DeWalt 16-Gallon Shop Vac (best suction, quietest, priciest)

Won suction power/lift and carpet cleaning outright, plus rated quietest and most energy-efficient of the group.

Significantly the most expensive at ~$270 — worth it if noise and power matter more than value, but Shop-Vac's overall win suggests the extra cost buys real, not dramatic, improvement for most shop use.