Thread Number: 11042
Black and Decker Flex
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Post# 119258   12/26/2010 at 00:07 (4,841 days old) by thevacuumman (Borger, TX)        

Got to open it this morning and i like the way it looks and feel but got to wait for it to charge

Post# 119260 , Reply# 1   12/26/2010 at 00:08 (4,841 days old) by thevacuumman (Borger, TX)        

and here are the attachments

Post# 119279 , Reply# 2   12/26/2010 at 13:29 (4,841 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture
Tyler -

I have one too. I love (most) of the attachments, and it has good suction. BUT......the darn thing has a very short runtime before it has to be recharged...for 21 hours! And....make sure you take the center filter out now and then and vacuum the air intake thoroughly, or it will lose suction. It's definitely not non-maintenance.

This machine is B&D's attempt at a bagless handheld/hose-attached unit, but I think it needs some work. Longer runtime, better bagless filtering and shorter recharge time would be a big improvement.

I DO like the convenience of the size of the tools and the places that you can fit that flip-up brush tool - in small areas of the car, in narrow spaces around the house, etc. It's a great tool.


Post# 119297 , Reply# 3   12/26/2010 at 17:52 (4,841 days old) by kenmore81 (Warwick, RI)        
I got one too....

kenmore81's profile picture
I plugged it in yesterday. I just got done using for the first time =) I too like the attachments, but the run time is rather short, though it does say in the book after about 5 charges run time will improve. I got about 15 or so min so far.
The suction is very good to for a rechargable vac, that is untill the chage starts to drop, and even then its decent for a few more minutes.


Post# 119298 , Reply# 4   12/26/2010 at 17:54 (4,841 days old) by vacman117 (Chicago, IL)        
I think...

vacman117's profile picture
it would be neat if they made a corded version. Even though it would probably completely ruin the point of it, but I think that would be great to have for the cars and quick pick-ups. Right now I have a Dirt Devil Cone Vac which is just junk, and one of the red and white Black and Deckers with the slide out crevice tool, and that is actually pretty decent. But I might look in to getting one of these

Post# 119324 , Reply# 5   12/27/2010 at 00:38 (4,840 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture
Chase -
I agree that a corded version would be a good idea, because it has some good features, but that short runtime is a pain. And, my experience has been that the runtime does NOT improve over time. It still needs frequent, LONG recharges. I say....put a cord on it, dammit! Otherwise....good features, fun to use, great for small jobs.


Post# 119330 , Reply# 6   12/27/2010 at 04:12 (4,840 days old) by godfreys_guy (Melbourne, Australia)        
We have that here too!

godfreys_guy's profile picture
Except ours has a motorised head. It is really popular and is priced at a cool $169

CLICK HERE TO GO TO godfreys_guy's LINK


Post# 119337 , Reply# 7   12/27/2010 at 10:34 (4,840 days old) by Ohio_Tuec ()        

I too think a corded model is the way to go, or at the very least offer both for customers who INSIST on a cord. For a long time now, Black & Decker wanted to be the innovator of everything cordless, it just isn't practical in some applications (like a cordless lawn mower). Also, they tend to obsolete parts very quickly. When the battery craps out in this flex, 5 will get you 10 B&D won't have a replacement anymore. How is the battery pack to remove in this unit? Do you have to take the whole thing apart?

Post# 119346 , Reply# 8   12/27/2010 at 12:59 (4,840 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest)        

I have seen seen these on the shelves at the store, but guess I didn't look close enough to realize it was cordless.

Still think they are kind of neat looking.


Post# 119612 , Reply# 9   12/29/2010 at 21:32 (4,837 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture
Karl - I think you have to take the whole thing apart to get to the battery. I have no idea if the battery can be replaced...

Post# 119631 , Reply# 10   12/30/2010 at 07:46 (4,837 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Hey... I think you have convinced me to get one! I didn't get myself anything for Christmas this year, so I think this would fit the bill perfectly!

I do wish it had a mini-power nozzle, longer run time, and truly cyclonic bagless action, but if I don't like it, I can always return it.


Post# 119637 , Reply# 11   12/30/2010 at 10:16 (4,837 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Hey guys.... Just got back from Wal-mart... 60 dollars later, the Flex followed me home, inspired by this post. I love the blue LED charging light... I can't wait to use this on the ottoman, loveseat, by the litter box, the refrigerator grill, the bed, the bathroom, the car.... I think it will be great if it works well!

Post# 119653 , Reply# 12   12/30/2010 at 16:10 (4,837 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture
Bobby -

I love that blue charging light, too. When it is plugged in in my bedroom at night, it creates this pretty blue glow throughout the room. A nice decorating side-effect...


Post# 119686 , Reply# 13   12/30/2010 at 21:04 (4,836 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Man, I don't want to wait for it to fully charge to play with it!

I like that the hose can be detached from the plastic wand and the attachments inserted right onto it. I also like the way the door opens... kind of like a front load washing machine!

A few things could be improved though... I wish there was a battery level/charging indicator so you knew how full the battery is.... the pretty blue light just tells you if it's plugged in or not, which is pretty obvious anyway.

It seems that it was meant to be used with the hose detached.... must be very hard to use with the hose still clipped on... would have to hold it at a weird angle.

I'm so glad this post inspired me to buy one, I didn't have any cordless "dustbuster" type vacuums, and sometimes you just need one for quick jobs. I don't think for the kind of vacuum this is that I would need the charge to last more than 15 minutes, it's just made for quick pick ups... if I need longer, I can use a canister or upright with a hose.

I wonder why the dustin brush doesn't have bristles all the way around? Maybe because they would interfere with the "flip" part.

I wonder how well that flilter clicking knob works?


Post# 119692 , Reply# 14   12/30/2010 at 21:20 (4,836 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

eurekaprince's profile picture
Here's an interesting report by the British version of the American Consumer Reports magazine (Which? Magazine)...gives a nice little comparison of the UK's 220 volt versions of the Flexi and the Dyson handheld.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO eurekaprince's LINK


Post# 119749 , Reply# 15   12/31/2010 at 12:30 (4,836 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Eurekaprince (Brian?) I have seen that video before and liked it but thought she could have gone into a little more detail.

I just used it for the first time. The suction isn't tremendous, but for small jobs it should be adequete. I don't think it would do well in a car, and a mini power nozzle would do much better on pet hair than the rubber fingered thing they give you would be.

I used it in the corners of the bathroom floor, on the refrigerator grill, on the a/c filter cover vent, on the bed (with a cat there's always some manner of debris making its way into the bed), and to clean my beauitful Hunter Century fan which is with me all night every night and gathers a tremendous amount of fine dust. It did a surperb job with all tasks I've thrown at it, but there was a noticable drop in suction after I'd vacuumed the fine dust for a bit. I cleaned the filter which wasn't easy and that seemed to restore some of the suction.

All in all a fun vacuum that kind of fills a niche

Oh yeah, and battery life could be longer. I wish black and decker would get their act together and listen to their customers about making something with a longer battery life or corded as an option. However, when I vacuum my small apartment with even one of the big real vacuums, even if I use the attachments and go on bare floors, I only have the cleaner running for 10 minutes total.... so the 10 minute battery life of this thing should be more than sufficient. This needs a motorized mini nozzle, a longer battery life and filterless cyclonic action in order to blow the Dyson hand vac out of the water!


Post# 119805 , Reply# 16   1/1/2011 at 00:55 (4,835 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)        
I just bought one at Goodwill

jfalberti's profile picture
Is this new, or has it been out a while? It was charged, and it blew a nice cloud of dust when I turned it on. It was in the box, but no manual. How do I clean the filters? It's pretty cool, but I don't want to use it until I'm sure I'm not going to blow it up because of dirty filters.

Post# 119847 , Reply# 17   1/1/2011 at 13:53 (4,835 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)        
I found the manual online

jfalberti's profile picture
and took the filter out. It was pretty caked so I cleaned it and am waiting for it to dry before reassembling. I think it will be great for cleaning computer keyboards and inside of my jukeboxes. Wish it had a longer runtime, and didn't take so long to charge.

Post# 119892 , Reply# 18   1/1/2011 at 20:57 (4,834 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture
Joe -

I think you will notice a BIG difference in suction now that you have cleaned out the filter. I was shocked at how much better mine picked up after a cleaning. However....be aware....you will have to do that frequently, even IF you don't use the machine often. It's just a high maintenance thing. And, of course, there's the long recharge time......


Post# 120073 , Reply# 19   1/3/2011 at 10:42 (4,833 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

I used it yesterday to clean out the kitchen drawers (it always amazes me how crumbs can find their way into a closed drawer). I also did the computer keyboard and vents, ottoman, love seat, and around the litter box. Plus a book case in the bedroom. It did fine, until it died... the whole battery life and charging thing is annoying.

I am going to return mine and buy one from an internet site instead.... same price (it'll be a little more with shipping though), but it comes with a carrying strap, wall mount, and mini powered brush! I want all those things! I do wish it had a docking station instead of just a wire to plug in for the charger. Oh well!


Post# 120159 , Reply# 20   1/4/2011 at 19:51 (4,831 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Hey guys, I just posted a review on Epinions, and will be making a video soon.

Pros: powerful, awesome attachments

Cons: long charge time for microscopic run time, helpful accessories not included

The Bottom Line: Awesome, sharp looking, solid feeling performer with minimum drawbacks.

Wow, I'm truly impressed. I'm 27, I've loved and collected vacuum cleaners of all kinds and even sold them ever since I can remember. I truly adore them, and much to my surprise, this little guy has captured my heart!

Why did I want one of these if I already have 35 "real" vacuums? Well, firstly because I didn't have anything cordless, or any dustbuster type vacs. I do have a Dirt Devil hand vac with the revolving brush and cloth bag, but it's awkward and cumbersome.... it would be great for carpeted stairs, but for things like cars with lots of sand, the spinning brush just kicks it around. Sometimes, you need the option of having suction only! I had been wanting a cordless hand vac for a while, but having never been impressed by traditional style "dust busters" I put it off. I did not want to settle. Then another collector bought a Flex and I was inspired, after all, I hadn't gotten myself a Christmas present yet, so why not? I flounced over to Wal-mart and paid 70 bucks for this little gem. I had been intrigued by its unique design since it first came out.

What's in the box?

In the box are the cleaner, manual, charger, combination dusting brush/straight suction nozzle, pet hair tool, and crevice tool! There is really nothing to assemble, but everything is covered in copious amounts of plastic that would take even the most ambitious consumer hours to remove.

So, how does this little guy work?

Very well! The weight is well balanced, the handle is comfortable, the switch is right at the fingertips. The suction is suprisingly powerful for a machine of this size.... of course it can't equal my Dyson DC 14 or Hoover Windtunnel, but for a little guy, this thing truly has some power. It's not insanely loud either! The ability to use the vacuum as a traditional style "dust buster" with the hose clipped onto the body or use it as a portable mini canister with the hose separated from the body provides versatility and flexibility beyond compare. This thing truly is in a league of its own. All of the attachments are well designed and work to make using an already amazing cleaner pure bliss! The pet hair tool has rubber "fingers" on the bottom and a large suction hole in the middle. It really works to snatch stubborn pet hair from any surface. My very laid back cat, Jasper who is usually scared of vacuums let me brush him with the pet hair attachment until the battery in the vacuum ran dead! The manual says not to use it on pets, but I was careful and knew I wasn't hurting him. The combination dusting brush/straight suction nozzle is my favorite tool of all. The straight suction part is narrow enough to fit in tight spaces, and designed in such a way that holding it and using it is intuitive. It has openings on the sides for edge cleaning. It works well as the mouth piece to this very hungry monster of a mini-vac. When it's time to dust, the dusting brush can be flipped out with a very satisfying click. It only has bristles on 3 sides, which I thought was strange at first. Now, after using it, I can see that it actually works better than a brush with bristles on all sides. Brushes with bristles on all sides can't fit into places that this one can, and the suction often can't reach the dust because the bristles push it out of the way first. That doesn't happen with this very well engineered tool... and the brushes are surprisingly soft for being made of plastic.

So, what have you cleaned with it?

I have used the Black and Decker Flex to clean inside my kitchen drawers (it amazes me how crumbs can always find their way into a closed drawer), around the cat littler box, inside the track of the closet and pantry doors, blinds, the a/c filter cover, the bedside fan, the desk, the sewing machines, the book shelf, the TV stand, the love seat and ottoman, and my other vacuums (when they get dusty). I even used it to vacuum my bed (with a cat, there is always some manner of debris getting in the bed). I even use it to spot clean my carpet by the front door and the kitchen floor under the toe kicks. It has hitherto excelled at every task I've thrown at it. I have yet to empty the dirt chamber, and the suction is still excellent. I can't wait to try it in the car! I almost want to spill the sugar when I bake now, just to clean it up! I also can't wait to use it on my refrigerator coils, I did use it on the grill on the bottom front and it got the dust in one swipe. It also works well for cleaning the keyboard and vents of my lap top.

Maintenance is very simple. Every now and then, the user needs to turn a knob on the side of the cleaner. This spins a plastic shroud that will flick the dirt off the paper pleated filter encompassed within it. That makes the suction stronger for longer. Opening the dirt chamber to empty is almost reminiscent of opening a front load washer. The door is pulled opened and the cleaner dumped. Then the plastic shroud and filter can be removed and washed by hand, tapped or brushed clean, or EVEN PUT IN THE DISHWASHER!!! The dirt chamber door is transparent and there is a transparent window in the top and back of the machine, so seeing when it is full is very easy, and it is quite fun to watch the dirt spin round and round. I've used mine a lot in the week that I've had it and I still haven't emptied the chamber... and the machine still has plenty of suction!

Unique features

There are some very unique features on this cleaner that make it a true pleasure to use. One of them is that the attachments all clip on so that they do not fall off like they would on machines with friction fit attachments. Another great feature is that the plastic wand can be removed and tools inserted directly onto the hose, most big vacuums don't even have that feature!

So, what's not to love?

There are a few things about this vacuum that leave a lot to be desired, but they in no way completely counteract its greatness. The first thing that bothers me is that the machine does not include additional accessories as standard equipment. There is a mini power nozzle (which would do a much better job than the included pet hair tool on pet hair), a shoulder strap, and a wall mount for this machine that are not included with it... they would really add to the functionality and should be standard equipment. I mean, who wouldn't want those things for their Flex? Another thing that bothers me is the lack of true cyclonic bagless filtering. This machine uses a paper pleated filter for its "dirt chamber" filter. Technology has advanced so far beyond that, those things should be obsolete. There is no reason why any bagless vacuum cannot have multi-cyclonic filterless technology. Even though the filter is relatively easy to clean and seems to still allow the vacuum to maintain suction for a long period of time, a truly cyclonic system would be much more superior. Another thing that needs to be improved on this vacuum is the charging station. It needs to have a true drop and go docking station instead of this awkward little wire that must be plugged into a hole in the back. It only has a blue light to indicate whether or not it is plugged in... anyone smart enough to use this thing should be able to tell if it is plugged in just by looking at it.... what we need are lights to tell us when it is fully charged and when the charge is running low! A battery level indicator would be an awesome addition to this amazing cleaner. That brings me to my next point. The machine only runs for 10 minutes one one charge and then must be recharged for 21 hours! 21 hours, for 10 minutes.... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That's crazy! As advanced as technology is today, there should be a better battery system in place, or the option to use it as a corded vac when the battery dies. The thing is it was designed to just be a "quick" vac, so the manufacturer thought 10 minutes of run time was adequate. However, this thing is so amazing that it MAKES you want to use it, therefore 10 minutes of bliss hardly seems long enough. I've gotten into a routine where every night after work, I use it until the battery dies and then put it back on to charge for a day. I feel like if I don't use that 10 minutes up every day I'm wasting something! I must say though, my apartment is cleaner than it has ever been before and I'm cleaning places I'd never even considered with my other vacs.

So, I'd say to get it and use it and fall in love just like I did, but do have realistic expectations.

Update:

I've just come back from using it in my car and all I can can say is wow! The nozzle fit into all the tight spaces and the suction literally inhaled the dirt from sand and dust to pebbles and paper straw wrappers. Truly amazing. The dusting brush worked well on the leather seats, around the gear shift, and the dash board... even in the cup holders.

I am going to return mine the Wal-mart, however. I found another one on a different web site that includes all those accessories I complained about this one not having for only a few bucks more. I just ordered it and as soon as it comes, this one will be going back. Or, I could just keep it to have two and then when one runs dead, I'll have double time for vacuuming bliss! Now, there's a thought :o)



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