The Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 is a mid-sized shop vacuum that performs well without a high price tag. This wet-dry vac has an impressive 4.25-horsepower motor and an oversized drain for convenient emptying of liquid. This is a somewhat heavy shop vacuum, weighing 15.5 pounds. It's got a ten-foot power cord and seven-foot hose, which isn't the longest we found among the best shop vacuums, but it's still pretty good.
Craftsman CMXEVBE17590: What you need to know
The Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 shop vacuum has a durable 9-gallon polypropylene collection tank that's easy to move around thanks to its 360-degree swivel casters. The built-in oversized drain is perfect for clearing up wet messes such as light flooding or seepage.
The Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 shop vacuum comes with an impressive range of attachments. This includes the locking hose, locking extension wands, utility nozzle, car nozzle, and wet nozzle. There's also a general purpose filter and dust collection bag, which can be easily attached with the Qwik Lock filter fastening system.
We like that the tank comes with four different attachments and a storage rack to hold them all. The addition of two extension wands, which provide several extra feet of reach on the hose, is also a great touch, but some users report that with the addition of these extra feet you lose power. The machine has a long floor nozzle for vacuuming up wide spills or carpets and a crevice tool for tight spaces. Although the Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 can convert to a blower, you can't remove the motor from the tank, and there is no attachment for concentrating the blower power.
The design of the Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 is solid and smart. The tank is dark red with a strong handle on top for moving the vacuum around. The 7-foot hose and 10-foot power cord give you room to maneuver in a large shop without having to push the tank the entire time.
Should you buy the Craftsman CMXEVBE17590?
The Craftsman CMXEVBE17590 holds its own against the best shop vacuums without costing as much as some higher-end models. It has more than 17 feet of reach, making it a versatile machine that can clean your whole car or shop without you having to move the tank around. It lacks a blower attachment and is a little on the beady side, but this is a quality shop vacuum that can handle most messes without worry. Overall, it's one of the best we've seen.
