Our In-Depth Review
Performance: Using the Hoover Air Vacuum
Our review shows that the Hoover WindTunnel Air UH70400 upright vacuum has some positives, and some negative qualities. Overall, it can clean a home sufficiently, but it won’t get every area as clean as we liked.
It also has a nice extension wand and long hose for the on board tools, but getting the on board tools hooked up is an annoying process. The most problematic aspect on the Hoover Air is the uneven suction power.
The left side of the vacuum doesn’t clean up as well as the right side of the machine. This is because the debris gets sucked into the dustbin on the right side of the vacuum, leaving less suction power on the left side.
Performance on Carpets
Turn the brush bar on for cleaning more effectively with the Hoover UH70400. Much more of the small particles were removed from the carpeting compared to the hard flooring.
This is because the rotation brush bar kicks up the debris and then it is easier for the vacuum to suck it up. The larger particles were also cleaned up nicely with one pass.
We were also pleased with how well it cleaned up pet hair. The brush bar dislodged the matted down fur, and it was sucked up into the bagless dustbin immediately.
Performance on Hard Floors
Make sure the brush bar is off and then get to work on the hard floors. The cleaning head fit underneath cabinets nicely.
For the testing, it didn’t suck up all of the small particles. A small area of baking soda was still clinging to the floor after one pass.
Larger particles fit under the machine nicely, and were cleaned up for the most part, but a few of the bigger crushed cracker pieces remained on the floor after we went over it with this lightweight vacuum.
Performance on Rugs
This machine did a nice job on floor rugs. It has a tendency to pull forward because of the rotation of the brush bar.
We noticed it was easier to push forward than to pull backwards. The rugs were cleaned up nicely, and although we have mentioned this before, the one touch power button for the brush bar is very nice.
You can switch it on or off quickly as you transition from hard floors to area rugs or entrance rugs.
Edge Cleaning
It’s not good! That is the simplest way to put it. When we cleaned the edge of the floor on the hardwood, a lot of debris was still on the floor. The same happened on carpets.
Some of the larger particles actually got pushed in deeper into the edge of the floor instead of getting sucked up by the vacuum. It does a better job head on, but it still doesn’t get right up against the edge.
You will have to wrestle with the hose and crevice tool to get the edge of the floor clean on both hard floors and carpeting.
Filtration
This vacuum has an excellent filtration system for the price. It is a HEPA certified cleaning machine, meaning it gets rid of dust 0.3 microns and larger up to 99.97 percent.
We verified these claims by testing it with our laser particle scanner. No dust escaped from the exhaust on the Hoover Air. This is a huge positive if you have any problems with allergies or asthma.
Attachments / Onboard Tools
This is another weak area of the Hoover WindTunnel Air vacuum. It is a long process to get the on board tools all hooked up and ready to go.
The first step is to detach the hose from the cleaning head at the base of the vacuum. Next you have to detach the hose, which is stored on the side of the vacuum, and hook up this hose to the smaller hose at the base of the machine.
Once the hoses are connected, you have to detach the handle of the vacuum, which doubles as the extension wand.
The last step is to pick one of the 3-in-1 tools to clean with and attach this tool to the extension wand.
When you have done all of the above, you can finally get to cleaning. The process usually takes about one minute before you can vacuum up debris.
Another negative is the 3-in-1 tool is poorly constructed. It is made of cheap plastic. You have to push a circular plastic button to take off and reattach one of the tools you would like to use.
Once that plastic button has been pressed down, it doesn’t rebound well. This causes the on board tool to slide out of place as you clean. The only tool that will work well consistently is the crevice tool.
The only positive for the Hoover Air’s onboard tools is the hose and wand give you up to 12 feet of reach. The hose stretches out easily and retracts back into place immediately.
Ease of Use
This vacuum is easy to use as an upright, but it isn’t easy to use if you want to access the on board tools. It rolls around on carpeting and hard floors smoothly.
With it’s nice flat design, the Hoover UH70400 fits underneath objects and gets into corners.
On the other hand, with the onboard tools, the hose hook-up, and 3-in-1 tool aren’t well designed.
Getting Started
Assembly is very simple. No tools are required to get your Hoover Air up and running. The hardest part is snapping the hose in place on the side of the vacuum.
You also have to clip the dustbin onto the front of the machine, and slide the adjustable wand into the top of the machine. Adjust the height of the handle to your preference, plug in the cord and start sucking up dust, dirt, and dander.
Noise
It’s smaller size and relatively average suction power makes this a relatively quiet vacuum. The maximum decibel reading was 75 decibels with the brush bar activated.
The Hoover WindTunnel Air was a bit quieter at just over 70 decibels when the brush bar was not on.
Ease of Use on Stairs
This smaller vacuum is easy to carry up and down the stairs. It also sits on a stair and doesn’t topple over when you are using the machine.
We recommend using the stair brush on the 3 in 1 tool for cleaning up a staircase. This brush isn’t very wide though, and it can slide out of place if you put too much pressure on it.
Maintenance
This Hoover UH70400 has zero cost maintenance. You don’t have to purchase anything to keep your Hoover Air running smoothly. Just follow three simple procedures to maintain your vacuum.
First, when the clear dustbin looks full, empty it out. There is a green tab on top of the dustbin you need to push to detach it from the main unit. Hold the dustbin over the top of the garbage and push the green tab on the bottom of the dustbin to dump out all the nasty things you sucked up off the floor.
On top of the dustbin is a washable filter. Turn and lift the top of the dustbin to access this filter. Wash it out in clean water every two months. Make sure to dry it completely (at least 24 hours) before putting it back in the machine.
The second filter is located under where the dustbin rests. When the dustbin is detached, look at the main unit and there will be a silver circular area that you can open up. Underneath this is the second filter. Don’t wash this filter. You are only supposed to tap this gently over a garbage receptacle to dislodge any dust.
Value For Money
The Hoover WindTunnel Air UH70400 upright vacuum is a mixed bag. We liked the lightweight bagless features; it’s versatility cleaning hard floors and carpeting, and also how well it cleaned pet hair off of carpets.
The negatives are a bit too big to ignore though. The onboard tools were not designed well, and the suction on the left side was weak.
Final Vacuum Verdict
We recommend the Hoover WindTunnel Air vacuum cleaner only if you value the following criteria. It’s right for cleaning up pet hair off of carpeting, for HEPA filtration ideal for preventing allergies from flaring up, and excellent for transitioning from hard floors to carpeting without having to turn off the vacuum.
