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The best Henry vacuum cleaners, tried and tested by the GHI
This is the Henry you need for your home
Tested by Blossom BoothroydHomes Testing Manager
That iconic smile has been a reliable fixture in many UK households for decades, but there’s a lot more to love about Henry vacuum cleaners than just their friendly design. They’re well-built, affordable, and easy to use, so it’s no surprise you can often find a member of the Henry family in homes, schools, and offices across the country.
Going from humble cleaning product to household fame is no mean feat and it all began in 1981 with the launch of the first Henry vacuum cleaner. It had a black lid, which resembled a bowler hat, and Brits immediately took the little cleaner to their heart. Since then, the range has expanded to include different colourways, personalities (hello Hetty) and even a cordless stick vacuum.
If you’ve already decided that a Henry is for you, you may just need help deciding which model to go for. That’s where the GHI comes in. We’ve tested the classic Henry, as well as his cordless twin and stick vacuum brothers, and have analysed the benefits of each.
Shop each model below but keep scrolling to read our detailed reviews of the Henry range.
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If you’re replacing an existing vacuum, there are plenty of places for you to safely recycle your old one. Find your nearest electrical recycling point, or read our guide on how to donate or dispose of your appliances and tech for extra guidance.
Are Henry vacuum cleaners good?
Up against the likes of Dyson and Shark, Henry hoovers have tough competition in the vacuum cleaner market, but they’ve managed to hold their own with their hardy designs and large capacities.
They may not boast the fancy features of some – for example, the Vortex tech used by our winning Miele cylinder vacuum, which helped it achieve a perfect score when picking up dust – but Henry vacuums offer a reliable clean at a more affordable price.
How we test Henry vacuum cleaners
Our experts test each vacuum on four different floor types: laminate, floorboards and long- and short-pile carpet. We assess general pick-up by laying down a precise amount of formulated dust and going over it a set number of times before weighing how much dirt each model has collected.
We call in pet hair and tread it into the carpet to create a worst-case scenario before vacuuming and, again, measure pick-up. Testers check how effectively each vacuum picks up small residue, such as crumbs.
Our experts also use each model out on a set of stairs to see how easily it manoeuvres, as well as putting stick models to the test on car interiors and analysing any battery claims.
Finally, we assess the design, ease of use and instructions of every model and consider any innovative features.
Score: 95/100
It may not have the classic round Henry shape, but it still has the signature smiley face. Numatic (Henry’s parent brand) didn’t launch into the stick vacuum market until 2022, but this Henry Quick model certainly made a good first impression.
Rather than a bulky cylinder design, this nimble stick vacuum weighs in at just 3.2kg and proved easy to manoeuvre on test. Testers said it glided effortlessly across carpet and laminate, making light work of stairs too. The handle wasn’t the comfiest to hold over an extended period but for everyday cleans this wouldn’t be an issue.
When it came to the cleaning, this stick vacuum impressed, achieving full marks on every test except pick-up on floorboards (where it still only dropped two marks). Crumbs, dirt, and even tricky pet hair lifted in one sweep and the battery lasted just under 35 minutes, giving you plenty of time to get round your home. And when you’re done, emptying is simple thanks to the vacuum’s unique bagged design, which means there's no risk of dropping dust everywhere.
With an affordable price tag (compared to our winning stick vacuum, which costs over £700), you can’t go wrong with this Henry – but if you fancy more girlie energy in your cleaning supply, the Hetty Quick is also available.
Key specifications
| Bagged or bagless | Bagged |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 litre |
| Weight | 3.2kg |
| Running time | Up to 70 minutes |
| Charging time | 2.5 hours |
| Variable power | Yes |
| Tools | Crevice tool and 2-in-1 combi tool |
Score: 83/100
This Henry vacuum cleaner has all the bells and whistles of the classic model but it's cordless, so you’ll never be restricted by a mains power supply or at risk of tripping over the cable. And don’t worry about needing to charge Henry’s battery either – our testers removed it, charged it and refitted it with no issues.
But let's get onto the cleaning. As a cordless model, it has less power than the corded option below (250W compared to 620W) but it still did a fantastic job on short pile carpets, laminate and floorboards, removing most dust and lifting pet hair in a few sweeps.
It struggled more on long pile carpets and in our edge cleaning test where it left dust along the sides of the room and up against skirting boards due to lower suction across the front of the floorhead.
That aside, it’s still a wonderful vacuum that comes equipped with a great range of tools for a whole manner of cleaning tasks.
Key specifications
| Bagged or bagless | Bagged |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 6 litres |
| Indicator to change dust bag | Yes |
| Hose length | 2.2 metres |
| Tools | Combi floor tool, dusting tool, crevice tool, upholstery tool, and brush and mattress tool |
| Variable power | Yes |
| Wattage | 250 |
| Weight | 6.4kg |
Henry HVR160 Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner
Score: 76/100
The original Henry may not be our best performing option but it’s an icon for a reason. It rivalled our winners with its dust pick-up on hard floors and laminate, getting between crevices and removing most particles with its strong suction. On carpet, the results were less reliable, lifting around 80% of dust on short pile and 86% on long pile.
That’s still pretty effective though. And testers loved its huge six-litre capacity and indicator light to let you know when the dust canister is full – a chore that was impressively mess-free. It was also easy to manoeuvre the vacuum around furniture and up the stairs thanks to the long-reach hose and decent cord length.
It comes with a few helpful attachments for cleaning crevices and upholstery, but the Turbo Brush (a useful one for pet owners) is sold separately so we’d recommend purchasing if you’re constantly cleaning up after your furry friends. Otherwise, the classic Henry is a worthy, reliable buy that will bring a smile to your cleaning routine for years to come.
Key specifications
| Bagged or bagless | Bagged |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 6 litres |
| Indicator to change dust bag | Yes |
| Cord length | 10 metres |
| Hose length | 2.2 metres |
| Tools | Crevice nozzle, upholstery nozzle, mattress nozzle, floor nozzle, dusting brush |
| Variable power | Yes |
| Wattage | 620 |
| Weight | 7.5kg |
The Verdict: Which Henry vacuum cleaner is the best?
While we love the classic Henry, when it comes to cleaning power it’s the Henry Quick stick vacuum that won us over.
Or if you can’t resist a traditional cylinder, we recommend the cordless Henry for its easy manoeuvrability and great performance on most floor types.
Why you should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
We've been testing the latest appliances at the GHI for over 100 years and vacuum cleaners are a true staple. We've tested them all over the years.
Our homes testing manager, Blossom Boothroyd, has put hundreds of vacuum cleaners to work in our lab, where we even have our own vacuum testing room with a mix of flooring options, to put them through their paces. Our homes writer, Megan Geall, then turned the results into detailed reviews to help you pick the best one for your home.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market. When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her cooking, running and exploring London’s foodie hotspots – or trying to make friends with every dog she passes. Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall and on X @megan_geall
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
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