Home Depot is launching a new Ryobi 18V cordless vacuum that can attach to most 5 gallon buckets as the collection vessel.
The new Ryobi cordless vacuum, PCL732, is capable of both wet and dry pickup.
Ryobi says that the new vac is the industry’s most powerful bucket top vacuum for wet and dry debris. I presume they’re talking about corded and cordless vacuums, as I don’t think I have ever seen any other cordless bucket-top vacuums.
Advertisement
The vacuum also features a blower port, for added functionality and versatility, and also integrated storage for the included hose and crevice tool.
It comes with a filter brag, to help protect the vacuum from motor from dust and other dry debris.
Key Features & Specs
- 4′ x 1-1/4″ hose
- Fits most 1-1/4″ vacuum accessories
- Wet/dry pickup
- 45 CFM max airflow
- 32 IOW (inches of water) sealed suction power
- Sound level – as low as 72.4 dB(A)
- Weighs 4.25 lbs
- Blower port
- Integrated storage for crevice tool and hose
- Works with most 5 gallon buckets
The vac comes with a 4′ x 1-1/4″ hose, crevice nozzle, and filter bag. Replacement filters (model A32RF09) will be available online.
Price: $60 for the tool-only (PCL732B), $119 for the kit (PCL732K)
ETA: February 2024
The kit comes with the vacuum, a 4Ah battery, and charger.
Advertisement
The vacuum will be available exclusively at Home Depot.
Discussion
There are other sizes of buckets that work with 5-gallon lids and accessories; it seems that users might be able to step down or up for more compact or higher capacity setups.
I don’t know how useful the blower function will be, but it seems like it could be convenient.
The specs aren’t impressive, but seem reasonable for a cordless vacuum that sells for $60 (tool-only).
Another home run by Ryobi? Looks like it to me.
Updates
We asked Ryobi for a runtime estimate, and they provided the following:
According to our product team, we are seeing about 12 minutes on average with our testing, paired with the PBP005 18V ONE+ 4.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Battery.
Dave R/
I really wish Ryobi would make a corded/cordless vacuum like their roll around one. I have a fan from Ryobi that does both and it’s the greatest thing around the shop and in the yard. I’m sure there’s a reason no one does it, but man, that’d be great to be able to be on the cord and when you just need to go over and do a quick job, unplug then throw in the battery.
Joatman
Here’s Dewalts corded/ cordless vac. Might be what you’re looking for.
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCV581H-20-Volt-Cordless-Wet-Dry/dp/B00DD1UQ3Y/
Steve
I’ve got both of the DeWalt cordless vacs and they leave me meh. I have most of the DeWalt 20v line and like them a lot, but not those vacs. They are what I would loan to someone I didn’t trust to return them but I would hunt them down to get the batteries back.
Joatman
lol! I get it. I have the Milwaukee 18v vac and really like it. I also have many many Dewalt 20 v tools but have never tried any of their vacs. They’re the only brand I know of that makes a model that runs on either a cord or battery.
Matt
Yeah, about a year ago I went to Harbor Freight as they were having a special for buy a tool get a battery free. I ended up with their Bauer 20V 3 gallon shop vac…terrible. 4 ah battery lasted maybe 2 minutes before losing suction power. Decided to buy a retractable hose reel and the new Dewalt Corded Shop Vac recently and sold the other for $25. Granted these are not intended for heavy use. I’m sure the ryobi is significantly better but nothing beats a good corded shop vac.
Matt
Also, in terms of Ryobi cordless tools…I also recently ordered their Brushless battery ratchet. I previously had their non brushless one and absolutely loved it. This one though seems to cut off with what seems to be the slightest amount of torque. Led light blinks and it doesn’t move. Loosen bolts when a ratchet a little bit more and then it does it. Seems the old one had more “breakaway” torque than this one, or I need a bigger battery for it. Currently using a 2ah standard battery that comes with their drill kits (non brushless).
David Z
Put a 4Ahr on it. A lot of their tools seem to struggle wirh the 2’s. It’s not just run time that drops.
Kyle Thomas
Looks like your wish will come true. Up above in the related posts I see mention of a cordless Ryobi canister vacuum.
Ferndogg
I can imagine vacuuming water, how heavy the bucket gonna be, I’ll stick with traditional vacuums with wheels
James
Well, water is about 8 lb per gallon. So if you’re vacuuming up to say 4 gallons of water, it’s about 32 lb. I wouldn’t say that’s too bad.
Will
That’s True, but in cases where there’s no electricity or where one has to plug up & unplug or & over again to get 1 water cleanup then it’ll be better to use a Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, I have RYOBI old skl cordless vacuum cleaner. After 20 yrs, It still satisfying me to the fullest. I do wonder if the newer editions are more powerful. It’s All Good
Tatpanda
A little over 35lbs
Derek
A corded bucket top vacuum is $30 so $60 for a cordless doesn’t seem to be too expensive. I think if this existed when I bought the corded one I would have gotten it. I imagine it will go on sale for $50 occasionally.
Jerry
definitely something I plan to get. One thing I have to say about Ryobi, they aren’t afraid to try new ideas.
Oh and PS I think it comes with a filter bag not brag.
teicher
Some days I wish I was on the Ryobi platform, for that reason alone. You get to choose from a huge variety of tools for both daily use and one off DIY projects.
blocky
I bought the Makita battery to Ryobi tool adapter, which is fine for the incidental tool, but my domestic partner left it running a fan till it drained and then some, a couple days more, which absolutely bricked one of my new 5.0ah batteries. No work around could resuscitate.
Jared
I’m an adapter user too. I have… three genuine Ryobi batteries I think, but I get as-good or better performance from my Dewalt batteries with an adapter.
The adapter is a good solution – provided you can be trusted to use them responsibly. Your risk tolerance may be different than mine, but I wouldn’t worry about buying Ryobi tools even if I had no batteries.
DAVID
Try pulse charging with a fully charged Ryobi battery for 5 minutes, positive to positive & negative to negative, then try the normal charger
JR Ramos
This doesn’t look very compelling for much besides very light indoor cleanup with relatively coarse debris. A 7-gallon bucket would be nicer, and the price is right. Unless it’s miraculously more efficient that 4Ah kit seems like a waste of money with such a small battery on a such a tool as this. Two speed? Assume the dB rating is on the lowest speed but that’s a nice number…what’s it rise to on the highest speed? Might be handy for quick outdoor water sucking of valve boxes and small water features, etc. So far the Fuel vacs seem like the best thing going but they have that much higher price on both the tools and batteries.
JR Ramos
Hopefully they have a longer hose available, or it will accept standard fare ends. 4′ is not 4′ and that’s pretty short for function.
Eric
You would probably want a new hose anyway. That one looks like it’s going to be very stiff and hard to get into a lot of areas.
Jared
I don’t think this is meant to be a premium tool. It’s a novel idea though.
Mopar4wd
Well figure 50 bucks on sale so that’s about as cheap as a cordless shop vac gets. I use 4 AH batteries on my shop vac all the time. Works fine for most jobs. Can do a quick car clean or vac up sawdust with no problem with the 4ah battery. Mostly this will be for quick clean up jobs around the house and it will work fine for that.
IronWood
We use corded versions of this for sucking up bilge water and similar ickiness. Cordless would be super handy in a lot of cases, plus way safer than having a cord in wet areas. Price doesn’t seem bad to me. Have to show this to the tool room folks, thanks!!
Nate
I do wish it was a hybrid. Being and to use it as corded or cordless would have been perfect.
Scott K
This is interesting. I just used the blower function on mine for probably the first time- I used it to get some stubborn dust and sawdust out of my miter saw before cleaning the garage floor after a project. Beyond that, I don’t think the blower offers much.
Ferdinand
This seems pretty darn handy a half dozen chores and projects that would have been better suited than lugging out the big shop vac
Doug
This looks ideal for cleaning out my pellet grill!
James
Haha, that’s exactly what I was thinking! I have a 16 gallon shop vac that I’ve been using. It’d be much nicer to use the small one. I already have the 18 volt Ryobi system so it’s a no-brainer for me. I’m definitely going to check it out. Ryobi also has some 18 and 40 volt 10 gallon shop vacs. I might look into one of those as well. Maybe just get rid of that big old 16 gallon one anyway.
Saulac
I am that glad there is no silly cover for the battery. I have the cordless 4.74 gal stainless canister. It is awfully under powered. I am afraid that this one is the same. Only bag filter?
Mopar4wd
I gave the same SS vac while its not very powerful it seems just as strong as my corded stinger and bucket head vacs. It’s one of my favorite tools actually. The door on the battery is a bit annoying.
Wayne R.
The idea appeals to me, but then I think – why should I take a battery out of a corded device, find another thing with a cord and charge the battery, just to later move the battery back to the first? I’d not have a pile of batteries for something like this, swapping them around (though others could, easily).
Maybe that battery should have a USB-C port on it (like that Skil battery from earlier), to keep it ready for action? Charge it in the house or truck, without further fiddliness. I’d grab that for sure.
Yes, a battery adapter might fill that gap for now…
David Z
Isn’t what you describe the way pretty much all our cordless tools work? Cordless drill, sawzall, etc? And if you are committed to a platform, you most likely do have several batteries around. After a few holidays, it’s easy to have 6 or 8 Ryobi batteries.
Maybe I misunderstood your comment.
eddie sky
Becareful. I have had several Lowes buckets split at the bottoms. And the design of the bucket is rather hard on hands, since the handle is just a nylon bushing on a wire.
Its a cheap concept and if you are Ryobi user, I guess it works. I just know that a “cordless” dustpan and brush work alot better with most debris 😉
Mike
The SWMBO got me the 3 gallon cordless for Christmas a year ago, and it’s been real handy for small messes in our old house.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-LINK-Cordless-3-Gal-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-Tool-Only-PCL734B/320511080
So I suspect this 5 gallon would be real handy for a typical homeowner.
mark
SWMBO – LOL I had to Google that. Good one 😂
Koko The Talking Ape
It’s nice that the waste collection chamber is a standard 5 gallon bucket. That means you could easily have several, and if one fills up, you can just replace it and keep going, so you don’t have to empty the bucket immediately. Maybe that’s unlikely with a cordless vac though.
I could see somebody designing some plastic baffles to go inside a bucket to help it trap more dust. Some vertical fins at the bottom would slow the air down and let the dust drop out, a little like a cyclone.
Nate
They couldn’t have made it take the same standard filters as used by every other vac you can buy at Home Depot? That’s a nope from me, dawg.
mark
I wonder how the sealing face against the bucket works. I have 6 or so 5 gallon buckets in regular rotation. 2 HD, 1 Menards, Lowe’s, and a measure-right.
The lids between HD and Lowe’s were of a different style and the lids don’t seal well when crossing brands. The measure-right has the gamma seal lid.
I just wonder what they’ve done to ensure suction isn’t lost through poor sealing.
It’s be a shame to enjoy using this tool, go to need a new 5 gallon bucket and then you start having fitment issues.
I’m a rigid wet/dry vac guy myself. Vacuums don’t seem like a tool where cordless has gotten cheap yet
Frank D
Not hybrid ( AC + 18v ) and those filter bag setups suck. I have a small Dewalt with foam and cloth wrapper, that my wife bought for me. I pretty much just use it for wet pickup.
And I don’t expect much from the 18v vacuums any more. Bought the four wheeler one that is a few gallons. Can’t use my favorite filter ( too tall ) and the Ryobi filter comes undone each time you lift the top out … because it is held to the bottom of the vacuum … like why? Every vac I have or had locked the filter to the vacuum top and not the base. Ryobi just had to reinvent the wheel … or what?