Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
- Bagged upright vacuum cleaner with patented WindTunnel technology
- Self propelled for easy maneuverability; embedded DirtFinder system
- HEPA media bag; stretch hose; on-board tools; pet-hair tool with rotating brushes
- Non-marring wheels; ergonomic D-grip handle; 5-position height adjustment
- Measures 13 by 15 by 43 inches; 3-year limited warranty
Windtunnel anniversary self propelled bagged upright with an ergonomic D-grip handle.
Rating: 
(out of 95 reviews)
List Price: $ 229.99
Price: $ 169.00
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Review by BE Babe for Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Rating:
I purchased this vacuum from Amazon after I had just gotten a Bissell Momentum. I thought I would like the Bissell because it was bagless, but I soon discovered what a mess it would make every time I had to empty the canister. I finally got tired of getting fine particles of dirt all over the place and decided to go back to a bagged vacuum. I chose this vacuum based on the Consumer Reports review. I did about 3 weeks worth of research prior to deciding on this particular model. I also looked at the other two Hoovers (bagged models) recommended by Consumer Reports — the Tempo Widepath U5140-900 and the cheaper WindTunnel Anniversary U5491-900. I came very close to getting the cheaper WindTunnel when I downloaded the user’s manual from Hoover and discovered the placement of the hose relative to the cord hooks. It appears as though the cord has to be wound from a high point on the handle of the vacuum to a low point at the base of the vacuum at a diagonal angle. Additionally, the cord is situated so that it crosses over the hose, which looked like an entanglement problem waiting to happen. And I did recall another reviewer having this same problem and also mentioning the awkward placement of the tools on the back of the vacuum. So, I decided to take a look at the Tempo, which has hundreds of awesome reviews. I almost went with it, except for the fact that it lacked some of the features I wanted, like a bag-full indicator light, edge cleaning, and non-marring wheels. I also discovered that the Tempo appears to be a discontinued model which even Hoover is selling at a discounted price. I didn’t want to risk the potential for needing a part that might not be manufactured anymore. So I decided to go with the U6485-900 model and here is what I’ve found:
PROS: The hose is placed at the side of the vacuum, so there’s no struggling with trying to get it back in place after removing it for cleaning;
The power cord hooks are situated in the back of the vacuum at a reasonable distance from each other, so you don’t have to bend down really low to wrap the cord;
The power cord and the hose are distinctly separated from each other, so there are no entanglement issues;
The cleaning tools are perfectly placed so that they’re easy to get to and do not interfere with the power cord or hose;
When the vacuum is on and locked in an upright position, the brush roll automatically stops rotating. This is such a handy feature because I’ll often leave the vacuum running and propped up to go retrieve something in another room, or to use the tools to vacuum something up high. This prevents the brush roll from needlessly rotating and damaging the carpet;
The self-propel feature is awesome! I didn’t purchase the vacuum for this particular feature, but I have found that I really like it! It can be turned on or off, and it feels as though the vacuum is 10 lbs. lighter when pushing it forward or pulling it backwards;
The bag-full indicator light takes the guessing out of when to change the bag. I was also surprised at the high quality of the bag — it almost feels like thick cloth;
The vacuum came entirely assembled with the exception of the handle, which just required two screws. All of the accessory parts and bag/filters were installed, so there was no guesswork about where the cleaning tools are supposed to be stored;
Lastly, it performs fantastically! The suction power is great and the brush roll spins so fast, that I had to look twice to see if it was even moving (there’s a small clear window where you can actually see the brush roll).
CONS: The way it was shipped was not typical of Amazon. There was a big gash in the side of the box and I was concerned that something could have been damaged in the shipping process. However, as long as it works, I could care less about the appearance of the box;
The self-propel feature is a little jerky. It could be that I’m not used to it yet, but it seemed to suddenly jerk backwards as you’re pulling the vacuum toward your body;
This vacuum is a little heavier than I would prefer, approximately 21 lbs. However, the self-propel feature seems to negate the weight while vacuuming and you can always remove some of the onboard tools;
The hose is indeed short. I noticed that other reviewers had mentioned the same thing, but I didn’t pay much attention to it, since it appears that an extension hose is available for purchase. But it does seem shorter than most other upright vacuums.
Overall, this is a great vacuum. I had done several weeks of research prior to settling on this vacuum, particularly with regards to finding a good price. I looked at all of the online retailers and only found 1 that was selling it for $10 cheaper than Amazon. However, when you tack on the cost of sales tax and shipping, it was actually cheaper to purchase this vacuum through Amazon. And Amazon has always been really great about returns, so I didn’t hesitate on purchasing this product through them. You can always return it if it’s not what you wanted. But I have been very satisfied with it and would purchase it again. I will post a future update should anything unexpected occur with this vacuum, though I have been very pleased with it so far. Just a word of caution — I have seen a couple of reviewers on Amazon that have posted the same negative review for multiple Hoover products. In one instance, someone had posted the same critical review for 11 different Hoover vacuums. Don’t get discouraged by this; do your own research and you should be able to determine the phony reviews from the valid reviews.
UPDATE 10/04/09
This vacuum is still working great, though I do not believe that the “bag full” feature is very helpful or even functional for that matter. I just replaced my first bag and it was very full, but the “bag full” indicator has remained low this entire time. Another thing I discovered is that the handle at the very top is a little wiggly. It will move slightly up and down as you’re vacuuming, and if you’re not careful, your fingers can possibly get pinched in there. I definitely recommend not lifting the vacuum by the handle and keeping your hands and fingers away from that gap. Also, this vacuum is rather loud. It’s fine if you’re just vacuuming, but if you’re doing something that requires bending over or getting on the floor to use an extension part and your head is close to the vacuum, it would be very wise to wear earplugs. One final thing — be sure to change the setting to “hard floor” before vacuuming over a bare surface. This basically keeps the brush roll from rotating, so only the suction feature is operating. A couple of times I was too lazy to change this setting and the brush roll actually left marks on my laminate flooring. But overall, I’m still very satisfied with this vacuum. I haven’t had any belts or other parts break and it’s still performing as good as day one (usage approximately one time per week).
I also wanted to mention that I saw this very same vacuum selling for $168 at a large members-only warehouse “Club” store just yesterday! I was so disappointed that I spent an extra $60 more, but what can you do??? Like all things, prices change and will go down the longer a product is out on the market. If you’re able to find a price like that on this vacuum, I would definitely go for it. I’m even thinking of purchasing a second one because that price is so great!
UPDATE 1/30/10
I’ve discovered that it’s probably not the brush roll that’s leaving marks on my laminate flooring, but rather the self-propel belt. You might want to turn off the self-propel feature when vacuuming over bare floors, especially if they’re susceptible to scuffing.
Review by R. Bellamy for Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Rating:
How can you get excited about an appliance? When it serves the purpose for which it was purchased! This Hoover does that and I purposely waited awhile to write this until we had enough experience with it to recommend it (or not). First, let me say that I read all the Amazon reviews before we purchased this vacuum (from Amazon). One said their’s was used when it arrived. Another that the box wasn’t wrapped in another box for better protection. Well, let me put your mind at ease on those points. This machine was brand spanking new and the shipping container suffered zero shipping damage. Actually, like most products today, it was cleverly packed and could survive all but the most brutal handling in my opinion.
Now, the truth is, my wife picked this machine to replace a 20 year old Sears Kenmore. The primary reason she picked it was because she really loved the self-propelled feature of the Kenmore. If you check, there just aren’t many self-propelled vacuums out there, so there are not many choices. Frankly, I think this is an absolutely essential feature myself, since I do about 1/2 of the vacuuming. Oh, and for the record, this unit uses easily replaceable bags. I just can’t imagine a better method.
When the unit arrived, it was in two pieces. The top part of the handle, which includes the switches for power and propulsion mode must be assembled to the main handle (or post). It takes just a couple of minutes to fit the parts together and attach with the four screws provided. I think my wife could have figured it out on her own, but it would have taken some time. Once installed, the unit was ready to go. Now, I wasn’t prepared to actually like any vacuum, but I’m a car guy and it was immediately apparent that this machine took some cues from the newest (and most expensive) Chevy Corvette! Yes! The ZR-1 signature color must be nearly identical to the beautiful blue used on the Hoover, and like the Vette, this Hoover has elegant chrome trim with cool chrome wheels! But I digress.
One thing I didn’t think I’d like about the Hoover was that all the attachments ride around on the machine while you’re using it. I thought this might weigh it down, making it ungainly to use. Turns out I was wrong. Actually, this is quite convenient because when you want to use the “pet hair attachment” or vacuum stairs using the flexible tube, everything you need it right there at hand. We also purchased the extra-long flexible hose which allows us to vacuum fairly long flights of stairs w/o having to move the vacuum itself.
Cleaning performance is good, with little green and red lights to tell you if an area is clean or still needs more work. The self-propelled part works great with both forward and backwards strokes. The only issue I have is that the brushes tend to lay down “streaks” on the cleaned surface of the carpet instead of a more even pattern. It does, however, clean the carpet (and hard floors) quickly and painlessly. It also goes under low furniture easily, cleans close to baseboards and does not mar or damage these items (or itself, for that matter).
I’m rating this product a four only because most of it’s parts, like virtually all competing products, are plastic. I’m just not thrilled by that because I feel like it can’t possibly last as long as the old Kenmore. I will say this, however. At this price point, quality and level of performance, I simply can’t imagine why a home owner would need to spend more money to get a good cleaning machine. Quite simply, this one really works well (and looks like a $110,000 Corvette). Now, I put it to you: could you really ask for more?
Review by AAM for Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Rating:
Bought this vacuum to replace two Dirt Devils that seemed to always be in the repair shop. So, after taking them to the repair shop, I saw this vacuum for sale. The vacuum repairman said this was an excellent model. I was doubtful as he’s a salesman. But, he did have Miele, Rainbow, Dyson and all other common models on the floor but recommended this one and it was priced at $169 – much lower than most others! So, I brought it home on a 3-day tryout and am very happy with it! We have three sons under the age of 8, so the amount of dropped food, papers, etc on our carpet is astounding. And, the main great room carpet is dark green (to be changed at some point in the near future) and our MBR carpet is a light cream color. So, ANYTHING laying on the carpet shows and looks awful. This Hoover pulled everything up with one sweep! I continued to vacuum as I was interested to see if the red “dirt detector” light would ever go green. It didn’t even after many, many sweeps across the carpet. So, not sure if my carpet is just nasty or the light is unreliable. Either way, the carpet looked great. It works great on upholstery, stairs(w/ the hose) and mostly everything else. NOt so good on bare floors but most uprights can’t handle that anyway. I had looked at Dyson and just couldn’t bring myself to pay $500 for a vacuum. I have no regrets!
This vacuum gets it done!
Review by Thomas F. Harper Jr. for Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Rating:
This is a pretty good vacuum with decent suction and the self propel makes it easy to use. My wife wont let me buy anything else ever again.
But there are two things you should know about.
The first is to never pick it up by the handle, but to use the recessed grab area just below the handle. Its intuitive to pick it up by the handle, but you’ll damage the on/off switch if you do that and it wont work anymore. They tell you this in the directions and even put a sticker on it telling you not to do this, but I see my wife doing it all the time.
The second is that you can expect to put a new self propel drive belt in about every six months if you use the vacuum frequently. The belt stretches and after about 6 months worth of use the self propel will either not work well or stop working altogether and you may get a yummy burnt rubber smell. Good news is the belts are only a couple of bucks for a package of two. Bad news is you have to take out four screws, wiggle off a panel and it can be a little challenging to get the old belt off the spindle and then work the new one on. Comparing the size of the six month old stretched belt with a new one, you’ll see that the old one is considerably larger than the new one.
You’d think they could use a belt thats a bit better made and would last longer, or use a different mechanism. I see an awful lot of bad reviews from people saying the self propel quit working and the unit smelled burnt, so it seems its a common issue.
We’ve owned three of these and the latter two came with 3 year warranties, although if you bring it in for service with a bad belt you’ll get charged for the service call. Bad belts are the owners responsibility. We still have two of them working but on one the wire that actuates the self propel forward and backward (you can see it once you lower the handle) is attached to a slim plastic part and that part broke off about 2 months out of warranty.
So with about 5 minutes of belt replacement a few times a year and a little care around how you pick it up and move it, you can get a lot of life out of one of these, and the self propel really makes light work of the job.
I only took one star off because I think Hoover could do a better job of designing it or making a heavier duty reinforced belt that would last at least a couple of years.
Review by Steve H. for Hoover WindTunnel Anniversary Upright Vacuum, Self-Propelled, Bagged, U6485900
Rating:
While it worked, this vacuum was superb. But on the 21st day, it sounded a little odd and started to have a electric burn smell. I thought the the bag might be clogged, so I switched it out and gave it another go. A few minutes later, the vacuum made a little sizzle, gave up the ghost, and left more stink. It seems other reviewers had the same issue (although I didn’t see the smoke).
I’m lucky to have bought it locally and will be exchanging it, tomorrow. Judging from the repeating smoke thing, If you have your heart set on this, you also might want to buy locally. I managed to get it on sale for $186 out the door from a department store.
The greats:
This is a very powerful vacuum and rated #1 with consumer reports, which was the main reason I chose this over it’s little brother. I also liked the accessory hose position over lower model as you can use it without undoing all of the cord.
I did not buy this for the self propelled feature, as I’m a guy who has no problem with using a little muscle. But, as it turns out, I was using it every chance I got! It was really surprising how well and smoothly it functioned. As one reviewer said, it feels a little jerky at first, but as soon as you lean to use a gentle touch instead of the normal heavy hand, it does all of the work for you and glides along.
The dirt finder is great. At first I thought it wasn’t working. I was vacuuming an area rug and it just wouldn’t shut off. I’d leave it in the same place for a minute and it finally would, but then on it came again as soon as I moved it. I then lifted the rug and found a bunch of fine sand under it…the vacuum had been sucking dirt from under the rug!
The not so greats:
The turbo tool is a simple air powered brush, that does an okay job. I wouldn’t recommend making the purchase just for this item.
The length of the accessory hose is a little disappointing. It really could have used a couple more feet to truly be useful. If you have stairs, you’ll wind up carrying it up to get the top, unless you buy an extension hose (which would be inconvenient).
The carrying handle on the back is positioned a bit awkwardly. The cord blocks a decent bit of it and you have to push it out of the way to get your hand in there (so don’t wrap it too tightly). Lowering the cord a couple inches would have cleared that issue up.
I’m do really hope I got a lemon, and I’m giving 3 stars based on that thought. I’m glad to be shed of my Dyson as it didn’t clean nearly as well — not to mention I’m glad to leave the filthy bagless scene in the dust. If I get another dud, I’ll be updating this review.