REASONS TO BUY
Quiet
Great battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
Unimpressive cleaning performance
Black+Decker HSVJ520JMBF27 Review
This prototypical cordless stick vacuum does an acceptable job at cleaning up light messes but doesn't distinguish itself as a top model
By David Wise ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ August 16, 2017
Contributions From: Austin Palmer
Our Verdict
Finishing in the lower half of our test group, the Black+Decker Powerseries 2-in-1 delivered a respectable performance overall. That said, nothing about this model wowed us either. It has a solid battery life and comes at a price that won't do too much damage to your bank account, but overall cleaning was only average. That said, it's lightweight and relatively quiet, so if you happen to find it on sale, it's potentially worth considering, particularly if you don't want to charge your device as frequently.
Our Analysis and Test Results
This model is a little easier and more convenient to use than the average stick vacuum and is about average regarding cleaning power. It does an alright job on hard floors and carpets but definitely isn't a suitable replacement for a full-size upright or canister vacuum.
The Black+Decker HSVJ520JMBF27. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Convenience
This model can convert into a handheld vacuum for cleaning places that are slightly harder to reach, but it was a little more difficult to transition this vacuum than other models. The Black+Decker is about average in terms of weight, weighing in at 6.1 pounds and can stand on its own, something we appreciate. This model is also cordless and boasts a decent battery life, lasting for a little over 16 minutes on its max power mode. It took us about five hours to completely recharge.
The handheld option of the Black+Decker does expand the area that you can clean considerably. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Hard Surface Cleaning
We used the hard floor mode without a rotating brush roll, but rice would periodically become trapped on the non-spinning brush. However, this vacuum would fling some rice to the side, forcing us to execute a delicate balance of pulsing the brush head for brief moments to pick up all of the rice. The same happened when tasked with collecting flour, taking about four passes to clean the floor satisfactorily.
All of the surface flour was removed and a tiny bit from the cracks in between the boards, though there was plenty of residual flour left in the cracks. This model tended to build up the flour in various places on its underside that would come loose when the vacuum was tapped on the ground, creating a miniature mess and causing some frustration.
This vacuum got all the surface flour but left debris behind in the cracks. Credit: Austin Palmer
The performance of the Black+Decker did improve in our next test, cereal. It did a fine job collecting Cheerios, as long as the rotating brush was on — something not typically done for hardwood floors. Unfortunately, this boost was not maintained for the final two tests, oat collection and pet hair pickup. This vacuum did a decent job at collecting pet hair but once again was only effective if the rotating brush was on. Otherwise, it didn't really do anything. This isn't a particular downside, though it runs a higher risk of damaging certain types of floors. It was a similar story with oats, with the Black+Decker performing identically to its rice test. We again had to walk the delicate balance between actually collecting the oats and flinging them everywhere by briefly pulsing the rotating brush.
This vacuum delivered a mostly acceptable performance on hard floors. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Use
The Black+Decker has two cleaning modes available — high and low power — as well as the ability to turn the rotating brush off. Unfortunately, this model didn't do the best job at cleaning close to walls, leaving a small strip of rice behind.
This model was on the easier side to use. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
However, this vacuum's performance turned around when it came to cleaning under furniture, reaching 18 inches under our simulated sofa. It could have reached further, but the handle from the handheld portion hit the sofa.
The Black+Decker reached about half the distance of the top models when cleaning under our simulated sofa. Credit: Austin Palmer
This model is one of the quieter ones of the group, only registering at 73 dBa on our SPL meter. It also has swivel steering, making it reasonably easy to maneuver and handle.
Carpet Cleaning
This vacuum did a decent job at collecting rice on flatter, low-pile carpet, only taking two passes to collect the debris in its entirety. Performance dropped a little when it came to fluffy carpet, as the vacuum was a little harder to maneuver and would plow the rice around rather than collect it. Everything was usually collected in the end, but the Black+Decker doesn't do as well as an upright model.
This stick vacuum did an acceptable job at collecting flour from flat carpet. Credit: Austin Palmer
The flour collection went well, as did picking up Cheerios when on low-pile carpet. However, this vacuum mostly failed at collecting cereal on fluffy carpet, continually piling them up no matter what combination of cleaning modes we used and whether or not the brush was on or off. However, this vacuum did well at picking up the pet hair we laid out, removing over 90% of it. That said, the Black+Decker finished out this metric with a rather mediocre showing when it came to collecting oats, taking two passes on the flat carpet and over ten on the fluffy carpet.
This vacuum earned an average score for cleaning carpet. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Should You Buy the Black+Decker Powerseries 2-in-1?
Scoring in the lower half of products overall we think there are better options in this review than the Black + Decker. While the brand might draw in some readers or the price may seem attractive, the disappointing performance during our testing makes it a no-go in our minds.
What Other Stick Vacuum Should You Consider?
Within a similar price range, there are several possible options. The Moosoo XL-618A is one to consider. This impressive option is more convenient and works better on hard surfaces. However, it has a similar performance for ease of use and carpet cleaning tests. If carpet cleaning is how you'll use your stick vacuum more frequently, then the Deik ZB1516 might be one to consider as it has a similar price but a much higher performance in this metric.
—David Wise and Austin Palmer
You Might Also Like
