When i bought my own place, i hired a cleaner to do a deep clean before moving in. I asked her what vacuum cleaner to buy, and she recommended a Henry with no hesitation. They're big and heavy, but they'll suck up anything and they're indestructible. I also got a George; i'll mention for the benefit of our American readers that Henry is a dry vacuum, Charles is a wet/dry, and George is a wet/dry with a tank and pump for spraying carpet cleaner.
