Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I picked this up locally at Target because I wanted to be able to return it just in case it sucked at sucking. After having this for a month now, for about $50, you really can't go wrong with this. We brought our newborn home a month ago and I wanted to have something around to be able to pick up the cat+dog fur tumbleweeds around the house and generally keep it a bit cleaner. Our full size vacuum weighs some 15+lbs and it's just too heavy and cumbersome to bust out for daily quick cleanups. PROS: + Lightweight and easy to handle; well balanced + Powerful suction - the Dyson handhelds must be off the charts because this is already pretty strong as it is + Power toggle stays on + On-board attachments + Holds its charge very well - perfect for cleaning around the house and on the stairs - haven't had it lose charge on me mid-cleanup yet and it holds its charge for 2-3 passes for me. Charge time really isn't an issue since I don't plan on using it for extended periods of time in the first place. CONS: - Fur can be difficult to remove from the dustbin - it doesn't just come right out. I need to stick my fingers up there; yuck - The built-in extension wand doesn't stay up with aggressive use. B&D could have easily solved this with a simple latch mechanism for a few cents more. - Can't take other attachments, which wouldn't really be a problem except... - Extension wand is too short. I'm average height and I need to bend down to use it. It wouldn't be so bad if it could accept attachments that would extend it to allow usage from a standing position but as it is, you'll probably spend a lot of time hunched over It should be noted that we have hardwood throughout so the full sized vacuum rarely gets used now except for the area rugs. Overall, the house is slightly cleaner now simply due to more frequent vacuuming of the dog and cat fur rolling around the ground. A great value at about $50 and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it or recommend it. That said, there are definitely a few small fixes that the B&D engineers could add to make this a 5 star product. ============================== UPDATE: Now that the price has dropped well below $50, I think this is a CAN'T MISS product. Seriously, it's one powerful handheld vacuum for not a whole lot of money; you literally CAN NOT go wrong with this purchase (unless you're old or have lower back problems I guess...). I've also figured out that it's a LOT easier to empty the bin by removing the motor part (you can unmount the motor or the wand; if you unmount the motor part and remove the filter, everything just slides right out of the collection bin). Giant, massive balls of cat and dog fur mostly just slides right out. If you're worried about the charge time or the smallish collection bin, at this price? Buy two and you're good to go and you're still saving WAAAAY more than buying a Dyson! Whatever shortcomings it has, they can be forgiven at this price point for the sheer convenience of having such a powerful little vacuum around. I've used it for several months and I can't imagine how we went so long lugging around the gigantic full-sized vacuum for daily cleanups! ============================== UPDATE 2/14: We've used it for almost 3 years now and the battery is now starting to wear out. It doesn't hold a charge and immediately loses suction. It's disappointing that it seems that the battery cannot be replaced as it means that I have to junk the whole unit when only the battery is done for. We've since added another Li-Ion Dustbuster and a Dyson DC59 as well. I would still recommend this unit, but B&D would be wise to design it so that the battery can be replaced (or offer some sort of exchange program?)