Mullet M5 dust collector review

Looking for the best dust collection system for your small workshop? This post will talk about different options and focus on adding a Mullet M5 cyclonic canister dust collector to your shop vacuum for you best option.

Disclosure: We were provided with a Mullet M5 for free for use in our shop, but were not compensated. This post is based on our experience of use. Clicking a link to their shop in this post will provide us with a small compensation at no expense to you.

Depending on what type of workshop you have and how much sawdust you create, there are lots of options for dust collection.

If you have a small workshop and mostly do woodworking as a hobby, we’ve found that the best option is to use a portable dust collector, like the Mullet Tools M5 dust collection system.

We’ve been using a Mullet M5 for a while now and absolutely love how it works and how it keeps our shop vac from burning out.

The Mullet M5 dust collection system is a great choice for small workshops, but let’s talk about why and what things you need to consider when choosing a dust collection system.

Best dust collection system for a small workshop

There are lots of dust collection systems, each better for different types of workshops. If you have a home workshop and mostly do woodworking as a hobby or for your home, the best dust collection system is the Mullet Tools M5 dust collection system.

If you don’t already have a Mullet M5, the best way to buy one is directly on their website. It has the cheapest price and you can get 10% off using code “CHARLESTONCRAFTED.” You can also purchase one on Amazon, but it costs about $30 more and you can’t get our discount.

Let’s talk about the dust collection options and what to consider and fully review the Mullet M5!

What are the types of dust collectors?

There are lots of categories of dust collectors to choose from, depending on what you need and how often you need them.

Many people choose to just make a mess and clean up their sawdust with a shop vacuum. This is fine from time to time, but you will eventually clog up the filter and burn the motor of your vacuum and have to purchase a new one.

People with large workshops that build furniture for a living will usually use a large dust extractor that attaches to the wall and bags dust or sends it outside. These are usually very expensive and take up a large amount of space in your shop, but they will be the best at minimizing dust in your shop.

For people with a small workshop that do a casual amount of woodworking, a portable cyclonic dust collection system is the best option for collecting dust particles and wood chips and keeping your air clear.

What to consider when picking a dust collector

When choosing a dust collector for your workshop, consider these things:

• how much woodworking you do
• the size of your workshop
• how open your space is
• how much money you have to spend, now and over time
• your need for a fixed or portable system

What type of dust collector is best?

The best type of dust collector is the one that best suits your needs. If you are a hobbyist or just do work in your garage for your own home, you don’t need to purchase a $5,000 system that takes up a large amount of space in your garage.

In this case, you should focus on something small and portable that will work with each of your different tools.

Mullet dust collector review

We recently upgraded our garage workshop with the Mullet M5 Dust Cyclone to help us with dust extraction and help keep our shop vac running longer.

Historically, we have always cut wood with our saws and let the sawdust shoot into the air to filter down all over our stuff. Then, we would use the shop vacuum to suck up what we could later. Dust, wood chips and all.

This has resulted in us having to buy multiple shop vacuums over the years because the filters continue to clog and burn out the motor.

Enter the Mullet cyclone dust collector.

What is the Mullet M5 Dust Cyclone?

The Mullet M5 Dust Cyclone is a dust separator that attaches to a shop vacuum and extracts fine dust and wood chips through a cyclonic separator using the air and suction power from the shop vacuum.

With the Mullet dust collection system, you attach the Mullet M5 unit to your existing shop vac as a secondary piece. The Mullet does not have a power source of it’s own and uses the air suction power from the vacuum to do it’s work.

As air is pulled through the Mullet and the hoses, the cyclone design in the Mullet separates sawdust and drops it into the canister below. This air filtration system means that only air flows into your wet dry vacuum and keeps all the debris in the Mullet.

The Mullet M5 can then be easily dumped out and your shop vac filters and motor will last much longer and not need to be replaced.

How well does a Mullet Tools M5 Dust Cyclone work?

I was kind of skeptical about the Mullet M5 when I first saw it at a conference, but after having burned out two vacuum motors, I had been looking for something that would work in our shop.

The Mullet Tools M5 Dust Cyclone works really well capturing fine dust and wood chips and preventing them from going into the actual vacuum. Minimizing dust is how to get more suction from your shop vacuum. If the filter is clear and the motor is humming, it works at peak performance.

I can do piles of sawdust and see it all go into the Mullet canister and virtually nothing in the vacuum canister. Therefore, it is doing its job extremely well.

Is the Mullet M5 worth the price?

At the time of this post, the Mullet M5 Dust Cyclone costs about $250. That is by no means a cheap price and puts it in a category that most people will have to really think about the purchase.

In my opinion, the Mullet M5 is worth the price, not because of what it does, but because of what it will save you later.

As mentioned, I’ve burned out three different shop vacuum motors in the last five years. A decent shop vac will cost you at least $100 each time and can run to several hundred. Adding the Mullet M5 onto the vacuum will save the filter and motor on your vacuum and keep you from having to buy a new one.

I also believe the Mullet M5 is worth it if you have a small shop and/or share the space with your regular garage storage. The size of the unit is much smaller than a fixed wall dust extraction system and is portable, making it much easier to use and have in your space.

Unless you need five different machines hooked up to a dust collector all at once on a regular basis, the Mullet M5 dust collection system is the best bet for your money.

Mullet M5 dust collector promo code

Remember, if you want to purchase a Mullet M5 dust collection system for your small workshop, the best way to buy one is directly on their website. And use coupon code “CHARLESTONCRAFTED” to get 10% off!

Can you use a shop vac as a dust collector?

You absolutely can use a shop vac as a dust collector. The Mullet M5 dust collection system is designed to keep sawdust out of your shop vac to keep it running longer and giving you more suction power.

A Mullet M5 works with almost any wet dry shop vac on the market. If you vacuum happens to have an angled hose port, they can provide you with a free adapter.

How to set up a Mullet M5 dust collector

We wrote a detailed full post on how to set up a Mullet M5 dust collection system in about 20 minutes! Make sure to check it out to get all the details!