diff --git a/packages/vaex-core/vaex/expression.py b/packages/vaex-core/vaex/expression.py
index b8cbae4d86..2edeb093e3 100644
--- a/packages/vaex-core/vaex/expression.py
+++ b/packages/vaex-core/vaex/expression.py
@@ -1179,6 +1179,21 @@ def _rename(self, old, new, inplace=False):
         return expression
 
     def astype(self, data_type):
+        """Cast this expression to a different data type.
+
+        Supported formats for data_type are:
+
+        - strings, such as "string", "float", "float32", "datetime64[ns]"
+        - pyarrow types, such as ``pa.float32()``, ``pa.uint8()``
+
+        Formats that are not supported are:
+
+        - native python types, such as ``int`` and ``float``
+        - native numpy types, such as ``np.int32``
+
+        :param data_type: The data type to cast to.
+        :return: :class:`Expression` in the new data type.
+        """
         if vaex.array_types.is_string_type(data_type) or data_type == str:
             return self.ds.func.astype(self, 'str')
         else:
diff --git a/tests/astype_test.py b/tests/astype_test.py
index 7c9f78c48a..81a1963aef 100644
--- a/tests/astype_test.py
+++ b/tests/astype_test.py
@@ -21,19 +21,64 @@ def test_astype_str():
     assert df.x.dtype == int
 
 
-def test_astype_to_str(array_factory):
-    df = vaex.from_arrays(x=array_factory([1, 2, None]))
-    assert df.x.astype('str').tolist() == ['1', '2', None]
-
-
-def test_astype_numeric(array_factory):
-    df = vaex.from_arrays(x=array_factory([1, 2, None]))
-    assert df.x.astype('float').tolist() == [1., 2., None]
-    assert df.x.astype('float32').tolist() == [1., 2., None]
-    assert df.x.astype('float64').tolist() == [1., 2., None]
-    assert df.x.astype('int8').tolist() == [1, 2, None]
-    assert df.x.astype('int').tolist() == [1, 2, None]
-
+@pytest.fixture
+def nullable_ints(df_factory):
+    return df_factory(x=[1, 2, None])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('dtype', [str, 'str', 'string', pa.string()])
+def test_astype_to_str(nullable_ints, dtype):
+    assert nullable_ints.x.astype(dtype).tolist() == ['1', '2', None]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'dtype',
+    [
+        'int',
+        'i1',
+        'u1',
+        'int8',
+        'uint8',
+        pa.int8(),
+        pa.uint8(),
+        'int16',
+        'int32',
+        'int64',
+    ]
+)
+def test_astype_integral(nullable_ints, dtype):
+    assert nullable_ints.x.astype(dtype).tolist() == [1, 2, None]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'dtype',
+    [
+        'float',
+        'f4',
+        'f8',
+        'float32',
+        'float64',
+        pa.float32(),
+        pa.float64(),
+    ]
+)
+def test_astype_floating(nullable_ints, dtype):
+    assert nullable_ints.x.astype(dtype).tolist() == [1., 2., None]
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('dtype', [int, float, bool, np.int8, np.float32])
+def test_astype_numeric_fails(nullable_ints, dtype):
+    with pytest.raises((ValueError, TypeError)):
+        nullable_ints.x.astype(dtype).tolist()
+
+
+def test_astype_uint_string(df_factory_arrow, df_factory_arrow_chunked, df_factory_numpy):
+    # The string "uint" works for numpy but not arrow
+    x = [1, 2, None]
+    df_factory_numpy(x=x).x.astype("uint").tolist()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        df_factory_arrow(x=x).x.astype("uint").tolist()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        df_factory_arrow_chunked(x=x).x.astype("uint").tolist()
 
 
 def test_astype_dtype():