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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

  • Drawer

  • Interior

  • Sides

  • Back

  • Electricity Use

  • Water Use

  • Cost Per Wash

  • Yearly Running Cost

  • Washing Speed

  • Washing Cycles

  • Customization

  • Additional Wash Options

  • Washing Options

  • Detergent Dispenser

  • Washer Door

  • Ease of Use

  • Controls

  • Comparison

  • Comparison

  • Comparison

  • Efficiency

  • Performance

  • Features

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Controls
  • Drawer
  • Interior
  • Sides
  • Back
  • Electricity Use
  • Water Use
  • Cost Per Wash
  • Yearly Running Cost
  • Washing Speed
  • Washing Cycles
  • Customization
  • Additional Wash Options
  • Washing Options
  • Detergent Dispenser
  • Washer Door
  • Ease of Use
  • Controls
  • Comparison
  • Comparison
  • Comparison
  • Efficiency
  • Performance
  • Features

Introduction

Front

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Controls

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Drawer

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Electricity Use

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Washers use very little electric power, which explains why the {{product.name}} will use less than 60 cents worth of electricity in an average year.

Water Use

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In an average year, the {{product.name}} will use about 5960 gallons of cold water and 517 gallons of hot water. This adds up to a yearly water bill of around $30.

Cost Per Wash

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Individual wash cycle costs range from five cents for a quick wash to eleven cents for a bulky cycle wash. That's on par with most front load washers.

Yearly Running Cost

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In an average year, accounting for all costs, the {{product.name}} will cost $31.12 to run.

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Washing Speed

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Washing Cycles

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Included in the LG's complement of cycles are the usual normal, cotton and delicates washes. Additionally, this washer has an anti-allergy wash, a sanitizing wash and steam refresh cycles.

Customization

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Each cycle can be customized based on temperature and spin speed, though not every speed and temperature combination is available for every wash.

Additional Wash Options

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Additional rinses and spin cycles can be added to most wash cycles. It's also possible to program a custom wash cycle based on your own temperature and spin speed.

Washing Options

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Detergent Dispenser

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Detergent, softener and bleach can be added through a slide-out drawer. We found it easy to use and had no problems adding detergent for our test loads.

Washer Door

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A large, heavy door tends to twist on its hinges, which easily puts it out of alignment with its latching mechanism. You need to have perfect aim, or you'll need more than one try to close the door.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Ease of Use

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Technophobes may find the {{product.name}}'s LCD screen intimidating and Luddites will certainly find it useless. Most people will buy a lesser model sans screen in order to save money. That's a matter of personal preference. However, that door sure is a pain to close.

Controls

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A large knob, front and center, is used to select wash cycles. Unfortunately, in characteristic LG style, the cycle names are somewhat offset from the knob itself. Thankfully, the cycle names appear on the LCD screen.

Comparison

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Both LG washers do a good job cleaning, but the LG top loader costs about $300 less upfront and twice as much more to run each year. The top loader may not have an LCD screen, but its control panel is slightly more confusing than the front-loader's. Neither did a great job at removing debris from test loads.

Normal Stain Performance

Comparison

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Though it doesn't have nearly as many custom wash cycles , the GE costs around half as much as the {{product.name}}. Both washers showed comparable results in our tests, and the GE did a better job displacing dirt.

Normal Stain Performance

Comparison

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Both LG and Samsung have built attractive, high-tech, front-loading washers. LG's does a better job at getting clothes stain-free, though Samsung's is better at protecting delicate fabrics and removing debris.

Normal Stain Performance

Efficiency

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Despite its high initial purchase price, the {{product.name}} should be easy on the wallet once it's installed, with an annual total operating cost estimated under $32.

Performance

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Though it may maul delicate fabrics and fail to remove debris, the {{product.name}} does a number on stains. That's what's most important to many consumers. If you're not planning on washing gardening overalls or antique lace tablecloths, this may be the washer for you.

Features

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The {{product.name}} has a cycle for every load, and those cycles can be further customized for true laundry perfection. The LCD screen was a little flaky, and the door was hard to close. Aside from those complaints, it was easy to use. If you can figure out the menus on your cable TV box, the {{product.name}} won't be too hard to understand.

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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