New Henry for Summer 2014

[vintagerepairer]

I read today that the new Numatic Henry to be launched in mid 2014 is to have an all-new 650 watt motor, in order to reduce energy consumption. One presumes Numatic have made such drastic strides so as to become a flagship or similar, and in plenty of time.

The new 650 watt motor is designed in such a way that the suction power on the end of the hose will be 10% greater than it currently is when the cleaner is runninga at 1200 watts. I see no mention as to whether or not the cleaner will have single or 2-speed motor.

The floor tool will be a wheeled combination style tool, presumably for better pick-up on carpets.

Numatic have disputed claims that cleaning will take longer once the 2017 ruling for 900watt motors takes effect, but has said that the cost of redesigning their range has run into "millions". They also infer they will not be the only manufacturer to suffer financially in order to meet new regulations. My own thoughts about that make me consider that retail prices of vacuum cleaners will now rise significantly.

I am not prepared to disclose where I read all of this, so no questions about that, please, but the information is in the public domain, should anyone choose to hunt it down.

 

[beko1987]

Well, as long as it doesn't have hi lo then I'm all for it. Be interesting to see how a wheeled floor tool takes being smashed about for 10 years...

Hopefully the 600w motor will be very very quiet too

 

[vintagerepairer]

Beko, I cannot see the wheeled tool being of any use for commercial applications - I am inclinded to wonder if the Numatic models aimed principally at the commercial sector might have a standard pedal tool. This would also serve to draw a greater line between their domestic and commercial ranges.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

I'm for it, this means that Henry's will now be at the lowest wattage they have ever been. They started at 800w, then went to 900w, 1000w & 1200w when the hi-lo switches came in & have stayed ever since.

I'm not bothered about noise with Henry's, they are quiet enough as it is. But like Sam I am interested about the New Floor Head, perhaps it's like the one you get with the Miele Ecoline & Hoover Purepower Greenray Cylinder - e.g. one designed for use with a lower wattage cleaner to get enough use of the available airflow.

 

[moojuiceuk]

I'm curious how effective this new lower wattage Henry will be in real world applications. We shall see.

As for the article, I've spotted it here:

http://content.yudu.com/A2prwr/cleamainfeb14/ See Page 24.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Thank you Moojuice. The article was posted to me by someone and I was not sure if it was my place to circulate it. I didn't have a clue how to find it on the internet. Well done, sir.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

That floorhead is definitely a Wessel-Werk design, looks nice.

 

[moojuiceuk]

Well done, sir...

Well if it's published on the net, its out there for all to read. Can't be that big a secret, the news being published in a commercial trade rag. It's actually interesting to flick through. Never knew TTI had a range of Vax commercial machines for instance...

 

[vintagerepairer]

No I mean well done for finding it on the internet. I was unable to do so, so thought it may have been in some way confidential, you see.

 

[vintagerepairer]

But I am of course glad you did. I'm worried now in case I've come across as sarcastic. I am sorry. I'm genuine.

 

[sebo_fan]

Thanks for the link.

Here is the photo of Henry taken from the mag.

The wheeled floor tool is indeed a Wessel Werk design. Bosch, Miele and SEBO all use this one as well as Hoover in Germany with various models. It seems to be a German thing. Hotpoint have also started to use these on their new cylinder vacs dependent on spec. I think other brands have had them too including Electrolux.

I will say this for Numatic - and for being the sole British company - well done on them for getting something out on the market to begin with in light of the EU law.

 

[sebo_fan]

Moo - the VCCs have been out for quite a few years now. They started off with producing the Vax canisters as well as bringing known "free label" commercial machines under their own name in the UK. I also have the "similar Oreck" VCU-02 upright which I adore, even if the plastics aren't that durable, the Vax Commercial Company continue to get other vacuums from other brands and badge them as their own.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

Henry's complied with the September 2014 laws anyway. They still had another 3 years yet.

 

[alexhoovers94]

I think that floor tool will be more practical however to see it fitted to a Henry is a bit of an eye sore!


I am looking forward to hearing what this new motor will sound like and I hope it is single speed although looking at the flower I reckon it will still have Autosave!

 

[sebo_fan]

Numatic could well have improved the buttons for the 2 speed, Alex. You'll never know until you look at this model in the flesh.

 

[ultimatevacman]

Actually, Numatic started out at 680w, then went to 800w, then 1000w, then 1100w, then 1200w. There was never a 900w motor.


 


The 680w machines had plenty of suction, so the new 650w should have enough suction to put up with most use.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Yes, but if you think about it, Numatic have been using a similar floor tool for over 25 years and for them to change it now is like speachless.

 

[sebox4]

Fantastic

It's great to finally see a sensibly sized motor in a domestic machine again, after ever increasing wattages over the past 2 decades or so to a ridiculous level in the last few years!

Hopefully where we have seen the "drive to the top" in terms of wattages, we will now see the reverse, in which every manufacturer will be trying to produce lower and lower wattage, effective cleaners? We can but hope!

The floor tool looks interesting as well, their current offering isn't that great on carpets (not that I normally use a cylinder on carpets)

Matt

 

[sebo_fan]

Oh don't be so ridiculous Alex.

Any brand can do what they like. Besides the original Numatic had a very different floor head to what current models have. Both shown here on the David model and the single rocker pedal from the original series.