Review: MetroVac Vac N Blo

It’s officially car-cleaning time. The sun is shining, the dirt is flying, and your floor mats are crying. After surviving a season of mud, slush, and salt, our vehicles’ interiors are in rough shape. And while we prepare our car-cleaning kits, one tool stands out as the first step: the vacuum. Getting the big pieces of food and dirt out of your vehicle is the best way to start a complete car cleanse.

I decided to give MetroVac’s Vac N Blo a try, specifically the Compact Wall Mount version. It’s built in America with the professional in mind, so I reviewed it through the lens of a detailer or a frequent car cleaner. Right off the bat, I was surprised at how small it is. The main vacuum unit measures just 17 inches long, seven inches tall, and seven inches wide. That’s much smaller than the comparable Bissell Garage Pro vacuum, which measures 26 by 11 by 11 inches.

The weight was impressive too—the Vac N Blo Compact Wall Mount version weighs just 8.5 pounds, or about the same as this Stanley Wet/Dry Portable Vacuum, which takes up more space than the MetroVac unit. A full-size shop vac, like this one from Craftsman, weighs a whopping 25 pounds in comparison. The Vac N Blo produces 4 horsepower and 130 cubic feet per minute of airflow—excellent numbers compared to similar wall-mounted and portable vacuums.

Out of the box, the Vac N Blo comes with nine different attachments, two 20-inch extension wands, an extra flexible hose, and the wall-mount bracket kit. The power cord measures 12 feet long, which is impressive on its own. Because it’s able to be mounted on the wall, this is more than enough. However, if you need some mobility, a shoulder strap makes carrying it a breeze—but you’ll want an extension cord.

I plugged it in, flipped the metal toggle switch, and it roared to life—well actually, it didn’t roar at all. The Vac N Blo is surprisingly quiet. I had ear protection at the ready, and there it stayed. I wasn’t able to find a decibel spec, but, unscientifically, it was even much quieter than many handheld vacuums I’ve used in the past.

The Vac N Blow Compact features a suction port on one end and a blower on the other. To maximize the blowing power, remove the front cap and filter bag and let ‘er rip. The kit also came with some inflator attachments that can be used to pump up rafts or air mattresses. The vacuum worked fantastically on newer floor mats and cleaned as expected. I then tried it on a much dirtier interior, and once again it aced the test.

Inside, the Vac N Blow Compact has a triple-layer filtration system. MetroVac recommends that the paper bag gets disposed of when dirty, the permanent cloth gets inspected and shaken out regularly, and the charcoal filter gets replaced three to four times a year. I’m sure this varies by how much you use it, but it’s something to be aware of.

Overall, the American-built, all-steel, attachment-abundant Vac N Blo Compact is a fantastic car vacuum for a detailer or frequent cleaner. The $350 price tag is definitely on the high end compared to other wall-mounted and portable vacuums, but it’s more powerful, quieter, and lighter than its competitors. On top of that, it stores nicely on the wall, rather than taking up a whole corner of your garage like conventional shop vacs.

It’s official—the Vac N Blo sucks. And that’s why I promptly added it to the garage.

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