★In our search for the best vacuums under $100, Hoover continued to impress us. Hoover has been around for as long as there have been vacuum cleaners, and the reason is obvious. They simply make good machines, and their U5269-900 EmPower is certainly no exception. The unit arrived in a nondescript box that did not have the usual laundry list of specs and features listed. Therefore, I was not sure if Hoover was trying to hide something or not. However, I was determined to figure out which. Upon opening the box, I was surprised by how light the unit was (this will make those trips up and down the stairs much easier). Though not heavy at all, it seemed surprisingly well made for a unit of its weight and price range. The carry handle is also very well placed, and makes hauling the unit around much less of a chore. Once unboxed and assembled, I observed that the unit had been well designed, in terms of attachment placement and build quality. The vacuum reviews of other units similarly priced showed that this not the case with all vacuums reviewed in our search. The cord was long enough to provide coverage in most large rooms. In fact when used in apartments and smaller homes, unplugging the vacuum may not be necessary. After I had finished visually inspecting the unit, it was time to put it through the real tests. Sucking up dirt and pet hair! This is where vacuums either shine or fade away, and this machine did its part to live up to its proud Hoover heritage. Though there are certainly more powerful units available, no other vacuum that we have reviewed in this price range even comes close to the U5269-900, in terms of raw suction power. In fact, the unit is so powerful, that the spinning brush ALMOST seems to have the effect of making the unit a self-propelled unit. Although this unit does not have the self-propelled feature, some users will think it does. It cut through our everyday dirt and pet hair tests with minimal effort, and left the carpets very clean. It was also better at cleaning in corners and along walls than any other vacuum reviewed in our search. When tested in our filtration monitoring room, the unit performed in line with standards set for HEPA based filters, and performed as intended. Therefore, it is effective at trapping most allergens and air impurities. As good as this vacuum cleaner is though, there are a couple of things that could have been better. For one, clean up of the canister is often very messy and cumbersome. If the canister is shaken too much, it causes the infamous dust cloud. In addition, the âHush Modeâ of the unit is not as effective in noise suppression, as other vacuums reviewed in our search. Obviously, this is because the unit is so much more powerful than any other vacuum in our test group. Nevertheless, the Hoover U5269-900 was the clear winner in our search for the best vacuum in the sub $100 price range. Read more...
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