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Expert Rating

84

Due to the power in the compact Armor All Car Vacuum, they might be the best car vacuum cleaners to keep your vehicle cleaned and dusted. Liquids aren’t an issue either, making it your go-to as the best wet and dry vacuum cleaner. And since ash isn’t a problem, you can bet it’s the best hot ash vacuum cleaner too. When you’re ready to see more great vacuums, visit our best vacuum cleaner list.

Why We Like It – Armor All Car Vacuum

With a capacity of 2.5 gallons and a 2 HP peak motor, the Armor All Car Vacuum is the ideal companion to have for cleaning and dusting the interior of your car.

Pros
  • 2.5 gallons w/ 2 peak HP motor
  • 10-foot power cord
  • Great choice for your car
Cons
  • Only great for small jobs

Power

For such a small hand vacuum, the Armor All Car Vacuum has some impressive suction power. Its motor peaks at 2 horsepower. That’s small compared to a car, but quite large when given to the best shop vac as small as it is. It’s the kind of suction power that lifts pet hair from your car’s interior. The Dyson V11 Vacuum does challenge the handheld vacuum’s performance, however.

Related: Check out the Allegro MU4500 Champion review

Speed & Efficiency

The Armor All Car Vacuum isn’t just for interior cleaning; considering it’s a utility wet dry vacuum, it can pick up liquids too. More importantly, the attachments are exceptionally good at dusting and sucking up debris from hard-to-reach areas, like in between the seats or underneath.

While this vacuum is great for cars, you’ll want to consider a vacuum to really get your vehicle carpets clean. Our review of the Hoover Deluxe carpet washer FH50150 can tell you more.

Bin Capacity & Maintenance

Giving the Armor All Car Hand Vac a clean is nothing more than giving the reusable cloth filter a clean every now and then. Its capacity, on the other hand, is just 2.5 gallons. That’s good for small jobs, like your car or your garage.

Durability

For a handheld wet vacuum, the Armor All Car Vacuum is pretty tough. Its tank is made of polypropylene, a tough plastic (that also cuts costs). Most handheld vacuums these days tend to have a hard plastic shell, for longevity, like the DeWalt 20V Vacuum.

Related: Read our Atrix VACBP1 review

Value

If you have no interest in those itty bitty handheld car vacuums, like Black and Decker has, then the Armor All Car Vacuum is exactly what you need. It has a lot more power to play with, sucking up debris that would otherwise get left behind. And plus, it’s connected to an AC outlet, so it never loses its suction power over time, like a battery-powered model does. For in-house options, the Bissell Garage Pro is perfect for your garage. For thick carpet, check out our round-up of the top-rated vacuums for shag carpet.

Armor All Car Vacuum Wrap Up

Considering its peak horsepower of 2 and a 2.5-gallon tank, the Armor All Car Vacuum is hard to pass on. Since it’s plugged into a nearby AC outlet at all times, you’re always getting peak performance. Those are three excellent features to have if you’re cleaning out your car or tidying up your workspace in the garage.