Black & Decker dustbuster blast cordless handheld vacuum

My kitchen seems to manufacture crumbs. Add a shedding dog and a car that collects sand like a souvenir, and I lean hard on handheld vacuums. After several weeks with Black+Decker’s latest compact handheld—let’s call it the Dustbuster—I’ve got a clear sense of where it excels and where it comes up short.

What it is and what it’s for

This is a lightweight, cordless handheld built for quick pickups, not deep cleaning. It runs on a compact lithium-ion pack, uses a trigger-style power control so suction is only on when you need it, and carries a small, bagless dust bowl with a washable filter. The body has an extendable crevice tool, a flip-up upholstery brush, and there’s a clip-on motorized pet brush with rubber bristles for hair and embedded debris. If you’ve got daily touch-up jobs around the house or in the car, this tool hits that sweet spot between speed and convenience.

Design, ergonomics, and handling

At 2.4 pounds, the Dustbuster feels genuinely light. The handle angle and balance are good; the weight sits close to the hand, so it doesn’t feel front-heavy when you reach overhead for window sills or around car seats. The trigger is a true trigger—it’s momentary, not a toggle—so you have to keep it pressed to run. That saves battery in stop-and-go use, but for longer cleanups I found my index finger getting a bit tired. I’d love a lock-on option.

The extendable crevice tool is integrated into the nose and slides in/out cleanly. It adds just enough reach and shape for baseboards, the gap between the stove and cabinets, and car seat rails. The flip-up upholstery brush is handy for dust on lampshades and vents. I appreciate that most of what you need lives on the unit—reduced rummaging for lost attachments.

The dust bowl is translucent, which is important here because capacity is modest at 290 ml (about 10 fluid ounces). You’ll want to keep an eye on it; performance drops as the filter gets caked. The one-touch release makes emptying simple, and the bowl and filter are washable. The latch mechanism is quick, but it does feel a bit light. I never had a catastrophic mid-clean dump, but I did learn to avoid gripping around the bowl release and to make sure it clicks shut after emptying.

Suction and real-world performance

This vacuum isn’t a powerhouse, but it’s appropriately tuned for its size and battery class. On hard floors and countertops, it handled kitchen crumbs, coffee grounds, and stray kibble without drama. On a rubber car mat, it picked up sand and grit reliably with the crevice tool extended, though it took multiple passes for deeply embedded bits.

Where it punches above its size is with hair and fabric surfaces. The motorized pet brush has rubber, anti-tangle bristles and a compact head that gets into the corners of couch cushions and the seams of car seats. On a cotton sofa that collects dog hair, it lifted hair quickly and didn’t clog. On a low-pile carpeted stair tread, it removed hair and surface dust in a couple of passes, though you’ll still want a full-size vacuum for periodic deep cleaning.

Fine dust exposes the limits faster. Cleaning up flour from a baking spill, suction dropped sooner as the filter loaded. A quick tap-out of the filter brought it back, but expect to clean the filter frequently if your messes skew toward fine powders.

Battery life and charging

Black+Decker rates run time at about 13 minutes, and that’s what I saw in mixed use—roughly 10 to 13 minutes depending on how much I used the motorized brush. For quick, targeted jobs, that’s enough. For an entire car interior at once, it’s tight; I needed a recharge to get under all the seats and hit the cargo area thoroughly.

Charging is via a jack plug wall adapter—no dock, no USB-C—and a full charge takes about four hours. That’s typical for budget handhelds but feels dated. The non-removable battery simplifies the design but means you’re waiting between sessions rather than swapping packs. If you tend to batch your cleaning, plan accordingly.

Maintenance

The maintenance routine is simple and necessary. The filter (replacement HNVDF10) is washable and takes a few hours to fully dry. I got into the habit of:

• Emptying the bowl as soon as it hits the half mark.
• Popping the filter out and knocking off dust into the trash after every couple of uses.
• Rinsing the bowl and filter weekly if I’d done a lot of fine-dust pickups.

Doing that keeps suction consistent and extends run time. Expect to replace the filter periodically; washable doesn’t mean immortal.

Noise

It’s on the louder side for its size—more of a robust hum than a high-pitched whine. I could comfortably use it without alarming the dog, but it’s not whisper-quiet. The motorized brush adds a touch of buzz. Noise isn’t a deal-breaker here, but it’s noticeable.

Little details that matter

• Reach and visibility: The nose is long enough to see what you’re cleaning, and the clear bowl gives you a sense of fill level at a glance. There’s no LED light on the nozzle, which I missed under car seats.
• Storage: Without a dock, you’ll just park it on a shelf and wrap the cord. It’s 17.4 inches long, so it won’t sit discreetly on a narrow ledge.
• Controls: Single-speed only. The trigger-only scheme is great for spot bursts but less comfortable for extended runs.
• Build: Plastics are light and flex a bit, which keeps weight down. The bowl latch and accessory fit are good, not premium. Treat it as a tool, not a beater, and it holds up fine.

Where it shines

• Fast kitchen and dining area pickups after meals.
• Car quick-clean: cup holders, door bins, seat seams, and floor mat edges.
• Pet hair on couches, stairs, and rugs with the motorized brush.
• Dust on blinds, vents, and shelves using the flip-up brush.

Where it struggles

• Large, whole-car deep cleans on one charge.
• Fine dust-heavy messes unless you’re diligent about filter cleaning.
• Debris bigger than the nozzle intake; stuffing leaves and wrappers into the nose will clog it.
• Users who dislike holding a trigger for more than a couple of minutes.

Tips for better results

• Start with the crevice tool extended for edges and seams, then switch to the motorized brush for fabric. Finish with the bare nose on hard, flat surfaces to maximize airflow.
• Keep the bowl under half full when cleaning pet hair; airflow stays stronger and hair is less likely to nest around the filter.
• Tap the filter clean mid-session if suction drops. It takes seconds and makes a noticeable difference.
• Charge after each use. With a four-hour charge time, you don’t want to discover an empty battery right before guests arrive.

The bottom line

The Dustbuster is a practical, no-fuss handheld that favors everyday convenience over headline-grabbing specs. It’s light, genuinely easy to maneuver, and its integrated attachments and motorized pet brush make it more versatile than basic models. The trade-offs—small bin, modest run time, a trigger you have to hold, and old-school charging—are real but predictable in this size and price class.

Recommendation: I recommend this handheld for quick, routine cleanups in homes with kids, pets, or both, and for drivers who want a lightweight car vac for touch-ups. It’s not meant for marathon sessions or heavy-duty, embedded dirt, and the battery/charging setup won’t suit everyone. But if your priority is a compact, easy-to-use vacuum that handles daily messes and pet hair without fuss, this Dustbuster earns a spot on the shelf.