Best for: Bargain-bagging Wi-Fi wash

You know Hoover – a company whose brand name is the most misused when it comes to the act of using other-name vacuum cleaners. There’s a solid heritage in Hoover when it comes to budget washing machines- too. For singletons or very small families with light laundry needs, the £350 H-Wash 500 HWB49AMC will provide ample years of working worth for very little outlay and, of course, eco-savings.

Energy rated A, the 9kg-capacity Hoover consumes very little power, at 0.94kWh, and also only 46 litres of water per cycle, so the savings will pile up as energy and water prices continue to spiral upwards in the UK.

Programme-wise, there are 16 to play with, including all the usual material-specific modes, allergy care, fitness care, mixed, 20-degree, hand wash and many others covering pretty much most households could require, so the H-Wash comes fully featured.

And, speaking of which, one of those features is Wi-Fi connectivity so, with the assistance of a handy smartphone app, you owners can check on the washing process, run a smart diagnosis or set up the cycle prior to dumping a load.

Enormously energy efficient with plenty of programmes, at a tad under £350 the Hoover will, on average, deliver between 7- and 12-years’ worth of Wi-Fi-watched washing, which, slightly less longevity aside, is actually incredible value for money. Hoover – 116 years old and still showing the whippersnapper washers how it’s done.

• Max wash capacity: 9kg
• Max spin speed: 1400rpm
• Dimensions: 60 x 52 x 85cm (W x D x H) 
• Energy rating: A
• Energy consumption (per cycle): 0.49kWh
• Water consumption (per cycle): 46-litres
• Number of programmes: 16
• Colour: White