Black + Decker WDC115WA Review

If you spill coffee or drop a cup of water from your hands, the first reaction is often: I'll grab the vacuum cleaner! However, not every vacuum cleaner is suitable for vacuuming wet dirt. In fact, it can destroy a vacuum cleaner.

The Black+Decker WDC115WA offers a solution: this compact handheld vacuum cleaner is suitable for vacuuming both dry and wet dirt. I have extensively tested this Black & Decker wet and dry vacuum cleaner. Is it really that good at sucking up liquids? You will discover it in this Black+Decker WDC115WA review!

Unboxing Black+Decker WDC115WA

When I received the box of the Black+Decker WDC115WA, I immediately noticed how light it is. That can mean two things: either a very light and compact hand vacuum cleaner or very few accessories. Let's see what's in the package.

© Vacuumtester

1. Rubber squeegee: suitable for liquids
2. Crevice tool: a short extension for hard-to-reach places
3. Soft brush: for vacuuming sensitive surfaces (such as furniture)
4. Charging cable: a charger that can be integrated with the wall holder (7)
5. Screws and plugs: to be mounted on the wall on the wall holder
6. Wall holder: you can hang the vacuum cleaner against the wall

Suction performance Black+Decker WDC115WA

One of the most important parts of my vacuum cleaner reviews is the suction power of a vacuum cleaner. To find out, I test vacuum cleaners – and also handheld vacuum cleaners – on various surfaces: from vulnerable wooden floors to low-pile carpet.

I test the suction performance with different dirt sizes and in this case also with liquids. In addition, I also measure the suction power in kilopascals to compare different models.

Suction performance wooden floors, carpet and pet hair

The WDC115WA has no problem with small and large dirt on hard floors. Liquids are also well absorbed. I have to say that there really has to be a somewhat larger puddle. Thanks to the included soft-bristled brush, wooden floors and furniture are protected.

Liquids are also well absorbed. I have to say that there really has to be a somewhat larger puddle.

This wireless Black & Decker handheld vacuum scores well on carpets: small and large dirt are vacuumed up without any problems. In the field of liquids, this is difficult to investigate, since liquids are directly absorbed by the carpet.

This hand vacuum cleaner is not suitable for removing pet hair. There is a low suction power (I'll get to that in a moment) and no pet hair brush is included.

• Hardwood floors: 6/10
• Carpet: 6/10
• Pet hair: 4/10

Suction power and airflow measurement

To find out what the best powerful vacuum cleaner is, I do a suction power measurement with every vacuum cleaner test. In kilopascals I measure how powerful a vacuum cleaner actually is. In addition, I always do an airspeed measurement.

The suction power of this Black+Decker WDC115WA is 3.5 kilopascals. This is very low compared to other handheld vacuums. This hand-held vacuum cleaner does not have a turbo mode, so this is really the highest achievable.

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The airflow of this hand-held vacuum cleaner is about 11.5 meters per second: this is also a lot lower than the test results of other models.

Usability: how easy is vacuuming?

How user-friendly is the Black+Decker WDC115WA? To find out, I look at several factors. For example, not only the weight of the vacuum cleaner is important, but also how easily I can charge it, how long the battery life is and how versatile this hand-held vacuum cleaner is.

Versatility and Control

When unboxing this Black and Decker handheld vacuum, I discovered few accessories. This makes the vacuum cleaner a lot less versatile. However, this hand vacuum cleaner is suitable for wet and dry dirt. I rarely see this with a handheld vacuum, with a few exceptions. For example, the TurboTronic LUX400.

The operation of this hand vacuum cleaner is slightly different than with other models. You have to keep the on/off button pressed while vacuuming. After vacuuming for a while, this can be experienced as annoying.

The operation of this hand vacuum cleaner is slightly different than with other models. You have to keep the on/off button pressed while vacuuming.

Charging: maximum battery life and charging time

Since we are dealing with a cordless vacuum cleaner here, you will have to charge the battery now and then. The Black+Decker WDC115WA has a maximum battery life of 9 minutes. This is very low when compared to other handheld vacuums. On the other hand, this is of course a vacuum cleaner for smaller jobs.

To fully charge the battery again, you have to take into account about 10 hours of charging time. This is normal compared to other models.

Weight and noise level

You should lift a hand vacuum cleaner in its entirety while vacuuming: a low weight is therefore desirable. This Black+Decker WDC115WA is just right: it weighs only 0.64 kilograms.

In terms of noise level, I am less enthusiastic: with 86.9 decibels, this is a very noisy hand-held vacuum cleaner.

© Vacuumtester

Maintenance of the Black+Decker WDC115WA

As I just mentioned, this vacuum cleaner is suitable for wet and dry dirt. I am therefore extra curious about the maintenance of this WDC115WA. Won't it get dirty inside the handheld vacuum if I vacuum liquids?

Separate water filter and reservoir

Under the hood appears to be a separate water filter and a separate reservoir for sucked liquids. This keeps the dry and wet dirt separated and there is no filthy mess in the dust container.

Emptying the handheld vacuum is very easy: you can simply click the front (which serves as a dust container) of the WDC115WA out, after which you can empty it. There is, however, a small dust container: with a capacity of 0.385 liters, you will have to empty it constantly.

© Vacuumtester

Conclusion Black+Decker WDC115WA review

If you are looking for a compact hand-held vacuum cleaner that you can also use to vacuum damp dirt, the Black+Decker WDC115WA is an interesting choice. Vacuuming liquids is no problem. Thanks to the included dusting brush, you can also vacuum wooden furniture.

What you have to take into account is an enormous noise level: with more than 85 decibels, it is a very noisy hand vacuum cleaner. In addition, it is not suitable for removing pet hair: it has a low suction power and no pet hairbrush is included. In my opinion it is better to choose the Black+Decker BHHV520BFP. However, it is not suitable for wet dirt.