# Brand new Bosch semi auto vacuum VAC090s



## bonesbr549

Looks like a cool unit. I was wondering on the sound. I have the ct33-e and got it with the domino when it came out. It would be nice to report back on how long the filter goes before replacing. Not being familiar with the Bosch line, do they have other accessories like a boom arm or tool storage. I do have some Bosch tools and have all served me well. Enjoy the new toy!


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## Dutchy

Thank you for sharring. The filter as you said is automotive and to me it likes a VW spare part.


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## Monju123

I am heavily invested in Festool and now I need a second vac. Will the Bosch hose fit onto Festool saws and sanders?


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## Jonwilliam

Yes it fits Festool. That was one concern I had before I bought it also. I have a domino, router, and tracksaw and it works well with all of them. The vacuum has a "tool adapter" end that is a soft rubber and holds dang tight.


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## Jonwilliam

To the question about the longevity of the filter, I'm still on my first one and it works just fine. Seems very well built. I use the auto-clean all the time and it works exactly as promised. The thumping isn't loud at all. I've vac'd wood dust, metal shavings, spilled 'this and that' on the kitchen floor, paint chips, drywall dust, concrete dust and chips, and 3 days ago I used it to suck up the gravel and dirt that got into a catch basin on a street we are building.

I bought a pack of the fleece filter bags but still cant bring myself to use one. Seems kinda pointless with a self cleaning vac. I'll probably put one in when we slow down in the winter and I can get back into woodworking mode.

Nice thing about the vac is that its meant for jobsite use , it feels like it'll take a drop out the back of a pickup just fine.

Yes the vac has some storage on it, and you can click and lock on boschs' LBoxx's.


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## Monju123

Google Bosch Gas35. That is the European model number, and the Bosch Utube video is much more informative than anything that I have found Stateside.


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## 9x9

Was looking to upgrade from my 32 year old Craftsman 16 gal shop vac and your review was the clincher.

Xmas present from wife--- Bosch VAC090A dust extractor ($529 w/free ship) -- Great vac for my small shop. Only used it 3Xs so far. It's replacing my 32 year old Craftsman 16 gal shop vac which nothing was wrong with it. It was time for an upgrade. Many many many many good features on the Bosch---> low noise level (somehting like 70 db I think), tool plug in, storage for hose and attachments are few that I like most so far. Nit pick'n cons--> well there must be something wrong with it -- the 10 ft hose is to long for a vac that can be rolled around my small shop. Looks like 1/3 to 1/2 of hose will be left wrapped around the vac most of the time. And where the hose conects to the canister it would be nice to have a 90 so hose would wrap closer in. Like I say nit pick'n. AS comparing it to my 32 year old Craftsman 16 gal shop vac ---- well let's not do that but the Craftsman served its purpose.

I'm new here-- glad to be a member. Thanks for all the post and reviews and woodworking info.


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## nn4l

Some concerns I have with the Bosch vac:

The VAC090S doesn't have adjustable suction, but the A version does. The A version auto cleaning can't be used with fleece bags, which seem to allow better suction, but the S version can turn off the cleaning for fleece bags.. Which is more important?
The VAC090A/S do NOT come with HEPA filter. It's about $120 extra!. I won't buy it unless it has a HEPA filter.
They don't come with an anti-static hose. It's about $120 extra!. Does it have anti-static connection to ground at the hose connector if you use a anti-static hose? How important is this? Add $120 + $120 and it is MORE expensive than the Festool one (which comes with both)!
I would add a Oneida dust deputy deluxe so most stuff never gets to the VAC090A/S. In this case does it matter if you use the supplied (poorly reviewed) filter vs. buying the (better reviewed) fleece ones?
Oneida makes a dust deputy version to custom fit on top of the Festool CT vacs, but not the Bosch (or any other) ones. Seems like this would be nice to have it all stacked as one. How important is this?


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## nn4l

I've just talked to a Bosch tech guy about the unit.

Both A and S units can use their 'cleaning' with a fleece or plastic bag. They can not use it with paper bags. The A unit can disable the cleaning.
The supplied plastic bag has no air going through it, but is open at the top and lots of dust/stuff bypasses it and gets in the filter. So I would buy the fleece bags and throw away the plastic one - period!
The main purpose of the adjustable suction/power dial on the A unit is NOT to reduce the amount of vacuum if you don't need it (a slider on the hose handles will reduce vacuum just fine). It IS intended to reduce power consumption of the vacuum if the tool that is plugged in to the vac takes too much current and would cause the circuit breaker to trip. By reducing the power of the vac you give more power to the tool and don't go over the max power of the circuit you're on. But do you really want to be forced to have less vacuum on a more powerful tool that needs all the vacuum it can get??? I think the best solution is to provide a circuit with a much larger max amperage to plug the vac into and avoid the problem and get max vacuum with the power hungry tools plugged in. By doing this you don't need the adjustable suction/power dial at all and thus the cheaper S version is fine.
The units do not come with anti-static hoses or Hepa filters or fleece bags because they think the US market is too cheap to buy them (and I assume they're correct - sigh!). It's a shame since the European market has a version with both. You have to buy the anti-static hose ($125 or so) and Hepa filter ($120 or so) and fleece bags ($40 or so for 5) and throw away the others if you want them (which then makes the units probably MORE expensive than a Festool!). The units DO allow the static to be discharged through the vacuum inlet to the outlet plug.
Oneida has no plans for a dust deputy to sit on top of a Bosch vac (like they do for Festool), so you have to decide if you're OK with their stand alone dust deputy. But the stand alone one will be a lot less prone to tipping over, as you tug on the hose using a tool or if you pull the vacuum around by it.
You can use a 35mm hose on all smaller tools that would expect a 22mm hose, with the same amount of vacuum (and avoid possible clogs where the tool joins the hose). You just have a heavier and less flexible hose behind your tool to deal with. I'm OK with that. Festool should have shipped their tool with their 36mm hose IMHO.


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## Jonwilliam

Ok, ok, ok… look…I'm line the rest of you wanting the best for your dollar and heavily invested in the brands you trust. After having this vac for quite some time now I'd stack it against any festool anytime. Disclaimer: I have a domino, of 100 l, and ts55 festool. For the price without a terrible amount of digging on the Internet you can't find a self cleaning vac for less with incredible quality? I just checked . The festool self cleaning vac is $825.

As for hoses, I use festool(their biggest size but dang short), fein, ridgid, and stock boschool and they all fit just fine and snug. All of them are various sizes.

As far as antistatic, I have never ever, not once had a problem with any of them including the home Depot rigid. To me it's marketing. I used to think, "jeez I cant use Anything but antistatic." Hindsight: i'd use that money for that fancy green hose for a nice chisel.

Furthermore…about bags and filters. I'm using the original filter…no bag at all. Still has scary suction with a larger hose. Keep in mind that a larger hose moves a ton of air compared to a small stock one. I used the bags for a small time and found that for the short amount of time in the off season that I get to woodwork that the stock filter works fantastic….and It cleans itself! I have vacuumed up so many unspeakable things even sucking out water from a toilet so I could change the wax ring. I wouldnt even consider that with a feestool. YES I know it can do it but psychologically I wouldn't. This vac I'm not afraid to use it for its designed purpose…to suck things up and collect them, and at that it does a superb job.

Woodworking folks: get a self cleaning vac. It's awesome. Even my wife who is a dollar store yard sale person says she wouldn't buy a vac again that didn't clean itselt.

Btw I have a dust deputy…haven't used it once since I got this powerhouse.

Oh yeah, this is the first time I've posted on LJ with my phone so excuse the grammer and spelling.

semper fidelis


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## Jonwilliam

I just read that part about the plastic bag. I have used it a few times. It comes with one yes. It's for vacuuming up stuff(surprise), you take out the bag like a garbage bag, dump it out, put it back in, and carry on. It's just a slightly more conveniently nvenient way of emptying out the basin vs lifting it up and shaking it over a dumpster. It's just a reusable liner.


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## nn4l

Thanks for the update. It's good to hear from someone who has the unit and has used it. I'm just getting into woodworking and have to decide what to get based on what I read only, which doesn't tell the whole story. I don't know if the anti static hoses are really important or not, so I'd tend to take your word for it since you've used them. I can say that the Oneida people told me that their dust deputy hooked up to the Festool worked fine, and then Festool made some change which caused damage to some of them with a dust deputy. So they updated their dust deputy to make sure it had so little resistance in the path that it couldn't possibly have any effect on the Festool. But that still doesn't say how using A.S. systems are other than that issue.

I do agree that the self cleaning feature is great - whether automatic or semi-automatic, and would want it myself.

I did notice the Ct 26e on Az for $650 & free shipping (but only with 27mm A.S. hose). If you get it with a tool you can get 10% off that. But you'd want to buy a 36mm x 3.6m anti static hose ($155) to go with it IMHO. So for $740 (plus a tool purchase) you could get all that (with 2 A.S. hoses). The VAC090S without A.S. or Hepa will be a lot less ($440) and one 35mm hose is probably sufficient. But I still would want a Hepa filter (I now found for $105) and fleece bags ($40) which brings it to $585. The small dust that's hard to see is very damaging to your lungs and I want to be as safe as possible there. So the Vac090s is still cheaper (with 1 non A.S. hose). If you add a 35mm A.S. hose (of arguable use now) ($125) it brings it to $710. That's more of a wash since it's slightly cheaper but the ct 26e has a 2nd smaller (27mm) A.S. hose (maybe of preferable use with some small tools???)

I'd still want to use a dust deputy, and find it preferable that you can just attach one on top of the Festool. If I got the Vac090S I'd probably get the same (Ultimate) dust deputy (II) and make an adaptor block of wood to fit it on top of the vac.

Regarding the suction power, I'd like to see a test of them in equal situations - both with fleece bags and Hepa filters without any hose attached. I'm not sure which would be stronger. The Vac090s claims 9.5 Amp and the Ct 26E claims 10 Amp so I'd be slightly surprised if the Vac090s won. If you use a bypass plastic bag and non-Hepa filter on the Vac090s you should get more suction, but only because you're letting more stuff pass through which isn't what you want. And using a smaller hose on the Ct 26e would give less suction, but that's why I'd get the 36mm hose and use it instead (and I'd expect 36mm to give slightly better suction than 35mm if you ignore hose length).


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## JohnInBrooklyn

Well, here I am two years later and I just purchased a VAC090A. I am happy with the performance, etc., but disappointed to read in the documentation that you *cannot* use the HEPA filter with the self-cleaning feature!
They claim the reverse air flow will damage the HEPA filter.

So my questions would be:
- what are the specifications on the stock filter? [?% of particles ?? microns in size].
Does anyone know?

- and….would it *really* damage the HEPA filter as they claim or are they being overly cautious?

- Would I use a fleece bag for this? [using the stock plastic one now]

thanks.


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## Jamo241

A simple solution to the lack of a "lock top" festool style Oneida dust deputy attachment. . The lboxx 4 holds a 5 gallon bucket.


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## JohnInBrooklyn

Great idea!
Then I wouldn't have to use the auto-filter clean and whether it damages the HEPA filter.


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## northwoodsman

I recently purchased to VAC090AH. It has the auto cleaning feature AND a hepa filter. It also came with a fleece bag. I has variable suction. I purchased the lboxx 3 for my attachments and extra hose.


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