Verdict

A smart and easy-to-store upright vacuum cleaner, the Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus (HU500SGP 001) comes with onboard storage for all of its tools. It's a simple cleaner to use, with automatic floor-type detection adjusting the speed of the brush bar automatically. Edge performance could be better, plus the cleaner doesn't suck up dirt all the way to the edges of the brush. Moreover, having to plug in the hose to use the manual tools is faff. Nevertheless, the price is great, and this is a decent vacuum for those on tighter budgets.

Pros

• Automatic floor-type sensor
• Powerful cleaning
• Long reach
• Neat storage

Cons

• Fiddly to convert from upright to tool modes
• Edge performance could be better

There’s a reason that upright vacuum cleaners remain so popular: they’re easy and convenient to use, and quick to get going. The Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus (HU500SGP 001) offers all the functionality of a normal upright vacuum cleaner, plus an automated floor sensor, too, so you don’t need to work out the right brush mode for switching between carpet and hard floors. It even comes with an extra-long crevice tool, to help you get into those hard-to-reach areas.

Good performance, an Automatic mode and neat onboard storage help make this a decent vacuum cleaner – but attaching the hose to use the accessories is super-fiddly.

Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus design and features – Excellent storage and easy to use, but the hose is fiddly

• All tools fit onto the body for easy storage
• Automatic mode adjusts the brush bar’s speed to match the floor type
• Converting to handheld tools is fiddly

If there’s one feature you can rely on Hoover to deliver, it’s neat onboard storage for all of its tools. The H-Upright 500 Plus doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Here, the motorised floor brush is attached to the base, while the other accessories clip around the body, including the 2-in-1 crevice tool and brush, the extra-long crevice tool and the attachable hose.

You can also wrap the 934cm power cable around the lugs at the back of the cleaner in order to keep everything neat and tidy. If you have pets, then Hoover has a Pet version of this cleaner (model number HU500SBH 001) that adds a mini motorised brush into the mix for cleaning pet beds and sofas.

As a plug-in model, cleaning reach is important, and the H-Upright 500 Plus provides up to 15 metres, thanks to the long power cable, hose and the extendable crevice tool (this is 36cm long and has a further extension tube to take it to 76cm). The net result is that whether you’re cleaning down low or up high, reach won’t be a problem with this cleaner; you’ll rarely need to lift its full 6.5kg bulk.

As good as reach is, the H-Upright 500 Plus doesn’t make it easy to switch from one mode to another. To use the accessories, you need to attach them to the hose (either directly or via the pull-out wand). Annoyingly, the hose is pre-attached, so it has to be unclipped from storage, then plugged in. The process is fiddly and a little time-consuming, particularly next to rival cleaners such as the Dyson Small Ball Allergy, where you can just quickly pull out the hose.

Things are better in upright mode, where the vacuum’s height-adjustable wand makes it comfortable for pretty much anyone to use. Once you’ve turned the cleaner on, you tilt it back to start the brush spinning.

By default, the vacuum turns on in Automatic mode, where the motor speed adjusts automatically based on the floor type: faster for carpets and slower for hard floors. You can also turn the brush bar on and off manually, the latter being particularly useful on thick-pile carpets or hard floors.

There’s no motor power control, although you can open the vent at the rear of the cleaner to reduce suction power on some floors.

Finally, you can install the wiper blade at the rear to increase suction to the floor, although this does make the cleaner much harder to push around, particularly on carpet. Unless you’re experiencing problems with dust collection, I recommend that you leave this out.

A set of three LEDs can be found on the floor head, helpfully lighting the way as you clean.

I found this cleaner easy to push around and it’s pretty flexible, too. However, the H-Upright 500 Plus’ large body means that it may be difficult to get it under all furniture. Shark solves this problem with its Lift-Away range of cleaners, which let you remove the cylinder to push the floor head around on the wand alone.

There’s a large 1.5-litre bin that easily unclips from the body. Push the eject button at the bottom and a flap flips open so you can tip out the contents. If you’ve collected a fair bit of fluff and hair then you may need to open the top flap, pull out the cone and give it all a good shake.

The H-Upright 500 Plus comes with two washable HEPA filters (one in the top of the bin and one at the front of the cleaner), which is great news for allergy sufferers. They’ll need to be cleaned regularly.

Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus performance – Picks up most dirt, but edge performance could be better

• Decent pick-up on carpet and hard floors
• Edge pick-up could be better
• Leaves a thin trail of dust either side of the brush

I used my water-lift meter and anemometer to measure the vacuum’s power in AirWatts. I measured this cleaner at 155.34AW, placing it firmly in the mid-range. Spend more on a vacuum such as the Shark AX950UKT, and you’ll get more than 200AW.

To test real-life performance, I put the vacuum cleaner through a series of tests. First, I sprinkled a teaspoon of flour on regular carpet, then sweeping backwards and forwards through the mess with the cleaner.

As I was cleaning, it became apparent that the H-Upright 500 Plus’ suction power pulls loose dust in from the front before the head has gone over it. Once complete, I had a relatively clean path through the middle; there was a faint line at the sides, however, where just surface-level dirt had been picked up.

Moving to the edge test, I dusted flour right up to the skirting board. Running the vacuum cleaner along the skirting board, the H-Upright 500 Plus didn’t perform particularly well at the edges. In order to clear the flour here I had to run the vacuum cleaner head-on into the skirting board, and finish off with the crevice tool.

On hard floor, the brush bar automatically dropped down in speed. However, I still found it to be a bit vigorous, with some of the scattering of rice grains being pushed around on the floor. Int his scenario I found that it was better to use the vacuum cleaner with the brush bar turned off.

Finally, I combed cat hair into the carpet and then ran the vacuum cleaner through on Automatic mode. The H-Upright 500 Plus quite easily picked up all the mess.

Should you buy the Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus?

A relatively powerful vacuum cleaner with neat storage, the Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus offers decent value. For all its cleaning prowess, edge performance could be better, plus clipping on the hose to use the handheld tools is a bit of a faff. Spend a little more and you can pick up the Dyson Small Ball Allergy, which comes with a wider selection of tools and is easier to switch between upright and tool mode.

I have other suggestions in my guide to the best vacuum cleaners. All that said, the Hoover H-Upright 500 Plus remains a decent cleaner and the Automatic mode is useful. If you’re on a tight budget, then the extra hassle of having to clip in the hose may just be worth it.

Trusted Score