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Which CRAFTSMAN Wet/Dry Vac Fits Your Cleanup Jobs?

Pick the CMXEVBE17250 for compact spot cleanup and simpler carry/storage; pick the CMXEVBE17590 when its longer hose, two wands, wet/car nozzles, larger drum volume and liquid drain are useful enough to justify a larger wheeled unit. Gallons describe drum volume, not a guaranteed amount collected.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-18

Source checked 2026-10-18 13:19 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Is the CMXEVBE17250’s compact carry format enough, or do the CMXEVBE17590’s larger drum, longer hose, included wands and liquid drain better fit the work?

The CMXEVBE17250 is the compact spot-cleanup option; the CMXEVBE17590 takes more space but adds a larger drum volume, longer locking hose, extension wands, wet/car nozzles and an oversized liquid drain.

Quick verdict

Choose CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum if

  • You want a 7-ft locking hose plus two extension wands for more reach between the vac and work area.
  • Wet pickup, the included wet/car nozzles, and a built-in oversized drain are part of your expected cleanup routine.
View CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum on AmazonPaid link
When to skip: Skip both if you need cordless operation: both exact models are corded.
When the recommendation changes
  • If your jobs are mostly small vehicle or garage spot cleanups and storage space is tight, the compact CMXEVBE17250 is the closer fit. If you routinely cover more area or need the listed wet-pickup accessories and drain, the CMXEVBE17590 fits that workflow better. Both models are corded.

The differences that matter

Drum Capacity Carry And Storage

CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17250 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

2.5-gallon drum; small portable format with carry handle and cord wrap.[1]

CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

9-gallon drum; product page describes onboard hose/accessory/power-cord organizers and an oversized liquid drain.[3]

What this changes: A smaller carry format and a larger organized wheeled setup serve different storage and movement needs; the drum ratings are volume, not actual collection capacity.[1, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Hose Accessories And Wet Disposal

CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17250 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

5-ft 1-1/4-in friction-fit hose, crevice and utility tools; manual covers wet pickup and filter-bag handling.[1, 2]

CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

7-ft 1-7/8-in Pos-I-lock hose, two locking wands, utility/car/wet nozzles, dust collection bag and oversized drain.[3, 4]

What this changes: Choose the kit and liquid-emptying workflow that match the surfaces, reach and wet-pickup tasks you actually expect.[1, 2, 3, 4]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

Small vehicle, truck or garage spot cleanup where carry size and short-reach attachments are the priority.

Best fit: CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17250 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

The manufacturer describes the CMXEVBE17250 for cars, trucks, vans and small messes, and lists a carry handle, cord wrap, 5-ft hose, crevice tool and utility nozzle. The compromise is its smaller drum class and shorter, friction-fit hose.

View CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17250 2.5-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum on AmazonPaid link

Recurring garage or home-project cleanup where longer reach, included wet/car nozzles and liquid draining matter.

Best fit: CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

The CMXEVBE17590 includes a 7-ft locking hose, two extension wands, car and wet nozzles, and an oversized liquid drain. The compromise is choosing a larger wheeled unit over the compact carry format.

View CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17590 9-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

A higher current price for the CMXEVBE17590 would need to be justified by the larger drum-volume class, longer locking hose, extension wands, car/wet nozzles, organizers and drain only if those features fit your work.

No comparable price-history evidence was reviewed, so this comparison cannot support a buy-now or wait recommendation. Check the current offer and included bundle before ordering.

Limitations

  • No controlled head-to-head suction or cleanup test was reviewed; this is a feature-fit comparison, not a performance ranking.
  • The manufacturer cautions that gallon ratings describe drum volume and do not guarantee actual collection capacity.
  • Both models are corded.

Questions shoppers ask

Does the 9-gallon model collect 3.6 times as much as the 2.5-gallon model?

No. Those figures describe drum volume, and CRAFTSMAN says actual collection capacity depends on debris type, filter condition and other factors.

What changes for wet pickup?

Both are wet/dry vacs. The CMXEVBE17250 manual says removing the filter bag is highly recommended for wet pickup and explains that a float stops airflow at a liquid level; turn off, unplug and empty the drum when the float trips. The CMXEVBE17590 includes a wet nozzle and its product page lists an oversized liquid drain. Follow the applicable manual for filter setup and emptying.

Can either one run without an outlet?

No. CRAFTSMAN lists both exact models as corded.

Methodology and sources

Compared the manufacturer-documented drum volume, carry and storage features, included hose/tools, wet-pickup guidance and liquid-emptying setup. No hands-on or controlled pair performance test was conducted, so the recommendation is conditional feature fit rather than a suction or cleaning winner.

Automation assisted research organization and copy editing; the product identities and listed features were checked against the cited official pages and manuals.

View 4 sources
  1. 1.2.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac (2.5 gal), CMXEVBE17250CRAFTSMAN · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-18 13:19 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview, Features, Corded or Cordless, Includes, gallons caveat: Exact model page identifies CMXEVBE17250; describes compact small-mess use, carry handle/cord wrap, 2.5-gallon drum volume, corded power, blower, 5-ft friction-fit hose and included crevice/utility tools and filter bag. Page explicitly says gallons reflect drum volume, not necessarily collection capacity.
  2. 2.2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac Instruction Manual, model CMXEVBE172500CRAFTSMAN / Stanley Black & Decker · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-18 13:19 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Cover p.1; wet pickup p.10; emptying p.11; filter bag instructions pp.9-10: Official linked manual identifies the 2.5-gallon model family as CMXEVBE172500. It describes wet/dry use; says filter-bag removal is highly recommended for wet pickup; explains that the float stops airflow at a liquid level and instructs the user to switch off, unplug and empty the drum when it trips.
  3. 3.4.25 Peak HP 9 gal Wet/Dry Vac With Attachments, CMXEVBE17590CRAFTSMAN · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-18 13:19 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product identity and Overview, Features, Corded or Cordless, Includes, gallons caveat: Exact model page identifies CMXEVBE17590; lists 9-gallon drum volume, corded power, oversized drain, onboard hose/accessory/power-cord organizers, 7-ft Pos-I-lock hose, two locking extension wands, utility/car/wet nozzles, pleated paper filter and dust collection bag. Page says gallons do not necessarily equal actual collection capacity.
  4. 4.CMXEVBE175 Series Wet/Dry Vac Instruction ManualCRAFTSMAN / Stanley Black & Decker · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-18 13:19 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model identification table p.28 lists CMXEVBE175900 in the 9-gallon column; accessory table p.10 differentiates included nozzles by drum size: Official series manual maps CMXEVBE175900 to the 9-gallon column and distinguishes accessories by size; the 9-gallon configuration includes car and wet nozzles. Used to corroborate the 9-gallon series mapping and accessory applicability, while exact product-page bundle details remain sourced to the exact model page.

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