Whatever you call it – a shop vac, wet vac or utility vac, and wherever you store it – the garage, basement or shed, a wet/dry vac tackles tough jobs that might damage or overwhelm a conventional household vacuum cleaner. When choosing a shop vac, look for convenience features such as swivel wheels, a carry handle and a long cord which lets you do more without the need for an extension cord. Attachments matter – you’ll want a long hose and a variety of fittings designed to tackle a variety of tasks; a crevice tool, detachable wands, round brush, bare and carpeted floor nozzles and a wide-mouth gulper nozzle are all important tools. Consider capacity – the larger the capacity, the less time you’ll spend emptying the vacuum. Capacity is typically expressed in gallons and a 3 to 5-gallon capacity is adequate for most homes.