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Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM review

No. 10 of 10 in our cordless vacuum cleaners ranking · Updated · How we rank

Our verdict: The Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM ranks 10th of the 10 cordless vacuum cleaners we compare, with 8.1 out of 10.

Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM

8.1/10

The Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM is a light cordless stick with a 0.45L bin and a removable 22V battery. It suits small homes, stairs and quick tidy-ups better than a whole-house clean.

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Why it's here

  • Around 2.2kg as a stick and 1.7kg as a handheld
  • Parks at only 69cm tall, so it fits a cupboard
  • On-board 2-in-1 dusting tool and an integrated crevice tool
  • Replaceable battery

Keep in mind

  • Up to 40 minutes in auto, dropping to about 25 minutes with the motorised floorhead
  • Owners report modest suction and use turbo a lot
  • One battery rarely covers a whole house

What the review sites say

None of the review sites we read has reviewed this model or named it in a best-of list, so it scores below the ones they have.

Why the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM scores 8.1

Each bar shows where it places among the 10 cordless vacuum cleaners in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. What the review sites say counts for most of the score.

  • What review sites say5th of 10
  • How happy owners are10th of 10
  • How new it is8th of 10

Why it sits behind the Bosch Unlimited 10 BCS1051GB

The Bosch Unlimited 10 BCS1051GB (8.3) beats the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM (8.1): the review sites rate both about the same, and it leaves owners a little happier and is the newer design.

About the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM

The HF522LHM is a bagless cordless stick that weighs 2.2kg. Dust goes into a 0.45L cyclonic bin, and the filter is washable. The battery is a removable 22V lithium-ion pack. Hoover quotes up to 40 minutes in automatic mode, and the figure is lower with the motorised floorhead running. A separate review of the wider H-Free 500 range gives about 25 minutes on normal power and 8 minutes on turbo.

The main unit lifts off to become a handheld. The floorhead has LED lights for dark corners and under furniture. A 2-in-1 tool (crevice nozzle and upholstery brush) is built into the machine, so there is nothing loose to lose. The stick folds down to a compact shape and stands upright when parked, which is why it fits a cupboard.

A full charge takes about six hours on the range's published figures. Hoover's listing for this model says the battery is removable, and the 2-year manufacturer guarantee shown by B&Q applies to the version they sell. Third-party sites disagree on some figures, such as charge time and suction, so the specs below keep to the brand's and a major retailer's numbers.

What owners report about the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM

We found little owner feedback written specifically for the HF522LHM. This is a shorter, plainer section than for most products as a result.

The pattern in the feedback we could read is consistent. Owners like how light and easy to steer it is, and they like that it stands up on its own. The LED floorhead gets praise for showing up dust under furniture, and owners report it works on both hard floors and carpet.

The complaints are runtime, the small bin and slow charging. Battery life drops sharply when the motorised head is on turbo. Some owners find the bin latches stiff, and large debris or heavy pet hair is harder for it. Treat these as an aggregate summary, because we could not read individual retailer reviews for this exact model.

Who the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM suits

It suits a flat, a small house or a stairs-and-spills machine kept in a cupboard. It also works as a second vacuum alongside a mains-powered one. The weight and 0.45L bin favour short, frequent jobs.

Look elsewhere for a larger home or long cleaning sessions. For long runtime and a spare battery, the Bosch Unlimited 10 BCS1051GB is a better fit. The Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro IZ420UKT ships with two batteries. For strong suction on pet hair, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute is the stronger choice.

Questions about the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM

How long does the Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM battery last?

Up to 40 minutes in automatic mode, according to Hoover. It is shorter with the motorised floorhead, and a review of the wider H-Free 500 range measured about 25 minutes on normal power and 8 on turbo.

How much does the Hoover HF522LHM weigh?

2.2kg as a stick, according to B&Q's listing and a review of the H-Free 500 range. Hoover's Italian listing gives a different figure of 2.57kg net, which probably includes packaging or accessories.

Is the battery removable on the Hoover HF522LHM?

Yes. It is a 22V lithium-ion pack and Hoover's listing says it is removable. One battery comes in the box.

How big is the dust bin on the Hoover HF522LHM?

0.45L. It is a bagless cyclonic bin, and the filter is washable.

How long does the Hoover HF522LHM take to charge?

About six hours, per Hoover's listing. The first charge is listed at 12 hours.

Other cordless vacuum cleaner picks

The other badge winners in our cordless vacuum cleaners ranking.

All 10 cordless vacuum cleaners, compared

  1. 1 Dyson V16 Piston AnimalBest Choice 9.0 Check Price
  2. 2 Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro IA3241UKT 9.0 Check Price
  3. 3 Henry QuickValue for Money 8.7 Check Price
  4. 4 Dyson V15 Detect Absolute 8.6 Check Price
  5. 5 Vax Blade 4 Classic Plus CLSV-B4CABest Budget 8.4 Check Price
  6. 6 Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro IZ420UKT 8.3 Check Price
  7. 7 Dyson V8 Advanced 8.3 Check Price
  8. 8 Tineco Pure ONE S30 8.3 Check Price
  9. 9 Bosch Unlimited 10 BCS1051GB 8.3 Check Price
  10. 10 Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHMThis review 8.1 Check Price
See the full cordless vacuum cleaners ranking

The Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM on Amazon

Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM

The Hoover H-Free 500 HF522LHM is a light cordless stick with a 0.45L bin and a removable 22V battery. 8.1 out of 10.

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How we score it

Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. Most of each score is what the review sites say: the scores their own reviews give each model, and whether their best-of lists name it. For this guide we read Homes & Gardens, Real Homes, T3, Trusted Reviews and Wired. The rest is how happy owners are, held back where few owners have rated a product, and how new it is. Value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 21 models for this guide before settling on these ten.

Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.

How we rank, in full

Where these facts come from