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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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This non-stackable {{product.brand.name}} is a white dryer with controls set at the back of the appliances top. The door is a tall white panel with no window, and its lint trap is of a standard design located at the center of the lower portion of the door frame. The controls have a gray border, and the cycle select knob has a reflective metallic finish. What keeps this dryer from getting a standing ovation, though, is the white enamel interior drum, a lower-end design feature compared to the stainless steel available on some other models.

Controls

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

After all the fancy design elements and musical controls, we're left with a lint trap that is incredibly ordinary. It's quite light, and straightforward with respect to removal and cleaning.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Speed & Performance Overview

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Cycles tended to run anywhere from five to 15 minutes past a full hour, and yet not one test produced perfectly dry clothes. Temperatures remained within a fully standard, average range, and yet this dryer just couldn't get out all the moisture that we added. There are many dryers on the market today which we have tested that could produce dry clothes for at least two tests out of four, but this one just didn't nail it on any of them.

Normal Cycle Performance

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The Normal cycle seemed to do everything right. Temperatures peaked at 149 degrees Fahrenheit, a level of heat that's frequently seen among the dryers that we bring in. Additionally, the cycle last for just over an hour, which is actually somewhat longer than average by about 10 minutes. Yet somehow, the {{product.brand.name}} couldn't get our clothes completely dry, stopping when fabrics were only 98 percent of the way dry. Now, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about for a measly two percent, but consider this—there are other models that cost the same, or less, than the {{product.brand.name}} that manage to hit that 100 percent bone dry goal, so why should you have to settle for a machine that can't deliver as well as the competition?

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Delicates Cycle Performance

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Like the Normal cycle, the {{product.brand.name}}'s Delicate test just couldn't hit that perfect 100 percent mark for moisture removal despite heating up to 127 degrees. This is actually on the hotter side of average as far as a Delicate cycle goes, and its inability to get our test material completely dry at that type of heat is rather disappointing, especially given the fact that the cycle took over an hour to finish.

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Bulky Cycle Performance

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75 percent of the way to the original bone dry weight actually isn't terrible for a Bulky cycle given the typically poor performance that we see for this test. 75 percent in an hour, though, isn't really encouraging, and if you do lots of heavy duty washing and drying, there are other machines out there with sensors that will actually take the cycle to a proper finishing point. Like the results of our other tests with this machine, the {{product.brand.name}} falls just short of being truly praise-worthy.

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Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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In 18 minutes, the {{product.brand.name}} only managed to get our test materials down to 68 percent of their bone dry weight. Admittedly, we've tested machines that did much worse, but we've also tested machines that have done much better. Given that the cycle is so short, you could theoretically put your items in for another go-around to finish the job, and with peak temperatures hitting just 105 degrees Fahrenheit, it couldn't hurt. The Small Load cycle is designed for batches of clothes containing roughly three to four items, however. Our Quick Dry test is conducted using a standard four pound load that had substantially more items, so keep that in mind when considering the final results.

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Dry Cycles

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With the inclusion of a preset Sheets cycle, as well as two separate cycles for Bulky and Heavy Duty, this dryer manages to have slightly more than what you would find in a purely basic layout. Other than those aforementioned settings, you have your Normal and Delicate presets, in addition to several variations on the standard Timed Dry. Nothing terribly fancy here, but enough that all your basic drying needs are likely to be met.

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Customization

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There are five temperature levels for the manual cycles, including an "air only" setting, but only four dryness levels for the sensor-based cycles. The cycles with adjustable durations can be altered down to the minute by pushing the "+" and "-" buttons on the dryer's display. One thing we discovered that could speed things along—If you hold the buttons down, it starts cycling through time by five minute increments rather than individual minutes.

Additional Drying Options

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Despite the fancy display and the flashing lights, the {{product.brand.name}} is short on extra features. There's a standard wrinkle prevent, which will keep tumbling clothes after a cycle is done to prevent bunching and wrinkling. Other than that, the only extra feature is a damp dry signal, which will let you know when clothes are ready for the transition to line drying.

Controls

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The sizable buttons and large fonts make this dryer easy to read, and the bright orange lighting certainly doesn't hurt. You'll always know what your dryer is currently set for, and the catchy little tones emitted when changing something make adjusting your cycle almost pleasurable. In a wonderfully efficient move, Maytag has designed this dryer so that it turns on automatically when you open the door. No more extra button presses, no holding down the start button for three to five seconds—this machine offers as streamlined and enjoyable a drying experience as is possible.

Door

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The large door may look imposing, but it's painless to use. Minimal force is needed to open it, and you can shut the door without having to slam it. Depending on how far you open it, it may start to flop open or swing shut, so you'll want to be careful how you arrange your laundry room if you want to make sure the glossy white finish doesn't get scratched.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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After all the fancy design elements and musical controls, we're left with a lint trap that is incredibly ordinary. It's quite light, and straightforward with respect to removal and cleaning.

Conclusion

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The single fact that this was one of the few dryers which turned on when you opened the door (a surprisingly pleasant feature, and one which made using any other dryer a bit more frustrating by comparison) made us hope the {{product.name}} would do well. Alas, the initial hope of superficial achievement turned out to be as disappointing as David Hasselhoff's turn in Jekyll & Hyde. Disappointing performance and almost no extra features would be one thing on a cheaper dryer, but an MSRP of $999 makes its failings all the harder to swallow. For that type of money, even when you consider the low sale prices of $690 that we could locate online, consumers should just get something better. You don't want a dryer that almost gets your clothes dry, just like you wouldn't want a washer that only almost gets your clothes clean. The competition in the market today is steep enough that an appliance with a Normal cycle that doesn't get clothes completely dry shouldn't even be close to the top of your shopping list. The {{product.name}} failed to get even a modest round of applause, let alone the standing ovation that its brand name might imply.

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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