While the G-Tech HyLite is smaller and can fit in a drawer, it isn’t significantly smaller than the Hoover H-Free 500. If you’re after a vacuum that you can fit easily out of the way, the Hoover H-Free 500 is by far the most powerful of the two. Sound levels weren’t too bad: I measured the Hoover H-Free 500 at 78.8dB maximum on regular mode and 84.3dB on Turbo mode. This compares well with the competition. Should you buy the Hoover H-Free 500? verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Ideal for apartments or smaller homes, H-FREE 500 is under 70cm in height in storage mode, allowing you to keep it in a cupboard. The parking position allows it to stand up unaided, without needing to wall mount. H-FREE 500 makes light work of cleaning your floors, with a rotating brush bar that can be activated to deep clean carpets, plus a turbo mode for when you need an extra boost of power.

H-FREE 500 has 3 handy accessories stored onboard : combining crevice, dusting and upholstery functionality. A pets turbo brush is also included in the box, with rotating bristles to loosen pet hairs from your cushions or sofa.The brushless motor keeps suction strong, for up to 40 minutes of continuous performance in auto mode**. The LED ring turns red to let you know when it's time to charge the battery, so that you won't run out of power unexpectedly. On a single six-hour charge, the Hoover H-Free 500 is rated to last for up to 40 minutes on standard mode. This drops down to 25 minutes if you use the motorised floor brush. In Turbo mode, this drops down to just eight minutes. Given that I had to switch on Turbo mode regularly to clean up bigger spills, this isn’t a vacuum cleaner I could use for my entire house. Instead, I see it as a tool for smaller properties or as an addition to a plug-in vacuum cleaner.