Henry Quick review: our verdict on the new cordless stick vacuum cleaner

• Henry Quick vacuum cleaner
• 26 pods
• Crevice tool
• Motorised brush head
• 2-in-1 combi tool
• Extended-use handle
• Wall dock
• Charger
• Battery

We were also sent a selection of Quick Scent Pods to test. These can be bought separately (RRP £10 for a pack of 10) and are available in rose, passionfruit and vanilla.

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Does it come with a docking station?

Yes, the Henry Quick comes with a wall dock for easy and convenient storage.

The Henry Quick, just like its corded cousin, is a sturdy machine. As a result, it feels a bit on the heavy side, particularly when compared side-by-side to our four-month-old cordless Shark Anti Hair Wrap Pet (model IZ202UKT). But in reality, Henry is comparable in weight to other cordless vacuums on the market, but it does have the advantage of a larger capacity.

The push-button controls are located on the top of the vacuum and are straightforward to operate. Unlike the Shark, there is no ‘trigger’ to activate the power mode. Although this makes no real difference to the performance of the Henry Quick, a trigger would have felt more intuitive. That said, once the power mode is activated, the jump in suction on the Henry Quick leaves the Shark standing.

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What's the Henry Quick like to assemble?

Quick by name, quick by nature. Just charge up the battery, slot the pieces into place and off you go. It’s a struggle to see how assembly could be any easier. The instructions were clear and easy to follow.

Using a Quick Scent Pod is also an absolute doodle. A rubber stopper comes off the top of the vac and the scent pod is popped inside before the stopper is replaced. Easy peasy.

The Henry Quick takes 2.5 hours to charge and once up to full power, you get a whopping 70 minutes of vacuuming time, if used on the normal mode. This was more than enough time to whizz around a four-bedroom family home. Of course if you have a particularly mucky job for Henry, the power boost button can be activated, but this does seriously drain the power. If left on continuously, the runtime is slashed to just 16 minutes. A series of lights next to the controls indicate how much power is left before the vacuum needs recharging.

The floorhead is incredibly manoeuvrable, so the Henry Quick glides around table legs and the like with ease. An LED lights the way effectively so there’s nowhere for crumbs and dust to hide. It’s also very quiet, which was particularly noticeable when compared side-by-side to our rattly Shark.

The Henry Quick tackles pretty much all surfaces with ease, but its bulky body made it difficult to get into some nooks and crannies when used as a handheld.

One big, chunky slide button allows for quick and easy emptying. The Henry Quick pods have a multi-layer filtration and seal the dust in, meaning there’s no risk of getting a faceful, which is always a possibility when emptying a bagless cordless vacuum cleaner. 

The pods themselves are made from up to 65% recycled material, and although the makers of the Henry Quick say they’re carbon offsetting all of their pods globally, it was hard not to feel a pang of eco-guilt as the pod disappeared into the wheelie bin.

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The Henry Quick performed well on carpet, gobbling up everything in its path - sock fluff, porridge oats, cat hair, dried mud, you name it. It also did a great job of cleaning right up to the edges.

We gave a thick, heavy rug the Henry treatment, with similarly pleasing results. However the Henry Quick proved a bit too powerful for our cheap and flimsy Ikea rug, even on normal mode, so this is something to bear in mind.

The Henry Quick performed well on hard floors. Unlike some other cordless vacuums on the market, the Henry Quick does not automatically switch between carpet and hard floors, so you’ll need to change this setting manually on the brush head.

Dust, crumbs, hair and other small debris were dealt with quickly and efficiently and once again the manoeuvrable brush head meant it was easy to clean right up to the edges of the kitchen units. The 2-in-1 combi tool easily removed the dusty layer from the bathroom skirting boards.

However one word of warning - do not attempt to vacuum up Cheerios from a laminate floor with the brush head. All this succeeded in doing was crunching them into pieces before firing the shrapnel an impressive distance all over the kitchen. I fully accept this was user error -  replacing the brush head with the combi tool quickly dealt with this particular breakfast time drama.

If you have a perpetually moulting cat, then the Henry Quick could be your saviour. 

Clumps of cat hair and strands left behind from a long-haired breed didn’t pose much of a challenge and were vacuumed up from the carpet, hard floors and rug without a problem, and without the need to keep moving the vacuum over and over the same patch of floor. 

Switching the brush head with the combi tool helped to remove this unwanted pet hair from upholstery and pet bedding, albeit a little bit more elbow grease was required. A puff of passionfruit from the scent pod left the bedding smelling nice and fresh.

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How effective is the Henry Quick at vacuuming stairs?

The Henry Quick performed well on the stairs. The crevice tool and 2-in-1 combi tool helps to make the job easier, but it still feels a little bit too bulky as a handheld.

We feel the Henry Quick does offer very good value for money when stacked up against its competitors. 

At the time of writing, the £299 Henry Quick is more than £200 cheaper than the Dyson V11 Absolute, which has a smaller capacity and much longer charge time, although admittedly being more lightweight and boasting a strong suction. 

The Henry Quick also compares favourably to the Shark Classic Anti Hair Wrap Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (£280 at the time of writing). Both vacuums have the same power, but the Shark is heavier (4.1kg), with a smaller capacity (0.7 litres), shorter run time (up to 40 minutes) and longer charge time (3.5 hours). So for an extra £20 more, you really do get much more for your money with the Henry Quick. 

At the time of writing, the Henry Quick in graphite (exactly the same vacuum but in grey, minus Henry’s cheery smile) had £50 off the recommended retail price, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for special offers.

Another expense to be taken into consideration is the pods. The Henry Quick comes with 26 of these bags, which the manufacturer says equates to one year’s supply. But after this initial batch runs out, you will need to pay out £12.99 for a pack of 10, which will last roughly less than six months.