Washing Machines group test

The usually sedate world of washing machines has seen some exciting innovation of late, triggered by a need for greener machines and a desire for more style and time saving features. It all means more choice and better value for us.

The introduction of steam into your wash for instance, gets the detergent up to temperature faster and can even decrease your clothes for you. In the mid-priced category, it’s no longer all about your spin speed – energy efficiency is now the major concern and you’ll find that the majority of the big sellers meet the stringent requirements set by the Energy Trust to be able to carry A+ certificates.

Drum size, style and steam are also key factors to check for. Most of us forget to think about operation noise, but the really good machines run as quietly as your dishwasher. Look for the manufacturer’s noise rating in dB.

We’ve picked the five best washing machines to suit what you’re after, be it the ultimate money saving clothes spinner, the ultimate performer, most innovative machine, best build quality or most stylish. Take your pick from this group of top class cleaners.

Best budget machine
Indesit Moon SIXL 145s (blue)
It’s an award winning design an one that’ll make your kitchen look good rather than standing out itself. But it’s the simplicity of the design that makes the Moon a winner. Putting the detergent drawer in the door is a master stroke that makes this washer easier to use and easier to clean, while the simplified mechanics mean it’s cheaper to produce and likely to last longer too.

Click to read the full review >>
Go to the Indesit Moon SIXL 145s product page >>

Best performer
Zanussi ZWF16581W (white)
The traditional design will fit right into most kitchens and the regular 7kg drum is about right for a two-child family, so Zanussi is playing it safe with this model. Most users will choose the washing cycles they want from the huge selection and ignore the rest, but it should mean that there’s a program for everyone. Jetsystem+ is the clever bit that means you just use the water and energy you need and it’s also what helps bag this machine a triple ‘A’ rating.

Click to read the full review >>
Go to the Zanussi ZWF16581W product page >>

Best innovation
LG 9kg F1402FDS6 (black)
LG has maintained the momentum with its latest washers and enhanced the steam feature to provide more options for refreshing your clothes, which could save you a wash or two. The big drum makes it much more efficient for larger households and it hasn’t meant foregoing the prized A+ energy rating. But the Direct Drive range also breaks new ground in terms of style. The electronic touchscreen controls are from the world of home electronics, not kitchen appliances. It even has a pause/play button to start your wash!

Click to read the full review >>
Go to the LG 9kg F1402FDS6 product page >>

Best for build quality
Bosch Logixx WAS32466GB (white)
The old school looks are deceptive – there’s some clever stain removing and fabric treatment going on here. If there’s blood on your shirt, for example, the water will run cold for a short period before raising to the ideal temperature for dissolving it. The drum is textured with diamond shapes that turn robust material over when it spins in one direction and treats fragile cloth more gently when it spins the other way. There are plenty of cycles to choose from too ranging from the 60-minute power wash to the 15-minute freshen up. All this and a triple A rating from the Energy Trust.

Click to read the full review >>
Go to the Bosch Logixx WAS32466GB product page >>

Best design
Hotpoint Aqualtis AQGD169S (silver)
The Hotpoint looks contemporary and its thoughtfully designed door should make it look at home in a modern pad. The wide aperture and straight forward controls are all about making it easy to use and although it has a lot of cycles – there’s one for ‘bed and bath’ for example – it’s still very intuitive. The near silent running noise makes it suitable for small flats with no dedicated laundry room too. The Aqualtis range is quite large, so you can specify the size and colour you need and because Hotpoint introduced it more than two years ago there are some hot deals to be found right here.

Click to read the full review >>
Go to the Hotpoint Aqualtis AQGD169S product page>>

Get chatting about washing machines over at the PriceRunner forum

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