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125 of 128 found the following review helpful:
Six years laterJun 05, 2005
By Terence McArdle
"Terry McArdle"
Update to the review below:
Six years later, April 2010, the unit is still blowing away. I've been able to buy better batteries from Home Depot, and get about 17 minutes of solid blowing time even two years after I bought the better batteries. I'm now shopping for a more up-to-date unit hoping for better battery life and more volume. That said, I still really like this unit.
I have a medium-size suburban house sitting on about half an acre.
In the past year I've used this to:
-clear the walks after mowing and/or trimming,
-keep the garage floor swept out (great especially in the fall) and
-clear off my deck in less than a minute.
Great complement to the cordless trimmer in this family (the batteries are interchangeable).
Big pluses: light and simple to use; enough wind for small-to-medium jobs (get a gas-powered blower if you can't use a rake for your leaves) and enough battery power for about 10-to- 15 minutes of blowing.
Minuses: Battery life a little short, especially with the basic batteries that ship with the unit. You can buy better batteries, but they're not cheap and not as easy to find. The blower is not good for year-round outdoor use in the north (they say you shouldn't charge this thing in temps below 40, and cold performance suffers significantly, IMHO).
Be CAREFUL! This is does NOT necessarily use the same battery as B&D Firestorm products. Some Firestorm batteries are the wrong size and voltage. Others have a stub which fits into the handle; the compatible B&D 18v products look like a big fat black Advil tablet (sort of).
I will probably buy most of the B&D products that are compatible, eventually. They seem to work for me.
121 of 132 found the following review helpful:
Pretty good - but don't get rid of your corded blowerApr 06, 2004
I just bought the B&D NS118 blower along with the NST2018 cordless string trimmer. I have a corner lot with long parkways and a lot of sidewalk footage, and have grown tired of dealing with up to 175 feet of extension cables for my corded trimmer and blower. I've had a nice battery-powered mower for several years, and felt it was time to go all cordless. This new pair of tools seemed promising, particularly because of the removable battery design.After only one use I can say I'm reasonably satisfied, but not fully sold. Handling: This is probably one of the lightest blowers available and is easy to handle. But the way the nozzle attaches is not good at all. It's difficult to remove, and the design invites finger accidents. Power: The blower is nowhere near as powerful as my corded one. B&D refers to this as a "broom" and that's an appropriate description. It works well on surfaces where you might otherwise use a push broom. It's not good at getting leaves out of grass or flowerbeds. But in a way, the lower airflow can be better for sweeping than a corded blower. My corded one, even at its low setting, can often send debris flying all over the place. This one calmly moves stuff where you want it to go. Battery: The batteries are compact. The blower comes with two of them, and I needed them both to complete one job. I guess I'm okay with this approach. It makes sense to lug around only as much weight as is necessary rather than carry a much heavier battery the whole time. If you buy this along with a trimmer as I did, you'll have four batteries and two chargers available for swapping. And if you happen to have a FireStorm 18v drill, you can apparently swap batteries with that system as well. Quality: Build quality seems similar to most B&D stuff, meaning it will probably work for a few years. Overall: Going cordless does simplify my work and save me time, but this tool isn't appropriate for all cleanup jobs. I have a month to make up my mind about keeping it. But even if it passes muster, I suspect I'll want to hang onto my corded blower for the occasional heavy job.
63 of 68 found the following review helpful:
 Perfect for those pinpoint quick clean-up jobs, especially around a pool !Dec 30, 2005
By WSJ
We live in So. California with lots of cement decks and brick hardscape in both front and back. We also have a fairly large pool with many bougainvillea plants constantly in bloom.
Having used both a gas powered blower (too strong an airstream) and an electric in the past and not wanting to take a chance on dragging the electric cord thru the pool, we really wanted something that could pinpoint the stream a little better so as not to blow half the dust and leaves back in the water. The Black and Decker Cordless Broom fits the job perfectly.
Every morning about 8:am (the cordless blower is relatively quiet) I go out for my routine yard maintenance and in ten minutes the job is done and I then switch batteries from the charger so that the next day, it's ready for duty.
Bottom line, it's simply a wonderful little machine.
36 of 38 found the following review helpful:
So good I bought another one!Apr 26, 2005
By Pineapple Lady
This is a wonderful tool! I live in an oak forest & have two decks, two flights of stairs and a big concrete patio which runs the length of the house (with a screen porch) & a smaller brick lower patio. Spring time means pollen and tree blooms, and Fall means leaves and acorns. Two batteries with this blower gets the whole job done with juice to spare. Total time to do all areas is about 15 minutes or less.
As a petite female I hate dragging out the big blower and cord (it hurts my back and arms) -- so I leave that one to my husband. This one I can get out and blow the upper deck (and yellow pollen) off in less than 5 minutes. The noise level is great and the power output is just right to blow stuff off the deck and patio. When I want to do the whole job -- I just put the extra battery in my pocket and head out. I also use it to sweep out my garage. You can sweep without moving your cars -- since it can blow underneath them. I keep my charged battery in the blower and the second on the charger. When I finish the small jobs, I just swap batteries and never have to worry about them not being charged.
I am purchasing my second unit -- just so I can take it to my lake house to "blow off" my two golden retrievers before they come in the house. YES -- they actually enjoy being blown and you can just see the dust fly off their long coats. Just don't blow it in their faces. I have them jump up on a park bench, do one side, have them turn and do the other -- Then it is good bye pollen, leaves, & dirt and they are clean enough to come in the house.
& FYI -- I still on occasion let my husband drag out the noisy, heavy electric blower -- which does a better job. But for me the little cordless is perfect for the in-between times and is the perfect size and weight for me!
34 of 36 found the following review helpful:
Quick and light, just like a broomApr 25, 2004
It's a great little product for those light jobs like blowing dirt and leaves off the patio or grass off the sidewalk after the lawn is mowed.
It's extremely easy to handle, much lighter than the large, corded "Hog" that I also own.
This product should be used to supplement, not replace, the larger, more powerful corded blower.
I found battery changing very simple and less difficult than the cordless weed trimmer I have (also a B&B product).
It was nice to not have to fuss with the 100-foot cord just to "sweep" some grass trimming. Quick and easy are the operative words.
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