How we test washing machines

We test almost 100 washing machines each year so you can be sure you're buying the best model for you. But what makes our tests different? 

Reviews you read elsewhere might be based solely on the user’s initial feelings about the machine rather than the thorough lab testing and assessments carries out at Which?

Nobody goes to the lengths we do to find the best washing machines.

Why our washing machine tests are different

Watch the video to find out what it takes for a washing machine to earn our coveted Which? Best Buy recommendation.

Our tests are based on science and rigorous from start to finish, so you know you can trust the results. Our reviews answer the most crucial questions about washing machines:

• How well does this washing machine remove stains from clothes?
• How effective are the spin and rinse functions on this washing machine?
• Is this washing machine energy and water efficient?
• How easy to use is this washing machine?
• Is this washing machine noisy or quiet?

Discover which models impressed in our lab in our washing machine reviews

What are Which? Best Buy, Eco Buy, Great Value and Don't Buy washing machines?

Our recommendations should help you to narrow down your shortlist, but it's always best to read our reviews in full to check for any dealbreakers before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Best Buy washing machines

Best Buys are awarded to washing machines that impress us most in our tests. A machine must score 77% or more to be a Best Buy. 

They excel at removing stains from cottons and manmade fibres, plus they have excellent spin and rinse cycles and are easy to use too.

Check out our latest Best Buy washing machines

Eco Buy washing machines

Eco Buy washing machines use less energy and water than other models we've tested, so they'll have a lower environmental impact over their lifetimes.

To earn our Eco Buy badge, a washing machine must have:

• A test score of at least 60% 
• Three stars or more for energy efficiency on both cottons and synthetics washes
• Three stars or more for water on both cottons and synthetics washes
• Four stars or more for cleaning on both cottons and synthetics washes
• A good brand reliability record in our annual washing machine owner survey

Take a look at our latest Eco Buy washing machines

Great Value washing machines

To become a Great Value washing machine, a model must score at least 65% in our tests and achieve four out of five stars for overall cleaning, energy efficiency and water use. 

They must also be markedly cheaper than the average price for tested models of the same type, whether that is freestanding or integrated – helping you clean your clothes without breaking the bank.

Check out our latest Great Value washing machines

Don't Buy washing machines

Washing machines that score 45% or below are Don't Buy models that you should avoid. 

Don’t Buy washing machines tend to fall down in the most important areas. Think ineffective stain removal, spinning too slow to be effective and detergent left on clothes after rinsing.

Discover the Don’t Buy washing machines to avoid

How well does this washing machine remove stains from clothes?

We've made our cleaning tests tougher than ever, which means Best Buy recommended machines are truly the best on the market for cleaning clothes. We challenge each machine we test to clean a range of stains, including tough-to-shift blood, grease, ink, milk, oil and rust. 

We load the machines to 80% of their total capacity when washing on the cottons program and to the full capacity for the synthetics program.

We run our wash tests three times on each program. If any of the wash or energy results are wildly different between tests – or if one test run is much longer or shorter than the others – we will carry out two further test washes. And we do this on both the 40°C cottons program and the 30°C synthetics program.

How effective are the spin and rinse functions on this washing machine?

To measure how well each washing machine removes detergent during the rinse cycle, we take some cotton samples and add them to the cotton load. At the end of the cycle they are collected with gloves, tweezers and scissors in order not to contaminate them.

These samples are conditioned for 24 hours, weighed and put in a liquid solution in order to extract the detergent residues present before we analyse sulfonate (a type of salt) levels.

A machine that has been awarded one star for rinsing clothes might leave visible traces of detergent on your laundry. Models that provide a three-star rinse should not leave any visible traces of detergent behind. If you can see residue on your clothing, make sure you're not adding too much detergent. Machines that deliver a five-star rinse are the best we've seen at washing away detergent.

We also measure how much moisture is left in the laundry each machine spins, so we can rate how well it will dry your clothes. We do this by weighing the clothes before they’re loaded into the drum and then again after they’ve been washed.

Is this washing machine energy and water efficient?

We record how much energy each machine uses on both of the wash programs we test. We then work out a score for energy based on the amount of laundry they’re washing. 

A model with a cavernous 12kg-capacity drum will be tested in the same way as a machine that can only hold 6kg of clothes. The bigger machine is likely to use more energy and water than the smaller machine, so we divide the energy and water used by the capacity of the machine in kilos to evaluate our results fairly for each machine on test.

How easy to use is this washing machine?

You'll want to know your washing machine isn't going to make washing even more of a chore than it has to be. Our ease-of-use assessments cover reading and understanding the instructions in the manual, loading and unloading the machine, using the detergent drawer, how clear the control panel and display are, selecting a wash program and operating the machine.

A team of three lab experts to rate everything on a scale of very easy to very difficult so you know exactly where you stand.

We also time how long the cottons and synthetics 40°C programs take to run, so you aren't stuck with a model that is painfully slow at cleaning your clothes. The star rating given is based on the length of the programs and is relative to the capacity of the washing machine.

Is this washing machine noisy or quiet?

All washing machines are a little noisy when they're running, but some are far louder than others, to the point where it makes carrying on a conversation or watching TV nearby very hard. That's why we use a panel of five experts to test how noisy each washing machine is during its wash and spin cycles. 

A very quiet model will earn itself five stars, while a very noisy machine will only pick up one. We also rate how intrusive and annoying the sound is, so that you can avoid particularly frustrating machines.

Should I buy it?

All of the assessments listed above go into deciding the final score for each washing machine we test. As we know what matters most to you, some elements are more important than others, so carry different weights:

• 40% cleaning 
• 15% rinsing
• 15% spin drying
• 10% energy and water use
• 7.5% program time
• 7.5% how easy it is to use
• 5% noise

A model has to score 77% or more to earn our Best Buy recommendation, and any model scoring below 45% is highlighted as a Don't Buy that we think you should avoid.

Browse all of our washing machine reviews to find the perfect model for your home