Tonight my wife and I cleaned out our 5th wheel, getting ready for the arrival of our new Alumascape 31SKT. So after it was emptied I got my "spare" shop vac to finish the job. All the while I used it I kept reminding myself how much I hate this vacuum cleaner. I bought it new about 3 years ago. Shortly after I became "very disappointed" with it. I decided I would use it one more time ,as a spare, until it got filled and then I would trash the whole thing, shop vac and all. It is a Genie xx3500, yellow bottom, black top. The design engineer must have produced it on a dare. Where do I start:
1. You have to "hunt" for the on-off switch. You can't see it unless you get on your hands and knees so you just run your fingers around the top lip and hope you run into it.
2. You have to "hunt" for the handles to lift it. They are just small indents with no markings and again cannot be easily seen. This one requires more patience than I have so I just pick it up by the bottom.
3. The filter falls off into the trash after no more than 10 minutes use. I've tried everything short of epoxy to hold it in place.
4. The vacuum power is strong enough to lift a sheet of tissue paper all by itself
I didn't realize how much a piece of junk it was until I bought a new shop vac. Using this new one almost put me into a frenzy! Never in my life have I enjoyed using a new tool as this new shop-vac, switch right on top, handles sticking out just waiting, filter is there forever, enough suck power to lift a 5" slab of concrete (well it seems like it anyway).
Ok, I feel better now...thanks for listening.

That was a sad post.
I thought for a while at dinner tonite of what tool was the worst that I have bought. My garage looks like a Sears tool outlet and there just has to be something useless that i have gotten over the years. But for the life of me, I even like the ol flea bitten sofa that I have in the garage next to the mini fridge.
The sad (and yet funny) part of your post was that you were going to keep the vaccuum long enough to fill it up with dirt one more time and THEN throw it away. (No chance of turning it into a go-cart engine, i guess its time to toss it. )
Sorry ol buddy

quote:

Whats the worst tool you ever bought?

Probably the 'Easy Button' from Staples. We have joked about it so much that I got one (free) from Staples ...well, the darn thing just doesn't make things any easier. ...but we still have fun with it.

As for your vacuum cleaner, I suggest that you put RED electrical tape at both the switch and pickup points but to solve the vacumm suction, that is another story.

Rich

Our RV trip to Alaska

A reversing ratchet screwdriver with interchangeable bits. I used it a couple of times before it fell apart. The ratchet gears only worked part of the time and the little BB thing that holds in the bit kept falling out. I don't know where I got it, but I sure hope it was free!

A paint brush. I really don't like to paint and if I hadn't gotten a paint brush I just know my wife wouldn't expect me to paint!

The wife gave a pair of fancy pliers that did not complete the first use before they broke. She was so proud of her purchase; I never had the nerve to tell her how long they lasted. They are still in the tool chest.

Dave.

Well I take back my
"..I don't think I've ever bought a useless tool.."
as soon as my eyes saw that 'paint brush' word. That post called off the party .
Been there, done that.

Useless to me has to be my timing light. Wife bought it for me probably 15 yrs ago and it has never been opened. Never have had occasion to have to use it.