Do I need a dust separator or a full dust collector?

It depends on your shop. Verified-purchase reviewers consistently use bucket-top separators (like the Dustopper PRO, Dust Deputy, or DeWalt cyclone) ahead of a shop vac to keep the filter clean for occasional cleanup and single tools. For a larger shop running stationary machines like jointers and planers, a dedicated collector such as the WEN DC1300 moves far more air. Many woodworkers run both.