Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK Review
An integrated dishwasher that can fit more than you think
Verdict
Thanks to its Maxi Space Tub, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK integrated dishwasher has a huge amount of space inside, which is cleverly organised. Overall it’s a great dishwasher, but with excellent cleaning results. If you’re on a tighter budget it’s a great buy, but if you can stretch to the more expensive Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK, you’ll get the same space but lower running costs. .
Pros
- Tonnes of space inside
- Powerful cleaning options
- Clever third rack
Cons
- Not quite as good as its big brother
Key Features
- Place settingsThis integrated dishwasher has space for 14 place settings, spread over three racks.
Introduction
Featuring Hotpoint’s innovative Maxi Space tub, the integrated Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK dishwasher has 10% more usable space inside than other models.
It’s a trick I’ve seen before on the slightly more expensive Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK.
All of the extra space is still impressive, but the cleaning power and running costs are both better on the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK, making it the better choice for most.
Design and features
- Lots of space inside
- Clever cutlery organisation
- Extra jets for targeted cleaning
Although the 10% extra space that Maxi Space affords doesn’t sound like much, it makes a significant difference on the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK, which has the same internal layout as the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK.
With three racks, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK can fit long-stem wine glasses on the middle shelf while leaving enough space for plates below and cutlery above. If you’ve ever found yourself playing dishwasher-Tetris, moving bits around to try and fit everything in, this dishwasher is for you.
Rather than a plain old cutlery rack on top, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK has a more useful top deck. On the right-hand side is a removable cutlery tray, which can hold larger utensils and knives alongside regular cutlery; there’s also a standard cutlery basket that sits on the bottom.
The left-hand side of the top rack is for mugs and bowls, with dedicated spray arms targeting these items to get them clean.
Below is a standard middle rack. Wine-glass supports are on the right-hand side only, which will likely limit the number of glasses you can wash to between four and six. There are also tines, which can hold small plates or be folded down for larger items.
Although the top rack is height adjustable, I found that its lower position was perfect, and it didn’t impact the items below.
The lower rack has a rather standard layout, with regular tines for plates at the front, and a set of fold-down tines at the rear that can be placed flat to hold casserole dishes and pots.
This rear section is where the 3D Wash Zone is, which utilises additional water jets to direct cleaning power where the dirtiest items go.
Although the usable space inside is only 10% larger than a regular integrated dishwasher, it feels like a lot more, and this dishwasher is both easier to load with larger items and takes a lot more than regular integrated dishwashers.
Once filled with salt and rinse aid, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK has to be set for the local water hardness level; an easy job, following the instructions.
Although internally similar to its big brother, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK has a slightly different control panel. Rather than dedicated buttons for each cycle, programmes must be selected by number, with a key printed on the top side of the door.
Wash cycles include the default Eco 50C, Auto Intensive 65C, Auto Mixed 55C, Auto Fast 50C, Rapid 45C, Delicates 45C, and Good Night 55C, which optimises sound (to be honest, the standard wash cycles are so quiet that this mode isn’t needed).
There are also options to turn on the 3D Wash Zone and the Sanitise option, which runs an extra-hot rinse for sanitising items such as baby bottles.
An LCD screen shows how long the wash cycle will run. Although not visible while the machine is running, there is an LED light that shines on the floor to show that the dishwasher is turned on. At the end of the cycle, a motor pushes the door open to dry dishes naturally.
Performance
- Solid wash results
- Good running costs
- Quiet
I put the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK through my normal tests, fully loading the dishwasher with my soiled items: a coffee-stained mug, red-wine stained glass, mac-and-cheese covered plate, and a bowl used to make microwaved scrambled egg.
I started using the standard Eco programme, which is the cycle you should use for the best running costs. I found that the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK cost 22p to run this cycle, which is 1p more than the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK. That’s still not bad and, despite the C energy rating, this dishwasher works at a running cost of 1.6p per place setting (there’s space for 14 place settings).
Results were good for the standard items. I found that my coffee cup was returned to pristine condition.
Moving on to the wine glass, this came out with no stains on it and the glass was nice and shiny.
I found that my mac-and-cheese-covered plate was fully cleaned, leaving my white plate in top condition.
My eggy bowl didn’t fare so well and had a considerable amount of dirt left on it. I switched to run the Auto Intensive programme, adding in 3D Wash. This pushed running costs to a considerable 66p (4p more than on the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK).
I didn’t find the results quite as good either, with the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK leaving a small amount of dried-on egg behind, which needed a quick manual wash to finish it off.
Moving to the Rapid wash (which takes between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on options), costs were 47p per cycle. That’s quite high, so I’d use this mode only if speed is of the essence.
In all cases, the door opening mechanism worked perfectly, leaving my items to dry naturally without streaks.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You’re on a tight budget and want maximum space
£120 cheaper than its big brother, this dishwasher has the same high-quality Maxi Space tub and a decent range of cleaning programmes.
You want the best cleaning and lower running costs
Spend £120 more on the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK and you get lower running costs and, in my tests, slightly better cleaning results.
Final Thoughts
The Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK is a very good dishwasher in many regards. In fact, it would probably win a higher award if it weren’t for the fact that the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK exists.
For £120 more, the Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HT59 LS UK is cheaper to run and did slightly better in my washing tests, and I recommend spending that extra cash unless you’re on a tight budget. If you want a different style of dishwasher, then check out my guide to the best dishwashers.
How we test
We test every dishwasher we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
We measure water and energy usage for each dishwasher to see how efficient they are.
We use real-world mess to test a dishwasher’s ability to clean.
You might like…
FAQs
The Hotpoint Hydroforce H8I HP42 L UK has 14 place settings spread over three racks.
Trusted Reviews test data
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
