Which Henry Hoover bag is the best? Which brand offers the highest quality product at the lowest price?
Henry Hoover is a leading manufacturer of household cleaning appliances, having sold over 25 million vacuum bags since its founding in 1919. The company has gone through several name changes (including Hoover Cleaners).
Numatic is one of the most popular vacuum cleaner brands in the UK, and Henry Hoover is the highest-selling member of the family.
If you are reading this you will know how powerful and versatile Numatic vacuums are, but you should also know that it is important to maintain them to keep them working at their best.
One of the most important parts of a Henry Hoover is the dust bags that go inside the canister.
These bags capture all of the dirt and debris and allow you to empty your vacuum with the minimum of fuss.
While Henry Hoover vacuum bags offer excellent value, they also come with some drawbacks. In this article, we’ll discuss their pros and cons, and suggest where to buy them from.
Contents
Do Henry Hoovers Need Bags?
This is a question that I get asked all the time, and the short answer is yes, Henry Hoovers need bags.
Over 30 years ago, when Numatic first started making Henry, the vacuum cleaner market was full of upright vacuums that used bags to collect the dirt.
Numatic saw this as an opportunity and marketed Henry as a vacuum that could be used with or without bags. Back then, Henry had a less powerful and efficient motor, so using him without bags was fine.
Nowadays, Henry has a much more powerful motor and the airflow inside the machine has increased.
Using a Numatic vacuum with no bags means that as there is a higher volume of dust being sucked in, the filters and parts get clogged up quicker.
This is bad news for your Henry and means he will be less efficient and need to be taken apart more often.
Henry Hoover bags also have another important function; they act as the first layer of filtration.
This ensures that the filters inside Henry don’t have to work as hard, and will not need to be cleaned or replaced as often.
What Type Of Bags Do I Need?

If you go to one of the popular UK shopping sites, such as Amazon, you will generally find three different categories of Henry vacuum bags.
There are genuine Numatic Hepa Flo bags, which are the most expensive bags for Henry Hoover.
Then there are cheaper versions of these Numatic hoover bags, which are microfiber bags made from cloth.
There are also paper Henry vacuum cleaner bags, which are the cheapest type. These paper hoover bags for Henry are double-layered to prevent them from ripping.
There is an abundance of cheaper non-genuine Henry Hoover bags on the market, and I have tried some of them with mixed results.
Some of the cheaper paper bags tend to rip when in use, and as you can imagine this leaves you with a huge mess to deal with.
The cheaper microfiber bags can also rip, so you have to make sure the bags you are buying are good quality.
Luckily for you, I have tested a few different bags and these ones are the ones I recommend.
They are cheaper than the genuine Numatic bags, they are made from high-quality materials, and they do not rip.
That last point is VERY important to the health of your Henry vacuum cleaner.
Where To Buy Henry Hoover Bags
The best place to buy Henry Hoover bags is Amazon. They have a wide range of Numatic Henry Hoover bags, and if you are a prime member you can get free next day delivery.
You have to be careful on Amazon, however, as there are a lot of bags that are poor-quality and will just rip inside the vacuum.
As I mentioned before, I have tested quite a few different bags on Amazon, and below are the ones that I recommend.
It’s always worth reading the reviews before you buy to see what other customers think of the bags.
How To Empty A Henry Hoover
Emptying Henry Hoover bags isn’t generally recommended – these are one-use disposable bags and can be bought cheaply in bulk.
That said, if you want to reuse the same bag more than once, there is a way!
To open Henry Hoover, just pull the clips out from the sides of the chassis in order to remove Henry’s head. Don’t worry – he doesn’t mind!
Now take the bag and empty it by manually pulling out all of the thick dust and dirt, before putting it back in place to get full again.
Most people don’t realize they can reuse the bags, but it’s not that difficult. Just keep in mind that it will make a mess and isn’t great if you have allergies!
How To Change A Henry Hoover Bag
You’ll use the exact same process in order to change your Henry Hoover bag – just remove the clips, slot out the bag, and then dispose of it.
Add the new bag, and you’re good to go! This needs to fit onto the bag connector, so make sure of that!
Can You Wash A Henry Hoover Filter?
Henry Hoovers use a pre-motor filter which is washable, and it’s a good idea to wash this every time you replace the bag.
The good news is that it is simple to do, just wash it with warm water, wait for it to dry, and then slot it back into place.
Henry Hoover Maintenance Tips
Other than replacing bags and washing the filter, it’s a good idea to replace the filters entirely once every three months. Avoid trying to vacuum up large items, or very thick substances.
If Henry Hoover smells bad when in use, the bag will probably need changing.
As mentioned above, wash the filter when you change the bag, this will keep Henry smelling fresh and working efficiently.
If Henry Hoover has no suction, check the bag and the filter, and change/clean as necessary. If the no suction problem persists, check all of the hoses and pipes for blockages.
Henry Hoover is very easy to take apart and clean, which makes maintaining him much easier.