The Hoover WindTunnel Is the Best Upright Vacuum We’ve Tested, So Your Floors Will Thank You
The best upright vacuum cleaners are ideal for heavy-duty messesyou know, the ones left behind by children, pets and lots of houseguests. Our expert product testers put 12 upright vacuums to the test, from high-end machines to a handful of cheap vacuums. It may surprise you to learn that the top spot wasn’t awarded to the most expensive model. Instead, our testers dubbed the Hoover WindTunnel the best overall upright vacuum cleaner.
Our testers found that this affordable Amazon vacuum is powerful, easy to maneuver and relatively quiet. And to see if it could handle real-life messes, as well as the messes in our testing lab, we sent it home with a long-term tester. We then compiled all of our findings into this comprehensive Hoover WindTunnel review. Here’s everything you need to know before you buy.
What is the Hoover WindTunnel upright vacuum?
The Hoover WindTunnel is an upright, corded vacuum cleaner designed for use on all flooring surfaces. It features a swiveling head, which makes it easy to maneuver around corners and furniture, on-board storage for its attachments, bright headlights and a light-emitting diode (LED) light at the end of the crevice tool. I love the LED light on the crevice tool. Corners are always dark, and this is a simple design feature that elevates the user experience, says associate product reviews editor and product tester, Sheri Kaz.
Another callout feature on this machine is the cord storage. The power cord is not attached to the handle, so when you release the wand, you dont have to completely unwind the cord like you would on other vacuums. This is a huge plus since this vacuum doesn’t have a retractable cord.
This upright vacuum cleaner is equipped with a washable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) media filter that captures and contains 99.95% of dust, dander and debris, making it an excellent choice for pet owners. It includes three attachments: an LED crevice tool for tight nooks and crannies, a two-in-one upholstery tool with a dusting brush and a turbo tool that can be used on furniture, stairs and other hard-to-reach places.
When you’re finished cleaning, simply hold the dirt cup over your garbage can and press the button to open the cup. During testing, our team found that emptying the dirt cup was incredibly easy. However, they said the chamber was a bit narrow, and they had to dig their hands in to get all of the debris out.
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How we tested it
Our Product Testing Team, led by Kaz and Dylan Fischer, was impressed by the Hoover WindTunnel right out of the gate, noting its quality look and feel. They began their testing session by taking this vacuum through a furniture obstacle course to test its maneuverability and dumping seasoning onto the floor to evaluate the machines edge-to-edge cleaning capabilities. According to our testers, it maneuvered nicely, thanks to the swiveling head, and did a good job sucking up the seasoning from the side and straight on.
Next, they dumped cereal, glitter and hair onto vinyl floors, medium-pile carpet and high-pile carpet and assessed how much debris was removed after three passes. The Hoover WindTunnel easily sucked up cereal, hair and most of the glitter that was scattered over vinyl and carpeted floors in just three passes. However, our team notes that there was a considerable drag when in reverse on the high-pile carpet, which they feel could be an issue for some users.
For their final test, the team used the LED crevice tool to suck up breadcrumbs that had been spilled in between chair cushions. They found that the tools soft bristles picked up the breadcrumbs easily and without damaging the fabric. Kaz notes that the light on the end of the crevice tool made it especially easy for our team to search for crumbs. Our team also noted that the turbo tool did a fantastic job of picking up hair.
Overall, our Product Testing Team deemed the Hoover WindTunnel to be of great value. In terms of price, performance and features, we think that the Hoover is ultimately the best all-around bang for your buck, says Kaz. Long-term tester, Catherine Ward, agrees.
Ward, whose old vacuum cost three times the amount of the Hoover WindTunnel, always thought that her low-pile berber carpet was pretty clean. She was shocked to discover that her pricey vacuum had been slacking. “I was surprised how much dirt and dog hair were in the tunnel as I thought the carpet wasn’t that dirty,” she says. “The Hoover did a good job picking up visible dog hair and invisible dirt.”
While she loved the Hoover WindTunnel’s performance, Ward initially struggled with the swivel steering. “I like that the base swivels,” she says. “However, I find it hard to vacuum in a straight line. It definitely took some getting used to.” But once she mastered it, Ward was impressed by how well this vacuum maneuvered around objects and into corners.
In addition to using the vacuum’s standard base and swivel head, Ward also used the crevice tool to get into the corners of her upstairs hall and used the rotating brush on her carpeted stairs. “It did a very good job getting the entire stair clean, including edges and corners,” she explains. “However, the hose isn’t long enough to have the vacuum on the first floor and reach all stairs. It was a two-person job. One to vacuum and one to hold the main vacuum so it didn’t get pulled down the stairs.”
Another thing Ward didn’t love about this vacuum was the dirt cup. “While it’s handy to see what you’ve vacuumed up, I prefer a bag where the particles aren’t getting in the air when I empty it,’ she explains. “I wear a mask to empty it in order to avoid inhaling the dust particles.”
Dirt cup aside, Ward agrees with our Product Testing Team that the Hoover WindTunnel is a very good vacuum for the money. “I’m happy with the results,” she says. “I feel that it removes dust and allergens well, as well as dirt and dog hair, and is a very good value.”
Pros
- Performed exceptionally well during testing
- Swivel head makes it easy to maneuver
- Quiet compared to other models tested
- Bright headlights and LED lights on crevice tool
- Cord isn’t attached to the wand, allowing for quick-release
- Long power cord
- Great value
Cons
- Cord isn’t retractable
- Dusty canister
Why you should trust us
AtReaders Digest, we know how important it is to find quality products that simplify your life. This especially applies to cleaning products, as our editors and testers all have homes to keep clean. Many of us are also parents or pet owners who understand the challenges of managing constant messes. We have years of experience testing all sorts of vacuums, including the best vacuums for pet hair,car vacuumsand hands-freerobot vacuums.
Our product testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent hours in our studio getting up close and personal with a dozen upright vacuum cleaners. Several of those hours were spent carefully examining and testing the Hoover WindTunnel All-Terrain Dual Brush Roll upright vacuum. After the lab, we sent it home with a tester for long-term use in order to see how it holds up to real-life use. Our goal is to recommend only the very best products using honest and fair testing practices, and well never recommend a product we dont love, regardless of brand’s popularity or price point.
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The Hoover WindTunnel outperformed several high-end upright vacuum cleaners.
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