Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi review
Compact handheld vacuum cleaner with flexible hose
Walmart.com
Description
No, it's not an old-fashioned phone with a handheld scanner: it's the Black+Decker Dustbuster Flexi! The Black+Decker PD1420LP-QV to be exact. It is a special model, as it looks completely different from the average hand vacuum cleaner. For example, this hand vacuum cleaner is equipped with a flexible hose, which makes it more like a small traditional vacuum cleaner.
Recently I bought this Black+Decker PD140LP-QV to test it extensively. In this Black+Decker Dustbuster Flexi review I discuss all my findings.
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Accessories: unboxing the Black + Decker handheld vacuum cleaner
The box of the Black+decker hand vacuum cleaner already reveals a bit that it is different from other hand vacuum cleaners. Where many a hand vacuum cleaner is delivered in an elongated box, this Black+Decker Dustbuster Flexi has a square box. Let's unpack it!
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- Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi (PD1420LP-QW): the handheld vacuum cleaner with flexible hose
- Crevice tool: an elongated piston for crevices and hard-to-reach places
- Dusting brush: a small dusting brush that you can convert to a soft-bristled brush.
- Pet hair brush: A rubber non-motorized pet hair brush.
- Standard for accessories: you can click in the extra accessories. Can also be mounted on the wall.
- Charging station: a charging panel on which you can place the handheld vacuum cleaner.
- Manual: handy to reach if you have any questions
Suction performance of the Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi
We have just listed all the included accessories. Although this says a lot about the application possibilities, it doesn't say anything about the suction performance. In every vacuum cleaner review I test the suction performance of vacuum cleaners on different floor types and I investigate, among other things, the suction power in kilopascals.
Suction performance wooden floors, carpet and pet hair
The Black & Decker Dustbuster Flexi has no problem with large and small dirt on hard floor types. However, if we look at the degree of protection on vulnerable floors, it is average. You only get a small (foldable) dusting brush with it. I don't discover an extra separate suction brush with very soft bristles. This can become a problem when vacuuming sensitive surfaces, such as furniture.
I don't discover an extra separate suction brush with very soft bristles. This can become a problem when vacuuming sensitive surfaces, such as furniture.
The Dustbuster Flexi scores well on carpet: here too, different sizes of dirt are vacuumed up without any problem. It is nice that a small wide extension is supplied, so that the suction surface is somewhat larger.
The Black+Decker hand vacuum cleaner comes with a special brush for pet hair. Unfortunately, it is not a motorized brush, but I do notice that it can be used well for removing pet hair. It is a kind of rubber comb, with which you can easily comb animal hairs from furniture, after which they are immediately sucked up by this cordless hand vacuum cleaner.
- Hardwood floors: 6/10
- Carpet: 7.5/10
- Pet Hair: 7.5/10
Suction power and airflow
To determine the suction power of a vacuum cleaner, I use a suction power meter. This indicates the suction power in Kilopascals. The measurement result gives me a good opportunity to compare the suction power with other hand vacuum cleaners.
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As you can see above, this Black+Decker handheld vacuum has a suction power of 5.1 Kilopascals. To get a better picture of this result: a canister vacuum cleaner has a suction power of 20 Kilopascals.
In addition to the suction power, the air speed is also an important measurement. This indicates the maximum AirFlow in meters per second. With the PD1420LP-QW this is 12.3 m/s.
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Black + Decker PD1420LP-QW usability
Not unimportant: the user-friendly of a vacuum cleaner. To determine user-friendliness, I look at several factors. For example, the noise level, weight and versatility of the hand-held vacuum cleaner are important features for user-friendliness.
Weight and noise level
You should be able to lift a hand vacuum cleaner easily with one hand. After all, it is a vacuum cleaner ‘to grab a quick bite'. The weight is therefore very important with this type of vacuum cleaner. The Black+Decker PD1420LP-QW weighs 1.45 kilograms. This is a great weight: it doesn't feel heavy after vacuuming for a while.
I am less enthusiastic about the noise level. My decibel meter measures a noise level of 86.5 decibels, which is very high. For your impression: in the AEG VX82-1-ÖKO review I measured only 57 decibels. And that was a canister vacuum cleaner.
Side note: it is true that a hand-held vacuum cleaner often makes more noise than other types of vacuum cleaners. This is mainly because it is a bagless vacuum cleaner. A dust bag muffles the sound, which is missing from a hand-held vacuum cleaner.
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Flexibility of the Dustbuster Flexi
As you have probably already seen, this hand vacuum cleaner is equipped with a flexible hose. This makes the vacuum cleaner nice and flexible to use. The hose is a godsend, especially in hard-to-reach places: for example, you can easily vacuum your car doors or the cutlery drawer.
The hand-held vacuum cleaner also comes with a pet hair brush. This is – unfortunately – not a motorized brush, but a kind of rubber comb. This makes removing pet hair very easy, but not as easy as with a turbo brush.
Charging: battery life and charging time
Since we are dealing with a cordless vacuum cleaner, it is good to look at maximum battery life. When fully charged, the Black+Decker Dustbuster lasts 11.5 minutes. This is fine for a handheld vacuum, since you often use it for small cleaning jobs.
Charging the vacuum cleaner is very easy: there is a horizontal platform on which you can place the vacuum cleaner, after which the battery charges. However, this has a disadvantage: you cannot hang the handheld vacuum cleaner on the wall.
Maintenance: emptying and cleaning
A hand vacuum cleaner is often very compact: this has the disadvantage that you will have to empty it often. It is therefore very important that emptying the dust container is easy and that this does not have to be done often.
Dust container and filters of the PD1420LP
Emptying the Black&Decker Dustbuster Flexi is very easy. You can easily unscrew the dust container from the handheld vacuum cleaner, after which you can empty it above the trash can. The hand vacuum cleaner has a dust capacity of 0.56 liters. For a normal vacuum cleaner this would be much too small, but for a handheld vacuum it is acceptable.
You can easily unscrew the dust container from the handheld vacuum cleaner, after which you can empty it above the trash can.
On the other side of the vacuum cleaner I discover the filter. Unfortunately, this is not a HEPA filter, but it is a washable filter. Washing is the same as cleaning a HEPA filter: you can rinse it gently under the tap.
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Conclusion Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi review
The Black+Decker Dustbuster Flexi is a special hand vacuum cleaner. It is a flexible and cleverly designed handheld vacuum: you can easily pull out the stored vacuum cleaner hose for hard-to-reach places. The vacuum cleaner has good suction power and is versatile. It is easy to empty and charge, after which it has an excellent battery life of 11.5 minutes.
What you have to take into account is the high noise level: with 86.5 decibels, it is not a quiet choice. In addition, it is important to know that you cannot hang this hand-held vacuum cleaner on the wall: it comes with a horizontal charging station.
Additional information
Specifications: Black + Decker Dustbuster Flexi review
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