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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

  • 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
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Front

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The inclusion of color on the cycle select indicator and the unusual control panel layout add some flair and pizzazz to an otherwise average-looking appliance. Smokey grey trim for the door and matching buttons break up the threat of visual monotony faced by any white enamel dryer.

Controls

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Like the door, the lint trap proved to be good at what it was designed to do, no more and no less. It's fairly long, but didn't have any special flaps or compartments—an average lint trap in every respect.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Speed & Performance Overview

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Generally speaking, the {{product.brand.name}} finished its drying cycles in less time than we usually see. The Normal cycle was just under an hour, the Delicate cycle was just over, and the Bulky cycle—flawed though it was—finished in just under half an hour. While the overall drying wasn't perfect, the fact that the {{product.brand.name}} performed as well as it did in less time than many other models is certainly a positive attribute.

Normal Cycle Performance

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In about 53 minutes, the {{product.brand.name}} produced perfectly dry clothes using temperatures that peaked out at 155 degrees Fahrenheit. On one hand: yay, dry clothes! On the other, 155 degrees is a bit hotter than we typically like to see. As long as you restrict your use of this cycle to hardier garments, it should be fine.

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Delicates Cycle Performance

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The most remarkable thing about this machine's Delicate setting is the fact that it finished in only 65 minutes; typical Delicate cycles can take an extra half hour to finish. 96 percent of moisture was removed, as well, which—like the results of the Quick Dry—may not be perfect, but are nearly so. As with the aforementioned tests, temperatures got a bit warmer than we like to see, peaking at 126 degrees. This isn't terrible for delicate fabrics, but it may cause a bit more wear than gentler machines.

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Bulky Cycle Performance

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The Towels cycle that we used for the Bulky test was the only one that really didn't do all that well. In about 26 minutes—clearly the sensor wasn't picking up on moisture that had been pushed to the middle of our test comforter—the {{product.brand.name}} had gotten our item down to 67 percent of its bone dry weight. We've seen better, even in situations where the sensor decided to stop after a clearly insufficient amount of time. On the other hand, we've also seen much worse. It's annoying and arguably shouldn't be necessary, but this flawed result could be circumvented by flipping large items around at the end of the cycle and throwing it back in for another spin.

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Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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In just 25 minutes, the {{product.brand.name}}'s Quick Dry cycle delivered clothes that were 93 percent of the way to their original bone dry weight. This is excellent, as most cycles that finish this quickly still leave a good amount of moisture behind. It's worth noting that this cycle also peaked at the same temperature as the Normal setting: 155 degrees. It leads us to believe that you may be able to use a shortened Timed Dry setting rather than the Normal sensor-based cycle as a means of avoiding over-drying your clothes.

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Dry Cycles

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There are only seven cycles available on the {{product.brand.name}}, but they're all quite useful. The four sensor-based options cover all the primary clothing elements, though folks who want really specialized options like Workout Wear or Wool will have to look elsewhere. The manually-timed cycles may be a bit redundant, but they take the hassle out of sifting through the options of a standard Timed Dry feature: Speed Dry is for quick drying and small loads, while Freshen Up is {{product.brand.name}}'s equivalent of a Wrinkle-Out option.

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Customization

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Five dryness levels and five temperature settings make this machine one of the more comprehensive that we've tested. Manually adjustable cycles can be set to durations of 20 to 60 minutes in 20 minute intervals using the large button on the control panel, but the More and Less Time buttons on either side of the digital display allow you to tweak that to suit your specific drying needs.

Additional Drying Options

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The {{product.brand.name}} features standard options like a Wrinkle Care feature, a child lock, and the ability to turn the chime on or off, but it also has some options that aren't usually seen on models at this end of the price spectrum. The Damp Dry signal is a nice touch, but the Anti Bacterial option and the ability to save a customized cycle were quite unexpected, and very welcomed additions.

Controls

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The controls may look complicated, but they're actually really simple and straightforward. Buttons that are clearly labeled and easy to read activate extra features, adjust cycle duration, and alter program settings the same as any other average dryer. {{product.brand.name}}'s use of the circular layout as opposed to horizontal or vertical lines just gives it some visual panache without making it difficult to read. The timer is also easy to read, though the drying stages on the screen next to it—as well as indicator light reminding you to check the lint trap—may be too small for certain consumers to see without glasses. Also of note is the fact that the control cycle feels a bit insubstantial, as though it could break off if you spin it with too much force.

Door

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The door is of standard round design, fairly easy to open and shut, and otherwise quite unremarkable. The handle may be a bit low for tall individuals unless they plan on stacking it with a matching washer, but other than that we didn't notice any issues with it.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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Like the door, the lint trap proved to be good at what it was designed to do, no more and no less. It's fairly long, but didn't have any special flaps or compartments—an average lint trap in every respect.

Conclusion

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While we would like to see slightly better drying performance on a machine that costs $799, the {{product.name}} nevertheless earned some praise in our analysis. Specifically, the extra features including an Anti Bacterial setting, a customized cycle memory, and five temperature and dryness settings offer consumers a slightly better equipped machine than your average basic dryer. Temperatures got a bit warmer than we'd like, and clothes came out nearly dry more often than the number of times they were completely dry, but those bonus features serve as a soothing balm for any irritation caused by drying performance that's just slightly below the perfect mark. If you can find it on sale—and we did, for as little as about $718—it may be worth making it an investment.

Meet the tester

Matthew Zahnzinger

Matthew Zahnzinger

Logistics Manager & Staff Writer

@ReviewedHome

Matthew is a native of Brockton, MA and a graduate of Northeastern, where he earned a degree in English and Theatre. He has also studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and spends most of his free time pursuing a performance career in the greater Boston area.

See all of Matthew Zahnzinger's reviews

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