Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 - An Impulse Buy Gone Right
Written: Sep 24 '05
Product Rating:
Ease of Use:
Durability:
Ease of Cleaning:
Style:
Pros: Extracts water well, fairly priced, simple and neat, cleans well
Cons: Heavy - A "Beast" to lug up and down stairs
The Bottom Line: Solidly constructed, fairly priced, does an adequate job cleaning and doesn't leave carpets soaked... a pain to drag up and down stairs - Heavy!
michiman1's Full Review: Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac Upright Vacuum
We purchased the Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge as a bit of an impulse buy well over a year ago. We were considering cleaning our carpets but I had long ago decided I would never rent one of those impossible to use store rentals again. I refused to use a cleaner that entailed hooking up a hose to our faucet and dragging 20 or more feet of hose around the house... We wanted something simple and effective. When we selected this machine, I believe we got exactly what we bargained for.
We selected this model in part because we had such good luck with our previous Hoover vacuum. That vacuum offered over twelve years of problem free service so Hoover was first and foremost on our minds as we made our final selection. This particular Hoover model comes with a number of features which make this machine a great choice.
- 12 AMP motor
The marketing folks at Hoover will tell you that the Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge is designed with a powerful 12 amp motor. After using this machine for some time, I feel it does a very effective job extracting the water out of the carpet as we clean. To my way of thinking the 12 amp motor delivers plenty of power and suction to the machine. How does this power rating compare to other machines on the market? As I write this, I have absolutely no idea. What I do know is this machine works - We're quite pleased.
- Heated cleaning system
At this point, I better attempt to answer the question you may have in mind. Does this carpet cleaner heat the water and solution while cleaning? My best answer is… kind of… While Hoover suggests heat is not essential for deep cleaning carpets, the latest version of the Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge, the V2, actually will provide heat to the solution at the carpet level. Hoover has designed this machine to deliver the warm air from the motor down to the carpet through the spin brushes. Older cleaners usually relied on heated tap water alone(approx. 140 degrees), assuming things such as average use time and tap water temperatures. This design feature may slightly extend the time and temperature your pre-heated water is worked into your carpet but in essence the real answer to your question is no. While this heat does little to assist in the cleaning function, the greatest advantage to this heating system stems from it’s ability to speed drying. I'm not exactly sure how effective this feature really is but regardless, the machine does extract water well and carpet drying times are reasonably short.
- SpinScrub™ Multiple Rotating Brush System
The manufacturer designed this machine with the SpinScrub™ brush system to give consumers the ability to give their carpets a deeper cleaning. The spinning brushes help bring new life to carpets. I was near the point of replacing our twelve year old bedroom carpet because the traffic areas had obvious discoloring and crushed nap when we cleared it to paint. It took our Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge just about an hour to make me second guess myself. The carpet nap was revitalized and the high traffic and dirt areas cleaned up well, nearly matching areas always covered by furniture. I feel a good portion of the machines cleaning ability are directly related to the SpinScrub™ brush system.
You do have the option to stop the brushes from turning should you desire to. The manufacturer placed a three position switch on the head of the steam cleaner. Consumers are given the choice to allow the brushes to turn either on high or low speeds as well as turning them off all together.
- SpinScrub™ Powered hand tool for cleaning stairs & upholstery
Hoover has included an extra tool that is conveniently stored on board and is design for use on stairs or upholstery. The extra cleaning head with 3 spinning brushes can be placed on the end of the extension tube for hard to reach areas. I was able to extend the head up 7 risers which is sufficient length to clean a normal fight of steps... half from the top and half from the bottom. I have yet to use this tool on upholstery so I can't honestly comment on it's effectiveness there but it seemed to do an adequate(maybe not perfect) job on our stairs.
- Two separate translucent tanks for clean solution and dirty water
The Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge makes use simple with it’s two clear tanks for quick inspection of cleaning solution and recovery tank. With a simple glance, you will notice if you are running low on cleaning solution as you clean. It is equally easy to inspect the level in the recovery tank to determine the need for emptying. The vacuum head is designed with a translucent plastic which also aids in determining the recovery tank is full and no longer extracting water.
- REMOVABLE Rotating Brushes for quick rinse cleaning
The brushes located at the base of the machine are designed to be easily removed after use for quick cleaning. All five lower brushes detach from the unit simultaneously with one simple clip mechanism. The brushes snap back in place just as easily after cleaning is complete.
- No belts to change, break, or replace
Anyone who owns a vacuum or steam cleaner is painfully aware of the need to regularly replace broken belts. The folks at Hoover also designed this model to run without the need for any belts what so ever. There’s no hassle of changing broken belts or the costs associated with their purchase as well.
- Cleaning Solutions Included: One 16 oz. Carpet/Upholstery Detergent
Also included with the unit is a 16 oz. bottle of Hoover Advanced deep-cleaning carpet and upholstery cleaner. The solution is designed to be diluted with water and was enough to clean a normal sized bedroom and very large family room with solution to spare.
- Full One Year Warranty
Hoover has covered the unit against factory defects and workmanship with a full one year warranty. The manufacturer’s warranty will include all parts and labor for repairs at either factory service centers or Hoover authorized warranty service dealers.
Final Thoughts And My Recommendation
If there's one thing some consumers may dislike about this appliance, it may be the weight of the unit. I don't find it particularly hard to move across the carpet but is certainly is a beast to move between floors.
Cleaning the SteamVac is fairly simple and we have had no trouble with clogging or loss of suction thus far. On one instance the machine lost suction. We simply unlatched the recovery tank and repositioned it on the appliance and went on without another problem.
To date, we have been more than satisfied with our purchase. We purchased the unit at a cost of $169.00, a cost that makes this appliance a fair value. I feel this way since Hoover has manufactured a machine that appears quite durable and well built. I like the fact that all the tools attach to the main chassis and stay in place while in use. Epinions always ask reviewers to answer the question: "Would you recommend this product to a friend?" To this question, I must say I already have. I also recommend the purchase of the Hoover SteamVac F5914-900 with Clean Surge to readers of this review as well.
To contact Hoover via USPS or phone:
Hoover Company USA
240 Edwards Street
Cleveland, TN 37311
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