Hoover Air Cordless Series Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, BH50140 / BH50121

I don't quite remember exactly when I bought this (it's been at least 2-2.5 years), but I coveted it for a LONG time, and finally sprung for it. I love that it comes with two batteries - I always keep one on the charge pad, so I can swap them out if need be. I have hardwood floors with one huge and five smaller area rugs, no pets, no kids; one charged battery lasts long enough that I can't say off the top how long between switches - so probably 2-3 months. The charge lasts so long that the first time the battery died, I was confused as to why the vacuum stopped working.The vacuum also comes with two washable filters. I own a couple air purifiers that do not have washable filters; the washable filter is a blessing. It's also amazing to wash them and see how much dust and other crap they trap - I prefer using a high pressure spray in the kitchen sink and rinse it through from both sides multiple times...so far the filters have held up quite nicely (and I haven't had to replace them due to normal wear).I don't have pets and I don't have kids, but I have a husband and friends and family with pets. This vacuum cleaner has survived the man of the house thinking it could be used on his (numerous) construction projects (including plaster wall demolition); and cat and dog sitting (both long hair types, too!) for over a week with ease. The animal hair didn't get knotted up in the roller brush and the filter effectively handled the dust and debris from the construction (mis)use.I don't know how this compares to the Dyson's and Rainbow's of the world, for me even this vacuum was pricey, but if you're looking for something lightweight, easy to use, convenient and reliable, I would highly recommend it.

It sounds great. And for the most part, the Hoover Air Cordless Series is really good. EXCEPT when it suddenly starts having "issues." Issues like while vacuuming it suddenly loses all power; but if you move it around it will, at it's pleasure, restart. (Not a battery issue but an internal wiring issue.) Note that this occurred after about 4 months of great service.The real PROBLEM was Hoover's customer care. From the time I called them, brought it to the local vacuum shop that they choose, found out what was wrong and received a replacement vacuum - 17 days. 17 days without any vacuum.The next PROBLEM was that the replacement vacuum worked great for another three months, than the beater brush for rugs - suddenly broke and would no longer turn. Again called Hoover customer care and was told 8-10 BUSINESS DAYS for the small part to be received -- that is from the date that they ship it. Which in my case took an additional week. And what I found out later, after calling about where this part was in the system, I could have paid $14.95 and they would have 'overnighted' which I would have considered had I known that was an option. But apparently that wasn't an option since it took them 5 days to get the part into their shipping process.So as I write this, we are still with a non-functional vacuum. W A I T I N G . . .My honest suggestion, is if you choose to buy this particular model, buy two. At least you'll have something to use while waiting for Hoover Customer Care to get you the replacement parts.The two photo's included show the Customer Care sticker on the vacuum and the PLASTIC piece that sheared off rendering the vacuum useless (at least for carpets).[So why 1 star? If the vacuum were more robust, easily 2-3 stars. If customer care showed some commitment to getting things addressed quickly (I had the vacuum delivered when I originally ordered it in two days.), not 8-10 BUSINESS days, I'd easily give it 3 stars -- I get that things do break. But taken as a whole. Sorry one star it is.]

I swear I have become obsessed with finding the perfect vacuum cleaner. I have also had the continued misfortune in the last five or so years of hiring cleaners or contractors who have stolen from me. I’m certainly not maligning these professions, but that has been my horrifying experience. However, since I have a four-story, enormous house filled with hardwood and antique Persian carpets—which I have to clean all on my own now—I had to find the perfect vacuum. I have decided that translates into finding SEVERAL.But, this was my dilemma: a too-strong beater-bar vacuum can suck the hand-tied knotting right out of the rugs, and turning the beater bar off leaves some dust on the hardwood. A canister is too hard to pull around, and a big vacuum (gave away my Kirby years ago) is dangerous to lug up and down all the flights of stairs on a daily basis.Solution: I bought two Hoover Linx Cordless Stick Vacs several years ago (which I reviewed and told of my woes about learning that maintenance is ESSENTIAL...I honestly didn't know). I LOVE the Linx vacs but even they weren't DUSTING the hardwood floors completely—a sad fact I would discover each time I climbed a flight and would catch a glimpse of the next level in the sunlight and discover a half moon of dust under my kitchen bar stools or my baby grand!I had heard that DYSON has a special brush roll for hardwood but also learned that one wasn't available for the Linx; and, to be honest, changing the brush roll on the Linx, while not excessively difficult, is not something I wouldn't want to do every time I needed to vacuum the rugs.Enter this beautiful Hoover Air Cordless! Changing the brush roll requires NO tools and only takes a minute, although I now leave it in all the time. With the soft brush roll in place, this vacuum DUSTS the floors thoroughly—and I mean truly removes all that fine silty dust that hides until sunlight enunciates it.So, here is my vacuum solution: I keep one Linx for the top two floors, and one for the lower floor. It does a great job of floors and Persian rugs for daily use. I keep the Hoover Air Cordless with the soft brush roll in place on the main level and use it once a week all over the house to give the floors a polished appearance. I actually use it every day on the main floor where the laundry room/mud room, kitchen, and living/dining rooms seem to generate other-worldly amounts of dust and debris several times a day—or they DID anyway. Since buying the Hoover Air, the dust level has greatly diminished because this vacuum completely REMOVES it.I also have a corded Hoover NANO (cheap at about $58 I believe at WallllllllllllllMarttttt) for giving the rugs a more intense vacuuming every two weeks(or less) with the beater bar disengaged.And for all the detractors who say this vacuum doesn't have enough suction: well, that depends on your floors. TOO much suction can destroy a 100-year old carpet; but just the right amount with a soft brush roll makes the floors gleam and also helps give my low-pile antique rugs a soft patina.All the vacuums I need to keep this big house clean totaled around $480—less than what it was costing me each month to have cleaners come every two weeks...not to mention the savings in my JEWELRY. One reprobate even stole a diamond ring and then gave it to his girlfriend, who posted a picture of it on her finger...on Facebook! Brilliant, I know. Even though I did get the ring back, the amount of stress involved and the great sadness of knowing someone I liked and trusted would steal from me really shook me for months. And this wasn’t the only time.Now, thanks to Hoover, I can take care of this house on my own—and actually ENJOY the process. Since the Hoover Air comes with two batteries, I never run out of juice. I also have an extra battery for each of my Linx vacs, so they are constantly ready to go.The new Hoover AIR Cordless is a dream—but probably NOT for shag rugs! Now I have shining and dust-free floors and glowing Persian rugs. If you have mostly hardwood, get this vacuum and use it with the soft brush roll. It makes the floors look like they were hand mopped.Hoover hits another HOME RUN!!!