The Black & Decker Cordless Lithium Ion Stick + hand vacuum is a 2-in-1 tool that makes it easy to clean your house, RV or car. Even with an integrated hand vac this unit is lightweight and easy to maneuver. The suction power of this stick vac also was very impressive during testing, clearing away the various spills on different surfaces with ease. Sadly, it's no longer part of our best vacuum cleaners for home guide, because of its age.
No battery-operated vacuum cleaner is as strong as a full-size upright, including the Lithium Ion Stick, but this unit was very good when compared to its peers. We purposely ground in pet hair to see how each stick vacuum would do at removing it. We also spread sawdust onto carpeting and hardwood flooring, meant to recreate lightweight spills that are common in any household, including cereal, small bits of paper and any other mess of similar composition. We counted the number of passes it took each unit to clear away each mess, and the Ion Stick only took a handful on all tests. The number of passes was well below average, which means it has powerful suction when compared to similar vacuum cleaners.
This stick vac was very easy to maneuver into tight spots and around corners thanks to its swiveling head. The low profile combined with the handle that folds almost flat makes it relatively easy to reach under tables and couches.
The handle is not one of the ones that collapses in order to make storage easier, like some of the competition, but this unit is already pretty compact. Also, this stick vac lacks a charging stand, so there is a potential to trip over the charging cord, or of having the vacuum tip over when it is charging. This is not a huge problem if you have a convenient spot for it to be when not in use, though.
The Black & Decker Cordless Lithium Ion Stick has decent running time of 24 minutes. That will help you cover a lot of ground before recharging. The recharging process takes four hours, which is about average. The Dyson Cyclone V10 has a much longer running time and shorter charging time, but is much more expensive.
This unit is quieter than average, which is a nice benefit for the type of tasks you may be performing with stick vacuum cleaners. You do not really need to lug out the loud, full-size upright for scooping up a few stray Cheerios after your family's morning meal. You can just pass over it with this quiet and compact stick vac and put it right back in its storage spot.
One design disappointment is that there is a washable filter, but no claim to HEPA filtration with this vacuum. If you are very sensitive to allergens this might not be your best bet.
Some folks may miss the tidiness of a charging stand, and this unit makes no claims about HEPA filtration, but the Ion Stick is great otherwise. Even though it comes with a detachable hand vac that could make it unwieldy, it manages to be remarkably lightweight and convenient to use. Most of the stick vacs we tested were not as strong as full-size upright units, including this one, but the Ion Stick's suction was impressive on all of our tests. This unit has the potential to give you both a second and third vacuum to help keep your home tidy.
