Oneida announced a new Benchtop Mini personal dust collector, which is intended to remove dust from rotary tools and other dust-creators that often lack vacuum ports.
The Oneida Benchtop Mini has a dual-filter design, with a blue pre-filter on the outside and MERV 12 inner filter.
The filter has a variable speed control, and can move up to 450 CFM of airflow. Its noise level is 63 dBA at 10 feet.
According to Oneida’s marketing video, the Benchtop mini dust collector can capture 90% of dust in the 3 to 10 micron range.
From the video, we get a glimpse at the axial-style fan.
They also show that the inner filter is a standard 14″ x 14″ x 1″ furnace-style filter.
The Benchtop Mini is considerably smaller than the “Classic Benchtop,” which should make it lighter to move and easier to fit onto smaller tables or workbenches.
The Mini comes with side vanes to help improve its capture.
- Weighs 11.62 lbs
- 10-1/2″ width x 21-1/2″ depth x 15″ height
Price: $339 + shipping ($29 to my zip code)
Discussion
From the video, it looks like the new Oneida Mini personal dust collector accepts a standard 14″ x 14″ x 1″ furnace filter, which are readily available at home centers. You’ll still need to source a pre-filter, in case the supplied filter cannot be easily reused.
(I’m very sensitive to replacement filter availability, having been stuck with an air cleaner with proprietary filter size before.)
Oneida’s “classic” Benchtop dust collector was priced at $580 when it launched in January 2021, and is currently priced at $699. The mini is $339.
When the Benchtop launched, Oneida said it delivered 535 CFM (actual) and 830 CFM (free fan rating) airflow. Their website now lists it as delivering 481 CFM. I asked Oneida to confirm the lower specs, but they never responded.
The Benchtop has “multiple low voltage fan motors” with 3A typical power draw, and delivers 481 CFM max airflow. The Mini has a “low voltage fan motor” with 1A typical power draw, and delivers 450 CFM max airflow.
The Mini isn’t as powerful as the “Classic” model, but it is smaller, lighter, and considerably less expensive.
Oneida’s “captures 90% of dust in the 3 to 10 micron range” efficiency claim seems a bit disappointing, but we can at least trust that it’s honest and sets reasonable expectations.
There are few options when it comes to benchtop dust collection, such as when using hobby or precision grinding, sanding, or cutting tools. It’s good to have more options.
Compare
Oneida’s marketing video says theirs is “the only collector for tools without dust ports,” but there are other options.
Grizzly and PSI offer benchtop dust collectors and air filters for woodworking applications. Other brands, such as Foredom, also make benchtop hoods, filters, and dust collector vacs.
At the time of this posting, the Grizzly is $266 with free shipping, and the PSI is $250 plus $20 shipping.
