Washing Machines

Doing the laundry isn't a task many people relish, and ethical consumers may worry about energy and water use, and synthetic microfibres being shed from clothes and ending up in the environment. We might try to be more ethical by using eco friendly laundry detergent, or buy more sustainable clothing. These are great, but we can also have an impact through the choice of our washing machine brand. 

This guide sorts the clean brands from the dirty, including who makes energy efficiency laundry machines, who has good policies around use of conflict minerals and workers' rights, and which washing machine brands have links to military equipment. 

The guide also looks at product lifespans, options for buying secondhand and repairing washing machines, and offer some tips and tricks for reducing your own environmental impact whilst washing clothes using your existing washing machine.

We cover the big names on the high street like Bosch, Hotpoint, and Zanussi as well as some smaller brands. 

We found that by avoiding the worst offenders you could keep your money from funding militias that exploit minerals in central Africa, developing equipment used by oppressive regimes, or sustaining forced labour in Xinjiang.

Read on to find out more about the top rated (and bottom rated) eco-friendly washing machine brands. 

The carbon cost of clean clothes

According to the Energy Saving Trust, UK washing machines, dishwashers, and tumble dryers account for 14% of a typical energy bill. 

In the two decades from the mid-1980s, energy use per average washing machine cycle dropped by about a third. However, the overall energy required for washing and drying clothes in UK homes actually doubled between 1970 and 2012. This was largely down to there being more households overall, using the machine more often, and the proliferation of energy-guzzling tumble dryers.

Whilst energy efficiency of washing machines in use is, of course, important, and has continued to improve up to the present day, the bulk of carbon emissions from washing our clothes actually come from what are known as ‘embodied emissions’. These refer to greenhouse gas emissions generated during the production and transportation of goods, from the extraction of raw materials to the manufacturing process, plus delivery to and eventual disposal by consumers.

According to climate scientist Mike Berners-Lee, embodied emissions account for around 80% of the carbon impact of each wash, averaged out over a washing machine’s lifetime. 

So, in most cases, the most environmentally friendly washing machine is the one you already own.

Should I upgrade my washing machine every few years?

Mike Berners-Lee argues that upgrading to an ultra-efficient washing machine might gain you 10% in carbon efficiency, but that this may not ever pay back the embodied emissions that went into producing the brand new machine. His view is 

“Unless your machine is particularly cranky and inefficient, keep it going.” 

This is not necessarily true of other household goods like ultra-efficient boilers or fridges, where carbon-savings can be made back reasonably quickly.

Which washing machine brands offer the most energy efficient models? 

Four brands in this guide produce only A-rated energy efficient washing machines:

• AEG
• Haier
• Kenwood
• Miele

Several brands have at least 75% of the models on their websites being A-rated: Blomberg, Hisense, Samsung, Siemens, and Whirlpool.

Previous research carried out by Ethical Consumer found that there has been a gradual shift towards engagement with sustainability issues, like carbon reporting and the use of toxins, by white goods brands. Our earlier research analysed 44 brands and found some did improve their sustainability score over a period of time, although performance overall left a lot to be desired in this sector.

Read our separate home appliance sustainability article to find out more about which brands are doing most to work on sustainability issues.

How much water does a washing machine use?

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that the average UK household uses around 330 litres of water per day, which equates to 140 litres per capita but, in general, people greatly underestimate their water usage. WaterWise surveyed people in the UK to ask how much water they used in a typical day and found that many respondents didn’t know (37%) or estimated well below the average (24% estimated under 50 litres per day; 22% estimated between 50-99 litres per day).

Of a typical household’s water usage, clothes washing represents about 10% of the total, so based on the figures above, that amounts to approximately 33 litres per day on average.  Using a water-efficient washing machine is therefore an easy and effective way to reduce your water consumption.

The new energy labels for washing machines are required to show the weighted water consumption per cycle, given in litres, allowing you to easily compare the water usage of different models. Larger models are likely to use more water than smaller models, so don’t buy bigger than needed.

How long should a washing machine last?

Does adding more technology equal longer lifespans? If product longevity is the key to reducing environmental impacts, then why are the lifespans of white goods apparently decreasing? 

Dr Mansoor Soomro, a lecturer in sustainability and international business at Teesside University, estimates that lifespans of home appliances have declined by up to 30% over the last two decades, and argues that the advent of “complicated parts, high-tech appliances, and sophisticated manufacturing” is primarily behind the trend. Discussing his new research with the Telegraph, Soomro stated that “Modern appliances often rely on complex circuit boards and software, which can be more prone to failure over time than simpler mechanical components”.

From our own assessment, white goods companies do appear to love talking about smart technology, and their sustainability reports wax lyrical about increased interconnectivity and its potential for saving time and energy. The logic tends to follow the lines of ‘more sensors + more communication between sensors = more
efficient products’.

In many cases, this appears to make good sense. All new Miele washing machines, for example, feature automatic load recognition, “an intelligent feature that carefully analyses your current laundry in the drum and uses precisely the right amount of water and electricity needed”. 

Elsewhere, things appear to be veering into sci-fi territory. Sharp, for example, has combined two big-tech buzzwords, AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (internet of things), to form and trademark a new word: AIoT. This hi-tech vision for household appliances appears to involve washing machines communicating with your other devices to “save water” and “help reduce household chores”, alongside ovens that suggest dish preparations and fridges that propose meal plans.

It’s a cruel irony if some appliances are being over-engineered to supposedly save energy, causing them to fail earlier and be replaced more regularly, when the bulk of many appliances' carbon emissions are actually released in the production stage. 

If a brand is offering a whole host of smart add-ons, it's certainly worth taking a minute to consider the company’s wider reputation for build quality.

Right to repair

The internet abounds with debates on whether declining lifespans are a result of deliberate planned obsolescence – that is, products cynically designed not to last – or whether white goods are just made so cheaply that they’ll inevitably fail quickly. 

The UK government has, for its part, legislated against planned obsolescence in appliances, legally obliging manufacturers to make spare parts for products available to consumers for ten years after purchase. There was also talk, when this legislation passed, that companies may in time have to publish the expected lifespans of their appliances, but three years have since passed and we’ve seen little progress on this.

Which washing machines are the most reliable?

So, how can we find washing machines that will live long, happy lives and are the most sustainable therefore in terms of carbon emissions? 

Research from Which? found that , Bosch, Miele, NEFF, and Samsung were amongst the most reliable brands in the UK, with under 12% of each company’s machines developing a fault in the first seven years of use. 

At the other end of the scale, around a quarter of both Bush and Whirlpool machines developed faults in the same time frame.

Warranties on home appliances

Related to a dwindling lifespan of home appliances is the length of the item's warranty. This data doesn’t necessarily correlate to a product’s overall lifetime of course, but it is worth considering the warranties offered by different companies. A longer warranty gives you greater peace of mind if the product does need repairing.

• Miele keeps spare parts available for 15 years even once products are discontinued. It used to offer a 10-year warranty as standard. Although it now only offers a 2 year warranty as standard, this can be extended to 10 years for a fee.
• Ebac offers a 7-year parts and repair warranty as standard.
• Fisher & Paykel, Grundig, and Gorenje offered 5-year warranties as standard.
• Blomberg offered three years.
• All other companies only covered products for one or two years. 

Buying a new eco-friendly washing machine

Although we recommend secondhand purchases, if you are buying a new washing machine it’s probably a false economy to buy the cheapest option available. These will likely be less energy efficient and, crucially, will probably fail and need replacing earlier. 

Look for brands with the most energy-efficient models, and also those which have lower water use. A-rated models are noted in an earlier section.

As well as considering energy ratings you may also want to get a machine with a suitably sized drum for your household. Doing a small half load is much less energy efficient than waiting till the machine is full.

Price comparison of highest scoring washing machine brands

Does it cost more to buy an A-rated washing machine from a higher scoring ethical brand?

We looked at the top ethical brands in the guide and the price of their cheapest A-rated washing machine, or B or C-rated where applicable. Although some of the higher rated brands do cost more, others compare favourably with the high street best-seller Hotpoint, whose owner Whirlpool scores poorly in this guide.

Data from Currys, except Ebac and Bush – from their own websites. (As of April 2024.)
 

Renting a washing machine

The innovative Bundles company, which we came across last time we updated this guide, provides low-cost washing machine rental in the Netherlands. The company, which has been praised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is guided by the concept of a circular economy – the idea of which is to transition from our current system (in which products are used briefly and then chucked away), to one in which products have long life cycles and are recycled at the end of their life.

Bundles only offers Miele washing machines in its service because it sees Miele as offering the most efficient, durable, and easily fixable models. Renting allows consumers to benefit from quality, long-lasting products without the upfront cost.

There appeared to be a number of washing machine rental services in the UK, but none had the same focus on sustainability as Bundles or appeared as cheap. A gap in the market, perhaps?

Sharing resources for sustainability 

Laundrettes in the UK are more common than renting options, and as discussed earlier, the manufacturing of new machines incurs the most carbon emissions, so sharing resources rather everyone having their own, is good for the planet. 

Laundrettes, immortalised for people of a certain age in an advert for Levi jeans by Nick Kamen, and by the drama My Beautiful Laundrette, can not only be part of the sharing economy but also social places. 

Community spotlight: Kitty's Launderette

Kitty’s Launderette is a community launderette in Liverpool which offers affordable or free laundry services alongside a programme of arts and social activities. The organisation is a worker community co-operative, and it distributes free vouchers for using the launderette through local children’s centres, some local primary schools, food banks, and homeless shelters. It also aims to combat social isolation with a programme of free events and activities.

While waiting for your laundry you can partake in workshops, have free hot drinks, and even watch films and live music.

Find out more about their mission and progress on the Kitty's laundrette website. 

How to recycle your old washing machine

Before getting rid of your washing machine, first check to see if it can be fixed and given a new lease of life. Either speak with an expert or try and do it yourself. The following websites might be a good place to start: ifixit.com and espares.com.

If you do still want to get rid of your washing machine there are different options depending on if it is still working or not.

For broken washing machines

There are several possible options for recycling broken washing machines:

• Recycling centre – take it to your local recycling centre. The website RecycleNow.com has a useful recycling locator that will tell you where your nearest recycling centre is.
• Council collection – many councils will offer to collect old washing machines.
• Charity and secondhand shops – some charities and secondhand/community recycling stores will offer a pickup service for donated goods.
• Retailers – under the WEEE Directive, retailers and distributors of electrical goods like washing machines, are legally obliged to be part of a WEEE collection infrastructure. They may provide an in-store take-back scheme of old equipment when you purchase a replacement item, or alternatively direct you to a convenient WEEE collection point. 

When you are looking to recycle any goods, it is worth consulting recyclenow.com.

Working machines

If it's in good working order, some charities and secondhand/community recycling stores will offer a pickup
service for donated goods. 

Washing and weapons: removing blood stains from your laundry

Whilst many of the companies in this guide limit themselves to domestic appliances, others are highly diversified. The likes of LG, Samsung, and TCL are well known for smartphones and TVs, whilst Siemens has built everything from trains to wind farms.

You might, however, be surprised by the links between certain appliance companies and militaries around the world. Some of these are direct links, but the ownership links can be hard to trace.

The Grundig, Beko, and Blomberg brands are all owned by the Arçelik company, which is in turn owned by Koç Holding AS. Koç builds tanks, armoured vehicles, and drones for the Turkish military via its wholly owned subsidiary Otokar.

Meanwhile, Sharp's white goods in European markets are produced by the Turkey-based Vestel, under an exclusive licence. Vestel is part of Zorlu Holding, and Zorlu’s defence subsidiary Lentatek also produces aerial drones for the Turkish and Saudi militaries.

Fuelling the Turkey-Kurdish conflict

Although it has been supplanted in western news cycles in recent years by a spiralling succession of global conflicts, the Turkey-Kurdish conflict remains unresolved, deeply violent, and oppressive, with long-standing evidence of ethnic cleansing by the Turkish regime.

A new flash point emerged in December 2023, when dozens of Turkish soldiers and PKK militants were killed in clashes along the Iraqi-Turkish border. Turkey responded with retaliatory air strikes that targeted Kurdish groups in not just Iraq but also northeastern Syria. PKK-aligned groups in Syria have actually been supported militarily by Turkey’s ally, the US, since the outset of civil war in Syria in 2011.

If you want to keep your money out of this bloody, contradictory mess, avoiding Koç brands (Blomberg, Beko, Grundig) and Sharp/Vestel is a good place to start.

Turkey boycott

In previous guides we’ve shone a spotlight on the Boycott Turkey campaign, which emerged in 2020 in response to a call from Kurdish and Turkish civil society groups for international solidarity and action against the Erdogan regime.

The boycott specifically targeted the Koç brands Beko and Grundig in order to have a strategic focus, but its other brands, Blomberg, and Flavel (in fridges), could also be avoided. It also called for consumers to contact the sports teams, celebrities and institutions that are linked to these brands, and to the broader brutal regime in Turkey.

Unfortunately, the campaign has become less active in recent years. It has not posted publicly since 2022 and did not respond to our requests for comment. As such, we did not include this boycott call within our ratings in this guide, although Koç still scored 0/100 for company ethos without it.

Other military connection 

Home appliance companies’ involvement with military supply doesn’t end in Turkey. We also found the following connections:

• Hisense was named as a leading supplier of AI defence systems to the Chinese army, via its Shenzhen Zhongke Haixin Technology subsidiary, in a 2023 CSET report.
• Samsung also produces ‘Tactical Edition’ mobile devices, “designed to help transform the way military personnel operate”.
• Siemens provides ‘digital optimisation’ services to US Navy Shipyards.
• Bosch claims that its parts were "misused" by the Russian military against Ukraine for its infantry vehicles. Bosch then suspended its business with Russia. Bosch also owns NEFF and Gaggenau.
• Investor AB, which holds a 28% stake in AB Electrolux (AEG, Electrolux, Zanussi), also owns 40% of shares in Saab AB. Saab produces equipment for ground combat, submarines, and air ‘fighter systems’ for military defence.

All of these companies therefore received no marks for our company ethos rating. The rating contains some negative-scoring criteria, and if we allowed negative scores on the table, both Koç Holding and Vestel would have received a staggeringly low -50.

Workers’ rights and washing machines

Most companies scored poorly on our rating for workers' rights.

Only Ebac scored above 40/100 in this category, and just 9 out of 32 brands scored any points at all: Bush, Kenwood, LG, Logik, Miele, New World, Russell Hobbs, and Samsung.

At a minimum, we look for companies to guarantee the internationally recognised code of labour practices known as the ETI Base Code. We were surprised to find that some major brands appeared to lack public commitments to these basic steps.

Most companies, including Bosch (Gaggenau and NEFF), De’Longhi (Kenwood), Glen Dimplex (New World), Haier (Candy, Fisher & Paykel, Hoover), Hisense (Gorenje), Koç (Grundig, Beko, Blomberg), Siemens, Smeg, Spectrum Brands (Russell Hobbs), TCL, Whirlpool (Hotpoint, Indesit), and Zorlu (Sharp), fell short of the ETI Base Code’s recommendations on working hours and wages.

The ETI stipulates that suppliers limit working weeks to 48 hours plus 12 hours voluntary overtime, and that wages should cover basic needs plus some discretionary income at a minimum. Interestingly, these companies’ policies affirm their commitment to the ETI’s principles on working hours and wages, but replace those actual limitations with the totally vacuous statement that suppliers must abide by relevant local laws, which is the lowest they could go, short of publicly endorsing lawbreaking.

Supply chain issues: minerals & manufacturing

Looking into the sourcing of materials and components is important because the bulk of supply chain labour often occurs in countries with weak and poorly enforced labour laws. Most global steel is sourced from China, which is also a manufacturing base for many electronics multinationals. Beyond numerous workers’ rights scandals (remember the mass worker suicides at Foxconn, the major Apple manufacturer and a minority owner of Sharp Corporation), China also faces continued global scrutiny over state-imposed forced labour in Xinjiang.

Of the companies in this guide, Electrolux, Haier, Hisense, Sharp, and Siemens were named in a 2020 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) called ‘Uyghurs for Sale’. This report named 83 foreign and Chinese companies as having directly or indirectly benefited from the use of Uyghur workers through potentially abusive labour transfer programs as recently as 2019. We deducted 20 marks under the workers column for any company named in the report.

Are there any washing machine brands that are OK for workers' rights?

The highest rated brand in our workers rights category was Ebac, which produces all of its products and a significant number of its component parts in its factory in County Durham, UK. The company is managed by the Ebac Foundation and, under the trust arrangement, the business cannot be relocated from County Durham and cannot be sold for personal profit. Their stated aim is to deliver long-term sustainable manufacturing employment locally.

We noted, however, that Ebac had scant public policy available discussing its supply chain beyond the UK, hence it did not score higher in the workers category. We found no information regarding its approach to the specific supply chain issue of conflict minerals, for example, under which category it scored 0/100. One might also baulk at its founder’s historical pro-Brexit lobbying and anti-minimum wage stance.

Which are the best washing machine brands for avoiding conflict minerals?

Like most electronic devices, washing machines require minerals to make some of the components. 

However, a large percentage of the minerals needed are sourced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has seen low-scale conflict for decades. Control over the mines and the conflict which results presents a host of long-term issues, particularly for the civilian population. Conflict minerals are used a lot in tech goods, home appliances, cars, solar panels etc.

Of the 20 rated companies in our guides, however, five have no conflict mineral policy at all. These are:

• Amica (CDA)
• Ebac
• Glen Dimplex (New World)
• Hisense (Gorenje)
• Montpellier

Vestel (UK manufacturer of Sharp home appliances) requires its suppliers not to source conflict minerals from the DRC, which is the opposite of what Ethical Consumer expects from companies, as support for improvements in the region are critical.

Smeg has a vague, inadequate attempt to collect information from its suppliers on conflict minerals.

Which brands are doing best for conflict minerals? 

At the top end of the scale stand the two tech giants, Samsung and LG.

These multinational companies also manufacture mobile phones and laptops, and are required by US law to report on their conflict mineral supply chains. Perhaps partly due to this, they both do very well in this category, making the right commitments and due diligence steps to reasonably keep conflict out of their mineral supply chain. Both of them also have a management plan for several other high impact minerals, such as cobalt, tin, and mica for LG, and cobalt, molybdenum, lithium, copper, and nickel for Samsung. 

However, although both of them mention environmental destruction as an issue, neither have, as yet, taken significant steps to avoid it. Samsung also lost 20 points for a damning report titled “Blood, sweat and cobalt" which implicitly linked the company to human rights abuses in the DRC.

An unexpected high scorer is Sainsbury’s, owner of Argos (Bush brand). Although it doesn’t have a traditional conflict mineral report and doesn’t score for avoiding conflict, it was the only company in this guide that scored for environmental policy. With regards to gold, it had “a preference for suppliers to make a commitment to eliminating deforestation … by the end of 2025”, and a preference for gold from recycled sources. In terms of minerals other than 3TG, it was concerned with several that it used in jewellery: silver, platinum, and palladium. However, its policy did also cover cobalt in electricals, and mica in cosmetics.