Although we all need a washing machine, most of us won’t upgrade until there’s a reason to do so: the old model breaks, we move house or have a kitchen redone. In all likelihood, it means that most of us will keep the same washing machine for at least five years, if not longer. Buying a new machine may be a bit more complex than you first imagined, then, as new technology will have come along since you last bought a machine. That’s where we come in. At Trusted Reviews we actually get washing machines in and test them for stain removal, ease of use and energy and water consumption. This means that you can rely on us to help you find the best product for your needs. We’ve reviewed hundreds of washing machines and have a dedicated lab used to test more, constantly updating this list with the current best buys. High-end washing machines can cost upwards of £1000, which sounds like a lot of money. With these kinds of machines, you’ll typically find the best stain removal, smart features and the lowest running costs. While reduced running costs will take a long time to pay-off compared to buying a cheaper machine, you’re doing your bit for the environment. You’ll usually get a greater range of programmes, designed specifically for certain loads. Mid-range washing machines are around £500 to £700. Here, you’ll still get decent results and good running costs, but you may find that these machines are a little noisier and don’t have the same range of programmes as their more expensive competition. Budget washing machines are much more basic, and typically have smaller drums than their higher-end counterparts. Expect fewer wash programmes, higher running costs and more noise. However, if you need something basic and don’t want to spend a fortune, these are a good choice. We’ve reviewed a wide range of products at different prices to help you find the right choices.

Best washing machine at a glance

Best overall: AEG L9FEB969C – check priceBest smart washing machine: Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB 410AMC/1-80 – check priceBest washer dryer: Hotpoint Anti-Stain NDB 9635 W UK – check priceBest for efficiency: Bosch Serie 8 WAV28MH4GB – check priceBest standard washing machine: Indesit BWE 101638X W UK N – check price

Hard water contains minerals, such as limescale, which can be harsh on clothing and make detergents less effective. With the AEG L9FEB969C, once you’ve set the water hardness level, the softener is tuned to your area – and, aside from having to refill the salt, you can forget about it. That’s not the only thing this washing machine has going for it, however. The large 9kg drum provides plenty of room for washing, and contains a light so you can see what you’re doing. It can be controlled via the My AEG Care app, which enables you to select your desired programme and check on the wash time remaining. It sends a notification once the wash has finished and, if you have an AEG smart tumble dryer, it can be automatically linked via the app. On the regular Cotton 30ºC wash, the AEG L9FEB969C removed most tough stains, though its performance wasn’t quite as impressive on the Eco 40-60 programme. That’s good news, though, as the Eco wash is the most efficient. Efficiency is excellent, and we calculated that this machine will cost £65.91 a year to run. The AEG L9FEB969C is a reliable and powerful washing machine, cleaning difficult stains well at low temperatures. It’s cheap to run on the Eco settings and, especially for those who live in hard water areas, it’s a great choice. Full review: AEG L9FEB969CReviewer: David Ludlow A quality 9kg washing machine in its own right, this washing machine should cost, on average, around £69.07 per year to run (at 34p per kW/h), assuming you use it at full loads. That B-class rating is well earned, and this washer-dryer’s not particularly expensive to run. Turning to the tumble dryer, costs do rise and we calculated an average yearly running cost of £143.94 a year to run. Partly that’s down to the fact that the Hotpoint Anti-Stain NDB 9635 W UK can only dry 6kg of wet clothing, so its capacity is smaller than regular tumble dryers; washer-dryers are also less efficient. Here, if you want to dry a full load of washing, you’ll have to do it in batches. Drying performance as good, although we found we could cut costs by running the Iron Dry setting, which saw 96% of the water removed: the clothes are dry enough to fold and put away at this level. Stain removal is excellent on this machine. We saw the best results on the Eco 40-60 wash, but even the 20C wash did a good job on most of our test stains. Overall, this washer-dryer balanced performance against cost brilliantly, making our our current best washer-dryer.Reviewer: David LudlowFull review: Hotpoint Anti-Stain NDB 9635 W UK review You can use the controls around the LCD screen to adjust the temperature, spin speed, delay and to use the anti-stain option. Alternatively, you can connect the appliance to your Wi-Fi and use the app to set the wash programme and overrides. There’s also support for Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT. In testing, using a small 2kg load. the Eco 40-60 programme used just 0.189kWh of power and 24 litres of water, which is exceptionally low. That makes for refreshing reading, as this 9kg machine is super efficient if you just need to wash a few clothes. And cleaning performance is excellent, too. On both the 30ºC cotton and Eco 40-60 settings, stain removal was impressive. It’s exceptionally quiet in operation, too. Use the washing machine over year, and the running costs come at £79.13 per year, assuming full loads and an electricity unit cost of 34p per kW/h. This quality appliance uses very little power, offers good stain removal and is extremely well built. If you’re looking for a smart washing machine you can rely on, the Bosch Serie 8 WAV28MH4GB is a top contender. Full review: Bosch Serie 8 WAV28MH4GBReviewer: David Ludlow While much of the competition has introduced fancy features such as smart apps, the Indesit BWE 101638X W UK N is a refreshingly simple machine to use, with all its features clearly labelled on its front panel. To test the Indesit BWE 101638X W UK N, we put it through our standard tests with clothing that’s been soiled with red wine, orange juice, ketchup, oil and gravy. The results on the 30ºC wash were pretty good, with just the tough red wine stain remaining. On the Eco 40-60 wash, stain removal was among the best we’ve seen, with the stains all pretty much gone. Under the new grading system, the Indesit BWE 101638X W UK N is classed as a D-rated appliance, so it isn’t the most efficient or cheapest of washing machines to run – we calculated running costs of £75.20 per year. But if you want great stain removal and simplicity, this model makes a lot of sense. Full review: Indesit BWE 101638X W UK NReviewer: David Ludlow 101 Washing Machine