In this third installment of my cordless wet/dry vacuum showdown, I put 16 ultra-portable 1–3+ gallon vacs through the exact same test protocol so you can stop guessing and start buying based on real data. This category has exploded lately—better batteries, brushless motors, and smarter filtration have turned “small vacs” into legit jobsite tools. I tested airflow (CFM), static suction (water lift), airwatts, battery performance consistency, debris collection in a sawdust “dust box,” dirty-filter performance drop, noise levels, weight, and then scored ergonomics and features like hose quality, onboard storage, interface, Bluetooth, auto-clean, and wet/dry capability. On raw numbers, Hilti separated itself from the pack with top-tier airflow and the highest airwatts (686), plus standout ergonomics and pro-grade features—so it took Best Overall in this class. Makita XGT was a monster in static suction (85" water lift) and also the quietest I measured (69.8 dB), while DeWalt FlexVolt was right there near the top in airflow and power consistency. For real-world pickup, DeWalt’s 20V AC/DC unit was the fastest in my dust box at 36 seconds, and several top models showed essentially zero performance drop after the filter got dirty. I also break down where dust extractors make sense versus a traditional wet/dry vac, because the right choice really comes down to how you work.