I`ve been using a Fein 9-11-55 vacuum for a long time and I think it`s a great machine, it lasted, it was quiet and it`s not huge but I just got a new vehicle to work out of and it didn`t fit as well as I wanted. So, I decided to try and find a smaller but still powerful replacement. I settled on the Metro Vac N`Nbo, in the 4 HP, 11amp configuration. I`ve been using it a few days now so here`s what I think so far.
First, like the size a lot. It fits in a cloth bag with all the tools and takes up about the space of two toasters - big toasters. The machine moves plenty of air, the lift is very impressive. The blower function works very well. For me, it`s much better than carrying a dedicated blower. I like being able to move the nozzle back and forth quickly particularly on wheels. It`s like having an air nozzle running off a compressor but without the huge tank and without running out of air.
The way the motor is configured, the air from the vacuum cools the motor and there is a large foam filter that should keep anything big enough to cause problems out of the working parts. I`m sure that`s the theory anyway, and time will tell, but I don`t expect problems.
The vacuum is also, wait for it... very quiet for a machine a powerful as it is. They say it has 95 inches of lift and I believe it. You can pull the floor mats out of the car with the lift it generates. As a side note: power and amps run side by side, just because the machine is small doesn`t mean less powerful, look at the amps pulled by various polishers and you`ll see the Hitachi is, while being the one of the lightest, is also the most powerful. The Metro Vac is powerful!
I also ordered two extra cloth filter bags so I can have one in the machine, one to be taken out of the machine and washed and drying out for the next use and a spare.
Getting back to the vacuum and the nit picking. I ordered two of the six foot hoses because I knew one wouldn`t be enough and I was right. I like being able to put the vacuum in one place and then move around the car without having to relocate the machine, it`s not that big a deal with a unit as small as the vac and blo, but still, moving a machine is an extra step and I try to take the steps that move the process forward whenever I can. So, order the two hoses. You`ll be happier. Notice I said, happier, not exactly happy. These hoses are good but they collapse a bit when you really apply the vacuum and seal off the air for maximum lift. Not terrible, but the hose shortens up a few inches.
The accessories aren`t what I think of as professional weight. They`re more in line with what you`d expect in a home quality machine, in fact, they`re lighter than what has come on my home cannister vacuums so their durability is suspect out of the box. Suspect, not obviously bad, but still something to think about. Since I have vacuum attachments that I`ve gotten used too and have modified to work the way I like, left over from my last few machines, I`ll be switching these out anyway, so it`s no big deal.
The other thing is, this is not a wet dry vacuum but I don`t do the kind of detailing where a wet vacuum is required.
So, the verdict. I`d say 8 out 10, which for me is a very high rating. If the hose and accessories were heavier duty, 10 would have been a no brainer. At under $200 dollars on sale, a machine that`s small, quiet, powerful and two function, vac n blo, should be on the short list of anyone looking for a good effective machine for their mobile rig or home use.
And now, a related short story. Another reason for cloth bags.
I make it a habit to check my vacuum after every car just in case I`ve managed to vacuum up some valuable item from a crevice or under the seats. (The VacNBlo, has a cloth bag, so that`s the related part.)
A few years ago, after vacuuming a very nice car for a very elegant and well off woman, I found a beautiful antique diamond and ruby ring in my vacuum.
I waited till the car was finished and she`d seen it and when she said, "You did a wonderful job on the car. Thank you." I said, "Not only that, I found your ring!" and held it out for her, all proud of myself. She looked at the ring and said, "It`s a lovely ring Robert, but it isn`t mine." Stunned, I said, "I don`t know what to tell you, I found it in your car." Regrouping, "Maybe one of your girlfriends lost it." And she said, "No, none of my girlfriends have reported losing a ring, but my boyfriend borrowed my car last week, maybe he knows who`s it is." So, I held out the ring, and as I handed it to her, I said, "Well, here, and we will never speak of this again." She gave me a smile that if I were her boyfriend I wouldn`t have wanted to see, and for me that was the end of it. I took care of her cars for several more years until she left the area and we never did speak of it again.
Robert
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