Henry Hoover Range: A Complete Guide to Numatic Vacuums

Henry is the model that started it all – although he’s had a number of upgrades over the years. With a charming exterior and simple design, you could be forgiven for thinking it can’t compete with more expensive models. As we found in our Henry Hoover review, however, this is far from the case.

The HVR200-11 uses 620W of power, making it one of the more energy efficient models on the market. The motor also provides excellent suction and is highly durable, while the large 9 litre capacity means you won’t need to empty it often. Other features include TriTex filters, HepaFlo bags and a cord-rewind system.

If you’re looking for a straightforward cylinder vacuum that won’t let you down, the Henry is a great choice for carpets and hard floors. While it can be unwieldy to use on stairs and doesn’t have many advanced features, it has excellent filtration, strong suction power and provides great value.

Note: Want to see how the Henry compares to the latest Dyson cylinder? Check out our comparison here.​

If you’re looking for a Henry for DIY jobs, then the Henry XL Plus could be a great option. It has a similar design to the regular Henry, but comes with a huge 15 litre capacity and long power cord. The XL Plus is generally a bit more expensive, but you get a lot for your money.

Along with the bigger capacity, the Henry XL Plus also has more tools and accessories. These include a flexible crevice tool, hard floor nozzle, and, most importantly, the mini AiroBrush that’s great for pet hair and stairs. As you would expect from a Numatic vacuum, it’s also highly durable.

The downside to this vacuum is that it’s a cumbersome model to use around the home. While it’s brilliant for DIY jobs, it wouldn’t be our first choice as an everyday vacuum cleaner.

One of the newest Henry Hoover vacuums is the HVR160. It has the same features as the regular Henry, just with a smaller 6 litre capacity and more compact design. This model wasn’t available for a long time in the UK, but is now finally stocked by several retailers.

Aside from a smaller drum capacity, the HVR160 is also lighter than the 200. It still has a 10 metre cable, on-board tool storage and energy efficient motor, but is easier to move around.

If you don’t need a full-size Henry but want all the same features, the HVR160 is a great choice. In fact, for most people it’s probably the better option due to its cheaper price.

Note: The HVR160 is sold in both blue and red, depending on where you buy.​ Both versions have the same specifications.

With a 9 litre capacity, TriTex filtration system and HepaFlo bags, the Numatic Hetty HET200 has the same features as the Henry 200. Like its sibling, the Hetty (also sometimes known as the Henrietta) is a powerful vacuum that’s designed for no-nonsense cleaning. But is there any real difference between the Hetty and Henry?

In short: no. The only differences are that the Hetty comes in a fetching pink colour scheme and has a set of eyelashes. Aside from that, the Henry and Hetty are exactly the same.

​So if you’re looking for something that provides extra performance or features compared to the Henry, the Hetty isn’t the right choice. But if you want all the power and convenience with a more feminine colour scheme, it’s a great option.

If you’re looking for a compact Henry Hoover but prefer the Hetty’s pink colour scheme – you’re in luck! The Hetty HET160 is the compact version of the Hetty and is currently available from a number of UK retailers.

Like the full-size Hetty, the HET160 has on-board storage for tools, a cable rewind system and energy-saving motor. The only real differences are the smaller size and 6 litre capacity. This is still relatively large for a cylinder vacuum, but means you don’t need as much storage space as you do for the regular Hetty or Henry.

The Hetty HET160 is an option to consider if you love the features of the Henry but want a smaller and more compact vacuum. While the pink colour scheme might put some people off, the HET160 is an excellent vacuum cleaner and provides great value.

Numatic calls the James Hoover the “frugal” member of the Henry family, as it aims to provide a similar level of cleaning performance at a lower cost.

The James has many of the same features as the Henry. The eight litre dust capacity is one litre smaller, ​but it’s still one of the largest cylinders on the domestic market. It also has an A-rating for energy efficiency, HepaFlo bags and a number of accessories.

There are some missing features though. The James doesn’t have an automatic cable rewind system, you need to manually coil the cord at the top of the machine (see photo). It also doesn’t have the TriTex filtration system, so it’s not as suitable for people with allergies.

Even so, if you want a vacuum with many of the advantages of the Henry Hoover at a lower cost, the James is an excellent choice. It’s powerful, comes with a range of accessories and has a large capacity, making it suitable for almost any cleaning job.

Another popular model in the Henry Hoover range is the Harry. While it has many of the same features, it’s specifically designed for people with pets (hence the paw print).

Like the Henry, the Harry Hoover has a 9 litre dust capacity, HepaFlo bags and an A rating for energy efficiency. It also has Numatic’s cord rewind system and uses HepaFlo bags.

There are some important differences though. Unlike the Henry, the Harry is built with a MicroFresh charcoal filter (click here for an overview of what a charcoal filter does). This reduces pet odours in the home while removing hair and dust particles from the air. It also has a powered brush that’s more effective at removing pet hair on both upholstery and floors.​

If you own a dog, cat or other animal that sheds, the Harry Hoover is probably the best option in the Henry range. It has all the same features, including a large capacity and strong suction, but is better equipped to deal with pet hair and animal odours.

Numatic have continuously improved the Henry, and the Henry Xtra is one of the most recent developments. The HVX200 is a 580W vacuum that has all the features of the standard model – but with a few additions not found on the cheaper option.

The biggest difference is that the Xtra comes with two additional floor heads. The first is the Henry Hoover Airobrush, which is designed for removing more dirt and dust from carpets. A hard floor brush is also included. Aside from the new floor tools, the Xtra is also more energy efficient.

If you want the powerful suction of a Henry but don’t think the standard model comes with enough accessories, the Henry Extra is a great alternative. It’s more expensive, but the Airobrush floor head is great for cleaning carpets and removing pet hair.

The Henry Eco is very similar to other 6-litre Henry models, with the key difference being an energy-efficient motor – 420W compared with 620W. Reducing the motor power helps save on energy bills, although the suction power is slightly reduced as a result.

The good news is that the lower suction is partly counteracted by the EcoBrush tool – at least for smaller cleaning jobs. This is a small tool with a brush for agitating hairs and dirt from carpets, which improves cleaning performance. It’s not suitable for cleaning large areas though.

Aside from the motor and EcoBrush, the Henry Eco has similar features to many Henry vacuums. These include a six-litre capacity, bagged design, and a wide cleaning radius. It also comes with Numatic’s standard combi head for carpets and hard floors.

The Henry Eco provides decent all-round cleaning performance. However, we don’t think it will appeal to most people. The Henry is already relatively energy efficient, as 620W is lower than many other corded vacuums. As Henry vacuums are manufactured in the UK, they arguably also already have a lower carbon footprint for British consumers.

It would be reasonable to think that the Henry Micro was a smaller version of the standard model – but this isn’t the case.

Instead, the Micro comes with a more effective MicroTex filtration system that stops allergens escaping. This has been approved by the British Allergy Foundation as suitable for people with dust allergies, so it’s a great choice if you’re an allergy sufferer.

Aside from the new filter, the Henry Micro has the same features as the standard Henry. These include a a 10 metre power cable, 9 litre capacity, cable rewind system and the AS1 stainless steel accessory kit.

For most people, the Micro won’t offer any noticeable advantages. If you suffer from allergies, however, it’s the obvious choice for a Henry vacuum. 

The Henry Professional HVR240 is the commercial version of the Henry Hoover. It includes all of Henry’s features, such as a 9-litre capacity, cable rewind system and TriTex filtration, but adds a couple of features for commercial use.

One difference is the drum shape. As you can see from the photo, the HVR240 has a furniture guard above the wheels to protect fixtures and fittings. The Professional also has switches at the front of the machine for easy access.

So, while the Professional is hardly revolutionary, it could be a good option for small offices or other commercial environments – especially as it’s not much more expensive than the standard model.

The Henry Quick HEN100 is Numatic’s answer to cordless vacuums from Dyson, Shark and other brands. Despite being one of the company’s first cordless vacs, we think the Henry Quick is an excellent stick vacuum that’s great for cleaning both carpets and floorboards. The fact that it has Henry’s smiley face is a bonus!

An interesting feature of the Henry Quick is that it’s one of the few cordless vacuums with a bagged design. While this might seem like a hassle, the bags (or “pods” as Numatic calls them) make it much easier to empty hygienically than other vacuums. If you have an allergy, or hate dust clouds escaping when you empty your vacuum, then we think you’ll enjoy the Quick.

Aside from the bagged design, the Henry Quick has the features we’d expect from a mid-range cordless. These include a handheld mode, wall dock, LED headlights, combi tool, and motorised brush bar. We also like that there’s an option for switching off the power brush for hard floors – a feature that’s lacking from many cordless vacs.

In short, if you want a powerful cordless vacuum that’s cheaper than models from Dyson or Samsung, then we think the Henry Quick is a great choice. It can’t quite match the top cordless vacuums when it comes to cleaning performance or advanced features, but at this price, it’s great value.

Note: Numatic also produces the Hetty Quick HET100 and a graphite version of the Henry Quick. These are the same vacuum but with different colour schemes.

Cordless vacuums have become increasingly popular, so it’s no surprise Numatic have a cordless version of the Henry. It has many of the same features as the corded version, but comes with a 36V battery and is one of the few cordless vacs to have a bagged design.

With a run-time of 30 minutes, the HVB160 can’t match the latest cordless vacs when it comes to battery life. 30 minutes is still plenty for most jobs, however, and the lack of a cord means it’s more convenient.

Aside from the cordless design, it has a 6 litre capacity (which is huge for a cordless), power boost mode, and HepaFlo bags. Like other Henry models, it comes with several tools, such as a crevice nozzle and dusting brush.​ The bagged design also means it could be a good choice for those with allergies.

If you want the no-nonsense design of a Henry vacuum combined with the convenience of cordless, the HVB160 is an option to consider. It’s more expensive than the corded Henry and doesn’t have the longest run-time, but the strong suction and large capacity mean it’s much better suited to heavy cleaning than most cordless models.

Note: Numatic also sells a cordless model with two supplied battery packs, which gives you double the run-time by swapping rather than waiting to recharge.

The Numatic George GVE370 is a wet and dry vacuum that Numatic claims is a truly “all-in-one” machine. It can handle both dry and wet vacuuming, while also being suitable for unblocking sinks, vacuuming upholstery and drying floors after cleaning.

With a power rating of over 1000W, the George is considerably more powerful than other Numatic vacuums. For dry materials, it has a huge 15 litre capacity, while for wet cleaning this is reduced to 9 litres.

What makes the George such a great machine is that it’s capable of performing a variety of tasks. Aside from dry vacuuming, it can act as an extraction vacuum to clean carpets and upholstery. The wet floor tool is also capable of scrubbing in addition to vacuuming fluids.

Switching between ​wet and dry cleaning is relatively straightforward. You just need to use the float valve instead of the dry filter. A range of accessories are also included with the George.

In short, the Numatic George is built for professional cleaning. It’s powerful, highly versatile and is available for a very reasonable price. If you need a wet and dry vacuum and like the design of the Henry Hoover range, you can’t go far wrong with the George.

Another of Numatic’s wet vacuum cleaners is the Charles. It’s less expensive than the George and doesn’t come with quite as many accessories, but is still a powerful and versatile vacuum that’s suitable for both domestic and professional cleaning.

​Like the George, the Charles is built with Numatic’s Twinflo motor. The machine has a wet capacity of 9 litres and dry capacity of 15 litres, and comes with two floor heads. The first is a combination head for carpets. The second is a head for wet cleaning. In addition, three tools are included with the George.

If you need a wet and dry vacuum but aren’t interested in the extra features of the George (such as the extraction vac capabilities), the Charles is an excellent choice. It’s also cheaper than its sibling.