A good vacuum cleaner is essential in any home, but it’s not going to get the job done when you’re struggling with a particularly sticky, caked-in-mud car interior. Traditional vacuum cleaners will work for crumbs and dust bunnies, but to up your car cleaning skills and make life easier, a wet and dry car vacuum cleaner will be your saviour.
A car vacuum for spills is a clever investment if your motor is regularly filled with muddy feet after sports practice, or your family pet often sheds hair and drool on the backseat. A wet and dry vacuum cleaner that can be used in your car will transform how you detail the interior, and not to mention some models will be perfect to deep clean your carpets inside your home.
The wet and dry models from brands such as Karcher, Ryobi, WORX and Bosch, will also be able to mop up the remnants of larger debris, sawdust or oil spills, something that would ruin even the best cordless vacuum cleaners that simply don’t have the suction power.
The best wet and dry car vacuum cleaners at a glance
Wet and dry vacuum cleaners aren’t subjected to maximum power rules. This means they’ll undoubtedly be more powerful than a regular vacuum cleaner. We found this out for ourselves when testing the Karcher WD2 Plus. This means they can clean deeper than a regular vacuum. It’s also worth noting that most wet and dry vacuums have different capacities for solids and liquids.
There are plenty of models for less than £100. The £150 mark and over will get you an exceptional wet and dry vacuum cleaner. They’re roughly the same sort of price as a handheld vacuum cleaner, so similar principles apply. Budget for the best you can afford, and also look at what extra features are available and how much of a premium they are. Not only could this save you some cash in the long run, but it’ll also cut down on storage space.
How we test
Wet and dry car vacuum cleaners offer different functions beyond vacuuming. As well as key features such as suction power, portability, battery life, cable length, we also considered how easy it was to use, including the weight, changing the filter system and durability. Several models we tested also included a blow function, meaning your vacuum doubles as a leaf blower – a welcome feature for any keen gardener, and it’ll mean you won’t need a dedicated leaf blower to take up room in your garage. Looking past the £150 mark, some wet and dry vacuum cleaners also offered a detergent option, which means they double up as carpet cleaners.
The best wet and dry car vacuum cleaners:
The best wet and dry vacuum cleaner
We'd recommend this one for beginners because of its reasonable price and simple filter system. Karcher has a solid reputation for quality, and the WD2 Plus is designed specifically for tough jobs, including cleaning the car, garage and even the garden.
The WD2 has many aspects that make it my wet-dry champ, but the one that stands out is the superbly clever cartridge filter. Most wet-dry vacuums require swapping filters to clean up liquids and solids, but this single feature makes the WD2 the best wet-dry vacuum.
Read our full review by Aaron Hussain here.
Pros
- The cartridge filter makes cleaning foolproof
- Robust build quality will see it survive for years
- The value for money is evident
Cons
- The cable is shorter than expected
- The car-specific attachment is an extra cost
| Capacity | 12 litres |
| Power | 1000W |
| Operating radius | Four metres |
| Weight | 4.25kg |
Editor's choice
The plastics feel a little squishier, the ergonomics sharper, and the suction just as powerful. Like the Karcher, it uses a cartridge filter, which allows seamless wet-to-dry cleaning. For this reason alone, it secures our editor's pick. Another feature that is extremely welcomed is the dust extraction feature, a great feature for any keen DIYer.
I think it’s well worth the extra cash. It’s everything the Karcher is, but it's a little nicer to use and more refined. It is heavier than the competition, but the handle and efficient use of size does keep it decently portable.
Read our full review by Chris Williams here.
Pros
- Slightly more refined than the Kärcher
- Also features an excellent cartridge filter
- Tool storage is second to none
Cons
- Still burdened with a small cable
- Slightly heavier than the Kärcher
| Capacity | 15L |
| Power | 1000W |
| Operating radius | 5 Metres |
| Weight | 6.9kg |
Best for the garage
Ryobi's cordless wet and dry vac doesn't just clean up liquids, sawdust, and other debris such as gravel and nails, but it also comes with a blower function which I found useful in the car and garden. In difficult to reach nooks and crannies such as cup holders and air vents, the Ryobi easily blew out the debris, which left me impressed with its versatility.
The 11-litre bucket can collect fine dust and wet spills at up to 1500L/min through a HEPA filter that can be cleaned and reused. When not in use, I used the bucket with some car shampoo to wash my car (using clean water of course).
I admire the Ryobi wet and dry vac because it's great to use in the car - even better than the HomePro stick vacuum, which uses the same battery. If you're into the Ryobi range, then this double act will be able to tackle pretty much any situation.
Review by Naveed Hussain
Pros
- Powerful suction and blower function
- Power tools dust port is useful
- Lightweight and portable
Cons
- Battery sold seperately
- No brush head
| Capacity | 11 litres |
| Power | 115 Air Watts |
| Operating radius | N/A |
| Weight | 4.5kg |
The best cordless wet and dry vacuum cleaner
You’ll pay a price premium for this battery-provided portability, but the Worx's go-anywhere nature is hard to fault. It’s powerful and easy to use in a car thanks to the flexible hose. I’ve been able to get class-leading vacuuming results at the side of the road, far away from any power socket. I wish it had a brush attachment, and the shoulder strap was more of a nuisance than a help, but those are small critiques.
Read our full review by Aaron Hussain here.
Pros
- Infinitely portable with no cords
- Suction doesn't appear to be hampered by the batteries
- Part of the excellent Worx battery sharing range
Cons
- Shoulder strap was a pain to adjust
- No brush head once again
Best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner
This means it’s both rugged and affordable. The plastics aren’t fancy but do feel tough enough to shake off being bashed about. The 1250W is loud but incredibly capable against debris, and there’s a nice tactility to everything. It’s simple to operate and feels engineered to last. I really like it.
This may make it appear to be a bit of a rough option, but most wet and dry vacuums will be relegated to the garage as a secondary vacuum and so can afford low-tech designs so long as they’re tough. Thankfully, the bucket-like Draper has toughness in bucketfuls.
Pros
- As simple as a wet and dry comes, expect it to last forever
- Small and lightweight design
- Value for money is exceptional
Cons
- Refinement is lacking
- Awful Draper hose is infuriating
| Capacity | 20 litres |
| Power | 1250W |
| Operating radius | Five metres |
| Weight | 4.5kg |
The best wet and dry vacuum cleaner for deep cleaning
The biggest problem with it is the complicated awkwardness of changing it over between the different modes. Instead of a simple filter swap, Numatic includes two hoses, a tank that needs to be added and the filter. It’s time-consuming to do, but at least the excellent overall performance makes it a worthwhile piece of kit.
After all, what else can perform like a Henry around the home, clean up sawdust without breaking a sweat, suck up the spillage of a leaky washing machine, spot-clean a car seat and deep clean your floors in one unit? It’s as impressive as it is frustrating.
Read the full review of the George by Ryan Gilmore.
Pros
- Every conceivable vacuum cleaner in one
- Built like a Swiss tank
- Massive operating radius
Cons
- No cable management
- The most complex vacuum cleaner I've ever tested
| Capacity | 15 litres |
| Power | 1060W |
| Operating radius | 26.8 metres |
| Weight | 9kg |
The best value wet and dry vacuum cleaner
There were good parts about it. The 30-litre dustbin size was more than generous, the telescopic handle nifty, and the pass-through power socket is a very welcome addition. The 1600W motor is a beefcake and was more than capable in a car or around the home, let down by a rather meh floor head.
But there are also some big drawbacks. The hose is simply awful to use. It’s too stiff and would pitch the main body onto three wheels if held at an angle it didn’t like. There’s also no cable management system at all, which adds to the agricultural feeling.
Read our review of the Draper 1600W vacuum cleaner by Ryan Gilmore.
Pros
- A dependable as they come
- A lot of suction power for your money
- Huge dustbin makes deep cleaning a breeze
Cons
- More suited to a building site than a living room
- The hose drove me mad
| Capacity | 15L |
| Power | 1250W |
| Operating radius | 5 Metres |
| Weight | 4.8kg |
A wet and dry vacuum cleaner
It’s small in size and very lightweight, but the lack of attachments means it’s not that practical for car cleaning. There’s no flexible tool or brush head for fabrics, which limits where you can stick it.
The attachments Beldray did include weren't much cop either. A rubber squeegee head does help a bit with sucking up water but is otherwise unremarkable, as is the crevice tool. The bargain-basement price and tiny size are small redeeming features, but when a proper wet and dry is only a couple of pounds more, it’s hard to justify this.
Read our full review of the Beldray by Ryan Gilmore.
Pros
- It functions as a vacuum cleaner
- Suitable for wet and dry vacuuming
- It's light and easy to carry around
Cons
- Not the last word in quality
- Underperformance is riff
- It sucks, literally
Wet and dry car vacuum cleaners: FAQs
-
Can wet and dry vacuums be used in cars?
In day-to-day life, our cars and our homes will inevitably experience unexpected spills on carpets and upholstery, especially if you have young children or pets, so a wet and dry vacuum can be the ideal solution for keeping things clean and tidy and for use in your car.
-
Is a wet and dry vacuum good for carpets?
Yes, as it can remove spills, preventing the mess from drying into the carpet and causing stains and odours.
-
What is the difference between a wet vac and a wet and dry car vacuum?
A wet and dry vac can be used to get rid of liquid spills as well as perform as an ordinary day-to-day vacuum for getting rid of household dust, whereas a wet vacuum cleaner is designed to tackle larger amounts of liquids in a safe manner.
Sign up to the Parkers Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews, news, and recommendations from the Parkers team.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
