Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner Review – A lightweight corded & bagless vacuum

Back in May, I reviewed the superb Hoover HF9 Anti-Twist Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, which I have continued to use as my main cordless vacuum due to its excellent cleaning performance in comparison to the multiple other cordless vacuums I have.

More recently, Hoover launched the new HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner. This is a corded bagless vacuum cleaner, which I appreciate is a design that has fallen out of fashion compared to its cordless counterparts. However, if you have pets, carpets, or just a large house, I still believe that a corded vacuum cleaner is a worthwhile investment due to its superior cleaning performance.

The Hoover HL4 attempts to mitigate some of the disadvantages of a corded vacuum cleaner by making it one of the lightest models on the market.

Preview	Product	Rating	Price
	Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner, HL4 with Anti-Twist Bar to...	No ratings yet	£169.00	Buy on Amazon

Hoover HL4 Features

• Lightweight design, weighing just 5kg
• Combination floorhead for carpets and hard floors with Anti Twist brushbar
• Anti Twist technology will actively prevent hair wrapping
• Adjustable suction
• LED lights on the floorhead to help highlight dust and dirt
• 3 year warranty
• Hoover HL4 Pets includes an additional mini turbo brush for cleaning up pet hair.

Hoover HL4 vs HL5 Specification

The Hoover HL5 came out earlier in the year and is the flagship upright vacuum from Hoover.

• The HL5 has a much higher RRP of £279/£299, but at the time of writing, the Pet edition for both models was priced the same.
• The HL4 Home edition is significantly cheaper at £159 vs £249.
• The HL5 has push and life, which allows you to detach the main body, making it more portable for things like stairs.
• The HL5 uses a HEPA filter, which will be better for people with allergies and asthma.
  • The Hl4 doesn’t state HEPA filters, but there are two puck-shaped filters below the dirt chamber.
• The HL5 has a longer 5-year warranty vs 3 years.
• The HL4 is a kilogram lighter at 5.46kg vs 6.42kg. Competing upright vacuums from other brands like Shark typically weigh over 6kg.

Air Watts

Air watts is a measurement unit that gauges the effectiveness of a vacuum cleaner in terms of its airflow and suction power. In essence, it quantifies the vacuum cleaner’s capability to perform its key task: removing dirt, dust, and debris. Calculated as the product of airflow (measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFM) and the water lift (measured in inches), air watts serve as an indicator that’s more comprehensive than simply listing the motor’s wattage or horsepower.

Hoover doesn’t list the air watts for their upright vacuums (similar to Shark). However, some publications have tools to test this. Trusted Reviews tested the Hoover HL5 and found it achieved 332AW. I have been unable to find any independent test results for the HL4.

One issue I have noticed with Air Watts is that the numbers seem to vary wildly. Vorwerk lists the £750+ Kobold VK200 as having 280 AW, and I doubt any other upright vacuum can compete with its suction power.

The Hoover HF9 was listed as 130 AW, but independent testing showed 203AW.

Unboxing / Assembly

The Hoover HL4 is an easy-to-assemble vacuum. I made one mistake and only attached the floodhead and handle to the body, later realising you need the tube that runs from the dustbin to handle.

Ease of use

I am fortunate enough to have multiple vacuum cleaners. I will typically use the Hoover HF9 cordless vacuum to keep on top of the daily grime, but I will use my Vorwerk Kobold VK200 whenever I want a deep clean of my carpets.

The Hoover HL4 slots nicely between the two and has become my go-to option when I want a more thorough clean.

The main selling point is how light it is. It weighs just a couple of kilos heavier than the HF9 cordless vacuum, and it is much lighter and more portable than the Vorwerk, making me much more likely to use it.

Of course, the cord makes it more inconvenient to use than the HF9. Combining this with the non-detachable body and overall increased size, I will still use the HF9 for anything awkward, like stairs.

However, the cord design means you can clean your entire home in one go, whereas the HF9 lasts up to 30 minutes per charge and less with higher suction levels.

The cord length is 7.6 meters, so there is plenty of reach, and I can normally do a couple of rooms before I need to change plug sockets.

My Vorwerk uses bags, which are quite expensive and fiddly to change. Therefore, the bagless design is welcome with the HL4. It clips off easily with the push button on the top, and is then easily emptied by pressing the button on the base to open it up.  

Cleaning Performance

The vacuum has basic controls, including the power button on the main body. This has three toggles: off, hard floor and carpet. Then, on the handle, there is a slider with three settings for the suction level.

Cleaning performance is superb, as you would expect, this has the capacity to clean more thoroughly than cordless vacuums.

The amount of dirt and debris picked up from my office after one quick clean was embarrassing and a good reminder of why upright vacuums will always be useful.

Testing the vacuums with different types of debris thrown on the floor, the Hoover HL4 does an excellent job of removing everything in one pass.

In particular, the Hoover HL4 is significantly better than my HF9 for cleaning carpets. I’d say the HF9 does a good enough job for me on hard floors that I don’t need a corded cleaner for them.

In my last review, I was dog-sitting, but my main issue with hair is from my partner, who constantly clogs up our robot vacuum with her hair. So far, the anti-twist technology on this HL4 and the HF9 I have continued to use has performed well.

I don’t have the tools to test suction, but subjectively, the maximum suction of this vacuum can’t compete with the Vorwerk. This was expected as the Vorwerk costs over three times more. The bagless design of the HL4 makes it easier to gauge how clean your flood is and much easier to know when you need to empty it.

Replacement Parts

With the HF9, I highlighted that Hoover had the advantage over many affordable Chinese brands due to the availability of spare parts.

Hoover has a dedicated website, hooverspares.co.uk, for any spare parts.

At the time of writing, there appears to be no spare parts for this model. However, there is less need for them as it doesn’t have a battery or filters, which are the two main things you’d likely need for the HF9.

Price and Alternative Options

Preview	Product	Rating	Price
	Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner, HL4 with Anti-Twist Bar to...	No ratings yet	£169.00	Buy on Amazon

The Hoover HL4 vacuum has an RRP of £199 for the home edition and £219 for the pets edition. The pets edition comes with the additional mini turbo brush for cleaning up pet hair.

At the time of writing, the home edition was discounted to just £159.

The HL5 was discounted to £249 for the home edition, but a bigger discount for the pets edition was priced at just £219.

Preview	Product	Rating	Price
	Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner, HL5 with Anti-Twist Bar to...	No ratings yet	£199.00	Buy on Amazon

The older Hoover Upright 300 is priced at £114 for pets and £119 for home. This is the lightest upright vacuum I can find at 4.5kg.

The cheapest upright Shark vacuum is the NV602UK at £200. It is a lower-powered motor, but it is fractionally lighter at 5.25kg.

Then there is the NZ690UKT, which is £270. This has a lower-powered 750W motor and weighs 6kg. However, it has washable filters and a detachable body similar to the HL5.

The cheapest Dyson is the Ball Animal at £280. This has a lower 730W motor and weighs 7.4kg, but has more accessories.

On the cheaper end of the spectrum, you have the VAX Air Lift 2 Pet Plus, which is currently £150, weighs 6.5kg, has a detachable body, has more accessories and a HEPA filter.

Overall

In a market awash with cordless options, the Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner manages to be a compelling vacuum. Its well-thought-out features and robust cleaning performance demonstrate that corded vacuums still have a vital role to play in home cleaning, especially for larger homes or for those who have pets and carpets.

The HL4’s most significant merit lies in its lightweight design. At just 5kg, it’s among the most portable upright vacuums in the market, making it notably easier to use than many of its competitors. As a physically fit 40-year-old, I still appreciated the ease of use the lightweight nature design provided, for older people, this could make a significant difference.

This factor alone could tip the scale for consumers who are undecided between the convenience of a cordless vacuum and the robust performance of an upright, corded machine.

The vacuum’s cleaning efficacy is top-notch, particularly on carpets, where it outperforms its cordless sibling, the Hoover HF9. The Anti-Twist technology and LED lights on the floorhead are welcome additions, I don’t have pets, but my robot vacuum is constantly clogged up with my partner’s hair.

As far as alternatives are concerned, the Hoover HL4 holds its ground convincingly. Options like the Shark NV602UK and the VAX Air Lift 2 Pet Plus may offer certain features that the HL4 lacks, but few manage to offer the same blend of weight, price, and cleaning prowess.

The Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner is an appealing option for those who value thorough cleaning but aren’t willing to lug around a heavy machine. It proves that there’s still life left in the corded vacuum sector, and for specific needs, it could very well be the best choice available.

FAQs:

How do you empty the Hoover HL4 dust container?

1. Depress and maintain pressure on the dust bin release button.
2. Detach the dust bin unit from your vacuum cleaner.
3. Over a waste bin, activate the dust bin emptying button to discharge the contents.
4. Activate the button that releases the dust bin lid.
5. Lift open the lid of the dust bin.
6. Over a waste bin, eliminate any additional particles or detritus.

How do you clean the Hoover HL4 exhaust filter?

1. Slide the release button for the exhaust filter cover in an upward direction.
2. Detach the exhaust filter cover from your vacuum cleaner.
3. Activate the exhaust filter release latch and extract the filter.
4. Eliminate any surplus particles or detritus from the filter.
5. Wash the filter gently with tepid water.
6. Allow a drying time of 24 hours for the filter before reinserting it.

How do you clean the Hoover HL4 pre-motor filter?

1. Detach the dust bin component from your vacuum cleaner.
2. Extract both pre-motor filters situated in the primary appliance unit.
3. Clear away any residual particles or detritus from the filters.
4. Rinse the filters gently using tepid water.
5. Allow the filters a drying period of 24 hours prior to reinstallation.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API