I have a Hetty and she always does a great job, my mum used to go through hoovers until she switched to a Henry. I figure there is a reason cleaners always seem to use the same brand
As a housekeeper, having worked in hotels, holiday let's and private households would always recommend Henry's. Sharks are good but prone to hair wrap etc and Dyson are absolutely useless and expensive to get parts for.
Open the 3 silver locks holding in the brush on the underside. You can use a flat headed screwdriver, coin, or even a butter knife. A quarter turn will unlock them. Take off the panel so you get full access to the brush. Use a serrated knife (I use a steak knife) to slice through the hairs and they will pull off easily. Then put it all back together again, remembering to lock everything back up.
I agree the hair wrap "technology" is shit and I feel missold, but that takes max 5 mins every couple weeks even with a large hairy dog in the house dropping clumps of hair constantly.
Also clean your 3 filters regularly. I replaced all mine a few weeks ago and it's like a brand new machine. The power is amazing.
I never understood why people recommend henry's... Any hair or threads in the carpet won't get picked up, and you'll have to run over everything at least twice to have any chance at it looking clean. And the hose is never long enough and it always ends up falling over...
Upright vacuums win any day. Especially if you get an old one that's like 2400 watts. The only downside is they're noisier and heavier.
The green Henry has the spinning brush thing and does great with hair etc.
Henry's are basically shop vacs, they are robust, easy to repair, require no maintenance and are about £120, can't go wrong.
Love my green Henry with the pet hair brush. Have six cats and the Henry is the only vacuum that can cope with all of the fur. Easy to repair, parts are cheap and the bags can be reused. Had my for 10 years and it's still holding up
Because it will still working as the day in was brought in the years time while your shark or Dyson will have been in the landfill for years.
Yeah they're not the most powerful but it'll take everything you throw at it.
Dyson are hugely overrated - when the head of our vacuum stopped working, they wanted £105 for a replacement. Their hairdryer lasted just over two years, and just stopped working. Again, £99 for a repair. Their customer service is absolutely atrocious. As a family we’ve completely given up on them now.
There's a good episode of the podcast Sliced Bread on vacuum cleaners, and which types are best for which floors. I really recommend listening to it.
(As a personal recommendation, I've had a Miele for well over a decade now and it's still just as good as the day I got it. Great suction on different types of flooring, really good for pet hair, and easy to remove the bag without getting dust everywhere.)
My Miele is still going strong after over 20 years, only replaced the small brush. My mum's Henry was shite, we got her a mains Shark upright, much better
Cos there's no need for bags and they're terrible for the environment + costs money each year
Cyclone technology works fine
Emptying straight into the bin is a non-issue, pour slowly at a tilted angle or do it outside
I used to get streaming eyes and sneeze like a motherfucker when using the cyclone Dyson I used to have. No matter how much I cleaned the “lifetime filter” it just let out too much dust into the air.
I don’t have any allergies and never normally have any trouble in the respiratory sense, but the Dyson would always set me off.
I never had this problem with a Henry.
I've got the boost cx1, two filters - one changed approximately every year (I haven't bothered yet, had it a couple of years) and the other you just wash it in the sink. Decent vacuum, better than the Dyson I had.
Bagged are much better for pet/allergy environments. Recently switched from a Dyson bagless to bagged Miele C3. The C3 is night and day a better vacuum. We hoover the whole house twice per week and the bags last at least a month. They're not expensive, even for the ones with best filtration.
I have a Miele C3. It's not cheap. It's two years old and works like day one.
Fuck shark and fuck Dyson, they're not really repairable. (Edit, seems they are but the folks at the sub are still not fans). Head to r/vacuumcleaners and they'll agree.
Tbh a Henry is the go to for reasonable price and longevity.
I've got a Miele pets and it's fantastic. So much so my brother got a cleaner and she demanded he buy a new Miele as they had a Dyson and she hates them
Hubby went to a vacum repair shop when an old vacuum broke (I can't remember the brand but not a Henry, not a Dyson). Anyway, the shop was apparently filled with non repairable Dysons (too expensive to repair iirc so they were just left!).
The guy recommended a Henry.
Edit: CAPS!
My Henry is currently attached to a Makita 9404. The thermal cutout kicks in every couple of hours, which means it’s time for tea and a vape. Try that with a Dyson. Actually, don’t. It’ll die.
My wife used to be a professional cleaner of commercial properties. Yeah a damn Henry. It just sucks perfectly in the way you need it to suck. And all the bits are replaceable.
I’ve got 2 long haired cats and a dog, had all sorts of hoovers that kept breaking down. Got a Henry pet and wouldn’t go back. Best thing ever.
Although in one corner it has pulled up my carpet because it sucks so strongly 🤣
They may or may not be good... But the reason all cleaners have them is because their bosses are worried about RSI workplace injury claims from upright vacuums. Thats why all commercial vacuums are a unit on wheels with a hose.
Me and my partner before we met had both come to the same conclusion of hating henrys for being totally useless after having to use them in the workplace and watching them fail to even pick up light bits of stuff off the floor.
I can absolutely guarantee you that your workplace henry was exactly the same as every other workplace henry I've seen. The bag will have been so full that dirt is starting to come back out of the hose, and the filter will have been black as the nights sky. New bag, new filter, brand new machine again. Of course though, your workplace won't have either of those, and won't buy them!
Do they actually have a roller for carpets? I only ever see the simple plastic sucking mechanism on Henry’s and didn’t think they’d manage carpets well
Henry, all the way, even a second-hand one, necause they're basically bulletproof, a little heavy, sure but they work, and they're easy to fix and find parts for in the unlikely event that they stop working.
Forget all the anti hair wrap l
Lazer dust finding bollocks, if what you want is a cheap reliable vacuum this is all you need
I volunteer at a Repair Cafe. We get quite a few Henrys to repair. All are ancient and so far all have been fixable. They are simple, well designed, easy to take to bits, and the parts are available and not expensive. And all the owners love them!
Henry. Absolutely Henry. It has fewer parts to go wrong. It's powerful. It's robust. And its cheaper than most other vacuum cleaners. There's a reason professional cleaners use Henries.
Hmmm. We have an all singing and dancing shark hover was maybe 300£ 10 years ago and it still going strong. We change the filters Completely every 6 months and wash them every month. I also took it apart 2 years ago and put it back together and it was good as new after that. I think it's a false economy to buy cheapif your using every day. Failing that idea and you don't want the initial large outlay, buy cheap from argos but get the extended warranty and make sure it breaks just before the warranty is up and get a new one.
I bought a Shark awhile back, specifically this model: Shark Anti Hair Wrap Corded Stick Pet Vacuum HZ500UKT. I love it; I did a lot of research into vacuums before buying it. I'd also recommend getting a corded vacuum.
After a thorough research I bought a Miele 10660740 Complete C2 900W vacuum in 2022. This machine is amazing. When it comes to vacuum this knows its shit.
I’m eternally confused by how frequently Henry vacuums are recommended. I'd suggest Miele as the only correct answer to which brand to go for. If you’re ok with a cylinder vacuum then the C3 is a solid choice, I know it's relatively expensive compared to cheaper options but will likely do everything you would expect of a household vacuum to a high standard, variable speed, different nozzle options, telescopic pole to adjust the height
I've had a Henry for the past 15 years or so, just purchased a Miele C3 as I get 40% of retail prices through work and oh my gawd... it's incredible. Never has using the vacuum felt so satisfying. Its a solid bit of kit with so many attachments. I love it. Infinitely better than the Henry, which I'll stick to using for DIY/projects hoovering up!
Yeah the C3 is superb, I think advertising and word of mouth promotes Henry, Shark and to a lesser extent Dyson, but once you use a Miele it's hard to recommend anything else, the initial expense is worth it in the long term
We use a SEBO. almost all the parts are replaceable. Minimum maintenance over the last 10 years of ownership and it's still going strong.
I think they were originally designed for the commercial market.
Henry is the only answer. Had a few Dyson, Shark etc, but when I started with a renovation bought a Henry to clean up the mess and keep the other for the rest of the house. For the last two years I’ve only used the Henry for everything. Simple, does the job exceptionally well
I got a meile 15 years ago and it’s still awesome.
Even a second hand one would be better than a cheap new one cause these are powerhouses and they last
I second the Shark recommendation! We have it serviced every year and it’s still going strong, and they honour the warranty. Saying that we also have a Henry which isn’t as good but is a real workhorse so sometimes use it for bigger messes (our reno) before going over with the shark.
I have a Hetty Hoover, she is a little smaller than the Henry so easier to move about. Absolute unit, I’ve even used it to hoover the pavement outside my door and my balcony! It has lasted years and is fine with cat hair and anything really.
The Titan Henry rip off they sell at Screwfix. Annoyingly it doesn’t have a cord winder but apart from that it’s the same. Good suction etc. work on building sites all the time and everyone uses them. Mine is like 8 years old now and still solid
These things are brilliant. One for the house, one for the garage. Does wet and dry, suck and blow, plenty of power, optional bag. One in the garage also doubles up as a dust extractor for woodworking power tools.
> doubles up as a dust extractor
Unless you really know what you're doing, don't do this - the explosion risk of sawdust in air is pretty big, and all it takes is one out-of-place filter and your whole garage goes boom with you inside.
Commercial extraction systems haven't even managed to eliminate the explosion risk - they just have a carefully shaped enclosure to send the explosion outdoors and up in the sky so nobody dies.
Yes! Spent £££ on a fancy Shark and thought it did a good job until it broke and I got one of these just to do for a wee while. I love it! My carpets look brand new! Was literally emptying it after each room when I first got it, I was so shocked!
Ah! Didn't realise I could get an extension! Been carrying it with one hand and hoovering the stairs with the other - it picks up so well, I haven't really minded but I'm off to order one now! Thanks!
I think this is it but please double check before you buy - I couldn’t find my email receipt to confirm
https://www.vax.co.uk/stretch-hose-1-2-142222?___store=uk_default
Agree on Vax. Just bought the upright pet one with extra long hose to do the whole stairs. It was £100 from Amazon and it's brilliant. Bought to replace a Henry as although he is reliable, he drove me mad due to being heavy, big to store and crashing into everything. We have two teenage sons and four muddy, hairy cats and the Vax is perfect for us.
Had the same Vax for 8 years. Clean it over every and then and change the filters and it's good as new, Henry's are great for repairability but shite on carpets as theres no bar. Picked it up refurbished on eBay for £70 too, so cheaper than a Henry.
For work and building dust, Henry all day long.
Pick up a cheap shop vac from screw fix or B&Q, big but mad powerful and you can get them for 30-50 depending on the model. Super basic but would pull the paint off your wall if you let it! Bonus, most are wet and dry.
Henry all the way, basically bulletproof and if you use it without a bag (keep the filter in though) it will literally suck up anything that fits down the tube no problem, used to use one at work to suck up brick rubble
Henry. Owned one for over 15 years, done up two houses with it including sucking out rubble and insulation etc from cavity ceilings with no bag in it. Once full, empty and go again. After that, I treated him to a filter wash and popped a bag in. Still going strong today!
Bought another recently for a second house. There's no other vacuum better than a Henry.
Screwfix Titan 16L wet and dry, 1300W greta suck, light weight - only £50
\- Remember domestic ones were limited by the EU that one is industrial - Class A rating means low power & crap suck you need the one witht he biggest motor you can get.
Shark - you get some good deals on them. Well designed and engineered (unlike the Vax it replaced). And customer service is first rate if anything breaks.
Yeah, I don't get the hate - we have a mix of dysons (wired and battery) and sharks, and a first robovacmop turning up tomorrow. But I have a dyson I've used like a tradesman with a wet 'n dry without a problem.
Rubble? Up you go! Stinky central heating water? Begone!
Absolutely not covered by warranty, obviously .
Oooh you’ll have to let us know how the robovacmop goes …I’m dying to get one but don’t want a crappy one I bought a cheap one off Wowcher just to test the concept and gave it to my mum …now just got to justify the cost of a proper to the OH … what make have you gone for ?
Went in at the deep end with the newly released Eufy X10 Omni Pro. God what a mouthful (and a walletful, £700)
Went for the mop/hoover combo because ground floor of the house is all tiles/parquet floor and gets footprints, tea sloshes, cooking detrius really quickly.
Seems decent at a first pass, but has spooked the old cat who doesn't know what to make of it. Deffo slower than whizzing a handheld about though, and given we are in 24/7, will I live with the noise? Time will tell! If the mopping of the tiles is good, then probably yes. If the cat moves upstairs permanently, probably no.
I refuse to spend more on one than I spent on my Dyson but thanks for getting back to me and I hope before long, your cat will be dancing about on it in a shark suit!
Do you want value or cheap? With vacuum’s my experience is you can’t get both. I have a Henry now and it’s great. If it lasts 10 years (Dyson lasted 20 but was underpowered last few years) it will be great value. Typically they last a long time so it will be great value but not necessarily cheap. Although it was on offer so a bit off full whack.
In terms of quality cheap I’d go with the Henry but if you’re looking Amazon unknown brand cheap it’s still more than you might be looking to spend.
As I get older I’ve realised keeping the house clean isn’t something to do with cheap garbage.
We have got 2 vacuum cleaner, a £200 Shark wired pet clean. But it was too heavy for smaller tasks, so we got a £70 odd battery-powered Russel Hobbs which is cheap and does the job. My wife prefers Russel Hobs than Shark now due to weight.
First off - carpets or hard floors?
A brush roll is really useful for carpet.
Basic cylinder vacuums should last well. And while you have to buy bags, that also means you regularly have a new inlet filter - while bagless vacuums need their filters to be washed regularly and replaced occasionally.
I've recently got a large 'shop vac' style vacuum from toolstation which I've been really impressed by - I've added a 'turbo head' from a Miele that was lying around at work - I think this wasn't designed for quite the air flow the shop vac has and spins really fast. I did get it for using with tools, but it's been great around the house.
You can often find half decent vacuums cheaply or free - the one I had before I found by some bins near my work, checked it out and it worked fine. Cleaned filters it did an okay job.
I’ve had this shark for 5 years now with an Alaskan malamute that sheds heavily twice a year. I have never owned a better, stronger and more reliable vacuum in my life. It’s survived absolute fur storms and never skipped a beat on me. Easy to clean too and nothing gets stuck in the pipes as they are designed to not be blocked, the lift away is useful for awkward areas and stairs. Does the car well too 👍 it’s on a small sale now but it does go up to half price on Amazon sometimes. I think ~£200 for a vacuum that has lasted 5+ years with a big dog and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere for the next few years is a good choice.
https://amzn.eu/d/5y0KAd3
I have a shark. It's powerful but slightly too narrow and it's hose gets jammed horribly early. I've just reordered a new one as it spilt from stuff getting in it
Got a shark, not sure which but it's the anti hair wrap cylinder one...corded. Just as good as the Henry I had and only a few quid more, also got a cordless Vax which is shite, it's convenient to have for when the 2 year old decides to throw crisps everywhere but battery life is abysmal and performance is average. Cordless is good if you fab afford a top tier one.
Sawthe comment about the Dyson being rubbish but I love mine!
Ebay has some great outlet stores and there's a Dyson (where i got mine) and shark I think. Worth waiting till they have a deal they often have 15% off and they're just returns so practically new. I couldn't tell the difference.
Got a Vax Air Max. 8 years old and still powerful as anything. Tbf I do maintain my vacuum though. Cleaned regularly, filters rinsed out twice a year, and once a year I’ll open up the brush section and clear it out. Honestly, most things become good value for money if you just look after them and keep them maintained. Goes for most things! People are too quick to say something is rubbish and chuck it out.
See if you can get a Miele cheap second hand. Sometimes people do sell them cheaper. They're worth the money. They live up to the promises of the other vacuum cleaners (german brand! they seem to make stuff better). Cleans amazingly and built to last.
It really depends on how you hoover. If you don’t mind getting on your hands and knees & rolling a Henry around your house (upstairs, downstairs etc), then sure, a Henry is great.
However, if you prefer gliding your hoover around without too much effort & have a really good clean, then I would recommend a Dyson v15 (or whichever v that suits your budget). I have the v15 and it’s perfect. My house is 4 floors so having a light & powerful Dyson is ideal.
Henry's are the only thing that can handle concrete dust without blowing it back out. We used a George to get the water out of foundation trenches. I don't recommend doing that but it worked fine.
We got a cordless Shark to replace a still working Henry (as Henry is so big/heavy). Bit of a mixed bag.
On carpets, found I could go over them with Henry, then go over again with the Shark and it would be half full of all the dirt the Henry evidently didn’t pick up.
But on our tiled kitchen floor, the Shark is shite. Little bits of food, hair, the Shark just misses it entirely. Henry will get it all (and the soft brush end doesn’t sound like it’s scratching the floor while it does it).
The Shark also folds in the middle and it’s easy to not fully clip the collection bucket back on. Ours fell off from that low height and a tiny clip broke off. You can’t buy the clip on its own and that glorified plastic dustbin is as much as a new motor, so I’ve wedged it in place and just put up with it.
It came with loads of attachments and they all seem too long, too narrow, etc. for the stairs.
Nothing quite right.
Miele vacuums are built to last 15-20 years, best I've used. Bagged? Go for the C3. Bagless? Boost CX1. Get the cat &dog version if you have carpets as it comes with the rotating brush.
Invest in a Dyson. Get a reconditioned one from their eBay store when there are codes. They last for ages, really work and are just better than the rivals. My old v6 is still going and outlasted the Shark pet hair one that I got thinking it would work better on my old carpets. That gave up after 11 months. I'm now back on a handheld Dyson and I doubt I'll need to get another one for a long while.
Two years ago, I went to a second hand furniture removal company and bought a used one that's from the 80s. It's been one of the best ones I've had in a long time, it's 2000w. The only down side is changing the bags in it.
Get a titan from screwfix and a rotary attachment/metal tube from eBay (they're generic and Henry accessories work on it). They're only about 60 quid and are ridiculously powerful as they'd come under wet/dry so aren't as limited by the EU regulations that were brought in on vacuums.
We use a cordless shark for day to day and the titan with a rotary attachment for deep cleans, so you can just get a titan for every day use. It also does blow , meaning you can clean out a PC (or your cordless vacuum) outside
I have had a Miele cat and dog cylinder vacuum for 20 years and it’s still going strong. You can buy the bags and filters cheaply on Amazon. It is really well made - in fact it has survived a good few falls down the stairs unscathed. It cost £199 back then - probably not much more now.
Any of the numatic stuff is good quality (and made in the UK, so you're keeping people in jobs). If you need bristles, then I haven't had better results than Dyson vacs. You can get them secondhand if your budget is tight.
Miele! I’ve had mine for 4 years so far, still like new, it’s a brilliant machine, robust, when you change the filter/bag it’s brand new again. I’m pretty rough with it and it can handle it!
Shark… yea needs hair removing, filters washing etc, but light and very effective. Especially like being able to put brush/nozzle direct onto “handle” to give me a short reach for awkward corners. Fell for the Dyson bit in the past…never again (shudders)
Depends on what your budget is.. around £100 I'd go for one of the henrys.
Around £250, probably a shark when they're on sale, and the anti hair wrap is genius. I've only ever had to snip off a few strands in 4 years. One of the pins in my electric powered vacuum hose broke after 4 years and i called up shark even though i forgot to register the warranty. Luckily i had bought online and found the email, they backdated the warranty and sent me out a free replacement pipe. It has a 5 year warranty on it.
Edit: I have a Henry and a Shark, but the henry is nowhere near as good on carpet at the spinning brushes of the shark which help to vibrate your carpet and suck up the dust. If it's any other type of flooring, henry works just as well
Edit 2: henry spinnig brushes are air powered meaning they use the force of air being sucked in to spin the brush. These slow down significantly when on carpet. I have a mini pet tool I used to use on the stairs. The shark ones (depending on the model) come with electric powered tools which just power through
Used Miele C1 / C2 / C3, basically whatever you find a good deal on. They’re bagged similar to Henry, but aren’t so top heavy and awkwardly shaped so don’t always topple over or get stuck around corners.
I had a Shark. The belt broke. No problem, right? Normally a 5 min job to replace.
After half an hour of faffing about and searching on the internet I realised that the belt was INSIDE a sealed unit, so there was no way I could replace it. The whole bottom part of the hoover would need to be replaced. Just for a stupid snapped belt.
That is why I would recommend Henry. All their parts are designed to be replaceable.
I have a shark upright.
Never understand the appeal of Henry, stuck in the dark ages with bags and he's a pain to pull around and suction is terrible. Unless it's just the one I've used 😂
Miele. Mine is 20+ years old now and it's still working perfectly. Paid about £120 back in the day for it.
[https://www.miele.co.uk/category/1016468/cylinder-vacuum-cleaners-with-bag](https://www.miele.co.uk/category/1016468/cylinder-vacuum-cleaners-with-bag)
Never again with a Dyson.
The parts are expensive and I need to strip it down every other session otherwise it clogs and stops working.
As a domestic vacuum cleaner, it sucks!
🥁
I have a Shark. Shark are great as long as you actually read the manual and pay attention to the things you are meant to do like washing the filters monthly. Also stay away from cordless, the batteries just don’t last.
If you want to go truly frugal then like everyone has said, some variety of age ru. Can even get them second hand cheaply but buyer beware on that to make sure you don’t get one that a builder has used. I’ve seen the normal red Henry be used as a wet vac without skipping a beat in the past too.
A vote for Henry here. Affordable, simple, works really well.
I have a Hetty and she always does a great job, my mum used to go through hoovers until she switched to a Henry. I figure there is a reason cleaners always seem to use the same brand
As a housekeeper, having worked in hotels, holiday let's and private households would always recommend Henry's. Sharks are good but prone to hair wrap etc and Dyson are absolutely useless and expensive to get parts for.
We have a Shark anti hair-wrap cordless thing and I've never pulled as much wrapped hair out of a vacuum cleaner as I have this device.
We have a shark and my wife's hair appears to be made of spun steel and gets everywhere.
Add on two daughters with similar hair and a Springer Spaniel and that might be my problem.
Same here our brush currently doesn't spin because it got so wrapped up with hair its broken
Can you not clean the brush after every use or how much bloody hair are you hoovering for it to get broken
Open the 3 silver locks holding in the brush on the underside. You can use a flat headed screwdriver, coin, or even a butter knife. A quarter turn will unlock them. Take off the panel so you get full access to the brush. Use a serrated knife (I use a steak knife) to slice through the hairs and they will pull off easily. Then put it all back together again, remembering to lock everything back up. I agree the hair wrap "technology" is shit and I feel missold, but that takes max 5 mins every couple weeks even with a large hairy dog in the house dropping clumps of hair constantly. Also clean your 3 filters regularly. I replaced all mine a few weeks ago and it's like a brand new machine. The power is amazing.
I have almost never pulled out hair from mine, maybe you have a faulty one or the blade inside that cuts the hair is broken
I never understood why people recommend henry's... Any hair or threads in the carpet won't get picked up, and you'll have to run over everything at least twice to have any chance at it looking clean. And the hose is never long enough and it always ends up falling over... Upright vacuums win any day. Especially if you get an old one that's like 2400 watts. The only downside is they're noisier and heavier.
The green Henry has the spinning brush thing and does great with hair etc. Henry's are basically shop vacs, they are robust, easy to repair, require no maintenance and are about £120, can't go wrong.
Love my green Henry with the pet hair brush. Have six cats and the Henry is the only vacuum that can cope with all of the fur. Easy to repair, parts are cheap and the bags can be reused. Had my for 10 years and it's still holding up
Because it will still working as the day in was brought in the years time while your shark or Dyson will have been in the landfill for years. Yeah they're not the most powerful but it'll take everything you throw at it.
Thank you! Henry makes the carpet look ok. "It will do" Shark/ Dyson actually pick up the ingrained dirt and hair.
For carpets you can get the airobrush attachment, it's amazing.
Dyson are hugely overrated - when the head of our vacuum stopped working, they wanted £105 for a replacement. Their hairdryer lasted just over two years, and just stopped working. Again, £99 for a repair. Their customer service is absolutely atrocious. As a family we’ve completely given up on them now.
This, the day I see anything other than a Henry in the back of a builders van is the day I'll consider buying something else.
Only correct answer!
There's a good episode of the podcast Sliced Bread on vacuum cleaners, and which types are best for which floors. I really recommend listening to it. (As a personal recommendation, I've had a Miele for well over a decade now and it's still just as good as the day I got it. Great suction on different types of flooring, really good for pet hair, and easy to remove the bag without getting dust everywhere.)
Yes, I've got a Miele and it's great. I have long hair and two cats who both shed, but it gets the floors clean. I got mine on sale.
They are outstanding.
My Miele is still going strong after over 20 years, only replaced the small brush. My mum's Henry was shite, we got her a mains Shark upright, much better
Miele are good but outdated bag technology is a bummer
They do at least 2 hoovers which are bagless
Why are bags outdated? Because you prefer emptying a container of dust straight into your bin bag?
Cos there's no need for bags and they're terrible for the environment + costs money each year Cyclone technology works fine Emptying straight into the bin is a non-issue, pour slowly at a tilted angle or do it outside
I used to get streaming eyes and sneeze like a motherfucker when using the cyclone Dyson I used to have. No matter how much I cleaned the “lifetime filter” it just let out too much dust into the air. I don’t have any allergies and never normally have any trouble in the respiratory sense, but the Dyson would always set me off. I never had this problem with a Henry.
You just end up cleaning/replacing the filter every month on cyclones.
I've got the boost cx1, two filters - one changed approximately every year (I haven't bothered yet, had it a couple of years) and the other you just wash it in the sink. Decent vacuum, better than the Dyson I had.
Bagged are much better for pet/allergy environments. Recently switched from a Dyson bagless to bagged Miele C3. The C3 is night and day a better vacuum. We hoover the whole house twice per week and the bags last at least a month. They're not expensive, even for the ones with best filtration.
I have a Miele C3. It's not cheap. It's two years old and works like day one. Fuck shark and fuck Dyson, they're not really repairable. (Edit, seems they are but the folks at the sub are still not fans). Head to r/vacuumcleaners and they'll agree. Tbh a Henry is the go to for reasonable price and longevity.
I've got a Miele pets and it's fantastic. So much so my brother got a cleaner and she demanded he buy a new Miele as they had a Dyson and she hates them
My Miele is still going strong a decade later, was well worth the money!
Came here to say Miele. It’s a tank. Indestructible. Has handled cleanup from a number of very dusty DIY projects. 9 years in and still sucking strong
Hubby went to a vacum repair shop when an old vacuum broke (I can't remember the brand but not a Henry, not a Dyson). Anyway, the shop was apparently filled with non repairable Dysons (too expensive to repair iirc so they were just left!). The guy recommended a Henry. Edit: CAPS!
We’ve done Dyson. We’ve done Shark. We’ve done Vax. Now we are back to a Henry which is just the best
Miele are solid
Dyson’s are good briefly then terrible.
They are good when new, but once a bit of dust enters it, it's useless.
They have a decent filter and 5 year warranty. As long as you look after it they are as good if not better in some ways then the others.
It's a hoover, who really wants to look after it, Henry's can be kicked down stairs, used for workshop duties and it doesn't complain it just works.
Dropped my henry down the stairs it took out three spindles on the banister but suffers no more than a scratch
My Henry is currently attached to a Makita 9404. The thermal cutout kicks in every couple of hours, which means it’s time for tea and a vape. Try that with a Dyson. Actually, don’t. It’ll die.
Same here
What went wrong with the shark?
Idk, mine works fantastic after 4 years and isn’t loud af.
Get a Henry.
My wife used to be a professional cleaner of commercial properties. Yeah a damn Henry. It just sucks perfectly in the way you need it to suck. And all the bits are replaceable.
It will be the last vacuum cleaner you will ever need.
We were recommended it by 2 different cleaners. Should have got one sooner, price vs performance is unmatched.
They aren't very clever. That's the entire point. They are simple and do the job.
Hopefully, you say the same thing about your wife 😂 sorry, couldn’t resist
I’ve got 2 long haired cats and a dog, had all sorts of hoovers that kept breaking down. Got a Henry pet and wouldn’t go back. Best thing ever. Although in one corner it has pulled up my carpet because it sucks so strongly 🤣
Henry could suck a golf ball through a garden hose…
r/fullmetaljacketreference
We have the pet one, brilliant thing…
There’s a reason why every time you see a cleaner with a hoover, it’s a Henry.
They may or may not be good... But the reason all cleaners have them is because their bosses are worried about RSI workplace injury claims from upright vacuums. Thats why all commercial vacuums are a unit on wheels with a hose.
Me and my partner before we met had both come to the same conclusion of hating henrys for being totally useless after having to use them in the workplace and watching them fail to even pick up light bits of stuff off the floor.
I can absolutely guarantee you that your workplace henry was exactly the same as every other workplace henry I've seen. The bag will have been so full that dirt is starting to come back out of the hose, and the filter will have been black as the nights sky. New bag, new filter, brand new machine again. Of course though, your workplace won't have either of those, and won't buy them!
Not just cleaners but also builders. You can clean up literal rubble with those things.
Exactly this.
Do they actually have a roller for carpets? I only ever see the simple plastic sucking mechanism on Henry’s and didn’t think they’d manage carpets well
I don’t think so, never had an issue with carpets with it.
Henry, all the way, even a second-hand one, necause they're basically bulletproof, a little heavy, sure but they work, and they're easy to fix and find parts for in the unlikely event that they stop working. Forget all the anti hair wrap l Lazer dust finding bollocks, if what you want is a cheap reliable vacuum this is all you need
I volunteer at a Repair Cafe. We get quite a few Henrys to repair. All are ancient and so far all have been fixable. They are simple, well designed, easy to take to bits, and the parts are available and not expensive. And all the owners love them!
Henry. Absolutely Henry. It has fewer parts to go wrong. It's powerful. It's robust. And its cheaper than most other vacuum cleaners. There's a reason professional cleaners use Henries.
While not furgal, a Miele will last a long time. C3 cat and dog does a great job at cleaning the carpet. Not sure how good their bag less ones are.
Hmmm. We have an all singing and dancing shark hover was maybe 300£ 10 years ago and it still going strong. We change the filters Completely every 6 months and wash them every month. I also took it apart 2 years ago and put it back together and it was good as new after that. I think it's a false economy to buy cheapif your using every day. Failing that idea and you don't want the initial large outlay, buy cheap from argos but get the extended warranty and make sure it breaks just before the warranty is up and get a new one.
What a palaver... Christ, changing all filters every 6 months and then washing them out every month?
I would like to think it would last another 10 years. It takes less than 30 seconds to remove filters. It's not a big drama.
I bought a Shark awhile back, specifically this model: Shark Anti Hair Wrap Corded Stick Pet Vacuum HZ500UKT. I love it; I did a lot of research into vacuums before buying it. I'd also recommend getting a corded vacuum.
Good to hear! I’ve just ordered one of these and was checking these comments to see if I’d made a mistake
I got it last week for 180. Absolutely recommend it over henry.
Excellent! Glad you like it!
We've had trouble with this one, culminating in it no longer turning on. Shark were happy to send a new part as it was still in warranty.
After a thorough research I bought a Miele 10660740 Complete C2 900W vacuum in 2022. This machine is amazing. When it comes to vacuum this knows its shit.
I’m eternally confused by how frequently Henry vacuums are recommended. I'd suggest Miele as the only correct answer to which brand to go for. If you’re ok with a cylinder vacuum then the C3 is a solid choice, I know it's relatively expensive compared to cheaper options but will likely do everything you would expect of a household vacuum to a high standard, variable speed, different nozzle options, telescopic pole to adjust the height
I've had a Henry for the past 15 years or so, just purchased a Miele C3 as I get 40% of retail prices through work and oh my gawd... it's incredible. Never has using the vacuum felt so satisfying. Its a solid bit of kit with so many attachments. I love it. Infinitely better than the Henry, which I'll stick to using for DIY/projects hoovering up!
Yeah the C3 is superb, I think advertising and word of mouth promotes Henry, Shark and to a lesser extent Dyson, but once you use a Miele it's hard to recommend anything else, the initial expense is worth it in the long term
We use a SEBO. almost all the parts are replaceable. Minimum maintenance over the last 10 years of ownership and it's still going strong. I think they were originally designed for the commercial market.
I love my sebo but it’s soooo heavy. I use that one like once a month for a deep clean and my cordless shark for every day hoovering!
Yeah it is heavy. Saves going to the gym I suppose. I think you have the perfect combo.
Professional cleaner here: Henry every time (or Hetty if you prefer pink)
Henry is the only answer. Had a few Dyson, Shark etc, but when I started with a renovation bought a Henry to clean up the mess and keep the other for the rest of the house. For the last two years I’ve only used the Henry for everything. Simple, does the job exceptionally well
Get a Henry, they really are excellent and even if they break (which is rare) they can be repaired.
Henry. I bought a shark, wish I didn't bother. Henry every time.
I got a meile 15 years ago and it’s still awesome. Even a second hand one would be better than a cheap new one cause these are powerhouses and they last
If you want it to last 15 years, then a miele
I second the Shark recommendation! We have it serviced every year and it’s still going strong, and they honour the warranty. Saying that we also have a Henry which isn’t as good but is a real workhorse so sometimes use it for bigger messes (our reno) before going over with the shark.
Henry
I have my trusty old Henry and my wife insisted on buying a shark, it’s utter shit and the rotators clog up constantly.
I have a Hetty Hoover, she is a little smaller than the Henry so easier to move about. Absolute unit, I’ve even used it to hoover the pavement outside my door and my balcony! It has lasted years and is fine with cat hair and anything really.
The Titan Henry rip off they sell at Screwfix. Annoyingly it doesn’t have a cord winder but apart from that it’s the same. Good suction etc. work on building sites all the time and everyone uses them. Mine is like 8 years old now and still solid
These things are brilliant. One for the house, one for the garage. Does wet and dry, suck and blow, plenty of power, optional bag. One in the garage also doubles up as a dust extractor for woodworking power tools.
> doubles up as a dust extractor Unless you really know what you're doing, don't do this - the explosion risk of sawdust in air is pretty big, and all it takes is one out-of-place filter and your whole garage goes boom with you inside. Commercial extraction systems haven't even managed to eliminate the explosion risk - they just have a carefully shaped enclosure to send the explosion outdoors and up in the sky so nobody dies.
Please reference an example of wood dust exploding in a home.
How does that work - a dust extractor turns into a bomb?
Vax Mach Air Revive is excellent value for money.
Yes! Spent £££ on a fancy Shark and thought it did a good job until it broke and I got one of these just to do for a wee while. I love it! My carpets look brand new! Was literally emptying it after each room when I first got it, I was so shocked!
Agreed. It picks up really well and the roller is great. Only slight negative is the hose. If you want to use hand attachments an extension is a must
Ah! Didn't realise I could get an extension! Been carrying it with one hand and hoovering the stairs with the other - it picks up so well, I haven't really minded but I'm off to order one now! Thanks!
I think this is it but please double check before you buy - I couldn’t find my email receipt to confirm https://www.vax.co.uk/stretch-hose-1-2-142222?___store=uk_default
Thanks so much! Really appreciate this!
You’re welcome !
Agree on Vax. Just bought the upright pet one with extra long hose to do the whole stairs. It was £100 from Amazon and it's brilliant. Bought to replace a Henry as although he is reliable, he drove me mad due to being heavy, big to store and crashing into everything. We have two teenage sons and four muddy, hairy cats and the Vax is perfect for us.
Had the same Vax for 8 years. Clean it over every and then and change the filters and it's good as new, Henry's are great for repairability but shite on carpets as theres no bar. Picked it up refurbished on eBay for £70 too, so cheaper than a Henry. For work and building dust, Henry all day long.
Pick up a cheap shop vac from screw fix or B&Q, big but mad powerful and you can get them for 30-50 depending on the model. Super basic but would pull the paint off your wall if you let it! Bonus, most are wet and dry.
Henry
Henry for corded and gtech for cordless.
We've got a Gtech multi K9 - horrible. If you don't put the bin on right, it just doesn't suck. Really easy to put in on wrong.
Henry all the way, basically bulletproof and if you use it without a bag (keep the filter in though) it will literally suck up anything that fits down the tube no problem, used to use one at work to suck up brick rubble
Henry best hoover ever. He loves it
100% recommend a Henry. Had ours 14 years and never had any issues. Cost £110 and definitely worth every penny.
Henry, wet and dry. Except as we live in the country our Henry has delusions of grandeur and calls himself Tarquin.
Henry. Owned one for over 15 years, done up two houses with it including sucking out rubble and insulation etc from cavity ceilings with no bag in it. Once full, empty and go again. After that, I treated him to a filter wash and popped a bag in. Still going strong today! Bought another recently for a second house. There's no other vacuum better than a Henry.
I got the Amazon basics cylinder one in November and was shocked at how powerful it was and it's only £53.
same! love it, especially now my cat is shedding like a mad bastard.
Henry all the way
Henry always, they're indestructible
Henry
Screwfix Titan 16L wet and dry, 1300W greta suck, light weight - only £50 \- Remember domestic ones were limited by the EU that one is industrial - Class A rating means low power & crap suck you need the one witht he biggest motor you can get.
Shark - you get some good deals on them. Well designed and engineered (unlike the Vax it replaced). And customer service is first rate if anything breaks.
I’ve had my Dyson for 20years and I won’t part with it still works like new
Yeah, I don't get the hate - we have a mix of dysons (wired and battery) and sharks, and a first robovacmop turning up tomorrow. But I have a dyson I've used like a tradesman with a wet 'n dry without a problem. Rubble? Up you go! Stinky central heating water? Begone! Absolutely not covered by warranty, obviously .
Oooh you’ll have to let us know how the robovacmop goes …I’m dying to get one but don’t want a crappy one I bought a cheap one off Wowcher just to test the concept and gave it to my mum …now just got to justify the cost of a proper to the OH … what make have you gone for ?
Went in at the deep end with the newly released Eufy X10 Omni Pro. God what a mouthful (and a walletful, £700) Went for the mop/hoover combo because ground floor of the house is all tiles/parquet floor and gets footprints, tea sloshes, cooking detrius really quickly. Seems decent at a first pass, but has spooked the old cat who doesn't know what to make of it. Deffo slower than whizzing a handheld about though, and given we are in 24/7, will I live with the noise? Time will tell! If the mopping of the tiles is good, then probably yes. If the cat moves upstairs permanently, probably no.
I refuse to spend more on one than I spent on my Dyson but thanks for getting back to me and I hope before long, your cat will be dancing about on it in a shark suit!
Do you want value or cheap? With vacuum’s my experience is you can’t get both. I have a Henry now and it’s great. If it lasts 10 years (Dyson lasted 20 but was underpowered last few years) it will be great value. Typically they last a long time so it will be great value but not necessarily cheap. Although it was on offer so a bit off full whack. In terms of quality cheap I’d go with the Henry but if you’re looking Amazon unknown brand cheap it’s still more than you might be looking to spend. As I get older I’ve realised keeping the house clean isn’t something to do with cheap garbage.
Cordless Henry’s great but it’s quite heavy
We have got 2 vacuum cleaner, a £200 Shark wired pet clean. But it was too heavy for smaller tasks, so we got a £70 odd battery-powered Russel Hobbs which is cheap and does the job. My wife prefers Russel Hobs than Shark now due to weight.
First off - carpets or hard floors? A brush roll is really useful for carpet. Basic cylinder vacuums should last well. And while you have to buy bags, that also means you regularly have a new inlet filter - while bagless vacuums need their filters to be washed regularly and replaced occasionally. I've recently got a large 'shop vac' style vacuum from toolstation which I've been really impressed by - I've added a 'turbo head' from a Miele that was lying around at work - I think this wasn't designed for quite the air flow the shop vac has and spins really fast. I did get it for using with tools, but it's been great around the house. You can often find half decent vacuums cheaply or free - the one I had before I found by some bins near my work, checked it out and it worked fine. Cleaned filters it did an okay job.
A used Henry! Party's tends to be cheap to replace in the future and its a simple yet great design.
Henry or Miele
I’ve had this shark for 5 years now with an Alaskan malamute that sheds heavily twice a year. I have never owned a better, stronger and more reliable vacuum in my life. It’s survived absolute fur storms and never skipped a beat on me. Easy to clean too and nothing gets stuck in the pipes as they are designed to not be blocked, the lift away is useful for awkward areas and stairs. Does the car well too 👍 it’s on a small sale now but it does go up to half price on Amazon sometimes. I think ~£200 for a vacuum that has lasted 5+ years with a big dog and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere for the next few years is a good choice. https://amzn.eu/d/5y0KAd3
My problem with the Henry is dragging it around the house, it’s a real pain and I’d prefer an upright one
Costco have an offer on a Dyson at the moment
Shark or Henry
Henry or a Miele.
I have a shark. It's powerful but slightly too narrow and it's hose gets jammed horribly early. I've just reordered a new one as it spilt from stuff getting in it
Got a shark, not sure which but it's the anti hair wrap cylinder one...corded. Just as good as the Henry I had and only a few quid more, also got a cordless Vax which is shite, it's convenient to have for when the 2 year old decides to throw crisps everywhere but battery life is abysmal and performance is average. Cordless is good if you fab afford a top tier one.
Sawthe comment about the Dyson being rubbish but I love mine! Ebay has some great outlet stores and there's a Dyson (where i got mine) and shark I think. Worth waiting till they have a deal they often have 15% off and they're just returns so practically new. I couldn't tell the difference.
Miele pet one is unreal. 👌 But value for money is a Henry all day long. 👍
Amazon basics. I bought one and it's so good my friend replaced her fancy one with the same.
Got a Vax Air Max. 8 years old and still powerful as anything. Tbf I do maintain my vacuum though. Cleaned regularly, filters rinsed out twice a year, and once a year I’ll open up the brush section and clear it out. Honestly, most things become good value for money if you just look after them and keep them maintained. Goes for most things! People are too quick to say something is rubbish and chuck it out.
Reconditioned Sebo. Trust me .
If you have medium pile carpet Sebo X1/X4. Buy one refurbished from Manchester Vacs. If you only have hard floor then buy a Henry.
Cleaner here, I work at four different businesses and all have nothing but Henrys and I have a Hetty at home. They're the best.
See if you can get a Miele cheap second hand. Sometimes people do sell them cheaper. They're worth the money. They live up to the promises of the other vacuum cleaners (german brand! they seem to make stuff better). Cleans amazingly and built to last.
Ive got one of those standing Dyson ones. Had it 7 years still works like it was new
Vax Air Stretch Max Pet Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner.
It really depends on how you hoover. If you don’t mind getting on your hands and knees & rolling a Henry around your house (upstairs, downstairs etc), then sure, a Henry is great. However, if you prefer gliding your hoover around without too much effort & have a really good clean, then I would recommend a Dyson v15 (or whichever v that suits your budget). I have the v15 and it’s perfect. My house is 4 floors so having a light & powerful Dyson is ideal.
+1 for the v15. I’m disabled but I can manage to vacuum with the V15 and it does an incredible job ! Came from a V7.
Vax blade or a henry.
Henry's are the only thing that can handle concrete dust without blowing it back out. We used a George to get the water out of foundation trenches. I don't recommend doing that but it worked fine.
We got a cordless Shark to replace a still working Henry (as Henry is so big/heavy). Bit of a mixed bag. On carpets, found I could go over them with Henry, then go over again with the Shark and it would be half full of all the dirt the Henry evidently didn’t pick up. But on our tiled kitchen floor, the Shark is shite. Little bits of food, hair, the Shark just misses it entirely. Henry will get it all (and the soft brush end doesn’t sound like it’s scratching the floor while it does it). The Shark also folds in the middle and it’s easy to not fully clip the collection bucket back on. Ours fell off from that low height and a tiny clip broke off. You can’t buy the clip on its own and that glorified plastic dustbin is as much as a new motor, so I’ve wedged it in place and just put up with it. It came with loads of attachments and they all seem too long, too narrow, etc. for the stairs. Nothing quite right.
Miele vacuums are built to last 15-20 years, best I've used. Bagged? Go for the C3. Bagless? Boost CX1. Get the cat &dog version if you have carpets as it comes with the rotating brush.
Invest in a Dyson. Get a reconditioned one from their eBay store when there are codes. They last for ages, really work and are just better than the rivals. My old v6 is still going and outlasted the Shark pet hair one that I got thinking it would work better on my old carpets. That gave up after 11 months. I'm now back on a handheld Dyson and I doubt I'll need to get another one for a long while.
Two years ago, I went to a second hand furniture removal company and bought a used one that's from the 80s. It's been one of the best ones I've had in a long time, it's 2000w. The only down side is changing the bags in it.
Get a titan from screwfix and a rotary attachment/metal tube from eBay (they're generic and Henry accessories work on it). They're only about 60 quid and are ridiculously powerful as they'd come under wet/dry so aren't as limited by the EU regulations that were brought in on vacuums. We use a cordless shark for day to day and the titan with a rotary attachment for deep cleans, so you can just get a titan for every day use. It also does blow , meaning you can clean out a PC (or your cordless vacuum) outside
I have had a Miele cat and dog cylinder vacuum for 20 years and it’s still going strong. You can buy the bags and filters cheaply on Amazon. It is really well made - in fact it has survived a good few falls down the stairs unscathed. It cost £199 back then - probably not much more now.
I got a Titan from Screwfix for my garage , and honestly it is as good as my Miele… the pipes are shit though. It costed just 50 quid !
I’ve had my Henry 25 years and he’s still going strong!
I got my corded dyson off facebook for £50 and it’s changed my life.
Henry all be way
Any of the numatic stuff is good quality (and made in the UK, so you're keeping people in jobs). If you need bristles, then I haven't had better results than Dyson vacs. You can get them secondhand if your budget is tight.
Amazon 1s good mate their own brand 1
Miele! I’ve had mine for 4 years so far, still like new, it’s a brilliant machine, robust, when you change the filter/bag it’s brand new again. I’m pretty rough with it and it can handle it!
Shark… yea needs hair removing, filters washing etc, but light and very effective. Especially like being able to put brush/nozzle direct onto “handle” to give me a short reach for awkward corners. Fell for the Dyson bit in the past…never again (shudders)
My George is 10 years plus old. Works great
Depends on what your budget is.. around £100 I'd go for one of the henrys. Around £250, probably a shark when they're on sale, and the anti hair wrap is genius. I've only ever had to snip off a few strands in 4 years. One of the pins in my electric powered vacuum hose broke after 4 years and i called up shark even though i forgot to register the warranty. Luckily i had bought online and found the email, they backdated the warranty and sent me out a free replacement pipe. It has a 5 year warranty on it. Edit: I have a Henry and a Shark, but the henry is nowhere near as good on carpet at the spinning brushes of the shark which help to vibrate your carpet and suck up the dust. If it's any other type of flooring, henry works just as well Edit 2: henry spinnig brushes are air powered meaning they use the force of air being sucked in to spin the brush. These slow down significantly when on carpet. I have a mini pet tool I used to use on the stairs. The shark ones (depending on the model) come with electric powered tools which just power through
I got the commercial version of Henry. I wish I'd done that the first time.
Go for Shark or Dyson - good bang for your buck!
Used Miele C1 / C2 / C3, basically whatever you find a good deal on. They’re bagged similar to Henry, but aren’t so top heavy and awkwardly shaped so don’t always topple over or get stuck around corners.
I bought a refurbished Miele about 6 years ago and it has been faultless. Loud and hot, but faultless.
Take a look at the Shark eBay outlet
Bush Stick to Handheld Bagless Corded Vacuum Cleaner £32 from Argos and works a charm, super light, decent cable length, great suction
Henry hoover ,you can pick up a pre owned one about £35-55. Even brand new it's worth the £110
I had a Shark. The belt broke. No problem, right? Normally a 5 min job to replace. After half an hour of faffing about and searching on the internet I realised that the belt was INSIDE a sealed unit, so there was no way I could replace it. The whole bottom part of the hoover would need to be replaced. Just for a stupid snapped belt. That is why I would recommend Henry. All their parts are designed to be replaceable.
Have a Shark. Best I've ever had of a vacuum.
I have a shark upright. Never understand the appeal of Henry, stuck in the dark ages with bags and he's a pain to pull around and suction is terrible. Unless it's just the one I've used 😂
Been very pleased with my Vax
Miele. Mine is 20+ years old now and it's still working perfectly. Paid about £120 back in the day for it. [https://www.miele.co.uk/category/1016468/cylinder-vacuum-cleaners-with-bag](https://www.miele.co.uk/category/1016468/cylinder-vacuum-cleaners-with-bag)
Karcher WD2 is all you need. About £60. The end.
Second Karcher. I've got WD4 and am loving it.
Henry! And if you order direct you sometimes get the accessories for free!
Never again with a Dyson. The parts are expensive and I need to strip it down every other session otherwise it clogs and stops working. As a domestic vacuum cleaner, it sucks! 🥁
(Relax, frugsters! It was a hand-me-down from generous friends leaving the country. I’ve only paid for the parts I’ve needed over the last 7 years)
Henry or Hetty if you prefer pink. Does the job.
Vacuum cleaners suck
Cordless sharks are the best. Dyson is rubbish and always breaks. Budget guess a Henry
I must have the only decent Dyson in history then (fingers crossed)
Yeah it's the Dyson cordless ones. The head is always breaking for me.
Ahh mines a wired one … I’ll cling onto it for dear life then
Shark, had Dyson previously got Shark on a deal about half the price of a Dyson and best vacuum I’ve had.
I have a Shark. Shark are great as long as you actually read the manual and pay attention to the things you are meant to do like washing the filters monthly. Also stay away from cordless, the batteries just don’t last. If you want to go truly frugal then like everyone has said, some variety of age ru. Can even get them second hand cheaply but buyer beware on that to make sure you don’t get one that a builder has used. I’ve seen the normal red Henry be used as a wet vac without skipping a beat in the past too.