Black & Decker dustbuster AdvancedClean+ Pet Hand Vacuum with Base Charger and Extra Filter

Why I picked up this hand vac

I wanted a grab-and-go handheld that could actually deal with pet hair on upholstery and carpeted stairs, not just crumbs on a countertop. The AdvancedClean+ Pet from Black+Decker promises a motorized pet head, an XL dustbin, and a wall-mountable charging base—all in a cordless package. It runs on a 20V MAX lithium-ion battery, which is sold separately, so I sourced a 1 Ah pack and got to work.

Setup and what’s in the box

Out of the box you get the handheld unit, a motorized upholstery/pet brush, the wall-mountable base charger, a pre-filter, and two washable filters (nice touch). Once I snapped in a 20V battery, the vac docked upright in the base and charged without issue. The base can be wall-mounted or used on a counter; I used it freestanding first, then moved it to a wall to save space.

Do note: no battery is included. If you don’t already have a compatible 20V MAX battery, factor that cost in.

Design and ergonomics

At 4.6 lb, the hand vac sits on the heavier side for the category, but the balance is decent once you get used to the top-heavy feel with the battery installed. The elongated “wand” (the built-in crevice tool) slides out from the nose and gives you that extra reach for baseboards, between appliances, and car seats without hunting for loose attachments.

The dustbin is genuinely large for a handheld—Black+Decker calls it XL—and the one-touch dump door opens wide. The latch is easy to operate with your thumb, and the clear bin makes it obvious when it’s time to empty. There’s a two-speed rocker (standard and POWERBOOST) and a battery gauge that’s readable at a glance.

Build-wise, it’s solid plastic with the expected flex at the crevice extension. Nothing felt fragile, but a few design choices warrant attention, which I’ll get into.

Suction and real-world cleaning

Power is the headline here. On standard speed, the AdvancedClean+ Pet is strong enough for everyday debris—kibble scatter, litter tracking, grit on mats, and general dust. It’s not “full-size vacuum” powerful, but for a handheld it’s confident. POWERBOOST noticeably kicks up suction and airflow; this is the mode I reached for with pet hair and heavier messes.

On carpeted stairs, the vac with the motorized pet head lifted embedded human and pet hair well, especially on short to medium pile. It also did a nice job on car mats where sand and hair tend to nest. For hard surfaces, the bare nozzle (no brush) was fine for crumbs and coffee grounds, and the long crevice tool was the MVP for vent tracks and between seat cushions.

The limitation you’ll hit is the intake path just behind the brush head: large clumps of long hair can bridge there and slow the flow. When I pushed too quickly through heavy shedding on a fabric sofa, I had to pause and pull a wad from that choke point. Go slower and you avoid most of those clogs.

The pet tool: good, but not perfect

The motorized upholstery brush uses rubber “nubs” instead of traditional bristles. The benefit is less hair wrap on the roller and better grip on upholstery. In practice, it’s effective on short hair and lint and reasonably good on longer hair. It doesn’t groom into fibers as aggressively as a stiff-bristle roller, so a couple of extra passes were sometimes needed on dense weave fabrics.

Cleaning the roller is mostly a matter of peeling off what does accumulate; there’s less wrap than bristle designs but not zero. I wish the roller popped out more easily for thorough cleaning—it’s serviceable, just not tool-less to the same degree as some premium heads.

One quirk: the pet head connects at the end of that sliding crevice extension. If the extension isn’t fully seated, the head can lose its mechanical connection and stop spinning. Make sure the extension clicks into place before attaching the head. Once I got into that habit, the head stayed engaged.

Battery and runtime

With the 1 Ah 20V battery, I consistently saw about 9–12 minutes of real runtime on standard and roughly 6–7 minutes if I camped in POWERBOOST. That’s inline with the spec and typical for a compact pack. It’s enough for a set of stairs, the car’s front row, or a few spot cleans around the house. For whole-car deep cleans or multiple pets’ worth of upholstery in one go, a second battery is the smarter play.

The battery gauge is helpful, especially because this class of vacuum tends to go from “strong” to “done” quickly. If you already own 20V MAX batteries for other tools, this vac makes more sense; if you don’t, the added battery cost turns this into a more mid-priced purchase.

Filtration and dust management

The dual-stage system (pre-filter plus main filter) keeps airflow steady as the bin fills, and the washable filters are easy to rinse. You also get a spare filter in the box, which means you can swap and keep cleaning while one dries—much appreciated. Hair will wrap the pre-filter over time; a quick brush-off between jobs keeps suction up. The 680 ml bin capacity is generous; I could clean multiple areas before needing to empty.

The one-touch dump door is convenient, but the latch placement is awkward next to the cradle on the charging base. If you plop the vac down at an angle, the base’s front lip can hit the latch and pop the door. I learned to seat it straight down and avoid bumps. If you wall-mount, placing the base a touch lower and approaching the dock vertically helps.

Charging and storage

The base charger stores the vac vertically, saving floor space and keeping the tools accessible. As a dock, it’s tidy, and the wall-mount option is great in a utility closet or mudroom. The charging contacts are a bit sensitive—if the vac isn’t snug, it may not charge—so I got in the habit of glancing at the charge indicator after docking. Once seated correctly, charging was consistent.

Noise

It’s on the louder, higher-pitched side for a handheld. Not painfully shrill, but you’ll notice the tone, especially in small spaces like a car interior. POWERBOOST adds a bit more whine. Ear protection isn’t necessary; a closed door helps if others are nearby.

Maintenance and durability

After several weeks, nothing rattled loose and the hinges and slides felt the same as day one. The purple crevice extension has some play; that’s normal, but keep it fully retracted or fully extended and locked when using the motorized head. The filters hold up to washing; let them dry completely before reinstalling. It’s smart to keep the included spare clean and ready.

The 2-year limited warranty is in line with the category and gives some peace of mind.

Where it shines and where it doesn’t

Strengths:
- Quick, strong pick-up for everyday messes
- Motorized pet head is effective on stairs, upholstery, and car mats
- Big dustbin and genuinely easy filter maintenance
- Built-in long crevice tool eliminates accessory hunting
- Vertical storage and wall-mountable base keep it handy
- Extra filter included reduces downtime

Trade-offs:
- Battery not included; short runtimes with a 1 Ah pack
- Rubber roller doesn’t dig into fibers like stiff bristles on stubborn, embedded hair
- Intake can choke on big tufts of long hair if you rush
- Dock can nudge the dust door latch; seating technique matters
- Noise is higher-pitched than some competitors

Recommendation

I recommend the AdvancedClean+ Pet if you want a purpose-built, grab-and-go hand vac for pet-prone hotspots—stairs, sofas, car mats—and you prioritize easy maintenance and tidy storage. It’s a strong value if you already own a 20V MAX battery or are comfortable adding one to the cart, and it excels at the quick cleanups most people buy a handheld for.

If you’re expecting to deep-clean a whole SUV on one charge, want the absolute strongest agitation on embedded hair, or need a whisper-quiet motor, you’ll be happier with a higher-end handheld (and you’ll pay for it). For the everyday realities of pets and people—crumbs, hair, and the mystery bits between cushions—this Black+Decker hand vac earns its spot on the wall.