The CHOICE laundry lab has conducted its latest round of detergent testing, analysing more than 50 popular laundry powders, liquids, capsules and sheets for their cleaning prowess – or lack of.
And the results have delivered some big surprises, especially when we compare performance against price.
Want to know if your detergent is a winner or a wash-out? We reveal the best and worst cleaners from our tests below.
On this page:
- Best detergents for front loaders
- Best buys for front loaders
- Worst detergents for front loaders
- Best detergents for top loaders
- Best buys for top loaders
- Worst detergents for top loaders
CHOICE head of reviews and testing Matthew Steen in the laundry lab.
No, you're not seeing double – our detailed laundry detergent test results have two entries for each product. So why the double-up?
When we test any product in our labs, we leave nothing to chance: our testers are a diligent bunch. Not only do we test each detergent on multiple types of stains, we also test each one in a top loader and a front loader.
"Top loaders and front loaders perform quite differently: front loading machines generally give you a better wash, so the detergents score higher in front loaders," says CHOICE head of reviews and testing Matthew Steen.
"We test detergents in both top and front loaders so you can see which detergent will work best in your washing machine."
Read more on how we test laundry detergents.
Best detergents for front loaders
Omo has really cleaned up in our latest laundry detergent test, with three of its products topping the results and a total of four Omo detergents recommended by our experts for use in front loaders.
Historically, Omo has performed well over the last 10 years, with at least one product recommended by our experts in every test.
Omo Powder was the front runner for front loaders with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 81%, followed by Omo Ultimate 3 in 1 Capsules and Omo 3 in 1 Sensitive Capsules, which earned CHOICE Expert Ratings of 77% and 76% respectively.
Omo has really cleaned up, with three of its products topping the results
But those kinds of results don't come cheap. Omo's Ultimate capsules are the second-most expensive recommended product in our test – they cost a whopping $36 for a pack of 28, or $1.29 per wash.
And in fact, the five most expensive laundry detergents we tested were all Omo products.
Unfortunately for those of us on a budget, none of the top-scoring detergents come cheap: expect to pay 83 cents per wash or more for these laundry legends. (But see below for the products our experts say are the best buys for your budget.)
Omo products dominated in our front loader test, led by Omo powder.
Our picks for front loaders
These laundry detergents are all recommended by our experts.
- Omo Powder: 81% (83 cents per wash)
- Omo 3 in 1 Capsules Ultimate: 77% ($1.29 per wash)
- Omo 3 in 1 Capsules Sensitive: 76% ($1.07 per wash)
- Biozet Attack Plus Eliminator Power Capsule: 75% (87 cents per wash)
- Omo 3 in 1 Capsules Active: 73% ($1.35 per wash)
Read the full results in our detailed laundry detergent review.
Best buys for front loaders
There's more than one way to be a winner. These products might not be at the top of the class, but that doesn't mean they're not a smart buy.
While they may not have made the cut to be recommended by our experts, they offer great value for money and are well worth considering. We call them our 'Best buys'.
Active Expert laundry powder: Good for your wash and your wallet.
They all cost less than 30 cents per wash and have a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 70% in our front loader detergent test.
- Active Expert Laundry Powder Expert: 74% (16 cents per wash)
- Aldi Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Concentrate: 73% (26 cents per wash)
- Coles Ultra Concentrate Laundry Powder: 71% (24 cents per wash)
Worst detergents for front loaders
We tested three laundry sheet products in our labs, and they didn't exactly knock (or wash) our socks off: they were three of the lowest-scoring products in our front-loader detergent test, performing barely any better than not using detergent at all. They didn't do any better in a top loader, as you'll see further below.
A relative newcomer to the laundry scene, laundry sheets are sheets of dissolvable paper embedded with detergent. They disintegrate in water, releasing the detergent into your wash.
They're marketed as an 'eco-friendly' option: they're lightweight and don't contain any water so they create fewer emissions to package and transport; they come in cardboard rather than single-use plastic; and they often tout 'chemical-free' ingredients lists with 'no nasties'.
Laundry sheets didn't exactly knock (or wash) our socks off: they were three of the lowest-scoring products in our test
"The concept of laundry detergent sheets is great, but the execution isn't quite there yet," says Matthew. "With some more development they may live up to their potential, but for now we don't think they're a great buy."
Laundry capsules are another alternative to liquids and powders. These are single-use capsules, or pods, of liquid laundry detergent concentrate in a dissolvable plastic wrapper that can be dropped straight into your washing machine.
They're hit and miss in terms of performance: some capsules are among the best performers, but others sit at the bottom of the table, and they can be more expensive per wash than some powder and liquid detergents.
Skipper's laundry sheets were barely better than washing with plain water.
Our misses for front loaders
These laundry detergents scored lowest when we tested them in front loaders:
- Water only: 49%
- Skipper Laundry Detergent Sheets: 51% (47 cents per wash)
- Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets Ocean Breeze: 51% (37 cents per wash)
- Restor Fresh Linen Laundry Detergent Sheets: 52% (23 cents per wash)
- Radiant Advanced+ Cleans & Softens 5-In-1 Laundry Liquid Detergent: 52% (67 cents per wash)
- Active Expert 3 in 1 Laundry Capsules: 52% (35 cents per wash)
Can't see your brand? See the full laundry detergent test results.
Best detergents for top loaders
You may notice that ratings for top loader detergents are much lower than for front loader detergents. That's because our testing has consistently found over the years that top loading machines don't wash as well.
"With that in mind, choosing a high-performing detergent is even more important for people with top loaders," says Matthew.
So what are the top detergents for your top loader?
Top of the tops is Aldi's Trimat Advanced powder, coming in ahead of Omo Ultimate powder which costs more than two and a half times as much per wash.
You can get a great wash for a fraction of the cost of the leading brands
Matthew Steen, CHOICE head of reviews and testing
And in other good news for budget-conscious shoppers, two other bargain detergents impressed our experts: they'll set you back less than 20 cents per wash but still give you a decent wash for your dollar.
"The performance of the Aldi powder in our tests goes to show that you can get a great wash for a fraction of the cost of the leading brands," says Matthew.
Aldi Trimat took out the top spot in the top loader testing.
Our picks for top loaders
Our experts recommend detergents that score 60% and above when used in top loader washing machines.
- Aldi Trimat Advanced Laundry Powder Concentrate: 66% (52 cents per wash)
- Omo Powder Ultimate: 65% ($1.44 per wash)
- Radiant Whites Or Colours Laundry Detergent Washing Powder: 62% (61 cents per wash)
- Aldi Almat Laundry Powder: 61% (18 cents per wash)
- Biozet Attack Powder: 61% (55 cents per wash)
- Active Expert Laundry Powder Expert: 60% (16 cents per wash)
- Omo Powder: 60% (83 cents per wash)
- Radiant Advanced+ Cleans & Softens 5-In-1 Laundry Detergent Powder: 60% (85 cents per wash)
Best buys for top loaders
These discount detergents will give you a great clean in a top-loading machine without taking you to the cleaners. They're both recommended by our experts.
To achieve 'Best buys' status, these products must cost less than 30 cents per wash and have a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 60%.
- Aldi Almat Laundry Powder: 61% (18 cents per wash)
- Active Expert Laundry Powder Expert: 60% (16 cents per wash)
Worst detergents for top loaders
Our testing revealed plenty of dud detergents that rated below 50% when we tested them in top loader washers, including some big-name brands.
And laundry detergent sheets once again make an appearance at the bottom of the ladder in this category, with one in particular performing worse than plain water.
Plain water will clean your clothes better than Restor laundry sheets.
Our misses for front loaders
These are the lowest scoring laundry detergents for front-loading machines from our tests:
- Restor Fresh Linen Laundry Detergent Sheets: 44% (23 cents per wash)
- Water only: 45%
- Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets Ocean Breeze: 45% (37 cents per wash)
- Aldi Green Action Laundry Liquid Concentrate: 45% (14 cents per wash)
- Skipper Laundry Detergent Sheets: 46% (47 cents per wash)
- Radiant Advanced+ Cleans & Softens 5-In-1 Laundry Liquid: 47% (67 cents per wash)
Can't see your brand? See the full laundry detergent test results.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
