Name: Nicholas Hsieh
Location:
Date: 2007-09-22
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Hoover Cyclonic Vacuums
Comment: Pros: Quiet motor, cord rewind, powerful suction, brush-bar shut-off.
Cons: Small dirt cup, messier to empty than a bagged vacuum, heavy.
The Bottom Line: This is the best value in cyclone vacuums, with all the typical benefits and drawbacks of that design type, plus a few special features--like the cord rewind and brush-bar shut-off.
Full Review
The Hoover Windtunnel Cyclonic is the same machine as the Hoover Mach 5, which is sold exclusively at Walmart for about $20 less. The only differences are that Mach 5 is bright orange and chrome, whereas the Windtunnel Cyclonic is a much more "normal" looking vacuum.
The Hoover Mach 5 (and Mach 3) are replacements for the Fusion. The Fusion did poorly in Consumer Reports testing because of dust in its emissions. The new models attempt to rectify that problem with better filters. The Mach 3 has electrostatic filters for the pre-motor and final stage filter. The Mach 5 caught my attention because it has an electrostatic pre-motor filter and a HEPA final stage filter, both of which are cleanable and thus never need replacing. I had intended to wait until CR could test these new models, but went ahead and bought a Mach 5 when I saw one brand new and unopened on Craigslist for $100 ($75 below retail after taxes).
As my friends and I used the machine several times in the course of moving out of our apartment, several strengths and weaknesses became apparent: First, the strengths are all those advertised--cord rewind, quiet motor, powerful suction, no loss of suction, easy to use tools, brush-bar shut-off. All those operate as advertised and the construction of the machine is by and large high quality, with only a few cheap-feeling things here and there. Fit and finish is good as well. And there is no problem with emissions. The motor is quiet (as far as vacuums go) and makes a lower-pitch noise than most. The brush-bar automatically shuts off when the machine is put in the upright position, and it may be shut-off manually using the foot-lever. It is a bit top-heavy, but not so much as to make it hard to maneuver, and the handle adjusts for height. It's really very easy to use and effective at cleaning.
However, there are a few draw-backs. (1) The brush-bar is very aggressive. On our old and poor quality carpet, setting it to anything lower than the middle setting resulted in large quantities of carpet fuzz being generated and sucked into the vacuum. The carpet height adjustment for our medium-low height carpet ended up being set to a medium-high height setting to alleviate the problem. (2) The first issue aggravates the second, which is that the dust bin is small and fills up quickly. Despite the large clear bin, there is actually a "full" line marked near the bottom quarter of the bin and it must be emptied once the bin reaches this mark or you will begin to lose suction as the high-speed cyclone is unable to work properly. (3) Emptying the dust bin is a relatively easy task, however, some dust clings to the cyclone assembly and must be brushed off with the brush tool. While it does detach nicely from the bin to allow for easy cleaning, it is still a messy process compared to removing and replacing a bag. And there is a tip at the end of the cyclone that requires cleaning to make sure it remains clear of debris, since this is the exit for the high-speed cyclone and if it clogs the cyclone will not work properly.
Owners of cyclone vacuums often think that their machines do not need to have filters serviced. This is not true. Even Dysons have to have their pre-motor and HEPA filters cleaned from time to time (this is the leading cause of loss of suction for Dysons, and often is not made clear to Dyson owners). So too with the Mach 5. The pre-motor filter is located above the dust bin and is a washable electro-static filter (let it dry 24 hours before reinstalling). The HEPA filter is in a tray marked "HEPA" below the dust bin. That may be cleaned but not washed. These filters should be cleaned about once every couple months or so, depending on how often you vacuum.
So in summary, this is a good vacuum cleaner for the money. As with all vacuums, it is not perfect. It suffers some of the common drawbacks of bagless vacuums (namely the messier dust-emptying) while solving the problem of loss of suction. I would like to have a larger dust bin, but once the carpet height is set correctly, even the small one that it has is sufficient for a day's worth of cleaning. I recommend it, especially if you can find a good coupon for Walmart (the only place it is available retail) or other good deal (such as I did on Craigslist).
Name: G. Mohr
Location: findlay, OH United States
Date: 2008-01-08
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Best one yet.
Comment: I've had this vacuum for a little over two weeks and I have to say that this is the best vacuum I've owned yet. I have always been a Hoover fan and this model does not disappoint. What prompted the need for yet another vacuum cleaner was my growing intolerance of lugging the machine up and down the stairs. Our current Hoover Bagless Windtunnel model has been a great vacuum, of which we only had one complaint- the messy cylinder filter inside the dirt cup that seemed to hold on to odors, particularly dog hair from our two hairly house mates! Regardless of how well we cleaned the filter, it still seemed to spew that noxious odor through the house every time we vacuumed.
We decided to retire that unit to the upper floor where the dogs are not allowed, and look for something that would handle the downstairs "kennel". Enter the Hoover U5780900. This model does not use a filter within the dirt cup, but rather a series of chambers to remove and trap the dirt in the canister. I'm not a vacuum designer, but it appears to be a similar method used by another EXPENSIVE brand name vacuum. So far so good. The canister empties fairly easily from the bottom (still a two handed excersize) and if allowed to get too full, a little assistance is required to extricate the large lint and hair balls that will no doubt collect. Not a big deal to me and I appreciate not having the dirty filter to clean. The dust cup disassembles further and can be easily washed out in the sink on occasion, but not required after every use.
This vacuum also features an on/off control for the beater bar for using on hard surfaces and auto brush-off when in the upright position for using attachments. I also love the cord rewind feature. Step on the button and the cord winds back into the unit. The cord has ample length to vacuum 2-3 rooms from one outlet.
Suction seems to be very powerful and does not seem to diminish until the dirt canister gets VERY full. I am easily able to vacuum several rooms without emptying the cup (1300 sq feet). I will also note that this vacuum is remarkably quiet in comparison to other vacuums we've owned.
The provided attachments are nothing out of the ordinary, although the turbo brush (air powered) seemed to work better than on our previous model. The hose could be longer, but I understand an add-on section is available through Hoover if needed.
I'm neither impressed nor disappointed with the quality of the unit. I'm sure that with reasonable care, the unit will provide years of use.
The only reservation I might have on is the overall weight of the unit. This this is HEAVY. I suppose this is somewhat beneficial in maintaining good contact with the carpet (We have a light weight Bissel that hops all over the floor)but could be a serious drawback for many people.
All said, there isn't much I would change about this unit, although I could do with out the Motor City inspired chrome details.
Good job Hoover!
Name: Phoenyx
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Date: 2008-01-21
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Worth the $$$
Comment: This is a fabulous machine. I compared it to the Dyson models in the store and it is not heavier ... the weight is comparable although the price is not. This Hoover rocks. My carpet looks brand new after running the Hoover on it. I stood in amazement to see what came out of our carpets even through these are cleaned weekly (we had a Bissell that thankfully broke) ... If you want a Dyson by all means ... but I am a Hoover fan ... you will not be disappointed getting this model!!!
Name: Pam McLaughlin
Location:
Date: 2007-12-02
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Wonder vacuum! Highly recommended.
Comment: This is a wonderful vacuum, which I highly recommend. I had another model of this same vacuum that eventually broke because it kept tipping over when I was using the attachments. This one is is much more heavy and sturdier, however, and doesn't tip over when I pull on the hose using the attachments. The pet tool works much better on this one as well.
Name: D. DAY
Location: Dearborn Heights, MI United States
Date: 2008-05-19
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Awesome vac - get one!!!
Comment: Suction is tops and the accessories work excellent (air powered hand brush works excellent for furnature, pet hair, etc). Contrary to what I've read here, emptying the cylinder is no big deal. Very easy. Sure there's some dust but it is what it is - a bagless design. Dyson is no less messy and costs twice as much.
I can't believe no one mentioned this glowing feature here so I'll say it in caps: THE AUTO-RETRACTABLE POWER CORD IS ONE OF THE BEST INVENTIONS EVER MADE FOR A VAC!!!! Trust me, you'll love it.
It's quiet for a vac but slightly heavy, but a small sacrifice for such an awesome vac. Very few complaints so far!
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