I do a lot of woodworking out of my garage. Despite rolling my saws outside to make cuts, and then sanding/finishing with the garage door open, I still have to endure a layer of sawdust over everything in my garage. I have a shop vac, but most of the dust winds up so fine that it floats around the garage and typically won’t relegate itself to one area that I can easily vacuum up.

Aside from feeling overrun by a ubiquitous layer of dust on everything I owned, I also realized that I was in desperate need of an extra layer of protection for my lungs. Although I typically wear a dust mask, it couldn’t hurt to cut the dust off at the source. The only way to do this is to capture and contain the dust where the actual work happens.

Enter the 9-Gallon Bosch Dust Extractor with Auto Filter Clean and HEPA Filter (VAC090AH). After a week of using this tool, it’s got me humming “so fresh and so clean, clean” every time I finish a project.

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What’s In The Box?

• VAC090AH 9-Gallon Bosch Dust Extractor
• HEPA Flat Filter
• VB090F Fleece Filter Bag
• VH1035 9.85 Ft. Vacuum Hose
• VX100 Bend Nozzle
• VX120 Power Tool Adapter Nozzle

Bosch makes additional attachments available for purchase, just in case you’d like to add a vacuum wand or specialized nozzle. One tool adaptor is already included in the box. However, you can also purchase a variety of adaptors that work with different sizes and diameters for different tools.

Shop Vacs Vs. The Bosch Dust Extractor

If you just need a simple machine to vacuum up debris from your floor, get a shop vac. Shop vacs are great for wet and dry pickup, and they do come in handy around the shop. However, if you spend your time doing work that generates a lot of dust, a shop vac will probably not generate enough CFM to keep up with your tools. Think of it this way: a shop vac is to a light dusting what a dust extractor is to a deep cleaning. Shop vacs can pick up dust and chips but are more likely to recycle the dust back into the air, while dust extractors trap all of it.

So, if you’re looking to seriously reduce dust in your shop or job site, look no further than the 9-Gallon Bosch dust extractor. This lean, mean, cleaning machine has a two-stage cleaning system that utilizes a fleece filter bag and a HEPA filter. The bag will catch larger debris and wood chips, and anything too small to be contained in the bag will be trapped by the HEPA filter. It also features an automatic filter cleaning system that cycles every 15 seconds, ensuring that this unit always works at maximum efficiency.

Use the hose with the included bend nozzle to vacuum up debris and sawdust. Or, you can hook it up to the dust port on your tool, sucking up the sawdust as you work. Plug your tool’s cord into the outlet on the dust extractor to eliminate the need for a second extension cord. This unit can pick up both wet and dry material, and the casters make it easy to roll this guy around your workspace.

Testing

This dust extractor has incredible suction power. I made quite a mess boring holes with a Forstner bit and then drilling pocket holes in my project. This unit sucked up both the larger wood shavings and finer sawdust quickly and efficiently, without skipping a beat.

I was most curious about its ability to keep my workspace clean while using my tools, and I especially wanted to try it out on my orbital sander and miter saw. The included adaptor didn’t fit either one of my tools, and my local hardware store didn’t sell the Bosch brand adaptors. However, I was able to pick up a set of generic shop vac adaptors that worked just fine.

Use the hose with the included bend nozzle to vacuum up debris and sawdust. Or, you can hook it up to the dust port on your tool, sucking up the sawdust as you work. Plug your tool’s cord into the outlet on the dust extractor to eliminate the need for a second extension cord. This unit can pick up both wet and dry material, and the casters make it easy to roll this guy around your workspace.

Running Power

The red power dial can be turned right to the “Vacuum” option, or to the left for the “Power Tool Activation” option. I hooked up the hose to my orbital sander first, and since my sander is battery operated and can’t be plugged into the power tool outlet, I turned the dial to the vacuum position. So great was the suction power that I could sand my project a few inches from my face without ever getting a speck of sawdust on me.

I then plugged my miter saw into the outlet on the dust extractor and turned the red power dial to the “Power Tool Activation” position. In this mode, the dust extractor automatically kicks on when you turn on your tool and kicks off a few seconds after you turn the tool off.

I was skeptical that the outlet on the Bosch would be able to power both machines. However, I didn’t even have the “Power Broker” knob turned all the way up and both machines ran just fine. I also loved not needing to have a second extension cord to power both tools.

Again, the Bosch had great suction power, but the small vacuum port on my miter saw wasn’t able to catch all the debris. I don’t count this as a strike against the Bosch. The suction power is there, and I’m confident if I had a miter saw hood to catch the sawdust spraying in all directions, it would work perfectly.

Final Thoughts

The Bosch website claims that the HEPA filter will capture 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns or larger. That’s MUCH smaller than a standard shop vac. With a particle of sawdust measuring between 30 and 600 microns, this dust extractor should capture every little fleck of dust I can throw at it.

After using this unit for a few days vacuuming up sawdust and wood shavings, I decided to test their claim. I popped open the unit to assess how well the dust was being collected. The inside of the container appeared just as clean as the moment I took it out of the box. This is a testament to how efficient the fleece bag and HEPA filter are at capturing dust and debris.

Since price is always a consideration, I’ll be forthcoming here. You’ll pay about $400 more for a dust extractor than you will a shop vac of the same size. But, if clean air and healthy lungs are important to you, as well as just general job site efficiency, the extra cost makes sense. Ultimately, while both tools have some similarities, they also highlight the differences between a homeowner level tool and a professional grade tool. Having said that, the VAC090AH Bosch will set you back around $599.

If you’re looking for an easily portable, yet highly powerful and efficient dust extractor to keep your garage, shop, or work site clean, I recommend giving this dust extractor a chance.

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Bosch Dust Extractor Features

• Automatic filter cleaning to maintain maximum suction power
• Power tool activation – allows power tool’s switch to turn the vacuum on and off
• Power Broker dial – for allocating power between vacuum and connected power tool
• Fleece filter bag – helps protect the filter from abrasive materials
• Wet vacuuming water-level sensor – automatically shuts down vacuum when water reaches the maximum height to protect the motor

Bosch Dust Extractor Specs

• Air Volume: 150 CFM
• Amperage: 9.5A
• Automatic Shut-Off: Yes
• Built-in Drain: No
• Capacity: 9.0 Gal
• Speed Control: Yes
• Vacuum Suction Pressure: 242 millibars or 97.3” of water lift (max.)
• Voltage: 120V
• Weight: 28 lb
• Wet/Dry Capability: Yes
• MSRP: $599

For more information about the VAC090AH Bosch Dust Extractor, visit Boschtools.com. Or, to check out how this dust extractor performed against other pro-level dust extractors, check out our Best Dust Extractor Shootout on the Pro Tool Reviews site.

Best OSHA-Compliant Dust Extractor Shootout