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Hoover Tempo Widepath Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

Vacuuming isn’t the most fun, so do less of it by doing it more efficiently.

With a 15″ cleaning path, the Hoover Tempo widepath vacuum is able to clean more dirt and debris than most upright vacuums.

Today we’re doing our full tests and review on the Hoover Tempo Widepath. So let’s go!

Budget Upright Vacuum

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Hoover Widepath Tempo

The Hoover Widepath Tempo offers a wide 15″ cleaning path. This allows the vacuum to clean up more dirt and debris in a single pass, as compared to most other upright vacuums. That said, it’s terrible for hard surfaces, but did great on most of our carpet tests. If you plan to vacuum hard surfaces, don’t buy, but if you have mostly carpets it can be an okay choice.Check Price

Pros

  • This Hoover vacuum has a wider path than most and can reach more dirt and debris in a single pass.
  • The vacuum is fairly inexpensive.

Cons

  • The worst performance we’ve ever seen on hardwood floors.
  • This Hoover has 0° turning radius and isn’t self propelled.

Table of Contents

  1. Accessories
  2. Cleaning Performance
  3. Maintenance
  4. Value
  5. Specs
  6. Summary

Hoover Tempo Widepath Design

The Hoover Widepath utilizes a simple, traditional upright vacuum design. Aesthetically speaking, the vacuum offers a blue and black color scheme with the logo of the vacuum stamped directly onto the middle of front of the unit.

A small knob sits on the cleaning head and can be moved left or right to change the floor type you’re about to clean on. Additionally, a foot pedal sits at the back / bottom of the cleaning head, which allows you to drop the angle of the cleaning head before using the vacuum.

Hoover Widepath upright vacuum
Hoover Widepath upright vacuum

25′ cord is attached to the Widepath, giving users a good amount of distance to clean before having to change the plug’s location.

Both the filter and bag can be found inside of the canister of the vacuum.

How Hoover Tempo Cleans

The Hoover Widepath vacuum cleans through direct suction, storing the dirt and debris it picks up inside of large filter bag. Although the vacuum does use a direct suction cleaning style, it offers five different floor height settings.

Floor height knob on the cleaning head of the Hoover Widepath
Floor height knob on the cleaning head of the Hoover Widepath

Each of these floor height settings can be utilized to most appropriately clean the floor type you’re vacuuming. The height of the cleaning head is highest when it is on the bare floor setting, and progressively gets closer to the ground as you move it towards the high pile carpet setting.

The brushroll located on the bottom of the cleaning head helps to agitate / lift dirt and debris off of carpeted surfaces, allowing the Widepath Tempo to suck up the debris.

Hoover Tempo Widepath vacuum

The 15″ cleaning path is certainly a major pro on this Hoover vacuum cleaner, as it allows you to reach more debris with fewer passes.

How big is the Hoover Tempo?

The Hoover Tempo Widepath upright vacuum is 43″ tall, 15″ wide, 13″ deep. The cleaning head itself is 4″ tall. Additionally, this vacuum weighs 14.8 pounds.

  • Height – 43″
  • Width – 15″
  • Cleaning Head Depth – 13″
  • Cleaning Head Height – 4″
  • Weight – 14.8 pounds
Hoover Tempo Wide Path upright vacuum - size & dimensions

If you’d like a smaller vacuum check out Hoover’s Air Cordless handheld or see our full list of handheld vacuum reviews here.

What accessories does the Hoover Tempo come with?

The Hoover Widepath includes the following parts and accessories:

Extension wand included with the Hoover Widepath

Extension wand: This tool can be removed and extended in order to give users more reach when they are using the hose instead of the floor cleaning head.

Crevice tool included with the Hoover Widepath

Crevice Tool: The crevice tool can be attached to the hose / extension wand and helps get into those hard-to-reach places.

Upholstery tool included with the Hoover Widepath

Upholstery Tool: The upholstery tool can be used to vacuum your more delicate surfaces, such as couches, curtains, etc.

Dusting brush included with the Hoover Widepath

Dusting Brush: This tool can also be attached to the hose / extension wand and is used to dust surfaces around your home, while also sucking up the dust.

Although this Hoover is an inexpensive upright vacuum, the extra tools and accessories included do increase the versatility. Users have a good number of options with these tools, allowing them to clean both on and above ground quite efficiently.

RELATED – If you want lots of accessories you may also want to consider the Dyson V10 vacuum. Most Dyson vacuums come with a litany of accessories and attachments.

Cleaning Tests

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Hoover Widepath upright vacuum performs on different surfaces, picking up a variety of debris types.

Overall

58%

Hardwood

0%

Low Carpet

98%

High Carpet

77%

We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet.

  • Rice – 3 ounces
  • Dry Cereal – 1 ounce
  • Kitty Litter – 3 ounces
  • Sugar – 3 ounces

Each of the aforementioned debris types was spread across our testing lane. The base surface of our testing lane is an engineered hardwood floor. For our carpet tests, we slide in a low pile and high pile carpet insert on top of the hardwood floor.

Cleaning test debris types
Testing Debris – From left to right: Rice (3 oz.), Kitty Litter (3 oz), Cereal (1 oz), Sugar (3 oz)

Our vacuum cleaning process strives to be as consistent, fair, and true to real world use as possible. Our tests utilize the following procedure:

  1. Measure the weight of the testing debris and the weight of the empty vacuum debris container.
  2. Spread the respective debris type evenly across the central portion of the testing lane.
  3. Run the vacuum cleaner over the testing lane.
  4. Measure the weight of the now filled container and take notes on the cleaning performance.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning

The Hoover Tempo Widepath struggled on our hardwood floor tests. Even though we had the vacuum’s floor height setting on “Bare Floor,” the brushroll flung each of the debris types directly behind the vacuum.

Due to flinging the debris behind the vacuum, the Widepath was not able to clean up any of our four debris types during the hardwood floor tests.

RELATED: What’s the best vacuum for hardwood floors?

Honestly, it was an impressive failure. Our testing debris was flung across a 10 radius all over the room. If you plan to vacuum hardwood floors or other hard surfaces, I would highly suggest a different vacuum.

Cereal

0%

Kitty Litter

0%

Rice

0%

Sugar

0%

Take a look at the Roomba 980Shark Navigator, and Miele Compact C1, all did great on hardwoods.

Hoover Tempo Widepath hardwood floor cleaning tests

Low Pile Carpet Cleaning

As we moved the the low pile carpet tests, the Widepath showed drastic improvement. As the head of the vacuum was lowered, the brushroll had less of a tendency to fling debris around, therefore, allowing the unit to suck each one up.

Each of the four debris types were cleaned up to a level of 97% or higher on our low pile carpet tests.

Cereal

99%

Kitty Litter

98%

Rice

97%

Sugar

98%

RELATED – What’s the best vacuum for carpets?

Hoover Tempo Widepath low pile carpet cleaning tests

High Pile Carpet Cleaning

On high pile carpet, the Hoover Widepath performed at a level similar to the low pile carpet test, with the exception of the cereal test.

Moving the head of the vacuum to the high pile carpet height created a deeper level of suction, meaning the cereal was not able to make its way under the vacuum’s head.

The suction power created a deeper level of sinkage into the carpet, which is where the Widepath was not able to roll over the cereal.

Cereal

10%

Kitty Litter

100%

Rice

100%

Sugar

98%

This small hiccup in the Widepath’s performance created a 10% level of cleanliness with regard to the cereal test, as compared to a 98% or higher on the three other debris types.

Hoover Tempo Widepath high pile carpet cleaning tests

Is the Hoover Tempo Easy to Use?

The Hoover Tempo Widepath is fairly easy use. This vacuum is simple to power up, the floor selection knob is not difficult to understand, and the overall use of tools is a breeze.

Hoover Tempo Widepath cleaning head
Hoover Tempo Widepath cleaning head

SETUP | There is a small assembly process required with this Hoover vacuum. Once all the parts have been removed from the packaging, users must screw in the handle into the base of the unit. Aside from this step, everything else is done for you.

CLEANING | To power on the unit, the on / off switch can be flipped easily. From there, releasing the head is controlled by a small foot pedal located at the back / bottom of the unit. Press this down and the head will drop, moving the vacuum into cleaning mode.

FLOOR TYPES | Before you even reach these steps, you can select the floor type you are going to be using the vacuum on. This specific Hoover upright vacuum includes five different floor height settings, ranging from bare floors to high pile carpets.

Hoover widepath tempo floor adjustment
Adjusting the floor type on the Hoover Tempo

ATTACHING ACCESSORIES | If you decide to remove the hose and attach one of the included cleaning tools, this can be completed in less than 30 seconds. Simply detach the hose from its holding spot on the back of the vacuum, attach the wand, and choose the tool you would like to clean with.

Hoover Tempo Maneuverability

Maneuverability of the Hoover Widepath is below average for an upright vacuum, in my opinion. The turning radius is 0°, the vacuum is not self-propelled, and the overall size of the unit is just barely smaller than most other upright vacuums we have tested thus far.

  • Weight: 14.8 pounds
  • Power: 25′ cord
  • Hose: 6′
  • Turning: 0°

TURNING | For starters, the turning radius is less than appealing. With a turning radius of 0° you must slightly lift and shift the vacuum into a new direction in order to make a turn.

SELF-PROPELLED | Adding to the mix, the Tempo is not a self-propelled vacuum. Therefore, when the unit is turned on, it will not drive itself. A majority of upright vacuums today have the ability to drive themselves forward, which then only requires the user to steer the unit. That is not the case with this Hoover.

Hoover Tempo Widepath usability
Using the Hoover Tempo Widepath

WEIGHT & SIZE | The weight and overall size of this Hoover vacuum are two other factors that hinder the maneuverability of Widepath. Pushing a 15 pound vacuum can be a daunting task when it is not propelling itself forward. The size is also a factor, as it can be difficult to go under furniture and other hard to reach places in your home.

VERSATILITY | On the positive side, the Hoover Widepath vacuum does have a few different cleaning accessories that can be attached to the hose / extension wand. This allows the user to clean above ground with a nice degree of versatility.

Wonder how the Tempo Widepath compares to other Hoover vacuums? See our Hoover Sprint QuickVac and Hoover Windtunnel T-Series reviews.

Maintenance Tasks & Costs

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various parts and components of the vacuum. However, your individual experiences may vary

Accessory / PartReplacement FrequencyReplacement Cost
Filter BagAs NeededCheck Price
Belt6 monthsCheck Price
Secondary FilterAs NeededCheck Price
Final FilterAs NeededCheck Price

Maintaining the Hoover Tempo Widepath is not difficult, but does require your attention at times.

Change the bag – The filter bag must be replaced when the dirt has reached the “fill” line. If you do not empty / replace the bag at this time, the vacuum will more than likely not perform at its full potential.

Hoover Tempo emptying the dust bag
Emptying the dust bag on the Hoover Tempo

Replace the filters – Replacing the filters is crucial. Once the filter looks dirty, it can be washed off, dried, and replaced, but that means it’s time to start ordering more filters. Although you are able to reuse the same filter for a bit, Hoover does recommend changing these filters shortly thereafter.

The cost to maintain the Hoover Widepath on an annual basis lands around $18 / year. Which includes 9 bags, 2 belts, 4 filters.

How Noisy is the Hoover Widepath?

All vacuum cleaner reviews on Modern Castle are put through our standard noise test. For this test, we use a sound meter to measure noise in terms of decibel level approximately 3′ away from the vacuum.

The Hoover Tempo is one of the loudest vacuums we’ve tested to date, topping the scale at 90 dB.

Noise test on the Hoover Tempo Widepath upright vacuum

If you’d prefer a vacuum that’s a bit quieter check out some of the best cheap robot vacuums (robots are usually among the most quieter vacuums).

Is the Hoover Tempo a Good Value?

The Hoover Widepath offers an okay value. While it is an inexpensive vacuum, the overall performance, maneuverability, and build quality leave much to be desired.

Hoover Tempo widepath on carpet

PERFORMANCE | Throughout our tests, the cleaning performance was hit or miss. The Widepath Tempo was nearly flawless on low pile carpets, but failed spectacularly on hard surfaces (and cereal for high pile).

MOBILITY | Maneuverability is probably one of the weakest links associated with the Hoover Widepath. The turning radius is a failing 0°. This means you have to lift and move the vacuum in order to turn directions. The turning radius combined with a hefty 15 pound weight isn’t great.

MAINTENANCE | Overall maintenance costs are low with this unit, which definitely earns it a few bonus points in the end.

WARRANTY | As we take a look at warranty and returns, Hoover sticks to the industry norm. The warranty is one year long and the return period is 30-days (via Amazon).

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Hoover Tempo:

Specifications
TypeUpright
ManufacturerHoover
ModelTempo Widepath
Length43"
Width15"
Weight14.8 lbs.
Floor TypeAll (indoor)
Dust Bin Capacity3.14 L Bag
CordlessNo - 25' cord
BaglessNo
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1-Year limited
PriceCheck Price

Who Should Buy the Hoover Temp Widepath Vacuum?

The Hoover Tempo Widepath is a pretty okay vacuum overall. Never-the-less, it’s not a vacuum I would recommend for most users.

For just a small bump in price more you can get the Hoover WindTunnel T-series, which is dramatically better in virtually every category. Bumping your budget a tad is going to be well worth it.

If you still feel like you’d rather save the money and go with the Hoover Tempo, I would only recommend it if you:

  • You don’t have hard surfaces to clean – the Hoover Tempo was awful on hard surfaces. If you plan on vacuuming any hard surfaces in your home, pick a different vacuum.
  • Don’t mind a vacuum with a bag – This Hoover does use a bagged dirt / dust collection system. Therefore, you will have to be willing to replace the bag instead of simply emptying a dust bin.
  • Need an inexpensive unit – If you’re worried about spending a lot of money, the Widepath may be a good choice. This Hoover vacuum is an affordable option that performs well and is able to get the job done in most cases.

For more information on the Hoover Widepath visit here.

Update Log

  • August 7, 2018 – Updated the review score as part of our site-wide 1.0 scoring overhaul. Score remained the same at 77%.
Leaves Much to Be Desired
  • Design - 83%
    83%
  • Performance - 58%
    58%
  • Quality - 83%
    83%
  • Usability - 82%
    82%
  • Value - 80%
    80%
77%

Summary

The Hoover Widepath Tempo is an interesting mix of performance. It was nearly flawless on carpet (except for cereal on high carpets), but failed miserably on hardwood floors. It’s not that great at maneuvering, not lightweight, and the build quality leaves something to be desired. Even so, it’s one of the least expensive vacuums on the market. If you just need a passable vacuum and have mostly carpets the Hoover Tempo could work.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.