Its Eco setting helps to reduce energy consumption and costs, and it uses less water per cycle than most washing machines on the market.

Stain removal was better, too, with only the red wine and ketchup stains leaving behind a trace. You’d have to look closely to spot these stains on clothes, particularly on coloured items. The benefit of a freestanding washing machine is that it’s generally much simpler to install than an integrated washing machine.

Izzy says, “The machine is generally very easy to use, and you can also set and delay the timer so that the H-Wash starts a wash cycle whenever you want it to.” Read next: The best steam irons to buy What's the Hoover H-WASH 500 9kg Freestanding Washing Machine like to use day-to-day? In terms of technical design, it has an LED touchscreen display that’s easy to read and operate alongside a spin dial for selecting the 14 different programmes. KG Mode weighs the laundry within the first 4 minutes of the program, adapting the water, energy consumption, and time of cycle with scientific precision. To get an accurate picture of how well the Hoover H-Wash 500 performs day to day, Izzy scored the washing machine on a number of different criteria, including ease of use, features and programme length, results (clean, rinse and spin), design, noisiness, energy use, ease of cleaning and value for money.

In compliance with the New Energy Label, this B class washing machine not only reduces consumption starting from 43% compared to a G class, saving energy and respecting the environment, but also contributes to helping you save money on your utility bills. While there are certainly more budget-friendly washing machines out there, for the number of programmes and features it offers, as well as its low energy and water consumption, this is a washing machine that's both versatile and affordable to run.

What's the Hoover H-WASH 500 9kg Freestanding Washing Machine like to use day-to-day?

Hoover washing machines have a one-year guarantee as standard. You must register your appliance with Hoover. Next, to work out accurate running costs per year, I take the average number of UK cycles per year (274) and multiply this by three different load sizes – high (6kg), medium (4.5kg) and low (3.5kg) – to get a total amount of washing per year. In this instance, high users would have to make 164.4 full loads to complete all the washing, rather than the 274 UK average.

Read next: The best laundry detergents for babies Hoover H-Wash 500 9kg Freestanding Washing Machine: how does it look? Read next: The best dehumidifiers for your home How easy is the Hoover H-Wash 500 9kg Freestanding Washing Machine to set up? Our tester Izzy says, "The washing machine is very energy-efficient, which delivers good value for money. As there were very limited options for affordable machines this size when we were looking to buy, we felt this represented the best value for money in comparison to the others available." About the author For the most part, you’ll operate the Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB via the controls on the front of the machine. First, there’s the control dial that lets you select the wash programme; you’ll need to refer to the manual to find the right wash for each load. There are plenty of options to choose from, however, including modes for whites, wool, fitness gear and allergy care. She continues, “The machine works well on a day-to-day basis. We use Smol laundry capsules, but there is an auto-dose feature if you prefer to use laundry detergent.” This uses an advanced algorithm that adapts the right amount of detergent to your wash for optimum performance and efficiency.There’s also a dial position to turn on Wi-Fi, letting you connect the washing machine to the Hoover hOn app. It’s important to note that you can only use the app while the machine is set to Wi-Fi mode; if you use a different programme, you’ll lose the remote connection. This means that using the app requires you to programme the machine with the app. This is different to the way the Samsung WW9800T works; it lets you use the app at any point. The H-Wash 500 is very quiet, though. I measured it at 51.2dB when running the main part of the wash, increasing to 68.3dB on the spin cycle. At all points, the H-Wash 500 stayed still with little vibration. Should you buy it? This model has a traditional pull-out detergent tray, with space for washing detergent, pre-wash detergent and fabric softener. You’ll need to determine the correct amounts by yourself, rather than relying on the machine to do it for you, but this isn’t much of a hardship. These cycles include: 20 degree wash, All in one 59, Allergy care, Drain and spin, Cotton care, Total care, Extra care, Fitness care, Fresh care, Mixed, Rapid wash, Rinse, Soft care, and Wool & handwash, as well as an Eco mode.

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. Mum to a one-year-old, she is fully invested in finding the best and most affordable products for families.Izzy says, “It is very energy-efficient and it cleans clothes well. For white items, however, I always pre-spray clothes with stain remover to make sure they come out extra clean and bright.” Is it noisy? The best combination of time and performance. Hoover washing machines allow you to choose between no fewer than four cycles that are less than an hour long yet 100% effective.