‘I swapped my outdated Dyson for a light-weight cordless vacuum with sensible suction’

If you’ve been considering a switch from corded to cordless, look no further than the Hoover HF3 Dynamic Clean – a lightweight vacuum with brilliant suction

There’s nothing more rewarding than a freshly hoovered home. For years, I’ve been dragging my bulky, yet powerful Dyson Animal upright up and down the stairs to achieve a thorough clean.

I’ve always been dubious about cordless, battery-powered vacuums, having seen criticisms about reduced suction power and frustratingly short battery life. But after testing the Hoover HF3 Dynamic Clean for a fortnight, I’m completely won over.

Designed for everyday cleaning, the HF3 promises a balance between performance, runtime and ease of use. According to Vacuum, the HF3’s high-speed motor produces up to 150 AW of suction strength to handle dust, debris and routine mess effectively, while boasting a 60-minute operating period, reports the Daily Record.

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On first impression, I would have preferred a clearer instruction manual from a brand like Hoover – the one provided was entirely picture-led with no explanation to go with the images, so there was a degree of guesswork in setup, particularly as it addresses scenarios for different attachments that don’t come with every model, such as the flexitube or the pet hair remover.

Having said that, assembly was straightforward, and the attachments slotted into place with a reassuring click. The HF3 offers up to 60 minutes of runtime in Eco mode, 30 minutes in Standard and 10 minutes in Turbo. After a speedy charge, it was ready to go.

On a single charge in standard mode, I was able to vacuum two floors. The Hoover HF3 transitioned well from hard floors, including ceramic tiles and vinyl flooring, over to carpets, though occasionally it stuck on doorstrips between rooms.

The brush bar made light work of pet hair, dust and crumbs. I particularly liked the low profile of the cleaning head, meaning I was able to reach underneath furniture that the Dyson is too large for, where I would usually have to move it for a more thorough clean. Another snazzy feature was the LED headlight, which was brilliant for tasks like vacuuming underneath our desks and the dinner table, revealing hidden dust and debris that you’d otherwise miss in darker areas of the home.

I was also impressed by the HF3’s double-edge cleaning with its “enhanced floorhead”, which picks up dust along both sides, reaching right up to the edges of skirting boards and into corners.

Another handy feature is that is doubles-up as a handheld vacuum for cleaning upholstery and cars. When I tried it out, it certainly gave my Shark Classic Handheld Pet Vacuum a run for its money – both in battery life and suction power.

The anti-hair wrap technology is a very welcome feature in our house – as I am currently in the trenches of postpartum hair loss, the carpets quickly become a graveyard of shed hair (RIP my locks). The HF3’s integrated comb design helps prevent hair tangles on the brush bar for easier maintenance. And I can vouch for its effectiveness – two weeks in, there is absolutely no tangled hair in the brush bar – something no previous vacuum of mine has managed.

The Hoover HF3 Dynamic Clean is also ideal for allergy sufferers and those with pets, equipped with advanced H13 HEPA filtration. A multi-layer filtration is designed to trap up to 99.9 % of dust and allergens to improve air quality during cleanup.

The standout benefit of the HF3 is how lightweight it is to push around – I’ve always dreaded tackling the stairs with my hefty corded upright. The HF3 weighs in at 2.6kg, making it just over a third of the weight of my Dyson. That said, if you’re so used to a heavier vacuum, the handling can take a little getting used to – a couple of times I’ve gone to push it with so much force that it has crashed into bits of furniture.

All three modes did a good job of cleaning, with the eco and standard modes ideal for maintenance cleans, and turbo being ideal for a more thorough job. Emptying the dust chamber was simple enough – disconnect the stick attachment, hold over the bin and press the catch to release the dust from the bottom. I was seriously impressed by the amount of hair, dust, and debris it collected during a relatively fast clean in standard mode.

At the end of the clean, the Hoover HF3 stood up well, without having to be balanced against something – a feature that is not always a given with stick vacuum models like this, as they’re generally top-heavy and can sometimes need support to prop them up.

The Hoover HF3 Dynamic Clean is available for £179.99 on the Hoover website.