Cyclone dust collector for a one-man shop
The Grizzly G0860 is a two-stage cyclone on 120V with a 1 micron canister; the Amazon pick is a bag-style 1 HP machine. The cyclone costs more and keeps the filter clean far longer.
Best picks · three tiers
Best dust collector for a garage shop
For a one-car garage, a wall-mount collector or a cyclone separator on a shop vac gives dust control without taking floor: the POWERTEC 1 HP wall-mount or the Grizzly G0785. For a two-car garage with one big machine at a time, the Grizzly G0860 1-1/2 HP cyclone (868 CFM at 1.8 in SP, 120V, 27.5 x 44 in) is the best floor-standing pick. Only a 240V bay earns the 3 HP G0441 at 1654 CFM.
| Tier | Amazon pick | Budget | Grizzly option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy Low-Pro Plus Cyclone Dust Separator | Under $100 | Grizzly G1028Z2 1-1/2 HP Portable Dust Collector |
| Intermediate | POWERTEC 1 HP | Under $500 | Grizzly G0785 1 HP Wall-Mount Dust Collector with Canister Filter |
| Expert | POWERTEC 1 HP | Under $500 | Grizzly G0860 1-1/2 HP Portable Cyclone Dust Collector |
How we chose
We did not test these collectors. They are ranked from listings, specification sheets and owner reviews, against a garage test: how much floor, how many amps, how many CFM and whether the machine will still deliver airflow after two months of use. Dust is a health problem as much as a cleanliness one, so the page puts airflow and filtration ahead of price.
The key number is CFM at the machine, not the headline on the box. A table saw wants about 350 CFM at the hood, a bandsaw 350, a 6 in jointer 350 and a 13 in planer 400. In a small shop you run one machine at a time with a single gate open, so the collector has to feed the hungriest machine: about 440 CFM once you allow 25 percent for leakage and a loading filter. The dust collector calculator runs that for your own machines.
The three numbers behind the picks
- Airflow: a 4 in duct carries 349 CFM at 4,000 fpm, 5 in carries 545, 6 in carries 785. Duct size is physics: CFM = velocity x area.
- Static pressure: collectors list CFM at a stated static pressure (868 CFM at 1.8 in SP for the G0860). Every elbow and foot of flex hose costs airflow, so the free-air CFM on the box is a ceiling.
- Circuit: the G0860 draws 15 A at 120V, so it wants a dedicated 20 A circuit. The G0441 is 22 A at 240V and wants a 240V circuit.
Picks by budget: beginner, intermediate and expert
Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy Low-Pro Plus Cyclone Dust Separator
Under $100
Who it is for: A one-car garage woodworker with a benchtop saw, a sander and a router, who wants clean air without owning a collector.
The Dust Deputy Low-Pro Plus cyclone separator sits on a bucket between a tool and a shop vacuum and drops the chips before the vacuum filter sees them, which is why the vacuum stops clogging. Pair it with a 12 gallon vacuum such as the DeWalt DXV12P or the Shop-Vac quiet model and you have a mobile dust station for under the cost of a collector. A vacuum moves little air, so it suits one benchtop tool at a time. When you want a bag collector that moves real air, the Grizzly G1028Z2 is a 1-1/2 HP unit with a 1300 CFM bag rating (a free-air figure, not a duct figure) at 12 A on 120V.
Skip it if: You own a planer, a jointer or a 10 in table saw: their hoods want 350 to 400 CFM and a vacuum cannot deliver it.
See on Amazon
Direct from Grizzly: Grizzly G1028Z2 1-1/2 HP Portable Dust Collector. It is a real collector with a 6 in inlet Y that splits to two 4 in openings, 118 lb, on 120V or 240V prewired for 120V.
Buy direct at GrizzlyPOWERTEC 1 HP
Under $500
Who it is for: A one- or two-car garage owner with a table saw, a bandsaw and a drill press who wants the floor back.
The POWERTEC 1 HP wall-mount collector lists 560 CFM with 1 micron bags. Mounted on a stud wall at the back of the bay it frees the floor and its short main duct loses less airflow than a portable on a long hose. The Grizzly G0785 is a 1 HP wall-mount with a canister filter in place of bags: the same idea, less shaking out. In a small garage a wall unit is the best compromise between collector and floor.
Skip it if: You plan to run a 13 in planer all day: 560 CFM is thin for it, and a cyclone is the better tool.
See on Amazon
Direct from Grizzly: Grizzly G0785 1 HP Wall-Mount Dust Collector with Canister Filter. The canister filter holds airflow longer than a bag and does not need the bag-emptying chore.
Buy direct at GrizzlyPOWERTEC 1 HP
Under $500
Who it is for: A two- or three-car garage woodworker who runs a planer, a jointer and a table saw and wants the filter to stay clean.
The Grizzly G0860 is a 1-1/2 HP two-stage cyclone on 120V: 868 CFM at 1.8 in static pressure, a 6 in intake, a 1 micron canister with 28.1 sq ft of area, a 20 gallon drum, 78 dB and a 27-1/2 x 44 in footprint, with a wireless remote and swivel casters (92 owner reviews on grizzly.com). The cyclone drops most chips in the drum so the canister is not choked. The Amazon option in our catalog is the POWERTEC 1 HP portable, a bag-style machine that is the lower-cost alternative in the same class. For a 240V bay, the Grizzly G0441 is a 3 HP, 1654 CFM at 2.0 in SP cyclone rated for three machines at once.
Skip it if: You have a 12 x 20 ft one-car bay: the cyclone is 27.5 x 44 in plus operator room and a car cannot share the floor with it. Use the wall unit instead.
See on Amazon
Direct from Grizzly: Grizzly G0860 1-1/2 HP Portable Cyclone Dust Collector. The cyclone drum, canister filter and remote are the reasons its airflow stays up. It draws 15 A on its listing, so it needs its own 20 A circuit.
Buy direct at GrizzlyFloor space, bay by bay
A collector that does not fit is not a collector. We ran the Grizzly cyclones through all six garage sizes. The G0860 is 27.5 x 44 in with 12 in of room around it; the G0441 is about 33 in square and 109 in tall, which needs ceiling height as well as floor.
| Garage | G0860 cyclone | G0441 3 HP cyclone |
|---|---|---|
| 12 x 20 one-car | fits empty only | fits empty only |
| 12 x 22 one-car | fits with a car | fits with a car |
| 20 x 20 and larger | fits with a car | fits with a car |
The G0441 stands 109 in tall, so check the ceiling: a 9 ft ceiling is 108 in. The G0860 fit sheet and G0441 fit sheet have the details. In a one-car garage with a car inside there is only a strip behind the front bumper, so a wall unit or a vacuum with a separator is the realistic answer, and the 12 x 20 dust sizing page works it through.
Ducting a small shop
Keep the main run short and straight. Use rigid duct or smooth-wall pipe for the main and a short length of flex hose only at the machine, because corrugated flex hose has far more resistance than smooth pipe. A 4 in branch at each machine, a 5 or 6 in main, and a blast gate at every branch, opened one at a time. Buy hose that is rated for dust collection, not general-purpose vacuum hose.
Do not put the collector's exhaust in the room unless it is filtered to at least 1 micron, which is what the listings above give; fine dust is what hurts lungs. Add a hanging air filter for what escapes, like the Grizzly G0738 (260, 362 and 409 CFM), and wear a P100 respirator while sanding. The air filtration calculator and the 22 x 22 filtration page size it.
Noise, neighbors and fire
The G0860 lists 78 dB, loud enough to want hearing protection and a closed door at night. Dust is also fuel: do not run a collector with a grinder or a welder in the room, empty the drum outside, and keep a fire extinguisher by the door. Fine wood dust and metal dust together are an ignition risk, so keep the metal shop and the woodshop on separate collectors or separate days.
Both ways to buy the category
One card per machine class, with the Amazon pick and the Grizzly pick side by side.
Portable dust collector
Both are bag-style portables on casters. The Grizzly unit is a 1-1/2 HP machine with a 1300 CFM bag rating; the Amazon unit is a 1 HP class machine at a lower entry cost.
Wall-mount dust collector
Both are 1 HP wall-mount collectors that free the floor. The Grizzly one uses a canister filter; the Amazon one uses filter bags.
3 HP cyclone collector (240V)
AmazonNo comparable Amazon item in our catalog
Nothing on Amazon in our catalog matches a 3 HP, 1654 CFM cyclone, so this one is Grizzly-direct only. It needs a 240V circuit and about 400 lb of freight.
Prices change often and Grizzly runs sales, so the buttons show current prices.
Also worth a look
Prices change often; the button shows today's price on Amazon.
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Unsubscribe anytime. You can also just read the checklist on this site.Frequently asked questions
What size dust collector for a one-car garage?
A 1 HP wall-mount collector in the 560 CFM class feeds one machine at a time through a short duct run, and it frees the floor. If you only own benchtop tools, a shop vacuum with a cyclone separator is enough.
Can a shop vac be used for dust collection?
For one benchtop tool at a time, yes, especially with a cyclone separator so the filter does not clog. For a table saw, jointer or planer the airflow is too low to carry chips.
Is a cyclone worth the money?
If you plan to run a planer or sand a lot, yes: the cyclone drops most chips in the drum, so the filter stays clean and airflow holds. For occasional use a bag collector is cheaper.
Do I need 240V for a dust collector?
Not up to about 1-1/2 HP: the Grizzly G0860 runs on a 20 A, 120V circuit. A 3 HP unit like the G0441 is a 240V machine at 22 A.
How big a duct for a table saw?
A 4 in duct carries about 349 CFM at 4,000 fpm, which is what a table saw hood asks for. Use 5 or 6 in for the main so two gates can be open without choking the line.
Amazon or Grizzly for a dust collector?
Amazon is the easier path for the entry-level bag collectors and the Dust Deputy. Grizzly sells cyclones and canister collectors direct, and many are not on Amazon. Compare the same class on both.
This page is researched guidance, not professional electrical, engineering or safety advice. Circuits, loads and clearances depend on your house, your service and your town: have a licensed electrician confirm any wiring, and check local code and each manufacturer's manual before you act.
