Small vac for a small price

Rigid manufactures the WD1245, a 12 gallon wet/dry vacuum cleaner with a 5 horsepower engine. Customers like the modest vacuum that is powerful and has nice features for an under-$70 price. "It was a breeze to assemble," begins one rave about this well-designed offering that is all smooth-surfaced plastic without any metal parts to prevent rust, has a drain plug at the tub's bottom, and a number of features one would expect of a higher-end vacuum cleaner.

The WD1245 comes with a two-piece wand, three nozzles, a fifteen foot cord, a locking hose that lets you pull the vacuum around behind you, and a latching mechanism that won't let the hose come loose. Rigid merchandises three different filters for this model of wet/dry vacuum, including HEPA filters. "What a champ!" enthuses another happy customer. "This vac was awesome at sucking up the accumulated dirt by the baseboards of our carpeted rooms" sings another. Built in accessory holders, an easy-to-clean pleated paper filter cartridge, and the motor's exhaust can be converted to a blower. A fourth owner counsels shoppers; "buy it, it is a solid value, worth the money, does the job well," and a fifth owner adds, this is "as good as it gets; this thing will literally suck the chrome off a trailer hitch at $69.

99." Owners' reservations include that the wide floor brush offers no suction; and another complained that the ball that acts as a float can get sucked into the motor and clog it, causing the motor to smoke.

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