EmailBest Reviewed
Handheld Vacuums
- Best cordless handheld vacuum Black & Decker PHV1800 18 Volt Pivot Vac *Est. $70
- Budget cordless vacuum Shark Cordless Hand Vac SV736 *Est. $40
- Corded hand vacuum Bissell 33A1 Pet Hair Eraser *Est. $35
Get info about new reports and updates
Best cordless handheld vacuum
- Good cleaning power
- Long charge time
- Two-year warranty
- Noisy
- Bulkier than other hand vacs
February 2009. Owner and expert reviews are almost unanimously glowing about the cordless Black & Decker PHV1800 18 Volt Pivot Vac, which is included as the best cordless hand vac overall in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers. Testers at Popular Mechanics rate it ahead of both the underperforming Dirt Devil KONE (*est. $40) and the expensive Dyson DC16 Root 6 (*est. $150) for its power and efficiency. Owners posting to Amazon.com, Epinions and Target.com also praise the PHV1800's ease of use.
Consumer Reports includes the Black & Decker PHV1800 in its recent, thorough comparison testing of small vacuums. Australia's Choice magazine also includes the Black & Decker PHV1800 in its testing. It is one of the models in a Popular Mechanics video review that tested different vacuum models' performance when picking up sifted flour and wet kitty litter. Amazon.com is an especially good source of user reviews of the Pivot Vac, with nearly 200 owners posting their ratings of its performance in day-to-day use. Epinions and Target.com, with a handful of user reviews each, round out the consumer perspective.
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  1176 store reviews | In Stock. | $64.97 | See It |
 | 529 store reviews | In Stock. Free Shipping for all items over $49! | $69.99 | See It |
 |  0 store reviews | In Stock. Y | $59.95 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports recently updated the small vacuums ratings, comparing 11 hand vacuums, including the Black & Decker PHV1800. Consumer Reports performs thorough product testing and provides detailed information.
Review: Small Vacuums, Editors of Consumer Reports, Mar. 2009
2. Choice.com.auDetails/Subscribe
Choice is the Australian counterpart of Consumer Reports. Its ratings are based on rigorous and consistent independent testing. This 10-vacuum roundup includes the Black & Decker Pivot 18-volt handheld vacuum, which earns a top rating. The Dyson DC16 also does well here.
Review: Review: Dyson Radix 6 handheld vacuum cleaner, Editors of Choice, Feb. 2009
3. PopularMechanics.comDetails/Subscribe
This short video by Popular Mechanics shows the Black & Decker 18 Volt Pivot Vac excelling at picking up both sifted flour and wet kitty litter in tests. Testers call the Pivot Vac a "powerhouse," saying it "leaves behind a nearly spotless carpet." It outperforms the competing tested vacs.
Review: Handheld Vacuum Test, Editors of Popular Mechanics, Dec. 7, 2006
4. Amazon.com
The Black & Decker 18 Volt Pivot Vac is a favorite on Amazon.com where it has nearly 200 owner-written reviews. The majority of reviewers give it a perfect 5 stars out of 5. Top-rated features are the pivoting nozzle, the good suction relative to other cordless hand vacs, and the 2-year warranty.
Review: Black & Decker 18-Volt Pivoting-Nose Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Contributors to Amazon.com
The Black & Decker PHV1800 is one of five hand vacuums to get a "Best Buy" rating from ConsumerGuide.com's editors. Although this review goes into a reasonable amount of detail about the Pivot Vac's features, there's no indication that any testing was done to back up the high rating.
Review: Black & Decker PHV1800 Pivot Cordless Hand Vacuum, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Jan. 31, 2007
6. Epinions.com
There aren't many reviews of the Black & Decker Pivot Vac on Epinions, but owners who have posted go into enough detail to make a stop here worthwhile. As on Amazon.com, reviews are glowing and emphasize the PHV1800's power and versatility. Negatives include a high noise level and the fact that this hand vac is a bit larger than some.
Review: Black & Decker PHV1800 Bagless Handheld Cyclonic Vacuum Reviews, Contributors to Epinions.com
7. Target.com
Target has the fewest reviews of the Pivot Hand Vac. Here, too, owners are overwhelmingly positive in their assessments, calling the PHV1800 "powerful," "awesome," and "well worth the money."
Review: Black & Decker 18V Hand Vac - PHV1800 Reviews, Contributors to Target.com
Handheld Vacuums Runners Up:
2 picks including: Amazon.com, Target.com…
2 picks including: Amazon.com, Apartment Therapy.com…
2 picks including: Amazon.com, Housekeeping Channel.com…
Dirt Devil 0216CHL Kurv Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, Choco-Latte
 from Amazon.com New: $44.73 In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
||
|
|
Dyson DC16 Root 6 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
from Amazon.com New: $134.49 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
 |
||
|
|
