METROVAC Compact Vacuum - Model VNB-83BA, 4.0 Peak HP, All-Steel Construction, 6 Ft Hose, Portable Handheld Design, Blower Function

*** OVERVIEW ***My interest in Metropolitan Vacuums started when I bought their small MetroVac 500 Hand Vacuum which is a medium "thermos sized" vacuum that works great for small automotive tasks... but, I needed something bigger and stronger for my small detailing shop. Enter the "Vac N' Blo": I'm going to go into specific details below but let me first say, I have tested dozens of vacuums from various shop vacs, to Kirby's, Dyson's, and everything in between; For automotive detailing purposes, this is hands down the absolute BEST vacuum on the market today. It is crazy to think that a vacuum of this size (small), is literally TWICE as powerful as a full-sized, 6.5 HP Rigid shop vac... but it is! I want to point out some of the details of the machine, many of which are not mentioned in the ad, followed by the pros and cons I've discovered after using the machine for a few weeks now.*** BUILD QUALITY ***It's "Made In America" and it really shows! It has the good old fashioned metal toggle switch which is both durable, and industrial--the first sign of a quality machine. The machine itself is solid metal construction with the exception of little things like the handle and optional wheels. It's clear MetroVac wasn't focused on aesthetics here; they were focused on POWER and DURABILITY.Unlike the Metropolitan Vac 'N' Blo Compact Vacuum which comes with a one-year warranty, the Vac N' Blow comes with a 5-YEAR warranty on the motor which is outstanding! I spoke with one of the owners of the company today, David Stern, who told me that these motor are virtually bulletproof... he's seen them last 15 years or longer with regular use. In fact, the obly thing you should have to inspect and possibly replace are the motor brushes which will run you a mere $17 for a pair of them. If they ever need replacing, it would be many years down the road. The Van N' Blo uses the exact same model of motor as the MasterBlaster (a single 4 HP motor instead of two of them as the MasterBlaster has) and it comes with a 5 YEAR warranty! A replacement motor for this machine (Part # MVC-157D or the older MVC-56D) will run you exactly $100 from MetroVac and the replacement motor brushes (Part # ABC-3), as I mentioned, will run you $17.The paint scuffs easily but this is an industrial designed machine with the intention to be used rough, not babied, however, I thought I'd mention it. Reminds me of black Honda paint sometimes!*** POWER ***MetroVac claims that this 4 HP vacuum has suction rated at 95" of water lift and 130 CFM. Is it true? Sure is... we tested it and got 97 inches! To give you a comparison, that 6.5 HP Rigid shop vac I mentioned which is much larger and has more horsepower, only has 50" of water lift suction! So how can a machine so portable put out almost twice the suction of an industrial shop vac with more horsepower? The answer lies in the construction of the vacuum, the parts used, the motor, fan, and the craftsmanship. This is a very well thought out vacuum that is very simplistic and industrial looking, and very, very powerful!With its modest yet powerful 4 HP motor, the vacuum uses 500 watts of power at 11.2 amps. This means you don't need to worry about upgrading any of your circuit breakers to 20 amps to accommodate this machine like you sometimes have to do on the MasterBlaster machine.***EASE OF USE***I recommend ordering the optional dolly accessory when you buy this machine as it allows you to roll it around on the ground instead of having to carry it by its strap. I'm sort of surprised the vacuum doesn't come with the dolly pre-attached, especially when you're spending $200+ dollars on the machine but that's the way it is I guess. The dolly installs quickly and makes ease of use a breeze. With the various included accessories, there really isn't a job this vacuum/blower can't handle.It works just as well for blowing a car dry after a wash as it does vacuuming up even the finest of sand and salt dust.*** ACCESSORIES ***The vacuum/blower comes with a 6 foot wire-reinforced hose, 13 attachments which allow you to do everything from vacuuming small and larger spaces, to blowing a car dry after a wash, to inflating air mattresses, and more. MetroVac also makes some accessories for the Vac N' Blo; the nicest being the longer, 30 foot hose (Part # MVC-56PRO-30, cost $74.99.)*** CONCLUSION ***I fell in love with this machine the first time I used it and I really believe if you're one of those people like me who have spent years looking for the perfect automotive vacuum, you're going to love it, too!***If you have any questions, please leave a comment and let's get a thread going! I try to get back to everyone the same day if at all possible. Thanks!***

I hate paying $1 or more to use a terribly inept vacuum from the car wash facility that has only one nozzle size that fits in absolutely no crevices and only lasts four minutes so you have to rush to finish vacuuming and end up with a mediocre result.I purchased this for myself as an early Christmas present and I have to say it exceeded my expectations!The assortment of attachments/nozzles are perfect for every space that needs vacuuming in my '12 Ford Focus SEL hatchback.I can accomplish an outstanding result with 10 minutes or less of vacuuming time and since my local car wash has an available power outlet I can wash my car, blow it dry with the Vac 'N' Blow then vacuum the interior completely and thoroughly.I bring an extension cord to extend the mobility around and within the car and I don't really see a need or the optional carriage with wheels offered by Metropolitan here on Amazon,com. I just place the vacuum body on the front or rear seat with the exhaust blowing out the door and the hose provides enough length to reach every nook and crevice of the floor and seating areas, the dash and console. Everything comes out looking very nice using this vacuum compared to the standard good-for-nothing car wash rip-off vacuum!Pros:Excellent suctionVersatility: Vac 'N' Blow works very well for vacuuming the interior and blow-drying the exteriorAccoutrementsWeight: It's very light and easy to manipulate into place in order to vacuum the car without holding the body in your arms.Cons:Shorter cord length: I anticipated this with my extension cord so it's not really an issue for me but as a standalone product, the cord could definitely be much longer.Somewhat loud indoors: It scared my 9-Month-Old daughter when I used to clean the gunk from our baseboard heater of our apartment.Overall impression:Totally worth the money! I use it every week when I wash my car and whenever there's a more specialized vacuuming chore to be done that my traditional vacuum won't work as well.I absolutely love using this vacuum!

I just received this vacuum & have used it already. I needed something portable to clean the lint trap in my dryer as well as blow the lint vent thing out. This is the perfect tool for the job. It did such a great job it's like I've got a brand new dryer now. I can see lots of uses for this little vacuum & blower around the house. Great suction & awesome blower.I did a lot of research here, reading other reviews and such, and am now rating this machine 5 stars. I didn't think it was any louder than any other vacuum (as mentioned in other posts). The 6 foot hose is plenty long enough especially if you're using the strap. The power cord was more than long enough. The lack of wheels or legs didn't bother me as I attached the strap, threw it over my shoulder & got my work done. I can see where the wheeled dolly would come in handy when I get ready to do the car. But for all my purposes the Metro Vac-n-Blo is great. And made in the USA to boot!