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1 July 2021
Top five washing machines for 2021
We reveal the top-scoring Best Buy washing machines from our Which? reviews to suit your family and budget - and the models to avoid.
Aaron West
The best washing machines clean clothes fantastically on the commonly used programs, are easy to use and won’t cost a fortune to run.
The worst we’ve tested are noisy, guzzle energy and don’t even do a good job at cleaning your clothes.
We’ve pulled out our top five Best Buy washing machines from our tests in the table below. And we’ve also revealed the models that you’re better off avoiding.
Top five washing machines for June 2021
Only logged-in Which? members can view our recommendations in the table below. If you’re not yet a member, you can get instant access by joining Which?.
Cheapest Best Buy washing machine
- 77%£469.99
This cheap washing machine doesn't have many programs or extra features, but impresses where it counts, by cleaning brilliantly.
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Top-scoring Best Buy washing machine
- 89%£949.00
This large capacity washing machine is fantastic at washing natural and man-made fabrics, and had no problem eliminating the stains we use in our tough lab tests - in fact, it's the best machine currently on our site. It rinses and spins brilliantly, and it's quieter than others, too. It scored very highly in the majority of our tests and has plenty of useful extras thrown in, so we've every reason to award this excellent washer our Best Buy logo.
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Best washing machine for medium-sized households
- 81%£529.99
This washing machines is a rare example of style backed up with substance. All the fancy features aren’t just hot air, thanks to its fantastic cleaning powers.
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Best washing machine for large households
- 76%£739.99
With a mammoth 12kg capacity, you can fit loads of washing in this. Perhaps best of all, though, is that it does a superb job of washing clothes and while still using less energy and water than most per kg of clothes.
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Best built-in washing machine
- 82%£749.99
This is an absolutely outstanding built-in washing machine, It does a sensational job of removing stains from clothes and is a worthy Best Buy.
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Last updated: July 2021
Not found the product for you yet? Answer four quick questions to find the best washing machine.
Three Don't Buys to avoid
Not all machines are a whizz at washing. We’ve found models that struggle with everyday stains and leave detergent on your laundry. These are just some of the washing machines we recommend steering clear of:
Three washing machines to avoid
- 35%£319.00
This washing machine is abysmal at cleaning cottons. The eco cotton program (which is the go-to 40°C cottons program) does a terrible job of removing stains. As such, we’ve named it a Don’t Buy.
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Already a member?Log in - 27%£230.00
This washing machine is dreadful at washing, and it's noisy - two things that are likely to put pretty much everyone off buying it. We've made it a Don't Buy to help you steer clear.
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Already a member?Log in - 24%£200.00
Sadly this washing machine isn't the bargain it first appears; not only does it struggle to get clothes clean and bright, but it doesn't rinse well either, leaving plenty of soap behind in the fibres. Add the fact that it's noisier than most and it's clear why we've made this washing machine is a Don't Buy.
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How to choose the best washing machine for you
Here are some key features to consider when picking your washing machine:
Type
Freestanding machines are the most common. They can be placed anywhere as long as they can be connected to a drain and a plug and normally fit into a standard size kitchen width space of 60cm.
Integrated washing machines are for built-in kitchens and are designed to sit behind a unit door.
Be sure to check the space you have before choosing your machine.
Drum size
Washing machine drum sizes range from 5kg to 12kg and are based on the number of kilos of dry clothing you can fit in.
Most medium-sized households will find a 7kg capacity machine suits their needs but if you prefer to wash larger loads then a bigger drum might be better.
Cost
The price of a washing machine varies widely from £200 to over £1,000. Spending more tends to mean more wash cycle options, smarter features and a quieter machine.
However, we’ve also found some quality models that clean well for under £350, too.
If you’re not fussed about seeing the machine in store then buy online - you could save yourself up to £100.
Features
Washing machines have lots of helpful features these days - although they might not always come cheap. Make sure anything you’re paying extra for will be useful in the long run.
- Delay starts
- Numerous wash programs and spin speeds
- Time-remaining display
- Machines that can be remotely controlled via an app
- Child locks
- Anti-allergy cycles
If you’re still not sure what you need, our expert buying guide will help.
Why Which? washing machine reviews are better
We put each model through at least a month of rigorous laboratory tests to see how well they wash and spin clothes; challenging each machine to clean a range of stains, including tough-to-shift blood, grease, ink, milk, oil and rust.
We check how noisy each machine is when running and if any traces of detergent are left on the laundry at the end of the cycle.
Our reviews then calculate how much each machine costs to run by measuring water and energy usage, temperature gauges and length of programmes.
But we don’t stop there. We also insist that all Best Buys come from a brand that we’ve found to be reliable – or have a five-year warranty. And that involves us talking to thousands of washing machine owners every year and gathering feedback about the issues they've had with their machines.
Give yourself the best chance of of finding a great model by reading our washing machine reviews.
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