Black & Decker Cordless Pet Hand Vacuum with SMARTECH

A pet-focused handheld with smart touches—and some trade-offs

I’ve been testing the Black+Decker pet hand vac across the exact messes that tend to defeat smaller vacuums: embedded hair on a fabric sofa, gritty car mats, scattered litter around a box, and dusty baseboards. It’s a straightforward, grab-and-go tool with a clever motorized pet brush and a sprinkling of “smart” features. In the right use cases, it’s a very handy companion. In the wrong ones, it runs up against the limits of a compact, battery-powered design.

Design, ergonomics, and build

This is a larger handheld at about 17 inches long and 5.5 pounds. The weight sits forward of the grip, which gives the nose good downward pressure on upholstered surfaces but can feel heavy during extended above-shoulder work like curtains. The translucent dust bowl helps you see when it’s time to empty, and the front-release emptying works cleanly for typical fuzz and crumbs. Fully removing the bowl to wash it is doable without tools, but you do need to align the tabs and gasket carefully during reassembly; the first time took me a minute, after which it became routine.

The powered pet brush uses rubberized, anti-tangle fins rather than a bristle bar. That’s exactly what you want for pet hair on upholstery, as it grips strands without wrapping them around the roller. There’s also an extendable crevice tool integrated into the nose and a push-in brush for dusting. The wall-mount charging base is minimalist and keeps the vac off the floor. You’ll want it near a receptacle; this isn’t a fast charger dock but a simple cradle with a plug.

Features that matter day to day

• Two suction modes: a standard mode and a POWERBOOST button for tougher jobs.
• AUTOSENSE: the vac will automatically adjust power when it feels more resistance. In practice, it ramps up on dense fabric and backs off on smoother surfaces to save battery.
• BATTERYSENSE: a clear fuel-gauge-style indicator that’s more useful than a single LED.
• FILTERSENSE: a reminder light that prompts you to clean the filter when airflow drops.
• Cyclonic separation: helps keep debris spinning away from the filter to maintain suction.
• Washable filters and bowl: you can rinse both and air-dry, avoiding consumable costs.
• 20V MAX lithium-ion battery: internal and maintenance-free; not user-swappable.

I like the overall philosophy: give the user enough information (battery and filter indicators) and keep maintenance simple (washable parts). The scented pre-filter that ships in the box adds a light “fresh linen” smell—some will appreciate it, others will prefer to remove it and use the standard pre-filter included.

Performance on pet hair and debris

On upholstery, the powered pet brush is the star. On a micro-weave sofa and a fabric armchair, the rubber fins agitated and lifted the hair efficiently, especially short, needle-like strands that love to wedge into seams. With POWERBOOST on, I could clear a three-seat sofa in a few minutes to a visibly hair-free result. On the flip side, deeply embedded hair in thick, plush cushions still required multiple passes—more agitation than suction solves here, and this tool relies on the roller doing a good share of the work.

On car mats and carpeted cargo areas, results were mixed. The brush head did well on flat mats and trunk carpet, but on ribbed mats or chunky pile the suction ceiling becomes apparent. It will clean surface debris and most hair, but if you’re chasing sand that’s ground into fibers, you’ll want patience or a larger vac.

Hard surfaces and litter duty are quick. The crevice tool pulled up scattered litter and tracked dirt along baseboards without snow-plowing debris ahead of the nozzle. For keyboards, stair treads, and sliding door tracks, the built-in crevice tool’s length is handy and eliminates hunting for an extra attachment.

Curtains and lamp shades benefit from the push-in brush on standard power. Here, the exhaust becomes a factor: the vac vents out the sides, and if you point it the wrong way you can blow dust or hair you’re trying to collect. Aim the exhaust away from the target and it’s fine, but it’s something to be mindful of, especially with light debris.

Suction, runtime, and noise

Suction is good for a hand vac in this price class, particularly in BOOST, but it’s not a miracle worker. Expect quick, visible pickups and effective hair removal on upholstery; don’t expect it to replace a corded canister for embedded dirt.

Runtime will vary based on how often BOOST kicks in (manually or via AUTOSENSE). I averaged around 12–15 minutes on mixed use with standard power, and 7–8 minutes of continuous cleaning on BOOST before the battery gauge dropped into the red. That’s sufficient for spot cleaning, a car interior, or a sofa and a set of stairs, but not for whole-room jobs. Charging back to full from empty took several hours on the wall cradle.

Noise is on the loud side with a high-pitched whine typical of small, high-speed motors. It’s not painful, but it’s significant; sensitive pets in my house made themselves scarce when I turned it on. BOOST is notably louder than standard.

Maintenance and filtration

The cyclonic action helps, but fine dander and lint still accumulate on the filter over time. Fortunately, FILTERSENSE gives a nudge when airflow drops. Popping the filter and tapping it out restores performance quickly; a rinse-and-dry gets it back to like-new. Plan on cleaning the filter more often if you’re tackling lots of fine dust or fur; the good news is you won’t be buying replacement bags. Just be careful to seat the filter basket and the bowl gasket properly after cleaning—an imperfect seal reduces suction and can lead to minor blow-by at the vents.

What I liked

• The powered pet brush with rubber fins genuinely improves hair pickup on fabric and car seats.
• Integrated crevice tool is always there and long enough to be useful.
• Battery and filter indicators remove guesswork; AUTOSENSE does conserve power on easy surfaces.
• Washable bowl and filters keep ongoing costs low.
• Wall-mount cradle keeps the vac charged and accessible.
• Two-year limited warranty adds some peace of mind.

What could be better

• Weight and balance can feel tiring above shoulder height.
• Runtime is modest, especially if you rely on BOOST.
• Loud for its size; the exhaust can stir debris if you’re not careful about aim.
• Bowl reassembly takes attention the first few times; the latch and tab alignment aren’t foolproof.
• Suction is solid for a handheld, but it won’t replace a full-size vac for embedded debris or heavy-shed seasons on deep pile.

Best for

• Pet owners who need frequent upholstery touch-ups and quick car cleanouts.
• Apartments and homes where a wall-mounted, always-charged hand vac reduces friction for daily tidying.
• Households that value washable filters and minimal consumables.

Not ideal for

• Long cleaning sessions or whole-room carpets.
• Deeply embedded grit in high-pile rugs and ribbed rubber mats.
• Noise-sensitive environments or pets that startle easily.

Recommendation

I recommend the Black+Decker pet hand vac for quick, frequent cleanups of hair and small debris on upholstery, stairs, and cars—especially if you’ll make use of the powered pet brush and appreciate clear battery and filter status indicators. It’s easy to live with, maintain, and store, and the attachments cover most detail work. Just go in with realistic expectations: runtime is short, the unit is louder than you might expect, and suction—while respectable for a handheld—has a ceiling on deep, embedded messes. If you need a dependable spot-cleaning tool for pet life, it’s a good fit. If your use case leans toward longer sessions or heavily embedded dirt, you’ll want a larger corded or higher-end cordless vacuum to complement it.