Customer Reviews

Hoover U5435-900 WindTunnel Plus

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

GOOD

1. Good suction, this is easily this best thing about this vacuum. If you worry about suction; don't.
2. Bags- good sized, cheap(third party Sears 8 pack)and easy to find.
3. Plenty of tools and such. Plenty long cord.
4. Manually adjustable height. Don't fall for automatic; how often does it have to change?? plus you can put some extra power into flat carpet and such.
5. Not a bad edger. Yes you will have to run along baseboard once in a while but the machine does a pretty good job.
6. Price; reasonable for the unit.
7. Vacuum sensor on front panel. Mine doesn't have it(old model) and its a good idea; but not so much for bag changing as to tell if any of your seals are leaking which will eat away at your suction power.
8. Almost forgot to mention IT HAS BAGS!!!! Folks you have to start to realize bagless vacs are inferior to bags. You may save some money but what do you think happens to that filter in the tank???? It gets clogged up(lose suction) and dirty(needs replacing; big $'s usually; and you sure don't want to try to clean it) The best "filter" for the exhaust air of a vacuum is a disposable bag. Plus most of the cheap vacs use terrible "filters" if you can even call them that.

BAD
1. Broke the top cord wrap hook within week. Now I have to be careful otherwise it will fall out and drop the wrapped cord.
This really pissed me off. Its a nice idea because it twists for easy release but its cheaply done.
2. One wand extension constantly falls off the holder (annoying. The left one. Owners know what I'm talking about.)
3. Yes, the bristhles on the brush tool are too short.
4. The hose drives me nuts. Its not long enough or flexible enough making walls, ceilings, couches, etc. extremely difficult and uncomfortable. You do have to constantly hold the vacuum and it does feel like its following you and right on your rear all the time.
5. Filters. Its only really has one and it looks like a green srubber you use with your sink. Come on; its a joke. Lets just say it traps some dust but if you have allergy problems move on to next unit. I smell dust while I vacuum. I'm sure its OK for most of us and I don't see any blow out.

Truth is this is a good cheap vacuum thats why I give 4 instead of 3 stars. If you want a good machine then spend some decent money for goodness sake.
Why anyone would want a cheaper vacuum is beyond me. You might as well pick it up by hand.

P.S. I've been noticing a lot of folks rate vacuums right after they get them I also noticed that those who have owned them a while have more to say and actually have time to find the problems. Lets wait a few months before writing that 5 star review. Any new vacuum is gonna seem great when your old one is shot.

I bought this vacuum cleaner because I have had good luck with Hoover vacuum cleaners in the past and I wanted to get a BAG vacuum. I don't like the new bagless vacuum cleaners. My wife had a bagless vacuum when we got married and I hated it. This vacuum is light weight and I like the tool storage and the power of the vacuum is great. It really sucks! Mine came with a bonus power hand tool. It works great for cleaning furniture. However there are many annoying things. The dust brush is poorly designed the bristles are too short. The vacuum is very loud. BUT THE THING THAT REALLY MAKES ME MAD IS THE HOSE. IT IS MADE OUT OF CHEAP PLASTIC AND IS NOT VERY FLEXIBLE AND DOES NOT STRETCH like the hose on my old vacuum. The better hose like my old vacuum is included on the WindTunnel Supreme or you can buy it as an accessory! The cord reel on the back is poorly designed. There are little snaps to keep the cord organized that do not work. I used black electrical tape to tie it out of my way. My old vacuum also had handy holders for a spare bag and belt this does not. I AM UPDATING MY REVIEW. I ENDED UP TAKING THIS VACUUM BACK and getting the Windtunnel Supreme which has the better quality hose included. I think Hoover engineers think people do not use the hand tools very much and primarily use this for vacuuming the floor. I use my hand tools 50/50 as much as vacuuming the floor. I am really disgusted with the cheap quality of the hand tools on this.

After eight months of use, we are very pleased with our WindTunnel Plus. Some of the best features include:

1. Convenient placement of controls - power switch on handle, and foot pedal to lower handle operates easily.
2. Long power cord really speeds up cleaning.
3. Picks up pet hair or long hair without trouble.
4. Really cleans edges well - again a time saver.
5. On board storage of attachments is very handy and well designed.
6. Very light and easy to push/pull.
7. Not too high or bulky; reaches under beds and some furniture.
8. Filter bags are reasonably priced and easy to find. Allergen and motor filters are washable. Compare with a competing model with $... replacement cost vs washable.

We have had no problems with using attachments. It does not tip over. Hose does not clog. Goes from carpet to hardwood floors, and can clean throw rugs if care is taken to avoid sucking in the fringe.

If you are considering a bagless model, remember that the dirt cup must be emptied and a certain amount of dust escapes. After trying both, we really prefer the disposable bag. Removing the dust either way is unpleasant, but the bag requires attention less often.

Overall, based on price/value, this model gets 5 stars.

I purchased this product because of its price and reviews that indicated it was a good vacum for the money. As far as the suction/debrie removal, I am satsified (although not thrilled). My problem with this vacum is in the details that create small annoyances. When using the hose and attachments, the vacum is too light and repeatedly falls over with the slightest tug on the hose. This makes vacuming stairs, baseboards, couches, etc. very difficult. I feel like the vacum is attacking me while I am working as it is constantly falling into me when I use the hose. I've found that I need to keep one hand on the vacum to keep it upright and one hand on the hose (very annoying). Additionally, the area for winding the cord is not well placed and if in a hurry, not easy to neatly stash. Lastly, I purchased this item because it was one of the few that offered a bag (not crazy about bagless vacums), however, replacing the bag requires that you sit on the floor and brace the vacum to keep it upright while also trying to wiggle the bag into place (another aggravating annoyance).

Well... Here's an update.
Replaced the agitator and belt.
Easy.

If you read my former big review I broke the top cord wrap.
I ordered a new one. Much better design; only cost a few bucks.
Snapped in place; newer ones shouldn't have this problem.

2 new belts, 1 agitator, new cord wrap hook, delivered(1 day) 28 bucks.

We have burber(sp?) carpet so it knocked out a lot of the bristles and I replaced the belt cause I was there. (lost the extra one that came with vac.)

Cleaned out the agitator area LOTS OF DIRT!!!

I still think for those of us with less than 5 cats this vacuum works great. I'm really amazed by those who complain it doesn't work or lacks suction. Like I said in my original review for me suction is the smallest issue of all!!!!

I've had this vac at least 4 years and besides some minor annoyances it works fine, especially for the money.

You should be able to get a well-made vacuum cleaner for $139, apparently at Hoover you cant. The suction is very good (I have a dog and a cat, fyi). That is the most important thing. If that is all you want then this cleaner might be for you. The good suction bumps my rating from 2.5 to 3

If you are bothered by the little things, then you should probably look elsewhere. Using this thing is a pain. The devil is in the details and like most manufacturers these days, Hoover cheaped out. From the first time I used it, I have had continual annoyances. I have had this cleaner for about 1.5 years and these have been the problems

The little cap on the top of the handle came off every time I used it until I finally lost the cap. Not a big deal, but it seems cheap.

The clips that keep the cord up and away from the floor dont work so you either have to jerry rig something or keep hold of the cord so you dont run over it.

The height adjuster is so hard to use I wind up keeping it set on the same level for hardwood floors as I do for carpet. No disrespect meant, but I'm a 39 year old male and I find it very hard to move this thing (I cant believe Im writing a review on my vacuum cleaner, what has my life become). If you are elderly, or have any kind of arthritis in your hands, forget it.

The way the hose is supposed to tuck neatly into the back of the vacuum cleaner does not work on my model. After the first time I used an attachment, I have never been able to get it back into place. The hose now hangs awkwardly off of the back.

The little flap that you need to close when you use an attachment has come off so I need to constantly put it back on and make sure I dont lose it.

The plastic snaps that are supposed to hold the extension tubes in place dont work.

The vacuum cleaner tips very easy when you are using the attachments. This problem is further amplified because the carrying case for the attachments comes open easily and tools will spill out.

All together, these issues make it seem like a cheaply made product.

This vacuum cleaner may be good price. It is loud. It vacuums fair to poor. The "Onboard stretch hose" is, at best, a joke. This "Onboard stretch hose" is a dumb idea and has no utility. It can barely reach the distance of the extenstions. Unfortantely, I bought it.

What a piece of S**T... Hoover used to a top of the line brand in cleaners, at least I used to think so until I purchased two of their WidePath. Problem is it goes through belts at about every third cleaning. The "agitator" belt runs directly off the motor with no cooling measures. I run the head as high as possible trying to relieve some of the friction stress on the belt but it has little effect. It has to be design because both cleaners are doing the same thing. I'll be buying a new cleaner in the future and it WON'T be a Hoover!

I have owned this vacuum for just over two years. I have never been very impressed with its cleaning power. The suction is poor and I'm forced to go over the same piece of carpet repeatedly. With four cats and a 7-year-old boy, I need something that will actually suck!
The final straw was when the motor blew 3 months after my warranty expired. I would NEVER purchase this vacuum again.

I have cleaned homes and businesses for over 15 years.

I've tried many, many vacuums.

This is the best vacuum for suction, weight and friendliness.

It's easy to change from vacumming to using the hose.

When vacumming, the machine, as it comes back, will come up against my right leg. There are no gadgets in back that will get in the way and jab my leg.

There are a few quirks about it, but EVERY vacuum has its quirks. And the price is great.

After cleaning for someone the first time, they want to know what kind of vacuum that I have.