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Black & Decker Cordless Blower (Ns118) (NS1181)Black & Decker's 18-volt Cordless Broom is perfect for blowing off debris from walks, driveways, patios, decks, steps, flower beds...
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Black & Decker's 18-volt Cordless Broom is perfect for blowing off debris from walks, driveways, patios, decks, steps, flower beds and garage floors. General clean up of hard surfaces after mowing is a breeze, too! Lightweight at just 5 pounds, the Cordless Broom is easy to handle and won't twist the wrist, which is great considering it blows debris at 120 miles per hour. After cleaning up the entire grounds, the battery packs recharge in just three hours. The purchase includes the sweeper, two 18-volt batteries and charger. Black & Decker includes a manufacturer 30-day no-risk satisfaction guarantee and full two-year warranty.
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40 Reviews from Epinions.com
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Black & Decker Cordless Blower (Ns118) (NS1181)
Black and Decker, based in Towson, Maryland, markets a line of outdoor tools with interchangeable 18 volt batteries. Cordless tools powered by the rechargeable 18-volt battery are: the Hedgehog hedge trimmer, Cordless broom hard surface sweeper, Grasshog® Trimmer/edger, Cordless chainsaw with 8 inch bar and chain, 18 inch pole hedge trimmer, Pole pruning saw, Garden cultivator, Power scrubber. All of the tools bear the distinctive black and orange Baltimore Oriole colors. These tools offer the convenience of cordless, instant start, battery power- limited only by the battery’s power and duration of charge.
The Rationale
I previously purchased and reviewed Black and Decker’s little cordless chainsaw. Since only one battery was included with the saw, I had been thinking about buying a spare battery. By chance I saw the Black and Decker cordless broom sweeper in Home Depot and noticed that it came with two batteries. Why spend 25 dollars or more for a spare battery when for a little more I could get two batteries and the sweeper? As the wheels spun I thought of another excuse to buy this new toy. Mrs. Spudman spends too much time sweeping the front porch and the house length deck in back (I thought). This light little gadget might save her some time and be easy to use in the bargain. After explaining the benefits of the cordless sweeper to Mrs. Spudman, she was in. The plan was hatched.
The Deal
Both Home Depot and Ace’s online store were selling the sweeper for 70 dollars. A fifteen-dollar coupon was available for Ace purchases over 75 dollars with free delivery to the local Ace store. Using the coupon, I ordered the sweeper and a six-dollar item online for a total in the very low $60’s with taxes included. Two days after placing the order I got a call from Ace. My order was in. Fabulous!
Details
The cordless broom weighs a very light 5.5 pounds. Attaching the 18-volt battery adds a couple more pounds, but still makes for a very light, easy to handle tool. Included with the sweeper are two batteries and a charger. Orange storage caps are provided for each battery to cover the terminals when not attached to the tool.
The business part of the machine with handle and battery is approximately 11 by 14 inches in size. The attached nose/tube is about 21 inches in length and easily snaps onto the machine. At the end of the tube is a scraper.
The maker suggests using this tool to sweep patios and driveways, sidewalks and decks, garages and more. Our intention is to use this sweeper on the deck, front porch, and front sidewalk.
The owner’s manual is a large maplike fold out written in English, French, and Spanish. It’s ostensibly written for this specific sweeper, but is full of the generic instructions and warnings found with just about every other battery powered or electric tool.
The Black and Decker sweeper is not dishwasher safe. Wipe the housing with a damp cloth to clean.
It is backed with a full two-year warranty. No warranty card is in the box. The owner may register online for his/her warranty.
Shockingly Black & Decker’s sweeper is manufactured in China.
The Test Drive
The packaging of this tool and accessories is sheer wizardry, the epitome of efficiency. Sweeper, batteries, and charger were encapsulated in honeycombed cardboard and fit snugly within the box with only a minimal amount of plastic wrapping. There was no Styrofoam whatsoever inside, great for the environment.
Initially the battery should be charged for nine hours before use. Since I already had the chainsaw battery charged, we could try out the toy/tool right out of the box.
There’s only one control on this tool, the side-to-side on/off lever. There’s no control for speed, but that’s really not necessary for this blower/sweeper. The on/off switch seems a little suspect in durability, but only time will tell.
The deck isn’t blanketed with leaves yet, but the sweeper did an excellent job clearing off the twigs and leaves that were on it. We used it to sweep the deck, the front porch and sidewalk, and the 12 steps leading down to the basement. I even tried it on the driveway for several minutes. After about fifteen minutes, a drop in power was noticeable. Anyone needing more time should keep the second battery charged and at the ready.
Mrs. Spudman and I were both impressed by the sweeper’s power, ease of handling, and low volume compared to corded or gas blowers we own or have owned. This is not a tool to use for sweeping leaves in the yard or even clearing flowerbeds; keep in mind that it’s not intended for those uses. Black and Decker is careful to refer to this tool in all documentation and advertisements as a sweeper/broom, never a leaf blower.
We enjoy our new gadget and have no regrets regarding its purchase. Anyone considering its acquisition should have reasonable expectations and understand the sweeper’s limitations. The Spuds give it two thumbs up.
RELATED REVIEWS
Cordless Chainsaw
Stihl gas leaf blower
Sweep Like the Wind
| Author's Rating: |
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Pros: Light and Airy. Keeps its Promise.
Cons: Suspect on/off switch. No speed control.
The Bottom Line:
Black and Decker's little sweeper has exceeded all expectations. It's a keeper.
Black and Decker, based in Towson, Maryland, markets a line of outdoor tools with interchangeable 18 volt batteries. Cordless tools powered by the rechargeable 18-volt battery are: the Hedgehog hedge trimmer, Cordless broom hard surface sweeper, Grasshog® Trimmer/edger, Cordless chainsaw with 8 inch bar and chain, 18 inch pole hedge trimmer, Pole pruning saw, Garden cultivator, Power scrubber. All of the tools bear the distinctive black and orange Baltimore Oriole colors. These tools offer the convenience of cordless, instant start, battery power- limited only by the battery’s power and duration of charge.
The Rationale
I previously purchased and reviewed Black and Decker’s little cordless chainsaw. Since only one battery was included with the saw, I had been thinking about buying a spare battery. By chance I saw the Black and Decker cordless broom sweeper in Home Depot and noticed that it came with two batteries. Why spend 25 dollars or more for a spare battery when for a little more I could get two batteries and the sweeper? As the wheels spun I thought of another excuse to buy this new toy. Mrs. Spudman spends too much time sweeping the front porch and the house length deck in back (I thought). This light little gadget might save her some time and be easy to use in the bargain. After explaining the benefits of the cordless sweeper to Mrs. Spudman, she was in. The plan was hatched.
The Deal
Both Home Depot and Ace’s online store were selling the sweeper for 70 dollars. A fifteen-dollar coupon was available for Ace purchases over 75 dollars with free delivery to the local Ace store. Using the coupon, I ordered the sweeper and a six-dollar item online for a total in the very low $60’s with taxes included. Two days after placing the order I got a call from Ace. My order was in. Fabulous!
Details
The cordless broom weighs a very light 5.5 pounds. Attaching the 18-volt battery adds a couple more pounds, but still makes for a very light, easy to handle tool. Included with the sweeper are two batteries and a charger. Orange storage caps are provided for each battery to cover the terminals when not attached to the tool.
The business part of the machine with handle and battery is approximately 11 by 14 inches in size. The attached nose/tube is about 21 inches in length and easily snaps onto the machine. At the end of the tube is a scraper.
The maker suggests using this tool to sweep patios and driveways, sidewalks and decks, garages and more. Our intention is to use this sweeper on the deck, front porch, and front sidewalk.
The owner’s manual is a large maplike fold out written in English, French, and Spanish. It’s ostensibly written for this specific sweeper, but is full of the generic instructions and warnings found with just about every other battery powered or electric tool.
The Black and Decker sweeper is not dishwasher safe. Wipe the housing with a damp cloth to clean.
It is backed with a full two-year warranty. No warranty card is in the box. The owner may register online for his/her warranty.
Shockingly Black & Decker’s sweeper is manufactured in China.
The Test Drive
The packaging of this tool and accessories is sheer wizardry, the epitome of efficiency. Sweeper, batteries, and charger were encapsulated in honeycombed cardboard and fit snugly within the box with only a minimal amount of plastic wrapping. There was no Styrofoam whatsoever inside, great for the environment.
Initially the battery should be charged for nine hours before use. Since I already had the chainsaw battery charged, we could try out the toy/tool right out of the box.
There’s only one control on this tool, the side-to-side on/off lever. There’s no control for speed, but that’s really not necessary for this blower/sweeper. The on/off switch seems a little suspect in durability, but only time will tell.
The deck isn’t blanketed with leaves yet, but the sweeper did an excellent job clearing off the twigs and leaves that were on it. We used it to sweep the deck, the front porch and sidewalk, and the 12 steps leading down to the basement. I even tried it on the driveway for several minutes. After about fifteen minutes, a drop in power was noticeable. Anyone needing more time should keep the second battery charged and at the ready.
Mrs. Spudman and I were both impressed by the sweeper’s power, ease of handling, and low volume compared to corded or gas blowers we own or have owned. This is not a tool to use for sweeping leaves in the yard or even clearing flowerbeds; keep in mind that it’s not intended for those uses. Black and Decker is careful to refer to this tool in all documentation and advertisements as a sweeper/broom, never a leaf blower.
We enjoy our new gadget and have no regrets regarding its purchase. Anyone considering its acquisition should have reasonable expectations and understand the sweeper’s limitations. The Spuds give it two thumbs up.
RELATED REVIEWS
Cordless Chainsaw
Stihl gas leaf blower
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