Hoover Impulse Cordless Vacuum Review
- Details
Avg. consumer rating = 79/100
This is another in a long line of vacuums capitalizing on the Dyson stick vacuum design. That’s not a bad thing. The design is popular for many good reasons. These kinds of vacuums are typically light, easy to use, and very versatile. The Hoover Impulse BH53020 is no exception and it is lightweight, has plenty of suction, and can be used as a stick vac as well as a handheld vacuum. It also has two power modes, three tools, and easily accessible controls. However, it is a little on the loud side and some owners report that it feels a bit top heavy. In addition, it is best for light cleaning and is not really designed for heavy duty work.
Quick Specs | |
Type | Stick Vac |
Bagged/Bagless | Bagless |
Best for... | Bare Floors & Carpet |
Pet Hair Features | No |
Approx. Weight | 5.6 lbs |
HEPA Filter | No |
Power Cord Length | Cordless |
Motor Driven Brushbar | Yes |
Warranty | 2 Years |
Consumer Ratings
We have scoured the Internet for consumer ratings of the Impulse and we have found 28 ratings from two sources. We have removed ratings that are the result of receiving a free product. While these may or may not influence a rating, by removing them we have optimized our confidence in the score. To calculate the score we perform a weighted average which, in this case, works out to 79.4 out of 100 (or about 4 stars out of 5). This is a fairly average score. You can compare it to our other stick vacuum ratings. You can also see all the ratings on our site in our Vacuum Cleaner Finder application.
Source | Consumer Rating | # Ratings |
Amazon | 3.9 stars out of 5 | 8 |
Target | 4.0 stars out of 5 | 20 |
![]() |
![]() |
A thorough review of owner’s comments has provided the following pros and cons as well as some insights into other vacuum characteristics and features.
- Strong suction
- Both a stick vac and a handheld vacuum
- Good for quick pickups
- Not too expensive
- Fairly good on smooth surfaces & pet hair
- Lightweight
- Easy access controls
- Lockable trigger
- Have to clean filter frequently
- A bit on the loud side
- Feels top heavy
- Smallish dust canister
- Average on carpet
- No HEPA filter
- Fixed battery (not swappable)


- Hoover Impulse Vacuum
- Crevice Tool
- Upholstery Tool
- Dusting Brush
- Wall Mount
- Charger
- Tool Storage Bag
- Extra Filter
This cordless stick vacuum is similar to many others presently on the market in that it is a lightweight 2-in-1 machine. With the cleaner head and wand it is a stick vacuum. With the cleaner head removed it is a handheld with a long wand (great for overhead cleaning and getting into cramped quarters). And with the cleaner head and wand removed it is a typical handheld vacuum.
Tools
The Impulse comes with three tools:
- Crevice tool
- Dusting brush
- Upholstery tool

The Impulse is a cord free vacuum that uses a 28 Volt Lithium Ion battery. This kind of battery provides what is sometimes called “Fade-Free Power”. What this means is that it will generate the same power output until it stops. It does not slowly fade over time. So when you vacuum you will not notice fading power as you are vacuuming. You will get the same power until – bang – the machine just turns off. The vacuum should run for approximately 18 minutes on a full charge.

The dust canister is easy to empty. Pressing a button/latch on the bottom releases the door and the dust and debris simply fall out. The canister is a little on the small side however and it has a capacity of 0.4 liters. For comparison purposes see the dust canister capacities of some popular stick vacs below:
Dyson V10 Absolute = 0.76 liters
Shark IONFlex = 0.33 liters
The cleaner head on the Impulse has a motor driven brushroll. Sometimes these get hair wrapped around them and require cleaning. Fortunately the Impulse brushroll can be easily removed (by pushing a button) for cleaning. This is a bristled brushroll and Hoover calls it a “multi-floor brushroll”. The vacuum only comes with the one cleaner head so it is used for all surfaces. You can see the cleaner head in the image below:

The vacuum weighs 5.6 lbs which is similar in weight to most of the Dyson stick vacuums. This is indeed lightweight when compared to many other stick vacuums. Swivel steering helps with maneuvering and steering the vacuum.
The filter is easy to access and to remove. It can be rinsed in warm water so there is no need to replace it when it gets dirty. When the filter is completely dry (typically after 24 hrs or so) it can be placed back in the vacuum. Hoover has provided a second filter which is helpful as you can use it while the other one is drying. Note that the filter is not HEPA grade. This is not a vacuum that is going to do a good job filtering allergens out of the air in your home.

The vacuum controls are on the handheld unit and consist of two buttons that are accessible with your thumb. One button relates to power and the other relates to floor mode. Hoover calls this control interface the dashboard.
Boost mode light on = Boost power mode
Hard floor light on = Hard floor mode. Brushroll spins more slowly to reduce scatter.
Hard floor light off = Carpet mode. Brushroll spins more rapidly for deeper cleaning.
The Hoover Impulse BH53020 carries a two-year warranty. This is the same length of warranty you get with a Dyson stick vacuum, however many of the Shark stick vacs carry a 5-year warranty.
The manual for the impulse is rather short but the vacuum is not particularly complicated. The manual covers such things as: What’s In the Box, Assembly, Mounting the Wall Bracket, Charging, Controls, Using the Vacuum, Emptying the Dust Canister, Removing the Brushroll, Maintaining the Filters/Dust-Canister/Separator, and Warranty Information. You can view a copy of the manual here: Hoover Impulse Cordless Vacuum Manual
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|