Black and Decker’s 20V Max Handheld vacuum has a clever compact design for easy handling. The crevice tool extends from the nozzle for accessing hard-to-reach places.

If you are in the market for a handheld vacuum cleaner, you’ll be inundated by the number of products on the market — from cheap ones to those that are frightfully expensive, driven by lots of marketing dollars. A handheld vacuum is virtually indispensable to RVers, but there are requirements: It can’t be too big or bulky and must be easily accessible. After using a neighbor’s Black and Decker 20V Max Handheld cordless vacuum on an installation project (to pick-up metal shavings and wood dust) we were hooked on its versatility.

The cordless handheld vacuum fits neatly into the charging cradle, and its compact design makes it practical to store out of the way.

Now, these devices are not new; dozens of models have been around for years. My beef with the ones we’ve had in the past is the anemic suction, rendering many of these models as toys. The Black and Decker cordless has powerful suction and its folding design allows it to be tucked into a corner in any RV. And it sells for only $64 on Amazon.

The key to making this vacuum so versatile is how the attachments are integrated into the housing, meaning there are no loose parts to store — or misplace. Adjusting the angle of the nozzle also makes it easy to reach awkward areas. This is accomplished by pushing the release button in the handle and physically moving the nozzle to the desired detent. A crevice tool can be extended from the end of the nozzle and when needed, a brush can be rotated into position. The whole shebang can be folded into a tight little package for placing on the charging cradle. A 20-volt lithium battery powers the vacuum, which provides plenty of run time for most clean-ups.

The nozzle can be rotated so that high areas, like this slide-out molding, can be cleaned without standing on a step stool.

The bowl that captures the dust is not huge but is easily accessible by flipping open the side door. We didn’t find that to be much of an issue since it’s easy to open the door and empty the contents into a waste basket as many times as necessary. The bowl and the filters can be rinsed with tap water.

The suction is strong enough to pull stuff off carpet and floors — and getting into places like windowsills is easy with the built-in brush. It’s the perfect clean-up companion when space is at a premium and accidents happen.

— Bob Livingston