Those looking for a full suite of attachments should consider the Dyson Ball Animal. This comes with a great selection of tools, a larger collection bin and a longer cord. It’s heavier, though, and costs more.

The Hoover HL500HM doesn’t just perform brilliantly – it looks great too. The grey and red finish help it look stylish and high-tech, great for people who love appliances with a modern look. Weighing just 6.4kg, it is easy to manoeuvre around your home. There are three control buttons at knee height on the main unit, which is slightly awkward if you’re tall, and a three-way switch on the handle. The buttons switch the device on and off, flip it between its carpet and hard floor modes, and release the extension wand. The switch on the handle controls the suction power between Max, Min and somewhere between the two. The vacuum can operate in a number of modes. There’s the basic upright mode, with the floor head, vacuum unit, wand and handle all connected together. Alternatively, each element can be detached and used interchangeably.

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In general use I found the Hoover manoeuvrable and able to reach reasonably far under low furniture, and front-mounted LED lighting helps you see where problem areas lurk, even if they’re well shaded. The only complaint I have is the control buttons are down on the main unit, which left me having to reach down awkwardly to switch between carpet and hard floor modes and to turn the vacuum on or off. At least the dust collection bin is easy to remove and empty. A handle and thumb button on the top release it from the main unit, while a second button near the base opens a trap door to let the contents drop out. Plus, all the filters can be rinsed in clean running water. Hoover HL5 review: How well does it clean? Practicality and functionality blend perfectly with a stylish design in this bagless upright vacuum cleaner from Hoover.Offering versatile cleaning, the HL500PT will help keep your floors spotless as well as pet hair at bay. Cleaning Performance Where it can’t compete is against the battery power of the Shark cordless upright. This has much stronger suction in its most powerful setting. Bagless vacuum cleaners are fantastically convenient. Everything they gather up is stored inside an internal compartment that you simply empty into the bin. This does away with the hassle of removing and attaching bags, helping to keep everything clean and tidy.

One other thing to note is that the turbine-drive doesn’t have the same anti-tangle system as the floor head. As a result, I found it started collecting hair almost immediately. And it’s a bit fiddly to clean out, too, because removing the brush bar involves freeing it from its belt drive.

The HL500PT is built with high performance and ease of use in mind. There is no loss of suction on all floor types allowing you to deep clean carpets with high performance. The push & lift feature makes the HL500PT versatile and portable enabling you to easily take the vacuum anywhere around the house for all your cleaning needs, such as sofas and stairs, even the car.

The Hoover HL500PT doesn’t just perform brilliantly – it looks great too. The grey, blue, and yellow finish helps it look stylish and high-tech, great for people who love appliances with a modern look. Weighing just 6.4kg, it is easy to manoeuvre around your home. Add the HL500PT Upright Vacuum Cleaner to your home and enjoy all it has to offer. Built in a stylish blue & yellow colourway, the HL500PT is not only aesthetically pleasing but it makes keeping your house clean easier than ever. If you’re looking for a workhorse of a vacuum cleaner then a corded upright like the Hoover HL5 ought to be an attractive option, as long as it can perform the cleaning jobs it’s supposed to. To find out, I put it through our usual suite of tests. Practicality and functionality blend perfectly with a stylish design in this bagless upright vacuum cleaner from Hoover.Try the HL500HM which provides fantastic results on all floor types including carpet, laminate, and other hard floors. The HL500HM makes vacuuming more convenient, thanks to its design. It has a long 8m cord, which gives you plenty of cleaning reach and flexibility. This model also includes bright LED lights to illuminate dust under furniture and in dark corners.

I was pleasantly surprised by how it performed in the same test on short-pile carpet, however. Here, the angle of the base of the floor head and the powerful suction combined to compress the Cheerios into the carpet enough for the floor head to climb over them and, once underneath, they didn’t stand a chance. A single pass left a few crumbs behind but not enough to register as a full gram on my kitchen scales. This model features Anti-Twist technology. An integrated comb prevents hair from wrapping around the brushbar. Specially developed bristles clean deeply on all floors and the robust comb actively untangles hairs and pet hairs while cleaning. It converts into its various functions easily and feels very well built. The main unit is easy to lift away from the floor head with the help of your foot, and the 2m extension hose isn’t as tight and cumbersome as I’ve found on some other rivals, particularly the Dyson Ball Animal. This means you can use the handle and hose for handheld jobs, add the wand if you need a little extra reach, and detach the vacuum unit from the floor head to more easily carry it around when cleaning the stairs. Hoover HL5 review: What’s it like to use?