The Henry Quick is an all-new cordless stick vacuum from Numatic. Best known for its smiley range of Henry tub style vacuums, it’s fair to say that the British firm hasn’t rushed to produce a cordless stick-type vacuum cleaner. Taking its time and doing things a little differently has really paid off though, and we rate the Henry Quick amongst the best vacuum cleaners of its kind. Read on to find out why:
What makes the Henry Quick different from its competitors?
Where the Henry Quick takes a major departure from similar vacuums is the fact it uses a small bag or ‘pod’ instead of emptying directly into a canister.
Once full, the pod is ejected into a bin with a single push of a lever. Thanks to the self-sealing end, it's a far cry from the dusty, sneeze-inducing process that emptying canister vacuums can be. Loading up a fresh pod is almost as easy and takes only seconds.
A disadvantage of this approach is that Henry Quick will require an ongoing cost when other machines do not. There’s also the environmental impact of such pods to be considered, though Numatic states they are produced from up to 65% recycled material.
Numatic has been particularly generous when it comes to initial pod supply, providing 26 in the box with each new Henry Quick.
Given that the 1-litre pods may well take a couple of weeks to fill then with regular use, we think that could easily be a year’s supply for a typical owner. New pods are currently priced at £12.99 for a pack of ten.
How does the Henry Quick perform?
Overall we were very happy with the performance of the Henry Quick, though it does have its limitations.
At 3.2kg the Henry Quick is a competitive weight for a cordless stick vacuum. It feels particularly light and agile when pushed against the floor but if you’re looking to dust higher surfaces or reach for those irritating cobwebs then expect a workout to the forearm.
The Henry Quick features an on/off button rather than the trigger that you’d find on many Dysons and other machines. It’s less fatiguing to your fingers, particularly during a longer cleaning session.
The powered brush tool is the one that most Henry Quick users and will have fitted most of the time. It articulates freely and does a great job of collecting loose dirt from thin to thick carpets and hard floors with strong suction right to its edges.
The brushes used inside this tool do pick up hair over time, reducing their effectiveness. Thankfully, Numatic’s clever design allows for fast and tool-free removal of the brush bar, so a quick pass with a pair of scissors is enough to keep these working as new.
The LED lights at the end of the brush tool might look gimmicky but can be genuinely useful for those awkward corners or when you need to vacuum beneath furniture.
The supplied 2-in-1 combination tool is ideal for dusting or spot cleaning and can be used with or without the cleaner's extension tube.
Henry Quick is equipped with two motor speeds - suction in the regular setting is well-judged and proved more than adequate for most scenarios but press the + button on Henry Quick's simple interface and you’ll boost the motor’s power even further. Once boosted, Henry Quick becomes a fair bit louder than its normal quiet volume, but suction increases significantly.
With the brush attached and the motor boosted, the vacuum can actually offer too much power for some scenarios and can aggressively lift certain surfaces or make the machine difficult to move. Numatic knew this and has incorporated a vent into the brush head which allows you to bypass just enough of the suction to avoid such stiction. It's great having this additional power on tap but we found it was usually unnecessary.
The Henry Quick really excels where traditional Henry tub style cleaners and indeed any upright cleaners do not – and that’s on staircases. The cleaning head is perfectly sized to clean a single step of a staircase from edge to edge, making it easy to clean an entire staircase in record time.
A nice touch is that Numatic provides a scented disc that can be installed in a space behind the vacuum's motor. The disc provides a subtle but pleasant smell which we reckon will be especially useful for those who vacuum around pets.
The click-on tubes, tools and accessories are nicely made. Some of ours started off a little stiff to fit and remove but freed up after use.
The relatively large form factor of the Henry Quick did make it disappointing for use in smaller spaces. One example is car cleaning, where the large canister made it awkward to adequately clean footwells. Even with the narrow crevice tool attached, the Henry Quick’s large body meant it wasn’t possible to reach the narrow area surrounding the car's seat rails.
How long does the Henry Quick battery last?
According to Numatic’s claims, the Henry Quick can last up to an hour in its normal setting and with its powered brush switched off. As impressive as that is, it’s not representative of how most people will use this vacuum.
Our typical usage involved having the powered brush on most of the time but rarely using the motor’s boost setting. With this sort of use, the battery life provided by the 25.2v removable pack far exceeded expectations and regularly lasted around thirty to forty minutes - a full charge will take 150 minutes. A battery life indicator means you shouldn’t ever run out of power unexpectedly.
Is the Henry Quick for me?
The Henry Quick is an excellent choice for someone looking for a convenient and effective household vacuum. It’s great for all but the smallest of spaces, has impressive battery life and represents good value for money at its £299 retail price. Where the Henry Quick really sets itself apart is its dust-free emptying, so if you’re tired of time spent over a dusty bin then this is the answer.
Still undecided? Browse our ultimate guide to the best vacuum cleaners in 2023 to see our picks of everything from cordless to robot vacuums!
