Reliable keyboard or USB vacuum

October 1, 2021 6:28 AM

I want a handheld vacuum cleaner with a long neck and a teeny head that I can use to remove dust from hard-to-reach places (computer keyboards, behind a radiatior, inside an old fan, etc). Amazon has a million options but they're all no-name brands with suspiciously positive reviews. And googling for "keyboard vacuum reviews" finds a bunch of dodgy websites that seem to mostly recycle Amazon reviews. Can anybody recommend a reliable model? (I'm in the UK.)
posted by yankeefog to Shopping (10 answers total)

I recently bought some accessories for similar purposes: cleaning radiator coils under refrigerators & dryer vents. If you already have a serviceable vacuum, then this or this may work for you.

I'm skeptical that you'll get all that much airflow out of a hand-held USB gadget.
posted by spacewrench at 6:57 AM on October 1, 2021

I do not have a suggestion for you, but I can say that I have a variation of the Ukhonk (2nd one down when I clicked your link) and do not recommend it. It works well enough, but I was expecting it to have much more suction than it has.
posted by wile e at 7:01 AM on October 1, 2021

Response by poster: ( I won't threadsit but I wanted to add that I have a good vacuum cleaner and would be very happy with an attachment like the ones spacewrench mentioned -- but looking at Amazon, I have the same problem of lots of options from brands I've never heard of. I'd love recommendations of specific attachment brands as well.)
posted by yankeefog at 7:13 AM on October 1, 2021

Best answer: This isn't EXACTLY what you asked for, but I recently got this extremely powerful canless air for all the same reasons, and it's excellent!
posted by euphoria066 at 8:25 AM on October 1, 2021

One caveat about the vacuum cleaner: they tend to generate a lot of static electricity which can be very bad for electronics. You will want to make sure whatever attachments you get are properly isolated.
posted by suetanvil at 9:21 AM on October 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

> but they're all no-name brands with suspiciously positive reviews

Fakespot.com is the answer. Their analysis of an Amazon listing examines both the reviews and the review history of the reviewers, then gives an A to F grade on how reliable are the reviews.

There are three ways to use Fakespot: Install their extension to Firefox or Chrome browser on a PC, use their mobile app on Android or iOS, or copy and paste the URL of an item on Amazon into the analyzer bar at fakespot.com. The browser extensions give more detailed results than the analyzer bar.
posted by Homer42 at 10:13 AM on October 1, 2021 [3 favorites]

Not sure if they have this on the uk site but I have this one. I've seen this "body" with multiple different brands -- mine says "AIPINYUE" on the side. Anyway I use it to vacuum up cat litter and can attest to it having more than enough suction for that purpose.
posted by sm1tten at 10:20 AM on October 1, 2021

I am in the US, but the place I used to work relies heavily on this Opolar wireless blower, or one just like it.

https://www.amazon.com/Compressed-Electric-Electronics-Rechargeable-Destroyer/dp/B0972DQ833/
posted by kschang at 6:36 PM on October 2, 2021

One caveat about the vacuum cleaner: they tend to generate a lot of static electricity which can be very bad for electronics.

Came to say this. I have an Atrix copier service vacuum which is fully ESD safe (hose and attachments too) to eliminate static shocks. Data-Vac is another ESD safe option. Few, if any, home vacuums will tick this box. At a minimum, if you are vacuuming your keyboard, make sure it is unplugged from the computer first. That way, if it does get zapped, the damage is limited to the keyboard itself.
posted by xedrik at 8:47 AM on October 3, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks, everybody! Collectively, you convinced me that a little USB gadget wouldn't give me the suction I needed, so I ordered the blower that euphoria066 recommended. I therefore marked their answer as "Best Answer" but I appreciate all the collective wisdom!
posted by yankeefog at 3:42 AM on October 7, 2021