As a family of four it's rare that a day goes by without the washing machine being on at least once and we usually have to replace our washing machine about every three years. When the latest machine broke we decided to opt for a better model and as we had always had Hotpoint machines, we started to look at what else they had to offer. After not much shopping around I came across this model and liked it straight away. The key features which initially won me over are the large 11kg wash capacity, the 1600 rpm spin and it looked pretty sleek too!

The Hotpoint AQ113D697 washing machine can be found for quite a big price difference. I think when we went to buy it, it was on offer so had £100 off, but if you look online you can pick this up for between £498 and £699.99!

This particular model is perfect for large wash loads because of its large capacity and so you can easily breeze through any back log of washing you may have. Because of this, I find that I don't dread the washing when we return from a holiday as I know I can get it washed in no time at all. Despite its large drum, you needn't wait to fill it if you need something washing as the half load option is perfect for this reason. There is also a quick wash (30 minutes), I sometimes use this on a morning in the summer when it's a nice day and want to get a load on the line before I go to work. Another fantastic feature is it's A+++ rating for energy efficiency. At one time, I don't think people used to consider this when buying a machine, but as we all have seen electricity prices rocket, it would be daft not to consider any machine with a rating such as this.

Other wash functions which are handy are an anti crease option, I have seen this in a tumble dryer before but never a washing machine. I use this function rarely but it is handy for a dress I have which is too delicate to iron on a hot setting but always creases badly in the wash. I use this function now on the dress each time I wash it and it always reduces the creases. The option to vary the temperature with your own settings is handy. I mainly use a 30 wash for most things, but if I have a particular set of whites or badly stained clothes I have the option to increase the temperature to 60 or even 90.

Because it has a 1600rpm spin capacity, the clothes are drained of a large amount of the water during the fast spin and so are much quicker to dry. I haven't known a washer to remove the water like this one does. I find this handy in winter when you rely on a tumble dryer or an indoor airer to dry clothes. The washer is also very quiet too. I often put it on before bed and leave it to complete its cycle while we sleep and as soon as I shut the kitchen door and go to bed, I can't ever hear it.

The LCD display is a handy function and one I couldn't be without. This is where you select the cycle you would like and it displays the temperature of each cycle on the display and the time to complete a full cycle. This is so handy if you need to go out anywhere and are waiting to put the washing out, you know exactly how long you have to wait rather than guessing at what time you put the washer on (been there a few times!).

One of my absolute favourite features is the option to time delay by up to 24 hours. This is a handy option if you will be out all day and need to get on top of your washing but don't want the washing sat wet in the drum all day as it will start to smell. If we are going out, I can set the cycle that I would like and then select a time delay in hours.

The child lock option which needs to be held down for a few seconds and then will lock the machine, is perfect if you have little ones toddling around the house. This option allows that the door will only be released after its cycle if the child lock button is held down for a few seconds again. I don't use this so much now but I used to use it for each and every wash at one point. The large porthole is also a handy function although can sometimes be quite annoying, like the time I saw a blue sock spinning around with a white wash and I couldn't do anything about it!!

The memory function allows that you can save your favourite cycles that you use most frequently, however it is so easy to select a wash cycle anyway that I haven't really used this feature.

Overview of features:

Manufacturer's Warranty 1 Year

Dimensions 850 x 595 x 645 mm (H x W x D)

Wash load 11 kg

Maximum spin speed 1600 rpm

Energy rating A+++

Number of programmes 16 including Anti Allergy Cycle, Colour care cycles (whites, darks, coloureds), Ultra Delicate Cycle, Platinum Star Wool Cycle, Bed and Bath, Duvet Cycle and an Eco Wash function.

All in all an excellent washing machine despite its high price. It looks nice, it works for so many different needs and the large drum allows that the boring household chore is over and done with quicker than ever before! A must for large families or obsessive washers!