The Black & Decker CHV1410B Dustbuster 14.4V Cordless Hand Vacuum continues the long tradition of portable vacuums that Dustbusters have been known for since their introduction in 1979. In fact, the term “Dustbuster” has come to define an entire market segment, and we often hear folks use the name Dustbuster even when talking about other brands of hand-held portable vacuums. We are glad to see that the folks at B&D are always looking for ways to keep the real Dustbuster fresh and full of features.
The Black & Decker CHV1410B Dustbuster 14.4V Cordless Hand Vacuum has a number of key features that make it a logical choice if you are looking to pick up such a tool. With a translucent dirt bowl, it is easy to see when it is getting full, and inside the dirt bowl is a filter that can be cleaned and reused. The overall size of the vacuum is compact and lightweight with a good balance that makes it simple to wield with just one hand. The 14.4V battery is integral to the motor housing and is not replaceable. The crevice tool is built into the nozzle end of the vacuum, and all you have to do is give it a slight pull, and it extends out, giving you about 50% further reach over the previous generation Dustbuster.
Also built into the nozzle end of the tool is a brush attachment that simply swings out of the way when it is not needed. The wide mouth of the nozzle makes it easy to suck up even large-sized debris like grass or leaves. The other really nifty feature of the nozzle end of this Dustbuster is that it rotates, so you now have yet more flexibility as to where you can clean. The dirt cup will hold over a pound and a half of dirt and dust, too.
As for the features that you don’t see, the motor and filter design is such that a cyclonic action is induced so that the spinning action of the air inside the dust bowl actually helps keep the dust from collecting on the filter. That means the suction power stays strong for far longer than traditional designs. The charging system for this vacuum is Energy Star approved, so it saves energy and helps protect the batteries. Also, there is an indicator light on the top of the vacuum that lets you know the status of the battery charge.
Testing and Use
The first thing that we did with the Black & Decker CHV1410B Dustbuster 14.4V Cordless Hand Vacuum was to install the included hanging bracket on the wall in our shop so that we had a place to store it while it was charging. While we like the idea of being able to hang it up so that it is always in a convenient place and ready to go, we didn’t really appreciate that to charge the battery we still had to insert a separate plug into the top of the tool. It would seem to us that if you were to make a hanging station, the charger would be built into the support and act like a charging cradle.
While the included system worked just fine, it seems like a major design flaw – and we think that in future generations, we would like to see a more integral hanging mount and charger. Once the vacuum was charged, we went to town cleaning up one of our company cars. We found that the Dustbuster had adequate power to suck up most of the debris and dirt that was on the carpets in the vehicle. The built-in extension made it handy when we were trying to get into places like around the gas pedal and in between the seats.
The Dustbuster appeals to us because it is a cordless, lightweight vacuum that is always at the ready to clean up small messes. However, we did find that in certain situations, the Dustbuster was not adequate for sucking up heavy things like screws, nails, or large wood chips. Cleanups for these types of messes should still be left up to larger-size wet/dry vacuums.
Conclusion
The Black & Decker CHV1410B Dustbuster 14.4V Cordless Hand Vacuum is a fantastic new addition to the long Dustbuster lineage that goes back over 30 years. With some great features like an easy-to-clean reusable filter and a built-in crevice tool, this vacuum is both great to use around the house and in the garage for simple cleanup tasks. For our Professional rating, we gave this tool a 6/10 since its purpose is really geared for the homeowner and mostly only small tasks. For our Value rating, we gave the vacuum a 7/10 because we feel that its size and convenience come at a decent price.
