Black & Decker CHV4800 Dustbuster 4.8-Volt Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner Review

Many people choose a cordless handheld vacuum to do quick cleanups. The Black & Decker CHV4800 Dustbuster is one handheld vac that is quite popular. Is really that good? Just read the following pros and cons to find out.

Pros

At 3.7 pounds this handheld vac feels so light in your hand. Even people with weak wrist won't have any problem using this vacuum.

The suction power is adequate considering that it is a handheld vac. Good enough for spot cleaning around the house. You can easily suck in dirt, plastic, dust, lint, cat litter, bird seed and hair from your hardwood, tile floors or low-pile carpets. It is also good for cleaning your car interior.

After you finish vacuuming you can easily open and clean the dirt bin. Cleaning the dirt bin in the kitchen sink is pretty simple too.

The charging method for this cordless vac is convenient, simple and hassle free. Just pull the tiny power plug from the end of the unit and plug it into the power outlet.

Cons

This handheld vacuum lacks the power to suck in dirt, debris and pet hair stuck deep in the carpet. Even after multiple passes on the same spot the hair will stay stuck. To make things worse the suction hole is very narrow; about 2.5 inches. Even when cleaning a small area you will need to do lots of passes just to get it right.

The battery for this Dustbuster is not a high-performance battery. It is only a Ni-cad battery which takes forever to recharge and then it only holds the charge for 3-4 minutes before it needs another recharge. You can also expect the battery to die completely in less than a year. Plus, the unit lacks any kind indicator to tell you if the recharging is completed or not.

Conclusion

This handheld vacuum is strictly for quick and light cleanups. If you think you're going to need more than three minutes to do the cleaning or you need to clean more than just superficial dirt and dust this is certainly not your choice.

If you do, however, choose to buy this vacuum keep in mind that the battery will probably die in less than a year. This is just a $19 vac so please don't expect too much from it. It would be much better if you just buy the Black & Decker PAV1200W which only cost $11 more.