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. 

The Black+Decker WDBD15 wet and dry vacuum cleaner comes with a 15-liter dust barrel, here you get a plastic wand. The advantage here is that it is lightweight and hence easier on your arms and shoulder.

The body is made entirely of heavy-duty plastic. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Accessories

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.

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.