Which? Awards 2023: which brands offer best value for money? Full list of cost of living champions

Consumer champion Which? has named the major brands it believes offer consumers the best value for money in the UK.

From kitchen appliances to travel companies, its awards cover a range of products and services that are vital to people all over the country. They are handed out annually after Which? conducts a selection process it describes as “rigorous and impartial”.

The news comes as consumers are battling the worst cost of living crisis in decades. Inflation has soared since mid-2021 and is now proving to be more embedded in the economy than economists had predicted.

The latest set of statistics for April showed the headline rate did not fall by as much as had been forecast, while core inflation jumped sharply. In a bid to counter the crisis, the Bank of England has hiked interest rates to their highest level in 14 years. Most experts predict the UK central bank will go even further in the coming months.

So, against this troubling backdrop, which brands have been crowned by Which? as offering the best value in 2023?

Which? 2023 award winners full list

Here are all of the brands that have been crowned as offering the best value for money in 2023, as chosen by Which?:

• Utilities brand of the year: Smarty

• Lifestyle tech brand of the year: Google

• Travel brand of the year: Jet2

• Banking brand of the year: Starling Bank

• Insurance brand of the year: NFU Mutual

• Retailer of the year: Richer Sounds

• Car brand of the year: Mercedes-Benz

• Computing brand of the year: Samsung

• Home entertainment brand of the year: LG

• Small kitchen appliance brand of the year: Philips

• Large kitchen appliance brand of the year: AEG

• Trusted trader of the year (for local business): Vantage Windows and Doors (Glasgow)

What has Which? said about its winners?

Commenting on the 2023 awards, the chief executive of Which? Anabel Hoult said: “Today’s winners represent the very best customer-centric business, products and services and they should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.

“From services like banking and insurance, to mobile phone providers and the products we are buying for our homes, now more than ever consumers are looking to get the most out of every penny they spend.

“In the current climate, winning a coveted Which? Award has become more relevant and important than ever. Not only are the prizes underpinned by our independence, our rigorous and impartial testing and research but these accolades send a clear message to consumers that a product or service is the very best the market has to offer.”

Among the brands it has crowned, Which? singled some out for particular praise. One such firm was Smarty - a first-time winner. It said the mobile provider offers “excellent value across a variety of data deals” and does not conform to the industry-wide practice of inflation-linked hikes to bills in the middle of contracts.

Google also won praise for the quality of its tech products. The consumer champion said the Silicon Valley giant’s smartphones “are some of the cheapest on average” but are good enough to offer cash-strapped people a decent alternative to other brands, such as Apple or Samsung.

Other companies to win praise included: budget airline Jet2, which was said to offer “consistently excellent holidays”; Samsung, whose laptops provide users with “great battery life, vibrant screens and speedy performance”; and AEG, which produces good appliances “across a good range of categories and for a range of budgets”.