Omo and Aldi have emerged as the standout performers in the latest round of independent laundry detergent lab testing, with the two brands dominating the rankings across multiple machine types and product formats. Consumer group Choice put 40 laundry products through their paces against a range of common stains, and the results reveal a clear winner for budget-conscious shoppers.

Powders lead the pack — and Aldi offers serious value

One of the most significant findings from the testing is that powder detergents consistently outperform liquids and capsules, regardless of machine type. For front loader washing machines, powders from Omo and Aldi tied at the top of the rankings, each scoring 82 per cent for performance.

The key differentiator between the two is price. Omo Ultimate costs $1.16 per wash and Omo Active Clean comes in at 71 cents per wash, while Aldi's Trimat powder delivers the same performance score at just 44 cents per load — less than half the price of Omo's premium option.

Top loader results also favoured powders, with Aldi Trimat scoring 66 per cent and Omo Ultimate at 62 per cent leading the field. The lower overall scores for top loaders were attributed to those machines using greater volumes of water, which dilutes the detergent and reduces its cleaning power.

Capsules, liquids and the products to avoid

In the capsule category, Omo claimed the top spot with 76 per cent, ahead of Dynamo at 74 per cent and Cold Power at 71 per cent.

At the other end of the spectrum, the tests highlighted some notable underperformers. A liquid detergent from Earthwise scored just 47 per cent in top loader testing — only marginally better than washing with water alone, which returned a score of 43 per cent.

The results reinforce a growing body of evidence that premium pricing does not always translate to superior cleaning results, and that store-brand powders can hold their own against well-established household names. For shoppers looking to cut costs without sacrificing clean laundry, the Aldi Trimat result is a particularly compelling finding.

The full rankings for all 40 products tested are available on the Choice website.