I have owned many cordless handheld vacuums over the years that I have maintained a home and this Black & Decker PHV1800 is by far the best handheld dust buster vacuum I have ever owned. The nozzle folds down for storage and can be positioned at practically any angle depending on the job at hand. This vacuum has plenty of power at even the lower of the two power settings and picks up just about anything from cat litter to potting soil to food crumbs, you name it and I have probably used this to get it cleaned up. The nozzle also has an extendable piece that comes out from the main part to make it longer to reach under appliances or in the crevices of the car or the livingroom sofa. There is a really neat part on the side of the unit that you can turn to kind of knock debris off of the filter while you are using it so you don't lose any suction that works really well. This vacuum is very easy to clean out, the side door swings open and the filter comes right out for cleaning or replacing. I use mine just about every day and would go buy another one if something happened to this one.

twinsmom00

Brodheadsville, PA

This is by far the most awesome device I own. I have a toddler who is a messy eater, and it's such a pain to have to get out the big vacuum to clean up after his meals. With this, I clean up in less than a minute. I love that it swivels around, so that you can get at crumbs, fuzzies, dirt, etc. from many different angles. It has a very strong suction (it even vacuums leaves). When you want to dispose of the items that you vacuumed, all you have to do is take it over to your trash, unhook the storage compartment from the main vacuum, and then unhook the cover and dump it out. It sounds much more complicated than it really is. It's incredibly light weight (I often use it while holding my 22.5 lb child in the other hand), and can fit into spaces that a regular vacuum cannot. One of my favorite uses is to vacuum the stairs. My regular vacuum is too big to fit on the stairs, so I use this before company comes and it works like a charm. You do have to charge it after using, but that's not that big of a deal. I do suggest plugging it in somewhere where you can't see it from your bedroom, because while it's charging, a rather bright blueish green light goes on.

mommabear8809

Charlottesville, VA

The problem with many handheld vacuums that I've had over the years is that the power seems to diminish over time no matter how fully charged the unit is. I've had this Black & Decker hand vacuum for over a year now, and I have not seen any noticeable difference in power since the day I first received it. I like that it does not have a bag, although the filter does need to be cleaned fairly often. One thing to note when you have a bagless vacuum is that if you're afraid of insects and spiders and use a vacuum to suck them up, you aren't able to just toss the bag away. You need to actually physically empty out the contents of the chamber, which means you may have an unsettling visit with the creature again. This vacuum has 2 power settings, low and high, and I find that the high is obviously more effective in pretty much every situation. So I don't use the low setting unless I'm trying to be more quiet.

djkao522

Saratoga, CA

We were very excited upon receiving this hand-held cyclonic vacuum as a gift.  With two young children, we are constantly confronted with little messes, often in crevices and tricky places.  This seemed like a perfect solution to pulling out the large vacuum cleaner every time.  There are a few features that I do like.  The design allows the vacuum to sit straight in the charger, taking less space.  I can see the capacity in the canister and easily determine if it needs to be emptied; the canister lid is easy to open. There are many things that make this vacuum less than ideal.  The swivel head and its extendable piece do not really help at all with reaching small or odd places.  In fact, when the head is extended, it does not stay in place and it retracts with the slightest pressure.  Small items (like cheerios) easily become wedged between the head and the canister if the head is positioned at even the slightest angle. The battery life is very short, and the vacuum needs to rest constantly on the charger in order for it to be ready for quick use.  The suction power is only adequate for items on smooth surfaces.  I have found that it is almost pointless to attempt using this vacuum to clean out the car as it does not pick up anything from the carpet, and it cannot be used between seats or around any type of corner. Overall, I would not spend my own money for this vacuum or specifically request the item.

zachnmasmom

Creedmoor, NC

This vaccuum usually gets the job done, but doesnt do an exceptional job and is a little pricey for not such a great product. It works much better on hard floors than carpets. The carpret attachement clogs with hair and dirt quickly and the battery does not last too long- suction quickly decreases in strength. It is clunky, heavy, and not easy to store for convienet use; although, the attachement and unit do fit nicely into the base provided. One benefit of the vaccuum is that it is very easy to clean and it is bagless which makes using it for large spills and clean ups easy. The replacement filters are also fairly inexpensive, so even though they do need to replaced somewhat frequently, it is easy to replace them and doesn't cost much. The vaccum nossel is poorly designed for cleaning corners and stairs; it is difficult to get the nossel into tight places. Although we will continue to use ours until it breaks, I would not reccommend it.

lhoffman824

Groton, CT

This thing will suck up just about anything!!  It has awesome power.  I have vacuumed up everything from animal hair to kitty litter to Cherrios.  It has a nozzle that adjusts to different angles.  This is an especially helpful feature when trying to get in awkward spots.  It has two speeds, high and low.  With the good aspects, it also had a few undesirable qualities.  One of them being the fact that the filter is a PAIN to clean!!  Particularly if you have vacuumed up something small such as kitty litter. It is cordless.  However, the charge runs out very quickly.  You have to practically leave it on the charger 100 percent of the time.  It is one of the more expensive models - but I'm not sure it is worth the price difference.  I believe that for your money you could get a cheaper handheld vacuum of similar quality.  In the end, it is a decent vacuum.  Not sure it is worth the added expense. 

kroman1980

Blackwood, NJ

I wanted somethign which is compact so that I can hide it in my living room. I strongly endorse this product. It is extremely functional, very powerful, and works for a very long time on a charge. I can clean the stairs, plus one or two cars on a single charge. By the time this thing runs out of power, I am usually bored with vacuuming! Power wise, it is more than enough for most jobs. This model bears little in common with the first generation hand vacs that were barely good for getting a few crumbs off a bare floor.In the summer, I use it to vacuum bugs from inside the house. It's less gross than splattering them with a fly swatter and it can actually grab bugs mid air. I sometimes don't park it in the charger to allow it to totally discharge before recharging it. I also think that not letting the battery "cook" in the charging stand may facilitate a longer battery life. While the Dyson Root sounds like fun, I think that 6 minutes per charge sounds a little too wimpy. I don't even know the length of time the B&D works because it lasts long enough for all of my jobs. One message here, if you are in the market for a hand vac, look no further! This is the one! Buy it!

anamica777

Corning, NY

I am a two-time loser of this product.  Meaning, I have purchased two, and both have disappointed in the long run.  Why did I purchase a second after the first failed?  Because I thought it was my fault, I thought I was too rough on it.  Let me explain. I have a 2 year old and a 3 year old, both very messy and very anti-utencils.  I purchased this vacuum because it was in the middle to upper price limit and was a well-known vacuum brandname.  When we got it home we were very happy with the suction and overall performance.  But it can be daunting to clean it out, especially when dealing with food particles.  The door that opens to expose the filters and debris to dump broke.  This is one area I thought I was just too rough because I would open and close it frequently and was not gentle in doing so.  There were also various plastic pieces that broke off or splintered, all of this in the course of a year or less.  So we bought a different brand/model, and were not happy with it at all.  It did not have near the suction or power of the Black and Decker.  So that is why I decided to buy another one and just take better care of it.  Yep, didn't work.  The door still broke, little pieces still chipped off, and worse yet, this one stopped holding a decent charge for any period of time after a couple of months of having it.  We kept it on the charger all day and could barely get one use out of it before the battery would die.  I definitely could have taken it back and exchanged it, but I was determined to call Black & Decker and just let them know about all the problems and hopefully encourage them to improve the product, and maybe get another one through them.  Life and 2 kids took over and I kept putting it off and never did it and now I am stuck with a worthless handheld vacuum and 2, still very messy kids. In the market to buy another one, but will not be going for 3 strikes out...stay away from this model!

SAHMommyof2

Palm Harbor, FL

My B&D PHV 1800 has very little suction ever since I purchased it a year ago.  Although it is annoyingly loud and spews dust in the air, it can't pick up much more that a few crumbs.   I have read reviews on what this model is supposed to do; but the model that I purchased does not.  Somebody please tell me about a source of information where they actual measure the suction on vacuums cleaners (not just compare manufacturer's literature).

versace

Herndon, VA