Never thought I'd ever say this about my old friend Henry...

[Steffan]

fatboy b said:

Dyson marketing rocks. Their products don't.

Ain't that the truth. Best time ever for advertising hype to exceed reality successfully. Marketing, sadly, is King! Sign of our times.

[dickymint]

Reality check - dear old Henry compared to a small battery powered DC59 is absolutely crap! It's taken me 10 years or so to even contemplate looking at an alternative but facts are facts and I was wrong.

Also such a joy not to have to wrestle with it to get it out of the understairs cupboard, assemble it, plug it in and then fight to drag it round the place without it falling over or the pipe twisting - don't even mention the fact I had to unplug it and lug it upstairs to do the rest of the stairs and bedrooms!

[E36GUY]

Your poor Henry. Next thing you know he'll be on the drugs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmC62Eg82E8

[otolith]

Conversely, Henry's marketing sucks. And their product doesn't.

[Steffan]

otolith said:

Conversely, Henry's marketing sucks. And their product doesn't.

Essentially correct IMO. Dysons expensive prestige advertising could sell ice creammto the Eskimos and certainly has sold Dyson cleaners way beyond any other. Henry's originality, simplicity and low price couped with an original inexpensive ad campaign based on the funkiness and cuddly aspect of a human face on a vaccuum cleane was undoubtedly a real success initially.r. Subsequently i think they have lost the plot in later years and in consequence market share. Dyson are out to be the most prestigious vacuum company and are succeeding. Advertising is absolutely critical to maintaining brand prescence.

The Dyson refurb offer at £70 seems excellent value given the all new parts needed and manufacturers guarantee approach. A hell of a saving over a new Dyson and again a clever way to cultivate brand loyalty. Clever man Dyson I remember his ball barrow which again achieved cult status and huge publicity which was entirely deserved for a young entrepreneur on his way to millionaire success. I admire men like Dyson, no one can be that successful so any times without having something special about them.

[otolith]

I think Henry has a place - it's cheap, simple, robust, but not very efficient. A Wartburg. It's fine for cleaning up wood shavings or plaster dust but it's not the tool for the job if, say, your pets are aggravating your asthma.

I prefer the Vax wet & dry cylinder for the Henry kind of jobs, because it will also happily suck up liquids. Useful when the sodding washing machine filter is blocked, because in an act of genius design, removing the filter to clear it allows the sump to drain all over the kitchen floor.

[Steffan]

otolith said:

I think Henry has a place - it's cheap, simple, robust, but not very efficient. A Wartburg. It's fine for cleaning up wood shavings or plaster dust but it's not the tool for the job if, say, your pets are aggravating your asthma.

I prefer the Vax wet & dry cylinder for the Henry kind of jobs, because it will also happily suck up liquids. Useful when the sodding washing machine filter is blocked, because in an act of genius design, removing the filter to clear it allows the sump to drain all over the kitchen floor.

Sounds like the voice of experience. I agree with you on the Henry. The vacuums using beating brush technology and stronger suction are better of carpets. Horses for courses.

[skeggysteve]

Couple of years ago we gave our Son our Dyson and got a George (basically a Henry with all the kit to turn it into a carpet washer) it didn't hoover the carpets that well, we have 2 dogs and it didn't get most of the dog hairs out of the carpets.
It's suck was so powerful that it was difficult to push over the carpets!

So I resurrected the very old Dyson, it does pick up a lot more dog hairs but if you go over the carpet again with the George it picks up all the 'muck' the Dyson has missed.

The George in wash mode is brilliant, I don't know what their wash fluid is but it gets red wine and blood out of carpets with no problem.

[samuelellis]

I have seen some people mention the lack of a beater brush on the Henry - you do know you can get beater brush heads right?

[barchetta_boy]

My personal experience has been that Dysons suck ok when brand new BUT..

- the plastic material is brittle and heavy
- the actual design ergonomics are piss poor and it's not the easiest thing to heft about
- they degrade like hell over time. The one thing they are NOT supposed to do.

We got a Sebo on the advice of my business partner's mum and that thing sucks for the Fatherland.

[kev b]

Dickymint, how do you get your local tip to sell things to you?

Our jobsworth recycling operatives insist that nothing shall leave the premises, (doesn't seem to stop a lot of stuff reappearing at car boots though):rolleyes

[dickymint]

barchetta_boy said:

My personal experience has been that Dysons suck ok when brand new BUT..

- the plastic material is brittle and heavy
- the actual design ergonomics are piss poor and it's not the easiest thing to heft about
- they degrade like hell over time. The one thing they are NOT supposed to do.

We got a Sebo on the advice of my business partner's mum and that thing sucks for the Fatherland.

My post refers to a DC59 Animal (cordless)

1) definitely not heavy.
2) easiest to "heft" around by far.
3) Haven't a clue what you mean by that.

By comparison Henry is absolute pants!