The Hoover LiNX Cordless is a little more like an upright vacuum than most of the others in our stick vacuum reviews, and that is a good thing in most ways. Our best overall pick has more suction than many competitors and a wider cleaning path, but it is also bulkier and harder to maneuver than our best value pick, the Dirt Devil Accucharge. These trade-offs might be worth it if for most people. You get a sort of hybrid – something that has most of the conveniences of a stick vacuum and almost the cleaning power of a full-size upright. Being cord-free and having long battery life makes this a good candidate for taking up and down stairs for specific cleaning tasks, or even just keeping as a second vacuum for the basement or another area of the house. It isn't recommended as one of the best vacuum cleaners for homes, though.
We spread sawdust across a section of medium-pile carpeting and hardwood flooring to see how our stick vacuum cleaners would perform. The LiNX was very strong on both tests, though there were others that cleared the carpeting in even fewer passes. It was noticeably good on the hardwood flooring test especially – it tied for the best score. Where other stick vacs spread the mess around, the LiNX did a good job of quickly cleaning it up. It also handled the pet hair pick-up with ease.
The cleaning path is a little wider on the LiNX than it is on many other models. It is only a slight difference, but that can add up when it gets a wider swath of flooring on every pass on bigger cleaning jobs.
You can switch the brushroll on or off to help you clean carpets or hardwood flooring better, depending on the situation. There is also a power gauge that lets you know how your battery life is holding up so you can prioritize cleaning tasks.
This stick vac is very easy to use in most ways, though its head only partially swivels. You do not have to pick up the head or force the machine around all corners, but it is sometimes easier to do so than to use the limited range of the swivel design. One feature on the plus side for ease of use is the low profile and the fact that the handle reclines to an almost-flat position, making it easy to go under furniture when needed.
The bagless design of the LiNX makes it easy to empty. There are no bags to deal with and the dust bin is see-through so you know when it is time to head to the trash can. It also stores more than most competitors, which means you don't have to stop and empty it as often.
This is one of the best cordless stick vacuum cleaners based on intelligent design features. It is the quietest in our comparison, and even though it is a little bulkier than others, there are still many that weigh more. You're getting a lot of cleaning power, pound for pound, with this vacuum.
The LiNX runs for a very long time on one short charge. You can get 20 minutes of cleaning time on just a three-hour charging session. That is impressive when you compare it with others that run about the same amount of time, but take much longer to charge. The cleaning power stayed consistently good during our testing, too, from the start of the fully charged battery to the end.
This is not one of the stick vacuum cleaners that offer an integrated hand vac. If you have a hand vac already for small-scale jobs like vacuuming out the car, this will matter less, but there is some value in getting two vacuums in one purchase like you do with certain competing models. Also, this one does not have many tools. It is just the basic stick vac – no crevice tool or dusting brush or anything else. Those tools are not all that common on this type of vacuum, but we still like to see them included, when possible.
The LiNX lacks accessories and is a little bigger than most stick vacs, but it has more cleaning power to go with its girth. The short charging time is surprising considering how long its run time is, and it can clear away various messes, including pet hair, on both hardwood flooring and carpeting, with ease.
