Black + Decker Platinum BDH2020FLFH Review

One of the biggest limitations of hand vacuums is the reach.

It is best used for quick spot clean ups which is great but if you want to clean up floors you’ll have to bend down which isn’t the most comfortable position for people with back issues like myself.

The new BDH2020FLFL solves this issue by adding a floor vacuum extension to the package so that you won’t need to get down on all fours to clean floors.

Will this effectively replace a stick vacuum?

Well to be honest it won’t but the addition of this tool gives you the option to spot clean loose dirt on floors but let’s find out what consumers think of this hybrid stick / handheld

In a recent article by The Sweet Home, they called this the best portable vacuum, even over the higher rated BDH2000FL because this one has a floor tool included in the package which makes it even more versatile.

Pros

• Lightweight and easy to carry around
• Has several attachments to clean different types of dirt like dust, pet hair and larger debris like cheerios
• Floor attachment allows you to clean floors without bending over
• Decent suction at 25 air watts (only 3 less than a Dyson DC59 at normal mode)
• Charges in around 4 hours
• Great for stairs

Cons

• Has less suction when the floor tool is attached – makes this limited on carpet
• Small dirt capacity
• Only for spot clean ups nothing more
• Filter needs to be washed often
• Hair or any statically charged dirt tends to stick on the inner walls of the dust bin
• Noisy – sounds like a lawnmower according to some reviews

Features of the Black + Decker BDH2020FLFH:

Feature wise this is similar to the BDH2000FL I’ve reviewed in the past, the main difference is that this new model has an extension wand plus a floor attachment that transforms this from a hand vacuum to a stick.

The floor tool however does not have a motorized brush which makes this very limited on carpet.

And oh, it has a little bit more suction compared to the previous version.

This one packs 25 air watts of suction power while the BDH2000FL has 22 air watts.
Here’s the complete list of features:

• Uses a 20 volt lithium ion battery
• Lightweight – weighs less than 4 pounds
• Equipped with a 4 foot flexible hose
• Has a stick vacuum floor head that can be mounted on the hose
• Other attachments include pet hair brush tool, crevice tool, 2-in-1 nozzle/brush tool
• Filter is washable
• Bagless
• Uses cyclonic action to keep away dirt from the filter hence maintaining performance as the dirt cup is being filled up

Bare Floor Performance

Even with the floor tool this handheld would still be best utilized as a spot cleaner but it is a nice addition because you no longer need to bend over to clean floors.

Take note however that if you are using the floor tool that suction will decrease slightly based on some consumer reviews.

If you are using the other attachments, suction is strong enough to pick up even larger bits of dirt like cheerios or pet liter.

Carpet Performance

The floor tool is not equipped with a motorized brush so don’t expect this to pick up embedded dirt on carpet.

It will only be good enough to clean up loose surface dirt. Other attachments (that can be attached on the extension wand) can be used as a spot cleaner to pick up loose surface dirt on carpet.

Pet Hair Removal

To clean up pet hair the BDH2020FLFL uses a round shaped and textured tool that has a hole in the middle.

It is made from rubber so it will follow the contours of the surface you want to clean.

This is great to use on upholstery like sofa or chairs and even pillows.

Unfortunately the floor tool does not have a motorized brush that will pick up pet hair off carpet.

It relies purely on suction to pick up dirt so you cannot use this to clean pet hair on carpet.

Attachments and Accessories

It comes with four attachments – crevice, 2-in-1 nozzle/brush, pet hair brush and stick vacuum flood head tools

Based on some reviews the crevice, 2-in-1 nozzle/brush and pet hair brush can be attached on the extension wand which gives it more reach!

Charging Time

Black and Decker did not specify official charge times but based on consumer reviews, it will take between 4 to 6 hours to fully charge.

In a review done by The Sweet Home, they reported a 4 hour charge time.

Filter Clean up

Emptying the dirt canister is easy, all you need to do is pull a latch then open the door but it can be messy to empty especially when there is some moisture as dirt tends to clump up. Statically charged dirt also will tend to stick on the inner walls so you may need to use your filters to empty or take out the whole bowl and wash it in a sink.

Filter does get clogged up pretty quick.

Again in the review by the Sweet Home, they had to wash it after every two charge cycles but judging by what they clean, I would consider it the worst case scenario. It would all depend on the type of debris you are cleaning and how often you’ll use it.

Yes, filter is washable so running cost won’t be high.

Run Time

The average run time again based on reviews is around 15 minutes. The guys at the sweet home got 16 minutes in a full charge so expect it to be at a 15 minute range.

Warranty

It comes with a 2 year warranty, 1 year shorter than the BDH2000FL.

See it in Action

Sorry, right now I cannot find videos in YouTube, I’ll update this review when I find something.

Product Specifications

Customer Reviews

This is a relatively new product that was released the middle of this year so it still does not have a lot of reviews (currently less than 50) but it did still got a lot of positive reviews.

People loved the power of this handheld saying that it is more than enough for spot clean ups though they noticed that the power dropped when you put on the extension wand and floor tool.

Also the floor tool did not have any brushroll which makes this virtually useless on carpet but it is still usable on hard surfaces.

One consumer even mentioned that it was impossible to move this back and forth on carpet.

Pet owners will find this one useful because even without the pet hair attachment, it still has enough power to pick up pet hair using the crevice or combo tool.

The pet hair brush would be most useful on upholstery as the rubber contoured tool will adapt to the contours of any sofa or chair.

As with all electronic tools there are some complaints of lemon units as a few consumers complained about the lack of suction.

Noise is also another issue as a number of people complained that it sounded like a lawnmower.

There were several complaints about the manual not very detailed and user friendly with regards to the instructions. B&D hopefully will improve on this in the future.

Overall, consumers loved the portability and versatility that this product brings in the table, it may not have the most powerful suction but it isn’t no chop liver, it will hold its own even against pricier handhelds like the Dyson, though don’t expect too much from the floor tool because it does not have any motorized brush and the long extension wand saps some of the power.

Price

Not many stores carry this model so the best place to buy this would be in Amazon where it sells right now for just under $110.

Conclusion

This product is great for…

People looking for a hand vacuum light enough to carry around but has an attachment to clean floors without the need to bend down.

This would be great for people like me who have some back issues. This is an upgraded version of the BDH2000FL that has slightly more suction and a floor tool to clean up floors and even stairs.

This is a great little tool to have for those small messes that are bound to happen here and there, especially if you have toddlers at home.

Take note that the floor tool does not have any motorized brush so use this only to clean up surface dirt you’ll still need a full sized vacuum for deep cleaning. If you don’t need the floor tool, then the BDH2000FL or the BDH2000FL would be more than adequate alternatives.

The extension wand is useful though to clean hard to reach areas like the ceiling and has enough suction to suck in cobwebs and dust bunnies of air vents and you don’t even need a ladder to do so.

Overall this is a great lightweight vacuum for light messes where a full sized vacuum would be too cumbersome to bring out.