Hotpoint BIWMHG81485UK 8kg 1400 Integrated Washing Machine review: "Everything from sheets to shirts comes out pristine!"

Price on writing: £400 | Buy now from Argos

How we tested

Our reviewer Lola put this integrated washing machine to the test in her home over the course of 80 washes. Taking detailed notes on user-friendliness, efficiency, effectiveness and noise levels, she cross-compared the washing machine with her previous integrated washer dryer, thoroughly testing each feature against a number of everyday laundry tasks.

Read next: The best budget washing machines under £500

What were your first impressions of the Hotpoint BIWMHG81485UK Integrated Washing Machine?

The control panel is clearly labelled and intuitive, there's plenty of capacity in the drum and the drawers/door are smooth to open and close.

The installation process was very easy as we were switching from a Hotpoint appliance to another Hotpoint appliance. They also took away our old washing machine and recycled it. The set-up took approximately thirty minutes and it was ready to use straight away.

Related: Best steam irons

What's the Hotpoint BIWMHG81485UK Integrated Washing Machine like to use day-to-day?

I use the Eco 40-60 and Mixed cycles most regularly. The Anti-stain cycle was a little disappointing on upholstery covers. It may be that the stains were too embedded, but it didn’t seem to make much difference at all, even with lots of stain remover! The covers also came out much wetter than any wash cycle I had done previously.

I was also a little disappointed with the wool cycle as I put a jumper through that came out quite significantly shrunk. It has subsequently stretched back to more like its previous size, but I would hesitate to use it again for any expensive knitwear after that.  

On a positive note, the Delicates and Whites cycles are very good. Everything I have put through from sheets to shirts has come out pristine. The bed and bath cycle is also very effective - towels come out smelling very fresh and don’t take long to dry after.

The washing machine is not particularly noisy. It can be left on overnight with the door shut to the kitchen without disturbing us, and we live in a small flat so that’s good going! It's much quieter than the previous washer dryer we had and runs a lot more smoothly.

I'm very pleased with how it cleans my laundry for the most part. Clothes come out smelling fresh and there’s no debris or tarnishing from the washing machine. Clothes also come out quite dry which is a massive plus given we are air drying our clothes and don’t have a tumble dryer. Gym clothes come out pretty much ready to use.

I would have liked a setting for an extra-hot sanitising wash. With things like dog beds and blankets you want to wash it at 90°C plus to really feel it has removed all bacteria and that isn’t possible with this one. But that’s just being picky!

While all the cycles are easy to access, you can’t do any custom settings. For example, you can’t turn the temperature up or down manually. It would be handy to be able to tinker with those settings. 

There are a variety of cycles — varying from 30 minutes to 235 minutes. The short cycle is great — the longer cycle is possibly a bit too long unless it's being used overnight.

The rapid cycle works really well for day to day washes involving clothes that aren’t stained or massively dirty. I wouldn’t want to wash anything more substantially dirty on that cycle, like gym clothes or dog blankets because it’s not hot enough to feel that it really cleans things thoroughly. But it works well to refresh clothes that are not seriously dirty.

Read next: Best dehumidifiers for drying clothes

Does the Hotpoint BIWMHG81485UK Integrated Washing Machine offer good value for money?

Integrated tumble dryers, washer dryers and washing machines are generally more expensive than their freestanding counterparts, so it's great to see that the Hotpoint, which retails for under £500, is a reliable and effective washing machine.

While it didn't impress Lola when it came to stain removal, we can probably chalk this up to the lack of smart features on this washing machine. More expensive models like the Samsung Series 8 AI Energy will often come with AI stain detection and soaking features that make a real difference when tackling heavy stains. However, they also come with a hefty price tag.

If your kitchen layout means you need integrated appliances, your options can be quite limited - especially if you're on a budget. This washing machine has a good size drum for a small to medium family, user-friendly controls and it's quiet enough to run overnight. Lola also loved the effective spin cycle that leaves clothes easier and quicker to dry. We think £400 is a fair price for a machine that'll get the job done.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.

With an MA in Creative Writing and a PGCert in Lifestyle Journalism, Poppy's written about parenting topics for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The Sun. She's a best-selling, award-winning author, and her books for children and parents have been translated into 12 languages.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.