The pet hair brush is largely effective, but at times we found that pet-hair got stuck to the underside of the brush by static charge rather than removed by the vacuum. It’s a worthwhile tool if you have pets, but you can still expect to untangle hair from the bristles to keep it in good nick. We know how frustrating it can be to get hair caught in your vacuum, which is why we’ve introduced ANTI-TWIST™ technology to our upright vacuums.

The vacuum also comes with a manual suction control built into the body of the vacuum, which we found could be easily increased or decreased by hand depending on how powerful you want the vacuum to be. Finally, I combed cat hair into the carpet and then ran the vacuum cleaner through on Automatic mode.There are all sorts of accessories and design features, making it a far cry from the slimline design of modern cordless vacs. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH). 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.

The carpet function is brilliant and can be switched on and off depending on what surface you are hoovering.We test both modes in a variety of other cleaning scenarios, such as on stairs or in a car, and consider how easy it is to use.

Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Still, we think it’s probably a vacuum cleaner to avoid if you’ve got lots of hard floors in your home. With its sturdy construction, this vacuum cleaner is built to last, providing years of reliable service.I normally look at the 1 and 2 stars first to see if it works after a few weeks or how many send it back. However, the H-Upright 500 Plus’ large body means that it may be difficult to get it under all furniture. With its ergonomic design, the Hoover H-UPRIGHT 500 PLUS is easy to manoeuvre, allowing you to clean hard-to-reach areas with ease. Performance equal to 1600W, based on internal tests of dust pick up according to EN Standard EN 60312, when compared with model UTP1611 001.

Additionally, the H-UPRIGHT 500 has a range of onboard tools, including a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool.With the auto button and separate brush bar on, we were impressed with how powerfully it picked up dirt and debris and felt it change suction power between the tiled floor in the kitchen, laminate floor in the hallway and carpet in the living room. While the side suction on the head ensured it picked up dirt alongside the corner of the room right up to the skirting boards, it did struggle with larger pieces of debris such as cardboard and paper, however. It is lightweight and easy to take upstairs and has extra long reach for cleaning the ceiling and stairs. Having reviewed hundreds of appliances for over 10 years, James is experienced at helping you choose the right model for your home.