Ash Vacuum Recommendation

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bdaoust

bdaoust

Member
Nov 28, 2012
183
Western, MA
Looking for an ash vacuum recommendation. Would like to spend less than $100.00 if possible.

Also, I've seen stainless steel shop vacs and heard that you can use these for pellet stoves as well. Is that true or are the filters not suitable for ash?

Thanks,
Brian
 
I have found all the $80-$100 ones underpowered and have too short of a hose. Better off just waiting for your stove to cool and have no hot embers and using a Shop-Vac with a drywall bag which will keep all the fine ash out of your living room and keep the wife happy. Shop Vacs have way more suction.
 
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We use a Shop Vac (cold stove only) w/a drywall filter and a HEPA filter. Works great! Think it cost about $30.
 
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Bought this one locally a couple of months ago here in Canada. Think I paid $159 for it. HEPA filter so small that it plugs up after about 10-12 minutes of use. Unit got so hot once that the thermo-shutoff kicked in. Had to wait 12-15 minutes for a cool-down before I could resume my job of vacuuming the stove. Ordered the PowerSmith ash vac through Amazon. They're out of stock, but I am waiting it out 'til they get more and pre-purchased it. This one is a waste of money.
 

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SXIPro said:
I have found all the $80-$100 ones underpowered and have too short of a hose. Better off just waiting for your stove to cool and have no hot embers and using a Shop-Vac with a drywall bag which will keep all the fine ash out of your living room and keep the wife happy. Shop Vacs have way more suction.
Click to expand...


I use the same set up 2 thumbs up on keeping wife happy.
 
I spent the big $$ for the high end recommendation, and the hose came apart after 1/2 a season of tender use, so go with the low end and save the $$.
I can figure a way to fix this problem because I'm somewhat handy, but I should have saved the money to pay for the repair. Lesson be happy, but prepared to repair any such purchase.
1D
 
Save your money and get a Shop vac.

I had n Ash vac. Used it once. Short hose, low suction,, and clogged on 1st use. No Ash vacs are rated for coals. Warm (warm?) Ash only :(

Use a HEPA and drywall bags. Use the extra cash on Pellets :)
 
DexterDay said:
Save your money and get a Shop vac.

I had n Ash vac. Used it once. Short hose, low suction,, and clogged on 1st use. No Ash vacs are rated for coals. Warm (warm?) Ash only :(

Use a HEPA and drywall bags. Use the extra cash on Pellets :)
Click to expand...

Awesome point, for it is extremely important to "not" suck up hot ash!!!!

Coolness is important not to ignite one's living quarters, so follow the cheap recommendations, but never suck up hot or even warm ashes regardless.:cool:

1D
 
I was using my wife's hoover with hepa filter until I got caught! It did work amazing on a cold stove though. P.S. if you do try this, make darn sure you dont forget to clean out the vaccuum before the wife comes home. I forgot once and that was all it took! (using my shop vac now)
 
One of the small Ridgid shopvacs from HomeDespot. No fancy HEPA filter, never had a complaint from the wife, no dust I can see.... By the time the stove fans cycle off, the ash, etc. is cool enough to vac up. Dump the ash, knock out the filter and you're good to go. Vac costs about $35.
 
I have the Power Smith. I can tell you this vac really sucks, I mean this in a good way. Been using for over a month now with no problems. No ash escapes in the exhaust at all. I would buy again.
 
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I use one of those cheap Lowes shop vacs that attach to the bucket. Works great. The way I figure it, I have to wait until the stove cools down before I can get in there an clean anyhow. So the ash is all cool, no embers.Personally, I think an ash vac is overkill for a pellet stove.
 
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Glad to be hearing good things about the PowerSmith. Amazon sent me an email yesterday. They re-stocked. Can't wait to get it and put the one that I have now into retirement. (After just 2 months, mind you.)

Would like to hear from those who have used the PowerSmith for more than a year. Anyone???
 
I wouldn't get it from amazon. It's $99 there. You can get it for $79 elsewhere. See links in the posts above. The way I look at it that $20 savings is 5 more bags of pellets.

Also I did use a shop vac for years and I thought it was capturing the fine ash also but over a course of time I did notice ash residue on curtains and couches. I'm going to try the power smith. When it comes in I'll post back with my results.
 
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Lowes has the one Cleva that I use.
Cleva 5.8-Gallon Metal Ash Bucket

Item #: 370211 | Model #: EAT605S P $80.00

My wife paid more than that when we bought our stove. It is small and fits behind the stove and does NOT clog.
Easy for her to use so she will vacuum the firebox when needed. She's beautiful and cleans the stove, what more can I ask for?

Bill
 
I use a 5gal shop vac with a drywall bag and a hepa filter. Been doing it this way since I've owned my stove, 6yrs now, and it works like a charm. Absolutely no dust escapes it and imho it sure beats paying for a high priced ash vac. Good luck with whatever you decide ;)
 
gerryger said:
I wouldn't get it from amazon. It's $99 there. You can get it for $79 elsewhere. See links in the posts above. The way I look at it that $20 savings is 5 more bags of pellets.

Also I did use a shop vac for years and I thought it was capturing the fine ash also but over a course of time I did notice ash residue on curtains and couches. I'm going to try the power smith. When it comes in I'll post back with my results.
Click to expand...

Thanks for lookin' out for me, gerryger. I appreciate that.

Amazon shipped it out to me today for a grand total of $83.92. They are shipping it for free. (Super Saver Discount)

This is still less expensive than Blain's Farm & Fleet because of their vacuum price of $79 + $8.52 in shipping charges, coming out to $88.51.

Amazon is hard to beat, friend.
 
The Village Idiot said:
Thanks for lookin' out for me, gerryger. I appreciate that.

Amazon shipped it out to me today for a grand total of $83.92. They are shipping it for free. (Super Saver Discount)

This is still less expensive than Blain's Farm & Fleet because of their vacuum price of $79 + $8.52 in shipping charges, coming out to $88.51.

Amazon is hard to beat, friend.
Click to expand...

Strange, the price I see is $99.97 as an amazon prime member. Checked several times today. Read several articles a while back about Amazon offering different prices to different folks. Sneaky bastages! I suspect you ordered it a while ago and waited through the backorder and that's why the price was cheaper. Just had a couple of my peeps check on their puters ;

Their backorder status a while back, along with Paulraz's helpful link, persuaded me to order from Blaine's Farm n Fleet. On sale at the time for $69.99 :P
 
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