Black & Decker AdvancedClean Cordless Hand Vacuum with Scented Filter

Why I reached for this compact hand vac

A good handheld vacuum earns its place by being there the moment you spill cereal, track in grit, or notice pet hair on the arm of the couch. That’s where the AdvancedClean hand vac found its lane for me. It’s light, it’s simple, and everything you need is built right into the body—no accessory bag to hunt through and no cords to wrangle. Over several weeks, I used it for kitchen crumbs, car seats, stair edges, and the perpetual lint that accumulates around baseboards. Here’s how it did.

Design and ergonomics

At 2.7 pounds, the AdvancedClean is pleasantly light, and the balance sits close to the hand, which helps when you’re reaching across a counter or up the side of a sofa. The footprint is compact, and the included wall mount makes storage straightforward. I mounted it inside a utility closet, where the jack-plug charger can stay connected. The charging indicator is a single light—simple and functional—but there’s no battery gauge, which is something I missed when planning quick cleanups.

The clear, bagless dirt bowl is more than cosmetic; it tells you instantly when you’ve picked up something sizeable and when you’re approaching full. The latch and bowl-release mechanism felt secure. Early on the bowl button was a bit stiff, but after a few emptying cycles it loosened up without becoming sloppy.

Two tools are integrated: a pull-out, extendable crevice tool and a flip-up brush. The crevice tool is long enough to reach between car seats, under the stove lip, and into windowsill tracks. The brush is ideal for dusting vents and picking up hair on upholstery without beating up the fabric. Both stow onboard, so they’re always available and can’t go missing—a small but meaningful quality-of-life choice.

A scented pre-filter sits in front of the pleated filter. The fragrance is mild and fresh out of the box; it fades with use and washing. If you’re sensitive to scents, you can wash it thoroughly or remove it and run the vac without fragrance.

Performance: what it cleans well (and what it doesn’t)

Suction is squarely in the “quick pickup” category, not deep-clean territory. On kitchen tile and hardwood, the AdvancedClean handled dry spills—breadcrumbs, rice, coffee grounds—with no trouble. On low-pile area rugs, it lifted surface crumbs and lint but won’t extract embedded grit the way a larger stick or canister vacuum would. In the car, it worked best on seats, consoles, and door pockets; with floor mats, it did fine for loose debris but struggled with sand pressed into the fibers.

Pet hair performance depends on the surface. On microfiber couches and woven upholstery, the flip-up brush plus a few passes was enough to remove visible hair. On fleece throws or tightly-knit car mats, hair tended to cling; you’ll want a motorized brush tool for that, which this unit doesn’t have.

Airflow remains consistent until the pleated filter begins to clog with fine dust—typical for compact handhelds. I found that tapping the filter gently into a trash can after each use and rinsing it under water every few weeks kept performance steady. Let the filter dry fully before reinstalling; if you put it back damp, airflow drops and you’ll shorten the filter’s life.

Noise is about what you’d expect for a small handheld—noticeable but not piercing. I could still hear a podcast nearby, just not the finer details.

Battery life and charging

This vacuum runs on a 2 Ah lithium battery. In my testing, I averaged 12 minutes of continuous use on a full charge, sometimes a little less if I encountered heavier debris that demanded longer passes. For the intended “spot clean” jobs, that’s generally enough. If you string together a car clean and a round of stairs, expect to run out. There’s a single speed, so you can’t throttle back for more runtime.

Charging is old-school: a jack-plug wall charger that’s designed for an overnight top-up. From empty to full took roughly 10 hours for me. That’s not fast, but it’s predictable if you keep it on the wall mount when not in use. Because there’s no multi-segment battery gauge, the first sign you’re running low is diminished power followed by shutoff. If you like to metering your chores to a remaining runtime, this will frustrate you.

The battery is not user-replaceable, which is typical at this price point. With regular use and good charging habits, you should get years out of it, but when the battery eventually fades significantly, replacement means a new tool.

Maintenance and filtration

The clear bowl pops off for emptying, and both the bowl and pleated filter are washable. This is a big win for longevity. I recommend:

• Empty the bowl after each session to keep airflow high.
• Tap the pleated filter against the trash to knock out fine dust.
• Rinse the bowl and filter every 2–4 weeks depending on use. Let the filter air-dry completely overnight.
• If you enjoy the scented pre-filter, wash it gently to keep airflow open; the fragrance will mellow over time.

The filter media captures fine dust well enough that I didn’t notice a haze or blowback when cleaning sunlit surfaces. Keep in mind that any pleated filter will lose efficiency when clogged; quick maintenance is worth the two minutes it takes.

Build quality and usability

The plastics are what I expect from a reputable budget handheld: sturdy enough for daily use without feeling premium. The tool seams are tight, and the moving parts—the tool slider, brush hinge, bowl latch—have positive clicks. I appreciate the simple on/off slide switch instead of a trigger that must be held; it reduces hand fatigue during longer sessions.

What I missed most were two things: a battery gauge and a second speed. A low-power mode would stretch runtime for dusting tasks, and a three-LED battery readout would take the guesswork out of whether you have enough charge for the car. Neither is a deal-breaker for quick cleanup duty, but both would move the experience up a notch.

Where it fits among alternatives

Compared to premium handhelds with high-voltage batteries and motorized mini-brushes, the AdvancedClean is less powerful and runs shorter—no surprise. It is, however, lighter, simpler, and usually far more affordable. For people who need to deep-clean pet hair from stair treads or heavily soiled car mats, a pricier handheld or a stick vacuum with a powered mini head is the right tool. For everyone else who wants a grab-and-go unit for crumbs and light debris, this one sits in a sweet spot of convenience and value.

Best uses

• Kitchen and dining area touch-ups: dry spills, countertop crumbs, under-table sweep.
• Upholstery and shelves: dusting with the flip-up brush, removing surface lint and hair.
• Vehicle interiors: seats, consoles, door pockets, and light debris on mats.
• Edges and corners: the extendable crevice tool is genuinely helpful here.

What could be better

• Runtime is modest, and charging is slow. Keep it docked and think in 5–10 minute sessions.
• No battery level indicator means occasional surprises mid-task.
• Single speed limits flexibility.
• Not designed for wet spills or heavy, embedded debris.

Practical tips to get the most out of it

• Park it on the wall mount so it stays charged; consider pairing usage with a routine (e.g., after dinner cleanup) so it’s never deeply drained.
• Give the filter a quick tap after each use; it keeps suction lively.
• Use the brush on textiles and vents to lift dust before vacuuming—it makes a noticeable difference.
• For car mats or stubborn hair, slightly mist the surface with water from a spray bottle; debris clumps and lifts more easily, even with modest suction.

Recommendation

I recommend the AdvancedClean hand vac for quick, everyday pickups in small to medium spaces, especially if you value light weight, onboard tools, and easy maintenance at an accessible price. It excels as a “first responder” for crumbs, dust, and surface lint, and the washable filter/bowl setup keeps ongoing costs low. I would not recommend it if your primary needs are long runtime, fast charging, or deep cleaning of embedded debris and heavy pet hair; in those cases, a more powerful handheld or a stick vacuum with a motorized mini head will serve you better. For the common, lightweight messes most of us deal with, this little unit does exactly what it promises—quickly and without fuss.