Hoover Air Lift Deluxe Vacuum

Avg. consumer rating = 80/100 

The Hoover Air Lift Deluxe is another upright that provides the popular lift away canister feature (similar to those we have seen with the Shark Lift Away and Bissell Lift Off vacuums).  Consumer ratings are average but the unit isn’t too pricey and it does perform well on carpet.  It also includes a host of tools and the swivel nozzle is remarkably maneuverable.  However it is a hefty machine and quite a few owners report having issues with the vacuum weight.  The Air Lift canister itself is also on the heavy side but it is a great feature for cleaning stairs and getting into hard to reach areas.

Quick Specs
Type	Upright
Bagged/Bagless	Bagless
Best for...	Bare Floors & Carpet
Pet Hair Features	Yes
Approx. Weight	17.1 lbs
HEPA Filter	Yes
Power Cord Length	30 ft
Motor Driven Brushbar	Yes
Warranty	5 Years

 

Consumer Ratings
Like most Hoover vacuums, consumer comments and ratings for the UH72511 are in abundance.  This is a good thing as such a large pool of information increases the accuracy of the score.  When the 1300+ ratings for this machine were averaged (see table below) they resulted in a score of 80.2 out of 100 (or about 4 stars out of 5).  This is respectable but not fantastic.  The average score on this site for an upright is about 81 (for all brands).  You can see score comparisons in our upright vacuum cleaner ratings table or on our Vacuum Cleaner Finder page.

Source	Consumer Rating	#Ratings
Amazon	3.8 stars out of 5	237
Best Buy	4.4 stars out of 5	366
Home Depot	3.9 stars out of 5	375
Kohl's	3.8 stars out of 5	181
JC Penney	3.9 stars out of 5	172
Wayfair	4.6 stars out of 5	10

 

What Are Owners Saying?
A thorough review of owner comments has yielded the following pros and cons:

PROS
- Works well on carpet
- Brushroll can be turned on and off
- Comes with a number of tools
- Moves easily and quite maneuverable
- Air Lift feature is great for stairs
- Reasonably long power cord

CONS
- Heavy machine
- Tools frequently fall off
- Hose feels a bit short
- Tips easily (when using hose)
- Canister (Air Lift feature) is heavy
- Handle is not robust and feels fragile

Probably the biggest “issue” owners have with this vacuum is its weight.   People complain that it is heavy and awkward to lift.  Quite a few people have returned the unit for this reason alone.  We note that this Hoover is about the same weight as a full size Dyson upright like the Dyson DC65 or the Dyson Ball Animal 2 for example.  For some reason the Dyson units don’t seem to evoke the same level of complaints about weight, but perhaps people expect the less expensive Hoover to be lighter than a Dyson (?).  In our opinion the Dyson uprights are on the heavy side and so is this vacuum.

Also, the distribution of weight in the vacuum has quite a few people annoyed.  The machine tends to be top heavy.  When vacuuming normally (in upright mode) this isn’t a big issue but when using the hose, wand and tools the machine tips easily.  When the hose starts to get stretched out it quickly pulls the vacuum cleaner over.  Some people have even commented that they have had furniture scratched or banged-up as the vacuum has toppled into it unexpectedly.

Another concern for folks is that the Air Lift canister itself is heavy.  Quite a few owners report that it can be difficult to carry for long periods of time.  

An additional issue that has left owners unimpressed relates to the on-board tools - they frequently fall off.  This refers to the tools being carried on-board the vacuum – not the tools when they are being used on the end of the hose or wand.  The tools falling off is not a deal breaker for most folks but more of an annoyance.  Many simply give up attaching the tools to the vacuum.  

With respect to suction, the bulk of owners report that the Air Lift Deluxe has strong suction, but there are some folks who feel it is insufficient.  

Performance on carpet and bare floors is something of a mixed bag.  Most people feel the performance on carpet is good and that the vacuum is also quite capable when it comes to removing pet hair.  On bare floors the verdict is about 50/50.  Some feel it does a good job while others do not.

Longevity of the unit may be an issue as we have seen several complaints about things breaking or features no longer working, etc.  These things tend to occur in the first several months however and should be covered by the warranty – although there is the hassle factor to consider.

Owners are pleased at the host of tools provided with the vacuum and, for the most part, are also pleased with the capabilities and performance of the tools.  Despite the weight of the vacuum there are also a surprising number of comments alluding to the easy maneuverability of the vacuum.  It moves easily on carpet and bare floors and effortlessly steers around furniture.  It can also lay almost flat which helps it get under lower furniture.  Cleaning reach, while limited by a shortish hose and wand, is aided by a reasonably long power cord.

Owners like the Air Lift feature, especially for doing stairs.  As mentioned, the Air Lift canister is on the heavy side, but overall the feature is still popular.  There are many comparisons to Shark Lift Away machines (as one would expect) and the bulk of these comparisons point to the Shark units being superior.  You may wish to see some of our Shark Lift Away reviews.

You can see more Air Lift Deluxe owner reviews on Amazon.

Technology
This is a bagless upright vacuum cleaner that uses multicyclonic technology (uses cyclones like most bagless machines today).  Multicyclonic technology involves sending the incoming air through several cyclonic cylinders which spin the air very rapidly.  As the air spins the dust and debris are forced out - via centrifugal force - and into the dust canister.  Multicyclonic technology helps to keep the filters cleaner longer and it provides no loss of suction as the dust canister fills (as opposed to many bagged vacuums where the suction can drop as the bag fills).  The UH72511 has 8 cyclones.

You will also see this vacuum advertised as having WindTunnel® 3 Technology (Hoover seems to call everything a “Technology”).

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Aside: A Word on WindTunnel Technology.  Hoover doesn’t provide much detail about their Windtunnel Technology but the following is what we have found – as nebulous as it is. The UH72511 uses Hoover’s WindTunnel 3 Technology.  The “3” apparently stands for 3 channels of suction.  Hoover's graphic depiction of WindTunnel 3 Technology is shown below:   We have also seen vacuums with WindTunnel 2 Technology which creates 2 channels of suction (and WindTunnel Technology with no prefix number which, not surprisingly, creates only a single channel of suction).  Hoover's graphic depiction of WindTunnel 2 Technology is shown below:  So, does this “technology” really help with cleaning ability?  Well, in theory it makes some kind of sense to spread the suction more uniformly across the nozzle via multiple suction channels, provided it doesn`t dilute suction too much, but we have yet to see/read any real proof of better cleaning results.  As a matter of fact we have even read reports from some owners that feel the additional channels result in uneven suction across the face of the nozzle.

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Air Lift Feature
A feature that makes this vacuum a little unique for a Hoover is what the company calls the “Air Lift” feature.  This is the same concept as the “Lift Away” feature which is so prominent in Shark vacuum cleaners and the “Lift Off” feature in some Bissell vacuum cleaners.  Essentially all these machines allow you to lift off the dust canister/motor assembly and carry it in one hand while using the hose/wand/tools with the other hand.  This feature is especially useful for stairs and even for getting into areas the upright vacuum simply can’t go.

We do note that the air lift feature on this machine is quite large and heavy when compared to the lift away feature on some of the Shark machines.  The image below shows the Air Lift feature on the UH72511 and the Lift Away feature on the Shark NV752.

Cleaning Head (Nozzle)
The vacuum also has automatic height adjustment so it transitions from carpet to bare floors without the need to bend down and change the nozzle height manually - many vacuums have a height dial on top of the nozzle.  The motorized brushroll in this unit can also be turned on and off.  This is important as you usually want the brushroll ON when cleaning carpet and OFF when cleaning bare floors (otherwise you get debris scatter and a spinning brushroll can sometimes even scratch delicate flooring).  We also notice that there is a scuff guard on the nozzle of the vacuum which helps reduce scrapes and scratches should you bump into walls or furniture.

Tools & Cleaning Reach
Four tools are provided with the UH72511 (we typically do not count the wand as a tool although some manufacturers do):
- 3-in-1 Pivoting Brush (3 different brush ends - see image below)
- Crevice Tool
- Turbo Tool
- Pet Hair Tool

All the tools can be carried on-board the vacuum and they fit on the end of the stretch hose or on the end of the included telescoping wand.  The stretch hose is 9.5 feet in length and comments from owners indicate some feel it is on the short side – which likely also means it is hard to stretch out to its full length (most of them are).  

The reach with the wand and tools is a full 11 feet.  The power cord on the vacuum is 30 feet in length, so, at least on paper, the unit has a cleaning reach of 30 + 11 = 41 feet.  This is respectable.

Filtration
There are 2 filters in the Hoover UH72511 – a pre-motor and a post-motor filter.  The pre-motor filter is rinsable and Hoover states that with proper maintenance it should not need replacing within the warranty period of vacuum.  If for some reason you require a new pre-motor filter make sure you ask for Hoover Part No. 440008153.  The post-motor filter on this vacuum is HEPA grade.  You can read about these types of filters in our article on HEPA filters if you wish.  To clean this filter you simply tap out the dirt and debris over a trash bin (you can’t wash this one!).  Again, like the pre-motor filter, it should last the warranty period of the vacuum.  If you need a new one make sure you ask for Hoover Part No. 440008154.

We did not find any indication that the Hoover Air Lift Deluxe has a sealed system.  Filters can struggle to do their job if the vacuum isn’t sealed properly.  A sealed system ensures that unfiltered air does not exit the vacuum.  Quite a few vacuums on the market today have both HEPA filtration and a sealed system (you can see several in our list of Allergy Vacuums).

Other Features & Specifications
The Air Lift is remarkably manueverable.  It has wheels and swivel steering which allow it to turn tightly and to move very well.  The handle also drops down making it easier to get further under low tables, etc.  In addition, the wheels are soft so they do not mar delicate flooring.

The dust canister is fairly generic.  It is clear so you can see the dust and debris and it is bottom empty.  It seems to work well.  It has a 1 litre capacity.

The vacuum weighs in at a hefty 17.1 lbs and this is heavier than most uprights today – although there are still popular uprights that are just as heavy or heavier.   If you like a lighter vacuum you can see our list of lightweight vacuum cleaners.  

The Hoover Air Lift Deluxe is UL listed.  UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories which is a non-profit, independent product safety certification organization in the United States.  The unit also carries a respectable 5-year limited warranty.

Vacuum Cleaner Manual
The manual covers the basics such as safety instructions, operating the unit, maintenance, a little bit on troubleshooting (although not much) and service & warranty details.  You can see the manual here:  Hoover Air Lift Deluxe UH725011