Finding the best vacuum cleaner is essential in every home and one brand we’re all familiar with is Numatic’s Henry Vacuum Cleaner. This cheery classic cleaner has provided reliable cleaning to lots of households since 1981. But when we heard they’d created the Henry Quick Stick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, we knew we had to test it out. Could this well-known brand, renowned for its iconic cylinder vacuum, live up to the likes of a cordless stick vacuum? Our product writer, Bryony Firth-Bernard, decided to find out.
Pros
- Sleek and modern design
- Easy to use and set up
- Very decent runtime (dependent on chosen power mode)
- Gives an efficient clean
- Available in grey, classic Henry red or Hetty pink
Cons
- Quite heavy, not ideal as a handheld vacuum
Key features
Decent runtime: From 16 minutes to 70 minutes, depending on the setting used.
Dust-free emptying: Empty your dirt and dust easily with one simple click.
Recyclable pods: Dust bags (‘Henry Pods’) are made from recyclable material.
Three head attachments: Comes with three different head tools.
Testing the Henry Quick Stick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
I was very intrigued to test out this vacuum, more so because it had a better runtime than my mum’s Dyson stick vacuum, which she’d paid double the amount for. On unboxing this vacuum, the first thing that stood out was the cylinder size, which was very decent in comparison to other stick vacuums.
I’d opted for the granite grey colour, although it’s also available in the traditional pink and red. In terms of appearance, I thought the vacuum looked really sleek and modern, especially in the grey. Personally, I think the red and pink looked slightly tacky, especially as they come with the iconic Henry and Hetty face on the side. The material used for the vacuum also felt, and looked, a little more plasticy than I’d hoped for.
It came equipped with three different vacuum heads — a floor head, a crevice tool, and a brush tool — as well as the recyclable Henry pods to go inside the cylinder (but more on those later).
Battery
The runtime for the Henry Quick Stick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is definitely decent. It can run for either 70 minutes on the low power setting, or 16 minutes in ‘boost mode’. I really liked the little light indicator on the top of the vacuum, which tells you how much battery is left. It does take over two hours to fully charge up (150 minutes exactly), but with the amount of runtime you get with this product, I feel like this was to be expected.
The main thing I wasn’t too keen on with this vacuum was the fact its battery is so big because this really weighed the vacuum down. It made it a lot heavier than other stick vacuums and it’s certainly not suitable to be used as a car vacuum, because the size of the cylinder and the weight of the battery do not make it easy to maneuver. After a few minutes my hand was aching, and I workout pretty frequently.
Performance
For harder floors, I liked to use the boost mode, which zapped up every little crumb off of the floor. Plus, the little light on the end of the vacuum head meant nothing went amiss. It wasn’t the best at vacuuming up a couple of the leaves that had managed to make their way indoors though — it was almost like the vacuum sucked them up and tried to spit them back out again, only in smaller pieces.
For carpet, I found boost mode was a little too powerful, so if you have lots of carpet in your home this vacuum will last a long time as you can just use it on low power. The cylinder is also really large with a one-litre capacity, which was really handy for my small annex home. But it also meant it would be a great cordless vacuum for larger homes too, as many on the market are very small.
Pods
I think there were pros and cons to this item being a bagged cordless vacuum. Firstly, it helps keep the vacuum very clean and you don’t see all the disgusting fluff and dirt that’s been sucked up around your home. They are recyclable too, which is a bonus, and the instructions to install them are very easy to follow.
However, despite the vacuum coming equipped with six pods, just be aware it is another cost purchase — a pack of 10 is £12.99. However, they are big, and I haven't even finished the one currently in my vacuum.
Final thoughts
Overall, I was really happy with the cleaning performance of this vacuum; it looks good and has a brilliant runtime. For its £300 price tag, I don't think it's bad, especially when you compare it to pricier brands, such as Dyson. You can tell Numatics has tried to think how it can make this item stand out compared to its competitors, and I definitely think the runtime, it being a bagged vacuum (you either hate it or love it), and having a very large capacity are ways that's been accomplished.
As previously mentioned, I am a little gutted at how heavy this vacuum is as I was really keen to use it in my car, but unfortunately, it's just not designed for that. The fact that you do have to purchase the bags for this vacuum could potentially be enough to scare people away, but personally, I love the fact it keeps my vacuum clean. After all, let's be honest, how many of us take the time to clean the inside of our vacuums? Probably not many. The bags do last for ages, thanks to the large cylinder, so it shouldn't stretch you that much when they do need replacing.
I think Numatics have tried hard here and done a pretty decent job. If you're after a cordless vacuum that's cheaper than a Dyson with a brilliant runtime and cleans well, this could be it. For small households, it's definitely handy, but for larger homes, I'd be tempted to fork out on something a little more expensive.
Henry Quick Stick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner FAQs
Can you use Henry Quick without a bag?
No, it isn't recommended. You should always use the pod in the vacuum cleaner - using it podless could result in damage to the motor. Not to mention, a much messier job when it comes to emptying!
How long does the cordless Henry last?
The cordless Henry has a runtime of 70 minutes on low power energy or 16 minutes in 'boost mode'.
How do you know when Henry bag is full?
The main indicator is your vacuum's performance. If your Henry Quick Stick is struggling to pick up dirt it used to or the suction seems to have dropped, that's a sign the pod needs replacing.
Can you empty and reuse Henry bags?
No, the pods have been designed for single use only, to be sealed and then disposed of. Each pod is made from up to 65 per cent recycled materials. It works as the dust bag and filter in one so with each new pod, you get effectively a new filter too.
Bryony Firth-Bernard is a product writer for Yours. Her hobbies include hitting the weights in the gym and pole fitness (where she gets countless bruises). On the weekend she loves whipping up new recipes in the kitchen and spending time with her friends and family.
