Koblenz Contractor Wet/Dry Vac, 16 Gal Stainless Steel 6.5HP 2-Stage Quiet Motor, Stainless (WD-16 C416SSH)

Vacuum is not as strong as I expected
It says its for industrial use but its extremely cheaply made and not that strong, disappointed

Domestic use only. Not contractor grade.
Warranty and instructions are clear that this is a homeowner product only.The dust collection bag claims to be HEPA, but then we are warned not to vacuum cement or drywall dust or ashes or anything toxic that might get blown into the air. I have a HEPA lead paint dust rated vacuum with no such language. The warranty seems easily voided and returns for repair are rather pointedly discouraged.Instructions are generic and not terribly specific to this particular model. There is some kind of removable cover for the blower attachment port that must be removed when attaching a hose there. It is not described in the instructions. One thing that is clear is that a dry materials filter must be in place when using this machine as a blower. I wonder if this cap is meant to inserted into the inlet port when blowing. It fits and has a locking tab just like the hose is equipped with.I find that the motor head locks in both desirable orientations that one might want to choose. That is a good design feature since the suction port is set on the forward side of the canister, but the exhaust port is part of the motor head.It is also very nice that the long extension cord can be swapped out for a shorter one where that is handy. Standard grounded plugs are provided but a two-pronged polarized plug can be used in a pinch. Having or getting a properly grounded circuit is strongly suggested. Do not think of this power tool as a good old double insulated device. I’m fairly sure it isn’t. A ground fault circuit is not a bad idea for a shop use situation.Some assembly required. None terribly difficult, but before installing the “ergonomic” single position handle, think of this as an option you might not want. Some nuts, bolts, washers, and rubber gaskets will have to first be removed. (Keep them!) A bag of longer bolts with the same nuts and washers is provided. The instructions are clear if consulted. I was not very impressed with the fit and finish of this procedure because the stainless-steel tank will be slightly deformed if you want a decent seal. These gasket washers are way too thin to easily make a seal. This handle may interfere with emptying the tank and if you are of more than average height you might not use the handle for maneuvering the vacuum except when tilting it back on the generously sized rear wheels. (Another nice design feature.)My general impression at this point is to say that as a homeowner product it is very comparable to the 16-gallon Shop Vac.I will have to return after completing a performance test. At this point I am not inclined to recommend this, but maybe it will yet redeem itself.EDIT: A few hours later. OK. This is superior to the 16-gallon Shop Vac I reviewed a few months ago. And is about $35.00 less expensive. The Shop Vac is more powerful by an Amp and a half. Not much louder, but not nearly as agile. It seems not to care if you run it as a blower without filters or double up on the dry filters. It seemed to do fine with both the bag and the cartridge filter installed. In fact, there was very little dust that got past the bag and into the other filter.The exhaust deflector is a good thing, but there is some suction loss even after removing the packing. The deflector is pictured in place with the foam filter lining still inside. This cannot be right. Suction loss was very very significant until I removed that apparently intentional foam. Internal filters are strenuously required in any case. So, what the heck is going on here? Seriously. Performance is terrible if the intent is to filter the exhaust a second time, which seems to be the suggested purpose.I notice that the motor and filter core is centered front to back, which supports the ability to have the exhaust pointing in opposite directions. This in not typical. The motor and fan are offset by about three inches to one side, instead. Interesting. Perhaps the intent of using only one dry filter at a time is to optimize suction. In a Shop Vac, there would be a foam sleeve to use when sucking up water. No such thing is mentioned with this system. I almost believe that that would be better than putting a choke point inside the exhaust deflector. Of course, that is no longer an issue if an exhaust hose is locked in place of the deflector. Clearer guidance is needed here!I am going to shift to a cautious recommendation for those who may be comfortable using this in a commercial environment. At that level, $220.00 might just be a periodic expense easily written off. No need to bother with repairs or warranty claims. For the general public the disclaimers and restrictions do not suggest good support is to be expected. That said, it might well work well and last a long-time if properly cared for. It is a larger and more expensive version of smaller products made by the same company. Roughly half the size, 2/3 the power, and half the cost. Unless you really need this horse, think about a pony instead.Standing by my positive three-star rating.Good luck!

Cheap Plastic connection to the canister
Worked great until the plastic broke. Bought it in March

Lost suction power
Bought it in July and just 4 months later the sanction power gave out. This vacuum is very weak and doesn’t even pick up loose lent. DONT BUY