3 Vacuums - I recently used a Numatic/NaceCare Henry series vacuum for the first time. Loved the compact size, features and performance but thought it sounded a bit louder than my current home and shop vacs. I had some time this afternoon and did back-to-back-to-back sound measurements using 2 different analyzers. One was a cheap dBA analyzer purchased online for $20-25 and the other a Bruel & Kjaer 1/3-octave spectrum analyzer costing considerably more. The B&K 2260 was placed on a tripod, the microphone aimed at the center the vacuum. Microphone height was 30" above the floor and the distance from the vacuum was 1 meter. The hoses (without tools or extensions) were attached to each vacuum as one would use them in their home, garage or workshop. Vacuums being compared were a Numatic/NaceCare Henry 240, a classic Wap/Nilfisk SQ10 (my all-time favorite shop vacuum) and a Miele C3 Marin home vacuum.
The Test Room - my home garage workshop was built and engineered as a chassis dyno cell. Walls are heavily insulated with multiple layers of soundproofing. Wall thickness is 17". Power outlets are isolated ground. Ambient noise levels in the sealed room were 32-33dBA.
The Results
I suspect my test setup and equipment is different than what these three manufacturers used for their published spec sheets. The main purpose here is to show relative performance (ie, sound levels).
The Henry 240 measured 67.3 dBA with the cheap analyzer, considerably higher than the 47db claim from the factory. The hard surfaces in the test room account for some of the excessive noise. Raw data from the spectrum graph shows a 59-60db peak at 400hz and another peak (60-61db) at 3500hz.
I personally find peaks of 70db and higher above 1000hz very annoying. The Henry vac measurements above 1khz were well below that.
The Wap SQ10 measured 67.6 dBA with the cheap analyzer (factory claim is 59db) and had a 61-62db peak at 125hz. This machine sounds a bit quieter to me than the Henry vacuum as the peaks above 1000hz are all below 57db.
Winner - The Miele C3 Marin measured 65.7 dBA with the cheap analyzer (factory claim is 58db) and had a 56-57db peak at 1000hz. Miele is the quietest of the 3 and consumer reviews consistently show this. But ultra quiet doesn't come cheap and the C3 models can easily run $1,000+.
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Sears Craftsman 16 gallon - my first shop vac
Sound levels consistently in the 70-80db range.
Part 2 - Suction, CFM and Air Watts
Unfortunately, I do not have the equipment to properly measure these specs and will have to rely on manufacturer's data. A simple water lift measurement (without air flow) does not tell the whole story of vacuum cleaner performance but it does show the suction strength potential of these three models.
Miele C3 (2 years old with a new bag) had slightly better suction than the other 2 vacs but nowhere near the claimed 111" of waterlift.
Comparison Summary (factory specs)
NaceCare Henry 240
- Capacity - 2.5 gallons (9 liters)
- Dimensions - 14.2" x 14.6" x 16.3"
- Weight - 15 lbs
- Motor - 680w (1-speed)
- Cord Length - 33'
- Hose Length - 8.5'
- Air flow - 120cfm
- Waterlift - 100"
- Air Watts - 1,412
- HEPA - yes
- Mfg in UK
- Warranty - 3 years (5 yrs on motor)
- Suggested retail - $419.00
- Retail Price of Replacement Bags (10pk) - $28.00 ($2.80ea)
Nilfisk Attix 30 HEPA
- Capacity - 8 gallons (30 liters)
- Dimensions - 18" x 15" x 23"
- Weight - 32 lbs
- Motor - 1,000w (1-speed)
- Cord Length - 25'
- Hose Length - 10'
- Air flow - 135cfm
- Waterlift - 92"
- Air Watts - 1,461
- HEPA - yes
- Mfg in EU (Hungary)
- Warranty - 2 years
- Suggested retail - $765.00
- Retail Price of Replacement Bags (5pk) - $40.00 ($8.00ea)
Miele C3 Marin
- Capacity - 1.2 gallons (4.5 liters)
- Dimensions - 20" x 10.5" x 8"
- Weight - 13 lbs
- Motor - 1,200w (6-speed)
- Cord Length - 24'
- Hose Length - 5.5'
- Air flow - 158cfm
- Waterlift - 111"
- Air Watts - 2,063
- HEPA - yes
- Mfg in Germany
- Warranty - 3 years
- Suggested retail - $1,099.00
- Retail Price of Replacement Bags (4pk) - $19.00 ($4.75ea)
Conclusion
I like and will be keeping all 3 vacuums! The Nilfisk/Wap SQ10 (and the newer Attix series vacuums that replaced it) is a true "shop vac" and will do things I can't do with the other 2 machines.......ie, cleaning up construction debris, water extraction and tool triggered dust extraction when tethered to the dust port on my power tools. See Ultimate Garage-Home & Shop Vacuums for further details.
When it comes to chosing a quality home vacuum for hardwood and solid floors, carpeting, and upholstery, especially if you have pet(s), the Miele and Numatic vacs are outstanding. Both use quality attachments (mostly from WesselWerk in Germany), are exceptionally quiet and excellent performers.
The Miele C3 Marin that we own is the best performer of the 3 shown here. At $1,099.00, it's also the most expensive and those tiny little bags are costly and fill up quickly. Also, the 35mm attachments tend to be harder to find and considerably more expensive than the smaller 32mm attachments used on Numatic and many American vacuums.
The smart choice here is the Numatic Henry vacuum, even without the cute smiley face on the canister. It's a great choice (and value) for the home (all surfaces), the car, and for light construction cleanups. I suspect we'll be seeing more from Numatic here in North America in the years to come.