Black & Decker SUMMITSERIES™ select Cordless Stick Vacuum, Pet

Why I reached for the SummitSeries Pet

I’ve been testing cordless stick vacuums long enough to know their strengths and where they typically compromise. After several weeks with Black+Decker’s SummitSeries Pet, I found a machine that leans hard into ease of use, solid filtration, and pet-hair pickup, with a few familiar tradeoffs around large debris and deep carpet cleaning. It’s not trying to be a hulking upright; it’s built to be the grab‑and‑go cleaner you actually use every day.

Design and build

This is a straightforward stick vac with a brushless motor and a removable 750 ml dustbowl. It’s heavier than many in this category (around 13–14 pounds as outfitted), but the weight distribution is sensible, and it stands on its own—no awkward balancing against a wall. That self-standing design ended up being a quiet hero of my testing. I could pause to move a chair or empty a bin without hunting for a hook.

The head is narrower than average, which helps in tight spaces, and it swivels smoothly. LED headlights are bright and well positioned; they do what good headlights should—highlight what you’d otherwise miss under toe kicks and sofas.

Build quality is a notch above the brand’s older sticks I’ve used. There’s less creak in the chassis, and the removable dustbowl locks up cleanly. The included wall mount is low-profile, and the magnetic charger means no fiddling with ports. You can park it upright and clip the charger on; I rarely used the wall mount after the first week.

Setup and ergonomics

Assembly is painless—tube, head, accessories, click, done. The on‑pole accessory holder is genuinely useful; it kept the crevice tool and brush at hand so I didn’t make trips back to the closet.

In stick form, the handle angle is comfortable and the pivot is light enough to snake around table legs without lifting the head. In handheld mode, it’s balanced well enough that cleaning stairs didn’t feel like forearm day at the gym. The powered pet hair brush is the right size for treads and upholstery.

If you’re sensitive to weight, know that this isn’t the featherweight of the category. The upside: it feels planted, and that stability makes long passes on hard floors more predictable.

Cleaning performance

• Hard floors: With the standard head, pickup on dust and typical daily debris was strong on “normal” power, and the LED headlights help you chase fine dust. Larger stuff—think dropped popcorn or muffin crumbs—can snowplow if you rush. Two fixes worked reliably for me: swap to the included soft roller for kitchen sweeps, or angle the head and pull back over the pile so the intake gets first contact. Once dialed in, it handled my tile and oak floors without drama.

• Low-pile carpet and rugs: On low-pile area rugs and entryway carpet, the anti‑tangle beater bar did a respectable job pulling up hair and surface grit. It’s not a deep-cleaner; if you expect corded upright suction, you’ll be underwhelmed. For weekly refreshes and between deep cleans, it’s fine. On thicker rugs, I used “strong” mode and shorter passes to avoid pushing debris ahead.

• Edges and baseboards: The edge-cleaning design does help pull light debris from walls, but those side brushes will happily grab loose textiles. If you catch a sock or a throw tassel, they can wrap momentarily. I got in the habit of lifting the head an inch when passing alongside anything soft.

• Pet hair: This is where it shines. The main head didn’t choke on tumbleweeds, and the powered mini brush in handheld mode pulled hair out of sofas and car seats without snarling. After a week in a two-dog home, I didn’t need scissors—anti‑tangle lived up to its billing for typical hair loads.

Filtration and maintenance

The 6-stage sealed system is a standout for a stick in this price range. Fine dust stays in the machine, and I didn’t catch a whiff of that “vacuum exhaust” smell during long sessions. The prefilter and exhaust filter are washable, and replacements (BHFEBF1 prefilter, BHFEBF2 exhaust) are easy to source. My cadence: rinse the prefilter monthly if you’re in a shedding household, let it air dry completely (overnight, minimum), and do a deeper clean every few months. The dustbowl’s one-button release and wide mouth kept emptying relatively mess-free—tap, rinse, done.

Battery life and charging

Specs list 86 Wh on a 24 V pack, and my runtime lined up with the claims. With the main head on normal power, I averaged just over half an hour per charge in stick mode. Handheld work runs longer—north of 40 minutes doing crevices, stairs, and furniture. “Strong” mode trims those times significantly, so I use it in targeted bursts.

The internal battery isn’t user-swappable, so plan around a single session per charge. The magnetic charger is convenient, and the self‑standing body means you can charge it parked in a corner without drilling the mount.

Noise

It’s not whisper-quiet. The brushless motor has a higher pitched tone, and on “strong” it’s comparable to a mid-power corded upright. On normal power with the soft roller, it’s noticeably calmer. If noise is a top concern—napping kids, shared walls—stick to normal mode for daily sweeps and reserve max for stubborn areas.

Accessories that matter

• Soft roller: Essential for hard floors and kitchen duty. It reduces snowplowing and improves pickup on crumbs without scattering.
• Powered pet hair brush: The most useful add-on here. It makes quick work of sofas, stairs, and car upholstery.
• Crevice tool and 2‑in‑1 brush: Standard issue but handy with the on‑pole clip.
• On‑pole holder: Sounds minor, but not having to fetch tools from a closet is the difference between using them or not.

Everyday usability

Small but meaningful wins stack up: it stands on its own, the headlights show what you’re missing, the narrower head gets between chair legs, and the accessories live on the wand. Those conveniences kept me reaching for it instead of the corded upright.

There are quirks. The head’s front lip can push larger debris, so technique or the soft roller is key on hard floors. Those edge brushes can snag loose textiles along baseboards. And while it will refresh rugs, it won’t replace a true deep cleaner for plush carpet.

Reliability and warranty

I didn’t encounter clogs or hair jams during testing, and the anti‑tangle design spared me from the usual scissor routine. Filters wash cleanly and re-seat without fuss. Black+Decker backs it with a 2‑year limited warranty, and the parts scheme (separate prefilter and exhaust filter) should keep maintenance simple.

Who it’s for

• Small to medium homes with mostly hard floors
• Pet owners who want a quick, effective hair pickup tool
• Anyone who values self‑standing storage and simple maintenance
• Households that prefer frequent light cleans over occasional deep cleans

Who should look elsewhere: If you expect deep carpet cleaning, need ultra-quiet operation, or routinely pick up large, chunky messes without swapping heads, you’ll be happier with a corded upright or a higher‑suction premium stick.

The bottom line

The SummitSeries Pet nails the everyday stuff: quick grabs, hard-floor dust, pet hair on upholstery, and tight maneuvering around furniture. Its sealed 6‑stage filtration and washable filters punch above class, and the self‑standing, magnet‑charged design makes it as easy to live with as it is to use. It asks you to meet it halfway on technique for larger crumbs and doesn’t masquerade as a deep carpet cleaner.

Recommendation: I recommend it for homes dominated by hard floors and low‑pile rugs, especially with pets. Pair the standard head with the soft roller for kitchens, use “strong” mode sparingly, and stay on top of filter care. If deep carpet cleaning or ultra‑quiet operation is non‑negotiable, consider a corded alternative or a higher‑end stick; otherwise, this is a well-rounded, genuinely convenient daily driver.