Henry HVR 160-11 Bagged Cylinder Vacuum, 620 W, 6 Litres, Red and Black

Product Information

It’d be easy to underestimate a cleaner with such charming looks, but rest assured the Henry HVR 160-11 offers serious suction. The 620w motor might not sound like a lot, but this vacuum offers suction that’s up there with the best in its class. I measure the raw power of all vacuum cleaners in AirWatts, which is a combination of airflow and suction power. This is a true measurement of power that lets us compare the performance of different models. Henry came with one bag inside and a spare in the box, so you don’t have to worry about buying bags for the first few months. And on top, there’s a flip up carry handle that makes transporting him up and down stairs effortless. Henry doesn’t really have a handle, let alone a posh comfy padded handle. You can kind of hold the wand anywhere that feels comfortable to you depending on the task at hand. And I found it comfortable to use no matter what I was vacuuming. Similarly, the wand isn’t telescopic, but you can remove sections to make it shorter and it has a great reach under furniture. Thankfully Henry is as easy to learn how to clean as he is to use. The six litre dust bag should last several weeks, and when it does need emptying, it’s a doddle. Simply unclip the two side clips and lift off the top, then remove the large filter. The bag slides off the nozzle and has a built-in stopper that can be closed to stop dust leaking out while you take it over to the bin.

This model of Numatic Henry comes with the same wand that features on older models; it’s a series of three metal poles that connect together. The curved section has an air vent on it, too, which is used to decrease suction power – the vacuum cleaner has just an on/off switch. Powerful, easy to use and designed to last, this model is as enduring as the original. Note that the Hetty cleaner is exactly the same, but comes in pink. Design and Features

When vacuuming carpets, although surface debris was removed, I could tell that the suction wasn’t strong enough to remove deeper dirt. And this was very apparent on a deep pile rug that still had visible bits trapped deeper in the pile, even after I gave it a thorough vacuum. More information on quality can be found in this old but still very helpful article from Harvard Business Review. Both our experts (Petrova of Happy House Cleaning Company and Fola George from domestic services company WeCasa) recommend Dyson vacuum cleaners – and the incredibly high-tech Dyson V15 came top in my test of the best cordless vacuum cleaners. Sadly Dyson will no longer be selling cylinder vacuums in the UK as the focus is on their upright and cordless models, but you can still buy the most recent Dyson Big Ball Animal 2 Bagless Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner, and it has a lot to recommend it.

Up your cleaning game with the Henry Pro Accessory Kit. Three innovative, versatile and durable tools for taking your carpet and hard floor cleaning to the next level. The three wands can be arranged in any way you like, with the bent end positioned at any stage. This gives Henry plenty of versatility for cleaning high or low as needed. I measured the Henry at 408AW, which makes it one of the most powerful vacuum cleaners I’ve tested; even more powerful than the Stihl SE 33 wet and dry cleaner. Opening the air valve fully only reduces power to 314AW, which is far more power than most of the competition.

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If your home does feature vast expanses of carpet then the ergonomics of a canister machine such as this might prove inferior to that of an upright but the versatility that Henry offers makes it far better for a range of tasks. Take car cleaning, which the Henry makes light work of thanks to its lengthy hose, strong suction and supplied crevice tool. If there’s one thing you expect from a Henry, it’s the cute face painted on the front of the iconic red body. It was a cute touch when Henry first launched, and it remains an enduring symbol that gives the vacuum cleaner a personality and life. It’s easy to love this vacuum cleaner.