There’s only a few things that get me excited these days now I am in my mid-thirties and a Mum of two kids: my Thursday evening bottle of wine with the girls and brand new cleaning tools that help me get my house looking spick and span. When Hoover Candy reached out and asked me to review their brand new vacuum cleaner – the Hoover H-FREE 500 Pets 3 in 1 Cordless Stick – I was absolutely over the moon. I love trying and testing new vacuums – and this one is a goodie!
If you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner, or, you’re a bit like me and weirdly enjoy building a collection of corded and cordless vacuums (stamp collecting is so passé, no?) – then read on for my totally honest review of the HF500 and exactly how it works.
Hoover – the OG vacuum cleaner
Let’s admit it, even if we own various other brands of vacuum cleaners, we all call them a Hoover, right? Hoover is the OG brand of vacuum cleaners and they’re still totally bossing the vacuum cleaner world with a gorgeous range of products, including the H-FREE 500 Pets.
Founded in Ohio in 1908, Hoover has over 100 years of experience in developing the very best vacuum cleaners – as well as other cleaning products such as washing machines and tumble driers.
But, Hoover in the UK is now a separate company – based in Warrington and owned by Haier.
Hoover H-FREE 500 Pets – What’s in the box?
When my HF500 arrived, I couldn’t believe the size of the box. Hoover is not lying when they say this is the most compact cordless vacuum in their range.
Everything was contained nice and neatly within the box, with each accessory wrapped carefully and supported by bits of cardboard for safe delivery.
Inside the box you’ll find:
- The H-FREE 500 handheld unit
- Floor Nozzle
- Tube
- Charger
- Wall Mount
- Wall Mount Screws
- Integrated 2 in 1 Dusting Brush and Furniture Tool
- Mini Turbo Nozzle
- Long Crevice Tool
- Accessories Bag
- Dust Bin Cleaning Tool
- Spare filter
Assembling the product
It was super easy to assemble all the parts together. Each part simply clicks together to build the exact vacuum you need. You can assemble the nozzle and tube along with the handheld unit to create a standard vacuum cleaning product, or use the accompanying tools so it’s more like a handheld vacuum.
Where can the HF500 be used?
Once assembled, the product works immediately and can be used in a number of places:
- On hard flooring
- On carpets (simply click the carpet button when moving from hard flooring to carpet)
- Stairs
- Car (no need to worry about wires trailing down the garden!)
- On furniture (including sofas and beds)
- Hard to reach places such as those pesky ceiling corners where cobwebs tend to gather dust
On hard flooring
I used the HF500 on my tiled kitchen floor with the floor nozzle and loved how the tube bent and adjusted for the corners beneath the kitchen units. The crevice tool is also great for those hard to reach areas, like underneath our kitchen table and in the corners where we tend to find cellar spiders. By simply flicking onto turbo mode, those pesky creatures and their webs are whipped up without a trace.
On carpets
My living room is right next to my kitchen and is carpeted – this is not an issue for the Hoover. Unlike my previous cordless vacuum which needed a different attachment to switch to carpet, when using this appliance, I simply click a button and carpet mode is enabled. This certainly saves a lot of faffing!
Stairs
The stairs are always one area of the house that I can never be bothered cleaning, but with the HF500, tacking them is no biggie. I use the crevice tool to tackle the edges of each stair and the integrated dust and furniture tool to tackle the skirting and rail.
The pet turbo brush comes in handy for the stairs themselves. Although we don’t have pets, I shed hair like a labrador and you’ll often find clumps on my hair throughout the house. This tool is especially great at getting this hair up, especially when used in conjunction with turbo mode.
Car
Getting a cordless vacuum is a game changer when it comes to tackling the car. No more wires draped all over your garden and up the drive! Again, the pet turbo tool was great for picking up hair throughout the car, while the long crevice tool helped me get to those hard to reach bits of cereal that the kids drop on their way to school.
On furniture
We have a fabric bed and headboard which is like a magnet for dust, so the dust and furniture integrated tool is a game changer. There is absolutely no need to keep swapping accessories as the tool simply sits on the device and can click down whenever you need it.
The brush part of the tool disturbs the dust, while the powerful suction of the hoover whizzes it all up. Goodbye dusty headrest and hello beautiful, soft furniture that you’re not ashamed to show off!
Hard to reach places
We have kids, so we have tons of stuff and both of the boys rooms are full of Kallax and other storage furniture which of course leave hard to reach places where dust (and spiders!) gather. The long crevice tool helps us to reach these hard to get to places and the great suction that comes with the HF500 means we don’t need to worry that anything is left behind.
What are some of the best features of the Hoover H-FREE 500?
I am a huge fan of this product and it truly does boast a number of features that sets it apart from other cordless vacuums on the market. Let’s take a look at each in turn:
It’s extremely lightweight and compact
Weighing in at just over 2kgs, the H-FREE 500 is extremely lightweight which is fantastic if you suffer with a bad back or find it difficult to vacuum with a bulky cleaner.
As a thirty-something woman who has had two kids and sits at a desk for eight hours a day in my day job, the last thing I need is to be lugging around a bulky vacuum. Whizzing around the house with the HF500 doesn’t make me feel any additional strain.
Furthermore, when it comes to storage, this Hoover is very compact. In storage mode, the device sits at only 69cm in height meaning it can be stored in a cupboard out of sight, instead of cluttering up your home.
My old cordless was hidden in the utility room – out of sight, out of mind. This one however fits neatly in the walk in wardrobe underneath the clothes rail which makes it the perfect upstairs vacuum.
It can be used as a normal vacuum or as a handheld cleaner
The versatility of the HF500 means that it can be used upright or as a handheld device which is perfect for families like ours who need a vacuum that can be used anywhere thanks to our super messy kids!
Need to clean up a dropped bag of crisps in the car? No problem! Dust gathering on the stairs? Easily solved with the crevice or dust and furniture tool. The H-FREE 500 will leave your home (and car!) looking spick and span with the incredible versatility it brings.
The suction compared to my old cordless is miles better and I no longer have to drag my bulky corded vac out through the front garden. Now I have the F500, I can simply hop into the car and get to work within seconds!
Plenty of accessories that get the job done
Dust and dirt gathers in all areas of the home – especially in those hard to reach places. Thanks to the wide range of accessories that come with the H-FREE 500, you can get the job done with minimal effort!
It can be charged anywhere
The battery pack on the HF500 actually detaches which is something I have not seen on any other cordless vacuum! This means it can be charged ANYWHERE and the bulky part of the vacuum doesn’t need to be involved at all! This is a game changer for us and one of our very favourite features.
It has handy LED lights
The LED lights on the device give incredible visibility so you can see what needs cleaning when tackling darker corners of your home like under sofas or behind the bed.
Two further LED lights show the battery status and the power mode so you can stay informed of what settings you’re using and when it’s likely going to need a charge.
It won’t fall over when put in the parking position
Am I the only one who gets annoyed when you leave your vacuum cleaner in an upright position – invariably delicately balanced against a wall – only for it to crash bang to the ground minutes later? This problem is no more with the H-FREE 500.
Whether it’s in storage mode, or you have the tube attached, when placed in an upright position, this vacuum STAYS in an upright position. Game changer!
There’s so much more…
Other features and benefits include:
- A run time of 40 minutes
- Can be used on all types of flooring
- It comes with an extra filter in the box
- The filter and cyclone easily detach so you can keep them clean to keep the device in fantastic working order
- The colour is absolutely gorgeous (Felix is a huge fan of blue, so he was especially made up!)
Any shortcomings?
I always like to give a balanced review, so of course any shortcomings need to be mentioned too. However, when it comes to this product, it’s pretty tough to find.
I guess the important thing to remember is that this product CANNOT be compared to a corded alternative. Hoover state that Performance Matches A Corded Vacuum and although this is definitely the most powerful cordless vacuum I have used (and I’ve used many in my time), it doesn’t compare to my favourite corded vacuum. But, really, in my opinion, you cannot compare a corded and a cordless as they are for totally different jobs…
A corded vacuum will always be my go to for a deep clean, but I like to have a cordless for quick spot-cleaning jobs and to use in the car. When it comes to looking for shortcomings compared to any other cordless I have ever used – I cannot find any. And that’s the honest truth.
How can you get your hands on your very own Hoover H-FREE 500?
Ready to get your hands on your very own H-FREE 500. I seriously do not blame you. Head over to Hoover’s website where you can buy this incredible cordless vacuum cleaner directly. You might also want to take a look at the other cordless vacuum cleaners in the range in case one of the others takes your fancy!