Black + Decker BDH3600SV Lithium Review: More Power Than a Dyson

I love the versatility of two-in-one vacuums.

They offer floor cleaning option plus above the floor cleaning without the need for buying a separate product.

But biggest problem would be suction power or the lack of it since they’re basically stuffing a handheld into a body of a stick.

This new product is different, it has stick vacuum power and when you use it as a handheld, it has above average suction thanks to the new motor and fade-free power thanks to the large battery.

The Black & Decker BDH3600SV is one of two new stick vacuums Black + Decker is introduced to the market a few months ago.

This one comes with a larger 36-volt lithium ion battery.

The larger voltage however, does not translate to better suction as this only produces 40 air watts, same as the BDH2400FH.

It does have a longer run time at 25 minutes.

So what then is the difference?

This variant is taller which makes it suitable for taller folks.

The large body unfortunately will make it more difficult to use this to clean deep under beds. It also has a brush roll on/off feature that makes it more usable on bare floor surfaces like hardwood.

It does not have the mini-motorized brush but it has crevice tool (with a pull out brush) that extends reach a little bit. This would be great to use in small homes, even mobile homes and cars.

A quick look a the features

• Powered by a 36-volt lithium ion battery (fade-free power)
• Uses 12 cyclones to prevent dirt from clogging the filters to prevent loss of suction
• Hand vacuum is detachable for above the floor cleaning
• 40 air watts of suction power
• 25 minute run time
• LED charge indicator lets you know battery status
• Charging stand with tool holder
• Brush roll on/off

Pros

• Strong suction at 40 air watts (stronger than a Dyson DC59)
• Versatile vacuum that’ll clean floors, upholstery, nooks and crannies
• Decent run time at 25 minutes
• Has a charging stand – easy storage
• Brush roll on/off make this very usable on hard floors
• LED lights clearly show battery status

Cons

• No pet hair tool
• Narrow floor tool means more passes
• Built-in battery is a concern long term
• The bulkier body will make it difficult for this vacuum to reach deep under beds or other furniture

What to expect from Black & Decker BDH3600SV?

The Black & Decker BDH3600SV looks more like an upright vacuum than a stick thanks to its bulky frame. But make no mistake this vacuum isn’t an upright.

Unlike the Dyson V8 or Roidmi F8, this vacuum is self standing thanks to the charging base.

It also comes with an attachment holder to save you the headache of looking for a place to store the tools.

Motor

This vacuum has the new ORA technology found in some newer Black & Decker cordless. It uses 12 cyclones that keep fine dirt out of the main filter to maintain suction.

This motor produces 40 air watts of suction – 50% more than a Dyson cordless.

Run time

The 36-watt lithium ion battery will take less than 4 hours to charge and will run for 25 minutes.

Using lithium technology also means more stable power delivery.

Unlike NiCad batteries that’s prone to fading, Li-Ion batteries won’t have that problem. It will provide a more linear power band up to the end of the charge cycle.

This variant also comes with a brush on/off feature that makes it usable on bare floor.

Take a look on how BDH3600SV and BDH2400FH are different…

Model	BDH2400FH	BDH3600SV
Run Time	17 minutes	25 minutes
Charge time	< 4 hours	< 4 hours
Battery	24-volt lithium ion	36-volt lithium ion
Attachments	Extension and Wand Floor Head Dusting Brush Powered Brush	Floor Vac Chasis Retractable Crevice Tool Brush Tool
Weight	6.5 pounds	7.9 pounds
Air watts	40	40
Dirt capacity	15.2 oz.	15.2 oz.
Warranty	2 years	2 years

Attachments and Accessories

You’ll get these tools – (1) floor vacuum chassis, (2) charging stand, (3) crevice tool and (4) brush tool.

Charging Time

Black + Decker mentioned that it will take less than 4 hours to recharge.

Filter Clean up

There are two filters to clean up. The first one is the 12 cyclone filter that keeps fine dirt away from the filter.

This lessens the need to clean the foam filter. The second is the foam filter behind it.

Here’s how to remove the cyclone filter…

Tap the cyclone filter to dislodge dirt.

How to access the foam filter…

Run Time

Based on this video run time will be around 25 minutes…

Warranty

All new B+D vacuums with ORA technology comes with a 2 year warranty.

Bare Floor Performance

The feature that allows consumers to turn off the motorized brush is a big feature here. This allows it to clean up larger bits of dirt like cereal or pet liter on bare floor.

There is also very little risk of scratching, if you are concerned by it.

One concern I have is the bulk of the handheld which prevents this from going totally flat and cleaning deep under furniture like a bed.

Carpet Performance

This has 40 air watts of suction power, 50% more than a Dyson which is pretty impressive because Dyson claims to have the most powerful cordless vacuums around.

That suction power will be constant for the duration of the 25 minute run time. And will pick up a lot of surface dirt on carpet but it will not deep clean.

I’m pretty sure it has stronger suction than the Hoover Air Cordless 3.0 which has shown pretty good performance on carpet.

Pet Hair Removal

On bare floor and carpet, it should be able to pick up pet hair. But one consumer warned against using this on such because there is a risk of the beater bar seizing up when cleaning a lot of hair on carpet.

On upholstery, you pretty much have to rely on the brush and crevice tool which isn’t exactly designed for pet hair clean up.

Upholstery Performance

When you detached the handheld unit off the body, this can be used to clean chairs or sofas. It does not have the mini motorized brush the 24-volt model has but it comes with a crevice and brush tool to clean up dust and loose dirt.

See it in Action

Pick up demonstration on various types of dirt and debris…

You’ll notice that it does not have a snowplow effect when cleaning larger bits of debris like pasta, pet food or cereal. That’s because it has recessed area on the floor head that will accommodate these larger debris.

Product Specifications

Customer Reviews

This is a new product so most of the reviews you’ll see in Amazon are from Vine customers. These handpicked consumers by Amazon based on their history of leaving insightful and thorough reviews that help other people.

Most consumers really liked how this stick/handheld combo performed on hard floor and carpet.

Take note that it will not deep clean carpet. But suction performance is above average when you compare it to other cordless stick vacuums.

Good on low to medium pile carpet but not on plush carpet

It picks up a lot of the surface dirt on low to medium pile carpet. Don’t use this on thick carpets because it will struggle.

The best part is that this cleaner is self-standing even without the charging base!

Which is great because you don’t need to looking for something to lean this over. And there is no risk of it falling (and damaging it in the process).

Versatile

The handheld portion of this product works great for cleaning areas such as upholstery and vents but the bulkiness of the body makes it difficult to reach deep under furniture.

According to one review, with 7 inches of headroom this can get in about 14 inches before it hits the furniture.

Run time is also decent, even with the motorized brush on, it still gets around 21 minutes of run time. It will get more with the brush roll off.

Out of the box, assembly is easy. The only assembly you need to do is bolting a screw to attach the handle on the body. That’s it.

Some bad points

If there are cons, it would be the small dirt cup – you will need to empty it often you’ll clean a larger section of the house.

Another would be the weight, because of the 36 volt battery, the handheld unit felt heavy, one even said that it was too heavy to use on stairs.

There are also complaints about the beater bar getting locked up when you have to clean a lot of pet hair or if the carpet is too thick – that’s because it does not have an automatic height adjustment.

Overall consumers were satisfied with the performance, maneuverability and build quality of this product. It will work very well as a quick pick up cleaner on instances where you don’t really need bring out a heavy upright, also doubles as a handheld vacuum so you’ll appreciate the versatility of this machine.

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this in Amazon for less than $100 and it comes with free 2-day shipping if you join Prime. Amazon also sells extended warranties of up to 4 years if you want that extra peace of mind.

To wrap up

This vacuum would be great for small to medium sized homes with a mixture of carpet and bare floor surfaces. This variant at least does not have a dedicated pet hair tool so you may want to look elsewhere if you have a lot of pets.

It provides very decent suction at 40 air watts for around 25 minutes so run time is pretty decent and should be enough for cleaning up a room or two without needing to recharge. The brush roll on/off feature allows this to be usable on bare floor. The dirt cup is small so you’ll have to empty it often.

Price wise it is around 40 to 50 dollars more expensive than the 24 volt version but you’ll get more run time, a brush roll on/off feature and a charging stand which saves you space and spares you the need of bolting on the charger on a wall.

Overall this is a pretty good in-between cleaner that will pick up surface dirt off carpet and keep dust and debris off hardwood without scratching it plus it comes with a 2 year warranty. Keep in mind that the battery cannot be replaced so this can be an issue in the long term.