Now this just sucks...
Written: May 17 '02
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Pros: Good suction to pick up a variety of things; handy for many uses
Cons: Air blows back in your face all the time
The Bottom Line: Bottom line? I wouldn't ever want to go back to not having my Dustbuster. It makes little messes easy to clean right when they happen.
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| bwestman's Full Review: Black & Decker VP303 DustBuster Vacuum |
... and sucks and sucks and sucks! I love my Dustbuster! I don't really recall the event that caused me to come to the realization that I must have one of these, but around Christmas last year, I made that decision. Although IMPULSE is typically my middle name, I held off buying the gadget in order to give my husband something to get me for my present. I instructed him that I wanted a Dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum and I wanted the best one he could find. He came home with the VP303 High Performance vac. Mission accomplished and job well done.
I have found so many uses for this thing! We live in northern New England, and that means heavy snows in the winter. Of course, for any of you who know, heavy snows means sand and salt. And sand and salt come into the house on every set of feet that cross the threshold. Add to that a cat that sheds, rats that throw litter out of their cage, and the fact that the other two occupants of my home are both male humans and you can begin to see why I would find this tool invaluable.
One of my favorite features, besides the strength of the suction, is the wide opening of the mouth. Because the filter is at the back of the unit and the mouth is amply wide, I can pick up things like pebbles that rode in on boots, cat food that got spilled, cereal, macaroni, and other tidbits that I typically don't pick up with my regular vacuum cleaner. And with no beater bar, I am free to pick up strings and other such things that would get caught up on a regular vacuum bar.
This unit hangs on the wall in the kitchen, constantly charging and constantly at the ready. I have never tried to clean the whole house with it and have not experienced any problem with battery life that others complain about. I snatch it off the wall, clean up the "mess of the moment", dump it in the trash, and put it back on the charging base for next time. The attachments (there are only two little ones) mount on the base behind the vacuum so they are always handy and never in the way.
The attachments are a narrow extension and a brush attachment. I have used both on occasion, but neither is really necessary to experience the power and usefulness of this unit. The narrow extension comes in handy sometimes for reaching spider webs in the corners or stuff down in the toaster (after unplugging, of course!).
And how well does it stay on the base, you may ask. Well, we live in a mobile home and we recently moved. When you live in a mobile home and you move, the whole house goes with you. I forgot about my little dustbuster hanging there on the kitchen wall when I took down all the pictures and things. When we arrived in our new location and hooked the power back up, there was my dustbuster, hanging right in place, waiting for me. I've been told that the movement inside a mobile home in transport is equivalent to an earthquake measuring 4.5 on the scale. BUT...this doesn't mean that it is hard to get down and use. A simple flick of the tab on the mount and it is in my hand ready to use.
With the addition of this gadget to my home, I have completely eliminated the dust pan. After sweeping the kitchen or bathroom floor, I make a nice little pile of dust and debris and then suck it all right up with the dustbuster. It eliminates that silly maneuver of chasing the last little bit all around the floor trying to push it into the dust pan. Also, I invaritably bump the dust pan on the edge of the trash can and end up spilling my mess all over the floor again. Those days are gone!
This little device has made me a better housekeeper. I used to go through an annual cleaning where I did things like the window tracks, the sliding glass door track, the pantry shelves, under the bathroom and kitchen sinks, etc. Prior to that annual cleaning, though, stuff just sat and collected. Now, I don't mind whipping out the dustbuster on a more regular basis and touching up those problem areas.
Also, ever tried to clean up flour when baking? Messy. This is the tool. Use can clean up the bulk of the mess and then wipe the rest with a damp sponge and you're all done!
How about cat hair on your good dress? Hang it up, suck it down with the dustbuster, voila! And we have a futon. The inner fold is a magnet for food crumbs. I opened the futon one night for drop in company and I was mortified! There was enough food stored there to feed a small country! I hefted the big ole' Kirby up onto the couch and proceeded to clean it, thinking all the while how incredibly tacky that must look. Now, once a week I clean out the futon with my handy little dustbuster and there will be no more "surprise buffet" spreads in the sofa.
In summary, the only thing I can think of that I don't like about my toy is the fact that it blows a rather forceful jet of air back into my face while I'm using it. I realize that will all that suction, the air has to go somewhere, but it can be annoying. Of course, on the upside, if you are really working hard and working up a sweat, it feels kind of good!
So, life without my dustbuster? Never again.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 40
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Epinions.com ID:
bwestman
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Maine
Reviews written: 240
Trusted by: 45 members
About Me:
I am hopelessly impulsive. I admit it.
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