Pros
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Simple design
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Easy-to-use controls
Cons
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No Whites cycle
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Unattractive "bubble" window can catch small items
Still, while you're looking, we recommend you check out the other affordable, top-rated front-load washers that did well in our tests—including our #1-ranked Electrolux, an LG with a steam cycle, and an American-made Maytag that's awesome at stain removal.
Design
The WFW75HEFW has a basic, no-frills design. If your laundry room is limited, space-wise, you can stack it with its companion dryer. The 4.5 cu.-ft. interior feels spacious enough, and its stainless steel tub looks a little bit fancier than you might expect on a plain white washer.
When you open the door of this front-loader, you see the shining stainless steel tub. Keep the door open when you aren't using the washer to let the interior dry. This prevents the rubber seal from smelling musty.
Touch sensitive controls are easy to use. We could see how, with their front right location, you might brush against them, and accidentally change a setting. Tap the Control Lock to prevent that from happening.
There isn’t a cycle labeled “Whites”, but that shouldn’t be a problem. We recommend that you just run a Normal cycle with hot water.
A window in the door enables you to see the wash and the water level, but this window is a little unusual. It has an unattractive bubble design, but unless you’re planning to install this machine where you’d see it all day, you’ll probably never think about it. Watch out though—its shape may cause small items to get caught in the window.
The console has adjustments for wash temperature, spin, and soil level. If you need an extra rinse, it's easy to select one. Be careful—it's easy to lean on the control panel and accidentally reset the touch controls.
Performance
• Cleaning is fine, overall. The washer made stains disappear. We found it to be fairly efficient, as well. The total number of gallons used per wash was between 12 and 13 for every cycle but the Quick wash, which used about 10.5 gallons of water. The average yearly cost of running the washer is about $37—about half what an average top-load washer costs, but on par with most front-load machines.
• Cycles take exactly what the manufacturer promises. The Normal cycle lasted 48 minutes with an 8 lb. load, and the Quick cycle took only 25 minutes with a 4 lb. load. The Heavy Duty cycle ran for an hour and 15 minutes—quick, although it didn't clean as well as Maytag's much longer PowerWash.
• Clothing wear and tear is average. Curiously, wear is exactly the same for the Normal and Delicate cycles. We expected the Delicate cycle to be gentler on clothes, since it doesn't do the robust spin that a Normal cycle does.
What the users say
The machine’s sleek, smooth design appeals to buyers who posted online reviews, and the majority say it does a good job cleaning the laundry. Several users mention the need to leave the door open and wipe the rubber gasket between uses to avoid developing a musty smell. (This can happen with many front-loaders.) A few people mentioned the loud volume the washer emits when it’s pumping, though we didn’t detect it in our tests.
If you only need the basic cycles, the Whirlpool WFW75HEFW provides them. The Normal cycle takes 48 minutes.
The bottom line
If you want a front-loading washer but bells and whistles aren't your jam, we think the WFW75HEFW will get the job done for you. The washer’s controls are clear and easy to use, clothes come out nice and clean, and the machine is efficient compared to a top-loader.
For a sale price of around $720, it's outclassed by other machines in its price range. But if you find it on sale for $599 or less, it would be a truly great buy.
We recommend stretching your budget to spend a tiny bit more to get speedy cycles and super stain removal with the LG WM3770HWA. It's one of our favorite front-loaders, and we awarded it our coveted Editor's Choice badge.
Meet the testers
Cindy Bailen loves writing about major appliances and home design and has spent over 15 years immersed in that. In her spare time, Cindy hosts pledge programs for WGBH-TV in Boston and other public television stations.
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.
Checking our work.
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