- Always ready - holds a charge for up to 18 months, Less bending with on-board extension
- Lithium ion for long battery life and outstanding performance
- Long life, lightweight and no memory effect
- Smart Charge Technology uses up to 50% less energy,Air Wstts: 18.2 Watts, Voltage: 14.4 (Max: 16V )
- Cyclonic action helps to keep the filter clean and power strong, Translucent bagless dirt bowl easy to see dirt and empty
- Rotating slim nozzle for a variety of applications, Removable, washable bowl and filters for thorough cleaning
BLACK + DECKER CHV1410L 16 volt Lithium Cordless Dust Buster Hand Vac Ideal for Any Quick Pick Up Ideal for Quick Pick Up The sleek CHV1410L boasts lithium technology, strong suction and fade-free power. With a translucent bag less dirt bowl, the dirt is easy to see and empty. Ever ready, the hand vac can hold a charge for up to 18 months when off the charger, and is lightweight enough to tackle quick pick ups around the home. Smart Charge Technology High efficiency Lithium ion chargers help to protect your BLACK+DECKER hand vac by automatically shutting off when the battery is charged, allowing you to conveniently store your BLACK+DECKER hand vac on the charger while maintaining long run times, year after year. About Black + Decker Since 1910, Black + Decker has been setting the standard for innovation and design of power tools, accessories, outdoor yard care equipment, home cleaning products, automotive and lighting products, hardware and other home improvement products. The inventor of the first portable electric drill with pistol grip and trigger switch, Black + Decker has evolved from a small machine shop in Baltimore, Maryland to a global manufacturing and marketing powerhouse with a broad line of quality products used in and around the home and for commercial applications. When users need to get work done, they trust Black + Decker for the products that will do the job efficiently and reliably 16V MAX Lithium Ion Dust Buster 16V MAX Lithium Ion Dust buster This hand vac provides consumers with everything they need in a hand vac, plus long battery life, year after year. The CHV1410L features great power and suction for use on everything from carpet to ceramic tile to furniture and more. Cyclonic Action Cyclonic Action The cyclonic action spins dust and debris away from the filter keeping suction strong. It delivers powerful suction where users need it most. Crevice Tool and Brush
By Trive
I've owned some type of Dustbuster/handvac for the last twenty years and I don't think I've ever ever had one that I didn't hate. Too little suction power, not enough charge time, the suction nozzle is awkward to use, and the batteries are always dead after a couple minutes. I can keep them plugged into the wall all the time, but that kills the battery and wastes electricity. I have found it much more effective to just use the suction hose on my upright, even though that means lugging my vacuum around. So I decided to see what is new in handvac technology and if they have improved at all over the last ten years. Fortunately, I can say that they have.
The Black and Decker 14.4v Lithium Ion DustBuster is the same handvac as the Black & Decker CHV1410 Dustbuster 14.4-Volt Cordless Cyclonic Hand Vac except it contains a Lithium-Ion (LIB) battery, whereas the standard CHV1410 contains a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery. If you're trying to decide between the two devices, I would recommend this Lithium-Ion model due to the advantages of the battery:
1. Higher energy density - this means that the LIB battery can hold more energy per volume. In this case the CHV1410L holds about twice the amount of energy as the CHV1410.
2. Greater power density - this refers to bursts of power the battery is capable. It works well when combined with the higher energy density mentioned above.
3. No memory effect - this is something you might have noticed with a Ni-Cd battery. These batteries work best when you fully discharge the battery and then recharge it. With a Dustbuster, you're almost never going to do this. You'll use it for a few minutes then put it back on the mount to charge. This can sometimes product a memory effect, where the cadmium inside the battery forms crystals and the battery will hold less of a charge. A LIB battery does not experience a memory effect.
4. Non-toxic - Ni-Cd batteries are toxic and classified as hazardous. LiB aren't, so disposal is much better for the environment.
LiB do have a couple small disadvantages, but in this application and with the frequent recharging the Dustbuster will see, I feel that it is definitely the right choice. Not to mention the toxicity factor alone makes me feel better about using this type of battery.
USE AND OPERATION - I evaluated both the CHV1410L and the standard CHV1410 at the same time to see what the real difference was between the devices and how the battery affected them. The main thing I like about the CHV1410L does have to do with the battery. It will supposedly hold a charge for up to 18 months. I can't confirm if this is true, but the first time I had it, I gave it a full charge and then removed it from the power source and let it sit uncharged for 30 days. When I tried it out, it seemed to be completely charged and worked great. With my previous Dustbuster, it would have been dead after two days. I did the same 30 day test with the CHV1410. Although it did still have a powerful charge in it and seemed to work fine, I did notice it was less powerful than the CHV1410L. I tested this by putting two small Styrofoam balls in front of the Dustbusters at a specific distance, and then gradually moved the Dustbusters closer to the peanuts until they sucked them up. In repeated tests, the CHV1410L grabbed the ball slightly before the CHV1410, demonstrating more power. For the remainder of my use and testing, the two units performed the same.
The main thing I noticed about using the Dustbuster is how powerful it is. I was not expecting much out of it, but it performed almost as well as my upright. It has a narrow opening on the front of it to concentrate more of the power. That little green piece on the end pulls out and extends the dustbuster so you can get in hard to reach places. This worked great for cobwebs and getting dust from under furniture like sofas and dressers. The crevice tool also has a small brush attached to it. I tried it out on a sofa covered in dog hair, but did not find that the brush helped much at all. It was just as easy to use it without the brush. The only way I see that the brush might be handy is for my ceiling fans, which allows me to press down on the crevice tool without pressing into the blade. Otherwise it's not very useful.
CLEANING - The CHV1410L is very easy to clean. It's bagless, and uses a plastic filter. You just press in the tabs and it unlocks and you can shake it out into a trash can. One problem I did have with it is that dog hair seemed to collect in the filter holes and I had to pull these out by hand. But I've used a lot of bagless vacuums like this with these types of filters and I would say this is one of the easier ones to clean.
Overall, I'm very happy with the CHV1410L and plan to use it for almost everything I was using my upright for, which will save me a lot of time not having to drag it out of the closet and plug it in. The only real negative I have with it is that it's fairly loud, which I guess is to be expected for something so powerful.
UPDATE December 2013 - It's been almost two years and the battery on this Dust Buster is still going strong. I use it maybe twice a week for a total of about 30 minutes.
The Black and Decker 14.4v Lithium Ion DustBuster is the same handvac as the Black & Decker CHV1410 Dustbuster 14.4-Volt Cordless Cyclonic Hand Vac except it contains a Lithium-Ion (LIB) battery, whereas the standard CHV1410 contains a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery. If you're trying to decide between the two devices, I would recommend this Lithium-Ion model due to the advantages of the battery:
1. Higher energy density - this means that the LIB battery can hold more energy per volume. In this case the CHV1410L holds about twice the amount of energy as the CHV1410.
2. Greater power density - this refers to bursts of power the battery is capable. It works well when combined with the higher energy density mentioned above.
3. No memory effect - this is something you might have noticed with a Ni-Cd battery. These batteries work best when you fully discharge the battery and then recharge it. With a Dustbuster, you're almost never going to do this. You'll use it for a few minutes then put it back on the mount to charge. This can sometimes product a memory effect, where the cadmium inside the battery forms crystals and the battery will hold less of a charge. A LIB battery does not experience a memory effect.
4. Non-toxic - Ni-Cd batteries are toxic and classified as hazardous. LiB aren't, so disposal is much better for the environment.
LiB do have a couple small disadvantages, but in this application and with the frequent recharging the Dustbuster will see, I feel that it is definitely the right choice. Not to mention the toxicity factor alone makes me feel better about using this type of battery.
USE AND OPERATION - I evaluated both the CHV1410L and the standard CHV1410 at the same time to see what the real difference was between the devices and how the battery affected them. The main thing I like about the CHV1410L does have to do with the battery. It will supposedly hold a charge for up to 18 months. I can't confirm if this is true, but the first time I had it, I gave it a full charge and then removed it from the power source and let it sit uncharged for 30 days. When I tried it out, it seemed to be completely charged and worked great. With my previous Dustbuster, it would have been dead after two days. I did the same 30 day test with the CHV1410. Although it did still have a powerful charge in it and seemed to work fine, I did notice it was less powerful than the CHV1410L. I tested this by putting two small Styrofoam balls in front of the Dustbusters at a specific distance, and then gradually moved the Dustbusters closer to the peanuts until they sucked them up. In repeated tests, the CHV1410L grabbed the ball slightly before the CHV1410, demonstrating more power. For the remainder of my use and testing, the two units performed the same.
The main thing I noticed about using the Dustbuster is how powerful it is. I was not expecting much out of it, but it performed almost as well as my upright. It has a narrow opening on the front of it to concentrate more of the power. That little green piece on the end pulls out and extends the dustbuster so you can get in hard to reach places. This worked great for cobwebs and getting dust from under furniture like sofas and dressers. The crevice tool also has a small brush attached to it. I tried it out on a sofa covered in dog hair, but did not find that the brush helped much at all. It was just as easy to use it without the brush. The only way I see that the brush might be handy is for my ceiling fans, which allows me to press down on the crevice tool without pressing into the blade. Otherwise it's not very useful.
CLEANING - The CHV1410L is very easy to clean. It's bagless, and uses a plastic filter. You just press in the tabs and it unlocks and you can shake it out into a trash can. One problem I did have with it is that dog hair seemed to collect in the filter holes and I had to pull these out by hand. But I've used a lot of bagless vacuums like this with these types of filters and I would say this is one of the easier ones to clean.
Overall, I'm very happy with the CHV1410L and plan to use it for almost everything I was using my upright for, which will save me a lot of time not having to drag it out of the closet and plug it in. The only real negative I have with it is that it's fairly loud, which I guess is to be expected for something so powerful.
UPDATE December 2013 - It's been almost two years and the battery on this Dust Buster is still going strong. I use it maybe twice a week for a total of about 30 minutes.
By RedSoxFan
Awesome power. At first I did not like the fact that it could not be hung up on the wall with the charger plugging into it like my previous dustbusters. I didn't have extra tabletop space to store it flat. But once I found a spot for it, it is nice to just rest it on its base and not deal with wires and decisions -- to connect to charger or not. It just is always fully charged. I have not yet experienced it running out of power during a pickup session -- altho I do tend to just use it for quickie pickups. I plan to push its limits in the future to see just how long it can run on a full charge. The fact that it is Lithium Ion is great that it should last longer and perform better than previous nicad batteries. After a few years, the old style dustbusters just don't take a charge well.
FYI, I used two fat J-shaped hooks mounted a few inches apart on the wall to create a platform for the vac. I'll post a picture if I don't see a similar pic.
FYI, I used two fat J-shaped hooks mounted a few inches apart on the wall to create a platform for the vac. I'll post a picture if I don't see a similar pic.
By Rick B.
Once I received my "new" Lithium Ion Dust Buster, I have to agree with the majority of the reviews. This dust buster was well designed, easy to operate, great suction, easy to clean and most of all, the battery life is fantastic. I've had Nicad dust busters in the past and they just don't last very long and our most recent one the charger burned out. Right now, the only negative (and this has been pointed out by other reviewers) is the bright blue LED charging light. This light is flashing while in charge mode and steady when fully charged. It's best to keep this charger in a room where you won't see it if you're trying to sleep, eat or watch TV - a bit obnoxious. This light is too bright. A non-LED light would have made more sense. We can deal with the light issue so this product gets a full 5 stars. I would also recommend that Amazon make available the filter that goes with this hand vac. the one's shown do not fit this unit. From what I've seen so far, you can only get another filter through Black & Decker and there is no filter part number in the manual.
By Philipp2
This Dustbuster replaced an older one that used NiCad batteries and was about to the end of its useful life. The old one hung on the wall on a charger/bracket that was mounted on our laundry room wall that was very handy to get to and had been located there for over ten years. We were reluctant to clear off a shelf in a different location, so I came up with a mount that attached to one of the shelves that put it back in the old location. It may even be better now since it simply sits on the shelf rather than having to hang it on the bracket.
We have only had this vacuum for a few days, but it beats the old one hands down so far.
Pros:
Excellent Power - Has not faded yet.
Easy to empty / clean.
All "Accessories " are built in.
Provides a Night Light in the Laundry Room
Cons:
Easy to press the release button instead of the switch.(This has only happened once)
EDIT:
After a month or so of use, I will have to say that this is absolutely the best DustBuster that we have ever owned. The battery seems to last forever! I have used it to vacuum out the car and around our very messy birdcage and it has never shown any indication of losing power.
Not really a con, but would like a wider nozzle attachment for picking up lighter dust, seeds, cat litter, etc.
We have only had this vacuum for a few days, but it beats the old one hands down so far.
Pros:
Excellent Power - Has not faded yet.
Easy to empty / clean.
All "Accessories " are built in.
Provides a Night Light in the Laundry Room
Cons:
Easy to press the release button instead of the switch.(This has only happened once)
EDIT:
After a month or so of use, I will have to say that this is absolutely the best DustBuster that we have ever owned. The battery seems to last forever! I have used it to vacuum out the car and around our very messy birdcage and it has never shown any indication of losing power.
Not really a con, but would like a wider nozzle attachment for picking up lighter dust, seeds, cat litter, etc.
By Chris B.
Pretty sweet little vacuum. I bought this specifically for cleaning dirt/dog hair off of our bed before sleeping at night. We're the type of people that let our dogs (4 of them) play around on the bed during the day all they want. They often track in lots of dirt and shed everywhere so the bed can quickly become a sandbox.
I can say that I am more than pleased with this purchase. It quickly and easily gets everything off the sheets before sleep time. (If it helps, we use microfiber sheets that dog hair does not tend to stick to). As some others have mentioned it is fairly noisy but I'd rather that than it blow (eh hehehe).
I'm not sure yet how I feel about the charging base. On one hand it's super easy to use. There's no need to plug anything in, you just set the vacuum on the pad and that's that. On the other hand, in a house full of animals, I have to keep it somewhere where it can't get knocked over seeing as it just balances itself on the charging pad. This design also means you can't (easily) wall mount (or similar) the charging base and the vacuum must be positioned upright for charging.
The battery last plenty long for general use. I actually haven't used it long enough for it to run out of battery from a full charge so I'm not exactly sure what the run time is yet. The nozzle can be extended by pulling out on the gray part. This means you won't lose the attachments.
Long story short I would highly recommend this to anyone. Like another reviewer I remember the original Dustbuster of my childhood and this technology sure has come a long way.
I can say that I am more than pleased with this purchase. It quickly and easily gets everything off the sheets before sleep time. (If it helps, we use microfiber sheets that dog hair does not tend to stick to). As some others have mentioned it is fairly noisy but I'd rather that than it blow (eh hehehe).
I'm not sure yet how I feel about the charging base. On one hand it's super easy to use. There's no need to plug anything in, you just set the vacuum on the pad and that's that. On the other hand, in a house full of animals, I have to keep it somewhere where it can't get knocked over seeing as it just balances itself on the charging pad. This design also means you can't (easily) wall mount (or similar) the charging base and the vacuum must be positioned upright for charging.
The battery last plenty long for general use. I actually haven't used it long enough for it to run out of battery from a full charge so I'm not exactly sure what the run time is yet. The nozzle can be extended by pulling out on the gray part. This means you won't lose the attachments.
Long story short I would highly recommend this to anyone. Like another reviewer I remember the original Dustbuster of my childhood and this technology sure has come a long way.
By Michelle
(Purchased in August 2015)
It's been 10 years since I last had bought a B&D and I am not disappointed with this design and functionality. There was a $10 off manufacturer's rebate and I got this for $40 which I think was a great deal.
I've only used this device to clean the inside of my car. This handheld vacuum has strong power to pickup dirt, small leaves, and cereal crumbs. The crevice tool helps to get to the side areas that I can't reach with just the front nozzle. The brush is attached to the machine for easy no fuss storage and the bristles are short and sturdy to brush out the lint from the car carpets. However, I don't suggest to use this B&D in your home on thick long fibered carpets. Use a heavy duty vacuum for larger cleanups. A great buy and would definitely recommend to purchase for students who dorm.
Battery life is long enough lasting about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. When charging, there is a illuminated blue light at the base which tells you when the charge is full. Approximate length to charge (1-1/2 hours). Otherwise, (Blinking light=charging, Solid light=charged up).
Attached is a photo of the filter disassembled. The gray cylinder domed cup twist off to reveal the filter underneath. Not sure whether there is a replacement filter that consumers can buy when the filter gets too grimy to clean, but so far, it's just a rinse with some effort to clean any small hairs or debris.
Noise level is a notch lower than a regular heavy duty vacuum, but it shows the strength of the unit. Time will tell how long the mechanics will keep going. I would say clean the filter often so the airflow is good and does not overwork the mechanism.
It's been 10 years since I last had bought a B&D and I am not disappointed with this design and functionality. There was a $10 off manufacturer's rebate and I got this for $40 which I think was a great deal.
I've only used this device to clean the inside of my car. This handheld vacuum has strong power to pickup dirt, small leaves, and cereal crumbs. The crevice tool helps to get to the side areas that I can't reach with just the front nozzle. The brush is attached to the machine for easy no fuss storage and the bristles are short and sturdy to brush out the lint from the car carpets. However, I don't suggest to use this B&D in your home on thick long fibered carpets. Use a heavy duty vacuum for larger cleanups. A great buy and would definitely recommend to purchase for students who dorm.
Battery life is long enough lasting about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. When charging, there is a illuminated blue light at the base which tells you when the charge is full. Approximate length to charge (1-1/2 hours). Otherwise, (Blinking light=charging, Solid light=charged up).
Attached is a photo of the filter disassembled. The gray cylinder domed cup twist off to reveal the filter underneath. Not sure whether there is a replacement filter that consumers can buy when the filter gets too grimy to clean, but so far, it's just a rinse with some effort to clean any small hairs or debris.
Noise level is a notch lower than a regular heavy duty vacuum, but it shows the strength of the unit. Time will tell how long the mechanics will keep going. I would say clean the filter often so the airflow is good and does not overwork the mechanism.
By mb
Do I love this thing! GREAT suction. Best I've ever had in a hand vac. I put it right to the test on my [hardwood] staircase, and it worked like a charm. Dust bunnies and sand were gone!
Several reviewers have said (and the picture implies) that it sits at a marked angle when attached to the charger. I haven't found this to be so. It's almost upright. See my pic.
No trouble with holding a charge. This is a cordless vac, folks, and you shouldn't expect more than 15-20 minutes' charge!
When I took apart the filter, I discovered it's a little tricky to get the right parts lined up, so I marked the three "ears" and the slots where they slip. See 2 pix.
Great product. Don't hesitate. You won't be disappointed.
mb
Several reviewers have said (and the picture implies) that it sits at a marked angle when attached to the charger. I haven't found this to be so. It's almost upright. See my pic.
No trouble with holding a charge. This is a cordless vac, folks, and you shouldn't expect more than 15-20 minutes' charge!
When I took apart the filter, I discovered it's a little tricky to get the right parts lined up, so I marked the three "ears" and the slots where they slip. See 2 pix.
Great product. Don't hesitate. You won't be disappointed.
mb
By Jen-Knee
I bought this item when there was a $10 off discount on a $50+ Black & Decker purchase. I am SO glad I did because this product is better than my old Dustbuster that worked faithfully for over 10 years. This new Black and Decker handheld vacuum is truly amazing. It has even taken the place of my dustpan - I sweep into a small pile and use this product to suck up every grain of dust. I like that it is powerful and that the small brush attachment that flips into place at the end of the unit. This way I'll never lose the attachment. I also like that it charges standing up on its end, so it takes up less space than my previous model. All in all, I couldn't be happier!
By ab
--Just a quick update to my original review below: We've owned the dust buster for about a year now. We use it pretty much daily, mainly for cleaning up after the cats, and it continues to perform flawlessly. I definitely recommend this item highly.--
We purchased this dust buster a month ago for spot vacuuming cat fur, cleaning up kitty litter around the cat box, and general household use. We've been very pleased with all aspects of this product and highly recommended it.
A few quick notes after reading other reviews. A number of people complain about how bright the recharging light is on on the handle of the vacuum. We have ours in the kitchen so that's not an issue for us, but if that bothers you, just put a piece of tape over the light. Masking tape or electrical tape will definitely solve the problem for a total cost of less than a penny.
At least one person said that the crevice tool doesn't stay extended and needs a locking mechanism. Initially I thought the same thing, but you just need to pull the tool harder when extending it. It'll click it place and lock just fine.
We purchased this dust buster a month ago for spot vacuuming cat fur, cleaning up kitty litter around the cat box, and general household use. We've been very pleased with all aspects of this product and highly recommended it.
A few quick notes after reading other reviews. A number of people complain about how bright the recharging light is on on the handle of the vacuum. We have ours in the kitchen so that's not an issue for us, but if that bothers you, just put a piece of tape over the light. Masking tape or electrical tape will definitely solve the problem for a total cost of less than a penny.
At least one person said that the crevice tool doesn't stay extended and needs a locking mechanism. Initially I thought the same thing, but you just need to pull the tool harder when extending it. It'll click it place and lock just fine.
By C. J. Petrosky
For about one year's time, on and off, I have tried to find a cordless vacuum to be used primarily in my car. I knew that above all else it must use a lithium battery because my previous hand vac (and plenty of other devices) used Nickel Cadmium batteries. They are so consistently terrible that I refuse to ever buy something that uses Ni-Cd batteries again. My last hand vac being a Dirt Devil which was useable for about 5 minutes at best, and though I tried to maintain the battery properly it was still ruined within about a year.
One of my favorite websites to shop is Woot.com and they frequently sell vacuums of all shapes and sizes from Dyson. I had bought (and I do really like) my DC-25 upright ball vacuum. So I was leaning heavily toward buying a cordless DC-34 vacuum which can be used as a hand-held or as a floor vac. The major downside: They are insanely expensive! The best price you'll likely see is about $170 for a refurb. Two other things persuaded me to look elsewhere as well: The battery lasts about 10 minutes at best (but usually about 7 minutes of usefulness), and the thing is rather large and bulky for a hand vac.
So, off to the web I went to try and find a vacuum with decent ratings and a lithium battery. I eventually stumbled upon the Black & Decker CHV1410L. I'm glad I did.
The vacuum features an attractive design, it's compact, it's got an absolutely tiny charging base (and still functional, happily), and other course...a lithium battery. One likely won't need the user's guide to figure out how everything works. Disassembling, cleaning, reassembling, and using the vac are all quite intuitive. Still, the manual offers all the information you'll need while being brief. You can read the entire guide in just a few minutes.
Happily the vacuum is a bag-less canister design, and the filter is a mesh design which is easy to clean. Aside from the battery eventually wearing out, there's nothing else you'll need to buy or replace in the lifetime of this vacuum. A major improvement over older hand vacuums to be sure. Not bags, no foam or paper filters!
Right out the box I put the vacuum on it's charging base and the battery was full within an hour. One thing to note is the extremely bright charging indicator. While it doesn't bother me I was still surprised how bright it is. You can practically use the thing as a night light ;-) The charging base itself is refreshingly small, simple, and functional. It's a disc perhaps 5 inches in diameter, virtually flat, and the vacuum simply rests on top of it. It's very easy to seat the vacuum on it and getting it to charge.
The vacuum itself is very light weight and I'm glad that they went with a tapered design for the business end of the nozzle. It makes vacuuming tight spaces much easier and gets the job done well. The nozzle features an interesting flip down brush which is convenient since you don't have to worry about losing the attachment but unfortunately only half of the assembly has bristles. It works well enough but I'm thinking it'd be better to have a full brush attachment.
Suction for the vacuum is excellent and compares to a floor vac with hose attachment for effectiveness. It actually outperforms the aging plug-in canister vacuum I had been using to clean my car. Out with the old, in with the new I suppose! And this one is cordless!
Noise level is less so than most floor vacs but this device isn't exactly quiet. I'm not complaining about the noise level but you wouldn't want to vacuum in the middle of the night. Your family and neighbors wouldn't appreciate it! ;-)
Battery life is very good for a cordless vacuum. Thus far I've only needed it for about 5 minutes at a time but I did use it once for approximately 10 minutes straight and the suction was mostly consistent. I notice that the suction is strongest the first 2 minutes of use, it then drops off a bit but is still fairly consistent the rest of the way through. Consider the first couple of minutes Turbo Mode or something like that! In any case it's a huge improvement over my previous Ni-Cd vac which was useable for only 5 minutes before beginning the steady decline to uselessness.
A note: Disassembly and cleaning are a breeze, though you might have to fidget with the nozzle to get it to lock down tight with the base. Try rotating the nozzle assembly back and forth to get it locked down. If you don't the nozzle end might fall off during use.
One thing to consider though is that you'll be paying far more for this cordless vac than you would for a corded one. You can find a corded hand vac that performs just as well for $40 or less. Is the premium worth the convenience of a cordless vacuum? For me, yes it is. But if the price bothers you I'd strongly recommend a plug-in vacuum over the future landfill you'll otherwise buy if you go for a cheap cordless. Ni-Cd batteries are garbage!
So, in closing. This is an excellent cordless vacuum with powerful suction, a good design, and at least 10 minutes of useful battery life. I'd recommend purchasing it over ANY vac with Ni-Cd battery. Look for pricing to be $80 or less.
One of my favorite websites to shop is Woot.com and they frequently sell vacuums of all shapes and sizes from Dyson. I had bought (and I do really like) my DC-25 upright ball vacuum. So I was leaning heavily toward buying a cordless DC-34 vacuum which can be used as a hand-held or as a floor vac. The major downside: They are insanely expensive! The best price you'll likely see is about $170 for a refurb. Two other things persuaded me to look elsewhere as well: The battery lasts about 10 minutes at best (but usually about 7 minutes of usefulness), and the thing is rather large and bulky for a hand vac.
So, off to the web I went to try and find a vacuum with decent ratings and a lithium battery. I eventually stumbled upon the Black & Decker CHV1410L. I'm glad I did.
The vacuum features an attractive design, it's compact, it's got an absolutely tiny charging base (and still functional, happily), and other course...a lithium battery. One likely won't need the user's guide to figure out how everything works. Disassembling, cleaning, reassembling, and using the vac are all quite intuitive. Still, the manual offers all the information you'll need while being brief. You can read the entire guide in just a few minutes.
Happily the vacuum is a bag-less canister design, and the filter is a mesh design which is easy to clean. Aside from the battery eventually wearing out, there's nothing else you'll need to buy or replace in the lifetime of this vacuum. A major improvement over older hand vacuums to be sure. Not bags, no foam or paper filters!
Right out the box I put the vacuum on it's charging base and the battery was full within an hour. One thing to note is the extremely bright charging indicator. While it doesn't bother me I was still surprised how bright it is. You can practically use the thing as a night light ;-) The charging base itself is refreshingly small, simple, and functional. It's a disc perhaps 5 inches in diameter, virtually flat, and the vacuum simply rests on top of it. It's very easy to seat the vacuum on it and getting it to charge.
The vacuum itself is very light weight and I'm glad that they went with a tapered design for the business end of the nozzle. It makes vacuuming tight spaces much easier and gets the job done well. The nozzle features an interesting flip down brush which is convenient since you don't have to worry about losing the attachment but unfortunately only half of the assembly has bristles. It works well enough but I'm thinking it'd be better to have a full brush attachment.
Suction for the vacuum is excellent and compares to a floor vac with hose attachment for effectiveness. It actually outperforms the aging plug-in canister vacuum I had been using to clean my car. Out with the old, in with the new I suppose! And this one is cordless!
Noise level is less so than most floor vacs but this device isn't exactly quiet. I'm not complaining about the noise level but you wouldn't want to vacuum in the middle of the night. Your family and neighbors wouldn't appreciate it! ;-)
Battery life is very good for a cordless vacuum. Thus far I've only needed it for about 5 minutes at a time but I did use it once for approximately 10 minutes straight and the suction was mostly consistent. I notice that the suction is strongest the first 2 minutes of use, it then drops off a bit but is still fairly consistent the rest of the way through. Consider the first couple of minutes Turbo Mode or something like that! In any case it's a huge improvement over my previous Ni-Cd vac which was useable for only 5 minutes before beginning the steady decline to uselessness.
A note: Disassembly and cleaning are a breeze, though you might have to fidget with the nozzle to get it to lock down tight with the base. Try rotating the nozzle assembly back and forth to get it locked down. If you don't the nozzle end might fall off during use.
One thing to consider though is that you'll be paying far more for this cordless vac than you would for a corded one. You can find a corded hand vac that performs just as well for $40 or less. Is the premium worth the convenience of a cordless vacuum? For me, yes it is. But if the price bothers you I'd strongly recommend a plug-in vacuum over the future landfill you'll otherwise buy if you go for a cheap cordless. Ni-Cd batteries are garbage!
So, in closing. This is an excellent cordless vacuum with powerful suction, a good design, and at least 10 minutes of useful battery life. I'd recommend purchasing it over ANY vac with Ni-Cd battery. Look for pricing to be $80 or less.
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