Black & Decker Handheld vacuum (AdvancedClean+, cordless, white, extra-long crevice tool)

I keep a handheld within arm’s reach in the kitchen and the garage, so a cordless vac has to earn its spot by being ready, quick, and strong enough to save me a trip to the full-size machine. After several weeks with this AdvancedClean+ handheld, it’s become my default cleaner for crumbs, car seats, window tracks, and everything that’s awkward to reach with a stick vac.

What stands out

Two things make this handheld more useful than most: the integrated extra-long crevice tool and the genuinely large dustbin. The crevice tool telescopes out of the nose, so it’s always there when you need to get between couch cushions, down baseboard edges, or into a center console. No digging for attachments, no losing them. The 750 mL bin is big for this category, so I’m not constantly stopping to empty it when I’m cleaning a car or doing a sweep of stairs.

It also has two speeds, a battery level indicator, and a one-touch emptying mechanism. In daily use, those small conveniences add up.

Design and ergonomics

At 3.3 pounds and about 16 inches long, the balance is handle-heavy in a good way. It doesn’t feel nose-heavy when reaching out over a counter or into a shelf. The trigger is a simple on/off with a separate rocker to toggle boost. I prefer a dedicated boost control like this; it keeps the vac running if I need to reposition my hand, and I can tap extra power only when needed.

The build is typical Black+Decker: lightweight plastics with a clear bin and a hinged door. The latches are positive, and the crevice tool slides smoothly without wobble. The upholstery brush clips on and off the nozzle and is handy on car mats and fabric seats. I wouldn’t call the construction premium, but nothing on my unit rattles or feels fragile.

One design note: charging is via a jack-plug wall adapter. There’s no dock or wall mount in the box. The plug works fine, but aligning a small barrel connector isn’t as elegant as dropping the vac onto a cradle. I’d love to see a base or even a magnetic/pogo solution in the future.

Power and performance

On standard speed, pickup is strong enough for typical dry messes—crumbs, tracked-in grit, sawdust, cat litter, and the inevitable cereal explosion on the floor. It edges well along trim with the crevice tool out, and it lifts debris out of tight seams where a wider nozzle would snowplow. Standard speed is the setting I use most for kitchen and workshop spot-cleaning because the battery lasts longer and the noise is moderate.

Boost mode makes a noticeable difference. It’s the setting to use for heavier debris, sand in car carpets, or when you want to shorten passes on a fabric surface. On car mats and stairs, boost cuts the number of back-and-forths needed to clear embedded grit. It won’t compete with a corded shop vac or a high-end stick vac on deep pile, but for a 12V handheld, the headroom is useful.

Hair pickup is a mixed bag. Short pet hair on upholstery is fine, especially with the brush attached and a few slow passes on boost. Long hair tends to gather on the pre-filter and choke airflow more quickly; you’ll want to tap the filter clean mid-job if you’re tackling a hairy couch.

Runtime and charging

The listed runtime is up to 25 minutes. In practice I see around 20–25 minutes on standard and 8–12 minutes with frequent use of boost. That’s enough to do a whole compact car thoroughly or spot-clean a small home without battery anxiety, but big jobs will have you rationing boost.

Charge time is about five hours on the included jack-plug charger. There’s a three-step battery gauge on the handle that’s handy for deciding whether to top off. You can’t hot-swap a pack here, so downtime equals charge time—worth factoring in if you expect to run it intensively.

A small tip: keep it on the charger when stored so it’s always ready, and give yourself a few minutes between heavy use and charging so any motor heat can dissipate.

Filtration and maintenance

Inside the bin, you get a washable pre-filter and a main filter. Both pop out quickly. Rinsing the pre-filter restores airflow dramatically; fine dust clogs it faster than you’d think. I rinse both parts after a dusty job and let them dry overnight. Replacement filters are inexpensive if you’d rather swap than wash, but routine washing has been enough for me.

There’s no HEPA claim here, so I don’t rely on this for allergen-sensitive cleaning. For quick messes and typical household debris, the filtration is perfectly adequate.

Dustbin and emptying

The one-touch door on the bin is simple and clean as long as you point it into a trash can. Heavier debris falls straight out. Fine dust sometimes clings to the pre-filter; a light tap or a pass with the brush clears it. Because the bin is large, you can get through a car or a kitchen sweep without emptying, which keeps momentum going.

One minor quirk: if you’ve vacuumed a lot of hair or grass, a small “bridge” can form across the bin opening. Cracking the bin off the body and pulling the clump clears it in seconds.

Noise

Neither setting is whisper-quiet, but both are reasonable for a handheld. Standard is conversational; boost is louder but not shrill. If you’re sensitive to high-pitched motor whine, this one is on the smoother side compared with some compact vacs I’ve used.

Where it fits in my workflow

• Kitchen and dining: daily crumb patrol, under cabinets, back corners of drawers with the crevice extended.
• Car: seats, consoles, door pockets, and the annoying gap beside the seat rails—the long crevice tool shines here.
• Stairs: quick passes on each tread with the brush. Boost helps lift grit out of the nosing.
• Workshop: catching drill dust and sawdust before it spreads. This is where the big bin really pays off.

If you want a handheld specifically for deep-cleaning carpets or de-shedding a sofa covered in long pet hair, you’ll want a tool with a powered mini brush. For everything else, this covers the day-to-day jobs well.

Gripes and wish list

• Charging could be better. A dock or at least a right-angle, easier-to-seat connector would improve the experience. The barrel plug works, but it’s dated.
• No on-board tool storage for the upholstery brush. It’s small and easy to misplace.
• Hair management. A coarser pre-filter or a simple mesh screen around the filter cage would reduce clogging on hair-heavy jobs.

Specs that matter

• Weight: 3.3 lb
• Dustbin: 750 mL
• Speeds: 2 (standard and boost)
• Runtime: up to ~25 minutes (less with frequent boost)
• Charge time: about 5 hours
• Filter: washable pre-filter and main; replacement available
• Attachments: integrated extra-long crevice tool; clip-on upholstery brush
• Warranty: 2-year limited

Value

You’re paying for convenience and reach more than raw suction numbers. Between the long built-in crevice tool, the big bin, and the straightforward maintenance, this handheld earns its keep if you want something that’s always ready to chase small messes and tight spaces. The absence of a charging dock is the main omission at this price tier, but functionally it hits the marks.

Recommendation

I recommend this handheld for quick, everyday cleanup on hard surfaces, cars, stairs, and tight spots where a stick vac feels clumsy. It’s light, the integrated crevice tool is genuinely useful, and the larger bin and washable filters keep maintenance simple. Skip it if your primary need is deep-cleaning carpeted stairs or removing lots of long pet hair—look for a handheld with a powered mini brush in that case. For most households that want a reliable grab-and-go cleaner, this AdvancedClean+ handheld is a practical choice that trades fancy charging hardware for solid, real-world performance.