Hoover Electric Polisher Model 0212 – c.1951-56
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss.
Weight: 6kg.
Motor: 225w, single speed.
Motor rpm: 11,000
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, maroon Bakelite outer casing.
Brush rpm: 785.
Model 0212 saw Hoover diversify their floorcare range as they turned their attention to non-carpeted floors. It came with polishing brushes, lambs wool polishing pads for furniture, and optional scrubbing brushes were also available.
It could be used across a wide variety of hard floor surfaces – wood, lino, tiles, rubber and cork. A convenient headlight shone out from behind a grille which doubled as a motor cooling air intake.
In 1956, an updated blue and buff colourway was launched, bringing the polisher in line with the rest of the Hoover range.
Hoover Electric Polisher Model 5134 – c.1961
Weight: 4.5kg.
Motor: 160w, single speed.
Motor rpm: 15,000
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, blue plastic outer casing.
Brush rpm: 450.
Hoover UK’s second generation of floor polisher, this redesign reduced machine weight and power consumption. It also lost the headlamp feature that had been included on the previous model. However it benefited from updated aesthetics, with contemporary styling and a brighter colourway.
Deluxe sister model 5464, launched in 1962, introduced an additional refinement. This was an onboard fluid tank and dispensing system, which allowed the user to apply shampoo to carpets or water emulsion wax to hard floors as they used the machine.