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.
Four value brands, two camps. On our data Haier now leads on brand-wide WAC Score (84 to Hisense’s 83) and on reliability (84 to 81), and is the steadiest all-rounder of the four; Hisense stays ahead on features (88 to 80) and owns the budget band, where its £299 model is the cheapest machine anywhere to score 92. Beko is the high-volume budget staple — strong features but weaker reliability and value. Blomberg is Beko’s premium-badged sibling: its reliability average is the highest of the four (84), but it rests on just three or four models, so treat that figure as indicative rather than settled — and it is dear for what you get. For most buyers the real choice is Hisense (features and value) or Haier (reliability and efficiency); Beko and Blomberg are niche picks.
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 WF3S9043BB3
9kg · 1400rpm · A rated · Black
WAC 92 at £299 with a features score of 98 — the cheapest machine anywhere on our site to score 92.
Haier HW110-B14979S8EU1 I-Pro Series 7 Plus
11kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
An 11kg drum for £389 with reliability 83 and efficiency 85. The capacity pick of the budget band.
Beko BW1O3821W
8kg · 1200rpm · A rated · White
Beko’s best under £400 and the cheapest machine here at £239, but reliability 79 and efficiency 66 keep it to WAC 80.
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 | Models | Avg WAC | Avg reliability | Avg features | Avg value | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense | 17 | 83 | 81 | 88 | 54 | £240–699 |
| Haier | 22 | 84 | 84 | 80 | 58 | £299–899 |
| Beko | 15 | 75 | 77 | 82 | 45 | £239–469 |
| Blomberg | 4 | 71 | 84 | 81 | 25 | £350–440 |
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.
Haier X Series 7 HW120-B14367GUUK
12kg · 1400rpm · A rated · Graphite
A 12kg drum, reliability 85 and efficiency 89 for £599 — the steadiest all-rounder of the four brands.
Hisense 5i KitchenFit Series WF5I1045BBQ
10.5kg · 1400rpm · A rated · Black
The same WAC 92 for £150 less, with features 92 against the Haier’s 85. Reliability 80 is the trade.
Beko EnergySpin™ B5W5941BDW
9kg · 1400rpm · A rated · White
Beko’s single machine in the band. Features 87 is competitive, but reliability 76 is the lowest of the four brands here.
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 | 85 | 81 | 76 | 91 | 70 | £419–499 |
| Haier | 79 | 81 | 78 | 79 | 58 | £427–649 |
| Beko | 73 | 78 | 70 | 82 | 44 | £419–439 |
| Blomberg | 71 | 85 | 57 | 77 | 45 | £439 |
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 best budget machine — Hisense leads under £400 (WAC 80) and its 3S tops the whole budget field at 92.
- Features matter: Hisense has the richest feature set of the four.
- You want the lowest entry price (£239).
Buy Beko if…
- You want a cheap, widely-serviced machine from a familiar high-street name.
- Features on a budget matter more than top reliability (Beko’s features average is strong at 83–84).
- You are buying at the very bottom of the market and value plentiful availability.
Buy Haier if…
- You want the most reliable of the four (reliability 82 overall) and the best mid-range machine.
- Efficiency and a big drum matter — Haier leads on both.
- You are spending £400 or more, where Haier tops the table on score.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hisense better than Beko for washing machines?
On our data, yes — clearly under £400. Hisense averages a higher WAC Score (79 to 72), better reliability (80 to 77) and richer features, and its best budget machine scores 92 to Beko’s 78. Beko’s strengths are price and high-street availability; Hisense is the stronger machine for the money.
Are Haier washing machines reliable?
Yes — Haier is the most reliable of these four brands, averaging a reliability score of 82, and it leads the mid-range on overall score too. Its X-series machines pair that reliability with strong efficiency and large drums.
Is Beko a good washing machine brand?
Beko is a reasonable budget choice: strong on features (83–84) and price, and one of the most widely-serviced brands in the UK. But it trails Hisense and Haier on reliability (77) and value, so it is a sensible budget option rather than a class leader.
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 is Beko’s premium-badged sibling (both are made by Arçelik). It averages higher reliability (84) but a much lower value score (17–24), because you pay noticeably more for similar hardware. If you want the group’s engineering at a keener price, Beko is usually the smarter buy.
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