Fein or ct26

[MarcV]

I know this has been asked before but mine is more specific to what will work better for my own situation. From what I have read both vacuums are top notch. I am looking for a vacuum that will obviously be able to collect dust while using power tools but also one that will function great as a basic shop vac for cleaning out the car and little projects around the house. My thinking so far is that the Fein will work better for my needs because I won't have to use the bags for most of my uses and can save a lot of money that way. Then obviously if I am doing a wood or drywall project I can then put in the bags. Also the fein seems to be about 10db quieter but im not really sure how noticible a difference that is. I came on this site to see if anyone here that already own a CT have similar uses and why you went with your vacuum.

Cheers,

Marc

 

[fshanno]

I have a CT33 and one of the kits and I use it for everything except one thing.  I don't use it when there is a high likelihood of picking up sharp metal objects such as screws and nails.  I won't even use my dust collector for that because the rattling in the blades spooks me.  I have a Craftsman wall mount shop vac dedicated to the Kapex station for those nails. 

Rockler has a very good deal on the higher end DeWalt vac right now.  It's comparable to the Fein and Festool and they have it for about $200 regular $500.  Speed adjustment, power take off, HEPA filter and so on.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I have a CT33 and one of the kits and I use it for everything except one thing.  I don't use it when there is a high likelihood of picking up sharp metal objects such as screws and nails.  I won't even use my dust collector for that because the rattling in the blades spooks me.  I have a Craftsman wall mount shop vac dedicated to the Kapex station for those nails. 

Actually, the new style fabric vac bags resist puncture very well.  I don't worry about sucking up nails. 

 

[Holzhacker]

1- ct22 dedicated to the kapex
1 - ct22 for general construction use
1 - ct26 dedicated to flooring
1 - fein turbo II for shop and general use
The fein is my favorite vac for shop use. Quiet, good hose, no bags, easy to dump and clean, easy to suck up water
Since I'm systainer invested the ct's are my job site vacs. Both great vacs, love the ct's obviously. However, the simplicity of the fein is a plus.

 

[skids]

If it were me and I didn't have the festool vac I would get the Festool over the Fein. I struggled with this in the beginning, thinking the festool wasn't as universal as the Fein. Not really true, other than the 27mm hose it's better than the fein in my opinion. If you got the 36mm hose with your Festool you would have everything you need for shop cleanup and dust collection. Festool Hepa is awesome, you might not think it matters, until your giggling like I often do at how clean the enviro is around you when your working.

Overall it's a more epxensive vac, but pretty damn nifty. MY regregt is I didn't get the CT26 so I could purchase the boom arm! Want a 3 month old Midi? ; )

 

[Harvey]

I went with the Fein turbo III rather than the CT. It’s a simply designed  vac - no hose storage etc. but it works very well on my TS75 & ETS150. I use Sears filters with it & have the oneida dust deputy so the running costs are minute.

 

[ScotF]

I really like the anti-static of the Festool over the Fein.  I really notice it when sanding in the dry winter -- no more shocks with the Festool.  I have a Fein that is on its last legs and when it finally gives up the ghost I will replace it with another Festool.

Scot

 

[BMH]

I have a Fein, at CT22 and my new favorite MIDI. If you are going to use it with Festool tools the CT 26 is the best way. If you are going to use it for clean up, Fein is the way to go. The problem with the Fein I have, is that it has no variable speed and the hose connector doesn't work well with Festool tools. That being said I prefer the Fein for water collection and dust collection as it works well with no dust bag.

Bruce

 

[sancho57]

CT 26- assigned to MFT for general shop work, ten ten, TS 55, PS 300 etc.

CT 22- assigned to Kapex (bought used for that reason)

Rigid Shop vac for gen shop clean up.

 

[nehardwoodfloors]

I gave my shop vac to my parents after I bought my CT26. I also have a mini.
I suck up nails, screws and whatever else I can jam down the 36mm hose. I have never torn through a fleece bag. And I re-use the bags multiple times.

 

[woodie]

I visited with a Fein rep at a tool store open house the other week.  He told me about reduced pricing they currently have for Turbo II vac ($299). I asked if this was a permanent price reduction but couldn't get a clear answer. At that price I'd consider it as a secondary clean-up vac (my main vac is CT26). The reduction in noise over a craftsman or rigid would be worth the extra money to me. Having variable speed and a tool triggered outlet are a plus over those brands as well.

The problem with the Fein I have, is that it has no variable speed and the hose connector doesn't work well with Festool tools.

Bruce

I had heard about the tool adapter not working very well with Festool.  So I grabbed a Festool hose and tried it with the Fein, it's a perfect fit.  Of course if you don't already have a Festool hose, paying $80-105 for one might not make a lot of sense.

The only negative for the Fein is the mess you deal with when emptying the vac. Of course you can always add their optional filter and dust bags but now you're approaching the price of Festool's Midi and Mini.

As for the question about noise, a 10dB reduction is perceived as being half as loud. That would be pretty amazing if there really is a 10dB difference…

 

[jonathan-m]

This is a Festool forum so not sure what you're expecting to hear.

Anyway, I use a Fein Dustex 40 in combination with a Dust Deputy. I chose the Fein because it's a very reputable German brand and more importantly a lot cheaper than the Festools. (Designations in the US are different, but I think it's the Turbo III for you guys) So here are my findings after about a year of use.

Performance wise it's every bit as good as a Festool CT in suction/cleaning performance. No noticeable difference with the CT33s I've used in the past. There's also TRUE HEPA filters for the Fein and the "self-cleaning" felt bags, slow start power tool outlet and a faucet at the bottom to let out liquids.

If the vac is plugged in, the power outlet always gives you power. The vac doesn't need to be running or be in the auto position. It can just be on off and the outlet still gives you power. Some people like this, some don't.

Noise wise, I'd say the Fein is about 3db less noisy, meaning just slightly noticeable. Where the real difference comes in, in my opinion, is that the Fein sounds more civilized whereas the Festool has a more annoying whining sound. No big deal, unless you're standing next to it all day long I guess.

My Fein came with either a 1 or 5 micron filter I can't remember. I ordered a TRUE HEPA filter for mine so the original is in the trash. I also fitted it with a 36mm Festool hose. (Fits fine and snug, no adjustments whatsoever needed).
Never tried the original one so I can't comment on how it fits with tools. (It too went straight to the trash with the original filter)
So be prepared to possibly pay for some extra enhancements. (Over here in Europe we don't get a HEPA filter standard but I believe you Americans do) So by the time you've bought some additional stuff you'll be almost at the same price point as a Festool. Something to consider.

The vac has never tipped on me. The six swivel castors make it a very stable vac that's extremely easy to roll around.
And lastly, the Fein comes with metal vac tube attachment, not the plastic connecting set you can get for the Festool. The problem is storing these is a nuissance. Which brings me to the most important, and not to be disregarded easily, advantage of the Festool CT's: storage! I can't count the times I've wished I could store some systainers on top.

So, all in all, the Fein is a very good vaccuum, plenty powerful and probably the quietest I know of, but I constantly struggle with the question if I shouldn't have gotten a Festool CT26-36 instead, because I really love the storing systainers, boomarm & workcenter idea. I hate how my hose is always on the floor gathering dirt and I'm always stepping/tripping over it.

The only, but very important problem with the Fein, is it's form factor and shape. It's a big vac (holds over 30L) so when full it's heavy, and there's simply no way to store your attachments on it. Basically, you get a good vac but none of the Festool niceties in terms of storage and attachments.

Also, you might want to have a look at Starmix vacs, they're the vacs that many many other manufacturers have rebranded. Like Metabo, Bosch, Hitachi, Mafell, Spit ... Also very high quality German tools with the same performance.

Hope this helps you make your decision. Either way, you'll get a quality vac.

 

[Scott B.]

We have 4 or 5 Fein vacs and have used them for many years. They are in the same league as the CT family as straight up vacs. The stock hose is a bit longer and more flexible on the fein, but because of this, they don't hold up so well in the long term. I find the accessories, such as replacement hoses and clean up kit parts to be pricy. Some of them do have variable speed functions (someone said above that they dont) and I do like the outlet feature. I was never psyched with the hose connection to dewalt or bosch sanders. And I have rolled feins down stairs on several occasions because they the multi directional casters can get out of control, and there is no break system. I find them to be a little too tall for there own good, and when you tip it over, it goes a little batty and stops sucking. As a stand alone vac, they are very good, but lack the systemization and organizational strengths of the ct.

 

[VictorL]

Welcome to the FOG.
When you compare two vacuums, you should compare apples to apples.

1. HEPA filters. Festool vacuum equipped with HEPA filters, for Fein it's optional.
2. Bags. If you run vacuum without bags, you'll change filters more often, and HEPA filters are more expensive. Plus emptying fine dust without bags is more dangerous for your health.
3. Storage. You can mount pile of systainers, DD cyclone or work center on the top of CT vacuums, but it doesn't work with Fein
4. Boom arm. It's extremely helpful. 
5. Brakes. Vacuum won't move unless you want it.
6. Antistatic hoses are standard with Festool vacuums.
7. Wet or dry operations.
8. Warranty and spare parts.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

With either machine you should plan on buying a filter and bags, the Fein cloth filter is not designed for fine dust pickup.  I have both CT's and Turbo II's and think they are both great vacs.  For shop use I would go with the Fein because it is quieter, has a smaller footprint, and is easier to move around.  You can also often get a turbo II for half the price of a CT26.  For site use a CT is a much better design due to its storage capacity and shape. 

 

[Brice Burrell]

With either machine you should plan on buying a filter and bags, the Fein cloth filter is not designed for fine dust pickup.  I have both CT's and Turbo II's and think they are both great vacs.  For shop use I would go with the Fein because it is quieter, has a smaller footprint, and is easier to move around.  You can also often get a turbo II for half the price of a CT26.  For site use a CT is a much better design due to its storage capacity and shape. 

The beauty of vac bags are that they save the main filter.  I don't see any reason to buy another filter for the Festool vac until it's need which wouldn't be for years.  I'm not sure Fein vacs come with a HEPA filter so you might want to buy one as an extra.  That said, one could certainly argue that a HEPA filter is overkill for general woodworking.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Sorry for the confusion, what I meant was that the Fein comes with a cloth "filter" bag that is not designed for fine woodworking dust.  So you need to buy the filter and bags if you buy the Fein, but the Festools obviously already come fully equipped, I have 4 years on my oldest CT and its filter still looks great.  My other has had a few torn bags and it isn't as pristine but still functional. 

 

[jmbfestool]

Well.....  It was mentioned by janthan that this is a festool forum so basically saying most people will say festool over fein.

Wll if I think something is crap even if it's festool I post it here in fog and make sure I get my feelings known.

Soo here we go!  

I would NOT buy the Fein vac I would go for the festool everytime.  

I own the festool CT22 CTL26 and MIDI   Love them all.  
Told all my mates to go for festool vacs.   Well one of my mates decided to go for the Fein vac reason being cost! He didn't want to spend the extra cost and he read reviews saying the Fein is just as good as festool!  Well these people are wrong!

He regrets getting the Fein!    Reasons being!

1. He doesn't like the hose end which comes with the Fein it's hard plastic and doesn't fit any of his tools. My festool hoses do fit his tools. So he's buying another hose.
2. The suction is definitely less  the festool does have more suction power.   I my self have compared it with his Fein and my festool vacs and there is a noticeable difference.
3. Festool you can lock off the wheels  the Fein you can't so on a slight slope the Fein rolls away all the time. Also when stored in the van it roles about unless you strap it.
4. you cant store/place tools ontop or stack boxes ontop or stand on the Fein like you can on the Festool which comes in very handy sometimes saves getting steps out.  When I was using his Fein it annoyed me big time! so much I stopped using his and got mine out as I had to keep placing my TS55 on the floor as normally I place it on my CT or T-loc which would be attached to the CT.

 

[Julian Tracy]

I've had 2-3 CT22's and before that, had a Fein Turbo II for about 10 years.

Had them both side by side for a few months before selling off the Fein, and imo the Fein was superior in many ways, though the CT won out with me because of the variable suctions and the ability to stack Systainers on it.

The Fein (older single speed Turbo II) was quieter, had noticeably more suction, was more durable and the hose is longer.

The durability of the CT came into question as I hadn't had it too long and one of the Systainer tabs had broken off.  Also, I've had one of my CT22's just quit on me and rather than spend $40 to ship it to Festool for warranty service, I took it apart and wiggled all the wires and then it started working again.

It wasn't an overheat situation as it had not been used hard or at all just before it quite working.  Also, the socket's on the CT22's are very slight in build and they get very loose with not too much use.  Festool's good about sending new ones out, but it was disappointing to see the sockets being made so evidently cheaply.

Don't get me started on the fragile CT22 paper bags or the fact that I have a HEPA vac that apparently isn't really to be used as a Hepa vac ....

Looks like the CT26 fixed all the shortcomings of the CT22, but that $299 pricetag of the Fein vac is tempting for a first or second vac and the quality is really second to none on the Fein vacs.

And let's all start calling them vacs, shall we?  Cause that's what they are...

JT

 

[duburban]

I used the biggest fein with a hepa and bags on a major remodel recently and it performed very well. We used it just like a shopvac sucking up anything and everything, never a tear in the bag. I'd kind of like one for general use but only after I get a midi or mini for travel.