The Henry Xtra – otherwise known as the Henry Extra Hoover – is Numatic’s attempt at an upgrade on the hugely popular Henry Hoover. If you’re looking for a powerful cylinder vacuum cleaner, then you know with Numatic that you’ll be getting a machine that is reliable. But is there much difference between Henry and Henry Xtra? It’s not nearly as heavy as you would think for all those extras. It isn’t expensive, it doesn’t make much noise. The Henry Xtra is still a great cylinder vacuum cleaner in its own right, but in our opinion if you’re choosing between the Xtra and Henry it’s only really worth the additional cost if you have pets that leave stubborn pet hair around the home. An additional versatility with the Henry range are the bags. You can use the same set of bags throughout the majority of their machines. The wet and dry, the pet hair, and the larger models all use a one-size-fits-all-capacities bag. It makes it easier to shop. Durability & Reliability​ However, Charles is quite a bit lighter than George and doesn’t come with as many accessories as his older brother. The main thing missing with Charles when compared to George is the extra carpet / upholstery cleaner. If this is something you require, then you’d be better off going for George, but if it’s something you don’t feel you need, then Charles is the man for you as he’s generally cheaper than George and lighter.

Henry Xtra review: we tried this bigger, better Henry to see

While Charles can clean up spills, it isn’t designed for pumping out a cleaning solution, as George has been. At more than 14.5kg, George is almost twice the weight of Henry, and close to a third more than Henry XL Plus, but it’s a very versatile machine that does far more than just vacuum. It might sound like a complex term regarding suction or energy efficiency, Numatic International are the manufacturers of the Henry. Incidentally, although known as Henry Hoovers, they aren’t Hoovers by brand. Henry’s little sister is Hetty. She comes with all the same features as Henry, but the introduction of Eco technology helps you to save the planet and your wallet at the same time. A smaller size means she’s easier to store, but a 9-litre bag capacity, means there’s plenty of dust storage room. The frugal member of the family, James Hoover is a slightly smaller vacuum cleaner and comes with a couple of other alterations.Over the years we’ve seen his family grow rapidly. We’ve since been introduced to Hetty, Charles, George and James, among others. They specialise in all sorts of jobs whether it’s clearing up troublesome pet hair or devouring spilled liquids. Only one of the included attachments is designed for cleaning up hair. The rest are normal Henry attachments. Only one of the included attachments is designed for cleaning up hair. The rest are normal Henry attachments.

Henry Xtra HVX200 Bagged Cylinder Vacuum, 9 Litre, 620 Watt Henry Xtra HVX200 Bagged Cylinder Vacuum, 9 Litre, 620 Watt

At 6kg, James is 20% lighter than Henry, making it easier to transport, yet it has a dust chamber which, at eight litres, is a third larger than Henry’s. Otherwise, the two have much in common, with the same 620W motor and tool set. You would expect him to be cheaper than a regular Henry. Does extra storage space make up the extra in cost?Then there’s James, perfect for a professional job. Charles is a whizz at wet cleaning, whilst George makes carpet shampoo and deep cleaning a doddle. Don’t forget Henry Eco — tough on mess, high on energy efficiency — or Henry Cordless, whose whole-house runtime will never let you down.

Numatic Henry Xtra HVX200A Autosave Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner

litres dry dust bin capacity, which is a huge amount of space. Wet, the Charles holds 9 litres. An easy-to-operate switch goes between the two. The Xtra has a 10m long cable complete with a rewind function, which can be stored neatly after use and ensures the cable doesn’t get in the way. In addition to the cable is a 2.4m long conical hose, which further increases the cleaning radius and thus the overall usability. The flexibility makes it easy to reach awkward places without much effort, meaning you don’t need to keep unplugging and relocating the machine as you move around the home. The fact that the hose is conical is a nice bonus, as it results in powerful suction thanks to improved airflow. Despite a significant reduction in suction power, improvements in efficiency means he remains a powerful and reliable vacuum cleaner, suitable for cleaning all types of services. Henry has also been built to be long-lasting, meaning he should last in your home for years to come. With a number of useful accessories included in the box, no cleaning job should be too hard. Like nearly all Henry vacuums the traditional Henry Hoover is corded and requires bags, so that’s something to bear in mind as he’ll need to be plugged in and have his bag changed from time to time.To access and change the dustbag, there are simply two clips to undo and then the top of Henry lifts off. There’s a big round filter that sits on top of the dust bag, this also simply lifts out. The dust bag pulls away from the pipe and it has a flap that can be closed to stop dust and dirt escaping on the way to the bin. It’s so much cleaner than emptying a bagless vacuum.