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Cordless vacuums that combine a stick vacuum and a handheld are an emerging trend – they aim for the best of both worlds, but often fall flat. One of Hoover’s offerings is the Presto 2-in-1 Cordless Stick Vac (BH20090) – let’s check it out and see if they reached the height they were aiming for.
Power
The Presto has a solid 14.4 volts – that’s actually middle-of-the-road decent in a good way for a 2-in-1 – even if it’s not the strongest for a stick vacuum, it’s enough to show that this vacuum isn’t being limited by its handheld part.
Performance
While the Presto does try to go for some of the features that are usually specific to stick vacuums, like a motorized brushroll and cyclonic technology to keep the dust inside the vacuum, it honestly works better as a handheld than a stick vacuum. Don’t get me wrong, it does pretty well on bare floors, but its best performance is as a handheld.
Ease of Use
Having said that, this vacuum does have some features that actually do make it much easier to use as a stick vacuum. Its vacuum head has the common feature of a swivel head, and also the uncommon feature of a clear window so you can see if the brushroll needs cleaning. For more convenient storage, the handle folds down to take up less space.
Battery Life and Charging Time
While the Presto has unfortunately been saddled with an older-style NiCad battery (and an accompanying initial charging time of twelve hours), that’s not the last word on it. It has a great runtime of twenty minutes, and after the first couple times you charge it, it only needs six-to-eight hours.
Weight
Again, here this vacuum is about average, but in a good way because it’s two vacuums in one. Six pounds would be a pretty heavy handheld, but it’s only a little heavy for a stick vacuum – in the right perspective, that weight is above-average.
Filter
Hoover’s installed a washable HEPA filter in the Presto, which is a little out of nowhere in the sense of it being about as outstanding an option as you can get for a filter. Out of nowhere, that is, in the sense of everything else so far being solidly above-average – this aspect of the vacuum is quite an elevation.
Dust Bin
Here’s the one area where this vacuum is limited by its handheld aspect – it’s serviceable, but it is noticeably smaller than most stick vacuum’s bins.
Included Accessories
To swing back the other way, the Presto also has one the advantages of a handheld vacuum: attachments. Hoover has included a 3-in-1 tool that puts together a detachable crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery brush for detailed cleaning – pretty snazzy.
Reliability
The two vacuums themselves are pretty reliable but I have to return to that NiCad battery – they’re known to lose their ability to hold a charge earlier on than one might expect.
Warranty
On Amazon there’s a one year warranty listed, though I also noted a two year warranty on the Hoover website.
Price
Like most of the rest of the characteristics of the Presto, the price is above-average – it won’t put a terrible dent in your wallet, but you’ll notice it.
Pros
- great handheld performance
- 3-in-1 attachment
- long twenty minute runtime
- washable HEPA filter
- brushroll with maintenance window
Cons
- NiCad battery
- okay stick vacuum performance
Conclusion
Like I said above, most of the ways we looked at this vacuum are above average – above average, and with a couple actually outstanding features. Taken as a whole, this two vacuum system is really one of Hoover’s better vacuums – it’s a great buy.
