The 7 Best Ash Vacuums of 2024

Best Overall

Snow Joe Ash Canister Vacuum Cleaner

$65 At Amazon

Our best overall pick is the Snow Joe 4.8-Gallon Ash Canister Vacuum Cleaner because it’s compact, yet powerful enough to clean all types of ash and can hold up to 4 gallons of ashes before needing to be emptied. Even without the extra features and attachments that come on some of our other picks, you can be sure that its basic design more than delivers reliable suction and filtration.

This Snow Joe vacuum has a coarse-dust pre-filter and a fine-dust pleated filter that ensure none of the ash you pick up escapes into your home’s air. It’s also equipped with a safety stop switch which prevents the vacuum from operating if it's not properly fitted with a filter.

Other helpful features include a carrying handle, an inspection window to view any suction blockage, and an onboard cord and hose organizer. It has a 3.9-foot metal-reinforced hose, which is shorter than some of the other models in this roundup, but we think it’s proportionate to the overall size of the vacuum. It’s important to note that this ash vacuum can only pick up cold ash, so you need to be willing to wait for your fireplace to fully cool down before cleaning—though, that's a good practice and one that we recommend when using any ash vacuum.

Despite its lack of extra nozzles or wheels, we think this ash vacuum’s basic design is ideal for homeowners who don’t need a heavy-duty model and are just looking for a reliable product. Its 5 amperage suction power is more than enough to handle the average mess of a wood stove, fireplace, or pellet stove. Plus, a two-year manufacturer warranty covers any defaults in operation and design, so you can also feel good about your investment.

_{Dimensions: 13 x 12.6 x 12.6 inches | Weight: 11 pounds | Capacity: 4.8 gallons | Cord Length: 8.5 feet | Amps: 5}

Best Portable

RIGID 4 Gallon Portable Vacuum

$147 At Amazon $100 At Home Depot

A portable ash vacuum is useful for avid campers or any homeowner looking for a multipurpose tool. This model from RIGID has large rear wheels that allow you to drag the unit behind you as you clean, and there’s no need to worry about the hose popping out of the vacuum thanks to its “Tug-A-Long” locking design. This vacuum also has an on-board storage caddy for all of its supporting attachments including two extension wands, a utility nozzle, and a multipurpose nozzle.

It’s equipped with a three-layer, fine-dust filter that can handle everything from drywall dust to fireplace ashes—just be sure the ashes are cool first, of course—and 9 amps of suction power ensure it quickly completes any size cleanup job. A 20-foot-long power cord also ensures that you can reach a mess from across a large room without having to replug the unit.

Ultimately, this pick weighs about the same as our best overall, at 12 pounds. However, it's wheels, on-board storage, and more make it a truly portable option.

_{Dimensions: 17 x 18 x 19 inches | Weight: 12 pounds | Capacity: 4 gallons | Cord Length: 20 feet | Amps: 9}

Best Heavy-Duty

Vacmaster Wet/Dry Vacuum

$136 At Amazon View On Vacmaster.com

If you haven’t ever considered purchasing a larger shop vacuum, also known as a wet-dry shop vacuum, now may be the time to look into its universal functionality. As the name suggests, wet-dry shop vacuums can handle both solid debris such as sawdust and ashes, and also wet messes like damp ashes or water spills. We love this model from Vacmaster because of its large capacity and helpful features like a foam filter designed to handle wet messes. The top of this vacuum also lifts away and functions as a blower—helpful if you’re cleaning up an outside mess. A noise diffuser attachment helps to stifle 10.5 amps of suction power, while four nozzle attachments and two extension rods ensure you can easily clean up just about any mess.

As much as we love this vacuum’s design, it is only able to pick up ashes that are cool, so you cannot clean up your fireplace or fire pit until the day after it has extinguished—though, this is common and, again, what we'd recommend. This model is also pricier than some of the more simply designed picks—a common thread among larger multifunctional shop vacuums—so you may decide you don’t need all of the features it offers. However, it does have a large drain port, so you can easily empty liquid contents out of its 12-gallon canister.

_{Dimensions: 12 x 24 x 84 inches (with hose) | Weight: 23.8 pounds | Capacity: 12 gallons | Cord Length: 12 feet | Amps: 10.5}

Best for Liquid and Ash

Craftsman Wet/Dry Vac

$140 At Amazon

A wet-dry vacuum is the best option for cleaning up damp ashes that were left overnight in the rain or were doused with the hose to fully extinguish. This model from Craftsman has a 16-gallon capacity and a wide drainage hole to easily clear out liquid contents. It comes with two extension wands plus three nozzles. One of the nozzles is specifically designed for wet messes, which we find especially appealing for cleaning up wet ashes. Aside from its capacity to handle wet messes with ease, you’ll find this larger shop vacuum is equipped to store all of its accessories on-board, too, including the hose and power cord.

A built-in rear blower port also allows you to turn the vacuum’s hose into a blower for outdoor messes, like leaves in your fire pit. This vacuum is additionally set on top of caster wheels, so you can easily slide it to and from its storage place. Be sure to remove the dust bag and filter from this vacuum before cleaning up wet messes. This model does not come with a separate wet filter.

_{Dimensions: 26.7 x 21.03 x 23.8 inches | Weight: 26 pounds | Capacity: 16 gallons | Cord Length: 20 feet | Amps: 10.5}

Best Lightweight

Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum, Tool Only

$136 At Amazon $159 At Lowe's $160 At Tractor Supply Co.

This Dewalt cordless vacuum clocks in at just 8 pounds, so you can easily carry it with you around a campsite, or even leave it in the back of your car for a powerful, on-the-go tool. It has a 2-gallon capacity, which is great for smaller dry and liquid messes. At 1.6 amps, it has the lowest suction power in this roundup, but the 20-volt battery is compatible with all of the other tools in Dewalt’s 20V Max tool line. You just have to purchase the battery and charger separately, if you don’t already own tools in the 20-volt collection. We love this vacuum’s multipurpose functionality paired with its easy-to-store-and-use design.

The filter is also compatible with both wet and dry messes and has received a HEPA rating, so it filters out even the smallest of particles from the air. We do just recommend emptying this vacuum after every single use to be sure it doesn’t become full mid-cleaning, since it's capacity is much smaller compared to other options we love.

_{Dimensions: 13.12 x 12.31 x 17.25 inches | Weight: 8 pounds | Capacity: 2 gallons | Cord Length: Not Applicable | Amps: 1.6}

Best Filtration

Vacmaster Pro 8 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac

$172 At Amazon $169 At Walmart

If you’re using your fire pit, fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove very often, it might be worth considering an ash vacuum that’s certified in filtration of small particles. This model from Vacmaster has a HEPA-certified filter with four stages of filtration and 99.7 percent efficiency of clearing out particles as small as 0.3 microns. It also has an industrial design equipped with caster wheels that lock for stability while cleaning in one place and rubber rear wheels that make it easy to roll to a dumping spot. Onboard storage for the power cord and its many attachments is also included.

We’re impressed with the two-stage industrial motor that ensures long-lasting, consistent performance for many years. A separate wet filter is also included as well as a sealable tear-resistant dust collection bag for easy cleanup. Our only concern with this vacuum is its size, which would make it difficult to store in a smaller home or tool shed. However, if you have the storage space and are looking for a model that guarantees strong filtration, this option is definitely worth considering.

_{Dimensions: 19 x 12 x 12 inches | Weight: 19.4 pounds | Capacity: 8 gallons | Cord Length: 30 feet | Amps: 11}

Best for Pellet Stoves

Love-less Ash Cougar+ Ash Vacuum

$300 At Amazon

Pellet stoves can be tricky to clean, especially when they have a narrow ash tray or compartment opening. This ash vacuum from Love-less Ash has a vented cuff and pellet hose attachment to ensure all of the fine ashes from a pellet stove are sucked into the vacuum’s canister. A two-part filtration system also ensures no particles escape into your home’s air system. The ash vacuum’s durable construction, which includes fire-resistant materials to prevent combustion of any warm and cold ash, also makes it more heavy-duty.

There are only two drawbacks to this vacuum’s design: its price and weight. This vacuum is heavier than other picks with similar capacities, and we do have some concerns with the carrying handle appearing flimsier than some of the other designs we researched. This is also the priciest vacuum on our list at time of publish, but we feel that its design and performance, which specifically caters to pellet stoves, justifies its higher price point. All in all, you can expect high performance and filtration from this ash vacuum that’s sure to last many years.

_{Dimensions: 20.5 x 12 x 12 inches | Weight: 15.32 pounds | Capacity: 3 gallons | Cord Length: Not listed | Amps: Not listed}