The self-propelled action of Hoover's WindTunnel U6634900 upright vacuum sets it apart from the confusing lineup of models you will find on the shelf of your local discount store.

A self-propelled machine can be a benefit or a detriment, depending on how you look at it. When it comes to ease of operation, the Hoover U6634900 moves along easily, both backward and forward, without much effort on your part. But the added weight of the self-propelled mechanism makes this machine very heavy. We find it so heavy, in fact, that we'd rather not carry it up and down the stairs. Although we approve of the self-propelled motion of this machine for senior citizens, we recommend it for use only in single-story homes.

Moving the self-propelled WindTunnel back and forth creates a little jerking motion. This motion didn't bother us, but some users find it irritating, especially if they're not willing to lose the smooth, gliding motion to which they are accustomed when vacuuming. For this reason, we highly recommend you try pushing a sample of this model back and forth to make sure it meets your expectations before purchase.

When it comes to cleaning, the wide 15-inch cleaning path helps you get through a room quickly. The three brush height adjustments are also helpful for finding the right height for cleaning floors as well as carpets. In spite of these adjustments, however, we still prefer an on/off switch for the brush roll. We'd just rather turn the roll off so dirt doesn't blow around and floors don't get nicked. We're surprised to find Hoover hasn't included a brushroll on/off switch for a machine at this price level.

It appears to us that Hoover is concentrating more on carpeting rather than floor cleaning with the Hoover U6634900. This model includes a dirtFINDER indicator light that turns green when the vacuum is no longer sensing that it is picking up debris. This light is your signal to stop vacuuming that area and move on to the next area. Watching the dirtfinder caused us to slow down and take more time vacuuming. As a result, we did a more thorough job of getting damaging grit and soil out of the carpet.

This WindTunnel U6634900 comes with the usual tools onboard and a powered hand tool. These tools are used with the attached hose and are nothing out of the ordinary. We recommend this Hoover model for highly carpeted one-story homes since it's on the heavy side.


Pros: Uses the dirtfinder sensor system to find where dirt is hiding
Cons: Heavier than average, HEPA filter will need replacement after a year or so, not recommended for lots of hard flooring

Warranty
1 year