Photo: ArmorAll
What We Like
- Powerful 2.0 HP motor
- Easy conversion to blower function
- A built-in air and noise diffuser
- A compact and portable unit
- Integrated hose and tool storage
- A long power cord with storage
- Automatic overflow protection
What We Don’t Like
- Does not come with rolling wheels
- The motor is single-speed
Bottom Line
A rich blend of power, multi-application versatility, and robust productivity functions make this shop vac the ideal car and home vacuuming tool.
Introduction
Armor All AA255 eliminates the perennial pain of car interior vacuuming, and saves you money on professional services, thanks to its power and versatility
This shop vac’s 2.0 HP motor, optimal tank capacity, and compact build makes it ideal for wet and dry pick-ups in your car’s interior, and around the home. A built-in blower also amplifies the versatility and cleaning capacity of this tool.
Armor All AA255 Review
Photo: ArmorAll
Performance: Powerful Motor and Robust Features
The combination of power and versatility offered by the Armor All AA255 makes this shop vac’s appeal on car and homeowners, almost impossible to resist.
Rocking a 2.0 HP motor, this shop vac breezes through wet and dry pick-ups effortlessly, which is why it is popular for car interior vacuuming. Its high suction power removes dust, dirt, and debris with high efficiency.
A handy feature that makes this tool ideal for car vacuuming is its deluxe car nozzle, which is designed to fit in very tight spaces, ensuring maximum dirt removal. You won’t need professional vacuuming once this tool takes over.
All the vacuumed dirt is sent to the vac’s propylene tanks, which has a capacity of 2.5 gallons. This capacity is just right for all the light-to-medium-duty pick-ups you’ll be doing, not just in your car, but also around your home.
And when you need to clean surfaces with high-efficiency, you don’t need another tool for that; the AA255 easily converts to a blower so that its raw power can be put into more uses such as drying wheel, car grill, and motorcycles.
If you’re concerned that the powerful motor may get uncomfortably noisy, the AA255 eliminates this issue using its built-in air and noise diffuser. You can operate it at peak power and it will still run very smoothly.
You’ll also appreciate the fact that some essential components such as the cloth filter and foam sleeve, are reusable, effectively minimizes operation costs while preserving efficiency.
Finally, there’s a neat convenience feature that automatically shuts off the vacuum when a potential overflow is detected. It protects the tool and also makes the cleaning process more productive.
Design: Strong Body with Accessory Storage
The entire main unit of this vacuum is made of hard plastic. Because the AA255 is intended for home use, its material build is strong enough to meet the demands of regular vacuuming.
A design feature that improves the tool’s suitability for car and house vacuuming is an on-board hose and accessory storage support. Unique grooves, spaces, and columns have been added strategically around the tool’s back to offer on-board storage.
You can go out of the house to clean your car and other items with all the accessories you need, saving you the pain of darting back and forth into the garage to fetch them.
Also neatly concealed on the housing’s side is hose a storage groove, which helps with the management of the 10-foot-long attachment. You don’t have to detach the hose for storage.
The top handle is big and strong to offer a firm grip on the tool. It also has an adequate clearance between it the top cover, so that your entire hand fits around it comfortably, even with gloves on.
At the top of the handle is a well-positioned large switch, which is within the reach of your thumb for easy operation. The switch is also dust-sealed to keep it free of dirt and minimize the chances of it failing.
Portability: A Compact and Low-Weight Build
Even with its abundance of features, which would naturally make it weighty, the AA255 manages to contain its weight to 7 pounds, which is almost in the lightweight category.
Considering the tool’s 2.5 HP motor, large tank, and other design features, weight management is very commendable. It is easy to carry around with you especially if you’re doing most the vacuuming around the home.
It’s worth noting that in most cleaning cases, the tool will be resting on the ground, so its weight should not pose any challenges. Portability over short distances is further enhanced by the vacuum’s compact body.
Then there’s the 10-foot-long power cord and 6-foot-long vacuum hose. These decent lengths enhance portability and reach in a unique way.
After setting the vacuum in a suitable position, the hose length offers good reach, meaning you won’t have to keep shifting the unit. Also, the long cord ensures you can vacuum in areas that are considerably far from the tool.
When the tank is full, however, expect the tool’s gross weight to increase, perhaps to levels that would inhibit easy portability. That’s why the absence of a wheel kit on this vacuum comes as a disappointment to many.
Ease of Storage: Space-Efficient Design
Storing the AA255 should not pose any challenges. It is a compact unit measuring just 10.6 x 14.2 x 14.4 inches, and for a shop vac, this size is small.
Another design feature that makes the tool easy to store is its detachable accessories. Since many of the things you attach to it can also be removed, you can store them independently, especially if the available space can’t accommodate them all.
Also, the integrated accessory storage capacity of this tool may come in handy in scenarios where you want to improve work organization by having most of the vacuum’s components close to the unit at all times.
And even though the cord and hose are long, the fact that the tool offers on-board organization facilities for them contributes to ease of storage.
Price: A Great Bargain for the Value
With all the impressive features that Armor All AA255, you’d think that the vacuum is pricey, but on the contrary, it is one of the most affordable models in its class.
For less than $50, you are getting a lot of value that would typically cost more. There’s the powerful motor, a decent tank capacity, and the tool’s support for a blower function you can easily switch to for more versatility.
It also comes with plenty of accessories that will boost tool productivity by a great deal. You’ll especially enjoy using the detail brush and deluxe car nozzle, which are reliable in the removal of hidden dirt.
Another shop vac that competes well with this one is Armor All VOM205P0901. It offers near-similar performance to the AA255 including a 2.0 HP motor, a 2.5-gallon tank, and a 10-foot-long power cord.
Also, the VOM205P0901 can be wall-mounted for easier storage, and given that it weighs 5.6 pounds, it certainly outperforms the AA255 in portability as well.
Read More: The Best Wall-Mounted Shop Vac
That said, the VOM205P0901 shop vac costs more than the AA255 by a small margin, making the latter a better deal.
Verdict
The power and versatility combination makes this shop vac ideal for car and homeowners looking to step up their cleaning productivity.
A 2.0 HP motor combines excellently with a sizeable 2.5-gallon tank to offer the right combination of power, performance, and usability for productive can interior, and home cleaning.
Specs
- Product Name: Armor All AA255
- Product Brand: Armor
- Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 14.2 x 14.4 inches
- Power Source: Corded-electric
- Power Input: 120V
- Air Watts: 95W
- Peak Power: 2.0 HP
- Max. Airflow: 53 CFM
- Sealed Pressure: 47.4 inches (of water)
- Capacity: 2.5 gallons (10 liters)
- Hose Length: 6 feet
- Hose Size: 1.25 inches
- Cord Length: 10 feet
- Rear Blower Power: Yes
- Built-in Air Diffuser: Yes
- Product Weight: 7 pounds
- Warranty: 2 years (limited)
Key Features
- A powerful 2.0 HP motor delivers reliable power across wet/dry pick-ups
- Easy conversion to a blower function that boosts tool utility
- Built-in air and noise diffuser enhance quiet and efficient tool operation
- A durable 2.5-gallon polypropylene tank for reliable debris collection
- Automatic shut-off feature prevents tank overflow for tool protection
- The tool’s unique design incorporates onboard accessory and hose storage
- A long, 10-foot power cord offers decent reach while enhancing portability
- The firm to handle housed a dust-sealed switch for protection and durability