Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind, REVIEW

By William | May 5, 2017

A Critical Review of the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind Upright Vacuum!

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind is a full-size Bagless Upright Vacuum designed and equipped for Whole-House Cleaning.

Modestly priced the Hoover 71250 has features and attachments to clean all floor types, above-floor and stairs.

Hoover – the Company

Headquartered in Glenwillow, OH, Hoover is one of the most recognized names when it comes to Vacuum Cleaners.

For over 100 years Hoover has been manufacturing a diverse line of floor-care products that are generally considered to be dependable and of good value.

REVIEW

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel predecessors including the Hoover UH70105, UH70120,  UH70205, and the enduring pet hair model, the UH70210 were and still are top sellers in the Under $150 Bagless Upright class.

They are each characterized by powerful suction, functionality, and when properly maintained; longevity.

I purchased my old Hoover WindTunnel UH7000 in 2008 and it has seen a lot of hard use since that time.  As of April. 2021 I have only had to replace the belt once and recently the auto cord rewind finally quit working.  However, I still use it almost every day and the suction is as strong as when it was new.

That said to make the point that the NEW Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 has the same general design with the same time-tested motor that should also last for years if properly maintained.

Features

• Multi-Cyclonic Technology for No Loss of Suction
• Multi-Floor On/Off Brush Roll for cleaning all carpet and smooth floors
• 5 Setting Adjustable Floor Nozzle for maximum cleaning performance
• HEPA-Level Washable Filters w/ Odor absorbing Charcoal
• 16 Foot Extended Cleaning Reach with detachable stretch hose and telescopic Wand
• Performance Indicator Light lets you know when to clean filters
• Included: Pivoting Dusting Brush, Pet Turbo Tool, Detail Crevice Tool
• 3 Year Hoover Manufacture Warranty

Watch this Cool VIDEO of the Hoover WindTunnel UH71250 

 

Suction Power

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind 12 amp motor is rated input 1,320 watts and produces 80 watts/lb power-to-weight ratio which is about 13.5% more than others in the same class. That translates to comparable suction at the vacuum head as a Dyson DC41 Animal Complete.

Performance on Carpet

The NEW Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind performs exceptionally well on all carpet including low, medium, and long pile.

The Brushroll digs out deep down dirt trapped in matted down pile, leaving it looking fresh and groomed. The powerful suction is channeled evenly across the 13.5 inch cleaning path (WindTunnel Technology) to lift the dirt into the 1.29 Liter Capacity Dust Cup.

A 5 Setting, Manually Adjustable Vacuum Nozzle allows you to custom set the height for any carpet to get the maximum cleaning performance. My years in the carpet cleaning business have taught me just how important this feature is for vacuuming a variety of flooring including hardwood.

Performance on Hardwood and Smooth Floors

When you move from Carpet to Smooth or Hardwood floors the On/Off Floor Brush feature enables you to Disengage the Brushroll to prevent flinging debris such as pet food and litter all over the room.

You will need to adjust the Vacuum Nozzle down to its lowest setting to get the best performance. This arrangement works well for picking up loose dirt, dust and pet hair.  Large debris, including dry cereal or pet food, is easily sucked up.  The only issue with cleaning larger debris is you may need to rock the machine back slightly to allow room under the floor nozzle to pass.

I have found the best way to turn a Hoover WindTunnel into an awesome Hardwood Floor Vacuum is to purchase an inexpensive Horse Hair Floor Brush and use it on the Extension Wand with the stretch expansion hose. This arrangement works exceptionally well.

SEE: Turn your Old Vacuum into a Great Hardwood Floor Vacuum
Also SEE: Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors

Whole House Cleaning Features

Hoover did a good job of equipping the UH71250 WindTunnel 2 for taking care of all cleaning situations typically found in a home.

• Telescoping Wand – Especially important for homes with high ceilings is the Telescoping Wand that when used with the 12 foot Stretch Hose allows you 16 Foot of Reach from the vacuum cleaner. A Telescoping Extension Wand provides long reach for almost any ceiling fan.
• Pivoting Dusting Brush – The Hoover UH71250 comes with a Pivoting Dusting Brush designed specifically for cleaning ceiling fan blades. The UH71250 comes with two wand extensions which allow you to reach fan blades approx. 8 foot high from the floor. An extra one would be necessary to reach much higher.
• Precision Crevice Tool – Something you don’t typically read about in vacuum cleaner reviews is Filtration Soiling. Filtration Soiling is caused by air flowing from one room to the other through the gaps in the framing and sheet rock next to the floor, equalizing pressure which causes dirt to become trapped by carpet fibers. If not cleaned on a regular basis it can leave a permanent dark stain. The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 comes with a Precision Crevice Tool that allows you to easily clean in narrow tight places or along the wall/floor corner where you find filtration soiling.
• Pet Turbo Tool – If you share your home with pets the Pet Turbo Tool will be helpful for cleaning pet hair from furniture or stairs. As the name implies, power is generated by suction air passing over a turbine that spins the brush. The Hoover UH71250 has powerful enough suction and CFM air flow to make it effective for short-pile carpet but don’t expect it to do deep cleaning on medium to lush pile carpet.
• Multi-Floor Brush Roll – The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 features a 5 Position Manual Adjustment that allows you to custom adjust the Nozzle up or down to maximize the suction for any carpet pile. As far as I am concerned this is a significant Plus! Most of the new upright vacuums being introduced these days feature what they refer to as an “Auto-Adjusting Floor Brush.” It sounds like an improvement but it’s really just done for cost-cutting. On some of the higher priced vacuums such as Miele, Sebo, and Dyson an Auto-Adjusting Brushroll works fine. I prefer a Manual Height Adjustment as found on the new Hoover UH71250 and I believe you will too. You will get cleaner floors!

Convenience Features

Auto-Cord Rewind – Hoover has perfected this very useful feature. Instead of unwinding and rewinding the cord each time you vacuum, simply pull out as much cord as you need and when your done simply press the pedal with your toe and the cord rewinds automatically. I have found this to be one of the most worthwhile features you can put on a vacuum cleaner.

Performance Check Indicator – An LED Light located on top of the Dirt Cup lets you know when it’s time to clean the filter/s. I find this feature to be helpful in maintaining the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel.

Filtration and Allergy-Friendliness

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 is equipped with a Washable HEPA-Class Media Filter with Activated Carbon for absorbing odor.

Hoover has redesigned the Filter Compartment from the old WindTunnel making it much easier to access. Simply remove the dirt cup to access the filter located on the top. Wash it for a couple minutes, let it dry overnight, and re-install.

This filter arrangement does a good job of trapping most allergy-causing particulates. NOTE: If you suffer with Allergies or COPD Please SEE “Best Vacuum for Allergies GUIDE”

Watch this Brief VIDEO “How to Maintain the Powerful Suction in your Hoover WindTunnel”

 

Summary of the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2

In my review of the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind I didn’t find any surprises nor did I uncover any disappointments.

Overall, the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 performs as expected. The cleaning performance on carpet is on par with Dyson, Miele, and Sebo Uprights.

Hardwood and smooth floor cleaning capability is good but can be made better with an Optional Smooth Floor Brush. ALSO SEE “Best Upright Vacuum for Carpet and Hardwood Floors”

The powerful suction along with the TurboBrush Attachment make the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 an excellent pet hair vacuum. The Charcoal Activated filter helps minimize pet odor. Also READ: Best Vacuum for Pet Hair

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind does not have swivel steering making it less nimble when it comes to maneuvering. A small physically challenged person may find it a bit of a workout to use on carpet, especially in a large home. Comparable to other Full-Size Uprights, the 17 lb. overall weight could make it a handful to carry up or down stairs.  However, with suction power, large dirt capacity, and features also comes weight.

The Attachments that come with the UH71250 are decent and all work as advertised.

The 25 foot power cord is adequate length for most rooms but 30 ft. would have been better if your home is exceptionally large. The Auto-Rewind in my opinion gives the Hoover UH71250 a decided advantage over the competition that lacks this feature.

Also SEE:  My Full REVIEW of the New Hoover MAXLife Pro Pet Swivel UH74220PC

Hoover uses good motors in their WindTunnel Series that just keep going and going!  As I mentioned above mine is over 12 years old and the suction is just as strong as when it was new.  Accordingly, as with any vacuum cleaner, its important to keep the filters clean and don’t overfill the dirt canister.

The Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind compares feature for feature with the BISSELL CleanView Complete Pet Rewind Bagless Upright Vacuum, 1319,  I personally believe the Hoover UH71250 is the better value.

UPDATE:  Although there are newer models now available, the Hoover UH71250 WindTunnel 2 Whole House Rewind still offers a whole lot of value for a very modest price.  My recommendation is to grab this vacuum while they are still available.   

 

Also SEE:  Best Upright Vacuums Under $100