Hoover Supreme Windtunnel..A 'Maytag' Vacuum By Any Other Name
Written: Mar 29 '02 (Updated Mar 29 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Ease of Cleaning: |
|
|
| Style: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Value Engineered cleaner with space age suction, well equipped
Cons: Noisier than Concorde taking-off, lacking only the sonic boom!
The Bottom Line: Powerful cleaner ideally suited to most carpeted domestic situations, with good filtration, good range of tools, and flexible hose. Ignore the marketing hyped features, and ratings.
|
|
|
| exploder's Full Review: Hoover U5453-900 WindTunnel Supreme Bagged Upright... |
Hoover Upright Vacuum – Windtunnel Supreme Model U5453900
INTRODUCTION:
With a vacuum cleaner purchase, you definitely get what you pay for…good or bad. The Hoover Windtunnel Supreme is a value priced performer available in a number of different variants. We currently own this model, along with several other vacuum cleaners which include; a Kenmore (a Sears brand), a Bissell, (and in the garage) a SHOP VAC, and also the top of the line RIDGID wet-dry cleaner. We have owned various models by EUREKA and SHOP VAC. As such, we have garnered significant user experience with various manufacturers’ products.
The Hoover in this review was a replacement for an earlier Eureka Powerline. The Eureka was proudly purchased from a Milwaukee Best Buy store in the summer of 1993 for the princely sum of $60. It worked well at first, but then as the years passed, it became increasingly asthmatic and despite regular bag changes (and the odd harsh word) it slowly began to loose its puff – or should I say suck. Well, suck it did, and the time had long passed for its replacement. We extensively researched various models and in the end settled on the Hoover product which has scored consistently higher in past Consumer Report surveys. There are indeed better cleaners available but we liked the idea that the Hoover Windtunnel Supreme is affordable and readily available throughout the US.
HISTORY:
The venerable Hoover Company can justifiably lay claim to being the originator of the vacuum cleaner both in America and in Britain. (In Britain a colloquial name for a vacuum cleaner is “Hoover.”) A few years back, the Hoover parent company decided to sell off its British division. Today they are independent organizations – this review applies exclusively to the US manufactured product.
The original patent for the modern vacuum cleaner was filed by Murray Sprangler, an inventor and sometime janitor. It was through his janitorial work (and his distaste for the dust that came from cleaning the carpets at the department store he worked at) that stimulated him to conceive the vacuum cleaner. This first vacuum cleaner was a compilation of; an old tin box, an electric cooling fan, one of his wife’s pillows, and a broom handle. At the time of its invention wall power outlets did not yet exist. As such, this required the contraption to be precariously connected to the nearest available overhead lamp socket…which is not exactly compliant with the electrical code! Having proved that his cleaner actually worked, Sprangler attempted to form his own company to market his new invention. Unfortunately Sprangler was unable to achieve successful commercialization of the invention personally.
Renewed hope came through a distant family connection. W.H (Boss) Hoover had been running a successful leathergoods manufacturing business in the early 1900’s. Like many successful business men, he was becoming aware of the changes to the leather goods market as a result of the new fangled automobile. He was anxiously looking for new products to branch out into, when his wife first drew his attention to Sprangler’s vacuum cleaner which she was using in their home. The connection…Susan Hoover was a distant cousin of Murray Sprangler.
W. H. Hoover purchased the rights to the new cleaner from Sprangler, and brought Sprangler into the company as a junior partner. Using a small area in his manufacturing facility, Hoover then set out to manufacture the new product. The first cleaner was called the model zero, and initial production was a healthy 6 units a day. What is often overlooked was Hoover’s genius in establishing a completely new market. He offered a 10 day free use of the cleaner to anyone who wrote in and requested a trial. The twist in the tale came in the way he conducted the trial. He enlisted the help of local department stores in setting up the trial… and closing the sale. In this way he was able to simultaneously establish both a customer base and distribution chain.
From these humble beginnings the Hoover company went on to further develop the vacuum cleaner by introducing such key concepts as the beater bar in 1926, the disposable paper bag, head light, attached hose, and self propulsion followed. These innovations have long since been adopted by competing vacuum companies. The Hoover Company became a publicly traded stock in the 1940’s. In 1989 the company was acquired by Maytag – a company that prides itself on highly reliable, long lasting products. Hoover products live up to these expectations.
SPECIFICATIONS:
15 inch wide cleaning path
Edge bristles on either side of the front face.
Double brush carpet beater (euphemistically referred to as an agitator..)
12 Amp, 110v AC, 60 Hz Motor
6-stage Micro-Filtration
Removable, washable filter
Allergen filtration disposable dust bag
Circa 30ft Power cord
Bag Check Indicator
Toolset including: 2 extension tubes, dusting brush, upholstery nozzle, crevice tool, and rotating brush head attachment.
Hoses: Two -one attached, one extra
Weight: 21 lbs.
FEATURES AND MARKET HYPE:
Patented Wind Tunnel™ technology
Embedded Dirt Finder Display (i.e. a red light and green light!)
Exclusive covered-up tool panel (to hold one brush attachment – whoopee!)
Cleaning Performance Rating: 26
STANDARDS:
Hoover claims conformance to UL and CSA safety standards
Hoover claim conformance to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Test F608 – Carpet Cleaning Effectiveness Testing
(ASTM) Test F558 – Surface Litter Cleaning, Hard Floor Cleaning, Edge Cleaning, Air Filtration and Cleaning Width
The ASTM standards are available on-line (See websites at the end of this review.)
FILTRATION:
It’s not HEPA filtration! HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air filter) are derived from an original US military specification. Typically, this designates that the filters are made with pleated glass fiber medium which has a minimum efficiency pf 99.7% to nominal 0.3um spherical particles. However, as noted in recent reviews by Consumer Reports (See Consumer Reports “Vacuum Cleaner Reviews” 2001) the filter alone is not solely responsible for dust elimination. Specifically, Consumer Reports notes that the importance of the entire dust handling system with respect to effective total filtration. In their tests they discovered a number of cleaners that had high levels of dust emission despite incorporating a HEPA filter. If you suffer dust based allergies, you may wish to invest in a Consumer Reports review to make an objective buying decision - I would also review the various Epinions product reviews for real world product experiences.
A side effect of a HEPA filter, or indeed a blocked filter is the degree of pressurization induced through increased filter airflow resistance. With a poorly designed enclosure and dust handling system it is easier for dust to leak out from the filtration path under pressure; thus obviating the function of the filter. It should be noted that the actual filter bag is in fact a key component of the filtration system, as is the enclosure within which it resides. Furthermore, the performance of the bag can be seriously impaired through the absorption of excess fine particulate substances (like flour). Hoover, in fact, warns that the bag can rupture after vacuuming up these sorts of substances. The fine materials quickly coat the interior surface of the bag causing it to breakdown, and fail.
In practice the Hoover Allergen system works quite well. An obvious sign of poor performance is dirt collecting on the exterior of the cleaner. You can easily monitor the effectiveness of your cleaner by observing it in operation in a room with a shaft of light (ideally natural light). Readily visible clouds of dust will be quite apparent with all but the very best cleaner. Careful inspection often reveals specific leaks at pipe unions and bag seals. The Hoover shows absolutely no sign of uncontrolled dust discharge anywhere on the exterior. In fact the dust bag compartment itself is remarkably clean, despite numerous bag changes!
The HEPA filter becomes considerably more important on the bag less cleaners, where there is no disposable bag to throw away with the dirt each time. It is also a significant hidden maintenance expense as these filters need replacing typically every twelve months or so – depending on use. Often stores proclaim the virtue of the bag less cleaner as a saving in the cost of disposable bags. In fact that saving may be bogus when the cost of the replacement HEPA filter is included. Furthermore, that bag is another key component in the dust filtration chain, and a good means of dirt disposal.
CLEANING CAPACITY:
Over the years Hoover has run a number of ambitious marketing campaigns promoting the effective cleaning power of their products. Their marketing department coined the term “Cleaning Effectiveness.” It was first measured in amps, then per amp (while stating actual consumption) and later as “Cleaning Performance.” It seems to me that with each campaign the number has grown larger and more ridiculous; my personal favorite is MACH. (MACH 1 speed of sound?!) This is all rather silly considering you cannot run a corded appliance beyond 12 amps from a standard wall socket in the US! Anyway, this labeling is both confusing and misleading. The figures relate only to the Hoover product line, and are meaningless in comparative shopping between brands. However, help is at hand, thanks to the internet. On the Hoover website, you can find a very useful comparison chart of both performance, and features, for their products (see websites at the end of this review.)
A key point with regard to cleaning performance is that electrical power consumption is simply a measure of energy expended, not necessarily of useful work done in this context. The performance of the vacuum cleaner depends as much on the design of the internal pathways, dust collection and bagging as on the actual motor powering the system.
Finally, it should be noted that a key difference between a mid market product such as the Hoover Windtunnel Supreme vacuum cleaner and the models at half their price is longevity. This not so much a function of good materials, as sound design principles! The lower cost systems place the vacuum impeller (this is the component that actually creates the suction) in the dirt pick-up pathway. This means that the impeller moves not just the air, but anything in the air. Thus paper clips, coins, stones etc all take their toll on the impeller which is typically made of plastic. Once this part is sufficiently damaged suction performance is lost, or is considerably sub-par. Often the replacement cost of the part is swamped by the actual labor cost of the service work. Typically, unless you are handy, this is the point in the life of the appliance where it makes sense to replace it. The Hoover featured in this review, is of a higher quality design, which suggests a somewhat longer service life.
CONTROLS:
There is the standard On-Off power control to activate the cleaner. In addition there is a 5 step carpet height control to set the brush distance form the floor. This has five detents to set the various levels. The lowest level is for light pile carpet, and the highest setting is for use on linoleum floors. The manufacturer suggests that you can use this high setting for wood floors, but I do not recommend it. For floors that have “Swedish” finish any mechanical rotating brush is potentially bad news, as any contact can cause expensive damage to the floor finish. There is a separate control to set the dirt finder sensitivity. This has a “high” and “regular setting.” (More on this in the next section.) Finally, there is a release lock on the back of the cleaner which allows the handle to be rotated to circa 80 degree’s. This control is used to move the vacuum cleaner handle back to a comfortable angle when moving the cleaner. This feature makes the vacuum surprisingly agile, and allows it to boldly go where no “vacuum cleaner” has gone before… such as under the bed!
FEATURES:
The “Embedded Dirt” finder consists of two simple indicator lights on the base of the main assembly. A green indicator means the carpet is effectively clean. A red (or more strictly orange light) is a sign of excess dirt still being present. The effectiveness of this detector depends on whether it uses sound or light. Depending on which is utilized, the vacuum cleaner will more readily detect (for example) hard dirt such as grit as opposed to lighter weight dust. I believe that the Kenmore product uses the acoustic system, and I think the Hoover uses light. The acoustic sensor works best with gritty dirt, and the light sensor works better with fluff type compounds. In any event it does work, but frankly your carpets have to be pretty soiled to see much activity on this device. I suspect its utility is more psychological than scientific. As such, I rate it as a so-so feature. Take it or leave it, but don’t buy your vacuum because of it!
The hand held turbine brush is actually powered by the Hoover suction, and incredibly it works rather well. So top marks to Hoover for this little innovation! Incidentally it works much better than the equivalent device on the Kenmore vacuum cleaner, which readily stalls out. However, Pet owners should be aware that they may be in for a disappointment. We have found more cat hair wraps around the brush than gets deposited in the bag. To put things in perspective here, we have a long haired Himalayan cat – so we have to live with this one limitation.
The “wind tunnel technology” feature basically refers to the additional ducting and dirt pick-up design of the main machine’s pick up head. The theory is that the combination of airflow over the agitator and the agitator roller mechanism work together to increase the cleaner efficiency. Judging by the positive reviews in Consumer Reports, and my own experience in the Exploder homestead this feature is more than just total hype. The entire cleaner is an efficient, effective unit. We have found no material that the cleaner cannot reliably remove from the carpet in routine use. It works especially well on cat hair, although it cannot be said that the cat appreciates this fact. Of special note, the dirt lines that form underneath doors have minimized greatly with the use of this vacuum. In comparison the Kenmore Progressive cleaner failed to achieve this level of exemplary performance.
The covered tool holder is a joke. It consists of a clear plastic cover, often seen broken in the stores, that provides shelter to the turbine brush. That’s it. Whoopee! I guess the marketing wizard just ran out of inspiration.
Not often mentioned is the bag full sensor on the front cover. This is a simple mechanical indicator that turns ‘sort’ of red when the bag is full. It’s a little unreliable, and you should probably check the bag once it starts to indicate three quarters full or so. The wife notes, that she never even notices, and considers it about as much use as a chocolate teapot! She notes that the Chinese rug is a better indicator, noting that when the bag is full fluff from the carpet is deposited back on the surface.
OBSERVATIONS:
This puppy cleans with passion and verve! The extension hose is wonderfully compliant and stretches to an incredible degree. The cleaner is very well balanced, and easy to move. It is not too heavy, and moves almost effortlessly. It cuts through dirty carpet with almost clinical precision. With or without the dirt finder, this vacuum cleaner provides ample inspiration to whip it out across the floor at the first sign of dirt. The cleaner remains clean in use, and does not seem to spew excessive dirt particles into the air. It can, however, bog down a bit on heavy pile carpets. It develops a kind of “ground effects” suction when moving across the carpet which can make it feel heavier than it really is.
Assembly was a breeze, two screws and excellent instructions. The user manual is well written, and also available on the internet (see websites at the end of this review.)
Positives:
Powerful cleaning action
Medium weight
Work light
Great attachments
Negatives:
Noisier than a Concord taking off!
Scares the cat – big time!
Devours anything loose that comes within inches of the front
Cheap plastic wheels (not good for wood floors)
THE BUYING DECISION:
There are numerous decisions when buying a cleaner. There is the choice of upright, or canister, and now bag less or bag based designs. The choice between canister and upright is relatively easy. The canister works best on hardwood, tile, linoleum type flooring. Uprights, as goes conventional wisdom, are superior on carpets. However, with the introduction of power rotating heads on canisters the distinctions have blurred. Perhaps it is now just personal choice between lugging around a canister, or towing around an upright. The bag less designs have become very popular as of late. However, in reality they offer no advantage over the bag type cleaner. Here’s why…. they both require emptying. In the case of bag less you get a face full of dirt whenever you empty the dirt cup. While bags do indeed add cost each time you empty the cleaner, the special “HEPA” filter fitted to the bag less cleaner will easily redress the economic balance. This filter will typically require replacement once a year, and can cost anywhere from $50, to $100 depending on the manufacturer. You also get to look at a lot of grunge all the time thanks to the clear dirt container…
The higher cost of this product compared to the lower cost products offered by Hoover is justified by its greater attention to dirt containment, and longer life design. The bottom end vacuum cleaners basically place the suction motor impeller in the dirt stream directly after the brush and collection head. As such, they sustain significant damage and wear from the everyday dirt, grit and the odd paper clip. This continual wear on the impeller reduces suction capability quite rapidly limiting the useful life of these low end products to a couple of years in typical domestic use. The backend dirt collection system typically couples directly to this motor, and uses cheaper bags, and no secondary enclosure containment. As a result they tend to spew finer dust particles when in use. Anyone with respiratory allergies, or ailments affected by dust, will do well to avoid these lower cost models.
This cleaner has good pedigree, from the company that “developed” the vacuum cleaner, and is now owned by a company that would have us believe that all its products work flawlessly (anyone for a Maytag refrigerator? …Sorry Maytag!) This product has received good reviews and represents good value for money.
Key influencers on the purchase were, product availability. It can be purchased on line from Amazon.com for those not close to suburbia. It is available from most department stores such as Sears. Also for a few bucks less at some Sam’s Club and Costco wholesale stores. Be aware however, that there are several variants of this product offered by Hoover, as well as older models on store shelves. For example, the product may not include the turbine hand held cleaning attachment – it may be an earlier version without rotating brush, or the bag check indicator may be absent. For this reason, I strongly suggest checking the Hoover web site for product part numbers and descriptions. If the product for sale is an older model, make sure you negotiate a healthy discount, and certainly are not paying a premium!
The Hoover brand has had a reasonable repair history based on our experience, and investigations. The product performance is excellent. You will have to pay a lot more to better this product.
OPINION ON PRODUCT:
There are areas where this product could be improved. It is atrociously loud. The plastic wheels on this upright are molded plastic, and rather a poor choice for wood floors (they should be made of a soft rubber type compound.) The dirt finder is a bit of a gimmick, but could be considered as a measure of quality with respect to the cleaning task at hand. Also the dirt finder does not work with any of the attachments… please note! The Allergen filter system works ok. However, if you have a serious allergy problem I suggest looking carefully at the Miele cleaner. It costs ‘considerably’ more, but will last between 10 and 15 years.
AVAILABILITY, PARTS & WARRANTY:
Hoover has probably one of the best distributor networks in the industry. Their products are available at all the big department stores such as Sears, Target and Kmart for example. Be aware, there is difference between offerings – shop carefully. The product is also available on-line from Amazon.com (see kitchen & house wares section.)
The Hoover takes a type “Y” bag that is readily available at most major stores. There are also available third party bags such as Endust’s Microfilter Bags. Typically these run at circa $3.00 for three bags (from WalMart.) We have used both the Hoover and Endust bags with great results in all cases. Parts are readily available should you need them from the manufacturer (See websites at the end of this review.) Routine spares are available from retailers (although, please note, not discount stores/wholesale clubs) and the all important bags.
The warranty is 12 months. It covers the motor, and operation, but not abuse.
CONCLUSION:
A quality product, from a quality company, value engineered to meet an aggressive price point. Despite the negative observations made, this is an excellent example of trade-off between costs, utility and life expectancy. Should be considered for families with carpet cleaning requirements of up to 2000 square feet, for larger areas consider a second cleaner or the top of the line Hoover Windtunnel (self propelled.) You should anticipate a useful life of between four and seven years for this type of product based on our past experiences. After four years, it may make more sense to replace than repair if the cost of repair exceeds 50% of the new cost.
If you are looking for a cleaner with extremely good dirt discharge performance, and cost is not an issue, consider the Miele canister product. It will cost considerably more than the Hoover, but will also last considerably longer. My mother’s lasted over fifteen years – they age very gracefully indeed – definitely the BMW of vacuum cleaners!
More information:
FACTS ABOUT VACS: http://www.ristenbatt.com/
CONSUMER REPORTS: http://www.ConsumerReports.org
Hoover Windtunnel Products: http://www.hoover.com/db/xq/asp.products/CatID.1/SubID.5/qx/WindTunnel.htm
Hoover Upright Comparison chart: http://www.hoover.com/db/xq/asp/CatID.1/ModID.796/zoom/qx/compare.htm
Hoover User Guide for this Product: http://www.hoover.com/db/xq/asp.UserGuide/ModID.839/qx/U5453900.htm
Hoover Replacement Parts for this Product:
http://www.hoover.com/db/xq/asp/ModID.839/qx/parts.htm
Industry Standards:
ASTM: http://www.astm.org
History Of The Vacuum Cleaner, On-Line Museum:
http://137.com/museum/
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blvacuum.htm
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 189.00
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
exploder
|
|
Location: West Coast
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 14 members
About Me:
Hell raising Brit, with magic cat and artist in tow. aka Phileas Fogg...
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.