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The right washing machine can make laundry day less of a hassle, but it’s also a huge purchase. As a reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab, I know that picking a new washer isn’t always easy, especially with so many models offering different cycles, features, and capacities. That’s why my team and I run thorough tests on every machine we recommend, so we can confidently say which are actually worth the major investment.
Our washing machine tests are grounded in industry-standard procedures established by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. These controlled methods allow us to directly compare aspects such as how well different machines clean clothes and care for fabric without being influenced by outside factors like water hardness or detergent choice. We are constantly testing new models across a range of brands and price points. By putting each machine through consistent, in-depth testing, we aim to take the guesswork out of shopping and help you find the model that matches your laundry load.
How we test washing machines in the Cleaning Lab
Market research:
Even before testing begins, we’re researching the latest laundry innovations ranging from new cycle options to energy-saving features. We regularly attend trade shows and meet with brands to stay up to date on new releases, ensuring the models we test reflect what shoppers are actually seeing in stores.
Wash tests:
Washing machines don’t perform the same way with every cycle or load size, so we don’t test them that way either. Whether we’re testing cleaning ability, gentleness, water removal, or speed, we evaluate each model across a range of load sizes and cycles to better reflect how people actually do laundry.
Though we test with several load sizes, each load has its own list of everyday items like towels, sheets, and pillowcases. We also test key cycles like Normal, Quick Wash, and Delicates. This approach helps us gauge how each machine performs across different scenarios, whether you’re doing a quick refresh or washing an oversize load.
Cleaning power:
First and foremost, a washing machine needs to be able to clean your clothes, so we check to see how well each model removes a range of everyday and tougher soils. To do this, we methodically attach pre-made stain strips to designated items in our test loads. Each strip has a range of stains designed to mimic laundry soils like body oil, wine, and even blood. After washing, we remove the strips and allow them to air dry. Next, it’s time for the colorimeter analysis. The colorimeter is a tool that allows us to calculate how effectively the washing machine removes a range of common soils by comparing each stain to an unwashed reference strip.
Gentleness:
We also use our wash tests to assess how gentle each washer is on fabrics. Alongside the stain strips and other standard load items, we include fragile swatches of cotton. Each swatch has five holes in the center with unfinished edges. At the end of a cycle, we remove the swatches and count the number of frayed threads in each hole. More fraying indicates more fabric damage.
Water removal:
Better-performing machines remove more water during the spin phase, reducing the workload on the dryer. To figure out how well machines remove excess water, we dry our test loads to ensure all water is extracted before our wash tests. Then we weigh them. At the end of each cycle, we immediately remove the load, and after pulling out the stain strips and fragile cotton swatches, we record a final weight. By comparing the pre- and post-wash weights, we can calculate how effectively the machine extracts water at the end of each cycle.
Speed:
For every setting and load size, we record how long the machine takes to complete the cycle. We score the duration of each test run to get an overall speed rating for each machine.
Ease of use:
It doesn’t matter if a machine comes with all the high-tech features if it’s too complicated to figure out how to use them. That’s why we evaluate each washer for user-friendliness, including how intuitive it is to use the control panel, select cycles, and customize settings. We also consider practical factors like the design of the door or lid, detergent dispensing, the level of visibility inside the drum, as well as how easy it is to load and unload. Machines that are easier to operate and maintain score higher in this category.
Specs:
We review and score key specifications like water usage and energy consumption to assess overall efficiency. We also rate each washer on drum size to determine whether a machine delivers meaningful performance benefits relative to its capacity and price.
How consumer testers contribute to our findings
After completing our Lab tests, we distribute select washing machines to staffers to test them out in their homes over a period of time. We check in periodically to see how each model holds up to real-world use. This allows us to assess details that may not fully emerge during Lab testing, like long-term reliability, ease of use in day-to-day routines, noise, and overall satisfaction. These observations help round out our understanding of how each machine performs in real life.
How we make our recommendations
We base our product recommendations on how each washer performs in our controlled Lab tests. We compare results across cleaning ability, gentleness, water removal, speed, and ease of use, looking for models that perform well across multiple cycles and load sizes. We also consider efficiency, capacity, and observations from extended use to identify the best-performing machines that are truly worth buying.
Meet the experts
Noah Pinsonnault is as a reviews analyst in the Cleaning Lab where he designs and performs tests on various product categories. He has tested over 20 major laundry appliances and holds a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Lexie Sachs is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she leads product testing across multiple categories. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and holds a degree in fiber science from Cornell University.
Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.
