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As top tech brands add ever more bells and whistles to their products, from flashing lights to AI technology, the HF4+ PowerMove Pets Cordless Pet vacuum looks, sounds and behaves just like a vacuum. Easy-to-use, dependable and no-nonsense, the HF4 is a cordless vacuum that goes back to basics. It makes the painful task of cleaning, a little less painful.
We've reviewed dozens of cordless vacuums, including the popular Shark Stratos, the game-changing Dreame V20 Pro, the Shark PowerPro, Gtech AirRam 2 and pricey Dyson V16 Piston. At £249, this effort from Hoover falls on the cheaper end of the scale - but the drop-off in price is not reflected by a drop-off in quality.
Impressive on a wide range of surfaces and packed with an exciting array of attachments and added features, the HF4 is a great option for those keen to upgrade their budget vacuum - but not break the bank in doing so.
Hoover HF4+ PowerMove Pets Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: At a glance
It's important to know yourself, they say. Well, the reliable, no frills Hoover HF4 is one of the most self-aware pieces of kit I've ever tested.
HF4 Cordless Pet - £249 from Currys, £250 from Argos, £249 from John Lewis.
What we love
- Suction: Leaves very little dirt behind and is stronger than it looks.
- Great for pets: It features an additional motorised tool, perfect for sucking up pesky hair.
- Price: This is a mid-range vacuum retailing at a budget price.
What could be better
- Battery life: The 70-minute claims are wildly off, and only hold true if you clean using the less effective eco mode.
Our verdict
When it comes to your regular weekly clean, frills and fancy features don't get you very far if essentials like suction, flexibility and battery life aren't up to scratch. We recently reviewed the more expensive Dreame V20 Pro (a vacuum we gave five stars) and my housemate neatly summed up how the two compare. 'If the Dreame is a Lamborghini, then the Hoover is an Audi,' he quipped. With its ferocious roar, gaudy design and supreme power, the Dreame immediately evokes a supercar - and is just as fun to use. And although the Audi comparison does not exactly reflect the Hoover's competitive pricing, the two share the characteristics of understated-ness and efficiency.
It excels on hard floors - the bread and butter of any cleaning job - and is flexible enough to reach under tables and chairs. It's also been designed with pets in mind, featuring a motorised tool and an anti-tangle brush bar that works extra hard on stubborn hair. The battery life is a slight sore point. You may have to charge the device halfway through - the 70-minute running time only valid on eco mode. Its raspy noise also grates and makes the HF4 sound like it's on its last legs, even when freshly out of the box.
However, at roughly £240, the HF4+ PowerMove Pets Cordless vacuum is a reasonably priced piece of kit that vacuums much like a more premium product.
How we test
Vacuum cleaners can be an expensive bit of kit so it's vital to review them properly. When testing vacuums we try them across multiple real-world settings, including the office and our homes. We evaluate technology across a range of measures, including design, performance, price and special features. Each device goes through several days of hands-on testing, allowing us to provide an in-depth review to help consumers make informed decisions. I tested this vacuum in my own home - using it to pick up hair, dust and larger debris like pieces of food. It was put through its paces on a range of surfaces, including thick and thin carpet, rugs, hard wood, corners and crevices.
Hoover HF4+ PowerMove Pets Cordless Pet vacuum review
As top tech brands add ever more bells and whistles to their products, from flashing lights to AI technology, this vacuum looks, sounds and behaves just like a vacuum.
Design and features
This vacuum was designed with pets in mind and boasts a motorised tool perfect for sucking up hair which refuses to budge. Better still? None of it gets stuck thanks to Anti-Twist Brushbar technology which keeps things moving. It has three power settings but the auto mode is the only one you'll need - it's almost as powerful as the battery-munching highest setting, while the eco mode struggles to do the job on most surfaces. An LED light adorns the front, handy if your cleaning task has taken you into a dingy corner but not strong enough to tidy - say - a cave.
Size
This Hoover is so Hoover-like (sorry, vacuum-like) that it's difficult to conjure up any distinguishing qualities it possesses. The same goes for the size - standard height (111cm), standard width (26cm) and with standard shaped heads and nozzles. Thanks to its easy locking head, it can safely rest up against any wall you choose and not take up too much space.
Suction
Despite a motor boasting just 400W power (half as much as some 900W Dyson models) the HF4 still fills you with confidence and leaves very little dust and dirt behind. This is by no means the most aggressive of vacuums but the suction is strong enough for most jobs and households. Over a few weeks of cleaning, I was impressed with its efficiency on hard and soft surfaces and cannot stress enough how little it left behind. It was a welcome upgrade on my previous vacuum - the slightly cheaper but much less powerful Greennote cordless - and made this particular household chore bearable again.
Charging capacity
A slight notch against the workmanlike HF4. It boasted enough juice to amply tidy up my humble abode, but owners of sprawling mansions (or large 3+ bed homes) might want to shop elsewhere. While the Hoover website makes bold claims of a 70-minute battery life, this level of endurance is only reached on the stingy - and honestly quite ineffective - eco mode. It takes three-and-a-half hours to fully recharge which, again, is a tad too long for my money.
Ease of use
This is an intuitive vacuum. No difficulty in setting up, no weird settings to decipher, and no unnecessary features. One thing I did notice - which can also be said of a number of its rivals - is that the charging port was almost impossible to find without referring to the instruction manual. After leaving the HF4 unused for a week - I know, I know - I again struggled to locate it. Overall, though, cleaning with this device is a pretty seamless process, from switching it on to manoeuvring it around the house to emptying and washing the removable bin and filters.
Extras
Asides from the motorised pet tool, the HF4's most notable added extras are the 2in1 Dusting Brush tool for surfaces and fabrics and a Crevice tool to reach into hidden corners of your home and give them the clean they deserve. It provides the features expected of a mid-range vacuum without going overboard. The extra attachments are helpful but don't create too much clutter.
Value for money
The HF4 is good value at £249 without being an absolute bargain. Those paying attention will be well aware by now that I find this vacuum reliable, workmanlike and solid. It's never going to win a beauty contest nor a best-in-show for powerful suction (if such a thing exists), but boy will it clean your flat with minimum stress. And to that end, it's a great option within its price range.
How does it compare to similar products?
My previous vacuum was a Greennote cordless which, while charming in many ways (light, less than £100, and with a name that sounds like a failed hedge fund), actually made cleaning the house a bit of a pain. While its ever-increasing whirring sound proved it was trying its best, it would often just store mounds of dust in its floorhead as you vacuumed, before depositing them on the other side of the house without warning. The HF4 Cordless Pet possesses a similarly grating operating noise but does its job far better, possessing a commendable level of power and an aptitude on a variety of surfaces.
We recently reviewed the Dreame V20 Pro and found it a serious addition to your household armoury - so much so that it's now my frontline vacuum. The lavish piece of kit was easy to steer, came complete with a range of exciting add-ons, and boasted GapFree technology that takes the stress out of cleaning around those pesky edges. At £349, it's a bit more expensive than the HF4 but there is a discernible step up in quality - and those looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum should perhaps temper their expectations when using this cheaper alternative.
Why trust us
Sam Lawley is a news reporter for the Daily Mail and has been at the newspaper for two-and-a-half years. He completed a Master's degree in Newspaper Journalism at City, University of London in 2023 and enjoyed a stint at the Irish Daily Mail before heading to the London newsroom.
Is Hoover as good as Dyson or Shark?
The Hoover HF4 is not in the same class as Dyson or Shark's top offerings but it's not in the same price range, either. Its motor boasts just 400W power (half as much as some 900W Dyson models) but this vacuum still fills you with confidence and leaves very little dust and dirt behind. It also lacks the flexible shaft features which have become Shark's signature, although it is still able to get around freely. If you want a truly special, all-action vacuum with a raft of special modes and fittings, then you should definitely consider an older Dyson such as the Dyson V10, Shark PowerPro Pet (£299) or even the Dreame V20 (£309). But if you're after a simple and reliable device which does the basics very well, the Hoover HF4 may well be for you.
Are Hoover vacuums good for pet hair?
Not all Hoover vacuums are geared towards pet owners, but thankfully the HF4 Cordless Pet vacuum is. It boasts a motorised tool perfect for sucking up hair which refuses to budge. And none of it gets stuck thanks to Anti-Twist Brushbar technology which keeps things moving.
