6 essential home appliances to buy: from washing machines to air fryers
Whether you're on the hunt for a new vacuum cleaner or replacing the dishwasher, you're likely to end up poring over online reviews, thumbing through specialist magazines or quizzing your most in-the-know friends and family. And rightly so. Doing your research before making a larger electrical purchase makes total sense — who wants to waste money on things that don't last?
Consulting the consumer guide Which? is another go-to. Every year Which? tests more than 3,500 products across 140 categories, stamping 650 of these as its crème de la crème recommendations with a Best Buy or Eco Buy accolade.
Now a new category has entered the fray: Just Buy This. This is a single recommendation from the Which? testing team of products that tick all the most important boxes, ie, something that should suit most people most of the time. It's aimed at anyone who doesn't have time to research the products they need to buy (or, hard to believe, just doesn't take any pleasure in reading about different washing machine models) and would rather take an expert's word for it. And there's nothing to stop others from just using the recommendation as a starting point to compare their options.
'Unless you know exactly what you are looking for, researching the best fridge freezer, air fryer or coffee machine can seem like a lot of faff,' says Natalie Hitchins, the head of home products and services at Which?. 'Our Just Buy This recommendation takes the hassle out of finding what you want by putting you in the hands of our experts to narrow it down to one great pick that won't break the bank.'
There's one catch: you can only see these recommendations if you are a Which? subscriber. However, Times readers have been given an exclusive sneak peek of six domestic appliances from the Just Buy This list.
1. The washing machine
JOSEPH O'BRIEN
Bosch Series 4
Which? rating: 79/100
This user-friendly Bosch model makes laundry day feel less like a chore, according to Rebecca Jakeman, Which? senior researcher. 'It may be on the slow side but the washing results — especially on the synthetics cycle — are more than worth waiting for. Unless anyone in your household is an exceptionally messy eater or just can't resist stomping through a muddy puddle, you should find all of the items are spotlessly clean at the end of the cycle. The powerful spin function is great at removing excess water to reduce drying time, too, which is a welcome bonus.' £579, bosch-home.co.uk
• The best British-made homeware for 2025
2. The fridge freezer
LG 60/40 Frost Free Fridge Freezer
Which? rating: 76/100
'You might wonder why I wouldn't recommend our top-scoring fridge freezer, but this good all-rounder should suit many people,' says Jakeman, who rates how quietly the South Korean manufacturer's model runs, the accuracy of its thermostat ('it even stays stable in heat') as well as the speed at which food is chilled and frozen. 'It also uses less energy than expected for its size which is handy when we're all feeling the financial squeeze. It's not completely perfect as the veg drawer can dry food out and the fridge is a little hard to clean in places, but these are small gripes and it's still a great Best Buy and Eco Buy choice.' £449 (reduced from £599), sonicdirect.co.uk
3. The kettle
THOMASRIESE.COM
LOGIK L17PKB23 Jug Kettle
Which? rating: 78/100
Fran Roberts-Thornton, a senior Which? researcher, picks a pocket-friendly Logik kettle as her Just Buy This option for your kitchen countertop. Though not the quietest of models, it has several positives, says Roberts-Thornton: 'It's quick to boil, has a low minimum fill and is cheaper than many. We tested the black version, but this isn't a Henry Ford situation — it comes in green or blue, too.' £14.99 (reduced from £24.99), currys.co.uk
• The 9 best kettles for speed, quiet — and good looks
4. The iron
Philips 7000 Series Steam Iron
Which? rating: 85/100
Ironing is one of Roberts-Thornton's favourite chores so naturally she recommends the highest-scoring steam iron on test, which earns the full five stars for ironing performance, resistance to limescale, cleaning efficiency, soleplate scratch resistance and time to start steaming. 'Three stars for handling, due to a slippery handle — it was the lowest it got in any of our tests. This iron breezes through creases and is durable enough to withstand accidental brushes with zips and buttons,' she adds. £54.99, philips.co.uk
5. The air fryer
Tower T17102 Vortx Vizion 11 litre
Which? rating: 71/100
A dual-zone air fryer that is neither the best nor the cheapest model tested but hits the sweet spot of performance and price, according to Roberts-Thornton. 'As an oven-style model, it comes with two cooking racks, cooking baskets and drip trays. Chicken, chips and baguettes were golden in good time. If you're new to air-frying, ten preset programs make it a doddle to use. Like most dual air fryers, it's bulky and not the most energy efficient, plus it's a bit of a chore to clean.' £110, argos.co.uk
6. The coffee pod machine
Nescafé Dolce Gusto DeLonghi Piccolo XS
Which? rating: 77/100
Pod machines are a smaller and usually cheaper alternative than bean-to-cup machines, which Roberts-Thornton considers best suited to occasional rather than dedicated coffee drinkers as the cost of pods can add up. 'This DeLonghi is a great little model as it's quick, energy efficient and simple to use. Most importantly, it makes tasty espressos and well-balanced cappuccinos.' There are negatives, however: 'You're tied to the Dolce Gusto-compatible range of pods — other brands won't work — but there's plenty of choice, including hot chocolate and tea.' £35 (reduced from £55), amazon.co.uk
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