Hoover's low-priced vacuum that "bags" value (and a few compromises, too)
Written: Aug 22 '08
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Pros: Inexpensive. Bagged convenience. Good on rugs and carpets. Handy tool storage. Maneuverable.
Cons: Earsplitting noise level. Tupperware-like build quality. So-so performance on bare floors.
The Bottom Line: A decent value, but don't expect it to do the work of a Kirby. Still, you can probably do worse at this price level. A good vac for modest needs.
inspectortb's Full Review: Hoover U5140-900 Tempo WidePath Bagged Upright Vac...
What’s the big deal about vacuums? So many models from which to choose. And the prices! Why, I wondered, should I spend hundreds when I can get a Hoover Tempo Widepath for $69 at Best Buy? Considering the number of reviews this model has already received here, it seems like a pretty popular vacuum that does a decent job – provided you don’t ask too much of it.
Of course, I have a small house. It’s occupied by me alone, and I have no pets. You could understate things by saying that my vacuum needs are pretty minimal. If I had kids and a pair of Golden Retrievers, I might have some complaints with this modestly priced machine. And I might then be tempted to buy something more substantial with more features.
Bagged vs. bagless
Judging from what’s in brick-and-mortar stores, the bagged vacuum is an endangered species. The situation online isn’t much different. What’s with this? If my experience with the Bissell Featherweight stick vac (http://www.epinions.com/content_371317968516) is any indicator, bagless vacuums are a pain. You have to empty them too often and in the process you usually spill the dust you just picked up.
Build quality & first impressions
As a kid, the Hoover my mom used to push around had more metal parts than an army tank. There’s nary a trace of metal in this machine, which I guess gives away my age. Plastic is the rule with modern-day vacuums. This unit’s plastic components feel sturdy, although visually they look more appropriate for kitchen storage containers than for a household appliance, if you get my drift. Except for the panel that covers the front of the dust bag, most of the Tempo Widepath’s pieces fit together pretty snugly. The bright blue looks kind of racy for something as ordinary as a vacuum cleaner.
Maneuvering
When they call this the Tempo Widepath, they’re not kidding. Compared to my previous Hoovers, this one does cover a wide swath of carpet. Still, it maneuvers nimbly, fitting neatly between the legs of chairs and coffee tables just as its predecessors did. Clicking the foot-operated handle release a second time allows the handle and bag to lie nearly flat – flat enough to get underneath my beds without banging into their frames.
Sucking up the dirt & fluffing the rugs
I hadn’t realized how feeble my twenty-three year old Hoover had become until I got this bright blue baby up and running. Wow! My light gray living room rug, which seemed to have become prematurely worn and matted down, perked up nicely. Ditto the area rugs in my office and the tired looking wall-to-wall in the bedroom. No complaints on its rug and carpet performance.
For bare floor use, this model doesn’t fare as well. Even with the height adjustment in its lowest position, pickup is modest. You’d do better with a simple stick vac, or even a Swiffer. On furniture the attachments work well, provided you can put up with some of the annoyances described below.
Conveniences… and some inconveniences…
This is the first vacuum I’ve owned with onboard tool storage. It’s a feature I really like, keeping everything close at hand. Too bad those tools don’t lock together somehow. Occasionally the intense suction causes the floor tool to attach itself to a rug or cushion, which means that yanking the hose to free it will instead cause the tool to detach itself from the hose. This happens sometimes with the crevice tool, too.
And, as so many other writers have lamented, that hose doesn’t stretch far enough for many tasks. The two extension tubes help somewhat as long as you don’t need flexibility to reach around corners.
Cord length, commented on by a number of other reviewers, hasn’t presented too much of a problem in my modest-sized rooms. To keep yourself from running over the cord, you have to slip it through a small hook near the top of the handle. Even then, the cord often seems to get in the way.
Two things from my old Hoovers that I miss: first, I wish the power switch for this machine was located near the top of the handle, where you rest your thumb. The top left of the bag housing doesn’t seem like a logical location to me. Second, the brush height adjustment, though versatile enough with five positions, constitutes a big annoyance. It occupies a space on the forward edge of the brush housing, which requires some awkward stooping.
I haven’t had to change the bag yet, though the job appears no more complicated than with other upright vacs.
BYOE (Bring Your Own Earplugs)
Quietness in vacuums is kind of like quietness in motorcycles, I suppose: A contradiction in terms. The Tempo Widepath emits a tolerable shriek when used on carpets, but get it into a reflective environment – a room with only area rugs and little upholstered furniture – and the noise level gets decidedly uncomfortable. The real assault on one’s eardrums comes when using the crevice tool and other hose-related devices. Hoover should include a set of foam earplugs with this machine (and I’m serious)!
Bagging a good value
If you hate bagless vacuums as much as I do, the Hoover Tempo Widepath belongs on your shopping list. It does a decent job on carpets and area rugs, as long as you don’t have too large an area to cover and don’t have pet fur or other challenging things to pick up. If you don’t need to use attachments a lot and don’t want to spend a fortune, consider it a top candidate. For me, its minor annoyances don’t outweigh its excellent value.
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