Which washing machine brands should you avoid, and why?

The short version: our data flags Bosch and AEG in the mid-range, and Siemens as the weakest value for money at the prices they charge. None of the three is unreliable — Bosch and AEG both average a reliability score of 84, level with the best brands we track. The issue is value: each sits 21 to 20 points below the average for its price band, so at the same money a higher-scoring machine is available. Two smaller brands, Blomberg and Schonhaus, also score below their bands, on too few machines for us to rank them — see the note below.

Picture two hotel rooms on offer for exactly the same price. One looks out over the sea, the other over the car park. You wouldn't book either at random — you'd ask which is which before you paid, precisely because most of us would happily pay for the sea view and would never knowingly choose the car park.

Buying a washing machine works the same way, except almost nobody checks first. Two machines can sit at exactly the same price point — and one will quietly outperform the other for years, while the other underdelivers in ways you won't notice until it's too late to send it back. The brand name usually does the shortlisting for us before we've compared a single spec, for a purchase that costs more than a month of weekly shops and sits in your kitchen for a decade.

To be clear about what this article is and isn't. It is not a list of defective machines — some of the brands featured here have loyal customers, decent build quality and machines that will serve perfectly well for years. The finding is narrower than that: at the prices these brands charge, the data consistently shows that better-scoring machines are available for the same money. Whether that matters depends on what you are optimising for. If a specific brand suits your needs, that is a valid choice. If you want to know where your money works hardest, the data is unambiguous.

Several of the brands featured here have perfectly functional machines with decent customer ratings. The finding is more specific: when you score every UK washing machine we track across reliability, efficiency, features and value — and compare what each brand delivers against what the same budget gets you elsewhere — a clear gap opens up in places the brand name alone would never tell you about.

Bosch (mid-range)

Bosch builds well and it shows in the reliability data: an average of 84, level with LG, Haier and Samsung. Where it falls short is what you pay for that. Its mid-range machines average a value score of 26 against 47 for the band — the weakest mid-range value of any brand we track — with efficiency of 59 and features of 66 both trailing the field. If quiet running and a trusted name matter most to you, a Bosch will serve you well; you will simply pay more for it than the scores justify.

A Bosch may suit you if you want a quiet machine with a strong reliability record and a long-established UK service network, and you value the brand’s build over paying the lowest price for the score.

Consider instead: the LG F4X7009TBB scores 92 at £449, with a value score of 67.

AEG (mid-range)

AEG is the reason this list works band by band. Its mid-range machines average a value score of 29 against 47 for the band, with reliability a strong 84. But AEG's premium range is a different story entirely.

AEG above £650 is not on this list. Its 6 premium machines average 79 overall and 64 on value — above the premium band average of 60 — and its LFSR7414U6UD ties for the highest score on our site. If you want an AEG, buy one of those.

A mid-range AEG may suit you if you want AEG’s reliability at a lower price than its premium range. That said, if you can reach £650, AEG’s own premium machines are the better buy.

Consider instead: the LG F4X7009TBB scores 92 at £449, with a value score of 67.

Siemens

Siemens machines are well engineered and carry a premium price to match, from £749 to £1099. On our data that price is not returned: a value score of 39 against 60 for the premium band, and reliability of 74 — the one brand here where dependability is also below the leaders. At these prices, stronger machines are readily available.

A Siemens may suit you if design, finish and build quality matter more to you than the scores, or you want a machine that matches other Siemens appliances in your kitchen.

Consider instead: the LG F4X5013TBB scores 92 at £711, with a value score of 89.

A note on Blomberg and Schonhaus

Two smaller brands also score below their price bands, but we sell too few of their machines to rank them with confidence — our rule needs at least five in a band, and neither reaches it. We list them here so you have the full picture, not as a verdict.

Blomberg (4 machines, budget band). Reliability is genuinely strong at 84, and features are good at 82. Value is not: 19 against a budget average of 48, because at £350 to £399 you are paying above the band for comparable machines. Blomberg shares engineering with Beko; if you like the idea of one, compare it with a Beko at a lower price. It may suit you if you want Beko’s engineering in a quieter-badged, better-finished machine and reliability matters most.

Schonhaus (3 machines, mid-range). Reliability of 81 is respectable. Overall score (68) and value (37) sit below the mid-range averages of 75 and 47. With only three machines, we would treat this as a signal to check the alternatives rather than a firm finding. It may suit you if a particular model fits your space and budget; we would simply compare it before buying.

Brands that scored well — for context

At every price, a higher-scoring alternative exists. Under £400, the Hisense WF3S9043BB3 scores 92 for £289. In the mid-range, the LG F4X7009TBB scores 92 for £449. Above £650, the LG F4X5013TBB scores 92 for £711. Our top 10 covers the full field.

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