Dropped $200 on a soot vacuum attachment that barely worked

I bought this fancy rotary brush attachment for my shop vac off a chimney supply site thinking it would cut down cleaning time. First job in Oak Park, it clogged up after 10 minutes and I spent more time unclogging it than just using my regular brush. Anyone else wasted money on a tool that looked good but totally let you down?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.mia22d ago

Actually I gotta push back a little on this one. I've got that exact rotary brush attachment (the one with the silicone bristles, not the hard plastic) and it's been a total game changer for cleaning out dryer vents and tight crevices. The trick is you can't run it on full suction or it'll bog down immediately - you gotta dial your shop vac way back, like to the lowest setting if you've got a variable speed. I've used mine on maybe 20 jobs now including some nasty Oak Park chimneys and it's still going strong, just gotta clean the bristles after each use. Maybe the one you got was a dud or maybe you just need to adjust how you're running it, but mine has paid for itself ten times over in saved time.

umathompson6d ago

Oh wow @ellis.mia you seriously think cleaning the bristles after every use is the key? Because I've been skipping that step and wondering why mine keeps losing power halfway through a job. Have you noticed any wear on the silicone bristles yet after all those chimney jobs?

anderson.david22d ago

I found a cheap knockoff on Amazon for $40 that works fine if I keep the suction low.