Looking for the best Henry vacuum for your home? Whichever model you choose, this humble floorcare appliance is loved by the UK, and worldwide. Its machines are bold, reliable, and come equipped with the character's cheeky smile.
Some are fit for large families, while others are ideal for renters — we've even thrown an eco,-friendly dustbuster in this guide too. In short: there's something for everyone. Henry vacuums don't just offer incredible suction but they are also surprisingly budget-friendly, with all models under £300/$600.
Numatic (the brand behind the friendly face) manufactures some of the best vacuum cleaners in the world, and we've tested seven of them to make your buying decision easier.
Best Henry vacuum: Quick Menu
1. Our favourite: Henry Quick
2. Best value: Henry Xtra
3. For large spaces: Henry HVR160
4. Best cordless cylinder vacuum: Henry HVB160
5. Best for pet owners: Henry Pet
6. Best for allergy sufferers: Henry Allergy
7. Best eco-friendly Henry vacuum cleaner: Henry Eco
8. FAQs
9. How we test
The best Henry vacuums to buy in 2024
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Our favourite Henry vacuum
The Henry Quick might is our head ecommerce editor's favorite cordless vacuum. Its suction is unrivaled, and it offers dust-free emptying. As a flat owner, she claims it's easy to store, and you can use the wall mount that comes in the box to save on cupboard and floor space. Just bear in mind that it doesn't stand up on its own. It can also be used as a handheld vacuum to clean countertops and ceilings.
It offers two modes (including a Boost mode for spillages or quick cleaning). You can use this vacuum with scent pods to make your home smell nice as you vacuum, and the tools included can make cleaning a couch or maintaining baseboards easier.
Annie tested this vacuum in her two-bedroom apartment, which she shares with her husband and pug (who loves to molt). When learning how to vacuum using the Quick, she found that it's best to use it in Boost mode when cleaning hardwood floors, and in Normal mode when you're working with softer spaces (turning off the roller brush if the suction is still too strong). She loved the attachments that came with it, and although the fact it's bagged makes it not as eco-friendly as we would hope, it does offer dust-free emptying.
Rated 5 stars out of 5 in our Henry Quick vacuum review
The best value Henry vacuum
The Henry Xtra HVX200 vacuum cleaner is a powerful, highly-rated model that gives our number-one choice a run for its money (even if it is a little heavier). However, the corded nature of this model means it's a little more difficult to use and store.
A 9-litre capacity ensures your time will be spent cleaning rather than emptying this machine. Like other corded Henry models, this has a generous 10-metre cable that lets you keep going rather than switching sockets. Plus, it comes with two extra tools for deeper cleaning.
If you have a big home, messy occupants, or want to save time, this is the Henry model to go for. Its design features will keep you cleaning floors without pause, and it’ll cope admirably with all the dust, debris, and fur you need to remove from your home or car. Just like the best canister vacuum cleaners on the market, you'll need to carve out some storage space for this one.
Rated 5 stars out of 5 in our Henry Xtra HVX200 review
Best Henry vacuum for larger jobs
The Henry HVR160 was our former appliance editor Jen's favourite vacuum cleaner. It's robust, versatile, and easy to move around to clean up messes big and small. It also comes with an affordable price tag. The suction hands down is its best feature. It lifted up the biggest and heaviest rug Jen owns. That means it can get deep into carpet pile, which is reassuring and satisfying at the same time.
The Henry HVR160 proved itself to be a good all-rounder that would be a nice fit in almost every busy household. The vac feels like it's made of good, solid material, so it's one model that will last. However, Jen did find that getting up the stairs with the Henry HVR160 isn't easy. And it was tricky to attempt to clean her car too, since it's got a power cable and 7.5 kg of weight to it.
Storing it does take a fair bit of space since the Flo-Max hose is rather long — especially when connected to the stainless steel tube set. You can clip the floorhead to the back of Henry HVR160 on the onboard tool storage, but this does feel a little flimsy when challenged with the weight of the component. The onboard storage can only store two out of the three accessories, too, so you're going to be left with a rogue accessory. It's not one for those with limited storage space.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars in our Henry HVR160 review
The best cordless Henry cylinder vacuum
As with his plug-in mates, our tester Sarah found this cordless Henry was capable of cleaning carpets, hard flooring, car interiors, and the aftermath of DIY projects. While the Henry HRV160 was a bit of a pain to use on the stairs, Sarah found that the HVB160 was comparatively stress-free, thanks to the 2.2 m hose which could reach every step with no trouble at all.
The Henry HVB is equipped with two batteries that have 30 minutes of charge respectively. Sarah found that those 60 minutes of cleaning time were more than enough to deal with all of the messes her home threw at her. Much like other Henry canister vacuums, this one requires a little more space for storage. Moving it around is relatively simple as it has a handle for carrying. There’s also an onboard tool kit with all the attachments your home requires, too.
Rated 4.5 stars in our Henry HBV160 review.
The best Henry vacuum for pet owners
If you love Henry (the vacuum) and you have pets, then the Henry Pet 200 would be an excellent shout for you since it has all the great features of a Henry with the added bonus of extra pet-friendly features. Our tester Jen found that it excelled at collecting hair left behind by her guinea pigs. It's for sure one of the best vacuums for pet hair.
The EcoBrush came in handy during testing for giving upholstery and stairs a once over, according to our vacuum expert Jen. Another standout feature is the impressive suction that works well on carpet and hard floors, part in thanks to the universal floorhead.
After using the vacuum cleaner for several weeks, Jen was sure that this could easily become her family vac and loved the simplicity of cleanly disposing of the dust bag rather than being met by a cloud of debris when it came to emptying the tank. A good bagged, canister vacuum can be hard to find, especially if you don't want to spend a fortune, and the 10-metre cleaning range and attachments go far enough here to make this vacuum a worthwhile investment. It has onboard space for holding its tools, but there is one head that can't be stored on board.
The best Henry vacuum for allergy sufferers
The Henry Allergy HVA160 vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter to trap common allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. The three-stage filtration system stops them from escaping from the machine, and it’s approved by the British Allergy Foundation. The HepaFlo bags also have a self-seal tab, keeping dust in when the machine is emptied. The cleaner comes with a combination floor head — put brushes down for hard floors, and lift them for carpet — and includes a special hard floor tool as well.
Our reviewer Linda was the perfect candidate to try out the Henry Allergy vac. Her busy family home has three dogs and a family member who suffers from allergies. She discovered that the filter at work here is good for keeping dust at bay and that the large capacity and bagged design mean you're more likely to keep allergens out of social spaces. Linda found that the Henry Pet took care of spilt flour and, was able to reach behind her radiators.
The Henry Pet faltered slightly when it came to its floorheads. Linda found them to be lacking the sophistication of other vacs she has tested, with no motorised head or LED light to manage dust and debris. She also found that, like the Henry HVR160, cleaning the stairs is not simple due to the hefty design. She attempted to keep the vac in place with one leg after wedging it onto a stair as she cleaned.
Warning: It's large, so you need some in-cupboard floor space to work with.
The best eco-friendly Henry vacuum cleaner
The Henry eco will save you money on rising energy bills, whilst being perfect for tidying up all kinds of messes. Linda tested this vacuum whilst renovating, and it managed to keep up with the dust and debris and cost approximately 14 pence per hour to use.
Driven by an advanced, high-energy efficient motor, the Henry Eco delivers a 30% reduction in energy usage without dropping in any power. It also comes with a handy EcoBrush which easily picks up stubborn dust, dirt, and pet hairs from carpets and stairs. Moreover, we also loved it because its packaging was eco-friendly, which is hard to find these days.
It isn't as powerful as the Henry Allergy, but there is a £40 difference between the two.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars in our Henry Eco review
What is the best Henry vacuum?
The is great for compact homes and smaller families, and it's super easy to both use and store, though it comes in at £299.99 RRP. Otherwise, if you do have space to store a larger cylinder model, then we can't fault the as it can withstand literally what life throws at it, even house renovation dust. This particular model is also very quiet and tames pet hair incredibly well, too. It's also just £149.99 (RRP price).
How we test Henry vacuums
Henry Quick vacuum in review in Annie's living room
We've tested these vacuums in our own homes for several weeks or months and usesd them on all types of flooring. Our experience with each of the products we test is then shared, to help you find the perfect vacuum cleaner.
Between our in-house team and contributing editors, we've reviewed almost 100+ vacuum cleaners. We assess suction, length of cable, battery life, ease of manoeuvrability, ease of storage, and maintenance needs. Price is also considered.
Meet our Henry vacuum cleaner testers below:
Lindsey is our content director and looks after all things shopping-related across Future's lifestyle brands. She tested the Henry Xtra HVX200 while renovating her 2-bedroom cottage.
Jen is now the homes editor for TechRadar. Previously she has written for Ideal Home, Real Homes, and Homes & Gardens as the appliances editor. She is a big fan of Henry vacs and thinks they make the perfect reliable and robust appliance for cleaning at home. From this list, she's tried and loved the Henry HVR160 and the Henry Pet 200, and has compared their performances side by side in reviews too.
Sarah is a contributing editor, and writes for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She tried out the Henry HVB160 cordless vacuum cleaner for us to see how it contended against the classic Henry HVR160 model.
Linda is a contributing editor who specialises in home tech, interior design, and fitness for more than two decades. She has tested plenty of vacuums for Real Homes, including the Henry Allergy and the Henry Eco from this list.