Cordless Hoover Glossary: A–Z
Cordless hoover spec sheets mix electrical, filtration and marketing terms that are rarely explained. This A–Z defines the jargon you'll meet on product pages and in reviews, in plain English, with links to our deeper guides where a term needs more than a sentence or two.
Quick answer: The terms that matter most when buying are air watts (useful suction power), real-world runtime (not the eco claim), H13/sealed system (filtration), removable battery (lifespan) and anti-tangle (maintenance). Everything else is detail.
A–C
Air watts (AW): a measure of the power in the moving air, combining airflow and pressure. The most meaningful single suction figure, but only comparable within one brand. See suction power explained.
Airflow: the volume of air moving through the hoover, in litres per second or cubic feet per minute. Carries debris into the bin.
Amp-hours (Ah) / milliamp-hours (mAh): battery capacity. Multiply by voltage for energy in watt-hours. 2,600mAh = 2.6Ah.
Anti-tangle / anti hair wrap: brush bar designs that stop hair wrapping, using combs, guards or a conical shape. Shark's Anti Hair Wrap and Dyson's Hair Screw tool are examples.
Auto mode: the hoover adjusts suction automatically, usually via a pressure sensor in the floor head or a dust sensor.
Bagged cordless: a cordless hoover that collects dust in a disposable bag, such as the Henry Quick or Gtech AirRAM. See bagged vs bagless.
Bin capacity: volume of the dust bin, usually 0.3–0.8 litres on sticks. Usable capacity to the MAX line is less than the total.
BMS (battery management system): the circuit board inside a battery pack that balances cells, prevents over-charging and over-discharging, and monitors temperature.
Boost / max mode: highest power setting. Strongest suction, shortest runtime (often 5–12 minutes).
Brush bar / brush roll: the rotating bristle cylinder in a floor head. See how to clean a brush roll.
Calendar ageing: battery capacity lost with time alone, even when unused. Faster at high temperature and full charge.
Charge cycle: using and recharging the equivalent of 100% of a battery's capacity (two half charges count as one cycle).
Clean & Empty / self-emptying: a dock that sucks the hoover's bin contents into a larger bag or bin. See self-emptying cordless hoovers.
Combination tool: a nozzle with a sliding brush for dusting and upholstery.
Conical brush bar: a tapered brush bar that pushes hair towards the narrow end and into the airflow.
Consumer Rights Act 2015: UK law giving you rights to repair, replacement or refund for faulty goods, separate from manufacturer warranties. See warranty guide.
Crevice tool: long, narrow nozzle for edges and gaps.
Cyclone: a cone or array of cones that spins air fast so dust is flung outwards and drops into the bin before reaching the filter.
D–H
Direct-drive head: a floor head with its own motor driving the brush bar, rather than an air turbine.
Dock: wall mount or stand that holds and charges the hoover.
Dust sensor / particle sensor: a piezo or optical sensor that counts particles passing into the bin and may raise suction or display results (e.g. Dyson's Detect models).
Eco mode: lowest power setting. Manufacturer runtime claims are usually measured here.
Edge cleaning: how close to the side of the floor head the brush bar and suction reach.
EPA filter (E10–E12): efficient particulate air filter grades just below HEPA under EN 1822.
EN 1822: European standard grading air filters (E10 to U17). Basis for H13 and H14 ratings.
Flexology / bendable wand: Shark's folding wand that bends to reach under furniture and lets the hoover stand when paused.
Floor head: the main cleaning head at the end of the wand.
Fluffy / soft roller: a soft nylon-and-carbon-fibre roller head for hard floors.
Green light / laser head: a low-angle light in the floor head that reveals fine dust on hard floors.
Handheld mode: using the stick's main body without the wand, for stairs, sofas and cars.
HEPA: High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. H13 captures at least 99.95% of particles at the most penetrating size. See HEPA filters explained.
Hybrid head / DuoClean: a floor head with both a soft roller and a bristle brush bar for mixed floors.
L–P
Lithium-ion (Li-ion): the rechargeable battery chemistry used in almost all cordless hoovers. Light, energy-dense and free of the "memory effect". See battery life.
Memory effect: capacity loss from repeated partial charging in old nickel-cadmium batteries. Not a concern for lithium-ion.
Mini motorised tool: small powered brush for stairs, upholstery and pet beds. See accessories explained.
MPPS (most penetrating particle size): the particle size a filter is worst at catching, usually 0.1–0.3 microns. HEPA grades are measured here.
Motor watts: electrical power the motor draws. Indicates energy use, not cleaning ability.
Pascal (Pa / kPa): unit of pressure. Hoover "suction" in Pa is usually sealed pressure at zero airflow, so it overstates real cleaning. 1kPa = 1,000Pa.
Pet tool: usually a mini motorised tool or grooming brush aimed at pet hair.
Post-motor filter: filter after the motor that cleans exhaust air.
Pre-motor filter: filter before the motor that protects it from fine dust.
PowerFins: Shark's name for flexible rubber fins on some brush bars, intended to grip carpet and hard floors while resisting hair wrap.
R–Z
Real-world runtime: how long the hoover runs on your typical setting with the powered floor head. Usually 40–60% of the eco-mode claim.
Refurbished: returned or ex-display units checked and resold, often with a shorter warranty. See refurbished cordless hoovers.
Sealed system / whole-machine filtration: a hoover designed so all air passes through the filters with no leaks. Essential for HEPA to work properly.
Self-standing: a stick or upright that stays upright on its own when you pause.
Stick vacuum: a cordless hoover with a long wand that converts to a handheld.
Swappable / removable battery: a battery you can unclip without tools, allowing spares and easy replacement.
Trigger: a squeeze-to-run switch (older Dysons). Saves battery but tires the finger; most rivals use a button.
Turbo brush / air-driven head: a brush bar spun by the airflow rather than a motor. Cheaper and weaker than motorised heads.
UK suffix (e.g. UKT): letters on a model number that denote UK specification and bundle variant. "T" on Shark models typically indicates a twin-battery or extra-tool bundle; check the listing.
Voltage (V): the battery pack's nominal voltage, typically 18–25.2V for sticks. Higher voltage generally lets a motor draw high power with less current.
Watt-hours (Wh): battery energy: volts × amp-hours. The best way to compare battery size between brands. See running costs.
WEEE: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations, which govern how old electricals are recycled in the UK. See how to dispose of a cordless hoover.
Wet and dry cleaner: a cordless machine that vacuums and washes hard floors in one pass. See best wet and dry cordless hoovers.
Terms people mix up
| Often confused | The difference |
|---|---|
| Air watts vs motor watts | Air watts are suction output; motor watts are electricity input |
| mAh vs Wh | mAh ignores voltage; Wh is total energy and comparable across brands |
| HEPA filter vs sealed system | A HEPA filter is one part; a sealed system stops air bypassing it |
| Motorised head vs turbo head | Motorised has its own motor; turbo is spun by airflow and is weaker |
| Hoover (verb) vs Hoover (brand) | In the UK "hoover" means any vacuum cleaner; Hoover is also a brand. See Hoover cordless vacuums |
FAQs
What does "up to 60 minutes" runtime really mean?
It's the maximum in the lowest power mode, usually with a non-motorised tool. With a powered floor head on a medium setting, expect roughly half that.
What is a good voltage for a cordless hoover?
Voltage alone doesn't determine performance; motor design and floor head matter more. Most mainstream sticks run at 18–25.2V, and higher-voltage packs tend to suit more powerful motors.
Is "cyclonic" the same as bagless?
Almost all bagless hoovers use some cyclonic separation, but the quality varies. Multi-cyclone designs separate fine dust better, so filters clog more slowly.