CHOICE reveals the best and worst laundry detergents

Omo and Aldi take top spots, while detergent sheets still not up to scratch.

Consumer group CHOICE has tested over 50 laundry detergents, revealing which ones leave your clothes sparkling clean and which ones you shouldn’t add to your trolley.

CHOICE tested laundry detergents in both front loader and top loaders, against all types of stains, including blood, oil, makeup, grass, mud, and baby food. 

“Omo Powder took top spot in our front loader test, receiving a score of 81%. However, in our top loader test, Aldi Trimat Advanced Laundry Powder Concentrate snagged the top spot, beating Omo’s Ultimate Powder by 1% with a score of 66%,” says CHOICE Director of Reviews and Testing, Matthew Steen. 

“If you’re wondering which products to avoid, we recommend steering clear of detergent sheets in general. Over the years, detergent sheets have performed very poorly in our tests. While we like the idea of them, we don’t feel this particular technology is equivalent to other types of detergent just yet. 

Best and worst detergents for front loaders

Best:

Omo Powder

CHOICE Expert Rating: 81%

Price per wash: $0.83

Aldi Trimat Advanced Laundry Powder Concentrate

CHOICE Expert Rating: 79%

Price per wash: $0.52

Omo Ultimate Powder

CHOICE Expert Rating: 79%

Price per wash: $1.44

Worst:

Active Expert 3 in 1 Laundry Capsules

CHOICE Expert Rating: 52% 

Price per wash: $0.35

Radiant Advanced+ Cleans & Softens 5-In-1 Laundry Liquid Detergent

CHOICE Expert Rating: 52%

Cost per wash: $0.67

Best and worst detergents for top loaders

Best:

Aldi Trimat Advanced Laundry Powder Concentrate

CHOICE Expert Rating: 66%

Price per wash: $0.52

Omo Ultimate Powder

CHOICE Expert Rating: 65%

Price per wash: $1.44

Worst:

Aldi Green Action Laundry Liquid Concentrate Top Loader

CHOICE Expert Rating: 45% 

Price per wash: $2.69


Erin Barton is the Media advisor at CHOICE. Erin supports the CHOICE media strategy by placing our stories with external outlets to reach the general public. She communicates our work through the media, and promotes the value of CHOICE to make an impact on the Australian community. Erin has a Bachelor of Communication from the University of Technology Sydney. Find Erin on LinkedIn.

Erin Barton is the Media advisor at CHOICE. Erin supports the CHOICE media strategy by placing our stories with external outlets to reach the general public. She communicates our work through the media, and promotes the value of CHOICE to make an impact on the Australian community. Erin has a Bachelor of Communication from the University of Technology Sydney. Find Erin on LinkedIn.