Best Washing Machine 2025: Our favourites to fit all homes

The Samsung WW11DB8B95GB is a well-designed and powerful washing machine that uses AI to determine the best possible cycle for your clothes. Sporting an A-rating for energy efficiency, this is the cheapest washing machine to run that we have ever tested. As one of Samsung’s SpaceMax appliances, the WW11DB8B95GB features a massive 11kg drum housed inside a standard-sized chassis which means it can fit seamlessly into your home while still boasting space for mammoth loads. You can also pre-load the washing machine with liquid detergent and fabric softener for automatic dosing of the perfect amount during each wash cycle.

All the expected washing cycles can be found on the washing machine, alongside some Samsung-exclusive functions including AI Wash which uses AI to measure the size of the load and how dirty your clothes are to determine how much detergent and water is needed.

You’ll also find a super speedy 15-minute wash for freshening up fabrics, a more intense but still fast 39-minute mode and an Intense Cold wash to help reduce energy consumption.Controlling the WW11DB8B95GB can be done either via the dial on the front which allows you to scroll through and learn more about each of the wash cycles or the SmartThings app. The latter is especially useful as it offers additional wash modes such as the Less Microfibre cycle which reduces the number of microfibres produced from synthetic clothes.

During our time with the Samsung WW11DB8B95GB, we were impressed by not only its performance and efficiency but also how inexpensive most cycles were. The Eco 40-60 cycle for example, not only tackled tough stains admirably but it cost just 18p to run. Although the AI Wash cycle was pricier at 36p each go, we did find that the performance was slightly better than the Eco cycle for dried-on stains. We then tested the Cotton 30°C cycle which although it was cheap at 21p, we were left disappointed with its stain removal efficiency, especially in comparison to the other cycles. Another option with the Samsung WW11DB8B95GB is its Steam wash which keeps clothes free from bacteria and allergens. Although it performed well, it’s worth noting that this is a costly cycle at 70p each time, so we’d recommend using this sparingly.

Overall, thanks to its sleek design, low running costs and AI-infused cycles, it’s easy to see why the Samsung WW11DB8B95GB has earned its place as the best overall washing machine.

Boasting a sleek and modern design, an easy user interface and some of the best stain removal we’ve seen from a washing machine, the LG F4X9009TBC is a brilliant addition to most households, although it is one of the more expensive models.

Controlling the F4X9009TBC is done via the dial at the machine’s front and rotating it allows you to scroll through its wash cycle and see a clear description of each via the circular screen inside. You can also enable additional options for all cycles, such as adjust its spin speed, wash intensity and enabling steam.

By default, LG will turn on its cycle optimisation mode to determine which cycles you use the most. After around 10 washes, your most used cycles will appear first on the dial, for faster set-up.

Connect the F4X9009TBC to the LG ThinQ iOS or Android app and you can download additional cycles for cleaning bed sheets, down jackets and more. The ThinQ app also allows you to control the machine remotely and receive notifications when a wash has ended.

Otherwise, the 9kg drum is big enough for an average family’s washing load and can fit some larger items, such as a duvet, with ease. There’s also a nifty light inside which is always a nice touch.

Across our tests, we found that the LG F4X9009TBC performed brilliantly and efficiently, with relatively low running costs too. Its Eco 4-60 cycle not only cost 18p, making it 2p cheaper than the LG F4X7009TWB, but we also found its stain removal was “as good as it gets with no pre-treatment.”

We then tested its 30° Cotton wash which was slightly pricier at 29p per cycle although this is still considerably cheaper than the Haier HW110-BD14397U1. While we found the Cotton cycle wasn’t the best for stain removal, it still performed admirably in our difficult tests.

For the best stain removal, we’d recommend turning on the AI wash cycle, as we hailed this as “exceptional”. At 33p a cycle, almost all the tough stains were totally eliminated or, at least, significantly faded.

With a mammoth 11kg drum, low running costs and impressive performance, the Indesit BWE 111496X WV UK is a great choice for larger households.

The machine is controlled via the dial on its front, with all its available cycles listed on the front drawer too. Alongside standard cycles, such as Eco 40-60 and Cottons, you’ll find Indesit’s special modes for duvets, fast washes and steam modes.

There’s also the Push and Go button, which can be found on other Indesit appliances, and allows you to start a 30°C cycle by pressing and holding it down. Whether this is really useful is debatable, as we’d argue it’s easier to just select your own cycle.

For each wash you have the option to adjust the temperature and spin speeds, plus there’s a button that allows you to select a stain type, upon which the cycle will then adjust to specifically target that kind of mess.

Although this sounds like a clever idea in theory, this stain setting is only compatible with the White cycle, yet the only way to know that is through process of elimination as the manual doesn’t mention this.

Aside from these quirks, the Indesit BWE 111496X WV UK is otherwise easy and intuitive to use.

To begin our tests, we ran the Eco 40-60 cycle which costs an inexpensive 29p to run. Here we found washing performance to be good, although tough stains did struggle to come out. However when we moved to the 20°C wash, not only did running costs drop to just 14p but stain removal was excellent too.

Although the aforementioned White wash at 60°C, with the stain setting enabled, cost a pricier 59p, it’s worth noting that we found it excellent for removing deep, engrained stains with ease.

There’s even a dedicated Ariel Pod setting, which runs at 30°C and costs 35p. Although using pods is convenient, we found stain removal to be a mixed bag, so we wouldn’t recommend opting for this cycle.

Although slightly fiddly to use at first, if you need a large washing machine that performs well and doesn’t have high running costs then the Indesit BWE 111496X WV UK is a fantastic choice for most households.

Although a more entry-level option, what the Beko BM3WT3941 lacks in smart features it makes up for in performance and even boasts some of the lowest running costs we’ve seen from a washing machine.

With a 9kg drum, the Beko BM3WT3941 should suffice for most washes, however we did find it to be shallow and quick to fill up. If you need more room or want to wash large items then we’d recommend the mighty 11kg Indesit BWE 111496X WV.

In lieu of a smart app or an advanced control panel, the BM3WT3941 has an easy-to-understand cycle dial at the front where you’ll find common wash cycles alongside Beko’s special StainExpert Mode, all clearly labelled.

Once you select a cycle, the LCD will show you the estimated run time and allow you to override the temperature setting and spin speed if needed.

We began our tests with the standard Eco 40-60 wash, which resulted in the lowest running cost we’ve ever seen at just 13p per cycle.

We did find that stain removal is only average with this cycle, so if you have heavier soiled garments then you should use the StainExpert mode instead. Although this cycle costs a pricier 60p, stain removal is incredible and on par with the much more expensive Samsung WW11DB8B95GB.

Otherwise the 20°C and Cotton 30°C washes were both equally low in running costs, at 27p and 30p respectively, which puts them in line with other A-rated models.

If you’re on a tight budget then you’d be hard pressed to find a better washing machine than the Beko BM3WT3941. Not only is it affordable, but it boasts some of the lowest running costs we’ve seen yet, all while prioritising performance and efficiency.