Customer Reviews

Black & Decker PSV1800 18-Volt Cordless Pivoting Floor Vacuum Cleaner

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

This cordless vacuum cleaner (I LOVE cordless vacuum cleaners) has a lot of positives to recommend it. It does a great job for quick (dog hair) clean ups. Good suction. Good on the edges and area rugs. Easy to maneuver. Really gets under most furniture without argument or bumps, and even fits between the chair legs (in our house). The battery lasts. Feels substantial. Stores easily and out of the way.

A good machine.

But the dirt removal is a problem. Like most quick clean vacuums, there is way too much hand-to-gunk contact. But unlike machines that have some version of a cup that you can empty, this machine needs to be folded, lifted and held over the trash bin. And the weight that made the machine feel solid, is now awkward and unbalanced and makes emptying the dirt an aggravation. For some of us, this is a problem, even with our Wheaties.

Maybe placing the machine into a plastic grocery bag that's on the floor and then opening the dust bin to empty, and then reaching my hand in to pull out the two filters for cleaning? Is that the answer?

I don't know. If somehow the ease of cleaning out the dirt from the Hoover Linx could be combined with the ease of actually using the B&D Pivoting Floor Vacuum ("pivoting" because it folds in half), I would be wild happy.

I recently purchased this vac for touchups between regular cleanings, and am very pleased with it. With three cats in the house, our main problem is cat hair. This vac does a wonderful job on the area rugs with the power brush engaged, and on the bare floors with just the suction. I can do the entire downstairs of about 1300 sq. ft. before the charge shows any signs at all of diminishing. There is no bag and it's very easy to empty and clean the dirt catcher. The fact that there is no cord to deal with makes it very convenient. It's more expensive than most vacs of this type but is well worth it, and I would recommend it to anyone.

I enjoy using this vac for quick pickups on hardfloors and even upholstered furniture. We have two dogs who track in from our incomplete landscape and grass planting. Also, I can see using this periodically as a take with in the camper or RV. Being able to leave it in the recharge cradle all the time without damaging the battery is helpful. HINT: I had been just opening the door and emptying the unit into the trashcan. when emptying the canister, remove both filter drums. I found that a great deal of dirt was trapped underneath the filter drum mount. Also, BOTH filter drums are easy to remove are totally washable. the inner filter drum takes a while to dry but is durable for washing in a sink of warm soapy water.

I purchased this item from WalMart as soon as it came out. I'd been looking for a lightweight rechargable vacuum that could handle our carpets, hardwood and tile floors, and this is it. I have never been as pleased with a vacuum as I am with this one. I only hope the rechargable battery withstands the test of time.

I alternate cleaning down stairs one day (1200 sq ft, mostly hardwood), and upstairs the next (1200 sq ft. of mostly carpet and some tile- it doesn't make it to one or two of the small bedrooms before it fades). It takes less than 15 minutes of vacuuming each day to clean most of the house. It's also perfect for cleaning the carpeted stairs, and I even run it in the garage to pick up dirt before it gets tracked into the house.

One reviewer called it heavy and ackward...I can't imagine. We just weighed it; it weighs about 5 pounds. The pivot feature is perfect for fitting under all my furniture, including a hope chest that I hadn't cleaned under for years.

I do empty the filter every couple of days, as I am finicky about that. I use our air compressor to blow out the inside of the filter area, and both filters. I'm searching now for a replacement paper filter as I know I'll need it sometime in the future.

I'm not certain it cleans quite as thoroughly as my heavy Kenmore canister vac, but I do know I vacuum about 10 times more often because it's so easy. I'm sure I'm coming out ahead, and when I see the dirt I get every single day in my pet-less house, it bothers me to think that I used to vacuum only every 2 or 3 weeks because it was so hard.

It's a great vacuum, and I highly recommend it!

You just have to learn to love this vacuum. Here's the way I break it down:

pros: Light weight. Strong battery. Good suction. Two switches for floors/carpet--does a good job on both, including pet hair. Fits into charger flawlessly with zero fumbling. Solid feel. Used this to replace my frequent purchase of a Shark vacuum. I tolerated poor battery life, and fall-apart construction, and non-existent customer service in the Shark.

cons: It won't stand up alone out of the charger. Emptying the dirt cup is awkward...you have to balance the center round part of vacuum over trash and "dig it out." (I use a wood paint stirrer) You have to fold up the vacuum with the head up to place in charger.

Still, I'd buy one again in a flash. The pros far outweigh the cons!

Addendum: September 11, 2009 Shortly after posting the above positive review, I went to use the vacuum and it was completely dead. Charger not working, but vacuum also dead when there should have been charge left. I called B & D, which to their credit have English-speaking Customer Service located in this country. They sent me a new charger cord (in a four foot box!??) But the vacuum is still dead. I had been told they would replace the vacuum if charger did not work. Well, after MUCH argument and me pushing back...asking for supervisor, etc., now they say they will replace it but I have to take it to service center. This episode is less than 2 months after I bought it. After this, I'd say you can find a better vacuum. I'd probably buy Shark (unless there is a better one) and consider it disposable.

Addendum: December 2009. Follow-up on service problem. B & D required that I return the vacuum to them. They did not pay for return shipping. This is very heavy and would be quite expensive to ship. I was able to locate an authorized center but had to drive about 45 minutes there. I live near a fairly large city. B & D told me the service center would mail the new vacuum to me. Of course it would have cost this small business a lot to ship. Evident as they personally delivered it. Now that I have the new vacuum it does work well. It does not replace my Dyson, but is good for quick clean-up. But consider this a disposable vacuum, without warranty. Also, the more I use it the more I notice that gunk gets around the small pivot wheels causing problems. I have to cut the gunk and wedge it out with pliers. Vacuum pretty good. Customer Service deplorable. Down-rating the vacuum because of that. Would I purchase this again? Maybe. But I'd absolutely try for Walmart and SAVE THE RECEIPT for entire warranty period.

I have been searching for the perfect vac for 50 years. THIS IS IT! I have had central vac, hand vacs. I have had canister, etc. This is the first vac I dont mind using. It just sets there on the charger and has NO Cord! I keep looking for the cord- so I wont trip over it. THIS VAC IS IT! No trouble about pulling out of closet and hunting the hand tools. Use me please it seems to say - I will help you. Yea I am a nut case for the perfect vac. OH! dont for get the price; it is great -under one hundred dollars with prime shipping.

I purchased this to pick up cat litter from wood floors. The suction is so weak that I have to use the beater bar on wood floors; even then it often requires several passes to pick up litter. Just when you think it has finally sucked up the litter or other debris, it will spit it out a few passes later or if you even slightly jar the vacuum. Very disappointing! I wish I had returned this piece of crap when I could. I'm looking for a replacement and will be more careful to research Amazon reviews specifically re cat litter and hardwood floors (live and learn)!

First off, let me note that I chose this product after reading the reviews on amazon and also the reviews on [...]
My duplex is all linoleum and I have 2 cats and 1 dog-an akita. As you can imagine, there is A LOT of pet hair that gets accumulated throughout the house.
I have now used this vacuum for over a week now, and have fallen in love with its ease of use, the amount of dirt and pet hair it picks up, and its long charge. It picks up pet hair with ease, and picks up a lot of dirt that I would not have been able to get with a broom alone. The user manual states that fully charged it can last as long as 16 minutes on hard floor without the brush. However, I have found it lasts a good 20 + minutes. In fact, I have yet to not vacuum my entire duplex (1000 sq feet) with it loosing it's charge!
I noticed several reviews on this product stating how heavy it is to lift over the trash can and what a pain it is. I am 8 1/2 months pregnant and am able to lift the vacuum over our kitchen-sized trash can with ease. Is it a little bulky? Sure, but it picks up so much dirt and pet hair that it is worth me lifting it over the trash can. After every use I have removed the filter as well to brush it out to get even more dust out.
The only thing negative I can say about this is the fact that when I received it in the mail, it took 24 hours to fully charge up- however you are going to find that with anything like that- when you get a new cell phone is a prime example.
If you are on the fence about purchasing this, I can tell you first hand it is a worthwhile purchase. My husband was doubtful that we really "needed" this, after all- we have a full size vacuum cleaner. However given the fact that I am pregnant, I needed something lighter and more portable. This is great for a quick cleaning or if you just need to clean one room of your house. I am cleaning my whole house with it now and it is working great!

With 3 dogs and a cat, I have owned lot of vacuum cleaners. This Black & Decker is powerful, yet lightweight. It holds a charge long enough to get through my kitchen, dining & living room (about 1000 square feet of tile, hardwood & scattered rugs). It is easy to maneuver and folds up to fit into recharger easily. Also easy to clean the bagless canister.

I have purchased other cordless vacuum cleaners and they last about 1 year. The Black & Decker cordless vacuum is an excellent quality vacuum cleaner. I have a pet that sheads white hair and my Black & Decker cordless Vacuum picks up the hair where the other cordless products did not. This product is sturdy and easy to use. I have had 3 six hour back surgeries and have no problem lifting and using this product. I love it & have no problem recomending this product!!