▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼ 🎥 Watch Next - 3M Sander Review: ua-cam.com/video/xjeWACxBdM0/v-deo.html 🛠Tools in this Video: Buy the 3M Dust Extractor - lddy.no/1f1fx 3M Sander - lddy.no/1f1g1 3M Fleece Bags (will be back in stock soon) lddy.no/1f1g3 Festool CT36 Dust Extractor - amzn.to/3KSkJDQ Festool ETS125 Sander - amzn.to/3y2P1fL All 3M Extractor Accessories lddy.no/1f1fy Festool Bluetooth Module - amzn.to/3Ye6Rqx Festool Vacuum Accessory Kit - amzn.to/3SDwlfO Festool CT36 Bags - amzn.to/3m3IY7O FYI Some 3M Extractor Accessories are sold out but will be restocked within 30 Days of this video publish date Other Tools/Equipment I'm Asked About Often: Table Saw - amzn.to/3IoKqsZ Table Saw Blade I'm Using - shrsl.com/3xv5i Miter Saw - amzn.to/41hbJy4 Tripod for Phone - amzn.to/3E3kWA9 Phone Holder for Tripod - amzn.to/3E1E6GG The shirt I'm Wearing - www.shieldsofstrength.com but appear to be sold out. Boots I'm Wear - amzn.to/3HkUl3y Toolbox in Background - homedepot.sjv.io/x9B2xy Tool Wall over Miter Station - amzn.to/3ZgWq7B Digital UA-cam Sign - amzn.to/3GL2a2e Camera Gear I Use - kit.co/731Woodworks/camera-gear-i-use Computer Equipment I Use for Editing - kit.co/731Woodworks/731-woodworks-computer-equipment Other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe the 731 Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans: www.731woodworks.com/store Outlaw's Board Butter - www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
This was a fair comparison. Thumbs-up... I also own both. I don't think I could say that one is clearly better than the other. Each has features that I wish the other had. If the 3M had Festool's hose, bags and warranty, it would be the clear winner. On the other hand, if the Festool had 3M's lower cost, reduced noise, increased suction, dual filter auto-cleaning system, and pneumatic support, it would be the clear winner. I keep mine next to each other in the shop hoping they will have a baby together. It would be the ultimate dust extractor.
Where i think festool shines on this ,is the amount of add on you can add to an extractor. The warranty and quality can’t be beat. Like anything else. Cry once buy once. Festool is a hard company to beat. Once you have bought into there system. YOUR SCREWD. 🤣🤣🤣
@@timblack33 Also there are models with auto clean (but only single filter). Question is - do you really need two filters? You can get the same features like the 3M but at a higher cost.
Great review! Thanks for the detailed comparison with the Festool vac! The Festool parts availability is no joke: I've had my Festool CT22E for almost 20 years and can still get bags, filters, and other accessories for it. Given the current prices, if I had to choose between the 3M and the Festool, I'd be tempted to buy the $499 Bosch VAC090AH dust extractor 😆9-gallon capacity, HEPA filter, auto-filter cleaning, 150cfm, fleece filter bag, wet/dry capability... it seems to check all the boxes. I think the biggest downsides to the Bosch are that the vacuum hose and power cord are a bit shorter than both 3M and Festool.
Not a Festool User, although purchased a Makita Autoclean first, similar performance but didn't pack up nice and looked like normal shop vac... Purchased the Festool 48 Autoclean, great design. The performance is great, 1 filter, and packs up clean & condensed... Hose in top and Cord storage location. Plus the Festool offers the BlueTooth module that works with all Brands, which is absolutely Great... turn all brands on at hose end button or Auto On for Festool hardware. Advantage of 48, hose is larger diameter than smaller Festool units and largest dust capacity for similar size units. Price is a tad higher but design, storage, BT easily justifies the price difference.
First off, thank you for the honest review. Secondly, I have Festool extractors that I use at work. Many of them actually, ranging from the mini to the 48. For my shop at home I use Fein turbo II's. I have nothing negative to say about the Festool other than the price of the tool and the price of the bags. The Feins I use at home are every bit the extractor as the Festool at less than half the price. They do not come with anti static hose, but one can be purchased from them if required (it isn't most times) or you can also use a Festool hose in one as well. The blue tooth connection can be done with a Makita blue tooth if you would like but using the outlet on the machine I rarely find it necessary. Just some food for thought. Not everything requires the money needed for either of these tools. Fein hits all the marks at a fraction of the money. Dan
I've been looking at the Fein over a Festool, in fact the Fein has more cfm across the collection of models they make. You get a bit more for your money in that aspect with Fein
I know it is cheesy but I love this channel and also that UA-cam screen in the back. That is a really cool add on. I admit I HATE cleanup and this is just what I need for sure. Being new to all this I love the coverage of all the parts of woodworking included in your posts.
I just want to a say, I found your channel a few days ago looking for ideas for affordable table saws and miter saws that might be an upgrade from what I have now, but I’ve really enjoyed all of your content and I’ve watched quite a few videos on stuff that’s way out of my price range because you make it very informative and interesting. That’s not what has made the biggest impression on me, I had noticed your t-shirts being Christian related in a couple videos, but in this one, I went to the description to see a link to the 3M Dust Extractor to see how much it costs, and I saw your link to the greatest free gift you ever received. It is awesome to see someone like you, in a position where they have followers and a platform, use that to bring glory to God and to spread the Gospel. Keep up the good work!
Both machines are way out of my budget. I use a couple shop vacs, one connected to my miter saw and the other located in a rolling cabinet I made, which has the dust deputy and hepa filter. Both shop vacs are connected to a switch so they start automatically when I start the tool. The shop vac may not catch all the smaller dust particles, but that doesn’t concern me much as cancer from dust particles are extremely rare if you’re breathing in the stuff every day 8 hours a day, which I don’t. However, I guess allergies might be a different story. I also have an overhead hepa filter dust collector, so I feel safe enough as I breathe in far less dust particles than say someone in rough framing construction, cabinet making, saw mills, etc. You do what you can with the budget you have.
The 3M is a model same to the german brand starmix we have here over the ocean so it is just a new branded model. The one from the german brand I named above is on the market here since 2015 I got this and also worked with the festool and in my opinion the festool is better over all but the 3m/Starmix is also really solid but in germany it cost like 300-400€ loss in vomparison to the festool ✌️ From Germany
One thing you missed is that Festool has a cyclonic separator unit that can lock onto the top of its CT 26/36/48 model extractors, which is an extra cost but an upgrade path to consider.
😀 that's the point that was not ok in this video. The 3M was operated without a fleece bag and compared to the Festool with a fleece bag. Now there are already comments that they prefer the Festool cause of the bags 🤦♂
I like the double filter feature of the 3M, but the Wet vac feature is a pretty huge feature. Both of these are out of my price range right now. Just using a separator for my shop
I own the 3M Xtract sander and dust extractor and have not regrets. I have never used the Festool or Mirka sanders, so I have nothing to compare it to other than my DeWalt ROS. The 3M allows me to work quicker, with less fatigue and much less dust. I've had it for three months and, like I said, no regrets.
I see the Dustless vac is approved for asbestos removal. I doubt either of these can be used in true enviro applications. But for regular shop use, I guess they’re ok.
You do not need a HEPA filter for sanding dust unless you are sanding past like 2000 grit, which you will not be doing on wood. HEPA will help against some smokes and particles smaller than 1 micron, which is good.
you need a hepa filter if you run a buiseness and have workers employed (german osha regulation), that is also where these are marketed to, not the hobbyist.
@@HansWurst12345 I understand this is for Germanys OSHA, but can you send me the codes or policy for that? Also this guys main audience are small businesses and hobbyists not commercial with more than the owner working.
3m has been in this game (sanding and correction) a LOT longer than Festool. You have to remember that their traditional market is auto body sanding and repair. Now throw in new OSHA air quality standards and you'll find the reason for why 3m, Bosch and Dewalt have introduced these dust extractor systems. Festool has been a big fish in a little pond, so don't get it twisted.
Thanks for sharing. How would that compare to the Bosch Dust Extractor that many UA-cam woodworkers suggestion? I guess the same question for the Fein brand too.
It really does seem like a first generation attempt from 3M. The air port for auto on/off are really nice, but my nice 3M sander is corded. And I can't say I like the plastic garbage bag default option. The dual filters so it can clean one at time is nice but not as useful since I'd be swapping for a fabric bag first thing. And it only has a price advantage while TayTools can still offer it at 20% off. I don't own any Festools right now, (though I'd like to win a 16oz bottle of glue) but the Festool offers more things it can connect to via its bluetooth so it seems to have more potential.
The 3M is a rebranded Starmix iPulse extractor. Starmix is a german company (like Festool, situated 60km away) with age of over 100 years. The iPulse is on the market since 10 years :-D
I wonder if 3M is sourcing this from Nilfisk? Also, the Festool can work with pneumatic tools, just have to purchase the insert. Downside is, you can no longer add Bluetooth.
@731Woodworks Have you done a comparison of miter saw dust collection when hooked up to a dust extractor compared to a normal shop vac? I've been running a regular Ridgid shop vac hooked up to my saws for years but have been considering taking the plunge and investing in a dust extractor but I'm not sure the performance difference is worth the cost.
WHAT CONNECTOR DID YOU USE TO CONNECT THE 3M DUST-COLLECTOR TO THE 3M SANDER. I CUT THE CONNECTOR ON THE HOSE DOWN BUT IT WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED TO THE SANDER.
The only festool I still have is the CT33LE vacuum. The bags are a rip off price but they do contain the dust well. I don't use festool sanders. They are gutless and don't last very long. I only use dynabrade air sanders which are the Rolls Royce of sanders. The motors are superbly engineered and last for years. User repairable too. This extracta system look stupid to me. I don't want to have to clean those filter cartridges all the time. Fabric filter bags are the way to go. 3M needs to up their game. This thing looks like a clunker to me. Festool vacuums are a rip off price wise and they don't supply parts for older tool's. They keep changing the connectors to make your stuff obsolete. I refuse to use Festo any more. I want to see 3M come up with a reasonable alternative to festo gouging.
I'm getting the 3M based on a single quote from Matt. "You get more hoes with this dust extractor." (Speaking on the 3M) I'm sold 😂😂 not sure if you intentionally said that or paused when you said it, but it was a good laugh for me.
I would love a dust extractor. ...mainly my asthmatic lungs would. Even with a mask it gets to me. There just so pricey. But they know people will spend it. Just like how eating healthy is more expensive. Siiiggh
Dust extractors are not shop vacs. Apples and oranges. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. Has auto clean standard. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
So glad you stressed the importance of using the fleece bags. In addition to being a tool nut, I am a major vacuum nerd too weirdly enough. So knowing vacs like I do, I try and preach the importance of using bags. There is absolutely no point in owning either of these extractors if you aren’t going to use the fleece bags. If you don’t want to buy bags, just buy a cheap shop vac. Great video!!!
Dust extractors are not shop vacs. Apples and oranges. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. Has auto clean standard. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
@@robk1310 disagree. A hose, a container, a filter and blower moter. Moves air and filters out particles in a container. Great job in marketing though, I have to say that.
Who else feels it's cringy/eye rolling that we now somehow need to call such a machine a "dust extractor". I could easily rig up a cheap and cheerful Ridgid shop vac with a cyclonic dust separator (such as a dust Deputy) and Ridgid HEPA filter and Ridgid bags, even a Ridgid HEPA bag, no filter-whacking mechanism, and have an excellent fine-dust SHOP VAC. It will handle even very fine dust like drywall dust and the filter and filter bag will last a long time. Call it a dust extractor if you want to be all pedantic and extra - by the way I'm extra that way but this "dust extractor" thing is just silly. Come on, who feels what I'm saying?
The 3M product is most likely made by Starmix, a German company. I have an older model with the vibration automatic filter cleaning system. The point is that you shouldn't use a bag if the appliance has a filter cleaning system. Without the bag you have more suction power. Once the filter is dirty you simply turn on the vibration, and the filter is cleaning automatically. I literally have used mine for heavy duty work in construction, when I was renovating my home, and the cleaning system is simply great. It is not intended to be used with a bag, and the vibration is what keeps your filter clean enough to keep working, and have enough suction.
I have had a Festool CT Mini for more years than I can remember. Still works as well as the day I got it. Absolutely love it, wouldn't consider anything else.
It looks like the OEM is Starmix. From the look of their vacs, it looks like they are OEMs for Metabo as well. Pneumatic ports look like a custom feature. Bluetooth remote starters that plug into the power port is also available from other 3rd party tool manufacters. This added would give an more similar comparison to the Festool which would mean the both come out to be around the same price
Indeed, I'm using the Starmix one for 8 years, very nice model. It can swallow water, but you have to remove the HEPA filter to do so. And of course only use it without HEPA for water.
You don't just get it. Autocleaning is the way to go, it is not that important for wood dust, but with concrete or body shop it is a necessity. And yes, those filters are always dirty, but never clogged. BTW it is rebranded Starmix.
You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
I don't think I'll EVER be able to justify almost $1000 for a fancy vacuum, regardless of the features. These prices just insane. I have a HEPA filter in my shop vac and it pulls 160cfm. 🤷♂️
I have a remodeling business and I’m a hobby woodworker. The Festool vacs are worth every penny to me, I have 3 of them. One for my truck, one for my guys truck, and one for my shop.
I just bought a stealth dewalt vacuum and put a HEPA filter on it for lathe work and omg it's amazing. Can use it without any ear protection as it's around 68dba.
I've been running the ct36 auto and the midi, both in the shop for woodworking and in the field for finish carpentry and drywall work. I haven't found anything better and I've tried all kinds. I'll keep buying Festool for the rest of my career
The ability to stack systainers on top of the festool and roll them around is reason enough I would never consider anything else. Then comes the ergonomics, remote control, the hoses. The hose garage is absolutely genius. A place to store the hose IN THE MACHINE when not in use and when hauling around and storing or in a van is so convinient. Its not even close. Only other options would be a Starmix (in one of their milion rebranded iterations or maybe Hilti) purely for durabililty. There pretty much indestructable. The festool is durable but not build for that kind of jobsite abuse. The hose garage seems to break quite easily if you drop something on it. You'll see a lot of old festool vacs with shattered hosegarages on jobsites... its easily replaceable though.
I believe Starmix makes the 3M. Agreed on the hose storage. So simple, yet so great. The hose is the main thing I dislike about my shop-vac/Oneida cyclone setup.
I use the Festool to clean my other dust extractors as well... I think everyone watching this either has Festool or is planning on getting some Festool in their shop, the air-hose hook-up might be extra useful for the folks working in automotive body shops.
I love myFestool cyclone add-on. Bag changes are like....never and judging from the price, they are really proud of their bags. Don't know if 3M added that yet.
AFAIK Festools 10 year spare parts availability guarantee is not from the purchase date but from the date they stop production of that tool. Also what i like about Festool dust extractors is that the filter does not stick into the dust compartment.
I got my CT midi off festool recon last year and glad I got it before the price hike. It was in excellent condition basically brand new. No regrets paying for the premium price.
Thanks Matt, I own the Festool 36, I do like how it works with my Festool and 3M sander. My only gripe is the Festool hose end works great on Festool tool, But.. You have to buy/find an adapter to use the Festool Extractor with any other tool. Taylor has an adapter for the 3M sander. I found an adapter on amazon which allows me to use the Festool on my Makita Track saw, DeWalt biscuit tool, and the old style Kreg pocket hole jig. Had I had the choice over again, I still would have gone with the Festool. The reason for the 3M would be the auto Hepa filter clean. But, the Festool bag precludes needing that feature on the Festool. Good review!
honestly at a loss as to why none of the Big Box brands have integrated a shop vac to a cyclone separator, stuck it on a cart and charged a couple hundo for it. So many DIY options for this its insane it hasnt been developed into a product
Great review! 👊 While the 3Ms Autoclean is a nice feature and the comparable Festool CT36AC with a similar feature is much more expensive and the hose is not the nice fabric one, I don't see 3M offering enough value over the Festool CT36 at the price point, $750 vs $850; Festool is an established brand in this space and offers 3 year vs 1 year warranty and better accessories.
Thanks for the review. Per your ask, of these two DEs I think I’d go Festool. I haven’t bought into the Festool line yet. I know that they are fine tools, I’m just not convinced yet that they are the best buy yet. Since my woodworking is a hobby, I’m in no rush either. I do like tools that are accurate, high quality, and perform as expected. Inhave been looking at other brand DEs like Fein, Makita, Bosch, etc. It’s been difficult to try and monetize the various features and quality for comparison. If you are up to a DE showdown in the future, that would be awesome.
Yes. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
I'd love to have one of these just for controlling dust on my workpieces, but sweet lord they're expensive. There's no way on this earth my wife would ever agree to purchasing one of these. Her exact words..."Just use a mask, they're $30 vs. taking out a loan." 🤣 Since we've just bought a house we're...I mean I'm doing a lot of repair/renovations. I knew I was going to have to learn how to do a few things for DIY repair, but no one told me I was going to have to learn how to be a carpenter/plumber/electrician. LOL. It's all worth it though. I'm learning new things, and not having to call a pro every time I fix something is super nice.
Tell your wife your/her health is priceless. And btw, how will using a mask help against fine dust? Will it make the dust disappearing magically or do you intend to use it as a cleaning rag? 😉
My wife has the Festool sander and dust extraction. She does a lot of furniture refinishing it works amazingly well, I do send a few of my unfinished projects through her area to get them sanded with her Festool it just works.
@@prestonlane6253 Festool is more expansive, has no auto cleaning, less vacuum, less air flow, worse hose, worse wheels... why would you ever consider to buy the Festool? Cause of the pricy name?
Great comparison, thanks. I went with a festool CT Midi I since I already had a festool tracksaw and recently added two festool sanders, and will be adding a festool router and jigsaw soon as well. The festool system works well for me, so I stick with it. Autoclean is not really necessary unless you're extracting drywall or concrete dust.
I’m locked into festool have 4 extractors and 2 rooms full of there tools. There quality can’t be beat. If you get a festool midi extracyor it works with Bluetooth on cordless tools.
I think the 3M's CFM rating will reduce quickly after that HEPA filter starts to get caked with dust. That's the magic of the Festool for me. The bag captures, gosh, probably 99.9% of it, and the filter stays forever. The flow never drops until the bag is basically a brick molded to the inside of the Festool. Then you swap it out and it's like brand new.
How good the cleaning function of the 3M works is strongly dependent on what kind of dust you are sucking. Fine dust from wood sanding is working mediocre, house dust and hairs are even worse but dust from concrete hammering and dust not as super fine as from sanding is working quite well. Btw you can also insert a bag into the 3M, they have about the same price as Festools.
Matt I am very impressed with this review. You basically left no questions unanswered. It seems to me it’s about application. For a shop, these are probably not what you want even if the shop is small. For a couple hundred more you can get a much better dust collector that can handle the heavy load of a planer. For someone that does work in clients homes theses a a must.
I've had a CT Midi that has been on almost every job my company has had for 7 years. I've never had an issue with it. Not even once. And we're using it on cabinet refinishing and painting so it sees a ton of fine dust. Same with Festool's sanders. I've got 3 different sanders and none of them have had issues except for us just wearing out the velcro pads and having to replace them. But I've only done that once for the one we use the most. Between my dust collector and three sanders I have around $1800 invested in 7 years. That works out to less than $260 per year or around $5 per job that it costs me. I'm not sure I'd spend big on one for the shop. But when I buy a new one for the business, the old one will retire to my shop because I know it will still be running just fine.
Nice comparison! I’m leaning towards 3M since I don’t have any Festool tools and already have a wet/dry shop vac (by Rigid). Thoughts on comparing the two dust extractors with a shop vac + dustopper, like how you compared three planers at different price points?
I have a lot of the Festool tools and 2 dust extractors and they all work great, I do have the 3m disc sander as well. Great review, I think the festool is a lot better overall
Thanks for the video! I think you have missed the gratest difference between the two.. that is: festool autoclean is based on opposite airflow so sometimes if you are doing a very dust intensive work during the autoclean it stops vacuuming and in worse cases it can spit out a bit of dust.. the 3m, and all the starmix alike dust extractors (yes, the 3m, as the metabo asr, and many others are all clone of the starmix ipulse) are different, as: 1. they have 2 filters, two sided, so 4 times the filtering surface.. 2. when one of the two filter is in autocleaning mode, the other one keeps working.. 3. the autoclean is based on an extremely fast scrolling (as we all do sometimes to clean our filters outdoor) and not opposite air flow.. so no backward dust and no interruptions in vacuuming the dust.. that said also festtol make extremely good dust extractor and provide a very good post selling guarantee and service.. for the same price starmix is better than festool in my opinion
Thank you, 3M for actually making a useful hose connector! I'm so sick of all these proprietary sizes and "adapters" that don't do a damn bit of good! Bitter much?… yes. 😁
I don’t know what happened to the first post I did. May be UA-cam didn't like the link. Oh and Festool over the 3m Warranty on the Festool is with the extra Money. I own the Festool CT22. I have had it for 13 years and it has been awesome. I just purchased the CT 26E to beat the price increase. Now there is a hidden gem out there that no one talks about: it's a KARCHER NT40/1 TACT TE HEPA. It is a Commercial Vacuum and is every bit as nice as the Festool. I purchased the KARCHER NT30/1 TACT TE HEPA for the basement so I would not have to haul the Festool downstairs. Plus LIFETIME WARRANTY on Tank & Motor Cost the KARCHER NT40/1 TACT TE HEPA is $389.00 Direct from them and the shipping was Free. 5 - Fleece filter bags are $52.00 You need to order one and do a comparison. You will be shocked by the quality.
I have both the CT36 and CT36-AC. Yes, they’re expensive, but I have a lot of Festool tools and they work well together. I purchased the regular CT first and wished I’d purchased the AC instead, because I decided to purchase the drywall sander that is recommended to be used with the AC. As for bags, the AC comes with a plastic liner, for drywall dust, just like the 3M. And just like the 3M, the Festool vac is a mess on the inside when using the liner. I ditched the liner and only use bags in both vac regardless of what I’m doing. That said, I started using bags made by PowerTec, because they are half the price of Festool bags on Amazon. So far I’ve had no issues what so ever with the PowerTec bags. I’ve used the CT/AC for everything from general cleaning to a Metabo concrete grinder and drywall sander with no problems. I’ve had my CT36 without AC for about 7 years and have yet to have to replace the HEPA filer with regular routine maintenance. I had always scoffed at the Bluetooth add on for the vacs, until I purchased and added it to one…game changer for me. Now both vacs are Bluetooth equipped and I wouldn’t have it any other way. No more running back and forth to the vac to turn it off and on. I also added the Festool Cyclone that cut my bag usage by close to 75%.
This was a great video- thank you for this! I'm just refinishing my own kitchen cabinets and have to do some (not all) sanding inside my apartment. I just ordered a shopvac and a separate hepa filter kit (comes with filter and bag). I have a regular Bosch 1/4 sheet sander. Im totally conflicted on whether I should return the Ridgid shopvac and HEPA filter and just get a dust extractor. Once im done with this project, either of those items will go to the storage room and not be used for years. Curious to hear your advice since you have so much experience with these items. My main concern is health given that this is inside our apartment...
Yeah for almost 900 I'm like nope...just seen a festool on Amazon for almost 500...man these things are so expensive...like what does it give foot rubs to...unreal...guess I'm looking at 4 gallon festool...but still holy shit man....4 gallon prolly work for me..so 420 bucks is better then 1000 bucks..well might as well be...I don't get their pricing on this stuff...seems way to much for collecting dust on my tools ya know...dam...and if you go weeks without emptying it do I really need more then 4 gallons...just trying to figure this dust collection thing out before I drop that kinda money...input anyone..lol
I don't even need to look at the article...the 3M vacuum cleaner is made by Starmix...the world's oldest (German) vacuum cleaner manufacturer. If anyone knows how to make a great sucker for a reasonable price, it's them. And if you buy from Starmix instead of 3M, the price is even better😉...2 for 1😃👍
I'll stick to my Dewalt 52 litre for $80 CAD, bags are $20 for 10, has all the adapters I'll ever need and the filter system isn't stupid like this 3M...for that kind of money...this is a horrible design 3M, the Festool is about the same. Overpriced vacuums.
I'm annoyed by the power limits on the pass through plug on these vacuums. The 3M's plug is labeled at a max load of 400W, which isn't a lot of power when you're talking about wood working tools. This isn't exactly a deficit of the 3M compared to the Festool, as that machine is rated at 3.7A (444 Watts), although there is an asterisk in the manual that allows for up to 9.1A if the vacuum's suction is turned all the way down. I get why they do this, as they're trying to keep the total power draw to something acceptable on a 15A circuit. But still, it's unrealistic to expect that people are going to be conscientious about not plugging in a tool that draws too much power. If they really think it's a safety concern to over-draw through the pass-through plug (and they claim to), then this design is asking for trouble.
Just a few comments; Where is the 3M made? 69 verses 71 decibel is a considerable difference in real noise. The Hepa filtration is deceiving, while either of the vacs made filter to this number, this is only the air being pulled in. The dust that is not pulled in is not filtered whatsoever. There's plenty of missed dust in different tools from operation. That's why I wear a respirator regardless when running equipment. While I own a Festool CT26, I'm far from a fan boy, I've only owned one other Festool brand tool, a sander which I sold as I feel it wasn't up to snuff. That said, I'm not familiar with the 3M Vac, They don't seem to have a background in woodworking tools, much less a fan base. There is a lot to look at in choosing a Extractor, I researched for a considerable amount of time as I felt there was a potential of leaked dust particles in other designs at the time of purchase. Will the 3M be around in 10 years? Parts, tech backup, etc. ?
Oh dear god, you are using liquid bag instead of fleece bag for paint sanding. My filters are never dirty like that. Starmix i-pulse 1635 is miles better than any festool, they arent even in the same universe.
The 3m isnt made by 3m, Same design as the old Starmix and the Metabo (pretty sure still made by Starmix), Filters long term are terrible, bags are terrible. The auto pulse over time allows dust past the filter seals and it eventually will pump dust out past them. The front wheels if knocked will break the tub housing also. I owned one for 3 years and ended up giving it away. In Australia you can get filters from cleanstar which are a fraction of the price of Starmix and Metabo. I replaced it with a CTm 36 autoclean and hands down it is a better vac all round.
In my opinion if I'm going to spend $818 dollars I would spend the extra more to buy a Festool that is a quality name brand and I know it will last. I was alway told you get what you pay for. So if you buy cheap stuff you're getting cheap crap. I love your T-Shirt.
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Buy the 3M Dust Extractor - lddy.no/1f1fx
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Festool CT36 Dust Extractor - amzn.to/3KSkJDQ
Festool ETS125 Sander - amzn.to/3y2P1fL
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Festool Bluetooth Module - amzn.to/3Ye6Rqx
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This was a fair comparison. Thumbs-up... I also own both. I don't think I could say that one is clearly better than the other. Each has features that I wish the other had. If the 3M had Festool's hose, bags and warranty, it would be the clear winner. On the other hand, if the Festool had 3M's lower cost, reduced noise, increased suction, dual filter auto-cleaning system, and pneumatic support, it would be the clear winner. I keep mine next to each other in the shop hoping they will have a baby together. It would be the ultimate dust extractor.
Thanks Stumpy! Oh if they combined the two with the best features of each, that would be an excellent dust extractor!
You can add the pneumatic support to a Festool. But I agree totally with your wish list
Where i think festool shines on this ,is the amount of add on you can add to an extractor. The warranty and quality can’t be beat. Like anything else. Cry once buy once. Festool is a hard company to beat. Once you have bought into there system. YOUR SCREWD. 🤣🤣🤣
@@timblack33 Also there are models with auto clean (but only single filter). Question is - do you really need two filters? You can get the same features like the 3M but at a higher cost.
I have stop buying Festool has too much plastic which the plastic does breakdown over the time and still throw away
I have around 7 or 8 Festool sanders and the CT26, I totally love them, what I don’t like is their sand paper, I get 3M or other brands.
Great review! Thanks for the detailed comparison with the Festool vac! The Festool parts availability is no joke: I've had my Festool CT22E for almost 20 years and can still get bags, filters, and other accessories for it. Given the current prices, if I had to choose between the 3M and the Festool, I'd be tempted to buy the $499 Bosch VAC090AH dust extractor 😆9-gallon capacity, HEPA filter, auto-filter cleaning, 150cfm, fleece filter bag, wet/dry capability... it seems to check all the boxes. I think the biggest downsides to the Bosch are that the vacuum hose and power cord are a bit shorter than both 3M and Festool.
HEPA vacuums are required in many specialty professions. Boatyards, lead cleanup, radioactive processing facilities, for example
Not a Festool User, although purchased a Makita Autoclean first, similar performance but didn't pack up nice and looked like normal shop vac... Purchased the Festool 48 Autoclean, great design. The performance is great, 1 filter, and packs up clean & condensed... Hose in top and Cord storage location.
Plus the Festool offers the BlueTooth module that works with all Brands, which is absolutely Great... turn all brands on at hose end button or Auto On for Festool hardware. Advantage of 48, hose is larger diameter than smaller Festool units and largest dust capacity for similar size units.
Price is a tad higher but design, storage, BT easily justifies the price difference.
First off, thank you for the honest review. Secondly, I have Festool extractors that I use at work. Many of them actually, ranging from the mini to the 48. For my shop at home I use Fein turbo II's. I have nothing negative to say about the Festool other than the price of the tool and the price of the bags. The Feins I use at home are every bit the extractor as the Festool at less than half the price. They do not come with anti static hose, but one can be purchased from them if required (it isn't most times) or you can also use a Festool hose in one as well. The blue tooth connection can be done with a Makita blue tooth if you would like but using the outlet on the machine I rarely find it necessary. Just some food for thought. Not everything requires the money needed for either of these tools. Fein hits all the marks at a fraction of the money.
Dan
I've been looking at the Fein over a Festool, in fact the Fein has more cfm across the collection of models they make. You get a bit more for your money in that aspect with Fein
I know it is cheesy but I love this channel and also that UA-cam screen in the back. That is a really cool add on. I admit I HATE cleanup and this is just what I need for sure. Being new to all this I love the coverage of all the parts of woodworking included in your posts.
I just want to a say, I found your channel a few days ago looking for ideas for affordable table saws and miter saws that might be an upgrade from what I have now, but I’ve really enjoyed all of your content and I’ve watched quite a few videos on stuff that’s way out of my price range because you make it very informative and interesting.
That’s not what has made the biggest impression on me, I had noticed your t-shirts being Christian related in a couple videos, but in this one, I went to the description to see a link to the 3M Dust Extractor to see how much it costs, and I saw your link to the greatest free gift you ever received. It is awesome to see someone like you, in a position where they have followers and a platform, use that to bring glory to God and to spread the Gospel. Keep up the good work!
Both machines are way out of my budget. I use a couple shop vacs, one connected to my miter saw and the other located in a rolling cabinet I made, which has the dust deputy and hepa filter. Both shop vacs are connected to a switch so they start automatically when I start the tool. The shop vac may not catch all the smaller dust particles, but that doesn’t concern me much as cancer from dust particles are extremely rare if you’re breathing in the stuff every day 8 hours a day, which I don’t. However, I guess allergies might be a different story. I also have an overhead hepa filter dust collector, so I feel safe enough as I breathe in far less dust particles than say someone in rough framing construction, cabinet making, saw mills, etc. You do what you can with the budget you have.
The 3M is a model same to the german brand starmix we have here over the ocean so it is just a new branded model. The one from the german brand I named above is on the market here since 2015 I got this and also worked with the festool and in my opinion the festool is better over all but the 3m/Starmix is also really solid but in germany it cost like 300-400€ loss in vomparison to the festool
✌️ From Germany
One thing you missed is that Festool has a cyclonic separator unit that can lock onto the top of its CT 26/36/48 model extractors, which is an extra cost but an upgrade path to consider.
My starmix extractor looks suspiciously similar to your 3m one.
This 3M is OLD Starmix 1635. Check out new one, which has mounts for systainers on top
The 3M dust extractor is pretty expensive for a new unproven tool. I’m still aiming for the Festool.
How to use 3M dust extractor:
Step 1: Use it
Step 2: Buy a Festool extractor to clean the 3M extractor
Step 3: Repeat
😀 that's the point that was not ok in this video. The 3M was operated without a fleece bag and compared to the Festool with a fleece bag. Now there are already comments that they prefer the Festool cause of the bags 🤦♂
I like the double filter feature of the 3M, but the Wet vac feature is a pretty huge feature. Both of these are out of my price range right now. Just using a separator for my shop
I own the 3M Xtract sander and dust extractor and have not regrets. I have never used the Festool or Mirka sanders, so I have nothing to compare it to other than my DeWalt ROS. The 3M allows me to work quicker, with less fatigue and much less dust. I've had it for three months and, like I said, no regrets.
Thanks mate! I really appreciate your amazing work. You are giving so much value to your community!
I see the Dustless vac is approved for asbestos removal. I doubt either of these can be used in true enviro applications. But for regular shop use, I guess they’re ok.
I had that extractor and used it for concrete dust but the Festool vacs let you stack systainers on top and that is the #1 reason I switched.
In Germany there is an adaptor plate available called Starmix Unifix which allows to stack systainers on top.
You do not need a HEPA filter for sanding dust unless you are sanding past like 2000 grit, which you will not be doing on wood. HEPA will help against some smokes and particles smaller than 1 micron, which is good.
you need a hepa filter if you run a buiseness and have workers employed (german osha regulation), that is also where these are marketed to, not the hobbyist.
@@HansWurst12345 I understand this is for Germanys OSHA, but can you send me the codes or policy for that?
Also this guys main audience are small businesses and hobbyists not commercial with more than the owner working.
Test Starmix ipuls.
Without bags all day long.
Recommended
Man! I love 3m Products. They have amazing pneumatic sanders. Finishing auto body and carbon fiber they are essential!
3m has been in this game (sanding and correction) a LOT longer than Festool.
You have to remember that their traditional market is auto body sanding and repair.
Now throw in new OSHA air quality standards and you'll find the reason for why 3m, Bosch and Dewalt have introduced these dust extractor systems.
Festool has been a big fish in a little pond, so don't get it twisted.
Thanks for sharing. How would that compare to the Bosch Dust Extractor that many UA-cam woodworkers suggestion? I guess the same question for the Fein brand too.
Should've seem this before buying the 3M, Festool seems like a better built vac.
the 3m is exactly the same as the matabo unit that i have owned for the past 2 years
Make a hose holder out of wood that clamps onto the handle
Nice comparison video.... where did you get the wooden base for the Massca M2 PRO Aluminum Pocket Hole Jig System?
It really does seem like a first generation attempt from 3M. The air port for auto on/off are really nice, but my nice 3M sander is corded. And I can't say I like the plastic garbage bag default option. The dual filters so it can clean one at time is nice but not as useful since I'd be swapping for a fabric bag first thing. And it only has a price advantage while TayTools can still offer it at 20% off.
I don't own any Festools right now, (though I'd like to win a 16oz bottle of glue) but the Festool offers more things it can connect to via its bluetooth so it seems to have more potential.
The 3M is a rebranded Starmix iPulse extractor. Starmix is a german company (like Festool, situated 60km away) with age of over 100 years. The iPulse is on the market since 10 years :-D
I wonder if 3M is sourcing this from Nilfisk? Also, the Festool can work with pneumatic tools, just have to purchase the insert. Downside is, you can no longer add Bluetooth.
3M ist sourcing this from Starmix from Germany, it is a rebranded Starmix iPulse.
@731Woodworks
Have you done a comparison of miter saw dust collection when hooked up to a dust extractor compared to a normal shop vac? I've been running a regular Ridgid shop vac hooked up to my saws for years but have been considering taking the plunge and investing in a dust extractor but I'm not sure the performance difference is worth the cost.
I haven't but would be a cool test!
WHAT CONNECTOR DID YOU USE TO CONNECT THE 3M DUST-COLLECTOR TO THE 3M SANDER. I CUT THE CONNECTOR ON THE HOSE DOWN BUT IT WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED TO THE SANDER.
Question- can the outlet be configured to accept multiple tools by adding a 3 to 1 outlet or even a power strip? Would the auto on and off still work?
Festool , can’t go wrong
The only festool I still have is the CT33LE vacuum. The bags are a rip off price but they do contain the dust well.
I don't use festool sanders. They are gutless and don't last very long. I only use dynabrade air sanders which are the Rolls Royce of sanders. The motors are superbly engineered and last for years. User repairable too.
This extracta system look stupid to me. I don't want to have to clean those filter cartridges all the time. Fabric filter bags are the way to go.
3M needs to up their game. This thing looks like a clunker to me.
Festool vacuums are a rip off price wise and they don't supply parts for older tool's.
They keep changing the connectors to make your stuff obsolete. I refuse to use Festo any more.
I want to see 3M come up with a reasonable alternative to festo gouging.
I'm getting the 3M based on a single quote from Matt. "You get more hoes with this dust extractor." (Speaking on the 3M) I'm sold 😂😂 not sure if you intentionally said that or paused when you said it, but it was a good laugh for me.
I would love a dust extractor. ...mainly my asthmatic lungs would. Even with a mask it gets to me. There just so pricey. But they know people will spend it. Just like how eating healthy is more expensive. Siiiggh
Dust extractors are not shop vacs. Apples and oranges. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. Has auto clean standard. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
My Festool with hepa and autoclean was $670 in 2022
After the video I would prefer the Festool!
So glad you stressed the importance of using the fleece bags. In addition to being a tool nut, I am a major vacuum nerd too weirdly enough. So knowing vacs like I do, I try and preach the importance of using bags. There is absolutely no point in owning either of these extractors if you aren’t going to use the fleece bags. If you don’t want to buy bags, just buy a cheap shop vac. Great video!!!
Crazy prices for a shop vac
Dust extractors are not shop vacs. Apples and oranges. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. Has auto clean standard. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
@@robk1310 disagree. A hose, a container, a filter and blower moter. Moves air and filters out particles in a container. Great job in marketing though, I have to say that.
Who else feels it's cringy/eye rolling that we now somehow need to call such a machine a "dust extractor". I could easily rig up a cheap and cheerful Ridgid shop vac with a cyclonic dust separator (such as a dust Deputy) and Ridgid HEPA filter and Ridgid bags, even a Ridgid HEPA bag, no filter-whacking mechanism, and have an excellent fine-dust SHOP VAC. It will handle even very fine dust like drywall dust and the filter and filter bag will last a long time. Call it a dust extractor if you want to be all pedantic and extra - by the way I'm extra that way but this "dust extractor" thing is just silly. Come on, who feels what I'm saying?
The 3M is made by STARMIX and those can also be used for wet. Are you sure this one is only for dry vacuuming?
The 3M product is most likely made by Starmix, a German company. I have an older model with the vibration automatic filter cleaning system.
The point is that you shouldn't use a bag if the appliance has a filter cleaning system. Without the bag you have more suction power. Once the filter is dirty you simply turn on the vibration, and the filter is cleaning automatically. I literally have used mine for heavy duty work in construction, when I was renovating my home, and the cleaning system is simply great. It is not intended to be used with a bag, and the vibration is what keeps your filter clean enough to keep working, and have enough suction.
I have had a Festool CT Mini for more years than I can remember. Still works as well as the day I got it. Absolutely love it, wouldn't consider anything else.
Nearly a grand for a vacuum cleaner? GIMME A BREAK. No way would I pay even half that.
Save $300 and get the Flex or Milwaukee extractor. Almost the same tool minus the pneumatic feature, and the accys are priced way better.
It looks like the OEM is Starmix. From the look of their vacs, it looks like they are OEMs for Metabo as well. Pneumatic ports look like a custom feature. Bluetooth remote starters that plug into the power port is also available from other 3rd party tool manufacters. This added would give an more similar comparison to the Festool which would mean the both come out to be around the same price
Indeed, I'm using the Starmix one for 8 years, very nice model. It can swallow water, but you have to remove the HEPA filter to do so. And of course only use it without HEPA for water.
You don't just get it. Autocleaning is the way to go, it is not that important for wood dust, but with concrete or body shop it is a necessity. And yes, those filters are always dirty, but never clogged. BTW it is rebranded Starmix.
I might consider the 3M if it was half the price of the Festool.
You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
...unfortunately, 3M didn't come with anything original in this vac - this is a knock-off of Starmix iPulse L-1635 or Metabo ASR 35 M ACP
Starmix is building vacs for a lot of companies like Metabo, Eibenstock, and others. Seems that they know how to build good vacs.
I don't think I'll EVER be able to justify almost $1000 for a fancy vacuum, regardless of the features. These prices just insane. I have a HEPA filter in my shop vac and it pulls 160cfm. 🤷♂️
My thoughts exactly.
Upgraded my shop vac with a 16 ft Cen-tec hose kit and a $9 remote control outlet. Saved me a bunch of $$$
I have a remodeling business and I’m a hobby woodworker. The Festool vacs are worth every penny to me, I have 3 of them. One for my truck, one for my guys truck, and one for my shop.
I have a shop vac and a mask 🤷🏻♂️
Nobody else comes in the garage when I’m working and if they do I’ll buy them a mask
I just bought a stealth dewalt vacuum and put a HEPA filter on it for lathe work and omg it's amazing. Can use it without any ear protection as it's around 68dba.
I've been running the ct36 auto and the midi, both in the shop for woodworking and in the field for finish carpentry and drywall work. I haven't found anything better and I've tried all kinds. I'll keep buying Festool for the rest of my career
The ability to stack systainers on top of the festool and roll them around is reason enough I would never consider anything else. Then comes the ergonomics, remote control, the hoses. The hose garage is absolutely genius. A place to store the hose IN THE MACHINE when not in use and when hauling around and storing or in a van is so convinient. Its not even close. Only other options would be a Starmix (in one of their milion rebranded iterations or maybe Hilti) purely for durabililty. There pretty much indestructable. The festool is durable but not build for that kind of jobsite abuse. The hose garage seems to break quite easily if you drop something on it. You'll see a lot of old festool vacs with shattered hosegarages on jobsites... its easily replaceable though.
I believe Starmix makes the 3M. Agreed on the hose storage. So simple, yet so great. The hose is the main thing I dislike about my shop-vac/Oneida cyclone setup.
Yo be fair, you should include the SurfPrep dust extractor also. I feel it is the best for the money.
I’d be interested to see how the Fein Turbo 2 HEPA or the the Makita XCV13Z compare to the Festool!
I use the Festool to clean my other dust extractors as well... I think everyone watching this either has Festool or is planning on getting some Festool in their shop, the air-hose hook-up might be extra useful for the folks working in automotive body shops.
Festool usually covers theft under the warranty once registered.Just an FYI
The standard hose for festool is 27mm, but the optional 36mm moves more air of course,. Are the hoses for each dust extractor the same diameter?
I love myFestool cyclone add-on. Bag changes are like....never and judging from the price, they are really proud of their bags. Don't know if 3M added that yet.
I drank the green cool-aid long ago. So, easy decision for me. Great unbiased review, as usual. Thanks!
AFAIK Festools 10 year spare parts availability guarantee is not from the purchase date but from the date they stop production of that tool. Also what i like about Festool dust extractors is that the filter does not stick into the dust compartment.
I got my CT midi off festool recon last year and glad I got it before the price hike. It was in excellent condition basically brand new. No regrets paying for the premium price.
Thanks Matt, I own the Festool 36, I do like how it works with my Festool and 3M sander. My only gripe is the Festool hose end works great on Festool tool, But.. You have to buy/find an adapter to use the Festool Extractor with any other tool. Taylor has an adapter for the 3M sander. I found an adapter on amazon which allows me to use the Festool on my Makita Track saw, DeWalt biscuit tool, and the old style Kreg pocket hole jig. Had I had the choice over again, I still would have gone with the Festool. The reason for the 3M would be the auto Hepa filter clean. But, the Festool bag precludes needing that feature on the Festool. Good review!
Get the HEPA main filter for your festool extractor if you think you need it. Festool sells them for the 36.
honestly at a loss as to why none of the Big Box brands have integrated a shop vac to a cyclone separator, stuck it on a cart and charged a couple hundo for it. So many DIY options for this its insane it hasnt been developed into a product
Great review! 👊 While the 3Ms Autoclean is a nice feature and the comparable Festool CT36AC with a similar feature is much more expensive and the hose is not the nice fabric one, I don't see 3M offering enough value over the Festool CT36 at the price point, $750 vs $850; Festool is an established brand in this space and offers 3 year vs 1 year warranty and better accessories.
Thanks for the review. Per your ask, of these two DEs I think I’d go Festool. I haven’t bought into the Festool line yet. I know that they are fine tools, I’m just not convinced yet that they are the best buy yet. Since my woodworking is a hobby, I’m in no rush either. I do like tools that are accurate, high quality, and perform as expected. Inhave been looking at other brand DEs like Fein, Makita, Bosch, etc. It’s been difficult to try and monetize the various features and quality for comparison. If you are up to a DE showdown in the future, that would be awesome.
Maybe a stupid question but are the dust extractor that much better than a shop vac thanks.
Yes. You should look at SurfPrep. Just as good as festool at half the price, and made in USA. SurfPrep extractors ship with 5 filter bags. They have lockable stacking storage bins as well.
I'd love to have one of these just for controlling dust on my workpieces, but sweet lord they're expensive. There's no way on this earth my wife would ever agree to purchasing one of these. Her exact words..."Just use a mask, they're $30 vs. taking out a loan." 🤣
Since we've just bought a house we're...I mean I'm doing a lot of repair/renovations. I knew I was going to have to learn how to do a few things for DIY repair, but no one told me I was going to have to learn how to be a carpenter/plumber/electrician. LOL. It's all worth it though. I'm learning new things, and not having to call a pro every time I fix something is super nice.
Tell your wife your/her health is priceless. And btw, how will using a mask help against fine dust? Will it make the dust disappearing magically or do you intend to use it as a cleaning rag? 😉
Did you clean the 3M filter with the festool ? Neither one is in my budget but it was funny 🤣
lol yes I did
My wife has the Festool sander and dust extraction. She does a lot of furniture refinishing it works amazingly well, I do send a few of my unfinished projects through her area to get them sanded with her Festool it just works.
For the price I would go with Festool
I was thinking I wanted the 3M until I saw the price difference. To me, Festool is the way to go. Now to save up the coin...
@@prestonlane6253 Festool is more expansive, has no auto cleaning, less vacuum, less air flow, worse hose, worse wheels... why would you ever consider to buy the Festool? Cause of the pricy name?
Great comparison, thanks.
I went with a festool CT Midi I since I already had a festool tracksaw and recently added two festool sanders, and will be adding a festool router and jigsaw soon as well. The festool system works well for me, so I stick with it. Autoclean is not really necessary unless you're extracting drywall or concrete dust.
I’m locked into festool have 4 extractors and 2 rooms full of there tools. There quality can’t be beat. If you get a festool midi extracyor it works with Bluetooth on cordless tools.
I think the 3M's CFM rating will reduce quickly after that HEPA filter starts to get caked with dust. That's the magic of the Festool for me. The bag captures, gosh, probably 99.9% of it, and the filter stays forever. The flow never drops until the bag is basically a brick molded to the inside of the Festool. Then you swap it out and it's like brand new.
How good the cleaning function of the 3M works is strongly dependent on what kind of dust you are sucking. Fine dust from wood sanding is working mediocre, house dust and hairs are even worse but dust from concrete hammering and dust not as super fine as from sanding is working quite well. Btw you can also insert a bag into the 3M, they have about the same price as Festools.
@@danielfrei3097 glad to hear that you can buy cleaning bags for the 3M, that would change the math for sure!
Matt I am very impressed with this review. You basically left no questions unanswered. It seems to me it’s about application. For a shop, these are probably not what you want even if the shop is small. For a couple hundred more you can get a much better dust collector that can handle the heavy load of a planer. For someone that does work in clients homes theses a a must.
I've had a CT Midi that has been on almost every job my company has had for 7 years. I've never had an issue with it. Not even once. And we're using it on cabinet refinishing and painting so it sees a ton of fine dust. Same with Festool's sanders. I've got 3 different sanders and none of them have had issues except for us just wearing out the velcro pads and having to replace them. But I've only done that once for the one we use the most. Between my dust collector and three sanders I have around $1800 invested in 7 years. That works out to less than $260 per year or around $5 per job that it costs me.
I'm not sure I'd spend big on one for the shop. But when I buy a new one for the business, the old one will retire to my shop because I know it will still be running just fine.
Nice comparison! I’m leaning towards 3M since I don’t have any Festool tools and already have a wet/dry shop vac (by Rigid). Thoughts on comparing the two dust extractors with a shop vac + dustopper, like how you compared three planers at different price points?
I have a lot of the Festool tools and 2 dust extractors and they all work great, I do have the 3m disc sander as well. Great review, I think the festool is a lot better overall
Thanks for the video! I think you have missed the gratest difference between the two.. that is: festool autoclean is based on opposite airflow so sometimes if you are doing a very dust intensive work during the autoclean it stops vacuuming and in worse cases it can spit out a bit of dust.. the 3m, and all the starmix alike dust extractors (yes, the 3m, as the metabo asr, and many others are all clone of the starmix ipulse) are different, as: 1. they have 2 filters, two sided, so 4 times the filtering surface.. 2. when one of the two filter is in autocleaning mode, the other one keeps working.. 3. the autoclean is based on an extremely fast scrolling (as we all do sometimes to clean our filters outdoor) and not opposite air flow.. so no backward dust and no interruptions in vacuuming the dust.. that said also festtol make extremely good dust extractor and provide a very good post selling guarantee and service.. for the same price starmix is better than festool in my opinion
For those who don't know: "I like how it done" (0:57) is the best compliment we can give something here in Arkansas.
Thank you, 3M for actually making a useful hose connector! I'm so sick of all these proprietary sizes and "adapters" that don't do a damn bit of good!
Bitter much?… yes. 😁
I don’t know what happened to the first post I did. May be UA-cam didn't like the link.
Oh and Festool over the 3m Warranty on the Festool is with the extra Money.
I own the Festool CT22. I have had it for 13 years and it has been awesome. I just purchased the CT 26E to beat the price increase.
Now there is a hidden gem out there that no one talks about: it's a KARCHER NT40/1 TACT TE HEPA. It is a Commercial Vacuum and is every bit as nice as the Festool. I purchased the KARCHER NT30/1 TACT TE HEPA for the basement so I would not have to haul the Festool downstairs. Plus LIFETIME WARRANTY on Tank & Motor
Cost the KARCHER NT40/1 TACT TE HEPA is $389.00 Direct from them and the shipping was Free.
5 - Fleece filter bags are $52.00
You need to order one and do a comparison. You will be shocked by the quality.
I have both the CT36 and CT36-AC. Yes, they’re expensive, but I have a lot of Festool tools and they work well together. I purchased the regular CT first and wished I’d purchased the AC instead, because I decided to purchase the drywall sander that is recommended to be used with the AC. As for bags, the AC comes with a plastic liner, for drywall dust, just like the 3M. And just like the 3M, the Festool vac is a mess on the inside when using the liner. I ditched the liner and only use bags in both vac regardless of what I’m doing. That said, I started using bags made by PowerTec, because they are half the price of Festool bags on Amazon. So far I’ve had no issues what so ever with the PowerTec bags. I’ve used the CT/AC for everything from general cleaning to a Metabo concrete grinder and drywall sander with no problems. I’ve had my CT36 without AC for about 7 years and have yet to have to replace the HEPA filer with regular routine maintenance. I had always scoffed at the Bluetooth add on for the vacs, until I purchased and added it to one…game changer for me. Now both vacs are Bluetooth equipped and I wouldn’t have it any other way. No more running back and forth to the vac to turn it off and on. I also added the Festool Cyclone that cut my bag usage by close to 75%.
This was a great video- thank you for this! I'm just refinishing my own kitchen cabinets and have to do some (not all) sanding inside my apartment. I just ordered a shopvac and a separate hepa filter kit (comes with filter and bag). I have a regular Bosch 1/4 sheet sander. Im totally conflicted on whether I should return the Ridgid shopvac and HEPA filter and just get a dust extractor. Once im done with this project, either of those items will go to the storage room and not be used for years. Curious to hear your advice since you have so much experience with these items. My main concern is health given that this is inside our apartment...
Yeah for almost 900 I'm like nope...just seen a festool on Amazon for almost 500...man these things are so expensive...like what does it give foot rubs to...unreal...guess I'm looking at 4 gallon festool...but still holy shit man....4 gallon prolly work for me..so 420 bucks is better then 1000 bucks..well might as well be...I don't get their pricing on this stuff...seems way to much for collecting dust on my tools ya know...dam...and if you go weeks without emptying it do I really need more then 4 gallons...just trying to figure this dust collection thing out before I drop that kinda money...input anyone..lol
I don't even need to look at the article...the 3M vacuum cleaner is made by Starmix...the world's oldest (German) vacuum cleaner manufacturer. If anyone knows how to make a great sucker for a reasonable price, it's them.
And if you buy from Starmix instead of 3M, the price is even better😉...2 for 1😃👍
I'll stick to my Dewalt 52 litre for $80 CAD, bags are $20 for 10, has all the adapters I'll ever need and the filter system isn't stupid like this 3M...for that kind of money...this is a horrible design 3M, the Festool is about the same. Overpriced vacuums.
I would love if you could review the Hilti 120-Volt 150 10 XE CFM 8 Gal and see how it compares. I'm in the market for a really solid dust extractor.
I'm annoyed by the power limits on the pass through plug on these vacuums. The 3M's plug is labeled at a max load of 400W, which isn't a lot of power when you're talking about wood working tools. This isn't exactly a deficit of the 3M compared to the Festool, as that machine is rated at 3.7A (444 Watts), although there is an asterisk in the manual that allows for up to 9.1A if the vacuum's suction is turned all the way down.
I get why they do this, as they're trying to keep the total power draw to something acceptable on a 15A circuit. But still, it's unrealistic to expect that people are going to be conscientious about not plugging in a tool that draws too much power. If they really think it's a safety concern to over-draw through the pass-through plug (and they claim to), then this design is asking for trouble.
Just a few comments; Where is the 3M made? 69 verses 71 decibel is a considerable difference in real noise. The Hepa filtration is deceiving, while either of the vacs made filter to this number, this is only the air being pulled in. The dust that is not pulled in is not filtered whatsoever. There's plenty of missed dust in different tools from operation. That's why I wear a respirator regardless when running equipment. While I own a Festool CT26, I'm far from a fan boy, I've only owned one other Festool brand tool, a sander which I sold as I feel it wasn't up to snuff. That said, I'm not familiar with the 3M Vac, They don't seem to have a background in woodworking tools, much less a fan base. There is a lot to look at in choosing a Extractor, I researched for a considerable amount of time as I felt there was a potential of leaked dust particles in other designs at the time of purchase. Will the 3M be around in 10 years? Parts, tech backup, etc. ?
Oh dear god, you are using liquid bag instead of fleece bag for paint sanding. My filters are never dirty like that.
Starmix i-pulse 1635 is miles better than any festool, they arent even in the same universe.
The 3m isnt made by 3m, Same design as the old Starmix and the Metabo (pretty sure still made by Starmix), Filters long term are terrible, bags are terrible. The auto pulse over time allows dust past the filter seals and it eventually will pump dust out past them. The front wheels if knocked will break the tub housing also. I owned one for 3 years and ended up giving it away. In Australia you can get filters from cleanstar which are a fraction of the price of Starmix and Metabo. I replaced it with a CTm 36 autoclean and hands down it is a better vac all round.
The 3M looks like a copy of the Eibenstock Vacuum Cleaner I habe beendet using for ages...l wonder if Eibenstock Filters fit in the 3M.....
Why do 3M and Starmix Dust Extractor all look the same like a Metabo ASR 35 L ACP? 😂 Are they rebrands? And who is the real producer of that thing? 😂
In my opinion if I'm going to spend $818 dollars I would spend the extra more to buy a Festool that is a quality name brand and I know it will last. I was alway told you get what you pay for. So if you buy cheap stuff you're getting cheap crap. I love your T-Shirt.
The problem here is marketing. 3m does not matter neither does the FESTOOL neither is even remotely close to the power of the Stihl se122
Hey 731, can you do a review on the Makita 25 L dust extractor for people that don’t want to pay for a festool?