Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: compact and cordless convenience

T3's Hoover HF2 review in a sentence: A slimline cordless vacuum that makes light work of dusting duties thanks to its slender design.

Hoover has released quite a few cordless and corded vacuums in recent years and I’ve tried most of them. I’ve been very pleased with most models too and they do exactly what they’re designed for. No problem with that. Now though, there’s this, the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner and the big difference in terms of convenience is the compact styling and weight. This vacuum weighs in at just 2.4kg, which I’m mighty pleased about.

Don’t get me wrong, the likes of the Hoover H-Upright 300 Pets and the more recent Hoover HF9 Cordless Vacuum, get the job done, but they’re a little more bulky. I frequently need to get outside and vacuum the interior of my car, so the Hoover HF2 makes a lot more sense in this cleaning scenario. Likewise, it’s been designed for quick and easy forays into trickier areas. Crucially, if you have pets, it’s great to whip out and deal with those balls of fluff and hair that seem to endlessly accumulate around the house.

Granted, the Hoover HF2 has competition, as you’ll find from our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide. The rival options don’t just stop there either, as the best Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners guide highlights. You might just want to explore the best vacuum cleaners if you prefer something that plugs in to the mains or the best robot vacuum instead.

In the meantime, here’s why I’m smitten by the Hoover HF2.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: Price and availability

The Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner with ULTRA COMPACT X3 and Anti Hair Wrap, to give the appliance it’s full official title, is available now. It can be purchased either directly from Hoover, or from multiple online retailers including Amazon. It’s priced competitively too and, at the time of writing, is on offer with a price of £169, down from £239. This is for the single battery Pet Edition. A Home Edition variant, with a single battery, costs £219.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: What is it?

This is a cordless stick vacuum, which makes it one of many out there on the market. However, I think one of the main strengths of the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner is its compact design, which immediately makes it more useful for certain users. For example, I’ve found that it’s really useful for cleaning the car because of the slender design. That’s good news if you’ve got pets too, as it’s really easy to get the appliance into tight spots where pet hair can accumulate.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: Is it any good?

The Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner model comes with the appliance itself and also in the box is a motorised pet brush, which is like a smaller version of a regular cleaning head. There’s a manual too, but to be honest this has to be one of the easiest vacuums to use and requires very little in the way of setup. Just to give you an idea of those compact dimensions, it measures 110cm high x 25cm wide x 20cm deep, so there’s not much to it.

Then there’s the weight, which is just 2.4kg and that includes the battery. Admittedly, what is gained in convenience due to the featherlight nature of this model, there is a little lost in bin capacity as the one litre smallish container is not that big. However, this is one of those ‘little and often models’ so that’s not likely to be an issue. Plus, the bagless bin is easily emptied into a larger receptacle via a hinged opening on the bottom.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: Performance

I know a lot of folks tend to eschew cordless models in favour of those with a mains cable as they’re by and large more powerful. I’m inclined to agree with that, and many cordless appliances do lack a little oomph when it comes to tackling tough areas. The Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner is a good middle ground option. It’s clear to see and hear the limitations of this model, but, the trade-off is that it’s so much easier to use for those problem areas.

It's been super handy for cleaning the interior of my car, but I’ve also found it to be really good for high up areas, such as capturing those long cobwebs that collect along rooflines and in corners. I also have a stairwell and landing area that is particularly tricky to tackle with a larger vacuum, so again, the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner works to great effect somewhere like that.

Controlling the suction of this model is done in much the same way as other variants in the Hoover range. There’s a button on the top of the unit, which can be pressed with your thumb along with a turbo boost button just in front of that for the occasional burst of extra suction. Used sparingly, this gives the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner a run time of up to 40 minutes, which is about the norm for a cordless model. I found the charging time of 3.5 hours to be spot-on too.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: Verdict

Admittedly, in terms of features and performance, the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner isn’t offering anything radically different. However, I’m giving this model the thumbs up as it’s so lightweight and easy to use in less convenient locations. If you struggle with heavier vacuums, or those which have less generous hoses, this model will make a lot of sense. If you’ve got pets then even more so, thanks especially to the mini brush, which is a real boon.

Lookout for other highlights too, like the illuminated main brush, which is good for those dark corners. The bin capacity is limited, but for a vacuum of this type, isn’t really an issue and emptying it is a doddle. Overall, I’d say the Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner is perfect even though it isn’t the most powerful model to ever hit the marketplace.

Hoover HF2 Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner review: Alternatives to consider

If you’re quite keen on the Hoover brand then I’ve enjoyed a lot of time using the H-Upright 300 Pets model, although it’s getting on a bit now. Alternatively, there’s the more recent Hoover HF9 Cordless Vacuum, which I’ve reviewed not so long ago and that too is an excellent compact and portable solution, without a cord obviously and can be had for a decent price.

Of the other brands I’m keen on, the Tower VL100 Optimum Cordless 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner is a very good and so is the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute if you’re a fan. Lookout too for the Gtech AirRAM Platinum, which is another premium stick solution.

Elsewhere, the Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ202UK is another well-respected brand that demands your attention if you're not convinced by either of the other two models mentioned above, especially as it comes with Anti Hair Wrap tech. This uses a series of prongs to prevent long hair and threads from wrapping around the cleaning roller.