I bought a new washing machine a couple of months ago, and did a bit of research beforehand as I had problems with my two previous ones.
I found the following website usefull:- www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk (sorry couldn't work out how to make that a hyperlink on here)
I finally decided on a Miele and i'm really pleased with it, definately worth the extra cost. It is very stable and extremely quiet even on a 1600 spin with a full load of towels. If you decide to go for one, check out their website as they offer free extended parts and labour warranties on certain models that you send off for after you've bought it (the shop you buy it from may not tell you this)