Skip to main content
  • How Does it Work?

  • How Well Does it Clean?

  • What's the Warranty?

  • Should I Buy It?

  • By the Numbers

  • Cleaning Performance

  • Efficiency

  • How Does it Work?
  • How Well Does it Clean?
  • What's the Warranty?
  • Should I Buy It?
  • By the Numbers
  • Cleaning Performance
  • Efficiency

A 3.7-cu.-ft. drum can handle one or two people's laundry; however, large families will find the lack of capacity a drag. To help compensate for this lower cubic footage, the WTW4915EW has a Deep Water Wash which will more thoroughly submerge your clothes in water.

With its limited abilities and low up-front cost, this washer is perfect for those who need to replace a broken machine on a shoestring budget, for a person who appreciates traditional technology, or for a landlord who doesn't care about performance. Other buyers should keep looking for a machine that might cost a little bit more, but will undoubtedly be a better value in the long run.

To read our full review of this washer's matching dryer, the Whirlpool WED4915EW, click here.

How Does it Work?

Decluttered

{{ photo_gallery name="Whirlpool" }}

The WTW4915EW has a clean design. Look at the control panel and you'll see five knobs, each one dedicated to a single category, with easy-to-read print. If you're used to choosing your own soil, temperature, and rinse options, this Whirlpool will make you feel right at home. A series of green LCDs lets you know how far along your laundry is.

Having an impeller means you get to use more of the 3.7-cu.-ft. capacity.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Christopher Snow

Having an impeller means you get to use more of the 3.7-cu.-ft. capacity.

Whirlpool reserved its engineering talent for what's going on inside the WTW4915EW. It combines an impeller and a pole agitator. That means you'll be able to use more of the already moderate 3.7-cu.-ft. capacity, since the setup does a better job circulating clothes throughout the drum.

But don't let this newfangled impeller scare you off: The WTW4915EW still has some old-fashioned features, like the ability to presoak or use tap cold water. Many consumers feel that new washers don't get their laundry wet enough, and this Whirlpool has an answer for that. The Deep Water Wash cycle nearly fills the drum to the brim to release debris. Just keep in mind, more water means your detergent won't work as well at removing stains.

How Well Does it Clean?

Cleans up to its weight class

Few sub-$500 washers do a good job cleaning clothes. But that's not to say this Whirlpool is bad at removing stains—it's just on par with other washers in its price range. It neither surprised nor disappointed us.

Although you can adjust a bunch of settings, you can also just press start.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Christopher Snow

Although you can adjust a bunch of settings, you can also just press start.

{{amazon name="Tide High Efficiency Laundry Detergent, Original Scent, 170 oz- 110 loads", asin="B00PY9YZGC", align="right"}}Heavy Duty was the most powerful cycle we tested. It removed a whopping 12% more stains than the Normal cycle, and all that extra stain removal took only five extra minutes. In fact, all of the WTW4915EW's cycles are on the shorter side. Normal only required 48 minutes, while Quick Wash finished in 30 minutes. For people on the go, the WTW4915EW will help you get on with your day.

Although the WTW4915EW is time efficient, it uses water liberally–a blessing and a curse. Based on national average and use patterns, we estimate that this washer will cost around $60 a year to run. That's on the high side, considering that after eight years your water bill will be larger than the original purchase price. Buying a more expensive, more efficient machine may save you money in the long run.

For in-depth performance information, please visit the Test Results Page.

What's the Warranty?

For one year from the date of purchase, when the WTW4915EW is installed, Whirlpool will cover the cost of parts and labor. This warranty only applies for defects in materials and workmanship that exist at the time of purchase. Whirlpool put the WTW4915EW's owner's manual online, too.

Should I Buy It?

An affordable, entry-level washer

Only one or two washing machines are more affordable than the perfectly adequate Whirlpool WTW4915EW. For most consumers, that's enough of a recommendation: It's cheap and it works.

Delving a little deeper you'll find a Deep Water Wash, a few features, and simple controls. If you don't like the new controls on Whirlpool's higher-end machines, check it out. And if you're a landlord or need a washer right away, this machine is worthy of your attention.

By the Numbers

In order to give a reviewed on empirical facts, we put the Whirlpool WTW4915EW through its paces at our appliance labs. You can read more about how we test here. On this page we'll go through the test results of the stain removal tests and efficiency calculations.

Cleaning Performance

Cleaning performance revolves around stain removal. We determine how well a washer can do this by using standardized, machine-stained cloth strips. Common household substances, like cocoa and red wine, coat these strips.

An example of a stain strip before and after it has been washed.

An example of a stain strip before and after it has been washed.

We place these strips in selected washer cycle along with towels, sheets, and pillowcases, which serve as ballasts. When a cycle finishes, we analyze the strips with a photospectrometer–calculating how much of each stain has been lifted via its color.

The WTW4915EW performed up to its weight class–it's very affordable weight class. Heavy Duty was by far the best cycle we tested. It removed 8% more stains than the Whites cycle, the next highest rated and 12% more than Normal. On top of its good test scores, it only required five extra minutes over Normal.

Delving into individual stains, we again saw what we'd expect. The WTW4915EW did well against stains like red wine and cocoa and poorly against sebum and oil. This results comes from the fact that the WTW4915EW does not come with an internal water heater. At the end of the day, this means that this Whirlpool can remove 20% more cocoa than it can sweat stains.

Efficiency

Our efficiency tests account for both resource usage and water retention. The upfront costs of running a washer are water and electricity. In this case, the WTW4915EW kept costs in line with other top loaders. Based on typical use patterns and utility prices, this washer will cost you around $60 a year to run–around double what an efficient front loader uses.

Water retention is also important. Washers that fail to spin out excess water just end up taxing the dryer, which is the energy hog of most homes. The GTW485ASJWS spun out 39% of excess water, which is below the passing mark of 50%.

Meet the tester

Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

@Jonfromthelab1

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

See all of Jonathan Chan'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