Beko vs Hisense vs Haier: which brand is actually worth buying?
Four brands compared head to head across two price bands — budget and mid-range — plus where Blomberg fits in. WAC Score data across reliability, efficiency, features and value. The gap between the top two has narrowed sharply since our last check.
This is now a much closer contest than our last check. Hisense still leads on paper at both price points — budget (WAC 90) and, after a rescore, mid-range too (WAC 89, overtaking Haier) — but Beko’s rescored line-up trails by just a single point in budget (89) at £37–50 less, and has returned to the mid-range for the first time since our last update. Haier makes the most reliable and efficient machine at both prices but no longer tops either band on overall score. Blomberg trails throughout.
Beko, Hisense and Haier are three of the most searched washing machine brands in the UK — and three of the most misunderstood. They compete in the same showrooms, at similar prices, with similar specs on paper. But the data tells a more nuanced story than the shelf tags suggest, and that story has shifted since we last checked it.
We scored every freestanding washing machine from all four brands available in the UK using our WAC Score — an independent rating across reliability, efficiency, features and value. Then we split the comparison by price band, because comparing a £299 Beko with a £549 Haier tells you nothing useful. Where you spend matters as much as which brand you choose.
How to read this guide: We compare brands at the same price point — budget (under £400) and mid-range (£400–£649). The brand averages reflect all freestanding machines in each band, not just the top models. Individual machine picks are the highest-scoring model per brand per band, after removing duplicate colour variants of the same machine.
Budget — under £400
This is the heart of the comparison, and where the story has changed most. Here are the best-scoring budget machines from each brand.
Hisense 3S Series WF3S1043BW3
10.5kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Still the budget benchmark, but only just. A WAC Score of 90 at £336, with the highest feature score in this comparison (95) and a 10.5kg drum. Its value score (64) is respectable rather than exceptional this time round — Beko's budget pick below actually scores higher on value alone.
Beko EnergySpin™ B3W31041W
10kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Beko's rescored budget line-up is the story of this update. Its best model now scores 89 — one point behind Hisense — at £299, £37–50 cheaper, and with the highest value score of any budget machine here (71). If price is the deciding factor, this is now a very easy machine to recommend.
Haier X Series 7 HW100-B14367U-UK
10kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Haier's budget entry trails the top two on overall score but leads both on reliability (85) and efficiency (93) — the X Series 7's direct-drive motor shows up clearly here. At £399 it's the priciest of the three budget picks, and its value score (47) reflects that.
How the brands average out under £400
Individual champions are one thing; the average across a brand's budget range tells you what you are likely to get. A green tick marks the category leader (ties marked on both).
| Brand | Avg WAC | Reliability | Efficiency | Features | Value | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense | 83 ✓ | 79 ✓ | 90 | 88 ✓ | 52 ✓ | £240–£399 |
| Haier | 79 | 79 ✓ | 91 ✓ | 82 | 44 | £342–£399 |
| Beko | 78 | 77 | 86 | 83 | 47 | £239–£399 |
| Blomberg | 69 | 74 | 87 | 82 | 25 | £350–£400 |
Mid-range — £400 to £649
The picture here has changed more than anywhere else in this guide. Beko is back in the mid-range for the first time since our last update — every model had sat under £400, but a rescore has pushed one above the line. And the band leader has flipped: Hisense now outscores Haier here, having trailed it last time.
Hisense 3S Series WF3S1243BB3
12kg · 1400rpm · A rated · Black
The mid-range verdict has flipped since our last update: Hisense's 3S now outscores Haier's X Series 7, 89 to 87, while undercutting it by £130. A 12kg drum, the highest feature score in the band (94), and by far the best value score (76) make this the clear mid-range pick.
Haier X Series 7 HW120-B14367U-UK
12kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Haier's X Series 7 remains a genuinely strong machine — the highest reliability (85) and efficiency (93) in this mid-range comparison — but it no longer tops the band on overall score, and at £549 it's £130 more than the Hisense.
Beko EnergySpin™ BM3WT4104IW
10kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Beko is back in the mid-range. Last time we checked, every Beko model sat under £400 — a rescore has pushed the BM3WT4104IW to £429 with a competitive 76. It trails the two leaders here but is a genuine option if you want Beko's brand and warranty above £400.
How the brands average out at £400–£649
Beko's re-entry means all four brands now have a presence in this band, though Beko and Blomberg remain thin (three and one model respectively).
| Brand | Avg WAC | Reliability | Efficiency | Features | Value | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense | 77 ✓ | 77 | 90 | 87 ✓ | 51 | £419–£599 |
| Haier | 76 | 78 ✓ | 92 ✓ | 77 | 54 ✓ | £427–£619 |
| Beko | 75 | 76 | 90 | 85 | 49 | £419–£429 |
| Blomberg | 71 | 74 | 90 | 77 | 47 | £440 |
What about Blomberg?
Blomberg is owned by the same parent company as Beko — Arçelik — and is positioned a step above it, but the data doesn't support the premium. Its best budget machine, the LWA29461W, scores 71 at £399.99 — the lowest of the four brands compared here, with a value score of just 29. Its single mid-range model, the LWA210461W, also scores 71, at £439.99.
Across its full 5-model UK range, Blomberg averages a WAC Score of 70 — trailing Beko (77), Haier (77) and Hisense (80) at every turn, on a thin sample size that makes its scores worth treating with some caution either way. Unless you need a specific Blomberg model for a design or installation reason, the data points elsewhere: Beko for the same underlying engineering at a lower price, or Hisense for the same money with a meaningfully higher score.
Who should buy what
Buy Hisense if…
You want the strongest score at either price point. Hisense edges the budget band (90 vs Beko's 89) and, after this rescore, now wins mid-range outright too (89 vs Haier's 87) — a reversal of our last update. It also posts the best or joint-best value score at both prices.
Buy Beko if…
You want the sharpest budget buy. Beko's B3W31041W is just one point behind Hisense on score at £299 — £37–50 cheaper — and posts the highest value score of any budget machine here. Beko has also returned to the mid-range with a new £429 model, though it trails the two leaders there.
Buy Haier if…
Reliability and efficiency matter most to you. Haier's X Series 7 leads both metrics at budget and mid-range — the highest reliability and efficiency score in this comparison at either price. It no longer tops either band on overall score, and it's the priciest option in both.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hisense better than Beko for washing machines?
It is now extremely close. Hisense's best budget machine scores 90 versus Beko's 89 — a one-point gap that has narrowed sharply since our last check. Hisense still leads on brand-wide averages (83 vs 78 in budget) and posts a higher feature score, but Beko's rescored line-up now has the higher value score of the two at budget prices and is £37–£50 cheaper. In the mid-range, Hisense leads more clearly (89 vs Beko's new 76).
Are Haier washing machines reliable?
Yes — Haier's X Series 7 posts the highest reliability score of any machine in this comparison at both budget (85) and mid-range (85), backed by its direct-drive motor. It also leads on efficiency at both prices (93). Haier no longer has the highest overall WAC Score in either band, but if reliability and running efficiency are your priority, it is the strongest single choice here.
Is Beko a good washing machine brand?
Yes, and more so than our last check suggested. Beko's budget range has been rescored significantly higher — its best model, the B3W31041W, now scores 89, just one point behind the Hisense that tops the band, at a lower price and with the best value score of any budget machine here. Beko has also returned to the mid-range for the first time since our last update, with a new £429 model scoring 76.
What is the difference between Haier X Series 5 and X Series 7?
The X Series 7 uses a direct drive motor — the motor connects directly to the drum without a belt or pulley, reducing mechanical wear and improving long-term reliability. The X Series 5 uses a standard inverter motor. In our data, X Series 7 machines score meaningfully higher on reliability than X Series 5 machines at similar prices. If you are buying Haier, the X Series 7 is worth the price difference.
Why does Blomberg cost more than Beko if they are the same brand?
Blomberg and Beko are both made by Arçelik and share the same core engineering. Blomberg is positioned as a premium sub-brand, but the price premium is not reflected in performance — Blomberg's best budget machine scores 71 versus Beko's 89, and its single mid-range model also scores 71 versus the mid-range leaders' 87–89. Across its full UK range Blomberg averages a WAC Score of 70, the lowest of the four brands compared here. The data does not support paying the Blomberg premium over Beko.
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