News Beat
is this 40-year-old vacuum still up to the task in 2025?
Price: £129.99 at Henry
Alternative retailers: £130 at Amazon, £159 at Currys
Our rating: 9 out of 10
We like:
- It’s solid, robust and built to last
- It’s good value for money
- The iconic design (only the most cynical would resist)
We don’t like:
- The bulky volume requires sizeable storage space
- It can get stuck around corners
- The tool tidy doesn’t hold all attachments at once
What is the Henry vacuum cleaner?
Often affectionately referred to as ‘Henry the Hoover’ (although ‘Hoover’ is a different brand altogether), this classic British vacuum cleaner was launched in 1981 and is probably the best-known anthropomorphised home appliance there is. But is the old-timer still one of the best vacuum cleaners you can buy in 2026?
Despite strong competition from the likes of Dyson and Shark, Henry remains the UK’s best-selling vacuum cleaner – with a significant proportion of sales going to professionals, such as cleaners and builders. Henry sells itself on being a reliable all-rounder that’s built to last. When I mentioned this review to friends, some were quick to tell me their own Henrys are still going strong after a decade or more (the makers claim most of the 10 million Henrys sold since 1981 are still in use).
New technology in the vacuum cleaner world has made features such as cordless and bag-free cleaning top of the list of desirables, but this Numatic vacuum (the Somerset-based makers behind Henry) sticks to its proven USPs: a super-long 10m cable, large six-litre dust capacity and a nifty set of tools to suit carpets, rugs, hard floors, upholstery, shelving, and tricky nooks and crannies. It’s also vastly more powerful than the average cordless vac, drawing 600 Watts compared to their 300, 200 or sometimes 100W motors.
Nowadays, the Henry ‘family’ has expanded to include the likes of Henry Quick (its cordless Dyson-like vacuum), Henry Wash and Henry Eco, plus Hetty, Harry, James and Charles. But is the original (Henry HVR160) still the best?
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How I tested the Henry vacuum
I tested Henry at home over a few days. Two children in this household ensure that muddy shoes, spillages, crumbs, remnants of craft sessions and any manner of dirt and debris are a near permanent fixture. I wanted to see how effective Henry was at tackling my hardwood flooring, stair runner, thick rugs and high footfall areas of the house. I tested all four attachments on their specific jobs, and ran the cleaner over various dry debris including dust, dried mud, leaves and hair (this model isn’t specifically designed for cleaning up pet hair, although it can tackle it, and can’t be used on liquids).
As with all our vacuum tests, I assessed how easy Henry was to use and manoeuvre around the house; how straight forward it is to store away; as well as its build quality and value for money. I’ve been using a cordless Shark for some time now, so was keen to see how Henry measured up against this and other competitors.
