REASONS TO BUY
Convenient
Decent battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
Average at cleaning
Harder to use
Hoover no longer makes this version of the Linx vacuum.
Hoover Linx BH50010 Review
This not particularly impressive vacuum cost more than models that substantially outperformed it
RELATED: Best Stick Vacuums
Our Verdict
Finishing towards the bottom of our test group, the Hoover Linx is a relatively bland vacuum that costs more than its performance warrants. This model has some convenience factors that we appreciate, but overall we still find it a little difficult to use. It offers unimpressive cleaning performance on both hard and soft floors and pales in comparison to the performance of the top vacuums we tested. If you can find it on sale, it could still be a decent buy, but there are quite a few other models — even some that are cheaper — that we would more readily recommend. Not sure if a stick vacuum is what you need? Check out our other vacuum reviews.
Our Analysis and Test Results
This cordless stick vacuum has a decent battery life but can't match the cleaning prowess of the top products in this category. This reality is a bit of a disappointment when you consider the semi-premium price. The Linx wasn't our favorite by any means — but it also wasn't the absolute worst product we tested.
Performance Comparison
The Hoover Linx.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Convenience
Earning the most weight out of all the rating metrics that we looked at, this metric consisted of evaluating how well each stick vacuum could clean non-floor areas of the home, how it was stored, its weight, and whether it was corded or cordless. We also considered far the cord could reach or how long the battery lasted — whichever was applicable. This type of vacuum should be more convenient to use than a traditional style product.
The Linx started this metric with a poor showing, having no way to transform into a handheld vacuum or other attachments suited for cleaning areas that aren't the floor. However, this model is cordless and has one of the longer battery run times out of the group. The Linx is also stable enough to be freestanding, allowing you to store it away in any closet rather than a dedicated wall mount. This vacuum was about average in terms of weight, measuring at 5.7 pounds. It would have scored higher, but it was significantly hurt by the lack of versatility and the limit of only cleaning floors.
A cordless vacuum is usually best suited for light messes.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Hard Surface Cleaning
Next, in terms of significance, the ability to clean hard surfaces made up 30% of the score for each vacuum. We spread pet hair, oats, flour, rice, and Cheerios on a sample section of hardwood laminate floor and compared the performance of each vacuum at cleaning up the various types of debris. The Linx again failed to distinguish itself, earning a middle-of-the-road score for its mediocre showing.
This vacuum didn't do a terribly good job collecting rice in the suction-only mode meant for hard floors, accumulating rice on the non-rotating brush head. We needed to turn on the brush roll to pick up all the rice effectively. The Linx was also about average when collecting flour, though it left plenty of residual flour behind in the cracks between boards, lacking the suction power to extract it fully.
The Linx got all of the surface flour without issue, but left some in the cracks.
Credit: Austin Palmer
The Linx continued its average performance into our cereal test, doing a fine job collecting Cheerios. The impressively average showing also continued into the final two tests of this metric: pet hair pickup and oat collection. It managed a decent job with the pet hair and collected all of the oats in a single pass, but some would become trapped in the undercarriage of the vacuum, only to fall free when moving the vacuum or putting it away.
The Linx did an acceptable job on hard floors.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Use
Accounting for 20% of the total score for each stick vacuum, this metric graded each product on the different cleaning modes available, how well each product cleaned under furniture or in close to edges, and the noise produced. The Linx delivered a slightly subpar performance.
This model was not the easiest to use.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
This model lacks cleaning modes with different suction levels but can engage or disengage the rotating brush roll. It doesn't clean particularly close to edges, though, and left a non-trivial amount of rice behind when we assessed this.
The Linx left behind plenty of rice along the edges.
Credit: Austin Palmer
The Linx also didn't particularly excel at cleaning under a sofa or other similar pieces of furniture, only reaching about 9.5 inches under our simulated sofa — significantly less than the 37 inches of some of the top models.
The Linx has an excessively short reach.
Credit: Austin Palmer
On the plus side, this model is one of the quieter ones of the group. It also has swivel steering for increased maneuverability, but unfortunately, it's so limited that it might as well not even be present.
Carpet Cleaning
Finishing out our review, we compared the skills of each vacuum at cleaning soft floors. Making up the remaining 15% of the overall score, this metric consisted of evaluations on flat and fluffy carpet with the same debris types as our hard surface tests. The Linx again delivered an average performance, doing an acceptable job collecting rice. It took about three passes to clean the flat carpet and six to take care of the fluffy carpet with little residual rice was left behind. However, the Linx struggled with cleaning up flour, delivering one of the worst performances of the group on flat carpet.
Plenty of residual surface flour remained after the Linx cleaned this section.
Credit: Austin Palmer
The cereal collection test went a bit better, with the Linx getting the vast majority of the Cheerios from flat carpet with only a few stragglers left behind. It did a phenomenal job on fluffier carpet, rivaling some of our top contenders. Pet hair and oat removal were average; the Linx got most of the debris in both cases but took a little bit of time and a decent number of passes to sufficiently clean the carpet.
The Linx did an acceptable job at sucking up debris from carpet.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Should You Buy the Hoover Linx?
Probably not. This vacuum isn't a stand-out in any test metric, and it offers a lackluster performance compared to the competition. While we can see why some people will be attracted to the Hoover name or the lower price, we think better functioning options are available no matter your goals.
What Other Stick Vacuum Should You Consider?
The Hoover is one of the lowest scoring options in the review, making most options better choices. If budget is a concern and you considered the Linx for its economical price, we recommend the Moosoo XL-618A. This product earned a better overall score and showed higher performance in key metrics during testing. It has a similar price point, and we think it will be less frustrating to use. It earned one of the better scores for convenience and has higher scores in each metric than the Linx.
—
David Wise and Austin Palmer
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