Fein Turbo II vs CT 26 E

[EMWLou]

Long story, but one of the guys that works with me crushed my Fein vac today. There's no fixing it, its pretty much demolished. I've had this Vac for about 15 years (maybe more), and its always performed perfectly for me. My only Festool that it ever had a problem collecting all the dust from was my Rotex (older style) while using a heavy grit and full speed.

So, I'm in the market for a new one. I'm looking at the 2 in the title. The Fein has slightly better numbers in most categories, yet, its $205 less. Both have variable suction. The Fein doesn't hold systainers on top, nor does it have all the accessories available that Festool has. Neither of those issues are really important to me though. Whichever vac I buy, I'm most likely going to purchase the 3.5M sleeved hose from Festool for it.

So, is there something I'm overlooking? Can anyone offer a reason (other than brand loyalty) as to why I should get the Festool?

 

[ben_r_]

I have read from quite a few sources that the Fein vacs of today are NOT those of yesterday. There are many people out there who like you have had their Fein vacs for over a decade and either decided to add another or thought it was time to upgrade only to find out that they are made nearly as nice now as they were then. Buy one and try it within the return policy. If you find this to be true too you can always return it and go with the Festool.

 

[pixelated]

One of the reasons reasons I picked the Festool vac over the others is that the low rectangular shape is easier to deal with in my tiny workshop space. Are you comparing the Fein HEPA filtered unit to the Festool? As I recall the Fien HEPA was around the same cost, but I'm not certain.

 

[bobfog]

Fein are excellent. More powerful suction and volume of air moved than the Festool vacs. I found Festool vacs to be one of the least powerful on the market with both 27 & 36 millimetre hoses. They aren't as loud as most others, but that's the trade off for having less oomph.

 

[todd_fuller]

I recently went down this path but vs the Midi. I choose the Midi. I wanted two things beyond excellent suction: auto-on and variable suction. On my replaced shop-vac, I used a speed controller to vary suction and liked that quite a lot. On low suction, the hose is a lot easier to handle IMHO. I also liked the attractive pricing of the Fein unit.

However, the Fein doesn't have variable speed. It has a hose with an end with a hole in the end coupler you can change the size of, so the motor is always 100%, you just allow bypass air in to varying degrees. I believe previous Fein's had actual variable speed for the motors, but the new ones do not.

 

[Arvid]

look into the metabo. it is made my starmix.  it has a hepa filter option and it also shakes the filters for you so they never get clogged.

 

[denovo]

I have the previous generation Fein Turbo II and it has taken a beating with any major issues.  The only minor issue I've had is with the variable speed buttons not always working properly.  You have to press them just right sometimes.  The new generation doesn't have the variable speed and I've heard the quality isn't the same.  The shop I bought my fein from has stopped recommending them.

I also have a CT Midi and CT 36AC.  The CT Midi is my favourite vacuum due to size and weight but it's more my finishing vacuum at the end of a job.  The Fein is my go to vacuum during demolition and framing stages of a project.  It has the power and volume of the larger CTs but in a more manageable size.  I just use the CT 36AC with my planex and don't really enjoy lugging it around.

 

[kevinculle]

Before you buy a replacement vac be sure to check out Nilfisk.  They are available in the USA through Sylvane at good prices and fast delivery.  I have a Festool CT26 and a Nilfisk Aero 21 HEPA and the Nilfisk is as powerful and as quiet, has comparable build quality, comes with a set of tools and sells for $285 shipped!  If you want auto start with a tool plugged in the Nilfisk 26 runs $285 w/o HEPA and $345 with HEPA.

 

[rljatl]

An additional consideration is the new MAXSYS Wireless remote control.  This aftermarket accessory gives the Festool CT vacs a feature not usually found on shop dust extractors. 

MAXSYS Wireless Remote for Festool CT Dust Extractors

 

[mforys]

Before you buy a replacement vac be sure to check out Nilfisk.  They are available in the USA through Sylvane at good prices and fast delivery.  I have a Festool CT26 and a Nilfisk Aero 21 HEPA and the Nilfisk is as powerful and as quiet, has comparable build quality, comes with a set of tools and sells for $285 shipped!  If you want auto start with a tool plugged in the Nilfisk 26 runs $285 w/o HEPA and $345 with HEPA.

Where can you buy these online? I only see them on Amazon. The 26 is listed at $355.

 

[EMWLou]

One of the reasons reasons I picked the Festool vac over the others is that the low rectangular shape is easier to deal with in my tiny workshop space. Are you comparing the Fein HEPA filtered unit to the Festool? As I recall the Fien HEPA was around the same cost, but I'm not certain.

I'm looking at Fein Hepa. Like I said, its $205 less. The standard Fein is over $300 less.

Before you buy a replacement vac be sure to check out Nilfisk.  They are available in the USA through Sylvane at good prices and fast delivery.  I have a Festool CT26 and a Nilfisk Aero 21 HEPA and the Nilfisk is as powerful and as quiet, has comparable build quality, comes with a set of tools and sells for $285 shipped!  If you want auto start with a tool plugged in the Nilfisk 26 runs $285 w/o HEPA and $345 with HEPA.

I look in to them, thanks.

I have read from quite a few sources that the Fein vacs of today are NOT those of yesterday. There are many people out there who like you have had their Fein vacs for over a decade and either decided to add another or thought it was time to upgrade only to find out that they are made nearly as nice now as they were then. Buy one and try it within the return policy. If you find this to be true too you can always return it and go with the Festool.

That may be exactly what I end up doing.

 

[kevinculle]

sylvane.com

 

[mforys]

Thank you!

 

[todd_fuller]

Before you buy a replacement vac be sure to check out Nilfisk.  They are available in the USA through Sylvane at good prices and fast delivery.  I have a Festool CT26 and a Nilfisk Aero 21 HEPA and the Nilfisk is as powerful and as quiet, has comparable build quality, comes with a set of tools and sells for $285 shipped!  If you want auto start with a tool plugged in the Nilfisk 26 runs $285 w/o HEPA and $345 with HEPA.

Where can you buy these online? I only see them on Amazon. The 26 is listed at $355.

I saw them at Sylvane.com. However, it seems only the Attix 30 has speed control and auto-mode and that's ~$530.

 

[McNally Family]

Long story, but one of the guys that works with me crushed my Fein vac today. There's no fixing it, its pretty much demolished. I've had this Vac for about 15 years (maybe more), and its always performed perfectly for me. My only Festool that it ever had a problem collecting all the dust from was my Rotex (older style) while using a heavy grit and full speed.

So, I'm in the market for a new one. I'm looking at the 2 in the title. The Fein has slightly better numbers in most categories, yet, its $205 less. Both have variable suction. The Fein doesn't hold systainers on top, nor does it have all the accessories available that Festool has. Neither of those issues are really important to me though. Whichever vac I buy, I'm most likely going to purchase the 3.5M sleeved hose from Festool for it.

So, is there something I'm overlooking? Can anyone offer a reason (other than brand loyalty) as to why I should get the Festool?

Reason to get the Festool:

30 day "no questions asked" return policy, combined with a rock solid 3-year warranty

Also, I agree with your decision to purchase the Festool 3.5 sleeved hose.  I love mine!

 

[Arvid]

nice vacuum. Same as the metabo.

 

[antss]

[member=63337]EMWLou[/member] - are you in the UK ?

Reason I ask is that the Fein vacs in the U.S. don't have variable speed control / suction.  You'd have to buy an accessory tool end that has a gate in it to vary the flow.  The turbine will still run at 100% though.  The HEPA filter is an optional xtra ???

If you're in the UK , then the AC models have built in variable speed, and a ground path that would accommodate that Festool 3.5m sleeved hose you're thinking about.  The standard models don't have that.

Can you tell us your location and what model # vac you're looking at ?  Turbo II doesn't really narrow it down much.

 

[EMWLou]

[member=63337]EMWLou[/member] - are you in the UK ?

Reason I ask is that the Fein vacs in the U.S. don't have variable speed control / suction.  You'd have to buy an accessory tool end that has a gate in it to vary the flow.  The turbine will still run at 100% though.  The HEPA filter is an optional xtra ???

If you're in the UK , then the AC models have built in variable speed, and a ground path that would accommodate that Festool 3.5m sleeved hose you're thinking about.  The standard models don't have that.

Can you tell us your location and what model # vac you're looking at ?  Turbo II doesn't really narrow it down much.

I am in the US.

Fein

CT 26 E

Not having the variable suction on the Fein explains a portion of the cost difference. My old Fein didn't have it either though. I bought that one long before Fein included that feature. I never saw the need for it, but the new one does have a considerable amount more suction than the old one too. Something for me to think about...

This is pretty twisted logic, but people who buy Festools will probably get it. I could just buy another tool with the CT 26 and that would take another $70 off the price of the Vac. I do like the look of this:

ETS EC 150/3

So, I'll drop an additional $485 to save $70. That makes no sense to me with most things, but in this case, I might just do it. I haven't bought a Festool Power tool since the Domino first came out, so I'm long over do anyway   $1,342.50 for everything. The miser in me is going insane with the thought of doing that. The tool junkie in me is saying, "go ahead, order it now."

 

[kevinculle]

I saw them at Sylvane.com. However, it seems only the Attix 30 has speed control and auto-mode and that's ~$530.

I did not intend to leave the impression that the Nilfisk I bought was in all respects equivalent to my CT26.  In my case I have two sides to my shop & the Festool vac serves the side where vac served power tools are used.  The other side is larger stationary machines served by central dust collection.  On that side I need a vac that is powerful and quiet, but features like adjustable suction (Nilfisk provides a bypass in the hose) and automatic tool outlets are not needed.  For less than 40% of the CT26 price with toolset the Nilfisk fit the bill.

Maybe the bigger picture here is that Nilfisk, a company specializing in vacuums, offers a broader range of choices in features whereas Festool, a tool company also making vacuums, makes various sizes of top notch but very pricey machines that all come with all of the bells and whistles (except a tool set which is a $99 option).

 

[antss]

Like I said before , the USA Fein vacs don't have variable speed/suction, and neither does the one you linked to.

It might included the gated tool end, but I don't know.  So you might spend an xtra $25+ on that . And , it will still be a kludge and loud at the tool you're connected to.

Fein suction control

Another cost difference is the anti static hose that comes with the Festool. That's at least a $100 difference over a standard. Which you could easily sell if you're upgrading to a sleeved one.

I wouldn't buy a sander to save 70bucks.  If you need a sander the ECs are good ones, and a nice way to lower your vac cost.