Shop Vac, two words; say them anywhere and people will recognize the brand, in fact, they are synonymous with the names of their competition. As a manufacturer one would think that would be the greatest reward one can garner and to an extent the notoriety is earned. Shop Vac has been in around for 64 years an accomplishment deserving of kudos in and of itself. 
 
Shop Vac established the wet/dry vac market for the consumer making it a necessary accoutrement for every homeowner. I dare say you can literally see one variety or another of it in every household. That they are versatile enough to tidy up the garage and tough enough to pick up water under the most dire of circumstances speaks well for this product. 
 
The Shop Vac 955-16-00 is their 16 gallon 6.5 HP Ultra Pro Series model that, like all the other Shop vac models, ships with everything you need to effectively handle most projects you encounter including:

8-foot by 2-1/2-Inch twist Locking HoseTwin 2 ½” Extension Wands14” Floor Nozzle8-Inch Utility NozzleCrevice Tool8-Inch Utility NozzleErgonomic Elbow GripCartridge filter with retainerDisposable filter bag. 
 
An ample 18 foot power cable fits atop the ad complete with side handles for easy carrying. A conveniently placed on of rocker switch is easily accessed. The complete unit is clad in plastic which makes it rust and dent proof, a malady on earlier steel tanks.

I have to say I like the 2 ½” hoses for their ability to pick up larger debris on a shop floor as well as their ability to make short work of spills. Switching over from wet to dry is as simply as inserting a cartridge. Easy side clips make the unit airtight and operational in no time. The capability to join the hoses to shop tools saves big cleanups and time, while the 16 gallon capacity is a good size for most emergencies.
We have gone through more shop vacs in the past that I can imagine. In a commercial setting they are consumable and while that is a bit disconcerting, their utility far outweighs their curtailed service life. I have been able to see, firsthand, the prevalent issues that plagued the Shop Vacs we have purchases. Electrical switches are certainly one, though the Shop Vac 955-16-00 has performed admirably. No, in this case, as in many, the wheels have been a dismal failure.

If you have a tendency to load up the Shop Vac 955-16-00 with water repeatedly, the undersized casters and weak mold will give way rendering the Shop Vac 955-16-00 useless, unless you are fine with carrying 16 gallons water to empty. The caster shafts break away from the molded bottom or simply bend. I have a few Frankenvacs that we have put together with left over heads on tanks that survived, the only reason we keep coming back, though for just south of $150.00 per unit, I would expect a little more. Perhaps a caster cradle as in their “All Around” series would be a better option, or the wheeled cradle on some of their newer models, extending the effective service life.

Okay, so the final word? I would have to say that I like the intended performance of the Shop Vac 955-16-00 but will opt for a unit with more effective/reliable mobility. They are backed by a four year warranty from the manufacturer, a detail we have yet to have had the opportunity to use because we wear them out before the fact.

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 139.00