Blomberg DV17540 3.67 Cu. Ft. White Electric Dryer Review

Introduction

Front

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

This compact little white dryer looks like a standard machine that's just been squashed down. A plain, white enamel finish coats both the exterior, and the front has an opaque round door that's also proportionally smaller compared to a full-sized dryer.

Controls

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

Cycles are selected using a plain knob; it looks like there's a spot for glowing indicator light, but it doesn't actually turn on. That dark spot just helps remind the user where it's pointing. Drying status is monitored using a series of indicator lights that notify you as to how damp your clothes are, but there's no timer to let you know how much time is left in the cycle.

Interior

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

The inside of this unassuming little machine is actually coated with stainless steel, a high-end touch that will keep the drum from rusting or discoloring after prolonged use. The little paddles, however, are made of white plastic, so you may want to keep an eye on how well they hold up.

This lint trap is one of the more unusual ones we've come across. Instead of a single screen that will catch lint, this one has two that close to form a small compartment. It's easy to access and shouldn't prove any difficulty to clean, with one caveat: the small portion that makes up the hinge also collects lint, and this tiny bit of screen may be a bit of a pain to get to for any consumer with large fingers.

Sides

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

You'll notice the small outlet found on the side of this machine located near the back. That's the outlet for the matching compact washer, which will have to either stack with this appliance or will have to be placed immediately next on that side.

Back

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

Speed & Performance Overview

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

Even though the {{product.name}} is a compact dryer, we still used full standardized loads of about eight pounds for Normal, Delicate, and Bulky tests—Quick Dry tests require a four pound load. Despite taking on proportionally larger amounts of clothes compared to a full-sized model, this little machine managed to get perfect results on the Normal setting. Delicate and Bulky tests also managed to deliver very respectable percentages of moisture removal. Our Quick Dry test, however, exposed this machine's weakness: it definitely needs time to heat up. On another high note, drying times were never noticeably longer than average.

Normal Cycle Performance

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

While an hour and a half for a Normal cycle is a bit on the long side, it's by no means unacceptable or unheard of. Perfect drying at just 128 degrees Fahrenheit, however, is something less frequently seen. Nonetheless, that's what the {{product.brand.name}} managed to produce. Apartment dwellers who need a compact machine won't have to worry about getting standard loads dry with this product.

{{ attachments(5113e84e07ea4a211800089a)

Delicates Cycle Performance

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

The Delicates setting was perhaps the most surprising. It took about an hour and a half—standard even for full-sized machines—and had a peak temperature of just 94 degrees. The fact that our materials were only 84 percent dry may mean that 94 degrees is a bit too cool to produce perfect results, but consumers won't have to worry one bit about over drying sensitive fabrics. It's also worth noting that 84 percent is a better result than what we've seen on some full sized models, though it's far from the best out there. The fact that it reached that point in no more time than on a larger dryer and at such cool temperatures is what we found impressive.

{{ attachments(5113e82609254398940003ad)

Bulky Cycle Performance

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

With temperatures reaching 133 degrees and our test comforter getting 72 percent dry, this little {{product.brand.name}} proves that it can hold its own against even larger dryers. Like the Delicate test results, it's still not perfect, but it's comparable to common results produced by an average mid-range product.

{{ attachments(5113e80f09254398940003ab)

Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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

A 30 minute Timed Dry was the closest we could come to a Quick Dry setting. It peaked at just 83 degrees, which seems to mean the {{product.brand.name}} requires more time than just 30 minutes to reach an adequate heat level in order to dry small loads that are still too large for the Mini cycle. Removing just 53 percent of moisture from our test fabrics, this was the worst test result we got for this particular model.

{{ attachments(5113e87907ea4a21180008b9)

Dry Cycles

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

Despite being a compact dryer, this machine boasts a full set of available cycles. It covers most of the basics, with Cottons and Permanent Press options coming with different selectable dryness levels. A Delicates setting is also found here, though bulky or heavy duty options are noticeably absent; Cottons Extra Dry is the closest cycle option available that could be considered comparable. Four other specialized options are provided, in addition to a Refresh setting that doesn't use any heat, and Timed Programs available for 15, 30, or 75 minutes.

{{ attachments(511027e69c98ed44e70002ce)

Customization

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

This machine lacks any customizable setting in the traditional sense. Timed Dry is limited to three preset durations, and only Permanent Press and Cotton cycles offer different dryness settings. Other cycles are completely preprogrammed, and there's no temperature adjustment option whatsoever.

Additional Drying Options

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

You can activate a child lock (appropriate, given how low to the ground this machine is unless it's stacked), but otherwise this machine has no additional feature available that can be controlled by the user. Cycles have a built-in anticrease feature which will run for up to two hours after the dryer has finished. Clothes rotate every ten minutes in order to reduce bunching or wrinkling, but it cannot be turned off.

Controls

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

The control knob is easy to use, and moves from cycle to cycle with a satisfying click. However, unless you're close to eye level with the knob, it can be difficult to see exactly which cycle has been selected especially the lower selections such as Cottons Extra Dry and the 75 minute Timed Dry. There are three additional buttons: the On/Off power switch, the start button, and the signal button. The first is self-explanatory; the second will activate, pause, or cancel a cycle; the third will turn off the dryer's chime. By holding the start and signal buttons simultaneously for three seconds, you'll activate the child lock, which will prevent the controls from being altered until the lock has been turned off.

Door

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

The door is the {{product.brand.name}}'s most contradictory component. It's surprisingly lightweight, yet doesn't swing on its hinge. It's also very easy to close, requiring minimal force to do so. It can be quite stubborn when it comes to opening, though, and can require a fairly forceful pull in order to access the inside of the machine.

Lint Trap

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

This lint trap is one of the more unusual ones we've come across. Instead of a single screen that will catch lint, this one has two that close to form a small compartment. It's easy to access and shouldn't prove any difficulty to clean, with one caveat: the small portion that makes up the hinge also collects lint, and this tiny bit of screen may be a bit of a pain to get to for any consumer with large fingers.

Conclusion

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

Every type of appliance can be broken down into tiers, and compact dryers are no exception. The {{product.name}} proved itself to be a decent mid-range compact appliance, offering decent—albeit imperfect—performance for a price tag that's quite reasonable compared to higher end compact models. Online sale prices were scarce, but we did manage to find one that reduced the $690 MSRP down to $549. The issues we had with it, specifically its lack of features and no ability to customize cycles, are common with compacts. The big draw with this type of model isn't function as much as it is spatial economy, though, and in that respect, this tiny little thing should keep you quite happy.