Best and worst washing powders and laundry detergents

The very best laundry detergents deal with stains while leaving whites pristine and colours vibrant. 

No one else tests as thoroughly as we do. Our independent lab tests mimic the everyday dirt and stains you get on your clothes and linen, so you can be confident that Best Buy laundry detergents really will get your grubbiest washing clean.

We put 31 bio and non-bio washing powders, liquids and capsules through their paces, including brands such as Ariel, Ecover and Persil, as well as own-brand detergents from Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Sainsbury's and Waitrose supermarkets.

Our results may surprise you – the most expensive cleaning products aren't always the best!

To compare and contrast every brand and filter by price or score, visit our washing powder and laundry detergent reviews

Liquid, capsule or powder – which type of detergent is best?

For the best results, it's worth considering buying different types of detergent to tackle different laundry loads, as powders, liquid detergents and capsules each have their own strengths. Use our handy guide below, based on our extensive experience testing laundry detergents, to decide what you need.

• Liquid and gel detergents – keep colours bright, but not always great at keeping whites pristine.
• Capsule detergents – great for speed and convenience, but can struggle with heavily soiled clothes.
• Powder detergents – great for extra-bright whites and heavily soiled items, but tend to fade coloured fabrics.

In our latest tests, four washing powders, two laundry capsules and one laundry liquid or gel hit our Best Buy gold standard. Six detergents earned our Eco Buy recommendation, all of which were also a Best Buy.

Some of our Best Buys are pricier branded products, but you can save money by choosing Best Buy supermarket own-brand options, which can be less than half the cost per wash of branded versions. And  they're sometimes better on certain stains.

Best liquid and gel laundry detergents

Which? members can log in to unlock the tables below and see the full results of our laboratory tests for bio and non-bio washing powders, capsules and liquid capsules.

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Finding the best laundry detergent

Once you know what type of detergent is best for your laundry load, it can still be daunting when you're faced with stacked supermarket shelves. Which? recommendations can help you find one that will remove stains with minimal strain. 

Top-scoring laundry detergents that achieve 71% or higher for bio products or 67% or higher for non-bio products earn our Best Buy recommendation. Laundry detergents that score 45% or less are highlighted as Don't Buy detergents to avoid.

Great Value products are a selection of the cheapest products per wash that score 60% or above. Which? recommends these as a good choice for those who want to spend less, without sacrificing too much in the way of performance.

An Eco Buy needs to be better for the environment than alternatives on the market, and it needs to perform well at its core job, so Eco Buy products must have a minimum overall score of 68% plus four stars for sustainability.

The best bio laundry detergents overall

Log in to unlock the name and score of the best bio detergent we tested. 

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The best non-bio laundry detergents overall

Log in to unlock the name and score of the best non-bio detergent we tested. 

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Discover the key differences between bio and non-bio washing powders

Save money on laundry detergent

Use our test results to save money by switching from a pricey branded laundry detergent to a Great Value own brand that doesn't compromise on cleaning power.

Switching from a big brand laundry powder to a cheaper Best Buy could save you almost £75 a year and switching from a big brand laundry capsule to a cheaper Best Buy could save you almost £48. 

You can also save £41 on liquid or gel by switching from the highest-scoring brand to a Great Value alternative.

Find out how you can cut your laundry costs by £156 this year