Does anyone have an ash vac and does it actually work?

I took my rainbow in to my dealer for a cleaning and I was absolutly the dustiest thing I had ever seen and the cause of alot of the dust was from the very little ash that has been sucked up over the last 3 years. I have used everything from a small shop vac to a dustbuster and everytime i turn it on I get a cloud of dust. I was just wondering if anyone uses an ash vac and does it produce a cloud everytime you turn it on. Got to have something that is going to look good because it going to sit right beside my stove from the time I start burning to the time I burn my last fire as the rainbow does. Thought I would get the one with the winter scene on it. Would just like some answers defore I go spending that kind of money on a tin can with a motor on it.

Use a Shop Vac with a HEPA filter and Drywall filter bag.

Just make sure there are NO COALS.....

I have been using a Shop Vac for several years. But you must purchase the HEPA filter and Bag. No dust, no nothing. Period.

I bought an Ash vac from Menards last year. Sold it a couple months later. Low suction and short hose. Hated it.

I didn't even think about a hepa filter and dust bag for my shop vac. I will give it a try. Thanks for the infro

Some say the HEPA filter is enough. But I take the extra precaution.

I have used it on the very fine ash of my pellet stoves for years.

Ash vacs are nice. But still not rated to suck Coals. If your just doing the Hearth, then no worries.

No vac is rated to suck red hot coals. None. So a Shop Vac should do well. So long as....... (no coals )

Absolutly no hot coals just wood dirt. If a hot coal falls on the hearth I don't sweep up that reloading mess for two or three hours even though it drives me nuts to leave a mess on my hearth

I actually won an ash vac in a contest that someone here posted details on . . . and I have to say, while I probably would not have spent that kind of money on an ash vac on my own . . . since using this I have been very impressed. It has made a dramatic difference in my cleaning regimen in terms of time spent cleaning and dust since I used to use a small broom which would kick up dust and fly ash. With the ash vac it does a very nice job of cleaning off the hearth, ash lip on the stove and some ash (no coals) on the inside lip of the stove's door.

There is absolutely no dust to contend with and as noted . . . the time spent cleaning the stove has dropped quite a bit. The only two negatives I see are the noise (it's very loud) and the cost. That said . . . if this unit dies I will most likely buy another since I like it that well.

I bought an AshVac last winter. Found a really good deal on EBay. It makes a huge difference in my cleaning regimen and my Bride really appreciates the fact that I don't send fly ash all over the house every time I sweep out the stove. It was a good buy for us.

I like mine. The filter is expensive, but lasts for years. Oh, and Jake? You are right about the noise! In fact, I think I heard yours the other night...?
If you have cats, it can either be traumatic for them, or entertaining for you, depending upon your mood

Traumatic for them . . . even Andrew Jackson who will let my wife vacuum him with the regular vacuum takes off running when the ash vac fires up.