A big seller over the years here at Bradshaws Direct has been the alternative Hozelock Pond Vac - alternative due to the motor being in the head of the Vacuum. The idea of the motor/pump being at the end of the system is to increase the power transfer of water which means that the vacuum does not have to work as hard.

Value for money and what does it do?

Priced at £114.99* it sits right at the bottom pricing of the pond vacuum market so it’s great value for money, but what are the main features of the Hozelock Pond Vacuum?

• It can push water, this is the main benefit over its similarly priced rivals, you can use the 3m hose supplied to lift water upwards - water doesn’t just come out via gravity. The surplus water can be put through the Hozelock Collection Basket and then back to the pond, down the drain, or even better to a flower bed. Pond sludge and water is full of Nitrates, which is a natural plant fertilizer.

• Chopping blade, on the impeller in the motor there is a blade that is attached, it looks pretty much like a Stanley knife blade. This chops up bits of leaves, sludge and blanketweed that would otherwise clog up your vacuum.
• Max depth 2m - The handle can be adjusted up and down to give a max depth of 2m
• Cable clips, these keep the cable out of the way - you know what its like when vacuuming around the house! The clips keep the main part of the 10m cable away from the end of the vacuum so there can be no accidents!
• Three different heads are supplied giving you multiple cleaning options.

So what’s it like to use?

Not bad at all to be honest, remembering that a Vacuum isn’t a miracle cure for years of neglect, these will happily take up pond sludge and leaves with minimal fuss. If the Vacuum for whatever reason does stop, check the end out, it will probably just need a clean. For people with less strength I would say that the Vacuum is a touch on the heavy side, so bear this in mind when choosing.

Before using, make sure that the head is fully submerged into the water to get rid of all the air in the Vacuum, this stops any air locks. You’ll need to repeat this if the main black body of the Vacuum comes out of the water while you’re using it too.

Pond side or in pond Vac, which should I choose?

If you need to pull water upwards out of your Vacuum to a drain/flowerbed etc, then you have two real options, the Hozelock Pond Vac or the PondoVac 5 by Oase. If money is no option, then in all honesty you’d buy the Oase product, but it is £619.99* so this would be the first question to ask yourself when considering buying a pond vacuum from us here at Bradshaws Direct.

Do I need the water to go upwards out of my vacuum and don’t have £619.99? If so then you should seriously consider the Hozelock Pond Vacuum.

Check out the video below for more info: