This compact front-load dryer matches the whirlpool washer, #
LHW0050PQ. The washer is extremely quiet. Unfortunately, this dryer is not.
This electric dryer is compact, at 33 1/4" high x 2 3/8" wide x 23 1/4" deep (incl. hose). So, it will fit in spaces that are too tight for other front-load dryers. It also is reasonably large inside, with 3.8 cu. ft. of internal space. It is a nice complement to the matching washer. Basically, if the washer will wash the load, this dryer will dry it. Note that it is very short. If you are installing this side-by-side, I would recommend some sort of base to help raise it up. Otherwise, you'll get a back ache always bending over. We actually stacked it on top of the matchig washer, and it is a nice height.
It is loud. This is primarily due to the blower motor, a loud and high-pitched whine. It is louder than the dryer it replaced, and much louder than the companion washer. The blower motor is loud for a good reason, however - it is rated at 200 cfm, almost twice other U.S.A. dryers (typically 110 cfm). So, if you don't mind the noise, it actually is a good dryer. An interesting aside - after we connected this, a large amount of lint started coming through the vent on the outside of the house - had me worried that the lint trap was not working. I now understand that this was likely instead due to the high velocity air flow, compared to the old dryer. The new dryer was blowing all the old lint out of the hose, outside the house!
It also tumbles in both directions. This is a holdover option from the European model on which it is based - the Eurotech EDV278. Apparently, European dryers include this option to help the drying cycle, minimize wrinkling and minimize clothes tangling. It is actually a very nice option that Whirlpool fails to discuss in its literature. I imagine US - based dryers will add this at some point.
The lint trap is fairly nice, and easy to clean (a good improvement over my old dryer).
A typical load takes roughly an hour to dry. It has a sensor which shuts the dryer off when the clothes are dry, so it is fairly easy to operate. There are various settings - Regular, Synthetic or timed dry. Multiple options are available under these broad settings - including "more dry" "normal" "less dry" or "damp".
On the driest setting, it COMPLETELY dries the clothes out, so if you forget and leave something in that might wrinkle, it will be a wrinkled blob by the time the dryer is done. Just remember to remove easily wrinklable stuff, it it won't be a problem.
This also has an anti-wrinkle "fluff" setting, so that after a load is done it beeps at you and spins the load every few minutes, in theory to stop wrinkles. In practice, it just is an annoyance, because it seems the clothes wrinkle anyway.
Another annoyance is that this dryer does not come with a power cord. Again, this is a compact dryer. It actually can run on a "regular" 15 amp / 240 v outlet, but will also run on a 30 amp dryer outlet. I can only assume this is also a holdover from the European model on which this is based. At any rate, you must purchase the cord which fits your wall outlet. As you can guess, it also uses less electricity than most U.S.A. based models - (roughly 3100 watts vs. 5000+).
In summary, this is a very nice dryer. It has great options and a compact size. It makes up for its small internal size by adding a HUGE blower, which moves more air. Unfotunately, it also makes it loud. It is a great combo with the matching washer.
