Black & Decker SUMMITSERIES Select Cordless Stick Vacuum

Why I picked up the SummitSeries Select

I put the SummitSeries Select to work over two weeks in a 3-bedroom home with a mix of tile and low-pile carpet, two shedding dogs, and plenty of long human hair. I wanted to see if a mid-range cordless stick with a brushless motor, anti‑tangle brushroll, and sealed multi‑stage filtration could replace my plug‑in upright for day-to-day cleaning. Short answer: it handled routine messes confidently and made the “quick clean” genuinely quick, with a few trade-offs worth noting.

Setup and design

Out of the box, assembly was straightforward: snap the wand and floor head together, drop in the washable primary filter, and connect the magnetic charger. The self‑standing design is immediately convenient—being able to park it mid‑room without hunting for a wall to lean against is more useful than it sounds. A low‑profile wall mount is included if you prefer a fixed spot.

A few design touches stood out:
- The head has LED headlights that actually help on tile and in dim hallways; dust you thought wasn’t there, is.
- The on‑pole accessory holder is a smart detail—you don’t have to trek back to a closet for the crevice or 2‑in‑1 brush.
- The dustbowl is a generous 750 ml and removes cleanly for emptying and washing.

At 12.7 lb, this isn’t the lightest stick vac. Most of the weight sits low at the cleaning head, which keeps it planted and makes the steering feel deliberate. It’s not a featherweight for overhead work, but as a floor machine it feels stable and predictable.

Cleaning performance

On hard floors, the SummitSeries Select picked up fine dust, crumbs, and pet hair in a single pass on standard power. The head seals decently to tile, so larger bits like dry kibble and cat litter don’t scatter forward. Edge‑to‑edge cleaning along baseboards is better than average; I needed fewer “angle passes” to catch debris that rides the wall.

On low‑pile carpet, standard power handled everyday debris without drama. For embedded grit (think sandy entry rugs), I bumped it to high and did a slower pass. The brushless motor has the torque to keep the brush turning under load, and I didn’t notice the head bogging down on thick areas. It’s not a deep‑clean substitute for a corded upright on plush carpets, but for weekly maintenance it kept my traffic areas fresh.

Under furniture, the low‑profile head slips beneath most couch fronts. The wand articulation lets you flatten the body, though the self‑standing hinge means it won’t go as flat as the flattest sticks on the market. Still, it reached under bed frames and coffee tables without gymnastics.

Hair handling and the anti‑tangle brushroll

With two dogs and long hair in the house, tangles are where many sticks lose me. The anti‑tangle beater bar here is genuinely effective. I vacuumed up multiple sessions’ worth of shed without finding the brush mummified. After a week, I popped the roller off with a single button press and found only a couple short strands wrapped near the ends—nothing requiring scissors. That means more consistent cleaning power over time and less maintenance.

Battery and charging

Specs list up to 35 minutes in stick mode (low) and up to 45 minutes in handheld mode (low) from the 24 V, 86 Wh pack. In real use:
- Standard power (stick mode): I consistently saw a bit over half an hour across mixed flooring.
- High power (stick mode): I got right around 30 minutes when doing mostly hard floors with some carpeted rooms at full tilt.
- Handheld mode: stretching to 40–45 minutes on low for stairs, baseboards, and upholstery was realistic.

There’s no hot‑swapping a spare pack mid-clean; the battery is internal and charges via the magnetic lead. From empty, I typically left it on the charger between sessions and never ran dry during routine daily cleans. For very large homes or full‑house deep cleans on high, the non‑swappable battery is a limitation.

Filtration and dust management

The sealed 6‑stage system and cyclonic pre‑filtering do a solid job of keeping fine dust inside. I ran it on drywall dust and fine test powder around sunlight to look for plumes; the exhaust looked clean and didn’t kick up visible haze. The washable primary filter is easy to rinse, and the design helps keep that filter from clogging quickly.

Emptying the 750 ml dustbowl is cleaner than average. Because the bowl detaches entirely, you can aim debris directly into the can instead of relying on a trap door that sometimes jams on hair clumps. For maintenance, replacements are easy to source: the primary filter is BHFEBF1 and the exhaust filter is BHFEFB2. I washed the primary filter once during testing and it dried overnight without deforming.

Ergonomics and maneuverability

Steering is smooth, and the head tracks predictably in tight spaces. The LEDs help you see what you’re missing, and the handle angle keeps your wrist neutral in long runs. The 12.7 lb weight becomes noticeable above shoulder height; in handheld mode it’s better balanced but still not ultralight. For ceiling cobwebs, I took more frequent breaks than I do with smaller handheld-only units.

The self‑standing feature is a real quality-of-life win: pause to move a chair, pick up a cable, or answer a text, and the vacuum stands there waiting. It also means you don’t have to hang it if you don’t want to—it can live in a closet plugged into the magnetic charger.

Accessories and conversion

Converting to handheld is quick. The crevice tool and 2‑in‑1 brush cover the basics: car seats, vents, sofa seams, and stair treads. The on‑pole holder keeps them where you need them, which encouraged me to actually use them. I would have liked a dedicated mini motorized brush for upholstery, but it’s not included here.

Reliability and maintenance notes

I experienced one auto‑shutoff during a heavy pickup session after vacuuming fine powder. The fix was simple: remove and clean the primary filter, check for a blockage in the wand, and ensure the dustbowl and filter are fully seated. Like many cordless sticks, the vacuum will protect itself by cutting power if airflow is restricted or if the motor overheats. After a rinse and reset, it performed normally.

Actionable maintenance tips:
- Rinse the primary filter regularly if you notice reduced suction; let it dry fully before reinstalling.
- Don’t overfill the dustbowl—empty when hair starts to coil near the shroud to maintain airflow.
- Inspect the airway at the floor head inlet; even with anti‑tangle, threads can collect at the edges.
- Replace filters as needed (primary BHFEBF1, exhaust BHFEFB2) to preserve filtration.

There’s a 2‑year limited warranty, which is appropriate for this class. I didn’t need service during testing.

What could be better

• Weight: At 12.7 lb, it’s heavier than many sticks. Floor work is fine; extended overhead use is less comfortable.
• Battery system: The internal, non‑swappable battery limits continuous deep-clean sessions in larger homes.
• Accessories: A powered mini brush for upholstery would round out the kit for pet homes.
• Low-profile reach: The self‑standing hinge adds convenience but slightly limits how flat it can go under the lowest furniture.

Who it’s for

• Households with mixed flooring who want a fuss-free daily cleaner.
• Pet owners who are tired of cutting hair off brushrolls; the anti‑tangle design works.
• Anyone who values self‑standing convenience, LED visibility, and easy maintenance with a washable filter.

Who should look elsewhere:
- Those needing ultralight overhead cleaning or the lightest possible handheld.
- Large homes that demand more than 35–40 minutes of high‑power runtime in one go or hot‑swappable batteries.
- Users who prioritize a wide accessory set, especially a powered upholstery tool, out of the box.

Recommendation

I recommend the SummitSeries Select for everyday cleaning in small to medium homes with mixed floors and pets. It delivers reliable pickup, genuinely useful anti‑tangle performance, sealed multi‑stage filtration, and the convenience of self‑standing storage and a removable dustbowl. The brushless motor gives it enough muscle for routine carpet maintenance and thorough hard-floor cleaning, and the washable filter plus clear maintenance path make ownership straightforward.

If you need an ultralight or a system with swappable batteries for marathon sessions, this won’t be the ideal fit. But for most households seeking a capable, low-maintenance cordless stick that simplifies daily cleanups, the SummitSeries Select hits the right notes.