Hoover 300 3in1 Cordless Vacuum: agile, dual LED lights and brushless motor, H-FREE 300 HOME HF322HM

Product Information

When it comes to really busting the dust, the right vacuum cleaner can be a lifesaver. We share our first impressions of Hoover’s new H-Free C300+. While we weren’t that impressed with the dusting brush, we found both the crevice and upholstery tools really powerful (less so in eco mode, of course), which is great if you’re regularly grappling with pet hair and skirting board dust.

The H-Free C300+ may look a little industrial at first sight, but it feels sturdy, performs really well and, crucially, won’t break the bank. Hoover is more than just Henry, that much is true. So when we were asked to try out their latest creation, the cordless H-Free C300+, we jumped at the chance.A light and fairly small hose clips over the handle for storage. The upper part of the handle offers a six-position height adjustment including slotting completely down into the lower half. To use the hose and detail tools, you have to pop up a slightly awkward clip on the floor-head and press and turn the hose into place. Tech Advisor's Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he's a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel. To reach those difficult-to-clean areas under chairs and sofas, the Hoover’s handle tilts and reclines very close to the ground, allowing the head to get under low obstacles. Three LEDs on the front light up the pet hair tumbleweed and dust in these darkened areas, although they’re not very bright compared to those on more affluent cordless uprights. Grey in colour and complemented with the deep-red Hoover logo on the front, the H-Free C300 looks neat and compact for an upright cleaner. With hard-floor, carpet and Eco modes, it promises comprehensive floor cleaning around the home and a super-long run-time – up to an hour on the Eco setting. Buttons are located conveniently on the front, below the telescopic handle that doubles as an extension tube for extra reach when using the detail tool.

Differing in style from other cordless vacuums in the H-Free range, especially when it comes to aesthetics and runtime, the C300+ is both powerful and lightweight.

A full charge took us just over 6 hours, as the manual suggested. That’s a seriously long time and clearly not going to see multiple cleaning sessions in the same day. Then again, if the Hoover does deliver on its promised 60 minutes run-time, that shouldn’t be a problem. There is a traditional bristle brush bar in the floor-head that rotates quite powerfully on the carpet mode, and is stationary on the hard floor setting. Likewise, the bar doesn’t rotate in Eco mode –which, combined with lower suction power and switching off the LED light, saves power and increases run-time. Out of the box, the C300+ looks a little old-fashioned with an unexciting grey and blue design, especially when compared to the slimmer H-Free 700. But, of course, looks aren’t everything. The same can be said of the hose. Releasing the upper section of the handle to use as an extension tube, push-fitting the hose in the floor-head and handle is a rather flimsy affair. It does give you fairly decent reach, however, and we effectively used the extension tube with the dusting brush to clean above canvas paintings.

The C300 cordless vacuum cleaner from Hoover houses all its workings, including motor, battery and filters, in the floor-head. That really makes it a cordless upright cleaner with no hand-held cleaning option, although you do get a tube, detail tools and a handle that doubles as an extension tube. The accessories clip on-board, and with the telescopic handle fully down, it’s compact and easy to store in low cupboards such as under the sink. Hoover was once such a big name in the vacuum cleaner world that here in the UK the brand basically supplanted ‘vacuum’ in the lexicon. But as much as we all talk about our hoovers, these days you’re probably more likely to think of Henry or Dyson when it comes to buying your next vacuum. For darker areas, there are three LED lights on the front of the floor-head although, strangely, they only come on in carpet mode. With the growing trend for hard floors like laminates, this seems an odd way of setting up the lights, particularly as we find LEDs most useful for spotting pet hair on hard floors. Sadly, the lights are pretty dull so their function is more decorative than useful anyway.

One area where the H-Free does better is in weight – at 2.2kg it’s noticeably lighter than Dyson and Philips equivalents, bested only by the 1.5kg It has a decent number of settings, a small selection of useful tools and volume levels that aren’t deafening, particularly in eco mode.