Henry Allergy HVA 160 is the newest addition to the Henry Hoover family, and Numatic has produced a vacuum cleaner that has been given the seal of approval by the British Allergy Foundation.
If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies then you know how important it is to reduce triggers as much as you can. A good vacuum cleaner goes a long way to ensuring that your home is a safe and comfortable environment for allergy sufferers.
In this Henry Allergy review, you’ll see how the HVA 160 is scientifically proven to reduce exposure to dust and pet-related allergens. The triple filtration system, self-sealed bags, and the powerful suction all combine to help you in the battle to control the allergens in your home.
Contents
Pros
- Solid build quality – the UK’s most reliable vacuum cleaner
- Large dust capacity that is up to 5x larger than a bagless vacuum
- Great for allergies – Seal of Approval from the British Allergy Foundation
Cons
- Takes up more storage space than a cordless or upright
- Can be difficult to manoeuvre in small spaces
Henry Allergy Review: Design and Appearance
There is no mistaking that cheeky grin and wide eyes when you see any model from the Henry family. The Henry Allergy HVA160 is no different, and you will feel like you are cleaning with a friend when you vacuum.
Henry Allergy comes in a new summer blue colour, and this is one of only a couple of design changes when compared to regular Henry Hoover.
The other noticeable change is the addition of the word “Allergy” before his name. Apart from those two design changes, there is not much difference on the outside compared to Henry Hoover.
Henry HVA160 is a cylinder vacuum cleaner that uses traditional vacuum bags. He is the same size as Henry Hoover HVR160 and is significantly smaller than the older Henry models, such as the HVR200.
Although he is compact in size, Henry Allergy still boasts a huge 6-litre capacity, which means the bags will last a long time before they need to be changed.
Henry Allergy has a long-reach 10-metre power cable, and along with the long cleaning hose, this gives you a cleaning range of over 26 metres. This enables you to clean a larger area without changing the power socket all the time.
There is also a cable rewind feature which easily stores the power cable inside the machine and out of sight.
Features and Technology
The main benefit of using Henry Allergy is the fact that he has been given the seal of approval by the British Allergy Association.
All vacuum cleaners with this seal of approval are tested in an independent laboratory for their effectiveness in removing allergens. You can be sure that when you are cleaning with this vacuum you are giving allergens no chance of surviving and causing you misery.
As mentioned above, Henry Allergy has a huge cleaning radius of over 26 metres, which is a combination of the power cord and the cleaning hose and wand. He weighs 8kgs which is slightly heavier than regular Henry, although this is probably due to the extra filtration features.
The two front swivel wheels and the large back wheels allow easy movement when cleaning, and the cable storage is great for saving time and reducing the space needed.
Henry Allergy is powered by the same motor as his siblings, with the 620-watt motor providing great suction power.
Dust Capacity and Filtration
One of the reasons why Henry Allergy HVA160 is so effective at removing allergens is the 3-stage filtration system.
This comprises of a HEPA filter, TriTex filter, and Numatics own high-efficiency HepaFlo filter bags. The combination of these three ensures that allergens will have a very hard time escaping from the vacuum.
The HEPA filter captures 99.9% of all particles down to 0.3 microns in size. This is very small indeed and includes particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Things like pet dander, pollen, dust, and even bacteria particles will be captured by the HEPA filter.
Read More: Which Henry model is the best?
The TriTex filter is where the air gets sucked through when it first enters the vacuum cleaner. The job of this filter is to capture any larger particles before they reach the HEPA filter.
This allows the HEPA filter to focus on only catching the minuscule, allergy-causing particles. The HEPA filter is also more expensive to replace than the TriTex filter, so this also increases the life of the HEPA filter.
After the air has been passed through the filters, it finally comes to rest in Henry’s patented high-efficiency HepaFlo filter bags. Once the dirt and debris land in the HepaFlo bag, there is no chance of it escaping.
These bags have a self-seal tab, so when it is time to empty the bag you just seal it up and lift it out. Unlike bagless vacuums, there will be no cloud of dust releasing all of the allergens back into the air.
Read More: Henry Allergy – What type of bags and where to buy?
Speaking of emptying Henry Allergy, this is a job that you won’t have to do often. Thanks to the huge 6-litre capacity – which is over 6 times larger than the latest Dyson cordless vacuum – you will probably only have to change the bag 4 or 5 times per year.
Considering that you can get suitable bags very cheaply on Amazon, there are very little maintenance costs involved.
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Accessories and Tools
Henry Allergy comes with all of the usual tools and accessories that you would expect with a Numatic vacuum. When dealing with allergies you have to clean every surface in your home, and with this vacuum, you get tools that will help you clean carpet, hard floors, mattresses, cars, stairs, and upholstery.
There are two floor tools included with Henry Allergy – a FreeFlo tool, and a Combi Floor Tool. The Combi Floor Tool allows you to switch between carpets and hard floors easily. You can set the brushes down to get deep in the carpet fibres, and lift the brushes up to clean wooden floors and other hard surfaces.
The crevice tool, soft dusting brush, and upholstery brush mean that you can really clean any surface in your home, and relax in the knowledge that it will be free from allergens.
Henry Allergy Review: Final Thoughts
Henry Allergy HVA160 is similar to his sibling Henry, with a few key differences that are designed to leave your home allergy free. He has the same powerful suction and handy tools as the rest of the Numatic family, and also comes with a 3-stage filtration system.
The filters ensure that all allergens are captured, and the HepaFlo bags make sure that no allergens are released back into the air.
Henry Allergy is more expensive than Henry and Hetty, but if you are serious about dealing with allergens in your home then he is a great option.
Henry HVA160 is a lot cheaper than similar cylinder vacuums designed for allergies, and after using him for a few days you will no doubt notice an improvement with your symptoms.
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