Black & Decker dustbuster 20V MAX Handheld Vacuum For Pets, Advanced Clean

Why I reached for this handheld

I live with a shedding dog, a few fabric-covered chairs, and a set of carpeted stairs that seem to collect tumbleweeds by lunchtime. For jobs like that, a full-size vacuum is overkill; I want a one-handed grab-and-go solution that actually pulls hair out of upholstery rather than skating over it. The Dustbuster I tested checks most of those boxes: strong suction for its size, a motorized pet brush that genuinely lifts hair, and a large, easy-to-empty bin. It also has a couple of quirks—one that’s a genuine design misstep—that you’ll want to know about before buying.

Setup, build, and what’s in the box

Out of the box, the Dustbuster includes the handheld unit, a motorized upholstery brush with rubberized “anti-tangle” bristles, an extendable crevice tool built into the nozzle, a pre-filter and two washable filters. The battery is integrated (20V MAX lithium-ion, 27 Wh) and charges via a simple wall plug; there’s no dock or stand. I prefer a drop-in charging base for quick stows, but the flat bottom lets the unit sit securely on a shelf without rolling.

At 4.3 pounds, it’s on the sturdy side for a handheld, and it feels robust rather than toy-like. The profile is tall but not cumbersome, and the large dustbin (roughly 680–750 mL) is an asset for pet hair: you don’t have to empty it mid-task. The LED battery gauge is a welcome detail.

Performance: excellent on pet hair, strong for spot cleanups

The star of the show is the motorized pet brush. On my sofa and a fabric headboard, it pulled embedded hair and dander with noticeably fewer passes than a passive brush or standard nozzle. The rubber bristles resist wrapping better than traditional bristle bars. You’ll still get some long strands wrapped at the ends over time, but pop the head off and it’s easy to clear.

Suction is competitive for a cordless handheld in this class. There are two power levels: low handles fur, dust, and lighter debris; high is where you want to be for gritty messes, kibble, or tracked-in dirt on car mats. I typically start in low for upholstered cushions and bump to high for seams and edges. On stairs, the brush head is the right width to make steady progress without feeling like a detail tool.

For cars, the extendable crevice tool is genuinely useful. It slides out of the main nozzle far enough to reach between seat rails and into console gaps. That extra reach saved me from juggling a separate attachment.

Controls and ergonomics: good, with a couple of caveats

The grip is comfortable and angled well, and the balance sits slightly forward (common with big bins). I could run it for a few rooms’ worth of quick touch-ups without wrist strain, but you do notice the weight compared to ultra-light stick vac hand units.

Two control notes. First, the power button cycles low → high → off. If you’re running in low and want to shut it down, you have to pass through high. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s unintuitive and occasionally blasts a puff of debris as you wind it down. I also found it a bit too easy to tap the power button accidentally when shifting grip—something to be mindful of if you have smaller hands.

Second, the most frustrating quirk: the motorized brush receives power through the same nose assembly that houses the extendable crevice tool. If the crevice section slides forward even a couple of millimeters while you’re using the brush, the brush head cuts out. To get it going again, you need to reseat the nose and toggle the power. It happened enough times on a long upholstery session to be annoying. The fix is to make sure the crevice tool is fully retracted until you hear/feel a definitive click and to avoid pressing on the nose while scrubbing. Once I adjusted, it happened less, but it’s a design area that could be improved.

Bin and filtration: easy maintenance, washable parts

Emptying is a one-touch affair: the front swings open and hair falls straight out, so you’re not digging around inside. If you’ve packed the bin with fluffy hair, you may want to tap the removable filter cage to shake it free; it seats with a positive click when you reinstall it.

The pre-filter and main filter are both washable. In practice, rinsing the filter every few weeks keeps airflow consistent and makes the Dustbuster feel “new” again. It’s nice that an extra filter is included: you can let one dry fully while using the other. Replacement filters are inexpensive and easy to find.

Battery life and charging

With a 27 Wh battery, I measured runtimes of roughly 16–18 minutes on low and about 8–10 minutes on high. That’s enough for several targeted cleanups before you need to plug in, especially if you’re mixing power levels. The battery indicator is helpful for planning: three bars feels accurate to how much time you have left.

Charging is straightforward but slow compared to dock-based systems—think several hours from near empty to full. If you’re the type to tidy up daily, the lack of a drop-in base is more an annoyance than a functional problem; I just keep the charger accessible on a laundry shelf and plug in when I’m done.

Noise and day-to-day use

On low, noise is a steady whirr well within handheld norms; on high, it’s louder but not shrill. The motorized brush itself is quiet and doesn’t chatter on fabric. The unit parks securely on a shelf between uses and doesn’t tip when you set it down mid-task to move cushions.

Over a few weeks of use, I had one instance where the brush roller felt tight out of the gate—likely manufacturing tolerances or a bit of shipping compression—and a quick hand-turn freed it up. It never recurred, but it underscores the importance of seating the head firmly and checking for obstructions before assuming a fault.

Where it fits—and where it doesn’t

This Dustbuster shines as a pet-hair specialist for upholstery, stairs, and car cabins. If that’s your main pain point, the motorized pet brush and large bin earn their keep. It’s also very good for quick spot cleanups: litter scatter, snack crumbs, and dirt at entryways.

It’s not a substitute for a stick vacuum if you’re trying to do whole-room maintenance. The control scheme won’t please everyone, and the brush head power cutout tied to the crevice tool is a real usability hiccup. If you want a dock, a lighter feel, or a removable battery, other models may suit you better.

The bottom line

There’s a lot to like here: strong suction for a handheld, an upholstery tool that actually lifts pet hair, a generous and easy-to-empty bin, washable filters, and a battery gauge that keeps you informed. Day-to-day, it’s a dependable, effective companion for the little messes pets and people make.

The two caveats—control logic that forces you through high to turn off, and the brush head power cutting out if the nose creeps forward—are genuine annoyances. They don’t sink the product, but they do add friction to an otherwise polished experience.

Recommendation: I recommend this Dustbuster for households fighting regular pet hair on fabric and stairs, with the understanding that you’ll want to firmly seat the nose before using the motorized brush and live with the quirky power cycle. If a dock, featherweight feel, or perfect ergonomics top your list, look elsewhere. If cleaning performance on upholstery is your priority, this one delivers where it counts.