I tested the new Henry corded stick vacuum – it’s powerful, practical and only £160

In a world where vacuum cleaners are a dime a dozen, there’s no denying that Henry vacuums continue to draw people in. Designed and engineered by Numatic, they’re comforting, fun and reliable, which is why I was intrigued when I saw that the new Henry vacuum combines the brand’s famous corded power with a more modern stick design.

So, I’ve been testing the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner for the past two weeks to see if it has what it takes to compete with the best Henry vacuum cleaners out there - and even the best vacuums overall. My take? For just £160, this budget vacuum has a lot going for it. But there are also some downsides you need to consider.

In a nutshell

While I try not to have favourites when it comes to the vacuum cleaners I test, I won’t deny that I always tend to favour the best cordless vacuum cleaners over corded alternatives. I don’t like to feel restricted, and I don’t like to feel as though I’m tripping over cords to clean my home. But I must admit that the new Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner is a nice middle ground that won me over more than I thought it would.

This corded stick vacuum combines the practicality of a stick model with the impressive suction power we have come to know and love with Numatic Henry products, and it was more than enough for everyday cleaning. I did find that it struggled a bit more with larger debris, but it tackled everyday dust and dirt with ease. The 1L dust bag also allows holds a lot, and offers fuss-free emptying you don’t normally get with other stick models.

Of course, these dust bags do need to be replaced and will come at an extra cost, but for £160, I really do think the Henry Quick Corded is one of the best budget vacuum cleaners you can buy. It’s ideal for slower homes that don’t require regular deep cleans or will work perfectly as a second vacuum cleaner in bigger homes - or even just for the car.

All in all, I’d say that you get way more from this vacuum cleaner than the price suggests, and being able to use the tools and attachments in multiple configurations is a nice touch that makes it an affordable all-rounder. So, if you can get past the fact that it’s corded (or even the fact that it’s a stick vacuum if you’ve always been loyal to cylinder or upright models), I do think this is well worth a purchase.

Specifications

• Weight: 4.19kg
• Cord length: 10m
• Bin volume: 1L
• Modes: Noise level: 76dB
• In the box: Main unit with cord, Motorised floor head, crevice tool, 2-in-1 combi tool, aluminium extension tube, 6 dust pods, 1 scent pod
• RRP: £160

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner arrived in a relatively light box (around 6.5kg overall), and it instantly made me happy. After all, Henry vacuum cleaners are known for their bright colours and smiley faces, and that experience began with the bright box featuring very clear messaging.

Upon opening the box, I was pleased to see that everything, from the outer box to the inner scaffolding and the packaging of the individual components, was fully recyclable. In fact, the only bit of plastic present was the plastic around the scented pod, so it scored major eco-friendly points in my book.

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I then assembled the rest of the corded vacuum. This was incredibly easy, and it took just a few seconds to connect the main unit to the extension tube and the extension tube to the floorhead. A dust pod/bag was already inserted, too, so it was essentially ready to go almost as soon as I got it out of the box.

Nevertheless, I decided to take a step back and assess the vacuum, and I must admit that my first impression was a very positive one. The overall aesthetic is both modern and nostalgic, and the red colourway is very Henry.

Unfortunately, the Henry Quick Corded doesn’t stand up on its own, and the cord protrudes from the back of the handle, which means you also need to ensure it's balanced properly against a wall to store it. However, I will give them credit for adding cable hooks on the side to keep the long 10m cord safe and tangle-free. Plus, corded vacuums are always notoriously more difficult to store (especially cylinder models), so I wasn’t too put out.

Using the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner

When I test a new vacuum, I first like to take it for a spin as part of my daily cleaning routine. So, I used it to clean my whole house, and one thing I was really impressed with was the suction power.

It performed extremely well on both hard flooring and carpet, and while the light on the front of the floorhead isn’t as impressive as the best Shark vacuums or the best Dyson vacuums, it still allowed me to see invisible dust in darker areas of my home. It also has two modes, a regular mode and a ‘Boost’ mode, and while I tried out the ‘Boost’ mode for the sake of testing, I never felt the need to use it during my everyday cleaning sessions.

I will say that I’m not the biggest fan of corded vacuums, and I’d personally always choose a cordless over a corded, but I was impressed with the range of movement allowed by the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner. While the cord is long (which meant I could vacuum multiple rooms without having to unplug and re-plug), it can also be wrapped around the unit when you don’t need as much, so I didn’t feel as though I was tripping over it all the time.

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As I take how we test vacuums at Ideal Home very seriously, I then decided to conduct a debris test. So, I threw coffee grounds, rice and crushed cereal on my hard flooring to see how it would cope with different-sized debris.

In an ideal world, a vacuum would be able to tackle all of them with ease - but I must admit that that wasn’t the case with the Henry Quick Corded. Although it sucked up the smaller coffee grounds instantly and made fairly light work of the rice, it struggled with the crushed cereal as the pieces just seemed to be too big for the floorhead to handle.

It performed slightly better when I repeated the test on carpet, but it still took a couple of passes to pick up every bit of the crushed cereal.

However, after testing countless vacuums over the years, I can confidently say that I think its struggle with larger debris is more to do with the floorhead rather than the suction power. That’s because I managed to suck up the crushed cereal instantly (it was actually very impressive) when using it in handheld mode.

Using the attachments

I love it when a vacuum cleaner comes with extra tools and attachments, and while the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner only comes with two attachments on paper, you can actually use it in multiple configurations.

In fact, I was able to use the crevice tool and the 2-in-1 combi tool both with or without the extension wand, which meant that I could tackle the cobwebs in the corner of my ceilings, the crumbs over my laptop, the crevices of my sofa and other nooks and crannies without having to reach for other cleaning tools.

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Another feature I really loved was that I could also use the floorhead while in handheld mode. This allowed me to vacuum my steep carpeted stairs with the smaller, lighter handheld instead of the full-size stick version, which can often be awkward and heavy when dealing with stairs.

Overall, I think the attachments provided with the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner are enough for everyday cleaning, but it is worth noting that you can buy an extra toolkit, the Henry Quick ProKit (£39.99 at Henry), which comes with a flexi hose, soft dusting brush and flexi crevice tool.

However, many of the other tools on offer aren’t compatible with the Henry Quick Corded model but can fit the Henry Quick Cordless, so if extra tools are what you’re after, this might not be the model for you.

Cleaning and maintenance

One of the biggest perks of bagged options in the bagged vs bagless vacuum cleaner debate is that they’re incredibly clean and easy to empty. And as someone who has tested a lot of vacuum cleaners over the years, I must admit that being able to empty the dust canister without getting a cloud of dust in the face is one of the reasons I love bagged varieties.

So, emptying the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner was a doddle. All I had to do was unclip the main wand as if I were turning it into handheld mode before sliding down the red toggle and letting the bag dump itself straight into the bin. This took seconds, and I didn’t have to get my hands dirty at all.

Replacing the bag (or dust pods as they’re officially called) also takes a matter of seconds. In fact, I was expecting this step to be a bit fiddly, but all you need to do is place the pod into the dust compartment and close the lid.

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Thankfully, this particular model came equipped with six dust pods, so I’m set for a while. But those who buy the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner will need to buy more pods in the long run, and you can buy a pack of 10 Henry Pods from Amazon for £12.99.

As the anti-hair wrap technology wasn’t as impressive as other vacuums out there, I also found myself having to remove hair from the brush roller a few times. To do this, you can press the red button on the floorhead to pull the roller out and cut or pull the hair away from the fins. Then, simply slide it back in place.

Something else to note is that the filter of the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner cannot be washed like many other models on the market. But as the dust goes immediately into the dust pods, the filter shouldn't need cleaning anyway.

How does it rate online?

Although the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner is a relatively new vacuum, it is already well reviewed on Argos, where it’s currently only available. At the time of writing, it has 38 reviews with an average star rating of 4.6.

Customers praise the vacuum's affordability, as well as its impressive suction power, coupled with the practicality of the 10m cord. However, some have criticised the height of the vacuum cleaner and the fact that it can’t stand up on its own.

Generally, though, they find that it's well worth the £160 price tag, and most customers are extremely happy with their purchase.

How does it compare to similar models?

Of course, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t compare the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner with the Henry Quick Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, which we also gave a 4-star review.

In terms of looks and the bin size, these two models are identical. They offer the same stick design and even the same floorhead and power modes. But there are some differences that I do think will affect your buying decision.

For starters, the Quick Corded definitely wins in terms of price as it’s significantly cheaper at just £160 rather than the £299.99 price tag of the cordless model. It also has unlimited runtime, which means you don’t have to worry about the battery running out or waiting for it to charge. So if those things are a consideration, the corded model would suit you better.

But if you’re looking for something lighter and more manoeuvrable, the Quick Cordless will probably be more to your tastes as you’re not restricted by any cords or cables.

Verdict: Should you buy the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner?

If you’re in the market for a budget vacuum cleaner, I really do think the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner is worth it. It perfectly blends the power of a corded model with the practicality of a stick vacuum, and while the cord will be a dealbreaker for some, I still think you’re getting a lot for £160.

The multi-purpose model can be used with multiple attachments and in various different configurations, which means it’ll clean both your floors and other areas of your home with ease, and the bagged system is both hands-free and clean.

If I’m honest, it’s not the most powerful model in the world, and it’s not a groundbreaking feat of engineering, but if you want a cheap and cheerful vacuum cleaner that will get the job done while looking very nostalgic and fun, it’s a must-have.