Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet Cordless Vacuum review: Vacuums, mops, and handles pet mess with ease

If you’re anything like me and live with a fluffy, mischievous dog who treats your floors like a blank canvas for creating a mess, then you’ll understand the never-ending battle to keep your home clean, especially during the winter months. Between wet walks, shedding fur, and the general debris that mysteriously seems to appear overnight (even without the help of my Yorkshire Terrier cross, Gina), I needed a vacuum cleaner that could genuinely keep up. That’s where the Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner stepped in.

The HF4 Hydro Pet is a cordless vacuum cleaner designed to tackle both vacuuming and mopping in one streamlined machine. With multiple suction modes, a clever triangular mop head for mopping, and easy-switch functionality between different attachments, it’s been created for busy homes like mine that don’t have time to mess around with different tools for every task. Over the past couple of months, I’ve put this vacuum through its paces in a real-world setting, my home, with its wooden floors, tiled bathrooms, and carpeted bedrooms, plus a dog who thinks dirt is a personal accessory.

This review dives into how the Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet holds up against everything from everyday dust to the more stubborn messes that come with owning pets. I’ve looked at how well it vacuums up embedded dog hair and whether the mop function actually makes a difference in dealing with muddy paw prints. If you’re curious about whether this vacuum will be a good choice for your home, keep reading.

Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review

Build

The Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet Vacuum Cleaner makes a solid first impression straight out of the box. It’s got a sleek, modern look with a clever design that balances functionality with style. From my first impression, it definitely looked and felt durable enough to take a beating from muddy paw prints and everyday mess. It comes with the standard vacuum floorhead and the mop head, plus a crevice tool, 2-in-1 tool and motorised mini turbo pet brush to help you clean up all the messes around your home.

One of the first things I noticed and really appreciated was how easy it is to switch between the vacuum head and the mop attachment. The design here is intuitive; there’s no fiddling or forcing involved, and when you’re in the thick of cleaning a mess, those few seconds saved matter more than you’d think.

The mop head itself is shaped in a triangle, which is such a smart touch. It fits beautifully into corners, and I found I wasn’t having to go back in with a cloth to get into those awkward edges. It’s a little design choice, but it really adds to the sense that this machine has been thoughtfully made with real homes in mind.

The mop comes with two sets of mop covers, which, considering how grimy they get dealing with paw prints and general grime, is a godsend. I’ve washed them in the machine multiple times now and they come up looking brand new with no shrinking or misshaping.

The only real niggle with the build is the size of both the dust bin and water tank. They’re on the smaller side. I wouldn’t say it’s a dealbreaker, but you definitely notice it during a deep-clean session.

Performance

Let’s talk about what really matters: how well this thing actually works. The Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet absolutely held its own in my house, which is constantly under siege from my dog Gina’s muddy paws and my own long hair. I tested it across a range of surfaces, including wood, tile, and carpet, and it adapted well to each one.

Vacuuming-wise, there are three modes: eco, standard, and turbo. I’ll be honest, the eco mode doesn't really cut it for me as it just isn't quite powerful enough to lift the ingrained dirt or pet hair. Standard mode was my go-to most of the time, striking a good balance between battery life and suction power. But when I need to go in hard, like when Gina has been on a zoomies session through the garden and brought back a load of grass with her, or when my hair was matted deep in the carpets, turbo mode was the hero. It powered through with no fuss.

In terms of battery life, I can vacuum my entire three-bedroom house on one full charge using standard mode. That’s pretty impressive. If I'm doing a more detailed clean and switching between attachments, I usually manage the upstairs first, recharge, and then move on to the downstairs.

The dust bin fills up faster than I’d like, especially with pet hair and general debris, so I often have to empty it between floors. But honestly, the emptying mechanism is brilliantly simple. A push of a button and it’s done, no mess.

The mop function is equally impressive (or perhaps even more so). I can tackle all the hard floors in my home, the living room, kitchen, downstairs loo, and even the main bathroom and ensuite, on one full tank of water. I do wish the tank was a bit bigger for convenience’s sake, but it does the job just fine. I also like that you can control how much water it uses and that the setting is clearly indicated with easy-to-read light indicators. You get a small bottle of cleaning solution with the mop, which you dilute with water. It works well, but I love that you’re not tied to using Hoover’s solution; any floor cleaner will do.

My only real wish here is that the mop could operate at different speeds, the way the vacuum does. Sometimes, I just want it to move faster (mostly because I’m impatient!), and I find myself wishing I had the same control over the mop settings as I do with vacuum mode.

Usability

One of the biggest wins for me was just how user-friendly the Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet is. Everything about this machine feels like it’s been designed to fit smoothly into everyday life, especially in a home that’s constantly busy and a bit chaotic.

Switching between modes is seamless, and the digital display is crystal clear. It tells you everything you need to know at a glance, including what setting you’re on and how much battery life is left. It’s such a small feature, but having that clarity really does make a difference.

The machine is also super manoeuvrable. It’s lightweight enough that I never feel like I'm lugging it around, even up and down the stairs, and the flexible head makes it easy to get under furniture without having to do a full rearrange of the room.

Cleaning and maintenance are a breeze. The mop heads go straight into the washing machine, the dust bin empties with the push of a button, and there’s very little ongoing faff. The only thing that slightly detracts from the ease of use is the small bin and water tank. If those were just a bit bigger, it would make longer cleaning sessions less stop-start.

Final verdict

After using the Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet over a few cold, muddy, pet-filled months, I’ve come away genuinely impressed. This machine isn’t just a vacuum; it’s a real multitasker, combining a powerful vacuum with a highly effective mop. For homes where pets and people are constantly tracking in mess from outside, it really steps up.

This pet vacuum performs best on standard or turbo mode, especially if you’re dealing with pet hair or want a proper deep clean. The mop, while slightly more limited in speed control, is efficient and easy to use, and the triangular head makes it ideal for awkward corners. The build quality is excellent, and every attachment is designed to make cleaning your home as smooth and intuitive as possible.

That said, it’s not perfect. The smaller dust bin and water tank mean you’ll need to stop and empty/refill if you’re tackling the whole house, and I’d love to see variable speed on the mop in a future version. But these are minor inconveniences in what is otherwise a fantastic piece of kit.

If you’ve got wooden floors, tiles, or carpets, and especially if you have all three like I do, the Hoover HF4 Hydro Pet is more than up to the challenge. It’s a genuine time-saver, it’s versatile, and it makes keeping your home clean a far less daunting task.

I’d definitely recommend this cordless pet vacuum. Gina may never stop bringing in muddy paw prints, but at least now I’ve got the right tool to handle them with ease.

Rosie Floyd is a Senior Home & Pets Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances, décor and furnishings, as well as all things dogs. After completing her Journalism & Media degree from Coventry University back in 2015, she started her career writing about must-visit holiday destinations, moving on to creating content around outdoor living and garden buildings, before joining the team at Bauer.