$55 Makita Dust Cyclone Is Only $12 on eBay (from China)

Stuart over at ToolGuyd posted an article about a new dust cyclone attachment (199553-5) for Makita cordless vacuums that separates the dust before it has a chance to clog the dust filter. The nifty little accessory attaches inline between the extension "wand" and the handheld vacuum unit to act as the first stage of fine dust collection before the main bag. There is one problem though; the Makita Dust Cyclone is currently priced at $55 on Amazon, yet looks nearly identical to one that can be found on eBay for as little as $12.

The Makita version seems overpriced at $55 but we shouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet; maybe that is not the final price and Amazon made a mistake? Upon further research, I see the Ohio Power Tool has it listed for $45; but right above that price is the MSRP of $60... Ouch. BUY - Amazon

However; we can't assume they are the same. Build quality means a lot and we have no idea if the Makita model is built with higher quality materials that justify the higher cost. One thing to note is that the Makita dust cyclone has button-tabs that release the canister, while the China model uses a twist-on method that could be less secure. We also can't be sure if the China model would even fit the Makita Cordless Vacuum.

If you were thinking of purchasing this style dust cyclone separator for use on another vacuum, the China model seems like the best option. You don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that might not work, plus you can find both 32mm and 35mm models on eBay. BUY - eBay BUY - Amazon

H/T - ToolGuyd