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DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

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  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Controls

  • Interior

  • Sides

  • Back

  • Speed & Performance Overview

  • Normal Cycle Performance

  • Delicates Cycle Performance

  • Bulky Cycle Performance

  • Quick Dry Cycle Performance

  • Dry Cycles

  • Customization

  • Additional Drying Options

  • Controls

  • Door

  • Lint Trap

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Controls
  • Interior
  • Sides
  • Back
  • Speed & Performance Overview
  • Normal Cycle Performance
  • Delicates Cycle Performance
  • Bulky Cycle Performance
  • Quick Dry Cycle Performance
  • Dry Cycles
  • Customization
  • Additional Drying Options
  • Controls
  • Door
  • Lint Trap
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Front

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The {{product.name}} has a curved false front made of plastic. It's solely for appearances, as it isn't angled towards the user in any way.

Controls

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

The small lint trap is difficult to remove and replace into its cavity. It's a snug fit, and sometimes it requires a perfect alignment. Whatever you do, make sure to clean it every time you run the unit or you run the risk of a devastating fire.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Speed & Performance Overview

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Actual cycle times varied widely from what the {{product.name}}'s LED screen promised, even with the predictable normal cycle. Most cycles got very hot, and a few of them ended before the clothes got dry. Before testing we had our dryer vents professionally inspected and cleaned, and other dryers didn't run as hot on the same vent. This leads us to suspect that the {{product.model}}'s humidity sensor and temperature control isn't quite up to par.

Normal Cycle Performance

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At a whopping 188.7 degrees, the {{product.name}} got our normal test load dry in just over an hour. That's more than the 45 minutes it promised, but at least the clothes ended up bone dry.

Delicates Cycle Performance

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Other delicates cycles we've seen haven't gotten warmer than a summer's day in Scottsdale. The {{product.name}}, however, got our most fragile fabrics way up to 150 degrees. On the plus side, it only took 29 minutes on one try and 48 on the other -- and the clothes ended up 98 percent dry.

Bulky Cycle Performance

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Comforters and sheets were a little bit of trouble for the {{product.name}}, which left our test load just slightly damp on one test and a lot more damp on another. Though the cycle estimate was close to an hour, the actual duration of each cycle was a little over 45 minutes.

Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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Cranked up to 168 degrees, the {{product.name}} got a small load of clothes almost a hundred percent dry in just over a half hour. Our test load wasn't damaged, but more fragile fabrics might not be so lucky.

Dry Cycles

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The {{product.name}} has nine dry cycles on offer, including an air fluff, time dry and dewrinkle cycle. All the cycles you'd ever need are here.

Customization

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You can customize how dry you want your clothes to get and the temperature they're drying at, though it's impossible to alter the temperature on a few cycles. For instance, the normal cycle insists that it should be at a high temperature, even though many commonly dried fabrics recommend a lower setting.

Additional Drying Options

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There are five options on this dryer, including an energy-saving eDry setting and a Damp Alert that lets you know when clothes are dry enough to finish on a clothes line. Damp Alert is particularly interesting for delicates, since research has shown that the reason why some clothes shrink in the dryer is due to tumbling action and not heat. If you pull clothes out of the dryer after some water has been taken out, you can hang them up to air dry and they won't get musty as easily.

A time dry allows for completely customizable drying, and it's the only option if you want total control over dry level and temperature. You can store a custom cycle on the "My Cycle" setting and have it available at the touch of a button.

Controls

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Though it isn't stylish, the control panel is very straightforward and easy to use. A big knob determines the cycle, and cycle names are aligned with different colored lights that show the cycle's intensity. Custom options are controlled by big, chunky buttons that are easy to press.

Door

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The large door opens easily and allows for easy access to the clothes within.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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The small lint trap is difficult to remove and replace into its cavity. It's a snug fit, and sometimes it requires a perfect alignment. Whatever you do, make sure to clean it every time you run the unit or you run the risk of a devastating fire.

Comparison Overview

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The GFDN110ELWW is the GFDN240ELWW's entry-level corporate sibling, selling for about $150 less but offering fewer features.

Performance

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The GFDN110ELWW actually has the upper hand here. Though cycles take a little longer, temperatures are more appropriate for fabrics.

Customization & Features

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The GFDN110ELWW is almost completely devoid of features, so there's nowhere to go but up.

Design

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The GFDN110ELWW is somewhat frumpier dryer, though the overall design language is similar.

Comparison Overview

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The less-expensive Frigidaire may take a couple of minutes longer than the GE to dry clothes, but it does a reasonably good job at much lower temperatures and it has glitter on the front panel. We preferred the GE's user interface, though.

Performance

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Customization & Features

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The GE has more custom features, including a helpful "Damp Dry" feature for those who like to air dry their delicates.

Design

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Neither washer is going to end up in the MoMA's permanent collection. The Frigidaire has glitter on the control panel, and the GE has a plastic false front. The GE was a lot easier to install, however.

Comparison Overview

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While the Bosch WTVC5330US is considered a high-end dryer, you can still sometimes find one for under $700 on sale. As far as fit and finish are concerned, it's head and shoulders above the GE. Drying performance between the two is about equal, and the GE's cycle selections make more sense.

Performance

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Customization & Features

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Bosch takes an unusual approach to naming cycles compared to most American and Korean appliance manufacturers. The GE's Normal/Cotton/Bulky settings will likely be more familiar to customers than choices of Very Dry or Less Dry within either Permanent Press or Cotton cycles.

Design

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The Bosch dryer is an attractive, solid appliance, though the GE is actually easier to use.

Conclusion

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Featuring effective cycles and some useful options, GE's {{product.model}} is a good deal if you can find it on sale for under $700. That said, it's not perfect: Dry cycles run very hot, and the on-board timer display is a crude estimate of how long cycles take. And don't expect to be able to customize each cycle, as many features are locked out when choosing a preset drying program. Still, we were fans of the Damp Alert function, which lets you know when clothes are dry enough to finish on a clothesline.

If you need a stackable dryer and the price is right, the {{product.name}} is a good choice, but be sure to shop around before making a final decision.

Meet the tester

Keith Barry

Keith Barry

Former Editor in Chief, Reviewed Home

@itskeithbarry

Keith was the Editor in Chief of Reviewed's appliance and automotive sites. His work has appeared in publications such as Wired, Car & Driver, and CityLab.

See all of Keith Barry's reviews

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