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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

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • Comparison Overview

  • Performance

  • Customization & Features

  • Design

  • 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
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Comparison Overview
  • Performance
  • Customization & Features
  • Design
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Front

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The {{product.name}} is a top-loading dryer that isn't stackable. Though the design is sleek, the exposed hinges and solid metal door cast the shadow of cost-cutting over the whole unit.

Controls

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

The {{product.name}}'s lint trap slides out easily from behind the door.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Speed & Performance Overview

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Aside from the normal cycle, most of the {{product.name}}'s cycles took longer than average and didn't do the best job getting clothes dry.

Normal Cycle Performance

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While the {{product.name}}'s normal cycle was a quick 50 minutes, our test loads still emerged a little damp.

Delicates Cycle Performance

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In cycles that varied between an low of one hour and a high of 82 minutes, the {{product.name}}'s delicate cycle got 99 percent of the moisture out of test loads.

Bulky Cycle Performance

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Though the bulky cycle got the test load entirely dry, it took over an hour and a half to get there.

Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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The quick dry was the {{product.name}}'s only standout: In 23 minutes, the dryer removed 71 percent of the moisture from our test loads.

Dry Cycles

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The {{product.name}} has 9 drying cycles. Most of them depend on the drying sensor to determine how long they run, but the timed drying cycles run for as long as the user selects.

Customization

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Automatic dry cycles can be customized for temperature and dryness level, while the timed cycles can be set to run for longer or shorter amounts of time.

Additional Drying Options

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An "Eco Monitor" lets the user know how energy efficient a cycle is, rated on an optimistic scale from "good" to "best." The only problem is that none of the main cycles even get close to "best."

Controls

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With a knob for cycle selection and buttons for cycle customization, the {{product.name}}'s controls are straightforward. An optimistic timer displays how many minutes are left before a cycle completes.

One annoyance is the {{product.name}}'s damp dry signal. It can start sounding halfway through a wash and is louder than some smoke alarms.

Door

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If you like to watch clothes dry, you're out of luck: the {{product.name}} has a solid metal door. It opens easily enough, but it doesn't feel very substantial.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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The {{product.name}}'s lint trap slides out easily from behind the door.

Comparison Overview

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The {{product.name}} bested the stackable WED94HEXW on performance, though the pricier dryer is more stylish and had a few more features.

Performance

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On every single cycle, the WED94HEXW took longer and left clothes more damp than the {{product.name}}.

Customization & Features

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Aside from an "Eco Boost" setting that uses less electricity, the WED94HEXW offers the same drying cycles as the less expensive Whirlpool.

Design

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The stackable WED94HEXW looks more substantial than the {{product.name}}. It also offers the benefit of a glass door, if you're into watching clothes dry.

Comparison Overview

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Though it retails for hundreds less, the GE GFDN110ELWW outperformed the {{product.name}} on nearly every measure.

Performance

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Customization & Features

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The GE only has six cycles compared to the Whirlpool's nine.

Design

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

The stackable GE has a glass door and a more sleek design than the Whirlpool.

Comparison Overview

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Though they're made by the same corporate parent, the less expensive Maytag MEDE200XW outperforms the {{product.name}} on every measure.

Performance

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Customization & Features

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Neither dryer has a plethora of drying options to choose from, but both have the ones that count.

Design

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If you want to watch your clothes dry, pick the Maytag. The Whirlpool had a better display.

Conclusion

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Though it can be found online for around $700, the {{product.name}} is still a pricey washer for such average performance. Washes take a long time and the clothes often emerge a little damp. Design-wise, the dryer isn't stackable, beeps like a fire alarm and lacks a window to the drying process within.

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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