Best washing machines that make doing laundry a breeze

We knew we’d found a top model in this Haier machine. What first struck us was how wide and easy to access the drum is. It measures 525mm in diameter, which is among the largest on the market, and makes loading up the machine with big items (such as king-size bedding) a breeze. The light-up drum also made it easy to see that everything had been loaded properly, and operation was among the quietest of all the machines we tested.

Our laundry loads always came out of the machine pristine and smelling divine, whatever programme we washed them on. The stain-removal option was particularly brilliant and enabled us to select the type of stains we were hoping to tackle, including grass stains and red wine.

Haier hOn app connectivity is also an excellent feature, as it enables you to customise the programs further, to create a whopping 60 cycles for all kinds of fabrics and loads. You can also monitor the machine’s energy consumption from your mobile and receive suggestions on how to make it more efficient. We also especially love how the app helped us choose the perfect time to put on our washing, based on when the weather would be ideal for drying.

We think the Hoover H-wash 500 is a lot of washing machine for a great price. The generous drum capacity was fantastic for tackling large laundry loads and would be ideal for big families. We felt this machine also had a wider door than some others, which made for particularly easy loading.

The washing performance did not disappoint, and the programs we tested resulted in perfectly clean and fresh laundry. We particularly liked the fitness program for sweaty gym gear and the whites program for towels and bedding. The excellent washing performance could be because of the “power care system”, which is designed to mix the laundry detergent with water before it flows into the drum, to help it fully work into the fibres.

Our only real gripe with this machine was that we found the control panel needed a firm push when choosing options such as spin speed and temperature. It did become more responsive the more we used it, though. For extra peace of mind, this machine comes with a 10-year parts and one-year labour warranty.

Our tester lives in an area with water so hard they have to remove limescale crystals from the filter of their usual washing machine every couple of months. So, they loved that this machine features a drawer into which salt can be added to soften the water used during cycles. With this feature, our reviewer noticed fabrics came out super soft on every one of the programs tested.

Pleased with the machine’s range of programs, our tester was especially impressed with the “absolutewash” 49-minute program, which meant they could quickly wash laundry at 30C but have it coming out as fresh and clean as if it had been run on a more intensive program. Adding the steam phase to any cycle was also brilliant because it left clothes feeling dryer than they usually would after a spin alone.

On top of all this, the 9000 is another machine with a drum light and a connected app, to personalise settings.

When researching for this article, we were as surprised as we were thrilled to find a British-made washing machine. Ebac, based in the northeast – the industrial heartland of England – is the only brand that designs and manufactures washing machines in the UK. That fact alone means the machine we tested already has a lower carbon footprint than others, due to fewer shipping emissions. The brand’s machines are also designed to use as little water as possible, without affecting wash performance (thanks to their ability to detect the load size and program selected), reducing the volume of microfibres released into the environment.

We fell in love with more than just the washing machine’s environmental credentials, though. We were pleased with the impressive range of programs, including allergy care, refresh and hand wash, and found it to be one of the simplest machines to operate. Washing performance was among the best on test, with laundry coming out immaculately clean and smelling fresh. Even children’s clothing, with its usual stains of food and grass after a day at school, came out as good as new.

We were particularly impressed with the machine’s robust build and its seven-year parts and labour warranty. We would have given it top marks if it was energy-rated A – we do wonder, though, if the reduced carbon footprint of its manufacture offsets this.

Ebac also does a range of UK-made dehumidifiers to help speed up laundry drying for those without a garden or for wet days outdoors.

We tested out this machine’s 30-minute bubble soak feature with a make-up-stained white T-shirt and not a spot was left after the cycle and line drying. The hygiene steam program, meanwhile, was ideal for washing things such as cleaning cloths and towels, because the steam can remove up to 99.9 per cent of bacteria, as well as pollen and dust mites. The AI wash was equally impressive. This program uses four sensors in the machine to weigh the load and check the amount of dirt on the laundry, calculate the amount of water and detergent to dispense and the rinse time and spin speed needed.

The 1,400rpm spin may not be the fastest of all the machines we tested, but our laundry came out of the machine with hardly a drop of water in it.

If you’re looking for a machine that operates and looks like something you’d find in a professional laundrette, the Asko steel seal is the one for you – provided your budget stretches to nearly £2,000. The industrial Scandi-inspired design is mostly made of steel and the door is uniquely sealed with steel instead of the usual rubber, which means it’s as solid as a rock. The light-up colour LCD display and drum light add to the sophisticated look.

There are an astounding 26 programs, including those specifically for allergies, bedding, and sportswear. Each can be further customised, with features such as super rinse and anti-crease. You can even save your favourites, so you can select them more easily in future. The stain-removal feature was particularly good because we could select an option depending on the stains we were hoping to remove, including everything from blueberry to blood.

Given this machine’s price tag, we know it won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a top-of-the-range unit, you’ll struggle to find a better one than this.

If you’re anything like us, you may be using more laundry detergent than you need. It can be tempting to add more than the recommended amount, thinking it will make your clothes heavily scented and softer, but it can actually make fabrics stiff. This Miele washing machine can remove any of that temptation by automatically dispensing the exact amount needed for the load, saving up to 30 per cent of detergent. The brand sells bottles of its detergent (£61.62 for a six-months supply, Miele.co.uk) to fit into the compartment at the bottom of the machine. Separate caps are also available for conditioning fabrics and more specialist loads, such as a booster for particularly stubborn stains and ImpraProtect for proofing rainwear. Owning this machine doesn’t mean you can use only Miele detergent, though – there is the usual drawer on the machine for using any brand you wish.

Besides the handy auto-dispensing feature, we were really pleased with the machine’s washing performance. There are dozens of programs to choose from. We found ourselves regularly using the 49-minute quick power wash, for convenience, and the minimum-iron program. For those worried about germs, the power wash feature promises to kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria. We were also thrilled with the machine’s stain-removal power and that we could select the type of stain (out of 23 options) we were hoping to remove.