For most of the past year, I’ve been using a small corded vacuum provided by my landlord to clean my bedroom. It was a flimsy thing that my roommates also used (and never emptied). While I could tell it was cheap, I could see the junk building up in its dust pan during each cleaning, so I figured it was working. But then again, my socks were still constantly picking up dust and hair as I walked around, so eventually I had to invest in something better. Enter the Black + Decker Powerseries Extreme MAX Vacuum, another stick model, though it felt a lot more substantial than the one already in my closet.
I will not lie; it was not love at first use with this vacuum cleaner. That’s because I couldn’t figure out how to get it to work the first week I had it. Being part of the Black + Decker Powerseries line, the vacuum cleaner is cordless and runs on a battery that you insert into the slot next to the handle. You see, I didn’t insert the battery correctly and just realized I was sent the wrong model. Then I realized it couldn’t be right, so I tried again, and by first squeezing the inconspicuous tab on the top, I finally managed to insert the battery. I know I’m not very tech savvy, but from there, using my new vacuum was smooth sailing.
A quick look at the Black + Decker Powerseries Extreme MAX Vacuum
Design features that stand out
When I replaced my old vacuum, I knew I still wanted something thin and light, which initially attracted me to the Extreme MAX vacuum cleaner. At nearly 11 pounds, it’s relatively light, indeed, and its rod design is perfect for my small apartment. Although the vacuum cleaner comes with a wall mount, it also has stand alone, so I just put it in the closet or between the furniture, and it’s barely noticeable. Now that I know how a vacuum cleaner battery works, I find that aspect of its design to be completely easy as well. It usually takes a few hours to fully charge. (The charger has a light that shows when charging is complete.) Then I insert the battery into the insert and can clean for about 40 minutes at a time, or almost an hour in the manual configuration. If you live in a large home, this runtime may not be long enough for you, but as a small space dweller, I rarely use up the entire battery at once.
You’ll also be happy to know that the vacuum has a washable filter, which I take out every couple of months and rinse under the tap. Then I just let it dry overnight and replace. As regards dust pan, it is not the easiest to empty. You just pull it out, but I always get resistance. The first few times I tried to empty the container, I pulled and pulled, and it fell off suddenly, dust flying everywhere. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to get rid of it safely.
If you need something heavy, this probably won’t be the vacuum for you. But as I mentioned, the Extreme MAX vacuum cleaner is nice perfect for smaller apartments and everyday cleaning jobs. I live with two cats and a roommate who, like me, loses a lot of hair, so I love it anti-tangle bar on the main attachment. I still occasionally pull a strand out for maintenance, but it really never gets tangled or stuck with my hair! However, I try to be careful what I pick up with the vacuum cleaner. If I kept vacuuming the cat’s tail and the food pellets with it, it would probably break, but I try to sweep up the larger pieces instead. But a stick vacuum does an excellent job of picking up dust, hair and other small debris, even in manual form. I also love crevice tool he came with, as he is thin enough get into tight corners and cornerslike boards, behind toilets and high shelves in closets.
What really made me love my vacuum, however, was his LED headlights. I had read about vacuum cleaners with headlights in peer product reviews, but no matter how much they pushed the feature, I remained skeptical. How much better could that be than just turning on the overhead light? But the first time I used this vacuum, I was amazed. When the headlights came on, I let out an audible gasp. While I thought I had picked up all the dust and hair from my floors with the previous vacuum, I now see how much is actually left. And I could also see that the Extreme MAX vacuum really picked up everything in its path, leaving my floors really clean for the first time in who knows how long. No hyperbole here – this feature is a game changer.
Despite the vacuum cleaner’s operating time of 40 minutes, the battery takes a long time to fully charge. For this reason, I usually just keep it in the charger when I’m not using the vacuum cleaner. That way it doesn’t die between uses and is always ready to use.
Should you buy the Black + Decker Powerseries Extreme MAX Vacuum?
For small households and small apartments, yes, I would recommend this vacuum cleaner. It’s so compact and, for the most part, easy to use. I find myself reaching for it almost every day, even if the mess isn’t that big. It is completely effective.
Where to buy Black + Decker Powerseries Extreme MAX vacuum cleaner
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