Our Verdict: The Numatic Hetty 160 is a solid vacuum cleaner that’s great for cleaning hard floors. Like all Numatic vacuum cleaners, it’s a reliable, simple model with a large capacity and wide cleaning radius. However, it’s not the most manoeuvrable vacuum, and it only provides mediocre carpet performance.
Numatic Hetty HET 160-11
Pros:
- Large capacity (although smaller and more compact than the original HET200)
- Large cleaning radius
- Strong suction power generated by the 620W motor
- Great cleaning performance on hard floors
Cons:
- Difficult to use on stairs
- Bulky and heavy
- Hard to manoeuvre around the home
- Mediocre carpet pickup and not great for pet hair
- Can be difficult to push the floorhead on thick carpet
We don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say the Numatic Henry is one of the most well-loved British vacuum cleaners. But did you know that the Henry Hoover family has expanded in recent years?
One of these additions is the Hetty Hoover – also known as the HET160 – which features a fetching pink colour scheme, complete with over-sized eyelashes.
We think the Hetty is an excellent vacuum cleaner for hard floors. It’s also durable and easy to use, although the lack of a turbo brush means it’s less effective at cleaning carpets than other vacuums we’ve reviewed.
How does the Hetty differ from the Henry – if at all? And how does it compare to other cylinder vacuum cleaners? Let’s find out!
Note: The Hetty is short for the Numatic Henrietta, so if you see people talk about the Henrietta this is actually the same vacuum.
Overview of the Hetty Hoover
- Large 6-litre dust capacity
- 10-metre power cord
- Cable rewind function (although not automatic)
- Excellent durability from a reliable vacuum brand
- Relatively low noise output (72dB)
- Accessory kit with stainless steel tubes
In-Depth Look at the Hetty’s Features
The first thing to note about the Hetty is that it’s effectively the Henry vacuum with a different colour. It has identical features, performance and accessories. The only difference between the two vacuums is the price and pink colour scheme. With that out of the way, let’s see how the Hetty stacks up against other cylinder vacuum cleaners.
Appearance, Features and Design
In a world filled with black and grey vacuum cleaners, the Hetty certainly stands out. The bright pink colour scheme isn’t to everyone’s tastes, but we don’t think the smiley face should detract from the fact that this is a solid and professional vacuum.
The dirt capacity of the Hetty 160-11 is 6 litres. This makes it one of the largest we’ve reviewed, so you won’t need to empty it as often. On the flip side, it’s a bulky cleaner (dimensions of 34.5cm x 32cm x 34 cm) that can feel difficult to move around the home. There are also only two castor wheels combined with two fixed wheels, so it’s not as manoeuvrable as models with four castors.
As you probably know, the Hetty is a bagged vacuum, so you’ll need to purchase additional bags. As the Henry range is so popular, finding these bags isn’t difficult and Numatic bags are also reasonably priced. We also think bagged vacuums like the Hetty are a better choice for people with allergies, as the dirt is contained when you need to empty the vac.
Additionally, the combination of extension tubes, long 10-metre cable and hose mean that the cleaning range is over 26 metres. This is much larger than many other cylinders, and means you won’t need to change plug socket so often. The hose is also well-built so it won’t get easily crushed.
Of course, the circular design of the Hetty has some drawbacks. The biggest issue is that we found it difficult to place safely on stairs. You can use the upholstery nozzle for this, but the standard hose isn’t long enough to clean most staircases with the Hetty at the bottom. There’s the option of buying an extra extension for the hose though.
It’s also a relatively heavy cylinder at 7.5kg, so it’s not the best model for elderly people or anyone with a back injury. The carry handle is useful and strong, but this isn’t a compact or lightweight vacuum by any stretch.
One area where Numatic vacuums stand out is reliability. The Hetty vacuum’s motor is built for professional cleaning, so it’s designed to last. In fact, we rate Numatic models as among the most reliable in the industry.
Suction Power and Performance
When it comes to cleaning performance, we think the Hetty does a decent job around the home. It’s particularly effective on hard floors, where the lack of a turbo brush isn’t an issue, and it provides plenty of suction power for pulling up dust between floorboards.
Let’s take a step back and start with the floorhead though. The Hetty comes with a combination floor head, rather than a separate cleaner head for hard floors. You can switch between carpets and hard floor modes using a convenient foot switch. The sole plate is made from metal to help the head glide over surfaces more easily.
A minor complaint is that this model doesn’t come with “Hi” and “Lo” cleaning modes, like other versions of the Hetty. Instead, there’s only one suction option, which can make the head difficult to push on carpets due to the strong suction.
In general, hard floor pickup is excellent for hair, dust, and smaller debris. We found the combi floor head sometimes struggles to pick up larger debris though – especially on hard floors – so you might need to lift up the floorhead to get it all.
Unfortunately, we don’t think it’s as effective for cleaning carpets. While the Hetty does a decent job on low-pile carpets, the lack of carpet agitation from a motorised brush bar limits the vacuum’s performance on deeper-pile carpets. It’s also not the best vacuum for pet hair for the same reason.
One thing we like about the vacuum is its low noise output. At 72dB, it’s not the quietest vacuum we’ve reviewed, but it’s considerably less noisy than most.
Ease of Use
As we mentioned earlier in the review, we don’t think the Hetty is the most convenient vacuum to use around the home. It’s quite bulky and heavy, plus the circular design can be awkward to use. There are still some handy ease of use features included though, such as:
- Like most Numatic vacuums, Hetty comes with a cable rewind function. This saves a lot of time, although we would have liked an automatic rewind function.
- There is on-board storage for the wand and one accessory.
- The handle can be folded down for storage. This isn’t a major feature, but makes the vacuum a bit easier to store.
- A vent can be used to adjust suction power if required (this is useful if the floor head is getting stuck on carpet.)
Filtration
A TriTex filter is included with the Hetty. This is a standard filter, although you can purchase more effective or odour-reducing filters separately.
The Hetty also uses HepaFlo bags. These are considerably more durable than regular paper bags and also hold plenty of dirt and dust. They also act as a first line of defence against allergens escaping into the air.
Note: Some people believe you can use a Hetty without a bag, but this is a bad idea. More dust and dirt will escape into the air and the filter will get clogged much faster. Considering the low price, we recommend purchasing genuine Numatic bags.
Price
With an RRP of £150, we think the Hetty is reasonably priced considering the large capacity, cleaning performance and range of accessories. Fortunately, it’s often available for considerably less than the RRP, making it easy to recommend if your home has mainly hard floors and you’re looking for a large vacuum.
We don’t think it provides value for money if you have pets or lots of carpets in your home though. There are better vacuums available for these tasks in a similar price range.
Tools and Accessories
The Hetty is sold with Numatic’s AS1 Combo kit of accessories. This includes an array of tools, including an upholstery nozzle, 2.2 metre hose, dusting brush and crevice tool. Two extension tubes are also included.
A bonus is that the Hetty comes with an extra adaptor for tools. If you’re working in a cramped space, you can remove the steel tube that tools usually attach.
While we don’t think there’s anything wrong with Hetty’s tools, the lack of a pet turbo tool makes the vacuum less effective for cleaning upholstery, car interiors, and stairs.
Hetty 160 Specification Table
| Ninja Column 1 | Ninja Column 2 |
|---|---|
| Type | Cylinder |
| Bag | Bagged |
| Filter | TriTex |
| Price Range | ££ |
| Weight (kg) | 7.5 |
| Capacity (Litres) | 6 |
| Motorised Tool | No |
| Hose | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is The Hetty Hoover Different From The Henry?
We’ve mentioned this earlier in the post, but, in short, there is no difference between the two aside from the colour scheme. Both have the same motor, filtration system, dust capacity and accessories – so the only reason to choose the Hetty over the Henry is if you prefer the colour!
What’s The Difference Between The Hetty 160 and Hetty 200?
The Hetty 200 is a larger version of the Hetty. It has a 9-litre dust capacity, compared with the Hetty 160’s 6-litre capacity. The Hetty 200 is also slightly heavier and sometimes includes two suction power settings (depending on the version).
What’s The Difference Between The Hetty 160 and Hetty PEH200-11?
The PETH200-11 is the pet version of the Hetty. It’s a more expensive vacuum cleaner, but comes with an EcoBrush for cleaning pet hair from carpets. The addition of a powered brush makes the vacuum much more effective for hair and stubborn dirt, so we recommend the PETH200-11 if you have pets.
Other differences include that the PET200-11 has a larger 9 litre capacity, includes a MicroFresh filter for pet odours, and is around 1kg heavier.
| Ninja Column 1 | Vacuum 2 | Vacuum 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Hetty 160-11 | Hetty Pet PEH200-11 | |
| Bag | Bagged | Bagged |
| Filter | TriTex | MicroFresh |
| Price Range | ££ | ££ |
| Weight (kg) | 7.5 | 8 |
| Capacity (Litres) | 6 | 9 |
| Motorised Tool | No | Yes |
| Hose | Yes | Yes |
Can The Hetty 160 Clean Pet Hair?
The Hetty 160-11 is a decent vacuum cleaner for pet hair, without being brilliant. It can pickup most loose hair – especially on hard floors – but struggles to remove clumps of ground-in hair in carpets. There are much better cylinder vacuums available for pet hair if you have a cat or dog.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a sturdy vacuum cleaner with a huge capacity, large cleaning radius and strong suction, the Numatic Hetty HET 160 is an option to consider – especially if your home has mainly hard floors. It’s also a reliable machine, so you probably won’t need to worry about it breaking down.
There are some drawbacks though. Its performance on carpets isn’t great, especially as there’s no motorised brush bar to stir up deeper dirt. The same is true for pet hair. The Hetty is also bulky and heavy, so it’s not the most manoeuvrable or convenient.