What do you get when you combine a snail with a vacuum cleaner?
The Black + Decker PD1820L-GB Handheld Vacuum of course!
Don’t get us wrong, this is not because the cleaner is slow, because it’s anything but. It’s simply because Black & Decker got a little creative with this creation.
The innovative design features a flexible hose that can wrap around the machine when not in use — hence the snail analogy. But how does the look help its performance?
Read on as I go over the benefits and features of this handheld vacuum.
Contents
Pros
- 1.5 metre flexible cleaning hose to clean hard to reach areas
- Great suction – ideal for quick cleaning jobs
- Integrated crevice tool and dusting brush
Cons
- Needs to be emptied regularly
- 3 – 4 hours charging time to fully charge
Overview Of The Black & Decker 18V Handheld
With more than 100 years of innovation to back the brand, Black & Decker has been trusted to manufacture a variety of products including drills, grass trimmers, and household appliances.
They incorporate the newest technologies in their products and provide inspiration for people to “transform the place where they live into a home”.
The PD1820L is part of their range of handheld vacuums. This particular model offers improved suction power and battery life when compared to earlier versions. In comparison with traditional handhelds, the Black & Decker 18V has some unusual features and looks but works exceptionally well.
Performance
Handheld cleaners are intended for quick jobs, and cleaning spaces where a regular vacuum can’t go. The PD1820L has great suction power and can perform a wide range of tasks.
When performing duties such as vacuuming crevices, cleaning the car, or dusting surfaces, it showcases excellent capabilities. For dusting, there’s an integrated flick-down brush which works really well—instead of moving dust around like with a duster, the vacuum actually removes it.
Read More: Best handheld vacuums
While the cleaner isn’t intended for floor cleaning, it works exceptionally well on hard floors. However, it doesn’t do such a good job on carpets. It’s great for quick cleans, like cereal or cat litter spills, for example.
Speaking of pets, it does an okay job on pet hair, but thick hair may clog up the filter. If you have pets and would like to use this vacuum for cleaning up after them, there’s a pet hair extension available separately.
Features Of the Black & Decker 18V Flexi
Cordless
As with most hand vacs, this is a cordless cleaner. This feature ensures that this vacuum is fantastic at what it was intended for – cleaning unconventional spaces. These places may include your car and garage, or simply high or hard to reach places in your home.
Flexible Hose That Extends to 1.5m
The PD1820L’s most notable feature is the extendable hose. Some are not fond of the design while others think it’s rather trendy. In either case, the design is practical, and it really works.
At the end of the hose, you’ll find a nozzle large enough to suck up bigger particles (like cereal), and it includes a flick-down dusting brush. This brush is excellent for dusting surfaces like lampshades and bannisters.
The hose itself enables you to reach into tight spaces more easily than with a conventional handheld—like under car seats, inside the cubbyhole and cup holders, and between cushions. In your home, it’s great for cleaning window sills, skirting boards, and stairs.
Lightweight
In combination with the long hose, this makes cleaning high places effortless as you won’t have to hold the entire machine above your head to dust ceiling skirtings or clean on top of cupboards.
Additionally, carrying the vacuum around your home won’t strain your wrist or tire your arm. You can simply hold the machine in one hand while using the other to hold the hose while cleaning.
18V Lithium-Ion Battery
At the heart of the PD1820L, there’s an 18V Lithium-ion battery to keep things pumping. The cleaner features a LED indicator light to let you know when the vacuum is on, and the battery will run for up to 15 minutes on the single power setting. That’s comparable to other handhelds and enough battery life for most handheld jobs.
The battery will provide constant suction power for the entire duration of the battery’s life, meaning there will be no slowing down when the battery is low. Once the battery is depleted, recharging is as simple as placing it in the included charging dock (which doubles as storage space for accessories and has a place for the crevice tool).
To help it charge faster, it features ECO smart technology. On the initial charge, it will take around 4 hours to achieve a full charge, but after that, it can take less time.
Bagless
The vacuum cleaner is quick to empty by simply opening the side door, but doing so without spillage will take some practice—unless you remove the bowl from the vacuum. Removing the bin is painless, and its translucency will allow you to see when it’s full.
In addition to cleaning the bin, the filter must be occasionally removed and cleaned. It’s easy to rinse the filter (and the bin if necessary) under the tap, and if a deeper clean is required, a soft toothbrush will suffice. Replacing the filter once in a while is also a good idea, as it will allow the cleaner to keep up its good performance.
Accessories
The PD1820L doesn’t come with a lot of accessories, but it has what’s necessary. If you need an additional piece (like a pet hair cleaner) it’s easy to source and purchase online.
- 1.5m Hose
- 2 in 1 nozzle with flip out upholstery brush
- Charging cable
What I Liked
- Long hose enables you to reach awkward places
- Lightweight & ergonomic design
- Translucent dust bowl lets you see when it’s full
- Performs well on hard floors
- Charging dock doubles as storage space
What I Didn’t Like
- The bin has no ejecting system
- Relatively loud
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your car, stairs, general spillages, and occasional dusting are all suitable duties for this machine—and it does an excellent job when performing these tasks. It’s even able to do quick jobs on hard floors and carpets, but its
performance on carpets is not brilliant.
The Black + Decker PD1820L-GB Handheld Vacuum is a great addition to your household, although it won’t replace your main vacuum. It’s best suited for someone who needs a quick and easy to use cleaner for spillages and hard to reach places.
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