Black+Decker WDBD15 Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner Review

Black+Decker is a dependable manufacturer that sells high-quality power tools. Of late, they have been selling home appliances like steam irons, vacuum cleaners etc. Out of them, Black+Decker WDBD15 is one of their best-selling wet and dry vacuum cleaners. Priced almost at par with Agaro Ace Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner, they have pretty much similar functions. But, differs in their built quality and performance. Let us explore further through this hands-on review.

Design

The Black+Decker WDBD15 wet and dry vacuum cleaner comes with a 15-liter dust barrel. While Agaro Ace comes with stainless steel telescopic wand, here you get a plastic wand. The advantage here is that it is lightweight and hence easier on your arms and shoulder. But the disadvantage is that you can reach to clean the ceiling as the wand+hose together measure just around 240cm.

The body is made entirely of heavy-duty plastic. In Agaro, dry and wet debris gets collected in the dust barrel. However, in Black+Decker, you get a separate dust bag for dry vacuuming. The vacuum cleaner has an indicator when the dust bag becomes full.

It also has a HEPA filter that ensures dust doesn’t escape back into the room. When wet vacuuming, you need to remove the dust bag and the HEPA filter. Else, it will get wet and may get moldy in no time.

The vacuum cleaner cord is 4.6 metres long. Just like other wet and dry vacuum cleaners, Black+Decker too does not have a retractable cord. You can manage to keep the accessories in small sots above the swivel wheels. But, it tends to fall down while using the vacuum cleaner.

The blower function is effective in removing dust and larger debris outside. But, the motor gets heated up when using it.

Related reading: 6 Best Vacuum Cleaners In India

Performance

Soil, Dust and Smaller Debris

The vacuum cleaner works best on both hard flooring and carpets when the bristles of the floor brush are out. It effectively cleans 99% of sand and other small debris from tiles and wooden flooring on the first pass. But on low pile carpets, you need to pass the floor brush 2-3 times to completely remove dust and dirt that are embedded in it. Unlike Agaro and some other canister vacuum cleaners, you don’t find it difficult to drag the floor brush due to its high suction power.

Pet Hair

The vacuum cleaner is fairly effective at cleaning pet hair. When there are large clumps of hair on hard floor, you will have to lift and place the floor brush on the clump. This is because sometimes it has a tendency to push the hair instead of suctioning it up. On carpets too, the vacuum cleaner removes about 90% of pet hair on first pass. Upon passing 2-3 times repeatedly, pet fur gets removed completely. But, often hair gets caught in the bristles. So, you need to take care to clean it after use.

Larger Debris

With the bristles on, the vacuum cleaner was fairly effective at removing rice spread on the floor and carpet. But, it tends to push the cocopeat with the floor brush instead of suctioning them up. We found this even when doing regular vacuuming around the house. The floor brush pushes larger debris, paper bits, etc instead of suctioning them up. On carpets, you need to lift and place the floor brush on the debris to suction it up. Often, you need to run the vacuum cleaner repeatedly over the same area for complete cleanup.

Wet Debris and Dirty Water

Generally, all wet and dry vacuum cleaners come with a separate squeegee brush for wet vacuuming. But in Black+Decker, you have to use the same floor brush for both dry and wet vacuuming. This is a bit inconvenient because the floor brush will take a while to dry up completely. Also, you have to remove the dust bag and the HEPA filter when wet vacuuming. Further, after use, you have to dry the dust barrel, hose and other parts completely before use. Else, it may get moldy.

The vacuum cleaner is fairly effective at cleaning up water and such fluid spills. But, some residual water is left on the floor.

However, when it comes to cleaning thick liquids like sauce, the results are disappointing. It leaves a smudge, just like Agaro Ace. Also, the bristles of the floor brush get dirty and you have to clean it up before use next time. The only advantage we felt is that the dust barrel has an opening at the bottom. So, you don’t have to lift and dump the dirty water. You can just open the outlet and allow the dirty water to flow out.

Accessories

The vacuum cleaner comes with 2 accessories- an upholstery brush and a crevice tool. The upholstery brush doesn’t have bristles. Its design is like what you find in Eureka Forbes Quick Clean DX. We feel having the bristles is helpful in dislodging embedded dust. The crevice tool is helpful in cleaning window sills, corners of bookshelves etc. But, as mentioned earlier, the wand and the hose together isn’t long enough to reach the ceiling.

How It Performs On Different Floorings?

The vacuum cleaner is fairly easy to use on different surfaces. It doesn’t have a strong drag like many other vacuum cleaners we tried. It can effectively remove dust and debris from hard flooring like tiles, marble, wooden flooring etc. But, on carpets, you need to run the vacuum cleaner repeatedly over the same area for perfect cleaning.

Noise

The vacuum cleaner is fairly noisy. It makes around 90 dB of noise when measured from close quarters. When measured 10 feet away, it measures around 80 dB. While it is less noisy compared to Agaro Ace, it still is loud enough to disrupt the household. You cannot have a call or watch TV when running the vacuum cleaner.

Ease Of Cleaning Dust Barrel

The dust bag leaks dust and debris into the dust barrel. Even though washable, it isn’t easy to clean the dust bag as you have to use an old toothbrush to remove the dust and debris trapped inside. This isn’t particular to just Black+Decker, but also to other bagged vacuum cleaners.

As mentioned earlier, the water in the dust barrel can be discarded through an outlet in the barrel. This is easier than lifting and dumping the water.

Ease Of Storage

Just like other wet and dry vacuum cleaners, you can keep the accessories in the slot above the swivel wheels. The vacuum cleaner wand and floor brush can be hung to a small slot in the body for keeping it tidy and organized.

Built Quality

The vacuum cleaner including the accessories are made of high-quality, durable plastic. Its built quality seems adequate. As the dust barrel is made of plastic, you needn’t worry about it rusting. However, plastic is more prone to mold. Hence, you have to dry the vacuum cleaner meticulously before using it for dry vacuuming.

Observation From Daily Use

Though there are a few limitations, the vacuum cleaner is fairly easy-to-use on a daily basis. As the wand is lightweight, you can use it without straining your arms and shoulder. The swivel wheels make it easy to maneuver. It is effective at cleaning the edges and corners of the room. The floor brush’s clearance is not as low as Agaro, even so, you can easily move it underneath sofas, beds and other furniture. That it doesn’t have a retractable cord is a drawback. But, it is common to most wet and dry vacuum cleaners.

Is It Apt For Those With Allergies?

Though the vacuum cleaner doesn’t emit dust or particulate matter into the room when operating, it isn’t an ideal option for those with allergies. This is because when cleaning the dust bag, you come in close contact with the dust and this may trigger allergy. Also, as dust escapes from the dust bag into the dust barrel, you will have to touch the dust and debris when cleaning the barrel too.

Conclusion

With effective suction power, a lightweight wand and easy-to-maneuver swivel wheels, the Black+Decker wet and dry vacuum cleaner is a good choice. Though it has a few flaws, given the competitive price and the manufacturer’s reputation for durable products, it is an option worth considering.