Shop Vac recommendations

tailg8ers

We've been using a small shop vac to clean out the ash from our Eggs.  Well it requires too many filter changes for it to be practical these days.  If you use a shop vac - what brand/model do you use - or for you folks that actually have one that you use for its intended purpose - what is your recommendation?
Thanks!

DaveRichardson

I just use one of the mini vacs or the bucket head style.  I'll dump the ash and hose off the filter every now and then....  Would I then use that one to vac out the wife's car..... not again!!!!!  Still coughed up a lot of ash dust INSIDE her new car that I had just had cleaned and detailed.  Why was I vaccing it out? The kids and soccer cleats got grass inside.

Skiddymarker

Must admit I have never used a vac to "clean" my egg. Ash removal is done with a home made ash tool, basically a 20" long by 1" wide piece of metal with a 90º bend about 1-1/2" from the end. It is not necessary to clear all the ash and IMO it is wise to actually leave about 1/2" in the bottom as recommended in an air tight stove to protect the fire bricks. 
The ash tool will also fit between the fire box and the base to rake any ash that has fallen through the vent holes. After 5 years and tons of lump the fire box on my MBGE has never been out. 
Unless wind and weather conditions prevent you from just raking ash into a pan, I would reconsider use of a vac, as you know from experience it is a never ending job of changing filters and small particulate filters that protect the motor are not cheap. 

buzd504

I got the cheapest model from Home Depot.  It was on sale for $20 or $30.  It has held up for several years.  At that price, I'll just get another when it goes.

Recently we had some plumbing work done, and the plumber had the same model, and the same review.

Legume

I had a small one, think it was called a stinger or something like that.  My egg is an XL and I don't have airflow issues, so I've only vacuumed a couple of times, but it worked well enough.  It eventually died from other use.  When I have vacuumed, I scoop most everything out first and just minimize the amount for the vacuum.  Taking the innards out and using a whisk broom would do the same.

tailg8ers

thank for the comments - we don't use one very often - but sometimes we are in more of a rush to get a cook going and the vac has been great.  We figure using it w/ the minimax is a lot easier than the ash tool.