An Ode to the Dustbuster, the GOAT of Cheap, Powerful Vacuums

‘Twas a hot summer night and the pipe was lit, 

When all I wanted was a place to sit. 

So I sat on my bed, and I sat on a chip. 

Crumbs in the sheets—

A fate so foul.

“What will I do about this?” I howled. 

It was in this moment that I knew 

I had to get my hands on a new vacuum.

All jokes aside, my Black & Decker handheld vacuum is my all-time favorite household gadget. I didn’t realize it was possible to develop an emotional attachment to an inanimate object, but my Dustbuster and I are practically joined at the hip. 

I am a chronic bed-snacker, and for some reason I find a concerning amount of my hair on the floor of my apartment every couple of days, so quick and frequent cleaning is a must for me. I have a broom and dustpan and I’ve tried Swiffering, but the old-fashioned broom method takes too long and Swiffer pads feel wasteful, so I decided a dustbuster would be the best solution for the following reasons: It takes up virtually no space in my apartment (I store mine under my couch), it’s extremely light for such a powerful tool, and it only cost me 40 bucks. It’s also easy to clean and has removable filters, so you just press a button to release the handle from the filter compartment, and shake it out into the trash. 

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: There’s a reason dustbuster-model vacuums have stood the test of time. I genuinely use mine multiple times a day. It takes me all of one minute to vacuum the entire floor of my bedroom, and all I have to do is hold down a button and aim. It picks up pretty much anything—from stray hairs to broken glass—and at a whopping 1.4 pounds, this Black & Decker bad boy is plenty light. So if you were hoping for a built-in arm workout, you’d be S.O.L.—but if you need to get Milano cookie detritus off your pillowcases, this is the best solution.

Strapped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which is ideal for safe recharging, this model also comes with a small and inconspicuous dock for easy storage and charging in one. This little sucker holds enough juice in a single charge for me to clean each room of my little two-bedroom apartment. A friend of mine, who I’ve converted into a fellow dustbuster fanatic, charged hers up and took it on a road trip for any sand and spills in the car—honestly, genius. 

If my word isn’t enough, perhaps the two-thousand-odd five-star ratings on Amazon will convince you: “Dogs in the house? GET THIS. Picks up everything,” writes one relieved reviewer. And to really get in and around all the nooks and crannies of your floor, couch, or your ride the vacuum also comes with an upholstery brush and crevice tool (their words, not mine) for a nice deep clean.

Stay classy, clean freaks.

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