Cat® C21V Stainless Steel HEPA Wet/Dry Vacuum, 21 Gallon Cap., 120 CFM, 50-Ft Cord

Cat® C21V Stainless Steel HEPA Wet/Dry Vacuum Features

Engineered for commercial facilities maintenance, industrial floor care, and job-site cleanup requiring both wet and dry vacuum capability in a single machine, the Cat® C21V is a 21-gallon HEPA wet dry vacuum with a 120 CFM motor, 70-inch water lift, and a 50-foot power cord that covers large floor areas without outlet changes. A stainless steel drum with black powder-coat dolly frame, two large rear wheels, and two front casters delivers the mobility expected of Cat® commercial equipment. Three-stage filtration — disposable bags, cartridge filter, and a final-stage HEPA filter — captures fine particulate alongside large debris and wet material in the same cleaning pass.

For facilities where wet vacuuming is routine — restroom maintenance, flood response, kitchen floors, loading docks, and production areas — the Cat® C21V's GFCI plug provides automatic shock protection when the vacuum contacts water. Seven accessories ship with the unit: metal crevice tool, round brush, two extension wands, dry floor nozzle, squeegee nozzle, and on-board storage for all attachments. Every accessory needed for a commercial deep clean is included, ready to use from the first shift.

Technical Specifications

Commercial and Industrial Applications

To maintain cleanliness across a wide range of surface and debris conditions, the Cat® C21V is deployed in building services and janitorial operations cleaning commercial flooring and restrooms, construction and renovation sites where fine drywall dust and coarse debris must both be captured, food service environments where wet floor cleanup and hygiene compliance coexist, warehouse and distribution center maintenance where spills and bulk debris occur in the same shift, and laboratories requiring HEPA-level filtration for respirable particulate control.

Cat® C21V vs. Typical Industrial Vacuum

Academic and Institutional Pricing

LabSupplies.com offers tiered quantity pricing for academic and research institutions. As an authorized dealer, we ship directly from USA inventory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the GFCI plug on the Cat® C21V vacuum do?

The GFCI plug on the Cat® C21V protects the operator from electrical shock when vacuuming water, wet floors, or any environment where the vacuum contacts moisture. Unlike a standard plug that continues delivering current during a fault, a GFCI plug trips and cuts power within milliseconds. For facilities where wet vacuuming is routine — flood cleanup, restroom maintenance, kitchen areas, or loading docks — the GFCI plug is a critical safety feature.

What is the 3-stage filtration system in the Cat® C21V?

Three filtration stages work in sequence: disposable filter bags capture large debris and wet material first, protecting the finer filters. A cartridge filter then removes mid-range fine dust. Finally, a HEPA filter captures particles as small as 0.3 microns at 99.97% efficiency — the standard used in hospital and cleanroom air filtration — so the C21V handles both coarse job-site debris and fine respirable particulate in a single pass.

Why does the Cat® C21V have a 50-foot power cord?

A 50-foot cord allows a single operator to clean a large area without unplugging and relocating to a new outlet. Standard industrial shop vacuums carry 20-to-35-foot cords, requiring multiple outlet changes when cleaning large commercial floors, production bays, or hallways. For facilities maintenance teams, eliminating those interruptions is a productivity gain across every cleaning cycle. The 50-foot cord also supports elevated access — stairwells, mezzanines, and elevated equipment platforms — where the nearest floor outlet is far from the work area.

What is the difference between the Cat® C21V and Cat® C16V?

Both the C21V and C16V are Cat® stainless steel HEPA wet/dry vacuums in the same Cat® vacuum family. Capacity is the primary differentiator: the C21V holds 21 gallons, suited for extended cleaning sessions in large commercial and industrial spaces without frequent emptying, while the C16V is the smaller-capacity model for tighter spaces or lighter-duty applications. Both models share the Cat® HEPA filtration system, stainless steel drum construction, GFCI plug, and dolly-design mobility. For high-volume janitorial and facility maintenance operations, the C21V's larger drum reduces service interruptions per cleaning cycle.

Cat® Commercial Vacuum Line

The Cat® C21V is part of Cat®2019s commercial vacuum line. Smaller Cat® HEPA vacuums — the C16V and C06V — serve lighter-duty applications. For large-area powered floor maintenance, Cat®2019s walk-behind and ride-on floor scrubber line is also available at LabSupplies.com with authorized dealer pricing and USA inventory shipping.