For years, my car felt like a constant battleground against crumbs, pet hair, and the occasional spilled drink. My regular household vacuum was too bulky to maneuver, and the small, cordless ones I tried just didn’t have the power to lift the stubborn dirt from the floor mats. I knew I needed a dedicated, powerful, yet compact solution before the mess became a permanent feature of my vehicle. A tool like the Armor All® AA155 would have saved me so much frustration.
A portable wet/dry vacuum is an indispensable tool for anyone who frequently deals with messes in their car, workshop, or home. They are designed to tackle everything from sawdust and dirt to liquid spills, offering a level of versatility that standard vacuums can’t match. The ideal customer for this category is a car enthusiast who loves a pristine interior, a DIY hobbyist who needs quick cleanup for small projects, or a pet owner tired of lugging a heavy machine out for every little accident. These vacuums excel in convenience and targeted cleaning.
However, this type of vacuum isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking to clean a large, flooded basement or need to suck up debris across an entire garage floor, a small, portable unit will be inefficient and frustrating. In those cases, a larger, high-capacity shop vacuum with a 10-gallon tank or more would be a much better investment. Before you buy, consider these crucial factors: power (measured in Peak HP), tank capacity, portability and weight, the included attachments, and the total reach provided by the hose and power cord combined. Thinking through these points will ensure you get a tool that fits your specific needs.
- COMPACT AND PORTABLE: Equipped with balanced top handle to clean up small messes on the go!
- WALL MOUNTABLE: For convenient storage
Getting Acquainted with the Armor All AA155
The Armor All® AA155 1.5-Gallon 2 Peak HP Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum is a compact and vibrant orange cleaning machine that promises significant power in a small, easy-to-carry form factor. It’s designed to be the go-to solution for quick, tough cleanups, whether they’re wet or dry. When you unbox it, you’ll find the main vacuum unit, a 4-foot hose, a crevice tool for tight spaces, a wider utility nozzle, a reusable cloth filter for dry debris, and a foam sleeve filter for liquids.
This specific model is perfect for individuals living in apartments, car owners who take pride in their vehicle’s cleanliness, and anyone needing a handy cleanup tool for a small workshop or craft area. It is not, however, designed for large-scale commercial cleaning or heavy-duty construction site cleanup. Its strength lies in its portability and convenience for everyday messes.
Pros:
* Extremely compact and lightweight for easy transport and storage.
* Powerful 2 Peak HP motor provides surprisingly strong suction.
* Versatile 3-in-1 function: wet vac, dry vac, and blower.
* Convenient on-board storage for hose and accessories.
* Wall-mountable design saves floor space.
Cons:
* The 4-foot hose and 6-foot cord offer limited reach.
* The hose can sometimes detach from the port during vigorous use.
* The plastic handle clips can be difficult to secure.
- PORTABLE: Lightweight, 2.5-gallon wet dry vac offers unparalleled mobility
- HEAVY-DUTY: Powerful 6.5 Peak HP provides extra power for large projects in the garage, shop and on the jobsite
- Beast Series High-Performance Motor with 320 Air Watts of Power
A Deep Dive into Performance and Features
Powerful Suction in a Small Package
The heart of any vacuum is its motor, and the 2 Peak HP motor in this little machine is truly impressive. When I first got it, I was skeptical. How could something so small and light possibly compete with larger, clunkier vacuums? My doubts vanished the first time I used it. I aimed the nozzle at the floor mat of my car, which was embedded with dirt, tiny pebbles, and crushed leaves from a recent hike. The compact vacuum roared to life and effortlessly pulled everything up, leaving the carpet looking refreshed. It’s a world away from the weak performance of cigarette-lighter-powered car vacs. This power is the key benefit; it means you can perform a deep clean rather than just a superficial one. It effectively lifts debris that has been worked into carpet fibers, making it perfect for auto detailing and stubborn household messes.
The Best of Both Worlds: Wet and Dry Capability
Versatility is where this vacuum truly shines. The ability to handle both dry debris and liquid spills with one machine is a game-changer. Switching between the two functions is straightforward: for dry messes, you use the cloth filter, and for liquids, you swap it out for the foam sleeve. I put this to the test after a mishap involving a full cup of coffee in my car’s center console. After mopping up the excess, I used the wet vac function to pull the remaining liquid from all the sticky nooks and crannies. It handled the job without any issue. Afterward, emptying and rinsing the 1.5-gallon polypropylene tank was simple. This dual-functionality means you are prepared for almost any common spill, from sawdust in the garage to a knocked-over glass of water in the house. This versatile wet/dry vac eliminates the need for multiple cleaning tools, saving you space and money.
Compact, Portable, and Storeable Design
Weighing just 4.6 pounds and featuring a balanced top handle, this vacuum is the definition of portable. I can easily carry it from the garage to the second floor of my house with one hand, without feeling strained. Its small footprint means it doesn’t command a lot of storage space. I keep mine on a shelf in the garage, but it also comes with a wall mount, which is a fantastic feature for keeping it off the floor and out of the way, yet always ready for action. The benefit of this design is its accessibility. Because it’s so easy to grab and use, I find myself cleaning up small messes immediately instead of letting them accumulate. This convenience encourages a cleaner living space and a tidier vehicle.
More Than Just a Vacuum: The Blower Function
A feature that is often overlooked but incredibly useful is the built-in blower. By simply moving the hose from the vacuum port to the blower port on the back of the unit, you transform the machine into a powerful little blower. This is perfect for a variety of tasks. I’ve used it to clear sawdust from my workbench, blow leaves and debris from my front porch, and even to dry the grill and wheels of my car after a wash. It’s also great for blowing dust out of hard-to-reach areas before you vacuum them up. This added function enhances the value of the this Armor All vacuum, effectively giving you two tools in one compact package.
Keeping It All Together: Integrated Storage and Accessories
The Armor All AA155 comes with the essential tools for detailed cleaning: a crevice tool and a utility nozzle. The crevice tool is invaluable for getting between car seats, along baseboards, and into other tight spaces. The utility nozzle is my go-to for car floor mats and small patches of carpet. What makes this system so user-friendly is the on-board accessory storage. The tools clip securely to the powerhead, so they are always right where you need them. You’ll never have to waste time searching for a misplaced attachment again. The 4-foot hose and 6-foot power cord provide a combined 10 feet of reach, which is generally sufficient for cleaning the interior of a car or a small room when you’re near a power outlet. While a longer cord would be welcome, the convenience of the all-in-one design is a major benefit that streamlines the entire cleaning process.
What Other Users Are Saying
After scouring the internet for feedback, it’s clear my positive experience is shared by many. Users consistently praise this vacuum for its incredible power-to-size ratio, often expressing surprise at how well it performs. Many reviews highlight it as the perfect tool for car detailing, cleaning up after pets, and handling small jobs around the house. Some users did mention a couple of minor flaws, such as the hose having a tendency to pop out of the vacuum port if pulled too hard and one of the handle’s side clips not locking into place perfectly, but the overwhelming consensus is that this is an excellent, powerful, and convenient little vacuum for the price.
The Final Verdict on This Compact Powerhouse
Those persistent, hard-to-reach messes in your car and home don’t have to be a source of constant frustration. Leaving them unattended only makes them harder to clean later. The Armor All® AA155 is a fantastic solution to this problem for two key reasons: it delivers exceptional suction power that defies its compact size, and its 3-in-1 functionality as a wet vac, dry vac, and blower makes it one of the most versatile cleaning tools you can own. For quick, effective cleaning without the hassle of a large machine, this vacuum is an outstanding choice.
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Last update on 2025-10-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API