Black & Decker Handheld Review (16V, Cordless, Lithium-ion)

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on: January 11, 2023

The Black & Decker 16V Lithium is a lightweight, powerful, and inexpensive handheld vacuum designed to help users eliminate localized messes with ease. With two extra built-in tools, an easy-to-empty dust bin, and fade-free suction, this handheld vacuum has a lot to offer.

Continue reading below to discover if the Black & Decker 16V Lithium is the best handheld vacuum for you.

A Moderate Handheld Vacuum

Blac & Decker Handheld

The Black & Decker handheld vacuum is a good option for those who want a low-cost, cordless, handheld vacuum. There’s no extra accessories or perks, which brings a lower price, but also a lower amount of cleaning styles available.Check Price

Pros

• Strong suction for a handheld vacuum
• Lightweight design

Cons

• Wide nozzle isn’t great for crevices
• Charging base is a little unstable

Table of Contents

• Design
• Cleaning Tests
• Usability
• Value
• Specifications
• Who Should Buy

The Black & Decker 16V Lithium Ion handheld vacuum is designed with a ball-shaped head and narrow nose.

The nozzle of this handheld vacuum offers an extension within the nozzle itself, therefore allowing the vacuum to reach those hard-to-reach corners and crevices.

The odd shape of this vacuum does contain an even amount of weight distribution. Neither end feels top-heavy or awkward to carry, in my opinion.

Attached to the nozzle is also a brush. When the brush is not being used, it is pressed flush up against the nozzle, helping to avoid it from disrupting the cleaning.

As it is put into use, it simply flips up onto the nozzle, allowing users to agitate the dirt and debris before sucking it up.

With regard to aesthetics, the color scheme is a minty blue base, white nozzle, and gray accents. All three colors come together to offer a sleek and modern looking handheld vacuum.

Features

1. Handle
2. Power switch
3. Dust bin
4. Cleaning tools

How It Cleans

This Black & Decker handheld vacuum uses a cyclonic suction method to keep dirt and debris away from the filter while also maintaining a strong degree of suction.

Users can vacuum using the vacuum as it comes, they can extend the integrated crevice tool,   or they can flip up the multi-surface cleaning brush.

Cyclonic suction

Dirt and debris is sucked up through the nozzle and spun in cyclonic fashion.

Size & Dimensions

The Black & Decker handheld vacuum is approximately 17. 2″ long, 5.5″ wide, and 7.8″ tall. Carrying a total weight of 2.6 pounds, this Black & Decker handheld vacuum is both lightweight and portable.

A majority of the weight is portioned to the middle of this vacuum cleaner, helping to avoid any top heavy cleaning sessions.

Accessories & Parts

The Black & Decker 16V Lithium Ion handheld vacuum did not come with a multitude of parts and accessories.

In fact, everything that comes with this vacuum is already located on the vacuum itself, with the exception of the power base.

A crevice tool is located within the nozzle of the vacuum and can be pulled out in order to add length and reduce the width of the nozzle.

The brush tool included with this unit is also attached to the nozzle and can be flipped up at any time. There is no need to grab a separate attachment to pop onto this handheld vacuum, as everything is already setup for you.

MORE – Need a full-size vacuum? See our Guide on the Best Shark vacuums

The charging base included with this vacuum is a small, separate unit that holds the vacuum up in vertical fashion. The charging pins on this Black & Decker handheld vacuum are placed at the back / bottom of the circular, tail end of the unit.

Parts & Accessories

1. Nozzle
2. Base of vacuum
3. Charging base

Cleaning Tests

Overall

97%

Hardwood

98%

Low Carpet

98%

High Carpet

96%

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Black & Decker 16V Lithium handheld vacuum performs on different surfaces, picking up a variety of debris types.

We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet. For each floor type we test the vacuum cleaner against:

• Rice – 3 ounces
• Dry Cereal – 1 ounce
• Kitty Litter – 3 ounces
• Sugar – 3 ounces

Each of the aforementioned debris types was spread across our testing lane.  The base surface of our testing lane is an engineered hardwood floor.

For our carpet tests, we slide in a low pile and high pile carpet insert on top of the hardwood floor.

Testing Debris – From left to right: Rice (3 oz.), Kitty Litter (3 oz), Cereal (1 oz), Sugar (3 oz)

Our vacuum cleaning process strives to be as consistent, fair, and true to real world use as possible. Our tests utilize the following procedure:

1. Measure the weight of the testing debris and the weight of the empty vacuum debris container.
2. Spread the respective debris type evenly across the central portion of the testing lane.
3. Run the vacuum cleaner over the testing lane.
4. Measure the weight of the now filled container and take notes on the cleaning performance.

Hardwood Floor

The hardwood floor tests proved to be an easy task fore the Black & Decker handheld vacuum. Each one of our debris types was cleaned up to a level of 94% or higher.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

98%

Rice

98%

Sugar

94%

Sugar was the most difficult debris type for the vacuum, but at 94% this Black & Decker handheld had no issues cleaning up the remaining 6% of sugar after another pass.

Low Pile Carpet

Low pile carpet proved to be even less of a challenge for the Black & Decker vacuum, as each debris type was cleaned up to a higher degree, with the exception of sugar. 

Friction between the debris and the carpet helped to pin down the debris, allowing this handheld vacuum cleaner to suck up the debris with ease.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

100%

Rice

99%

Sugar

93%

Sugar was cleaned up at a level of 93%, but once again, the Black & Decker handheld vacuum had no issues cleaning up the remaining sugar particles with another pass.

High Pile Carpet

As the final testing series, the high pile carpet was not able to defeat the Black & Decker handheld vacuum. The lowest level of cleanliness came in at 91% (sugar), while the three other debris types brought home a score of 95% or higher.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

95%

Rice

99%

Sugar

91%

After running this unit through the high pile carpet test, it was clear that the suction power of the vacuum was strong.

Several other vacuums have struggled to lift up this amount of debris from the high pile carpet, so to see this Black & Decker perform at this level was impressive.

Usability

Setting up and using the Black & Decker 16V Lithium is quite simple. There really is no setup. Unbox the unit and its charging base, let it charge, and you’re good to go.

The light on the charging base will illuminate a solid blue color as the vacuum is charging; once it has fully charged, the light will turn off.

When it comes to using this handheld vacuum, you just flip the switch and get to work.

There is only one cleaning mode; therefore, once you turn this Black & Decker vacuum on, you can proceed with cleaning on whatever surface the mess is on.

Additionally, using the attached tools couldn’t be any easier. An arrow indicates the sliding nozzle, which is simply an extension to the already existing nozzle.

Push down on the arrow and another 3″ of nozzle pops out, or flip over the brush end of the nozzle and use it to lift dirt and debris before vacuuming it up.

The softer bristles are also a good option for cleaning up against the edges of walls, without damaging them.

Rotating Head

Click the lock notch on the vacuum and it will allow you to rotate the head of the vacuum.

Maneuverability

Maneuvering around the Black & Decker handheld vacuum is virtually effortless. 

The combination of the vacuum’s lightweight design and rotating nozzle allows users to carry this handheld vacuum around and clean in tighter corners and crevices.

A simple lock button on the midsection of the unit clicks down, allowing the head of the vacuum cleaner to rotate, which is where the crevice tool will go from lying horizontal to a flatter, vertical position.

The handle and weight distribution of the Black & Decker 16V Lithium is also quite nice. Since the unit is less than 18″ long, Black & Decker was able to distribute the weight evenly, avoiding a top-heavy handheld vacuum.

• Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Power: Battery
• Height: 7.8″
• Width: 5.5″

Maintenance

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various parts and components of the vacuum. The following replacement frequencies are what the manufacturer recommends. However, your individual experiences may vary.

Accessory / Part	Replacement Frequency*	Replacement Cost
Empty dust bin	After each use	NA
Wash the filter	Replace every 6-9 months	Check Price

Maintaining the Black & Decker handheld vacuum is not hard.  

Basic maintenance tasks include: rinsing out the filter every couple of uses, replacing it every 6-9 months, and replacing the battery as needed.

Aside from these tasks, there is not much else that needs to be done to ensure your vacuum is running at its full potential.

AUTOMATIC: Discover automatic cleaning options with the Best Roomba reviews.

With regard to annual costs, it’s a bit of a toss up at this time. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate a replacement battery; therefore, we are not exactly sure how much one could cost.

To that end, the replacement filters cost about $3.50 per filter, and you will need about two a year.

Therefore, you can expect to pay at least $7 in filter costs, and potentially more if you need to replace the battery.

Noise

All vacuum cleaner reviews on Modern Castle are put through our standard noise test. For this test, we use a sound meter to measure noise in terms of decibel level approximately 3′ away from the vacuum.

At 3′ away, the Black & Decker 16V Lithium (handheld) emits 83 dB of sound.

Battery

All cordless handheld vacuum reviews on Modern Castle are put through a standard assessment of battery size, run time, life, and replacement cost.

Battery	Details
Size	Unknown
Charging Time	4-6 hours
Run Time	15 minutes
Replacement Cost	Unknown

Batteries are extremely important when a vacuum is not a corded unit. My biggest concern with this Black & Decker handheld vacuum is the difficulty in locating a replacement battery. Black & Decker notes that its battery is:

“Always ready – holds a charge for up to 18 months”

This seems to be an almost unrealistic duration to maintain a charge for any type of lithium ion battery (it’s something I’m planning to put to the test in the future).

That said, the vacuum does do a nice job of continuing to clean at the same level of power until the battery is dead. There is no fade out effect.

Value

Sold in the low price tier, the performance you receive from this vacuum is top notch. Although this vacuum only has one power setting for suction, the suction is above average for handheld vacuums we have tested thus far.

Although you do not receive any extra accessories with this vacuum, there are two tools included on the nose of this vacuum: a multi-surface brush and an extended nozzle. 

Therefore, you do not have to waste time attaching these items, as they are already on the vacuum and ready for use.

Black & Decker does include a 2-year warranty with this handheld vacuum in addition to a 30-day return policy, via Amazon.

The combination of excellent cleaning performance, 2 year warranty, and simplicity in usability create what we view as great overall value.

However, the difficulty in finding a replacement battery does leave me concerned about long-term maintenance. This is the only major detractor for this Black & Decker handheld.

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Black & Decker handheld vacuum:

Specifications
Type	Handheld vacuum
Manufacturer	Black & Decker
Model	16V Lithium
Length (inches)	17.2
Width (inches)	5.5
Weight (pounds)	2.6
Floor Type	All (indoor)
Battery Size	16V
Dust Bin	0.6 L
Cordless	Yes
Bagless	Yes
Returns	Varies by retailer
Warranty	2-Year limited
Price	Check Price

Who Should Buy the Black & Decker 16V Lithium Handheld Vacuum?

The Black & Decker 16V Lithium is a well-designed handheld vacuum built to handle a variety of messes on all indoor floor surfaces.

Strong suction helps this vacuum lift up dirt and debris while using a cyclonic cleaning method to avoid this same dirt and debris from going into the filter.

Easy to maintain and easy to use, this Black & Decker could be a good option for those seeking out a new handheld vacuum.

I would recommend the Black & Decker 16V Lithium if you’re looking for the following features in a handheld vacuum.

• Want a lighter unit – At a total weight of 2.6 pounds, this Black & Decker handheld vacuum is lightweight and portable for a vast majority of users.
• Want strong suction power – The Black & Decker handheld vacuum proved how strong its suction power was throughout our cleaning tests. Even on a high pile carpet, this vacuum cleaner was able to remove at least 91% of debris spread across the carpet. This is an impressive number for such a small unit.
• Don’t need extra accessories – There are no extra accessories included with the purchase of this Black & Decker handheld. Two tools do come attached to the vacuum, but they are not huge difference makers with regard to how the vacuum cleans.
• Want to save a few bucks – Priced relatively low, the Black & Decker 16V Lithium handheld offers a very good value. For the price you pay, you’ll receive a well above average performer.

For more information on the Black & Decker 16V Lithium handheld visit here.

Strong Suction, Cool Design

• Design – 86%
• Performance – 97%
• Quality – 91%
• Usability – 89%
• Value – 93%

91%

Summary

The Black & Decker 16V lithium handheld vacuum offers great performance in a cordless vacuum. It did extremely well across all of our cleaning tests. The accessories provided added options for cleaning a various surfaces. The one major detractor was the difficulty in finding a replacement battery. Never-the-less, overall, the Black and Decker handheld vacuum is a solid performer and solid value.

About Derek Hales

Derek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader’s Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.

Read More

BLACK+DECKER Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum Review

We purchased the BLACK+DECKER Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum so our expert reviewer could put it to the test in her home. Keep reading for our full product review.

Whether you have pets, kids, or you just hate messes, a dustbuster is a convenient way to clean up dry spills, dirt, crumbs, and more. When it comes to home appliances, few brands are as highly regarded as BLACK+DECKER. That’s precisely why we picked up their Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum and got to testing its power, efficiency, convenience, and more. Read on for our honest review.  

Design: Modern and intuitive

 

While aesthetics may not be your number one priority when it comes to purchasing a dustbuster, BLACK+DECKER’s handheld vacuum is an attractive appliance. Sleek and modern-looking, it has a blue, white, and dark gray color scheme along with a transparent dust cup where you can see how much debris has been picked up. All this is to say that if you’re stuck mounting it in a high traffic area (say, your living room), it shouldn’t be too much of an eyesore. 

The Spruce / Karen Tietjen 

Operating and emptying this dustbuster is a breeze. It arrives fully assembled; you’ll just need to charge it before your first use. (It takes roughly 10 hours to go from a dead to full battery.) The vacuum has two switches: one which turns it on and off, and one which releases the front nozzle so you can empty it into the trash. Luckily, the 31.8-ounce dust cup is pretty spacious, so you’ll fit in a few uses before you need to stop and empty it. Additionally, the filter can be removed and washed in warm, soapy water. If you find it needs a little TLC after extended use, you can scrub the filter with an old toothbrush to dislodge caked-on dust. You can also purchase replacement filters for roughly $13 for a pack of four.

The one small feature we wish the gadget had was an indicator light. As is, there’s no way to tell when the vacuum is fully charged or about to die. Otherwise, the design is intuitive. 

Extra Features: Two attachments and a handy wall mount

Adding to the BLACK+DECKER’s versatility is two attachment tools that can be inserted right into the dustbuster’s nozzle. The crevice tool is ideal for getting into tight spaces, like under furniture, between seat cushions, and in ceiling corners. Then, the brush attachment can be used in sandy, dusty, or lint-covered places, like on upholstery or around bookshelves. 

 The Spruce / Karen Tietjen

Another small but handy accessory is the accompanying wall mount which allows for easy access and space-saving storage. The dustbuster has a built-in lip that slides onto the mount—just make sure to secure it near an outlet so the vacuum can recharge between uses. 

Performance: Effective and powerful 

This handy tool is undoubtedly powerful. In our experience, it effortlessly sucked up particles of all sizes, including dirt, pet hair, cereal, stray kibble, and kicked-out kitty litter. With its angled nozzle, it easily fits in and under small places, plus two additional attachments—a crevice tool and a brush tool—make it even more versatile.

We found that the dustbuster was especially effective in cleaning hard surfaces. We used it under our kitchen cabinets, on the hardwood stairs that lead up to our first floor, and in the car after a sandy beach trip with our Shar-Pei/Golden Retriever mix. While it didn’t do a perfect job on the latter, it did suck up a good amount of sand, and it easily outperformed other handheld vacuums we’ve owned. We found the brush attachment particularly useful in this application as it loosened the grains from the floors and upholstered seats so they were sucked up easier. The crevice tool also came in handy when cleaning between seat cushions and under the seat. That said, it wasn’t quite long enough to reach the narrow spot between the seat and door, so we would prefer a longer crevice tool or just an additional one that’s suited to harder-to-reach spots. 

It effortlessly sucked up particles of all sizes, including dirt, pet hair, cereal, stray kibble, and kicked-out kitty litter.

While it definitely performed best on non-carpeted areas, the dustbuster does a decent job on low-pile carpets. We found that we got the best clean after doing a few passes with the brush attachment. Overall, the hands-down best part about the vacuum is that there are no cords to get tangled up in. 

Battery Life: Could be better

BLACK+DECKER’s dustbuster can run continuously for 12 to 15 minutes before losing steam. While this is plenty for small jobs like spilled cereal, it does pose a problem for bigger projects, like cleaning your entire SUV. We used it for the later and found that it conked out at exactly 12 minutes. While we would enjoy a longer battery life, we appreciate that it’s cordless and easy to charge with the included jack plug charger and wall mount. 

Price: A wallet-friendly purchase

 

BLACK+DECKER’s cordless dustbuster retails for $42. That’s a small price to pay for power, versatility, and cord-free use. We think the vacuum would be especially useful for families with little ones or pets prone to making messes, but anyone who wants to keep a cleaner home will certainly find it useful. 

Competition: Lots of options (and features) to choose from

  

Eureka Blaze 3-in-1 Swivel Lightweight Stick Vacuum: While it appears to be a completely different product at first glance, Eureka’s versatile vacuum converts from a lightweight stick vacuum (that works particularly well on hard floors) to a handheld dustbuster device, plus it comes with a crevice cleaner attachment. For those looking for more versatility in their cleaning tool—and an incredible value at around $30—the Eureka is it. One caveat, though: this one is corded. 

 The Spruce / Karen Tietjen

Homasy Portable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner: This bestselling dustbuster not only performs classic functions, but it also comes with three additional attachments, including a crevice tool, a brush, and a rubber jar attachment that actually sucks up liquid. A wall mount and two additional washable filters are also included. At close to $60, this vacuum is significantly more expensive than the BLACK+DECKER, but it may be worth it for those looking for an upgraded hand vacuum. 

Final Verdict

A powerful dustbuster at an affordable price.

This BLACK+DECKER dustbuster upholds the brand’s reputation for quality. This powerful, cordless picker-upper makes cleaning messes a breeze, plus it won’t break the bank.

The 9 Best Cheap Vacuum Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Starwind SCB1020 vacuum cleaner review, white/black User reviews

My lovely home
assistant vacuum cleaner Starwind SCB1020 is easy to operate and clean. IN
In the kit, it has two nozzles and a hose of optimal length. Him
small volume of the dust collector, but quite decent traction power, thanks to
which can be quickly and efficiently cleaned in any area. And how
the advantage of the model I will name the light weight of the vacuum cleaner, it can be taken with no problems
yourself and to the country house, and to another apartment if necessary, dry cleaning.

External description of the vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner
There are only 2 colors: black and white. Their combination looks very even
nice. White color and to a lesser extent, only on two main buttons
and on the top of the case. All other parts of the vacuum cleaner, including nozzles,
black color. The material used is only plastic, except perhaps
dust bag (dust bag), which is made of dense fabric and is located
inside the hull. You can control the vacuum cleaner using two buttons that
located on its top, one button turns it on and off, the second –
winds up the cord. The height of the vacuum cleaner in a horizontal position is 17 cm, the length at
this is 21 cm, the weight is only 2.8 kg, including nozzle and hose.

The back of the vacuum cleaner.

Back or bottom
side of the vacuum cleaner has an additional wheel for easy movement, and
also a sticker with information about the model and its production: where, when and by whom
made this model. There is a small carrying handle on top and underneath
mechanical button to open the case. The vacuum cleaner opens very simply,
one press and a gap is immediately formed in the case, after which the upper half
housing must be pulled up to fully open it.

Vacuum cleaner cloth bag.

After opening the housing under
cover you can immediately find the dust collector of the vacuum cleaner, or, more simply, its bag
to collect dust. It is made of dense fabric and is fixed inside the vacuum cleaner when
help of a plastic “pocket”. That is, at first the bag closes with white
plastic clip, and then inserted into special grooves, similar to
pocket. It is very good that in this model the fabric bag is reusable,
so you don’t have to spend money on replaceable disposable bags, it’s easy to remove,
shake out the dust accumulated from cleaning, and put it in place. At
heavily soiled, and at least a couple of times a year, the bag should
wash thoroughly in soapy water, then dry thoroughly and then you can
will use both it and the vacuum cleaner again, as if new.

Complete except for the actual
vacuum cleaner and dust bag has 2 nozzles (crevice and floor and carpet brush),
flexible hose and tubes to extend the hose if needed. Well, there is also
instruction in Russian and warranty card. Tubes extending the hose, in
the kit provides for as many as three pieces, in fact, so many are not needed, since
the hose itself is long enough. I usually use either one tube or none at all.
hose only. Of the nozzles, I also use only one, the classic type
nozzle for floor and carpets. I clean the whole house with her. A small nozzle (slotted)
better to use for cleaning furniture, or if you need to clean between
sections of the battery, in general, in hard-to-reach places.

How to assemble the vacuum cleaner.

Start using
vacuum cleaner need by itself with its assembly. How to insert a dust bag into the housing
already told above, now I’ll tell you about putting on nozzles. First you need
insert the flexible hose into the air inlet of the vacuum cleaner and turn it
tip clockwise until it stops. Then just tightly put on the hose you need
the number of extension tubes, or not to wear them at all. Then put on
hose, or on the extension tube the desired nozzle (choose from two available) and
press them tightly against each other. This completes the assembly of the vacuum cleaner. Naturally,
that this whole procedure must be done with the vacuum cleaner disconnected from the outlet. Only
after assembly, you can turn it on and start vacuuming. And still can’t start
vacuum until you insert the dust bag into the body of the vacuum cleaner, this is also important
moment.

How to use the vacuum cleaner.

How to use the classic
type of vacuum cleaner has not changed for many decades, and my model Starwind SCB1020
refers to just that. At the end of the assembly of the vacuum cleaner, you need to pull it out of
housing electrical cord to the required length, taking into account the yellow and red
marks on it. The total length of the cord is large, as much as three meters, but that’s it.
you can still get carried away and drag it further than the maximum mark, in general, further
you can’t pull the red line, otherwise you can simply pull it out of the base
corps. After connecting the cord to the outlet, you can press the power button and
start dry cleaning. The vacuum cleaner is very powerful, consumes power equal to 1400
W, and it produces a suction power of 250 W, so of course it produces a strong
noise and roar during cleaning, but it pulls just “excellent”, not a single speck
will not hide from his brush! Although he has small wheels on the sides of the body, but
they are very nimble and mobile, it “flies” around the apartment like a clockwork! As a result, by
At the end of cleaning, you can turn off the vacuum cleaner from the socket and press the button
winding the cord and it will suck the cord back into the case.

Vacuum cleaner filter care.

This vacuum cleaner model except
the main dust collector (dust bag), which plays the role of a dust accumulator and
dirt, there is another element of similar performance, called a filter.