A modest, portable dust collector can do a good job provided you fit it with an effective filter and don’t treat it like a true central dust-collection system with long runs of ductwork. To be effective, a portable dust collector must move air fast enough to transport big chips, shavings, and dust; move enough air to capture all the waste that woodworking machinery generates; and trap even the finest dust particles. But without a first-class filter, a dust collector becomes a dust-recirculating pump, spewing contaminated air throughout the shop.

The 10 collectors tested are about the most powerful type available that run on normal 120v household current. They have a 1.5-hp motor driving an impeller to suck dust into the filter and the collection bags. They’re designed to handle the waste from a typical shop machine but not from two machines at once. As a practical matter, a dust collector needs to provide 800 cfm or more to move all the dust, chips, and shavings that machines like tablesaws, jointers, and planers produce.

The Craftsman didn’t meet the minimum 800 cfm reading, and it comes with only a 30-micron filter bag; there is no optional filter.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Rockler Dust Right 1250 CFM

You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.

Buy at Rockler

Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM

While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test.

Buy at Amazon

Grizzly G0495X Industrial Helical Cutterhead 8-in. Jointer

Regardless of the board’s grain, this jointer produced excellent results. Its fence was totally flat, worked smoothly, and locked well, staying in place even after jointing multiple edges. Getting the fence to 90° was very easy, but the 90° stop was a little tricky to set and the fence did not go back to square when using it. For those who would use it, there is also a digital depth-of-cut scale.

Buy at Amazon