HOTO BlowVac Vacuum Review

New Studio Tools Series!

In this new review series, FutureMusic turns its focus to Studio Tools designed to elevate the way you work in your music production environment. For the first segment, we address a constant battle that all musicians and producers are constantly battling: DUST!

Dust is basically the studio equivalent of an unwanted session musician with a criminal history. It shows up uninvited, gets into everything, and will. not. leave. While typical indoor dust isn’t inherently electrically conductive, it becomes a serious nuisance when it accumulates inside equipment. The first problem is it can obstruct ventilation, coat heat sinks and computer and amplifier fans, reducing the ability to dissipate heat. Worse, dust build up will eventually interfere with switches, potentiometers and connectors, creating unwanted noise whenever manipulated. Beyond scratchy pots and noise, it can also promote intermittent connections and mechanical problems. In other words, dust is not something you do not want to ignore.

For many studio owners, the first line of defense against dust is a bushy makeup brush. The problem is that you’re not actually removing the dust, you’re simply launching it somewhere else in the studio.

The best way to deal with dust is with a vacuum, but dragging out a Dyson with its clumsy hose and attachments, not to mention its overly aggressive suction, is not what you want around your delicate instruments. So we set out on a mission to find the best solution, and we ended up discovering two products totally by accident that not only work well, but also are handsome enough to leave out in the open.

HOTO BlowVac Review

One of our editors was invited to a press event, showcasing the latest innovations in technology. From infrared dashcams to powerful computer hubs to in-ear studio monitors, the event curates and celebrates What’s Next.  It is here we stumbled upon HOTO, a company that develops functional tools that are design forward. For our dedicated readers, the name may ring a bell. We included the HOTO AutoCare Air Duster in last years Holiday Gift Guide with this description: “The Vacuum is quite useful allowing you to mitigate dust on your gear with a delicate brush that punches way above its weight in suction.”

While the AutoCare Air Duster works quite well and is something FutureMusic certainly recommends to smaller studios, HOTO recently released its big brother the HOTO BlowVac Handheld Vacuum. Don’t let the AutoCare moniker put you off, this puppy makes short work of studio dust. We’ve been testing the BlowVac for three months in each of our FutureMusic studios and feel this is the new high-water mark for studio vacuums. In fact, nothing we’ve tested comes close in functionality, effectiveness and aesthetic.

One of the superpowers of the BlowVac was the fact that not only can it be used as a vacuum, but the funneled output acts like a blower…

The BlowVac claims a max suction rate of 23000 Pa. Right then, 23000 means nothing to us either, but we can say with power coming from a 225W brushless motor spinning at up to 130,000 RPM, dust and small debris don’t stand a chance. Three adjustable power settings, 8,000, 15,000 and 23,000 Pa, provide variation for different cleaning tasks. We found the first two settings were appropriate for most music production studio dusting tasks.

One of the superpowers of the BlowVac was the fact that not only can it be used as a vacuum, but the funneled output acts like a blower. Now, we didn’t use this in our studios, but it works miracles if you want to clear dust and debris from hard-to-reach spaces. In fact, we do have these shades on one of our windows that have fabric “tubes” running horizontally. What makes them so annoying is that bugs love to travel to the middle to end their precious lives. Could they decide to give up the ghost near the edges where they can be easily removed? Sure. Do they? No. But with the blower action on the HOTO, we were able to clear several dead bugs and their bodily parts in seconds. No more looking at a misshapen leg or seven. Those things just got jetted into the ether thanks to our new best friend. The blower has an airflow rating of up to 70m/s and HOTO claims that it can function as a pump for inflating mattresses, but that may be asking a bit much from this vac.

A 2500mAh x5 battery pack provides up to 45 minutes of runtime in the first setting. We never spent that amount of time using the vacuum in our studios, but if you do exceed the battery life, the 60W USB-C connection can fully recharge the unit in approximately 90 minutes. Four interchangeable attachments are included for cleaning applications ranging from car interiors and furniture to indoor debris and outdoor messes. We only used the small brush and that worked perfectly. Emptying the dust cup is very straightforward and easy, simply one-click the pop-open mechanism over a garbage can and the canister instantly empties.

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The BlowVac’s filtration is handled by a four-layer system designed to capture fine allergens, including pollen, mites and pet dander. A cyclonic design helps reduce clogging and extends the life of the filter. The U-shaped handle allows you to hang the BlowVac in a convenient location for instant retrieval.

HOTO BlowVac Features and Specs:

• Max Suction: 23000 Pa
• Battery: 2500mAh Lithium-ion
• Rated Voltage: 18V / Rated Power: 225W
• Rated Input: 5V, 2A /9V, 2A /12V, 2A /15V, 3A / 20V, 3A
• Charging Time: Approx. 1.5 hours (20V, 3A)
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
• Operating Noise: Around 79 dB (A)
• Dimensions: 5.33″ × 2.76″ × 11.34″ (135.5×70×288mm)
• Weight: 2.09 lb (948g)
• Accessories:
• 1 x BlowVac Vacuum
• 1 x 2-in-1 Crevice Nozzle
• 1 x Wide Nozzle
• 1 x Blower Nozzle
• 1 x Extension Hose with Adapter
• 1 x USB-C Charging Cable
• 1 x Storage Bag

Conclusion

The HOTO BlowVac weighs in at around 100 beans, which isn’t cheap, but neither is getting your gear serviced. Considering how effective the suction is, the form factor, the battery life, the accessories and the outstanding design, this is the quintessential solution to an ongoing studio problem. Highly Recommended.

The Future: We’d love to see HOTO come up with an attachment strap for hanging the BlowVac up. We’re using a Press Pass lanyard to hang it up in one of our studio’s closet via the curved handle, but a indented metal clip at the base and a dedicated strap with a lobster claw clasp would be a great addition.

A single replacement filter as part of the accessory pack would also be a nice touch.