Kärcher WD 3 P Wet and Dry Vacuum [Energy Class A]
Wet and Dry Vacuum
Tackle the toughest cleaning jobs with the Kärcher WD 3 P Wet and Dry vacuum cleaner, a robust machine capable of taking on the jobs too tough for your indoor vac. The WD 3 P syncs up with your power tools to keep mess to a minimum.
Sync with your power tools
Keep mess to a minimum with the WD 3 P machine’s power tool triggered auto-start, which syncs the machine with your power tools.
Get right into the corners
The WD 3 P blower function dislodges dust from corners and hard-to-reach places.
For the toughest jobs
The WD 3 P is designed to tackle the jobs too tough for your indoor vacuum, taking on the most stubborn cleaning tasks in the car, garage and garden
Space-saver
The WD 3 P has a compact design which makes the WD 3 P easy to move around and store.
WD 3 P Wet & Dry Vac
Kärcher Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaners
 WD 3 P Wet and Dry Vac |  WD 1 Compact Battery Set |  WD 2 Wet and Dry Vac |  WD 4 Wet and Dry Vac |  WD 5 Wet and Dry Vac |  AD 4 Ash and Dry Vac | |
| Product Weight (Kg) | 5.8 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 5.4 |
| Actual Suction Power (Aw) | 210 | — | 180 | 220 | 240 | 150 |
| Energy Use (W) | 1000 | 18V Battery | 1000 | 1000 | 1100 | 600 |
| Container Capacity/ Material | 17L / Plastic | 7L / Plastic | 12L / Plastic | 20L / Plastic | 25L / Plastic | 17L / Metal |
| Suction Hose Length (M) | 2 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Filter | Cartridge | Cartridge | Cartridge | Flat Pleated | Flat Pleated | Flat Pleated Filter |
| Accessories Included | — | Crevice and upholstery nozzles | Crevice Nozzle | Crevice Nozzle | Crevice Nozzle | — |
| Filter Bags | Paper | Paper | Paper | Fleece | Fleece | — |
| Compatible with Power Tools | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Use with Hot Substances | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Weight: | 5.8 kg |
| Dimensions: | 38.8 x 34 x 50.2 cm; 5.8 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Kärcher |
| Model: | 16298840 |
| Colour: | Yellow |
| Colour: | Yellow |
I really like this vacuum. Excellent suction and relatively easy to manoeuvre although it does tend to fall over quite often
The one problem Is the plastic pipe connector cracked which was really disappointing
I am an electrician and use this vacuum with a chasing machine which i would say is tuff going. The only down side is i need lots of bags however i have not had to change the filter once and have been through around 100 bags so far. I do need to clean it though as any filter would, this vacuum is great value for money, i did however have to purchase the extension hose but that is no big deal. If you are purchasing this for chasing you need to make sure you have plenty of bags stocked up, i am using this in tandem with the metabo 3wheel chasing machine so the dust is allot more than a normal chasing machine and it performs really well. Great purchase
If you are in the market for one of these I highly recommend them, however if you want a vacuum cleaner for the garage and accessories, buy the WD3.
If you want to use as a dust extractor with power tool pass through and activation buy the WD3P, although I would Recommend buying an additional hose extender.
Rationale
The WD3P is designed to take an additional load. The power chord is therefore more substantial and shorter. I have read a number of reviews complaining about the length of the power chord.
Essentially this models prime role is not to get dragged round the house doing your floors, it is for power tool pass through primarily and the accessories supplied reflect this.
The WD3 is intended for thrashing your house or site cleaning. It has a longer thinner power lead and more accessories. It also comes with a 1.5m hose extender in the box which in my opinion is essential. This combined with the long cable means you can go from one end of the house to the other without moving the plug in any average size house. Also the WD3 supplies 5 bags while the WD3P only comes with one so you will need more bags quite quickly.
The supplied brushes with either machine are USELESS and clog up in seconds. Worst design I have seen EVER, so I adjusted my old Dyson brush to use with a reducer. There are ok after market options too.
I’ve had one of these for a few years now and it’s a great shop vac with lots of power. That you can plug tools in and use the auto start feature is brilliant. Connects to dust ports on tools easily. Bags can be difficult to remove when full but not a major fault. Forgotten how many times I’ve trodden on the hose by mistake but it pops back to shape every time. All in all a great vac for the price.
We bought this for our house we are renovating as it is full of dust and rubble. It had really good suction and was light weight. The only thing it could have done with was a brush for carpets. The one provided was better on tile or concrete but was a little awkward to use on carpets, was not easy to pull backwards and forwards. Maybe it should have come with one for tiles and one for carpets but other than that it is great!
Good vacuum cleaner, it two pipe inlets, one for vacuum one for blowing out air. Ideal for pumping up air Ed’s and paddling pools
Used this on my false turf and resin patio after some building work. It works a treat. Brings up the pile on the turf and picked up all of the small bits of rubble left behind.
Excellent as dust extractor for small to medium tasks. I used it with belt sander and orbital sander and was great.
It works well on with power tools collect the dust.
Nice and quiet. Plenty of suction. Nice and lightweight so it’s easy to move around. Saves a lot of work when linked to my Evo mitre saw.
This vacuum is excellent but beware I regularly vacuum naked but one day after several glasses of white lightning managed to get my meat and two vedge stuck in the pipe the little devil wouldn’t let go but luckily my mother turned it off quickly resulting in my testicles being elongated
does the job good enough but I wish they would make the power cable way more flexible. very frustrating trying to untangle it.
I had another vacuum that I rigged up to the dust cyclone dust extraction for the power tools I use for wood working, though it was starting to lose it’s suction.
Anyways I wasn’t sure I would use the pass through electrics which switch on the vacuums when you start the power tool. I did use one when they first came out twenty odd years ago, and it wasn’t great.
I am delighted I did go for this model rather than the cheaper one without the passthrough electrics. It works well and the vacuum has plenty of suction. Also it’s handy to have the bag to take care of the finer particles.
This is my favourite vacuum cleaner and I’ve had some top names before! It’s easy to use, practical with the superb feature of being on 4 wheels which makes it glide effortlessly along as you move to clean. I’ve had it for about two months and so far haven’t even filled the first bag despite using the machine at least twice a week and having a dog and cats. Absolutely superb performance, suction and additional tools really excellen. Because the connections are slimline, it’s so much easier to get into nooks and crannies even without removing the main attachment. A very clever lightweight design and great for heavy duty usage.
Very powerful and great for cleaning carpet. It collects up hair very well and can be used outside.
I love this vacuum for its suction power. It has a lead and so it isn’t very movable. It isn’t so good for carpet cleaning.
I bought this for my husband for Christmas as he’s always cleaning his car and to to go with the rest of his Karcher items.
He absolutely loves it!
We have been living in a building site whilst our extension has been built. This machine is brilliant and sucks everything up including builders debris. Highly recommend it.
Really superb Vacuum for those Home DIY tasks. Very easy to use and exceeded expectations when used alongside my Makita Sander. Being able to plug in the Makita to the Karcher WD3P and control it worked really well, resulting in minimal dust in the house. So wish I had purchased it earlier. My only ask to Karcher would be to provide a longer hose as it is not long enough to reach ceilings when connected to a power tool like my Sander.
Review of Karcher WD3P: Used for building dust/rubble. Lighter than old Karcher and has power take-off (great for corded sanding – pointless with cordless tools). Only drawback is no slide to reduce suction by opening a hole in the tube (great for reducing suction when you vacuum carpet/dust sheets/rockwool). So drilled a hole in one section of tube on this one to replicate the function.
I have cringed at some of things i have sucked up in the vacuum, yet it keeps going without an issue. There is a hole on the back of the vacuum where you can plug the hose in as well – this turns it into a blower.
I always use a bag (for dry stuff) as it is easier to empty and clean, protecting the filter, but you don’t have to.
The main body of the vacuum has slots for all the tools….
a big advantage would be longer and retracting power cable, but it is still a very good vacuum
A great DIY buy, especially if use dust extraction tools that can connect to a vacuum. (adapter included for different size fittings)
The water deflector on the outlet tends to jam up when pine needles are sucked up, it would function better if the outlet spigot larger and lower. The cable is too short for my use, but I wii extend it, I works. for the use thar I intended it fo
Thought I’d put a useful review that talks about the item not the delivery! I bought this about 2 years ago for use in house renovation work. I raved so much about it’s powerful suction and quietness that my wife nicked it off me and threw away her much more expensive Dyson. I bought one for my daughter during her house renovation and she says it’s the best Christmas present she’s ever had! (?) It’s not perfect but it’s the best vacuum on the market in my opinion. Oh and my next vacuum will be a Karcher!
Does a very good job. The auto on is very useful when using with power tools. generous length power cord.
Absolutely great item would recommend to friends can’t go wrong
Great piece of equipment. I still wonder why I bought a cheaper one of 1400W with probably half the suction and only lasted three months before I bought this one.
The on board storage for all the accessories is great. Use good quality dust bags and this is perfect for big jobs around the house and even as a normal home vacuum cleaner.
Very pleased my second one first commandeered by my so
Just the tool needed – so useful and better suited to cleaning up after DIY than either my Dyson or Shark.
The feature where a mains powered tool takes power through the vacuum cleaner is really useful. The cleaner turns on and off with the tool you’re using – so convenient.
Very cheap for what it does, anyone thinking about buying one of these for sanding large areas or whatever other extraction you might need it’s hands down the cheapest way. The only issue it has is when it’s empty is so light it can topple easily, that’s my only complaint, it’s amazing otherwise. Need cheap tools, get one.
Bought to support works around the house (not general cleaning), it has a great feature where it has a socket built in and if you are using power tools via the socket when you use the tools suction attachment the hoover starts and stops with the tools use.
I am replacing like for like. My Karcher has just died and I need this piece of kit. I have had this vacuum for 3 years which may not sound a long time but I have worked it really hard. I use it mainly as a dust extractor, powering my sander from it . The auto start stop and the onboard PowerPoint are features I really like. I have also used it for a flat renovation where it again was the dust extractor when I was using an angle grinder and to keep cleaning up general DIY dirt & dust. I am the General go to person for DIY emergencies amongst my family and friend and this vacuum has been invaluable in for emptying blocked sinks and sucked a blockage out of a pipe. So I could by a more expensive dust extractor but I would still have to buy other machines to cover its other uses. For me the way I work this machine and for all the features I am more than happy
I also have a Karcher Jet Wash and my latest addition is a Karcher battery hedge cutter both also very good but don’t have the hard life my poor vacuum gets
Great product! Bought for my workshop to use with my power tools and it works great. Very pleased of how easy it is to use and it’s performance. Would definitely recommend.
My old Karcher lasted 20 years and that took some abuse!
This one is lichter and even better,one thing tough,It would be usefull if the lead was a bit longer.
Good price too!
Got the house sorted with minimal effort, cord could be longer which would make it easier to manoeuvre
Quieter than any I’ve ever had before but same great suction. Like the sync feature where the vac turn on and off with my sander. Easy assembly. Just works. Cant ask for more.
This machine has been used mainly for vacuming after DIY and for outdoor cleaning.
I really love this machine, it seems to be high quality and pleasant enough to use. In comparison to my previous Earlex which looked similar but much cheaper, this Karcher WD3P is far more superior in every way. It is relatively quieter without that horrible high pitch noise, while the suction is far more powerful. The floor tool is also very efficient, capable of picking up most dirt on even tricky surfaces. The filter bags are expensive but much more robust and appear to retain any fine brick dust from escaping. It rolls around quite smoothly most of the times and does not constantly topple over like the Earlex. One of the best features is the power tool switch / connector, it has really made work much easier and cleaner. The only negative feature is the short extension lead but I guess I could live with that.
Based on the overall features and high performance, I think this machine represents very good value for the domestic user.
I use it at home and I’m quite happy with the item. Can’t see it for industrial use, but it’s something between DIY and professional tool. Perfect for home or small business use.
best purchase, was for cars and garage and my heavy DIYing, then took it to building site with me,
yes the hose and cable short but we had extension cords, and everyone thought it was in above its head,
but we just used a few *Genuine bags, and just kept going, filling up bag after bag felt clean n good, easy to unclog.
bags otherwise last few months unless youre at a proper build site
Powerful, lightweight, easy to use. It has all the attachments I need, including for cleaning the floor and attaching power tools. It picks up dust, wood shavings, leaves, nails, etc with ease, and seems much more powerful than my indoor vac. The power tool attachment is well designed to fit several different size nozzles. The power takeoff that runs the vac only while you’re actually using the tool also works well. The blower function is powerful, and useful for blowing dust out of drilled holes before fitting plugs and screws.
So far I’ve only used it for dry vacing with a bag.
It is very strong and sturdy. Only problem is that it comes with no accessories.
Overall a great buy anyway.
Works brilliantly after getting a replacement part and having machine serviced. Initially had problems with the screw-in plug that is supposed to keep the filter in place. Was missing at first then the one that was sent was very loose. Filter kept falling off so dust was allowed into the workings of the machine. Spoke to Amazon and returned to Karcher who got the machine repaired and back to me in four days. Suction is excellent, including when connected to workshop machinery.
Excellent vacuum cleaner with good suction and easy to use
Power tool feature is brilliant and really helps operation and cables.
Only used it as a Hoover so far but find it very impressive
Great extractor, the accessories are a little flimsy but overall happy with i
This product is perfect, does exactly what it says it does and more. Fantastic suction, very easy to use. Would definitely buy again if needed.
Currently on my second machine. Have had no problems with short flex, brittle hose or any of the other problems mentioned. I’m a tradesman, so this machine is put through its paces. The only thing stopping it picking up everything in its path is the nozzle/hose diameter. On board socket is really useful for power tools. I’d recommend buying the Karcher bags rather than copies, they are worth the extra. The filter is easily removed and cleaned by tapping it against a wall. The hose extension kit is well worth the money too. A bit expensive and underwhelming when it arrives, but essential for connecting up to power tools and vacuuming stairs. The only fault I have had with both models is that the retaining clips that hold there top/motor in place become loose after a while and don’t always grip firmly. But for this price I’hd happily buy one every year. Fortunately I don’t have to even though it gets used virtually every working day.
Excellent! As a vacuum in the garage it is so convenient for both cleaning up and the power tool connection (including the power output) is superb as the hose plugs directly into both the compound sliding saw and the plunge saw without adapters.
The wet vac really came into its own when the car’s carpets got soaked. Thoroughly recommended.
The only way it could be improved would be if it had 5 wheels for extra stability when pulling around otherwise an excellent machine.
Brilliant! Use it to clean bilge water and oil from my boat. Plus I have the ash accessory so it cleans out my wood burner. Plus it sucks up broken glass etc. Very pleased with it.
You should have one for you.
This is a good all round vac. The difference it makes when sanding is exceptional and better for you room and lungs (always where a face mask). It cleans up all manner of dust and diy debris. Recommended
Lightweight and easy to use. Great for cleaning the carpets, they can be washed and dried with this machine. Love it!
I bought this for my garage/garden and have used it to pick up leaves and liquid and it works well.
I was looking for lightweight vac. It has great suction which is important to me. The power cord is a bit short but it is a great cleane
Most Men don’t like doing house chores, but this vacuum is like it was built by a man for a man! Without being to sexist, this hoover ticks 90’s of the boxes.
It’s very tidy to store away with the only hoover I’ve used that has unique spaces to stow away it’s own kit within its own body.
It has in/out air circulation, so can be used as blower also.
The only down side to it is the power cord could have been a couple of meters longe
Used it later to get the water out of the carpet after it had been cleaned – again did the job effortlessly. I thought we might use it during the renovations then go back to a regular domestic hoover, but I’ll be sticking with this. Highly recommended.
I only use this indoor. I wouldn’t use a standard hoover to pick up the litter that my cat likes to sprinkle enthusiastically around his toilet, but this works great for that. Also really good at picking up cat fur from cushions/couches. So far very happy with it.
This machine is fantastic! I will never go back to Dyson.
Bought this to vacuum Astro turf and it works well
The usual Karcher quality, My last vac was 1500w, this modal is 1000w but I can’t see any
any difference in suction power, well designed.
It’s a good device and I have no hesitation to recommend
Shakeel Aziz
Very good suction and brush head.Sadly one of the pipes has broken ,not strong enough to match the force needed to push the brush.
Very pleased with the Karcher, it did all I expected it to do
Good vacuum cleaner for the workshop at a great price.
Update – Having used the vacuum for a while I have an observation to make. The removable top section is held on with plastic clips which are not particularly secure. I’ve had them come undone and the top lift off a few times now which isn’t a huge problem but is annoying when you are using the vacuum. I’ve secured them with tywraps now which works, but a better clip design would improve it. Still very happy with the vacuum and i use it on all my power tools with the power take off.
works well with excellent suction for cleaning the car to attaching to a sander with minimal dust in ai
I have many other Karcher products & this one did not disappoint either very powerful, excellent addition to my Karcher family.
I am on the second one as the first I use for my DIY projects. My wife would not any other vacuum as this one is powerful and yet relatively ligh
very pleased with performance, lightweight and dealt wth our kitchen flood very well
Easy to use. My carpets have never looked cleaner and nicer.
Much better design than it’s predecessor – which I had for ten years!
I have one of the older Karcher vacs with power take off and was disapointed that I couldn’t get a second one becuase this was not even listed on their website until recently. They did have a WD3 and it is very important you get the one with an extra P because other shops are still selling the WD3 for more than the cost of this one. This one is the best as it has a power outlet for power tools and as soon as you operate the power tool, the vac starts and then has a few seconds of overrun when you stop the tool to clear the chips from the hose. This model is quite compact and well balanced for pulling around by the hose without falling over.
good in garage,cleaning out animals ect,good suction,easy to clean ou
A great vacuum cleaner for the workshop. It will power through most wood chippings, lumps of mortar etc. Comes with a good variety of attatchments and can be used for dust extraction. The only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is because it’s hard to get hold of large Karcher bags…
THE VAC
The Karcher WD3 P vacuum cleaner is engineered and manufactured in Germany, so one would expect it to be well built…which it is. It has a simple design with the following features: large capacity centre, an on and off switch, power outlet for power tools, hose outlet at the front for vacuuming and at the back for the blower function and parking station for the hose if your hovering gets interrupted. It comes with a variety of accessories as highlighted in the product picture: filter carteridge, dust bag, crevice noodle, brush and rubber inserts for the floor noozle, power tool adaptor, the hose with two suction tubes, the manual and the warranty card. This product come with a two year warranty which can be registered online or by post. It’s quite easy to assemble, although the manual isn’t clear with the instructions and the print is small so may be a bit challenging for those with poor eyesight. One thing to note is that the dust bag fits loosely on a hook but doe not affect its performance in any way. It’s a bit tall for your average vacuum cleaner but I had no problems in storing it away. It does not take up much room in my storage cupboard. The suction tubing and extension cords simple stores at the back of the unit.
PERFORMANCE
DRY VACUUMING
This vac is good. It has a powerful suction and gets the job done. I use mine with the brush insert to catch any bit from my carpet and it does it well. However, when I do use the brush insert on carpet, I cannot move it back and forth with ease but only towards myself which is a bit frustrating if you’re used to having the foot noozle gliding back and forth with ease. The dust bag although appears small is quite large and takes awhile before it’s fully up for general household use (unless you’re using it for diy purposes). I’ve had mine for nine months now and the bag hasn’t filled up yet! Haven’t tried the power tool outlet as I’m not a diy enthusiast so can’t comment on that aspect.
WET VACUUMING
As this is a wet vccuum, you have to give it a go at some point, right? It sucks up sludge and liquids with no fuss. I’ve used it to clear up a bit of mud that was on my back porch without loosing suction! Although I haven’t personally try it myself, but because of its large capacity, it can hold a large volume of water (14L I think) so good for draining blocked sinks, loos, tanks etc.
BLOWER
To use the blower function, simple move the hose from the front to the outlet at the back of unit and switch on. Quite good for blowing leaves or inflating an inflatable mattress in minutes.
PROS
Despite its size, it’s quite lightweight. Requires minimal assemble, powerful suction, versitile (wet and dry).
CONS
Loud, prone to toppling over due to high centre of gravity, not stylish in design, difficult to use brush insert on carpet (well mine anyway)
CONCLUSION
Great vacuum cleaner. Good for the practical person who isn’t fussed about design and for those who do a lot of DIY or workshop.
Highly recommend.
Have 2 of these and used both for a while now. Minor niggle with the most recent purchase is that one of the clips doesn’t appear to be engaging, but so far the top has stayed attached to the body. Great suction and long lead plus good attachments
Great bit of kit. Have used with the sander for dust extraction which has been fantastic. Very powerful and nice and light to pull around. My dyson tools fit on the adapter so our old bagless dc02 dyson has gone in the bin. Great value for the money. Wish we had got one years ago.
The new one is working fine and so far no problems.
Excellent product would have given it 5 stars if was supplied with brushes suitable to clean the car interior. The Karcher accessories are to expensive.
Use with bags, or bagless (just make sure you clean the filter regularly if you go “au natural’) and this powerful little sucky thing sucks up everything from rubble to wet leaves. The blow function and combination start features are what drew me to this WD3 over the WD4. Great for keeping in the garage or utility room and it even connects directly to your power tools.
I bought this for a one off messy building job – did what it was supposed to do very effectively on dust and rubble. I haven’t tried it with water yet, we will see.
Used this on some very heavy duty power tools and it has worked great, reducing the level of dust in the room to almost zero.
Powerful vac arrived as scheduled. Suction hose would benefit from being a bit longer.
Get rid of brick dust and small lumps of rubble easy too.
I use it mainly without the bags, as I can empty it into the garden rubbish once all the leaves are collected. Much easier than trying to run about with a broom.
Incredibly powerful, extremely light weight.
Easy to disassemble when cleaning it and has a useful blow function too..
Works well with all my power tools, can’t imagine not having one
In all would by this vacuum again.
Plastic tubes not very good. I will buy a metal ones as it already cracked.
I expected better quality from Krcher.
Lack of carpet and brush tools as well.