Forum:Testing

It has become increasingly apparent that a number of small appliance Best Buys are a cause of dissatisfaction over a period of years. That the reader reviews posted by subscribers are visible to anyone on the Web makes it embarrassing for the good name of Which? - and for those who recommend Best Buys to friends.

“CharteredEngineer         

''Just about to buy a replacement for our old Tefal which lasted 5 years and gave very good service.The Logik is top of the Best Buys table but as usual I cross-checked the customer reviews before opting to buy a Logik. I was appalled.The chasm between the Which? best buy rating and the user experiences is a really worrying indictment of Which? and its testing philosophy. It couldn't really be much worse - even the response from the Which Editor was selective and abysmal.'' http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-appliances/reviews/steamers/logik-l90sss11/customer-views/#

In September 2013 Which? revealed that on re-testing many new washing machines do not actually wash at 60C but even temperatures as low as 43C. This replicated the experience of the German testing organisation in December 2012 where it opined these were not hygienic wash temperatures even if optically they equal the cleanliness of a traditional 60C wash.

http://www.staticwhich.co.uk/documents/pdf/62-65_washingmachines-331452.pdf

I was left wondering why, as a matter of course, hygienic washing is not tested. This is particularly relevant in the UK where unlike Europe, many nurses and similar staff are required to wash their uniforms at home.