Black & Decker dustbuster AdvancedClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum

Why I reached for this handheld

A small handheld vacuum earns its keep by doing the little jobs quickly: stray coffee grounds, crumbs under the toaster, kitty litter scatter, dust on baseboards, grit in the car. I put this Black & Decker dustbuster through that exact routine for a couple of weeks—kitchen, entryway, stairs, and a very crumb-prone car seat—leaning on it several times a day for quick pickups.

The promise here is straightforward: cordless convenience, a washable, bagless bowl, and built-in tools that mean fewer trips back to the closet. On paper, it checks a lot of boxes for a grab-and-go hand vac. In practice, it’s a mixed bag.

Design and ergonomics

At 2.9 pounds, the unit is easy to hold in one hand without wrist fatigue. The balance sits close to the grip, so it doesn’t feel nose-heavy when you stretch into corners or reach under cabinets. The translucent dirt bowl makes it obvious when it’s time to empty, and the one-touch release lets the front end drop open so debris falls straight into the trash without you digging around. That part works well.

You get two integrated tools: a pull-out crevice tool that slides far enough to reach between appliances and into car seat rails, and a flip-up brush that’s intended for dusting. The crevice tool is the more useful of the two; it stays put and focuses suction where you need it. The brush, while convenient to flip on, sits a bit too far from the nozzle opening. I often found myself brushing dust loose and then having to change the angle or flip the brush back to actually pick up what I’d dislodged.

The wall mount is purely for storage. It’s compact and keeps the vac off the counter, but it doesn’t charge the unit. You still need to plug the jack-style charger into the vac itself. There’s a notch on the bracket to corral the cord, though it doesn’t retain the cable securely. Small detail, but it matters if you value true grab-and-go.

Suction and cleaning performance

This is a 12V MAX (nominal 10.8V) handheld, and its performance lands where most entry-level models do. On smooth surfaces, it picks up dust, crumbs, and light grit without complaint. It’s ideal for tabletop spills, windowsills, and quick touch-ups around small appliances.

Where it struggles is with heavier or more stubborn debris. Cat litter on tile required multiple slow passes, and I still ended up chasing individual pieces around. Coarser coffee grounds on a rubber mat were also a chore unless I used the crevice tool to concentrate airflow. On low-pile car mats, it handled sand and surface dirt, but embedded pet hair and deeper grit were outside its comfort zone—no surprise given the lack of a motorized brush.

Suction does taper as the filter loads, so you’ll want to clean it frequently if you’re doing several small jobs a day. The good news is that the filter and bowl are washable, and a quick tap-out between washes keeps performance steadier.

Noise-wise, the motor has a sharper, higher-pitched whine than I expected. It’s not painfully loud, but it’s more piercing than some older Black & Decker models I’ve used, which made longer cleaning sessions less pleasant.

Battery life and charging

The battery is a fixed lithium-ion pack rated at 2 Ah (22 Wh). In real use, I consistently saw around 12–15 minutes of continuous runtime on a full charge. That’s enough for spot cleaning, stairs, or a round of touch-ups in a compact car, but you’re not deep-cleaning with this in one go.

Charging is the bigger bottleneck. The jack-plug charger is old-school and slow: a full recharge took roughly half a day. There’s no fast charge and, as noted, the wall mount doesn’t supply power. The result is a tool that wants to live plugged in between jobs. If your routine is truly “quick hit and back to the charger,” that’s manageable. If you prefer to rack the vac on a dock and forget about cords, the ritual of plugging and unplugging gets old.

On the upside, the lithium-ion chemistry means it holds a charge well between uses and doesn’t exhibit the “fades fast after a few months” behavior common to older NiCd handhelds.

Filtration and maintenance

The filtration setup is simple: a cloth filter and an outer screen, both washable. The bowl and filter pop apart easily, though the screen locks with a twist that runs opposite of what muscle memory wants. The first time I tried to separate it, I turned the wrong way and thought I’d jammed it. Once you remember the direction, it’s fine.

Emptying is clean and quick, but dust tends to coat the outside of the nose over time. I got into the habit of wiping the exterior with a damp cloth every few uses to keep it from looking perpetually dusty.

One note on the intake flap in the nozzle: I had it pop loose once after knocking the front end during cleaning. It re-seated easily and didn’t repeat, but if you suddenly lose suction and see debris falling back out, it’s worth checking that little rubber flapper.

Replacement filters (VLPF10) are easy to find, but with regular washing and air-drying you shouldn’t need to replace them often.

Accessories and reach

• Pull-out crevice tool: The star accessory. It adds meaningful reach without carrying loose parts, and it narrows the intake enough to boost pickup on heavier particles.
• Flip-up brush: Best reserved for dusting vents and blinds where you plan to follow up with a quick pass without the brush.
• Wall mount: Keeps things tidy, but again, it’s storage only.
• Charger: A basic jack-plug wall wart. Nothing fancy, nothing fast.

The dustbin holds about 500 ml, which is generous for a small handheld. You’re more likely to hit the filter’s performance drop before you fill the bowl on everyday use.

Everyday usability

Living with this vac is about managing expectations. It’s light, easy to grab, and it cleans up the little annoyances that would otherwise turn into a bigger sweep later. Where it stumbles is the overall user experience: the slow charge, the plug-in routine, the slightly shrill motor tone, and the fussy brush spacing.

I also wasn’t thrilled with the small hardware details. The wall bracket’s included screws are slotted, which makes installation a bit more finicky than using Phillips heads—worth swapping if you have your own hardware.

Who it’s for

• If you need a lightweight, inexpensive handheld for crumbs, dust, and quick touch-ups, and you’re diligent about cleaning filters, this fits the bill.
• If your messes skew heavier—cat litter, pea gravel, embedded pet hair—or you want a docking charger and faster turnaround, you’ll likely be happier with a higher-voltage handheld or one with a powered brush and a charging base.

The bottom line

This dustbuster gets the basics right—lightweight body, clear dust bowl, easy emptying, and a very handy integrated crevice tool—while falling short on suction for heavier debris and overall convenience. The long charge time and lack of dock charging undermine the “always ready” promise that makes a handheld feel indispensable.

Recommendation: I don’t recommend this model as a general-purpose handheld for most households. The core performance is serviceable for light duty, but the combination of modest suction, louder tone, and a dated charging experience makes it hard to love when there are alternatives that clean faster and live more conveniently on a dock. If you value low weight, a washable setup, and you mostly tackle small, light messes, it can work—but for mixed households and pet owners, I’d look for a stronger unit with a better charging solution.