Hoover Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, Lightweight, Low Profile and Easy to Maneuver, LINXCordless Lithium Battery, WindTunnel Technology, Cordless Vacuum Cleaners for Home Use

I hate cleaning in general, and vacuuming in particular due to the noise, but after moving into an apartment with hardwood floors, I realized I had to find a way to frequently clean the floor because walking on a dusty hard floor is gross :( I tried Swiffer first, but it was not the ideal thing for picking up cat litter, and there's a small carpet in front of the litter box, which obviously can't be cleaned with a Swiffer. I decided to try this vacuum after reading the reviews here and I'm really glad I did. It's not the 100% ideal solution to my situation, but it's pretty darn close, and I think I'd have to invent something myself to get anything that works better.PROS:** Cordless -- I already had an old-fashioned corded canister vacuum with attachments, but I always hated using it because I felt like half of the time it takes me to vacuum is taken up with wrangling the cord, which just felt really inefficient. This thing being cordless lets me use it like a broom, just pick it up and use it wherever, which is super-convenient.** Good suction -- Since it's mostly hardwood in this apartment, I don't need anything super-powerful, but this vacuum seems to pack quite a punch. The cleaning seems just as effective as with my old corded vacuum.** Light -- I'm a total wuss so it used to tire me out when I lugged the canister vacuum around, which made the cleaning process extra painful and made me extra cranky. This vac is almost as light as my Swiffer mop, and pretty easy to maneuver, so it's pretty painless to use. It's only got the 2 wheels set in the back so it doesn't like turn the tightest corners, but my rooms are completely rectangular and my furniture arrangement is fairly open so I feel the degree of maneuverability is just fine for me.** Low profile -- It can't be as thin as my Swiffer mop, obviously, but I find it surprisingly easy to get under the edge of my furniture with this vac, and its edge suction is very good (I can see the gunk around it get sucked in) so it's very effective for cleaning under stuff. The handle also has a fairly large angle of swivel so I can really extend the vac under tables and stuff and still have the head lie flat.NEUTRAL:** Battery life -- I always store the battery unplugged, start each session with a full-charge, and drain the battery completely. I haven't noticed any decrease in battery life over the last couple months that I've had it, which is a good sign. For my 800ish sqft 1-bedroom apartment, the battery lasts just long enough to clean everything in one go if I work quickly and methodically (e.g. pick up any stuff off the floor first so I don't have to pause while vacuuming to clear the way). The battery drains significantly faster if you activate the roller brush, so if most of your flooring is carpet, this would probably not last long enough to clean a large room. Thus, the battery life limits the practical applicability of this vac. Unless you want to prepare 3 batteries to use interchangeably throughout a cleaning session (which might be worth it to you, depending on how much you hate heavy, corded vacs), this vac is really only suitable for spot-cleaning or for people living in small apartments with mostly hard flooring.** Bagless dirt chamber -- There are pros and cons about this aspect, and it comes out to a wash, for me. I do like that I don't have to worry about buying bags for this vac, making it both more environmentally friendly and lower maintenance. Also you can completely take the dirt chamber apart so you can clean it very thoroughly if you want, and restore it to just like new. But the way the dirt chamber opens is a little bit awkward, and it can take a little bit of shaking or nudging to get the flap door to open. I liked the idea of a dirt cup on some of the other models, which you can take out and empty with one hand, but I do have to admit that the way this chamber is designed is very clever and probably helps extend the vac's operational lifespan. Long fibers like hair gets wound around a pole in the middle (which is detachable so you can get all the stuff off it easily), most large particles fall to the bottom of the chamber, and lighter dust sticks on the chamber walls, which you can rinse off or wipe clean. There's a large foam filter at the top of the chamber which you can also clean to help the vac maintain suction. The way that all the gross stuff is trapped in visible, easy-to-clean places makes me feel confident that there isn't debris build-up inside the vac that will eventually clog it up and kill it. Of course, that does come at the cost of having to clean out all the gross stuff with your own hands, which is not a very pleasant experience, so all-in-all, it's a trade-off.CONS:** Roller brush -- It might be a bit unfair to call this a con, as your experience with it will depend on whether you have long hair. I have pretty long hair (about like 18 inches) and it tends to get wound up on roller brushes, and this vac is no exception. What would have been awesome is if the roller brush was removable so that I could use the vac without a roller brush for the majority of the floor, which is hardwood, and then just snap it on for the little bit of carpet. But I've never ever seen that feature in a vacuum so, oh well. The only way I can keep roller-brush vacs from burning out due to my hair is to manually clean the roller brush after every session, or to sweep before vacuuming. At least with this vac I can choose to not make the roller brush spin so my hair doesn't get wound quite so tightly around the brush, so it's slightly easier to clean out.** Noise level -- This is a bit nit-picky as (at the current level of technology) noise level seems directly proportional to suction power, so you can't really get a vac that cleans powerfully and is whisper-quiet. But my cat and I really do wish it didn't have to be so noisy.All in all, this vac really is the best product currently available to suit my purposes that I could find. My Swiffer mop might be lighter and quieter and not get tangled up with my hair, but it doesn't clean as much of my apartment as thoroughly as this vac can, so it's pretty much been retired, and now I use this vac for 100% of my floor cleaning. I like the way it's been engineered to be efficient and maintainable, and I don't mind the extra effort required outside of the actual vacuuming to perform the upkeep on it. It's definitely not indestructible, but so far my impression is, if you take care of it, it will take care of you for a long time. As with all tools, though, how well it works for you depends on your exact circumstances, so your user experience might be better or worse than mine. I can definitely guarantee that it's well-crafted and works exactly as advertised. Beyond that, I recommend you analyze your needs thoroughly and see if the features offered can fulfill those roles, because this is definitely not the only vacuum anyone could ever need.

UPDATE: April 12, 2019We are at almost 4.5 years now! The vacuum still works, but the motor is now very, very loud. I can't figure out the issue, but assume daily use it taking it's toll. The vacuum is showing some wear and tear on the handle (hasn't broken, just the rubber grip is peeling off a little), and the screws that hold the roller cover on the bottom are starting to strip (from removing the cover to clean the roller brush periodically). The batteries still hold a fair amount of charge, but less than before, obviously. I'm going to keep using this vacuum until it dies, but have begun looking for a replacement since the motor is making noises now. I'm considering just getting another so I can keep using the extra batteries. However, the lack of a hose and/or crevice tool is still a problem. In any case, this is a good vacuum and worth the cost! I'm very impressed by how long it has held up with daily use!UPDATE: July 18, 2017It's approaching three years and I'm still using this vacuum (with the original two batteries) every day! It still works great! Everything is still functional (still has great suction, roller still works, there's no breakage on the handle or body)! The only thing to fail was a small adhesive strip with a brush on the bottom that fell off after about a year or two - this doesn't affect the vacuum's functions though. The batteries are holding less of a charge - only about 15 mins now after almost three years of daily use. The loss of capacity is probably due to never removing the batteries from the charger once full (I just can't remember to do it). Since I only use this for light vacuuming, the loss of time hasn't really been a problem since I never need to fully use both batteries anyway. My favorite parts about this vacuum: powerful suction (picks up heavy things like pet food/crystal cat litter/pine needles), swappable batteries (change the battery and just keep going!) and it's upright (no need to lay the vacuum down while moving things/furniture). My least favorite parts: no hose or crevice tool (I can't clean everything with just this one vacuum). My original review and update below still stand! I'm still happy with this vacuum and would recommend it!UPDATE: August 15, 2015This vacuum is still working perfectly! I've had no problems with it at all. The two batteries are still holding a sufficient charge. I still think it is best suited for light vacuuming, but it can handle heavier jobs if needed. It picks up pet hair and long hair with no problems (just need to empty the bin and clean the roller head a little more often). The only thing I wished it had was a hose attachment so I could get those areas along baseboards, corners, etc. I’m still very happy with my purchase, and recommend this vacuum for daily use!Original Review:This is a great stick vacuum, and I only wish I had purchased it sooner! I’ve been in need for something to use for daily vacuuming to pick up crumbs, dust bunnies, and small bits of debris that getting tracked in daily. I always dread getting the big vacuum out and having to deal with the cord, so I was vacuuming less often than I should. I’ve been considering getting a Roomba, but I wasn’t convinced that it would work with our household (afraid the kids would try to ride the vacuum and crush it). Instead, I decided to try the Hoover Linx and couldn’t be happier!This isn’t a perfect vacuum, but the ease of use more than makes up for any of its shortcomings. It is basically a cordless vacuum that works great for doing daily light jobs. You may still need a regular corded vacuuming for heavier jobs, but if you are using this one daily you probably won’t need to use the regular vacuum nearly as often. I’m planning to buy this vacuum as a gift for some relatives that are still struggling with corded vacuums!Pros:-The most important of all: there are no cords to deal with! This is the best feature of the vacuum and the main reason to get it.-The vacuum is very easy to maintain. It is quick and easy to empty bin and to clean the filter (just rinse with water). If you have someone with long hair in the family, you might have to clean the roller brush more often, but that’s typical of any vacuum.-The vacuum is very lightweight. It’s easy to move from room to room, or up/down stairs. It’s light enough that my 4-year old can use it with ease. (On a side note: If you have a toddler/preschooler who wants a toy vacuum to play with, get them this one instead and they can actually vacuum while playing!)-This stick vacuum is not as loud as a regular vacuum. I can still speak with people near me while vacuuming without having to shut the vacuum off. I can’t do that with my regular vacuum.-The vacuum head is flat/thin enough that it can fit under most of my furniture. This is great for being more thorough during quick vacuuming.-The vacuum is relatively small and stores upright.-The suction is very good as long as the battery has enough charge. It’s very quick to vacuum tile/hard wood floors. On carpets, the roller brush makes it a quick job, but it might require a couple of passes for heavily soiled carpets. I recommend having a fresh battery before starting on carpets.Cons:-The battery life is short (about 15-30 mins). You're going to need at least two batteries, so purchase a spare battery now. Using the roller brush will use up battery power much faster. With two batteries, I can always finish whatever vacuuming I need done. The battery takes a couple of hours to charge, but it is always ready to go before I need it again.-The vacuum will lose suction before the battery dies. Although there is an indicator light for the battery charge, there is still a noticeable decrease in suction power once the indicator lights get to the last couple of settings. It’s not too bad if you are doing a light job, but you will definitely notice the loss of power on heavier jobs. Again, just get an extra battery and have it ready.-The vacuum will need maintenance, but it depends on how much you vacuum. If you are just using it for light vacuuming then the maintenance is pretty low (just empty the bin once in a while). If you use it for heavy vacuuming then you may have to empty the bin multiple times before you are finished. This vacuum is made for doing light jobs, but it can handle heavier jobs too, if need be. (I bought the vacuum right before Christmas and used it daily to clean up pine needles from the Christmas tree. It handled it like a champ!)-There is no detachable hose for vacuuming spaces/corners that are too big to fit the vacuum. This vacuum is best for open areas. There is a handheld version that uses the same batteries, so you might want to get that for tighter areas or cleaning things like lampshades, etc.