks. Simply connect your hose to the suction side for vacuuming, or the blower side for drying.
I opted for the 30′ variant as I wanted to be able to work around various vehicles without having to move the vacuum around with me, and after several months of use, I can say this thing really sucks!… in a good way. The suction on this unit is incredible. Cleaning up the interior is quick and easy. According to the manufacturer, the Vac N Blo Pro has an impressive 95 inches of water lift which is a tremendous increase over the 61 inches of water lift listed for my old 5 HP shop vac. This unit is also much, much quieter than my previous vacuum, which was an unexpected surprise.
As a blower, the unit is not as impressive to me. While it certainly moves a good amount of air, the 4 peak horsepower of the Vac N Blo is no comparison to the 8 HP Master Blaster that we use for drying vehicles. Once you’ve experienced the awesome blowing power of the Master Blaster, it is hard to be impressed by anything less.
All in all, I have been extremely happy with this vacuum. It is something I look forward to using, and it has been working very well for us. If you’re looking for a more budget friendly alternative, the Vac N Blo Automotive Series offers the same incredible performance, but with a shorter hose and fewer attachments. Based on my current experiences, I would very much recommend this as a premium vacuum option for professionals and enthusiasts alike.