Did you know that Lowe’s has come out with a new Kobalt 24V Max cordless wet/dry shop vacuum? I certainly didn’t. It’s not actually new – apparently they launched this Kobalt cordless vacuum more than a year ago.
From the looks of it, Kobalt seems to have borrowed heavily from Milwaukee’s general M18 cordless vacuum design, model 0880. That’s a good thing, as the 0880 is a very good cordless vacuum. Lowe’s and Kobalt also matched Home Depot and Milwaukee Tool on the $100 bare tool price.
Advertisement
The Kobalt 24V Max cordless vacuum, model KMDV 0124B-03 and item number 1051234, has a 3 gallon collection capacity, which seems impressively large for a cordless vac aimed at DIYers and other such users.
Additionally, the vacuum comes equipped with a washable HEPA filter that is said to trap 99.7% of fine dust as small as 0.3µm.
The Kobalt vacuum comes with a 7-foot 1-1/4″ hose, crevice tool, and floor cleaning tool, with all of the accessories storing neat and tidily within the vacuum’s inner lid compartment.
Lowe’s doesn’t specify the motor type, which suggests that the cordless vacuum features a brushed motor and not a brushless motor. I was under the impression that all Kobalt 24V Max cordless power tools were equipped with brushless motors – at least those with motors – but it looks like this one could be an exception.
They say that the motor produces up to 38″ of water lift suction power, and drives up to 50 CFM of air volume.
Who should care?
For Kobalt 24V Max cordless power tool users, here’s a cordless wet/dry HEPA-filter-equipped vacuum for your cleanup tasks.
For everyone else, this might keep direct competitors, such as Ryobi and Craftsman, on their game.
There’s nothing really innovative or especially unique about this Kobalt cordless vacuum, except perhaps the 3 gallon capacity, which some users might really like.
But, larger debris collection containers have a catch. Sure, they can hold a lot of stuff, but 1) it of course increases the size of the vacuum, and 2) it could potentially increase the weight as well when partially full.
I’d care more if…
Something like this would be a lot more convenient with an alternate power option, namely an AC power cord. Dewalt has done it. Why not Kobalt?
Concerns
What happens if you need a replacement filter? The included HEPA filter is washable, but that doesn’t mean it’ll last forever.
Milwaukee just came out with several new cordless vacuums, and most work around a common replaceable filter SKU.
Sure, you can replace the filter in Kobalt’s vacuum now, but what about next year? 5 years from now?
Additional Thoughts
While not overly compelling, Kobalt’s new cordless Kobalt’s 24V Max 3-gallon wet/dry cordless vacuum seems like a reasonable buy. The extra collection capacity seems like it would be beneficial for wet or water pickup.
Have you used this? If so, what have your experiences been like? Are any of you Kobalt 24V Max cordless power tools – would you buy this?
Price: $100 for the bare tool
Buy Now via Lowe’s
Compare: Milwaukee via Home Depot
Compare: Dewalt Dual-Power via Amazon