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Give your kitchen a white goods makeover with our expert-tested picks

Buying white goods can be a bit of a minefield, but choosing the right washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher and fridge freezer can make chores a lot less tedious, and your energy bills less astronomic.

Our expert testers have been busy trialling a huge range of large kitchen appliances to find the best for all budgets. You’ll find their verdicts below, along with quick guides to what to look for when shopping:

Consider how big a drum capacity you need and how quickly it spins, especially if you’re lacking in drying space or want to reduce your tumble dryer usage.

Look for a model with a wide choice of programs, including hand wash and quick cycles, and check its energy efficiency. Our best washing machines, below, all have the top ‘A’ energy rating.

Our expert testers fill each washing machine with a combination of clothes, towels and bedding before trying out the 40-degree cotton, synthetic and quick wash programs. They note the cycle duration, spin efficiency and water and energy usage, and add stain strips to judge stain removal.

For the freshest laundry after every wash, splurge on our winning Miele. It made stains vanish, including dreaded red wine and greasy foundation, and our testers loved its modern touchscreen, auto-dosing tech and WiFi capabilities. Though pricey upfront, it’s eco to run.

This great value Beko couldn’t be simpler to use, with robust dials and detailed instructions. It made light work of stain removal and its app lets you schedule a wash – handy if you’re in and out a lot, or want to run it when your electricity tariff is cheaper.

Sleek in both style and substance, this Samsung boasts 23 programs, including a speedy 15-minute cycle. It offers auto-dosing tech and lets you add stray socks mid-way through. Clear and responsive to use, you can also control it via your smartphone.

Once again, consider drum capacity, and choice of programs to minimise the risk of damage to your delicates.

Sensor tech can also be useful, especially as tumble dryers are notorious energy drainers; it monitors the humidity in the drum and stops your cycle once your laundry is dry. That said, our best tumble dryers all have the highest A+++ energy rating.

Our expert testers weigh their wet laundry, note how quickly each tumble dryer claims to dry the load, and set their own timer before pressing 'start'. Once the cycle finishes, they weigh the dry laundry to see how much water has been removed, check for any shrinkage and calculate its energy consumption.

With its brushed silver detailing, sturdy build and high-end finish, this AEG certainly looks the part. It was also the most time and energy efficient, making it fully deserving of our crown. Polycotton clothes dried faster than promised, with almost every drop of water removed.

For just over £500, this Hotpoint is a steal. Though fairly basic in design with patchy sensor tech, it’s built well and will slot nicely into any minimalist kitchen. Its 15 programs dried gently yet effectively – ideal if you have a lot of delicates in your laundry pile, and it’s fairly eco too. There’s even a cuddly toy setting!

Contemporary yet classic with its black translucent door, this premium LG dried our polycotton clothes faster than any other tumble dryer. Its roomy drum was easy to load, it proved impressively energy efficient and it has a remote control app. If white isn’t your thing, it also comes in black or silver.

To choose between a full-size, slimline or integrated dishwasher, consider how much space you have, how often you’ll be using it, and which would look best in your kitchen.

Most dishwashers offer intensive, normal and eco cycles, but some can also run delicate, hygiene (for sterilising) and quick washes. Others have built-in sensors that auto-adjust the program according to the dirtiness of your dishes.

In terms of features, look for adjustable racks, fold-down tines, salt and rinse aid indicators, smart capabilities and auto open-door drying. Check the machine’s energy efficiency rating, which runs from A to G, with A being the most eco.

Our expert testers stain glassware, cutlery, crockery and pots and pans with everything from lipstick to burnt-on pasta sauce, before judging how well each dishwasher cleans on normal, intensive and economy cycles.

They check it fits the promised number of place settings and record its energy and water consumption, while also considering its design and ease of use.

If you’re fond of an oven bake, rest assured that this freestanding Swan’s punchy intensive cycle lifted burnt-on leftovers with ease. For a more energy-efficient approach, use its normal or eco cycles, which left our cutlery and glassware gleaming. Reliable, good-looking and available in five retro colours, it has adjustable racks and can fit 12 place settings.

Familes will love this affordable, app-controllable Candy that has collapsible tines, removable glass racks, a divisible cutlery basket and space for 16 place settings. It left our plates spotless on a normal cycle but struggled to banish all food residue in eco mode, which used more electricity despite lower water consumption.

This integrated investment was by far the most eco machine across all three cycles, so you’ll recoup those pennies in the long run. It fit 14 place settings, which it left sparkling, and its host of fancy features includes an auto-dosing function, a door that auto-opens when your cycle finishes, and an app for remote control.

Firstly, decide whether you want an integrated, freestanding or larger American-style fridge freezer based on your space, household size and budget. Look for adjustable shelves for flexibility, and extra features such as humidity controls, ice cube makers, water filters and bottle racks.

Check the energy efficiency rating, which runs from A to G, and choose a model that claims to prevent ice build-up. Reversible door hinges allow you to choose which side it opens from.

Our expert testers monitor the consistency of each fridge freezer's temperature regulation over 24 hours and measure how much electricity it gobbles up. They also check how quickly it returns to its optimum temperature after the doors have been left open for two minutes, and note how sturdy the drawers and shelves feel.

This slick, spacious Samsung has it all; we’re talking a built-in water dispenser for speedy hydration when WFH, two humidity-controlled veg drawers and two deep freezer drawers. It kept its cool throughout the 24-hour trial, and the temperature can be changed via the display panel. Ideal for families, it’s a high-quality appliance that’ll last.

Compact and purse-friendly, our budget buy is perfectly suited to smaller kitchens and households. It regulated temperature brilliantly, staying suitably chilled and frozen, and it proved one of the most energy efficient models that we tested. The fridge has two internal shelves and a further two in the door, as well as a salad crisper, and its door can be reversed for easier access.

Smeg appliances are always easy on the eye, and they come in an array of chic pastel shades. This duck egg blue beauty is built for big kitchens and we loved its neat ice cube system; simply turn a dial to release any ice cubes in the tray into a drawer beneath, ready for that G&T. Lights flash and an alarm sounds if the door is left open for longer than two minutes – handy if you’ve got a house full of hungry teenagers.

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