The world of vacuum cleaners, it seems, is a tribal one, particularly among Telegraph readers, where brand loyalty is key.

Whether it’s a battle-hardened Henry dragged from job to job, a durable, German-engineered machine or a high-tech Dyson, each choice reflects a different philosophy of cleaning and often says as much about your priorities as it does about your floors.

When we recently updated our guide to the best vacuums, the comments were full of varying opinions and recommendations. So, here’s the advice worth considering next time you’re in the market for a new one.

The people’s champion: Henry

Unpretentious, nostalgic and found everywhere from tradesmen’s vans to family homes, Henry is by far the most highly-rated vacuum cleaner among our readers, and for good reason. Made by British brand Numatic, the vacuum is reliable, indestructible, and even fireproof, as one reader explains.

Henry is “the vacuum cleaner of choice” for David Jones, who regards the brand as the best for helping to manage maintenance on various facilities.

While at home, he prefers to use George: “It is basically a Henry with a wet extraction carpet cleaner bolted on. It can be used as a dry vacuum and works well.”

“I like Numatic stuff in general because its cleaners are powerful, robust and cheap. Parts are readily available, not that I seem to need them much,” he explains.

Jones has tried other vacuums in his work, such as a Dyson stick vacuum, which he found “expensive, flimsy, not very powerful and with limited battery life”.

“Consumer testing is no substitute for long experience,” argues Glen Peckett, who agrees that there’s a reason why the Henry is favoured by many professional cleaners and commercial establishments.

Peckett has had his Henry vacuum for 15 years, while his Dad’s Henry was purchased around 40 years ago. “Apart from replacement bags and filters and a couple of new brushes, it is still going strong,” he says.

Farm owner, Clive Orme, has tried every brand of vacuum over the years and insists, “nothing matches the Henry for dog hairs and mud”.

“It’s an amazing machine,” he says, perfect for “vacuuming up spare seed barley from the hopper when we clean the drill out”.

Reader Chris recalls an incident involving his nearly 30-year-old Henry vacuum. “I had my Henry breathing fire once, while vacuuming a fireplace I thought was cold, but wasn’t. Henry spat sparks out of the vent like a volcano.”

Chris had been burning composite blocks on his wood burning stove and, unbeknown to him, there was still a “lurking hot spot waiting to surprise Henry” the next day.

Chris was quick to unclip the motor while the plastic body of the vacuum and bag were “doused with a handy cup of tea”.

“Henry needed a new filter and bears slight scars but is still going strong a decade later,” he explains. “It eats DIY mess like a superstar.”

The family heirloom: Sebo

Sebo is another popular brand among our readers, due to its robust vacuums which they say are designed to last. These owners appreciate the quality build and obsess over the repairability of these machines with readily available spare parts.

Steve Twydell has been a long-time customer of Sebo vacuums because they’re “light, rugged and they last”. But “the main thing is that they are brilliant at doing the vacuuming,” he says.

He’s tried a Miele, which was too heavy and an upright Dyson, but “bits kept breaking it”.

For Twydell, Sebo vacuums stand the test of time. He has one that’s nearly 25 years old, which has now been resigned to the garage for use on the car and DIY projects. He also another that is 15 years old, which he recently gave to his son as it still works fine.

Simon Brooks holds a similar view. He has had his Sebo vacuum for over 15 years and it still gives “a vastly better and deeper clean than the Dyson,” he explains. He has three large dogs and despite having tried a pet hair Dyson model, he has observed a clear difference in pickup between the two.

Robert Kelly felt compelled to buy a Dyson based on the marketing hype, but “it was awful”. As an engineer, he found that “much of the product was badly designed, with flimsy materials”.

When he bought a Sebo, it was “the best vacuum cleaner” he had ever used. Although “it’s quite heavy compared with some, it’s robust and made to last. It’s sound German quality,” he says.

Another long-term Sebo owner, Steve Handerer, particularly favours the availability of spare parts which has kept his vacuum running for 20 years. “I just had a new brush roll fitted, as well as two new wheels and a drive belt in the past. It’s quiet and works well. ”

The power titan: Miele

Like Sebo, Miele vacuums offer the same promise of longevity. They’re powerful, hard-working and our readers praise the brand for its deep cleaning qualities, making it a good choice for cleaning up after pets on a daily basis.

Chris Daniels argues that “if you want a real workhorse buy a Miele”. Both of his sons bought a cordless Dyson and “had nothing but trouble”, he explains. “The real test is how these machines hold up over time.”

Susan Simons and her husband had a similar experience and would never purchase a Dyson again. “They are grossly overpriced for what they are compared to the rest of the market.”

With two Labradors who constantly moult throughout the year, a powerful and deep cleaning vacuum cleaner is essential for Simons. They now have the Miele C3 Cat and Dog vacuum, which “knocks socks off our last Dyson in terms of cleaning ability”. They particularly like how easy it is to empty by simply swapping the bag.

Gillian Troszok is also fond of her Miele Cat and Dog vacuum, which is used almost every day cleaning up after three Labradors. “It cost us £169 in April 2000. It worked perfectly for 25 years, but the motor eventually burned out. We replaced it with another Miele. It’s an excellent product,” she says.

The high-tech disrupter: Dyson

Without a doubt, Dyson is the most divisive brand on the market. Yet despite criticism from many Telegraph readers, who question the value and longevity of its vacuums, these perspectives below may prompt you to reconsider your stance. Several praise the brand’s innovative and efficient products.

Robert Andrews, for example, has had his Dyson DC32 Animal Cylinder vacuum for nearly 15 years and it is “still going strong”.

He bought it on Amazon for £247.99, and it came with various tools for getting in crevices and cleaning furniture.

It’s noisy, and now “it is a bit heavy for taking up and down the stairs”, its merits outweigh the weaknesses. It is “very efficient and reliable, easy to drag around, is break-proof, has a clear cylinder and is easy to empty as it is bagless,” Andrews says.

He also mentions that the “spare parts are plentiful” and easy to get hold of. “It had a new brush head unit (the part you run over the floor with) in 2018, costing £43.99 and a new handle unit in 2019, costing £30.16. Both from Amazon.”

With a similar view, Jerry Baverstock bought his vintage Dyson DC04 Lime in 2003. “A bit like me, it has a few battle scars and is showing its age, but it’s still ticking along.”

Even though “it’s now been relegated to the garage for DIY duties, vacuuming up brick dust, leaves, grit and dog fur”, it performs great and has only needed “a couple of hose and belt replacements” in its lifetime.

To maintain a Dyson, Baverstock recommends not letting the dust container get more than half full before emptying. He also washes out the two foam filters several times a year.

Baverstock recommends the Dyson V10 too, which has “been excellent” and has over 40 minutes of battery life. “So far it’s never gone flat. We can work our way around the house from room to room and it just keeps going.”

As an engineer, John Iles was drawn to the Dyson DC40 due to “the good engineering and clever design”.

“The powerful vacuum has kept our carpets looking good. The long lead and reach of the tube extension means we can cover all areas easily.”

Although initially expensive, its long lifespan makes it cost-effective. “A few minor bits have gone wrong over its long life, but I have always been able to repair it as parts are not a problem and help is often available on YouTube,” Iles adds.

The challengers

If you’re prepared to look beyond the usual choices and want strong performance without a premium price tag, readers have identified a few other brands worth your consideration.

Jerry Williams has tried Dyson vacuums in the past but has always been left disappointed: “They just don’t last and are massively overpriced. Also with some of the older Dysons, you can’t get spare parts, which is a sad indictment given what they cost.”

When he saw a Silvercrest cordless vacuum in Lidl for £50, he was surprised: “I couldn’t quite believe it.” What sold it to him was the additional rotating mop attachment, as he has hard floors at home. “Ok, it won’t last a lifetime but probably longer than a Dyson,” he says.

Edward Coulston is a fan of the Bosch Unlimited cordless vacuums and has convinced others to buy one: “It has excellent all-round performance, is top quality and much cheaper than Dyson. It has super powerful 18v batteries, which are fully interchangeable with other Bosch tools.”

Finally, Sue Coello wouldn’t be without her G-Tech, which is “rechargeable, light as a feather, easy to manoeuvre and efficient. The only drawback is that there are no attachments but it isn’t an issue for me”.