Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: a corded cracker

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner review in a sentence: Enjoy unlimited uptime from this cracking corded anti-twist vac.

Hoover seems to bring out a new model every few months at the moment, so the arrival of the Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner is no revelation. It’s also not too surprising to find out it’s an excellent appliance, which comes hot on the heels of other dependable models in the range, including the Hoover H-Upright 300 Pets that I already own.

Going down the route of the best cordless vacuum cleaner is an option to consider if you’re tired of corded vacuums. Cable-connected vacs like the HL4 are a great alternative though because you don’t have to worry about any kind of loss of power as the battery charge ebbs away plus there’s no recharging either. Get one with a decent length cable – this model boasts 7.6 metres to play with and there’s still plenty of roaming freedom too.

While the best Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners are often the first port of call for some, Hoover is a legendary brand and, in my experience, its products get the job done without as much of the bluff and bluster that comes from the Dyson marketing camp. Alternatively, there’s always the best robot vacuum if you’ve had enough of doing the cleaning yourself.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: Price and availability

The Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner is available to buy now, either from Hoover Direct or, where it’s listed as the Hoover Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner with Anti-Twist HL4 in blue or locations such as Amazon. Currently, it’s got a very tempting discount attached to it, so instead of the RRP of £219 it’s now available for just £169 complete with the pets brush as part of the package. A Home edition of the appliance, without the pet accessory part of the equation is available for the same price.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: What is it?

The Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner is a corded model that features a funky and fresh design that's great to look at. My review model arrived featuring a neat blue finish with yellow highlights that looks the part. One of the big bonuses about this model is its weight of just 5kg with a svelte design that also makes it easy to get around the house and into those tighter spaces.

This model comes with a 2.5 litre dirt and dust capacity collected in bagless fashion and, although the bin isn’t huge, it’s more than enough if you like to vacuum little and often. You also get the benefit of that lengthy cable which extends to 7.6 metres and that’s mighty handy for allowing a decent amount of freedom as you clean. A HEPA filter also adds to the appeal while the 2-metre hose length works to good effect if you’re using the handheld accessories outlined below.

Hoover underlines the anti-twist aspect of this model, although that’s pretty much a standard feature on most vacuums these days. If you get the Pets model there’s the added benefit of a Mini Turbo Pets Brush, which is handy for tackling any hair or fluff issues you may get around the home or in your car. Both the Pets and Home models also come with the same crevice tool as well as a user manual. There’s very little assembly required and you can be up and running in no time at all. Lights on the front of the main brush head top it off nicely.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: Is it any good?

Now that I’ve been using the Hoover HL4 for a while I think one of the best things about it is the light and airy feel delivered by the design. Not only does it only weigh in at 5kg, there’s the benefit of a fully flexible suction head that rolls along on a pair of neatly design wheels and can be effortlessly moved into tricky corners and narrow spaces without fuss.

Admittedly, the appliance bulks up a bit higher up where the motor and dustbin section lives, but this is still a reasonably compact machine. Another plus point is the handle section, which makes the vacuum easy to maneuver, while the controls for powering up and down are similarly straightforward to manage. It's brilliant if you've got the pets brush head attached, most notably for getting stuck into stair carpets.

It’s one of those vacuums that can be easily pulled out of the cupboard and powered up for some quick cleaning duties on either carpet or hard floors. Some of the bulkier machines I’ve tried make that scenario much less appealing.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: Performance

It might have clean lines and a fairly minimalist look, but the Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner also has power. You’ve obviously not got any worry about battery packs getting tired, so this mains-only machine is a good option if you need to carry out longer spells of vacuuming. I like the way it easily gets into smaller spaces and the fully flexible head means it’s perfect for getting under things like the dining table and sofa without moving too much around.

The way it can switch from tackling hard wood floors to plush carpets is also quick and easy. In fact, this feels like such a no-nonsense machine to use that I may keep it in favour of my previous Hoover model, which though good lacks the bang-up-to-date feel and performance of this new edition. Granted, the plastic bin isn’t the biggest but it’s also so easy to empty that you can have a quick pit stop, get rid of its contents and be up and running again in seconds.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: Verdict

Hoover is already selling the Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner discounted, so that makes it very good value even though it’s got stiff competition. Maybe that’s why Hoover is pushing it so aggressively, but that’s always good for us the consumer. This appliance does everything you need it to do, it’s well made and has plenty of power. If you’re keen on less bulky vacuum cleaners, the Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner is therefore well worth a try, just as long as you don't mind a power cord.

Hoover HL4 Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner: Alternatives to consider

As mentioned, I already have a Hoover, the H-Upright 300 Pets model, and that’s a safe bet if you want an older model that’s probably going to be around online for even less money. There’s also the more recent Hoover HF9 Cordless Vacuum, which I’ve reviewed not so long ago and that too is an excellent compact and portable solution for relatively small money, without a cord obviously.

In terms of other brands, the Tower VL100 Optimum Cordless 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner is a very good alternative as is the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute if you’re a fan of the brand. However, there's also the Gtech AirRAM Platinum to consider when it comes to a premium stick solution.

Elsewhere, the Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ202UK is another well-respected brand that demands your attention if you're not convinced by either of the other two models mentioned above, especially as it comes with Anti Hair Wrap tech. This uses a series of prongs to prevent long hair and threads from wrapping around the cleaning roller.