Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB 410AMC/1-80 Review

Offering numerous custom wash programmes through the app, the Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB 410AMC/1-80 is a well-priced washing machine with tonnes of options. Its wash cycles can be on the slow side, but it’s pretty energy efficient and stain removal at 40ºC proved particularly good.

Hoover has quietly been refining its lineup of washing machines, adding features and boosting performance, without significantly adding to price. At just £349.99, the Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB 410AMC/1-80 offers quite incredible value – Wi-Fi connected with decent running costs, excellent stain removal and an impressive choice of programmes, this is a solid mid-range choice. It’s also available with minor cosmetic differences for different retailers under the following model numbers (performance and features remain the same):

• HWB410AMBCR/1-80
• HW 410AMC/1-80
• HW 410AMBCB/1-80

Design

The Hoover H-Wash 500 is a rather standard-looking washing machine, with a traditional control panel layout. There’s a programme selector dial at the centre, with a secondary control panel used to fine-tune programmes. This secondary control panel is brimming with symbols, not all of which are particularly clear. I had to keep the manual to hand at first to work out what everything meant.

This is a large-capacity 10kg machine, with a sizeable door that opens up wide to provide easy access for loading. I certainly didn’t encounter any problems filling it with the test washing load.

As with all washing machines, the Hoover H-Wash 500 has to have its transport bolts removed. These comprise one plastic part with a rubber bung on the rear. My attempt to remove them resulted in the the rubber part coming away from the plastic part on two bolts, with the plastic bit dropping inside the machine. I had to then remove the thin rear panel to retrieve these items before I could turn on the appliance.

Admittedly, this job will need to be done only once – and likely by the person who delivers the appliance – but less fiddly bolts would have been appreciated.

I have no concerns about the rest of the build, however: the H-Wash 500 feels tough, and the porthole door closes neatly and securely.

This model has a traditional pull-out detergent tray, with space for washing detergent, pre-wash detergent and fabric softener. You’ll need to determine the correct amounts by yourself, rather than relying on the machine to do it for you, but this isn’t much of a hardship.

Features

For the most part, you’ll operate the Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB via the controls on the front of the machine. First, there’s the control dial that lets you select the wash programme; you’ll need to refer to the manual to find the right wash for each load. There are plenty of options to choose from, however, including modes for whites, wool, fitness gear and allergy care.

Most programmes can be altered using the options on the secondary control panel, including setting the spin speed, wash temperature and soil-level of garments, while also adding extra options, such as steam to improve hygiene and reduce odours. I definitely needed the manual to hand to figure out what the various icons were referring to.

There’s also a dial position to turn on Wi-Fi, letting you connect the washing machine to the Hoover hOn app. It’s important to note that you can only use the app while the machine is set to Wi-Fi mode; if you use a different programme, you’ll lose the remote connection. This means that using the app requires you to programme the machine with the app. This is different to the way the Samsung WW9800T works; it lets you use the app at any point.

Hoover’s app can still be useful. It provides access to a wider range of programmes, including special cycles designed for cleaning specific items: diving suits, face masks and bloodstains are just some that jump out. Plus, each programme is described in detail, which makes it a bit easier to understand.

You can also take photos of your favourite clothes and their care labels, enabling the machine to suggest the right programme for you. It will be a hassle for the majority of garments, but for delicate or expensive items, it can be worth the effort. The app also provides the benefit of pushing a notification to your device once a wash cycle is complete.

To be honest, aside from the extra features available through the app, most of the time you’ll probably find it quicker and easier to use the regular controls.

Performance

To test the effectiveness of the Hoover H-Wash 500, I ran a few test washes to see how well it copes with stain removal. I started out with the white wash set to 30ºC, which used 0.57kWh of power and 41.7 litres of water – decent, but not the lowest I’ve seen.

A B-rated spinner, there was 1kg of water left in the clothes after a wash, which accounted for 39.06% of the dry weight. That’s alright, but get a washing machine with a higher spin rate and you’ll find less water at the end, equating to quicker drying times for your washing.

The test strip included (left to right) red wine, orange juice, ketchup, vegetable oil and gravy stains. On the 30ºC wash, the image below shows that stain removal was pretty good, although you can still see a clear outline of the red wine stain, plus a mark from the ketchup. It’s decent performance, but more expensive machines – such as the LG V9 F4V909BTS – clean better, albeit at a higher cost. The wash took just over two hours to complete.

Switching to the 40ºC wash on the Eco 40-60 programme, I re-ran the test. This time, the washing machine used just 0.21kWh of power and only 37.1 litres of water, the trade-off being that this programme took more than three hours to run. This time, water retention was lower at 35.94%.

Stain removal was better, too, with only the red wine and ketchup stains leaving behind a trace. You’d have to look closely to spot these stains on clothes, particularly on coloured items.

This washing machine has an A+++ rating under the old EU label, which is now an A-rating under the new system (the most energy efficient). To give a comparison between washing machines, I work out the cost of a cycle by factoring in annual running costs and water usage, assuming a full load. Here, the H-Wash 500 cost £0.20 per cycle.

Next, to work out accurate running costs per year, I take the average number of UK cycles per year (274) and multiply this by three different load sizes – high (6kg), medium (4.5kg) and low (3.5kg) – to get a total amount of washing per year. In this instance, high users would have to make 164.4 full loads to complete all the washing, rather than the 274 UK average.

This would result in costs of £32.21 for higher users, £24.16 a year for medium users and £16.11 for low users. As a comparison, the more efficient LG costs just £31.10 for higher users, although the higher purchase cost would take some time to recoup versus the lower price of the H-Wash 500.

There are some faster cycles you can run  for lesser-soiled items, but the main programmes on this washing machine are quite slow.

The H-Wash 500 is very quiet, though. I measured it at 51.2dB when running the main part of the wash, increasing to 68.3dB on the spin cycle. At all points, the H-Wash 500 stayed still with little vibration.

Should you buy it?

Available for a great price when you take into account the features on offer, the Hoover H-Wash 500 HWB 410AMC/1-80 is a top mid-range washing machine. Spend more on the likes of the Samsung WW9800T and you’ll get faster wash cycles and better stain removal at lower temperatures. However, you’ll spend a lot more for the privilege.

With the Hoover H-Wash 500 you get quality stain removal, particularly at 40ºC or above, judging by my tests. Throw in decent running costs and the extra programmes on offer through the app, and this is a very good, if not slightly slow, washing machine. If this washing machine isn’t for you, then the best washing machines has alternative choices.