Skip to main content
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

BUY NOW
  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Performance & Features

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Water Retention & Cycle Duration

  • Temperature & Estimated Time

  • Bulky & Delicate Cycles

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Performance & Features
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Water Retention & Cycle Duration
  • Temperature & Estimated Time
  • Bulky & Delicate Cycles

Introduction

Unlike other dryers in the same price range, it has no special features. There's no steam, no custom cycles, no sanitizing option—just a really good looking dryer with a pretty small drum and some aggravating quirks. It definitely did well in our objective tests, but it's still expensive for a dryer with so few features.

Design & Usability

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Hey, good lookin'—why such a basket case?

The {{product.name}} has an unusual design, likely owing to its European heritage. It's a stackable front-loader whose entire front is a solid aluminum door, which means it will fit into a stylish modern kitchen, just like a dishwasher. Unfortunately, that same attractive door only clicked open successfully about 80 percent of the time. Its controls are designed to be unobtrusive in a kitchen setting, but they're not particularly easy to operate or to see. Buttons require a hard, square-on push, and many users will have to get out their reading glasses to see the cycle names or the LED screen.

Rarely have we hated a feature more than this folding lint trap.

Conveniently, the Asko has the option to fit its vent onto the side or the rear, which increases the number of places it can fit into. Behind its aluminum door is the most aggravating lint trap we've ever encountered. Rarely have we hated a feature more than this folding basket. It would be too high up for you to comfortably remove if the dryer was stacked, and there's no clear indicator of which way to insert it, so there's a 50 percent chance you'll get it wrong. That's frustrating. But what really irked us was the small door latch located directly above the lint trap. If you're not careful while removing the trap, you'll skin your knuckles on the sharp, plastic latch above. We did so numerous times during the testing process, and grew to hate the design.

{{photo_gallery "Front Image", "Controls 1 Photo", "Controls 2 Photo", "Drawer Photo", "Lint Trap Photo", "Interior Photo", "Interior Detail Photo", "Sides Photo", "Sides Detail 1 Photo", "Side Detail 2 Photo", "Back Photo", "Back Detail Photo"}}

Performance & Features

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Though this Asko's features are few and far between, they're pretty well-chosen.

Aside from an "Auto Iron Dry," there really aren't any options available beyond the usual Automatic Normal, Heavy Duty, Delicates, and Quick. Luckily, the automatic cycles proved competent enough to make up for the lack of specialty settings. It's worth mentioning, however, that a "sanitize" cycle is a noticeable absence on a dryer this costly.

There aren't too many ways to customize a drying session.

Asko likes to have the on-board sensors make most of the choices about how to run a cycle, so there aren't too many ways to customize a drying session. You can reduce the temperature or create a timed cycle, and you will find both a Delayed Start and a Wrinkle Guard, but that about does it.

Most cycles took over an hour, but still got our test loads just shy of perfectly dry. Keep in mind that we test all our machines using the same standardized loads, so we didn't cut back even though this is a compact machine. The {{product.name}}'s small interior means that it just doesn't have the space to tumble clothes as effectively as a larger model. Therefore, if a sizable towel or sheet gets wrapped up, it has less room to untangle and will often end up with a damp center. We witnessed this occurring continually during testing, so just use smaller loads and results should be better.

Conclusion

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Don't judge a dryer by its sleek aluminum cover.

If you have limited space, the Asko may be ideal. Otherwise, we recommend a full-size unit.

If you've ever suspected that "luxury" items don't actually perform any better than their lower-cost counterparts, the Asko T753 is damning evidence in favor of that argument. Yes, the Asko is a very good high-end compact dryer: It has no trouble getting standard loads of laundry dry during relatively short cycles, and it looks quite good in a designer kitchen.

However, its $899 price tag, tiny interior, complete lack of features and frustrating quirks make it less of a value than most mid-range machines. If you have limited space or if you're installing a dryer where it's visible, the Asko may be ideal. Otherwise, we recommend one of the many full-size units capable of doing just as good a job for a much lower price.

Science Introduction

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Smaller units have less space to tumble clothes, something which poses several obstacles on the way to effective. We ran tests to find out if this Asko would leave loads wet, heat excessively, or take too long to finish a job.

Water Retention & Cycle Duration

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

True, this little dryer needs a little improvement, but surprisingly, it did a pretty fine job removing moisture from loads. In our testing, the Auto Normal cycle removed every drop of moisture from the laundry—an impressive feat for such a small machine. The Auto Delicate cycle was almost on the mark too, achieving 98 percent water removal—and that's with loads as big as what we use for full-sized units.

Auto Timed, which we ran for 30 minutes for our quick dry test, disappointed us with only 68 percent water removal.

But from there, things went downhill, perhaps unsurprisingly. Auto Heavy reached only 96 percent of the original bone-dry weight and the Auto Timed, which we ran for 30 minutes for our quick dry test, disappointed us with only 68 percent water removal.

{{photo_gallery "Science Section 1 Images"}}

Temperature & Estimated Time

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Cycles on this {{product.name}} took from under an hour to just over 73 minutes to complete. In a twist, the LED screen actually displayed an accurate estimate for cycle duration—a rare treat. It takes a minute or so to calculate how much time a cycle will take, but it's a lot more accurate than the displays on other dryers we've tested.

The Auto Normal cycle dried loads completely in about an hour and 13 minutes, and with temperatures of up to 144.8º—definitely hotter than we like to see. For softer items, think twice before throwing them into this cycle repeatedly.

High temperatures can be tough on bright colors and gentle fabrics.

Since 30 minutes isn't a long time to get clothes dry, so it's not surprising that the {{product.name}} had some trouble on the quick dry test. Its temperature peaked at a rather low heat of 107ºF—but that's probably better than the alternative, as high temperatures can be tough on bright colors and gentle fabrics.

Finally, temperature-sensitive loads will need to beware of the Auto Delicates cycle, which reached about 144ºF—well beyond the gentler 120º heats we prefer on cycles like these.

{{photo_gallery "Science Section 2 Images"}}

Bulky & Delicate Cycles

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

{{photo_gallery "Other Tests Images"}}

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

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next