Porter Cable or Festool dust extractors, Recommendations?

I have the PC. it’s quite nice. fairly basic model, sucks well for most. I can use it with a ROS and it doesn’t leave any visible dust in the air – none. using it with jigsaw/circularsaw there is quite a bit of dust/chips that escape it (saw design is not perfect for the task more than the DC capabilities).

that said – the festool has better suction, and is considerably quieter.

If you only use this with ROS and other powertools that are noisier than the DC than the festool being quiet doesn’t make that much of an impact as the vac will be less noisy than the power tool.

FYI, I also have the dewalt, and find it works great as well, a bit noisier than the PC, but has variable suction which is nice when using ROS.

-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Which ever one you get a Dust Deputy helps remove sawdust
before it reaches the bag saving you money in the long run.

+1 for Festool.

I’ve had a Festool and now have a Porter Cable.

The Festool has some really nice design features and
variable speed. The PC gets the job done though.

The Festool is nice for taking on jobs because
the Systainers clip on top.

I looked at the PC a little, but ruled it out mostly because of the lack of variable suction. IMO this is a pretty big deal if you plan on hooking it up to a sander.

If your price point is $299, I strongly suggest you check out the Fein Turbo II. I was all set to buy a CT26 until I found a great deal on the Fein. Added bags and also got a Gore Cleanstream HEPA filter and I’m quite happy with the results. I got a chance to compare it side by side later on with the CT36 and I can without a doubt say that I didn’t have tool envy. Suction and volume seemed to be in the same league on both units. The advantages that the Festool had was the infinitely variable suction (minor) and the ability to stack Systainers (I’ve got a decent bit of Festool gear so this was kind of nice). The CT* apparently has some sort of feature that keeps the bags from clogging, but I use a separator inline with mine so it’s not a big deal.

Around Christmas time, Rockler had the Dewalt 10 gallon extractor with a HEPA filter for $219. Don’t know if that deal is going to come around again, but it’s something else to consider.

One you take your bank card to buy

The other you take your banker to buy

one is fun, the other isn’t “as fun”

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso

The newer models feature filter shakers, variable speed, and tool activated powerup. The Bosch rated tops in a recent FWW review.
But what do I know, I use a mini Ridgid on my chop saw and a 6.5 hp Ridgid on my router table. Both tools scream as loud as the vacuum, so a quiet vac wouldn’t help me much. You can plug any shop vac into a tool activated switch for about $30.
I would rather have 2 or 3 cheap vacs that can be dedicated to smaller tools around the shop.
Good luck with your search.

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

In all fairness, FWW tested our dust extractor without a bag. So, the review wasn’t an accurate comparison when used per the manufacturer’s instructions. The bag acts as a pre-filter, capturing particles down to 5 microns before the HEPA filter.

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Get it, use the heck out of it and take it back if it’s not the right tool for you. Get the PC and put them head-to-head if you want.

If you have any questions about our CTs, I’ll watch the thread or shoot me a message.

Shane Holland
Festool USA
sho@festoolusa.com