Skip to main content
  • 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

The {{product.name}}'s accompanying washer is the Electrolux EIFLS55IIW.

Front

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

The front of the {{product.name}} covers the basics: door and controls. You push in on the left side of the door to make it pop open. There aren't any real frills here.

Controls

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

Interior

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

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

We didn't have any issues with the r:product:name />'s lint trap. It removes for easy cleaning and has a large screen so you don't have to clean a lot of nooks and crannies.

Sides

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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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

The back of the {{product.name}} is pretty sparse. The top right has a hole for setting up the power cord. The large hole at the bottom is the exhaust output.

The exhaust output is located at the bottom of the back. This is where the dryer pumps out the hot, wet air.

Speed & Performance Overview

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

The {{product.name}} had an average performance on our drying tests. Its normal cycle managed to do a great job drying the load without taking too much extra time. Its delicates cycle took a lot of extra time and and under-performed. The quick dry cycle was fast, but not particularly effective at actually drying things, while the bulky cycle was slightly above average.

Normal Cycle Performance

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

If you want to get the water out of a normal-sized load, use the Normal cycle. We found the {{product.name}}'s Normal cycle managed to evaporate 98.82% of the water in our test load (on average). Some competing models will put up similar numbers, but the {{product.name}} managed to get these results in a 48 minute time frame compared to the 60+ minute time frame needed by competing models. A great performance here.

{{ attachments(5115a0a63fe67d32e000038b)

Delicates Cycle Performance

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

The {{product.name}} had an average Delicates cycle. was another functional win for the {{product.name}}, which was able to get out about 93% of the water. Again, however the {{product.model}} took a really, really long time to get there.

{{ attachments(5115a07d7dbea2cf84000735)

Bulky Cycle Performance

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

Our bulky cycle test is a bit tough. A comforter is just about the largest, thickest item you would realistically put in a dryer. It balls up as it tumbles around, creating a damp center that's shielded from the dryer's heat. While the {{product.name}} was able to get out over half of the water, we found the comforter was still somewhat damp in places. Combine the lackluster drying with the drawn-out cycle time, and you're looking at a fairly mediocre performance.

{{ attachments(5115a060d9a62209a0000154)

Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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

You probably shouldn't use the {{product.name}}'s Quick Dry cycle for anything but a few items at a time. The 13 minute cycle stuck to its stated time, but only removed about 38% of the water from the load. The wet weight of our test load is a little over 7 lbs, of which the {{product.model}} removed about 1 of that. After the cycle, the laundry felt very wet to the touch, about what you'd expect from a very high spin cycle on a washer.

Below you can compare the {{product.name}}'s Quick Dry cycle to similar cycles on competing models.

{{ attachments(5115a0bbecf70816a90004ac)

Dry Cycles

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

The {{product.name}} doesn't have the most cycles we've seen, but it does have more than enough for the average user. The control dial and buttons let you select from one of 11 different cycles including one "favorite" cycle that is fully programmable.

Below we've listed all of the {{product.model}}'s cycles, along with the description its manual gives for each.

{{ attachments(511285a87e822945bd000e02)

Customization

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

To the right of the control dial you'll find a small LCD screen and a handful of operational controls. Here you can set a specific temperature and dryness, as well as enable one of the following options: Damp Alert, Extended Tumble, Add Steam, Delicate Heat, Sanitize, or Chime. The Extended Tumble option is definitely nice for helping to mitigate wrinkles when you can't dash off to immediately empty the dryer, and the Add Steam feature provides a hands-off approach to ironing your clothes.

Here's a full list of the different customization options available.

Additional Drying Options

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

The {{product.name}} has no additional drying options.

Controls

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

The {{product.name}} has an easy to use set of controls. The control dial has a good set of grips, turns very easily, and very solidly clicks into each selection. Each setting around the dial has a blue LED to indicate which one is selected, which made it very clear which option we had selected. Each mode also has a small icon that serves as a quick description of the cycle. The customization controls are also pretty straight-forward. We thought the {{product.model}} had one of he better control interfaces.

Door

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

The {{product.name}} had one of the more inconsistent doors we've seen so far. Instead of a handle, it has a button on the door that you push to both open and close the door. This offers a hands-free solution for opening the door, but we ran into some issues closing the door. Every once in a while the door would close normally, but more often than not the latch wouldn't catch and the door would bounce open again. You either need to slam the door shut, or use a special technique that seems to change with each passing minute. We definitely wish the {{product.name}} would let us in on its secret handshake.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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

We didn't have any issues with the r:product:name />'s lint trap. It removes for easy cleaning and has a large screen so you don't have to clean a lot of nooks and crannies.

Conclusion

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

The {{product.name}} is a decent mid-range dryer that lacks frills but has better than average performance. We'd recommend checking out a floor model before you buy it to see if you run into the same problems with its door that we did. The other thing to keep in mind with the {{product.name}} is its performance was inconsistent. It had some great performances on normal and delicate cycles, but really didn't shine on its quick dry and bulky cycles. This being said, as long as you're using the {{product.name}}'s good cycles, the machine provides a lot of quality for a decent price.

Meet the tester

WasherDryerInfo.com Staff

WasherDryerInfo.com Staff

Editor

WasherDryerInfo.com Staff is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of WasherDryerInfo.com Staff'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