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BLACK+DECKER dustbuster FLEX Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Home, Pet and Car Vacuum (BDH2020FL)

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,641 ratings

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Vacuum & Brush Only

Purchase options and add-ons

Brand BLACK+DECKER
Special Feature Portable, Compact, Washable Filter
Filter Type Cartridge
Included Components Pet Brush, Charging Base, Flexible 4ft. Hose, 2-in-1 Nozzle/Flip-up Brush, Crevice Tool, BDH2020FL Hand Vacuum, Washable Filter (PVF110) See more
Is Cordless? Yes
Surface Recommendation
Carpet, Hard Floor, Upholstery, Tile, Hardwoods
Power Source
Battery Powered
Voltage
120 Volts
Item Weight
3.2 Pounds

About this item

  • #1 BRAND IN HAND VACS**
  • OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE - 20V MAX* lithium-ion battery provides high suction power and performance
  • CORDLESS CONVENIENCE - Portable, rechargeable, + lightweight for use around your home and in your vehicle
  • FLOOR-TO-CEILING CLEAN - 4ft flexible hose helps you reach from floor to ceiling
  • EASY-TO-EMPTY - Translucent easy-to-empty bowl + washable filter
  • QUICK CHARGE - The charging station and base keeps the unit charged and accessories organized
  • COMPACT DESIGN - Easy to hold when in use and easy to store until you're ready to use again
  • PET BRUSH - Clean stubborn pet hair from carpets, stairs, and other upholstery
See more product details

Customer ratings by feature

Maneuverability
4.4 4.4
For stairs
4.2 4.2
Suction power
4.1 4.1
For cleaning up hair
4.1 4.1

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$101.70
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$16.99 ($4.25/Count)
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From the manufacturer

BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium FLEXTM Vacuum with Floor Head + Pet Hair Brush

BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium FLEX Hand Vacuum

With a 4-foot flexible hose and strong, long-lasting suction, this handheld lithium vacuum reaches up high, down low, and in tight spaces with a pet brush attachment to unstick the toughest pet hair

Features and Benefits of the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium FLEX Vacuum with Floor Head + Pet Hair Brush

4 FOOT HOSE

PET HAIR BRUSH

3-STAGE FILTRATION

2-IN-1 NOZZLE

4 FOOT HOSE

Combine handheld flexibility with an ultra-compact footprint.

PET HAIR BRUSH

Pet hair brush attachment removes stubborn pet hair from upholstery and carpet.

3-STAGE FILTRATION

Advanced filtration prevents dust and debris from escaping the unit.

2-IN-1 NOZZLE

Combination nozzle and flip-up brush for easy switching between vacuum and dusting applications.

Surfaces that the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium FLEX Vacuum with Floor Head + Pet Hair Brush Works On

CARPET

HARD SURFACES

UPHOLSTERY

CARPET

Clears dry messes and spills like dirt, crumbs, and other debris from your carpets and rugs.

HARD SURFACES

Keep hardwood, tile, marble and other hard surfaces neat and tidy in no time at all.

UPHOLSTERY

Included brush tool makes vacuuming upholstered surfaces simple, and the on-board crevice tool lets you vacuum the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of couches and sofas.

BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium FLEXTM Vacuum with Floor Head + Pet Hair Brush - Lithium Ion Advantage

Product guides and documents

Product information

Technical Details

Additional Information

Warranty & Support

Manufacturer’s warranty can be requested from customer service. Click here to make a request to customer service.

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BLACK+DECKER

BLACK+DECKER dustbuster FLEX Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Home, Pet and Car Vacuum (BDH2020FL)


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Product Description

Get a floor to ceiling clean with the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX FLEXI dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum. With its optimal performance, you can use this as a vacuum in your home or as a car vacuum. It is portable, rechargeable, and lightweight allowing you to clean with ease. The cyclonic action provides high suction power making cleaning up messes easy and fast. A part of the growing BLACK+DECKER family of dustbuster handheld vacuums. Easy By Design.

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BLACK+DECKER dustbuster FLEX Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Home, Pet and Car Vacuum (BDH2020FL)
BLACK+DECKER dustbuster FLEX Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Home, Pet and Car Vacuum (BDH2020FL)
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Price-19% $101.70
List:$124.99
-25% $149.99
List:$199.99
-10% $71.92
List:$79.99
$195.99$136.86$89.05
Delivery
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
Get it Apr 1 - 2
Customer Ratings
Suction power
4.1
3.8
4.3
3.7
4.6
4.2
Battery life
4.0
3.2
4.3
4.0
4.4
Light weight
3.7
4.3
3.5
4.3
Value for money
4.6
4.5
5.0
Sold By
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Softex-Linen
power source
Battery Powered
Battery Powered
Battery Powered
Battery Powered
Battery Powered
Battery Powered
special feature
Portable, Compact, Washable Filter
Lightweight
Bagless
Compact
bag, HEPA
Lightweight, Compact
surface suggestion
Carpet, Hard Floor, Upholstery, Tile, Hardwoods
Hard Floor, Carpet
Car
Upholstery
Floor
Multiple
capacity
17 ounces
0.5 liters
0.5 pounds
0.7 liters
3 pounds
voltage
120 volts
20 volts
20 volts
22.2 volts
20 volts
18 volts
noise level
80 decibels
69 decibels
80 decibels
78 decibels
80 decibels
78 decibels
model name
BLACK+DECKER POWERSERIES Extreme MAX™ 20V MAX* Cordless Stick Vacuum
BCHV001C1
Hoover ONEPWR Blade MAX AutoVac Cordless Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner, Lightweight Handheld for Home Car and Pet Hair, BH53357VE, Black

Important information

Wattage

20 watts

Bulb Voltage

120 volts

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
3,641 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the weight, quality and ease of use of the vacuum cleaner. For example, they mention it's light, easy to carry around and works well for multiple uses. Some appreciate the convenience of the nozzle in the other hand and the ease of cleaning. That said, opinions are mixed on the battery life, charging, and suction.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

456 customers mention352 positive104 negative

Customers like the quality of the vacuum cleaner. They say it gets the job done well enough, and is powerful for a cordless vacuum. Some mention that the pet attachment works great. However, some customers feel the vacuum could have better suction power, and are disappointed with the battery life.

"...According to the user’s manual, it is safe to leave the vacuum on its charging base all the time, no need to remove it when charging is complete...." Read more

"...-For the price, the suction isn't as great as expected. It gets the job done well enough but I was really hoping for more suction power...." Read more

"...is purely my personal preference so all in all this vacuum is doing pretty good...." Read more

"...The part is actually quite high quality, and it even has an agitator brush that can be switched on and off which is very nice, but I mostly found it..." Read more

304 customers mention264 positive40 negative

Customers like the ease of cleaning with the vacuum cleaner. They say it does a fine job cleaning dirt and small debris, is simple to clean and empty, and is great for cleaning in and around the car. It's also helpful for getting dirt and pet hair out of crevices and small spaces. Customers also mention that the filter rinses out easily in the sink.

"...The suction power is strong and more than adequate to vacuum crumbs, dust and debris from room corners, sofa cushions and car interiors...." Read more

"...it's bristles, it not only removes pet hair, but also did a good job on removing sand.Cons:-Hard to empty out, at least for me...." Read more

"...It's extremely easy to clean, with the entire assembly coming out for washing easily. The door is very secure and easy to clean out when needed...." Read more

"...Perfect for quick cleanups, great portability; (it fits on my console table shelf with plenty of wiggle room to spare), and emptying it is easy,..." Read more

159 customers mention141 positive18 negative

Customers find the vacuum cleaner easy to use. They mention that the nozzle in the other hand is surprisingly convenient and allows them to easily reach. They also say it's quick to work with and maneuver in tight places. Customers also say that cleaning the vacuum is as simple as pressing a button and quickly removing the debris. They say it is a pleasure to use and the extra tools provided really work.

"...It is ergonomically excellent, easy to use, has very good suction power and plenty of battery life so it does not falter halfway through cleaning up..." Read more

"...Cleaning the vacuum is as simple as pressing a button and quickly removing the debris with little hassle or time involved." Read more

"...Very convenient. This one needs to lay flat and level to charge on the tray, otherwise it will fall off and not charge...." Read more

"I like that it is easy for me to handle it" Read more

150 customers mention150 positive0 negative

Customers find the weight of the vacuum cleaner to be very light. They say it's easy to hold and move around with, and has great suction. Customers also mention that it'd be a good choice for a mid-range handheld vacuum cleaner.

"...Whenever I have a spill, I just grab this incredibly small and lightweight device and carry it to wherever the mess is in one hand...." Read more

"...Pros:-easy to carry around due to its unique design.-Holds a charge pretty well!..." Read more

"...Perfect for quick cleanups, great portability; (it fits on my console table shelf with plenty of wiggle room to spare), and emptying it is easy,..." Read more

"...in that you can get small jobs done with a little effort and it's very lightweight, portable, good to grab at a moments notice...." Read more

317 customers mention199 positive118 negative

Customers are mixed about the suction of the vacuum cleaner. Some mention that it has good suction for a small vacuum, while others say that it's awkward and not as great as expected.

"...It is ergonomically excellent, easy to use, has very good suction power and plenty of battery life so it does not falter halfway through cleaning up..." Read more

"...It's awkward.-For the price, the suction isn't as great as expected...." Read more

"...The suction power is strong and more than adequate to vacuum crumbs, dust and debris from room corners, sofa cushions and car interiors...." Read more

"...I am liking this one just as much. The suction power is great, the attachments are helpful, the charging tray makes it easy to charge the vac...." Read more

231 customers mention110 positive121 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the battery life of the vacuum cleaner. Some mention that it's long-lasting on a charge and maneuverable, while others say that it dies fast and doesn't stay charged up long enough.

"...excellent, easy to use, has very good suction power and plenty of battery life so it does not falter halfway through cleaning up spilled bits and..." Read more

"...Cons:-Hard to empty out, at least for me. It's awkward.-For the price, the suction isn't as great as expected...." Read more

"...This lasts the longest and works the best! We’re an OCD household with cats and dogs. 🙏🏻 they don’t stop making them, none compare...." Read more

"...Other than the shorter battery charge, the other item is purely my personal preference so all in all this vacuum is doing pretty good...." Read more

96 customers mention63 positive33 negative

Customers are mixed about the charging of the vacuum cleaner. Some mention that it recharges very quickly, is easy, and has a drop-in charging feature. They also like the charging pedestal, but mounts clumsily. However, other customers say that it won't charge, does not like the plate for charging, and that it never fully charges.

"...It doesn't take too long to charge up either and also has a surprisingly strong suction for such a compact vacuum...." Read more

"...Gets into all those tight spaces. Plenty of run time. Easy to clean." Read more

"...The charging base is very basic, just a molded piece of plastic with two electrical contacts on top which make contact with those on the bottom of..." Read more

"...Two Golden Retrievers prove it. Separate platform for charging & attachments is great. Longer run time and lighter are very good. Love it!" Read more

103 customers mention22 positive81 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the volume of the vacuum cleaner. They say it's kind of loud, emits a high pitched whine, and is ear splitting.

"...small reservoir that holds the dirt- on the louder side when running" Read more

"...Love the hose and how light it is. Yeah, it's kind of loud, and you need to check which way you are holding it so the vent doesn't blow the mess you..." Read more

"...My only issue is it is rather noisy. At least the machine I received is, but otherwise I love it." Read more

"...many places where Dust busters just can't go. It's as noisy as other small vacuums, no better or worse. It's easy to empty out trash...." Read more

Good ergonomics, utility, battery life and build quality
5 Stars
Good ergonomics, utility, battery life and build quality
BLACK+DECKER BDH2020FL GEN 2 Flex VAC 20V MAX Lithium, One Size, Black, GreyFor many years, I have owned a Black + Decker “Dustbuster” handheld rechargeable vacuum cleaner (similar to the current CHV1410L model) that I have considered to be one of the best designs I have ever seen for this class of appliance. It is ergonomically excellent, easy to use, has very good suction power and plenty of battery life so it does not falter halfway through cleaning up spilled bits and pieces. It is still going strong.But that vacuum is on one side of my house and I wanted another on the other side. In a moment of weakness a year or so ago, I picked up a “Dirt Devil” model of similar size and functionality at the local hardware store (which does not carry DustBuster products), which turned out to be a real turkey (in many ways). So now I was looking to buy the latest “Dustbuster” model CHV1410L, but noted something about it that would not work for me. While my old Dustbuster, when not is use, rested on its tail end on top of the charging base, the new model does not work that way, rather it hooks onto and hangs from a wall-mounted charger. I have an ideal tabletop location for the new vacuum, but no suitable wall space. While perusing Black + Decker’s Amazon store to see if they might have a model that charges like my old one, I ran across this “Flex Vac” model BDH2020FL, and it looked pretty good, albeit considerably more expensive than the CHV1410L.This “Flex Vac” vacuum is still a handheld model, and shares with other handheld vacuums the same limitations; it cannot hold very much volume of vacuumed particles before its ‘dust bin’ gets too full to allow continued use (without emptying first), it does not have any kind of ‘beater’ and thus cannot dislodge small items that have worked their way down into carpeting (a full sized vacuum cleaner is better for carpeting), and being battery powered it needs to be returned to its charge after use.Note that this Flex Vac is NOT a wet/dry vacuum. Using it to vacuum liquids would not be a safety issue (being only battery powered), but it would probably ruin the appliance. This vacuum is perfect for short, light jobs like cleaning up the kid’s spilled Cheerios, general small bits and pieces of litter when you don’t want to drag out the normal vacuum cleaner, light dusting and things like that.Resting on its table-top charging base, this vacuum has dimensions of approximately 12” x 7” (without accessory holders attached) or 12” x 8.5” (with them attached) x 9” tall. The charging base is very basic, just a molded piece of plastic with two electrical contacts on top which make contact with those on the bottom of the vacuum. The “wall wart” style power supply, unlike most such devices there days, is NOT “universal” and is only designed to work with 120VAC 60Hz, and it has a typical 2 prong North America plug configuration. I have one small gripe about the charging base design; while my old Dustbuster did not care which orientation the vacuum was in when set down on the charging base, this “Flex Vac” must be oriented properly in order for its electrical contacts to mate properly with the base. If they do NOT mate properly, the blue “charging” lamp on the base of the vacuum will not illuminate. There seems to be no facility designed into the vacuum and its charging base to assist the user to orient things properly, other than to look at the contacts and use them as a guide.There are two small plastic tool holders included with this appliance, and one or both of them can be snapped onto one side of the charging base, and any two of the included attachments can be stored on these, standing up vertically alongside the vacuum cleaner. Presumably the third attachment will be stored docked to the vacuum cleaner’s hose.The ”Flex Vac” is called that apparently because, unlike most other hand vacuums, it includes a built-in length of flexible vacuum cleaner style hose. The hose starts on the lower front of the vacuum and then wraps around underneath (passing through a channel on the bottom side), then wrapping up around the rear side of the vacuum, then its handle snaps into a channel on the top side of the vacuum. Pulling the hose handle up and backwards disengages it from the vacuum, and the user is then free to take advantage of the flexibility that the hose offers. The hose is quite short when not extended, but it easily stretches out to about 4 feet in length. This allows the user to do things like vacuum cobwebs from the ceiling while holding the vacuum in one hand, or rest the vacuum on the floor while reaching under the sofa to clean up crumbs that fell past the cushions. I am 5’8” tall, and with the “crevice” tool installed on the end of the hose, I can comfortably reach the normal-height ceiling of my house with arm outstretched. I cannot reach that far using my older Dustbuster handheld vacuum that does not have the hose.This version of the “Flex Vac” (BDH2020FL) comes with three accessories; the normal “nozzle/brush” tool, the “crevice” tool, and the “pet hair” tool. The “nozzle/brush” tool has a flat rectangular opening, similar to most other handheld vacuums, that is ideal for vacuuming up small bits and pieces from a floor, or which are laying loosely on top of a carpet, or cleaning up dust from a table top. It has a fold-back brush which normally remains stowed out of the way, but which easily flips around to the front where it can be useful in helping small items that might be slightly stuck on carpeting or other surfaces to come ‘unstuck’, or for light dusting of surfaces. The “crevice” tool is just like every other crevice tool ever made for vacuum cleaners, and is the longest reaching accessory provided. The “pet hair” tool looks a lot like a wide round shower head, with a soft rubbery surface having many bumpy protrusions resembling coarse brush bristles. These are designed to dislodge hair from carpeting and upholstery while still discouraging the hair from getting tangled up on the tool. I don’t have a pet, or much hair myself, so I have not been able to put this last tool to any kind of test. However, the nozzle/brush tool works just fine, as does the crevice tool. All three tools have molded detents where they fit into the end of the hose, and the hose has an end fitting with a spring-loaded button which releases a tab that normally fits into one of the detents. This allow the attached tool to remain firmly in place on the end of the hose, but at the touch of that button, the tools can be rotated until they snap into position at the next detent.I should note that there is a more expensive version of this product, the BDH2020FLFL, which also comes with a “floor head”, two extension tubes, and an adapter to join the end of the hose and the extension tube(s). With these items fit together and attached to the end of the hose, this vacuum takes on some additional functionality that resembles a normal floor vacuum cleaner, albeit one with a lot less power and useful operating time. According to the common user’s manual that is provided with both product versions, the floor head does have some kind of beater, but it seems that it is not electrically powered, rather it most likely is powered by the vacuumed air stream. My awful Dirt Devil hand vacuum also has a vacuum air powered upholstery attachment that is too weak to be useful, and I suspect that the beater on this Flex Vac’s “floor head” will also be useful for only the lightest use situations. Better to fire up a real floor/carpet vacuum cleaner for those cleaning jobs.The Flex Vac is turned on an off by a pair of push buttons located on either side of the handle in a position easily reached by the user’s thumb and forefinger on the hand that is holding the vacuum cleaner. Pushing the button with one finger turns the vacuum on and extends the opposite button, and pressing that button turns the vacuum off and extends the first button.All vacuumed dust and bits will end up in the dust bin (“dust container”) which is built a lot like a front-loading washing machine, with a similar swinging door having a latch on the side opposite its hinge. Press the latch button and the door swings open, and tipping the vacuum to that side allows whatever is in the dust bin to fall out into a trash container. The door itself is made of clear plastic, so the user can see how full it is. The door snaps shut easily after emptying the bin.To clean the pleated filter, the right side of the vacuum must be removed. This is easily done by pressing a button on the top of the right side and rotating the entire side a few degrees, at which point it detaches from the body of the vacuum. The filter is shaped like a paper cup, and has a fold-out wire handle that makes it easy to pull it away from the motor housing (which it normally surrounds). It can be tapped on inside a trash container to dislodge most of the dust and bits, then placed back over the motor housing, and the right side re-attached to the body of the vacuum. No tools are required for any part of this operation. There is also a disk-shaped “pre-filter” that can be easily removed and cleaned. In addition to quick, perfunctory tapping to clean the filters, they can be washed in warm soapy water and then allowed to air dry before being put back on the vacuum.The body of the vacuum, with the right side removed (along with the motor unit and the battery), is just a big plastic assembly, and it can be rinsed under running water to clean it, but this should normally not be necessary.The battery is a Lithium-Ion rechargeable type, and is integral to the motor housing assembly on the right side of the vacuum. It charges fairly quickly, and seems to run the vacuum for many minutes at full power. It has a built-in charge management circuit, which automatically changes from normal charging to trickle charging. According to the user’s manual, it is safe to leave the vacuum on its charging base all the time, no need to remove it when charging is complete. While normal charging is happening, the large blue lamp on the side of the battery will illuminate, and when normal charging is complete, the lamp will be dark. There is no direct way to tell the difference between a battery that has been charged and is now trickle charging, and a situation where the vacuum is not making electrical contact with the charging base, or the charger’s “wall wart” power supply is unplugged, or the AC power to the outlet is off for some reason. However, if the vacuum is removed from the charging base and run for perhaps 20 or 30 seconds and then returned to the charging base, the blue lamp will light again for a short while, so this method can be used to verify that all is well with the charging case and its wall-wart.The Flex Vac by itself weighs about 3.25 pounds.This tool seems to be of pretty good ergonomic and mechanical design. If my older DustBuster hand vacuum is any indication, it should have good battery life and continue to work well for many years.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2022
Style: Vacuum & Brush OnlyVerified Purchase
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars Good ergonomics, utility, battery life and build quality
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2022
BLACK+DECKER BDH2020FL GEN 2 Flex VAC 20V MAX Lithium, One Size, Black, Grey
For many years, I have owned a Black + Decker “Dustbuster” handheld rechargeable vacuum cleaner (similar to the current CHV1410L model) that I have considered to be one of the best designs I have ever seen for this class of appliance. It is ergonomically excellent, easy to use, has very good suction power and plenty of battery life so it does not falter halfway through cleaning up spilled bits and pieces. It is still going strong.

But that vacuum is on one side of my house and I wanted another on the other side. In a moment of weakness a year or so ago, I picked up a “Dirt Devil” model of similar size and functionality at the local hardware store (which does not carry DustBuster products), which turned out to be a real turkey (in many ways). So now I was looking to buy the latest “Dustbuster” model CHV1410L, but noted something about it that would not work for me. While my old Dustbuster, when not is use, rested on its tail end on top of the charging base, the new model does not work that way, rather it hooks onto and hangs from a wall-mounted charger. I have an ideal tabletop location for the new vacuum, but no suitable wall space. While perusing Black + Decker’s Amazon store to see if they might have a model that charges like my old one, I ran across this “Flex Vac” model BDH2020FL, and it looked pretty good, albeit considerably more expensive than the CHV1410L.

This “Flex Vac” vacuum is still a handheld model, and shares with other handheld vacuums the same limitations; it cannot hold very much volume of vacuumed particles before its ‘dust bin’ gets too full to allow continued use (without emptying first), it does not have any kind of ‘beater’ and thus cannot dislodge small items that have worked their way down into carpeting (a full sized vacuum cleaner is better for carpeting), and being battery powered it needs to be returned to its charge after use.

Note that this Flex Vac is NOT a wet/dry vacuum. Using it to vacuum liquids would not be a safety issue (being only battery powered), but it would probably ruin the appliance. This vacuum is perfect for short, light jobs like cleaning up the kid’s spilled Cheerios, general small bits and pieces of litter when you don’t want to drag out the normal vacuum cleaner, light dusting and things like that.

Resting on its table-top charging base, this vacuum has dimensions of approximately 12” x 7” (without accessory holders attached) or 12” x 8.5” (with them attached) x 9” tall. The charging base is very basic, just a molded piece of plastic with two electrical contacts on top which make contact with those on the bottom of the vacuum. The “wall wart” style power supply, unlike most such devices there days, is NOT “universal” and is only designed to work with 120VAC 60Hz, and it has a typical 2 prong North America plug configuration. I have one small gripe about the charging base design; while my old Dustbuster did not care which orientation the vacuum was in when set down on the charging base, this “Flex Vac” must be oriented properly in order for its electrical contacts to mate properly with the base. If they do NOT mate properly, the blue “charging” lamp on the base of the vacuum will not illuminate. There seems to be no facility designed into the vacuum and its charging base to assist the user to orient things properly, other than to look at the contacts and use them as a guide.

There are two small plastic tool holders included with this appliance, and one or both of them can be snapped onto one side of the charging base, and any two of the included attachments can be stored on these, standing up vertically alongside the vacuum cleaner. Presumably the third attachment will be stored docked to the vacuum cleaner’s hose.

The ”Flex Vac” is called that apparently because, unlike most other hand vacuums, it includes a built-in length of flexible vacuum cleaner style hose. The hose starts on the lower front of the vacuum and then wraps around underneath (passing through a channel on the bottom side), then wrapping up around the rear side of the vacuum, then its handle snaps into a channel on the top side of the vacuum. Pulling the hose handle up and backwards disengages it from the vacuum, and the user is then free to take advantage of the flexibility that the hose offers. The hose is quite short when not extended, but it easily stretches out to about 4 feet in length. This allows the user to do things like vacuum cobwebs from the ceiling while holding the vacuum in one hand, or rest the vacuum on the floor while reaching under the sofa to clean up crumbs that fell past the cushions. I am 5’8” tall, and with the “crevice” tool installed on the end of the hose, I can comfortably reach the normal-height ceiling of my house with arm outstretched. I cannot reach that far using my older Dustbuster handheld vacuum that does not have the hose.

This version of the “Flex Vac” (BDH2020FL) comes with three accessories; the normal “nozzle/brush” tool, the “crevice” tool, and the “pet hair” tool. The “nozzle/brush” tool has a flat rectangular opening, similar to most other handheld vacuums, that is ideal for vacuuming up small bits and pieces from a floor, or which are laying loosely on top of a carpet, or cleaning up dust from a table top. It has a fold-back brush which normally remains stowed out of the way, but which easily flips around to the front where it can be useful in helping small items that might be slightly stuck on carpeting or other surfaces to come ‘unstuck’, or for light dusting of surfaces. The “crevice” tool is just like every other crevice tool ever made for vacuum cleaners, and is the longest reaching accessory provided. The “pet hair” tool looks a lot like a wide round shower head, with a soft rubbery surface having many bumpy protrusions resembling coarse brush bristles. These are designed to dislodge hair from carpeting and upholstery while still discouraging the hair from getting tangled up on the tool. I don’t have a pet, or much hair myself, so I have not been able to put this last tool to any kind of test. However, the nozzle/brush tool works just fine, as does the crevice tool. All three tools have molded detents where they fit into the end of the hose, and the hose has an end fitting with a spring-loaded button which releases a tab that normally fits into one of the detents. This allow the attached tool to remain firmly in place on the end of the hose, but at the touch of that button, the tools can be rotated until they snap into position at the next detent.

I should note that there is a more expensive version of this product, the BDH2020FLFL, which also comes with a “floor head”, two extension tubes, and an adapter to join the end of the hose and the extension tube(s). With these items fit together and attached to the end of the hose, this vacuum takes on some additional functionality that resembles a normal floor vacuum cleaner, albeit one with a lot less power and useful operating time. According to the common user’s manual that is provided with both product versions, the floor head does have some kind of beater, but it seems that it is not electrically powered, rather it most likely is powered by the vacuumed air stream. My awful Dirt Devil hand vacuum also has a vacuum air powered upholstery attachment that is too weak to be useful, and I suspect that the beater on this Flex Vac’s “floor head” will also be useful for only the lightest use situations. Better to fire up a real floor/carpet vacuum cleaner for those cleaning jobs.

The Flex Vac is turned on an off by a pair of push buttons located on either side of the handle in a position easily reached by the user’s thumb and forefinger on the hand that is holding the vacuum cleaner. Pushing the button with one finger turns the vacuum on and extends the opposite button, and pressing that button turns the vacuum off and extends the first button.

All vacuumed dust and bits will end up in the dust bin (“dust container”) which is built a lot like a front-loading washing machine, with a similar swinging door having a latch on the side opposite its hinge. Press the latch button and the door swings open, and tipping the vacuum to that side allows whatever is in the dust bin to fall out into a trash container. The door itself is made of clear plastic, so the user can see how full it is. The door snaps shut easily after emptying the bin.

To clean the pleated filter, the right side of the vacuum must be removed. This is easily done by pressing a button on the top of the right side and rotating the entire side a few degrees, at which point it detaches from the body of the vacuum. The filter is shaped like a paper cup, and has a fold-out wire handle that makes it easy to pull it away from the motor housing (which it normally surrounds). It can be tapped on inside a trash container to dislodge most of the dust and bits, then placed back over the motor housing, and the right side re-attached to the body of the vacuum. No tools are required for any part of this operation. There is also a disk-shaped “pre-filter” that can be easily removed and cleaned. In addition to quick, perfunctory tapping to clean the filters, they can be washed in warm soapy water and then allowed to air dry before being put back on the vacuum.

The body of the vacuum, with the right side removed (along with the motor unit and the battery), is just a big plastic assembly, and it can be rinsed under running water to clean it, but this should normally not be necessary.

The battery is a Lithium-Ion rechargeable type, and is integral to the motor housing assembly on the right side of the vacuum. It charges fairly quickly, and seems to run the vacuum for many minutes at full power. It has a built-in charge management circuit, which automatically changes from normal charging to trickle charging. According to the user’s manual, it is safe to leave the vacuum on its charging base all the time, no need to remove it when charging is complete. While normal charging is happening, the large blue lamp on the side of the battery will illuminate, and when normal charging is complete, the lamp will be dark. There is no direct way to tell the difference between a battery that has been charged and is now trickle charging, and a situation where the vacuum is not making electrical contact with the charging base, or the charger’s “wall wart” power supply is unplugged, or the AC power to the outlet is off for some reason. However, if the vacuum is removed from the charging base and run for perhaps 20 or 30 seconds and then returned to the charging base, the blue lamp will light again for a short while, so this method can be used to verify that all is well with the charging case and its wall-wart.

The Flex Vac by itself weighs about 3.25 pounds.

This tool seems to be of pretty good ergonomic and mechanical design. If my older DustBuster hand vacuum is any indication, it should have good battery life and continue to work well for many years.
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