Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet – a great bagless for furry messes

Getting a good vacuum cleaner is supposed to be easy, isn’t it? Especially with the Christmas being up the corner and all the winter holidays craziness. If you own pets and your old vac just broke in this critical moment, I’ll present here for your consideration the Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet edition. You might’ve heard, Hoover themselves refer to this model as their best product up to this day. Let’s see if this really is the case.

You’ll find out today:

• what are the improvements from the previous versions
• which are the key features and the main drawbacks of this product
• what is the difference between going to your neighborhood department store and picking one up vs buying one online
• where to find a good price

Design & Appearance

Here are the highlights of this product:

and here’s the video overview:

Specifications

First of all, lets take a look at the general specifications of this vacuum cleaner.

Suction & air flow

The “Windtunnel” in the name stands for Hoover’s exclusive trademark technology, which in this case is supposed to create 3 channels of air flow, focusing all that suction power into lifting and removing all the surface debris and dirt that got embedded deep down in your carpets, furniture or anywhere else in your household. Usually, vacuum cleaners rely on one suction channel. Hoover is already at its third generation. When I think about this, I sometimes link in my mind the Hoover with Gillette razors. Always more blades, better sharpness… It’s the same with Hoover: always more channels, higher suction, better filters and so on. Besides the tech described above, this upright also uses Cyclonic filtration. 13 cyclones filter the finer dirt particles from the air flow, preventing the HEPA filter from getting chocked faster than needed.

The brushroll is designed based on the “Quickpass” tech, meaning that you won’t have to vacuum the same spot multiple times; twice would do. Mixed together, these features break the mold and combine into a powerful unit which is able to tackle any kind of dirt, especially on carpeted areas.

Input power

Works on 12 amps. The motor is rated at 1440 Watts, which is a bit too much IMO.

Dust bin

It has a medium capacity dirt cup that holds more dust, dirt and debris than many other vacs out there (0.37 gallons). It has a bottom-release button. I recommend you to push this button over a garbage bin or outside, so you can empty the debris without getting your hands dirty. All in all, you will still have to wash this part every now and then, but the good news is that doing this is relatively easy.

Filtration

The cyclonic tech used to filter debris and dirt from the air flow prevents the loss of suction. Any remaining particles end up in the primary filter (left image), which is reusable, easy to clean & rinse. If you need to replace it, you can find it at $8 or so. The secondary filter is a HEPA media with a carbon layer. This filter removes odor and traps 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns. This is actually one of the best filters I’ve seen in a bagless unit. Usually, carbon HEPA filters can be seen in premium canisters such as the Miele C3.

Weight & dimensions

Weights about 18.5 lbs. Measures 14 x 15.5 x 44 inches. The 12 ft. hose, coupled with the wand and other accessories, can offer a cleaning radius of 15 ft. The power cord is 40 ft. long, but unfortunately, it is not retractable. The nozzle is 15 inches wide.

Accessories

The accessory pack includes the telescopic extension wand, the crevice tool used to clean cracks and crevices, the pet turbo tool that cleans upholstery, couches, furniture and stairs and the dusting brush for cleaning vents, furniture surfaces and other parts of your home. The pet turbo tool really stands out of the crowd, as it can easily scrap away even the longest hair fibers.  The unique design of the crevice tool makes it easy to really reach into crevices and cracks, and if you have a garage or you can get the cleaner close to your car, it can definitely find its way to those tight spots.

Special features

I can’t help mentioning here the LED light, a big plus IMO. I also like the fact that the main filter has a carbon layer, a thing you don’t see too often in common bagless uprights. The brushroll and the accessories are made of quality materials, and definitely add to the usability. Overall, the machine feels well made and sturdy.

Usability

The brushroll can be turned on of off, depending on the type of floor you are vacuuming. Using the hose is easy, you just need to flip a switch. The height is adjustable on 7 levels. The dial itself gives you the possibility to choose the option to sweep hardwood floors, carpets, as well as high-pile rugs. The power cord is long enough to satisfy even the most grumpy customers. It is a bit bulky and can not fit under every piece of furniture, but the nozzle wheels and the swivel neck ensure you won’t be “fighting” with the product every time you want to vacuum. The Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet also includes a foolproof dial that is located on the nozzle, which helps you to recline or fix the product in vertical position. The controls are very easy to use, something that is very much needed if you’re looking for a hassle-free vacuuming experience. Having everything in the right position is a challenge accepted and completed by Hoover. As an example, the power button is located on the vacuum handle, exactly where you need it.

The WindTunnel 3 High Performance produces a relatively high noise, around 75-80 db. If you’re interested in quieter units, you should check out this list. Hair may entangle on the brushroll from time to time, but removing it is very easy. Large chunks of debris are harder to be sucked in, but the product deals just fine with cheerios and other debris with a similar size. I believe this pet hair vacuum fits its purpose, as it is particularly useful for households with pets.

Warranty & Certifications

This product is ETL Listed, meaning that it is in compliance to the North American safety standards. It comes with a 5 year warranty, one of the longest I’ve seen in Hoover products.

Price

This Hoover can be bought at a modest price. You can find it within the $150-$200 range. The price varies, and occasionally you might even spot some discounts.

Maintenance and Support

Hoover offers various parts such as belts, filters, new dustbins, brushroll replacements as well as individual screws directly on their website. To make things even easier, Hoover has included a red indicator that immediately lights on if something goes wrong. The user manual is complete and gives precise indication of the problems you may encounter. Most of the times, so you can not only self-diagnose the possible problem, but even solve it, without calling the repairman.

Conclusion

If the surfaces you need to clean are mainly wall-to-wall carpets, and you have one or more pets in your house, the Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet is a great choice for under $200 dollars. The active carbon HEPA filter is an excellent feature against allergies. The suction is powerful. The bin is spacious enough and the accessories pack is consistent. On the negative side, this model is harder to use on bare floors, and could feel a bit bulky. Here’s my VGM:

VGM table for Hoover WindTunnel 3 High Performance Pet

What do you think? Would you like to try this Hoover? Have one and want to add something? Please use the form below.