Handheld vacuum cleaners Hoover Jovis SJ144WRS4 wet and dry

This Hoover can tackle wet and dry spills

This Hoover Jovis wet-and-dry handheld vacuum appeared in the shops earlier this spring and these are our first impressions.

The Jovis is Hoover’s most powerful handheld vac, boasting a 14.4-volt motor that had no problem picking up all manner of dirt from hard surfaces. It managed to suck up crumbs, rice, dust and soil, even from between cracks in surfaces. The crevice tool made it easier to vacuum right up into the creases of your car seat and helped reach into those tighter spaces. It did struggle to be effective when vacuuming on carpet, though, even when used with its integrated dusting brush, but this is common with many handhelds.

Assisted by its squeegee tool, the Jovis did a decent job of sucking up wet spills on hard surfaces, but wasn’t that good on carpet. Plus you can only pick up a small amount of liquid before it needs to be emptied.

We didn’t like the power switch at the top of the handle. It was fairly stiff to push, and almost impossible if your hands were slightly damp or greasy.

Hoover claims that it has up to 20 minutes’ running time and, after timing a few runs, we found this to be a pretty accurate time frame. We like the fact that the crevice tool and squeegee tool are stored in the charging unit, which doubles up as the wall mount, to prevent them from being lost.

Hoover recommends that you should empty and clean the filter after each use to maintain performance. We found this a simple process, as the dust container and filter were easy to remove and refit.

The Jovis will cost around £54 from Argos and independents.

Pros: Good for picking up debris and small spills from hard surfaces, long vacuuming time from one full charge compared with some other handhelds

Cons: Not as good on carpet and fibrous surfaces as it is on hard surfaces