[Katy Radcliffe]

Hiya!

I'm looking for my first vacuum cleaner.

I do domestic cleaning. I'd assumed that I'd be buying a Henry, but I've heard they're no longer made like they used to be.

The man at my local domestic appliance repair shop recommended this (his price was lower, at £95 + VAT):

http://www.kencospares.com/Qualtex/AS15-VACUUM-CLEANER-DRY-PICK-UP-15-LITRE/prod_567.html

Then, I have been encouraged to look into this Karcher:

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=170180&Referrer=froogle

Finally, someone suggested this:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/41848/Cleaning/Cleaning-Machinery/Nilfisk-ALTO-Aero-25-21-Wet-Dry-230V-Vacuum?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Datafeed-_-Cleaning-_-Nilfisk%20ALTO%20Aero%2025-21%20Wet%2FDry%20230V%20Vacuum


I'd really not like to pay more than £100, but I am intrigued by the possibility of wet/dry.

It seems the Karcher doesn't include all those nifty tools that come in so handy when cleaning houses. I may be reading that listing wrong, though.

The repair guy's recommendation was based on reliability.

The Henry is the only one I'm familiar with. I've used one, before. I like that the cord can be wound up. It's fairly easy to carry around/up stairs.

Anybody have any input for me? I would really appreciate it! Thank you!

[Rick Ward]

if your working the machine more than a few hours a week it's worth investing in a decent vacuum, i.e. more than £100 Katie

[Katy Radcliffe]

My budget is about £100. At most I'd be using it (I mean, having the power switch on) maybe 10 hours a week. At this point, it's maybe 1-5 hours a week.

[jasonl]

If you are planning on being a pro  doing quality work , you need a twin motor vac , this means one motor for the vacuum ,and another powering the "beater bar"

You may get a used sebo dart for this or a sebo bs 36 , but TBH  100 simply is not enough for a pro set up

[BDCS]

Sebo bs36 for me as well - I got one of mine from e bay for under a ton delivered. There are several on there now within your budget

[Katy Radcliffe]

I see a lot of offices and businesses being cleaned by Henry's.

I'm a domestic house cleaner, not a carpet cleaner. I need a vacuum that will clean as well as a Henry, but perhaps be more reliable.

At any rate, c. £100 is my budget. Period. If I am to believe that it is absolutely impossible to work as a domestic housecleaner with anything in that price range, then I will not be working as a domestic housecleaner.

If anybody can give me some feedback on the vacuums I've linked above, or recommend something else I might look into, I would appreciate it.

[BDCS]

I have an Alto tub and its alright but nothing special

[Art]

If you are planning on being a pro  doing quality work , you need a twin motor vac , this means one motor for the vacuum ,and another powering the "beater bar"

You may get a used sebo dart for this or a sebo bs 36 , but TBH  100 simply is not enough for a pro set up

Hi Jason,

A sebo for domestic cleaning isn't practical mate. I know the dart is light but it's not for domestic cleaning. A tub vac is the way to go.

Arthur

[jasonl]

I know plenty of domestic services that use sebo on weekly domestic cleans .
It simply does a far more thorough job than a tub , the hose is faster to set up to change over for stairs/edges too

[Griffus]

Numatic are great all rounders and great kit. We use them on builders cleans all day every day and they are pretty much indistructable. Go for the NRV200-22. This is the commercial version of Henry and as a 12.5 metre power cable as opposed to 10 metres with the HRV (Henry)

Vicol are good for these: -

http://www.vicol.co.uk/shop/product.php/2/numatic_commercial_henry_vacuum_cleaner_nrv200_22

If you are determined to go for an upright the the Sebo BS36 is the one. You'll need an extension hose and a crevice tool in addition as a minimum though. Again, Vicol take some beating on service and price: -

http://www.vicol.co.uk/shop/product.php/289/sebo_bs36_upright_vacuum_cleaner_free_pack_of_bags

[Katy Radcliffe]

I already have a decent upright - a Electrolux Twin Turbo I got via Freecyle. I'll happily use that on large carpeted areas, particularly if it's thick pile. But, a Henry with a different head ought to be pretty good on carpets.

I want something like the Henry for when I clean lots of hard floors and corners. I dust lampshades and ceilings and all sorts of things besides floors. I even hoover out things like ovens before I clean them, etc. I need to be able to change attachments quickly.

I'm now back to wanting a Numatic. Just trying to decide which one, exactly. I'm probably going to get a basic Henry, as then I'll have a bit of money left over in my budget for a turbo head and a longer hose (needed for stairs.) Someone on another forum is ardently telling me that I need to get the 15L numatic because otherwise I won't have anywhere to wrap the longer hose. However if I buy that model, I may not have the money for the longer hose, anyway. LOL.

I appreciate everyone's help. thank you!

[TonyW65]

The SEBO maybe a good product, but its pricey and you wouldnt get two in a small car for our clean teams.

Numatics are robust (read almost indestructable), cheap you can get them for £80-£100.

The long hose and 15l body are made for each other. Get the larger tub, you can get the long hose later! You will go nuts with the long hose and nowhere to put it....imagine draggin a 4M hose in and out of your car!!

[Adam P]

i know it's way higher then you asked but we use miele for domestic cleans (though we only do spring and eot domestic now). great machine and very small so would fit in small car boot along with everything else. also great for taking in and out of customers house and has all attachments on board so you're never a few seconds from having what you need from it. great for doing every job we've through at it in a domestic environment.

[Katy Radcliffe]

The SEBO maybe a good product, but its pricey and you wouldnt get two in a small car for our clean teams.

Numatics are robust (read almost indestructable), cheap you can get them for £80-£100.

The long hose and 15l body are made for each other. Get the larger tub, you can get the long hose later! You will go nuts with the long hose and nowhere to put it....imagine draggin a 4M hose in and out of your car!!

I'm not getting the 4mm hose! LOL. I think the standard is 1.9 metres, and I'm going to get a hose bigger than that (3 I think).

[Katy Radcliffe]

i know it's way higher then you asked but we use miele for domestic cleans (though we only do spring and eot domestic now). great machine and very small so would fit in small car boot along with everything else. also great for taking in and out of customers house and has all attachments on board so you're never a few seconds from having what you need from it. great for doing every job we've through at it in a domestic environment.

Which machine is that?

[TonyW65]

The smaller hose wont reach up the stairs Katy 

[Adam P]

we use the ones in this range...

http://www.miele.co.uk/vacuum-cleaners/cylinder-cleaners/compare/?range=s5

there is so many reasons to chose miele too many to list all but a few others i thought of.

you can change the noise level between 6 settings which is great if the customer is home or you don't need so much power.

can be used upright on stairs and will fit on most so can be put on a step and let go.

cable rewinds into machine

pole goes into itself so takes up little room.

seen as a quality vacuum by customers (and they look it as well) where as henry are seen as cheap.

[Craig Trevain]

I'd stay away from Romanian made yellow ones, look at our quick clean, they are fantastic.

[Katy Radcliffe]

The smaller hose wont reach up the stairs Katy 

Well, I can choose between the awkwardness of dealing with the long hose, which you promise me is makes life a Hell not worth living, or I can manage with the 2.5-meter hose. 

I think there have been Henry's with 1.9-metre hoses. Those would be too short. I've heard people say that the 2.5 was long enough for them to vacuum one-handed.

[Jamie Pearson]

Fancy a backpack vacuum?