For close to 10 years , this model (under various names like Ultra and Anniversary and Turbopower) has been THE top-rated upright by Consumer Reports. Though heavy and comparatively noisy, it is one of the few tested uprights which offer excellent deep carpet cleaning, bare floor cleaning and strong airflow through the hose for above the floor cleaning. The only other uprights which come close to these test results are more expensive Mieles and the Kirby Sentria.
In real use, this self-propelled Hoover is fantastic for cleaning acres of wall-to-wall carpeting. Slide the bare floor adjuster and it's great for picking up large debris and dust bunnies on bare floors. Using this to clean above the floor surfaces is not the greatest. Though the suction is impressive, you can really only use the dusting brush and short hose for spot dusting of table surfaces and waist-level chairs and sofas. The lack of a suction control valve on the hose forces you to fight the hose to stretch it out to use far from the main unit. And the cheap plastic upholstery nozzle can easily damage delicate fabrics and stitching and draperies.
But beyond the shortcomings in tool-use, this is an amazing design for a carpet cleaner that has set the standard for about 10 years! Enjoy your toy!
