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The fan runs very much longer than the charger is charging.Otherwise, what a concept to be able to swap batteries from multiple other devices instead of accumulating multiple batteries and chargers. It has good power and is easy to clean. They aren't available thru retailers. The extension will not fit attachments for other vacuums and sometimes it would be nice to have a brush for the couch or the furniture. You must hold it on at all times. The Makita BCL180W 18-Volt Cordless vacuum has some significant deficiencies:The extension pictured in the picture is only for very short people.
Then, try to buy an additional extension. And the tube is not standard vacuum equipment standard nor does it fit 3/4 or 1 in PVC couplings. This is a small complaint but it enlarges if you have hand problems.The charger is too noisy. Lastly, the on/off switch is not bi-positional. Even at my dimunitive stature, I can't tour the kitchen without backpain from the bent over posture that is required. I haven't beem able to find them to purchase separately.
I'd love to give it a better rating but my back votes a "+3" But like above, it would be nice to be able to use the ones from my previous vacuum system.
However, if you do not already own the battery and charger from the other Makita 18 volt tools, it would become a very expensive item. Best hand-held vacuum I've ever had. Great power and lasts a long time with the larger 3.0 Ah battery. I suppose Makita did design it for those of us who do have the other tools but to get it alone, I could not recommended it. Nice to be able to do the floor with the long tube and with a little extra home-made pipe as others have described, very versatile.
I dinged Makita a couple stars on this one for the following reasons.1. they reversed the nozzle connections to make it so standard vacuum accessories don't fit without making the 1 1/4 inch adapter that a previous reviewer mentioned.4 the cloth filter gets dirty real quick causing loss of suction. The black and decker cordless vac I have also has a twist feature to clean the dust off the filter without having to remove it overall this does what it supposed to. a pleated paper filter would have probably worked better and easier to blow clean with a compressed air nozzle.
if you already have a bunch of Makita Li-Ion tools then its a nice addition.strong suction for a cordless and good 20min battery life with the 3AH batteries. For a piece of plastic with a little motor and fan inside, $99 is a bit pricey.2. The on off switch is a momentary switch that has to remain held to operate. there is no continuous on switch position or lock3.
I found mine at Tylertool for $72 (after coupon) which actually puts it at the low end of any 18v LXT bare tool.The light weight, high power and excellent balance just feels good. I wanted to have a brush, as did an earlier reviewer, StevieQ. made to last). The ball joint on the wide floor head is amazing. The debris capsule readily twists open to emty the vac, and the 2-stage filter design is simple to clean and looks rugged (heavy cloth filter bag has stitched seams.
It vacuumed the entire area quickly and I was surprised when I emptied the chamber. the shop. Once I used it, I instantly appreciated how great it is to be able to vacuum floor areas while standing straight up without having to constantly bend down. Very slick. Instantly changes from a short handheld to a long reach floor sweeper simply by adding the long floor wand. Accessories, like nozzles and brushes, are listed in the manual.
It friction fits and is the same size as the wand. Very quiet. There is a quick fix. But since this tool was just released, I doubt that they are available yet. There was also a large amount of cat hair (that I never realized was in the carpet) which it obviously extracted with ease. I wouldn't be surprised if Makita soon includes a brush with the basic vacuum.
Instead, it is free to fly to the house. The price would be very high if this were the only XLT one were to buy (shelling out $100+ just for a battery and charger), but as an addition to an existing XLT set, the price is well worth it. Attachments are well-fitting friction fit, so no fumbling with latches. Like all the 18v XLT tools, this product is well thought out and of highest quality.
It keeps the head always in full contact with the floor, NOT tilting up as the wand is flexed (which happens with other rigid floor heads). Use it to couple any 1-1/4" vacuum brush to the end of the vacuum or the wand. Cut a short piece (4" will do) of tubing from a 1-1/4" plastic sink tailpiece or extension tube such as this: 1 1/4" x 6" Pvc Extension Tube. and to the job site.
Crevice tool clips to long wand for onboard storage. My first "test" was a large area of shredded cardboard on carpet (cats can be high maintenance). Readily portable, it is NOT tethered to a dedicated charging station- along with the internal, non-removable batteries of limited life. With XLT batteries available, this lightweight and powerful tool provides great freedom.
It's because when the rechargeable battery on the B&D wears out, I'll have to throw away the whole vacuum and buy a complete new vacuum. It's not a good deal, considering that it comes with no batteries or charger. If the Makita's battery wears out, I'll only have to buy a new battery. Lastly, I already have the 18V LXT lithium tool set.The B&D runs only around 10 minutes per charge(when the battery is new), whereas the Makita runs for 20 mins per charge and in fact I can keep on swapping freshly charged batteries in the Makita to keep it running beyond the 20-minute run time.
It doesn't accept standard 1-1/4" diameter female-end shopvac accessories because the Makita requires an accessory with a male end. It's not too hard to do, but I shouldn't have to do that. It comes with a crevice tool, but the major bummer is it doesn't come with a brush head.What I don't like about the Makita is that it uses non-standard accessories. This vacuum is pricey. So why did I buy this Makita anyway. What a total waste that would be. Of course, the solution to this is to fashion a female-to-male adapter with the right tapers and right diameters out of some piece of wood or plastic on a small lathe.
It's just a poor design on Makita's part.Overall it works fine, has virtually unlimited battery life by swapping in fresh batteries, and it has great suction. In comparison a Black & Decker 18V cordless vacuum sells for $67, which is about as expensive as one Makita 18V LXT battery. This argument in favor of the Makita wears a little thin here because one Makita 18V LXT battery costs as much as the whole B&D vacuum itself. But it's expensive for what it offers. You can't do that with the B&D.The back-saving long wand and the articulating joint on the wide head accessory are a big plus.
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