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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Performance & Features

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Normal and Delicate

  • Bulky and Quick Dry

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Performance & Features
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Normal and Delicate
  • Bulky and Quick Dry

Introduction

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Design & Usability

Simplicity is the order of the day.

In the spirit of the Whirlpool WED8000BW itself, we'll keep this section free of frippery. Painted a sleek white, there's no clutter here: just six preprogrammed cycles on a central dial, a few time and temperature options, and a digital countdown timer. That timer was occasionally a source of consternation, as it proved to be a bit optimistic.

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Using this Whirlpool is easier than hiring someone else to do your laundry for you. Just turn the machine on, put in your wet clothes, close the door, select a cycle, and press start. A one-time payment of $849 is all you'll shell out, and you don't have to figure out payroll tax deductions.

Performance & Features

Got the basics down, and impressed with Bulky and Delicate drying

First off, this Whirlpool had an exceptional Bulky cycle. It tossed our comforter around in its massive, 7.6 cu. ft. drum and got our test comforter on average 89 percent dry. That's a feat that dryers twice as expensive often can't replicate. The Delicates cycle was also notable, as it got clothes 99 percent dry while staying around 100ºF.

This Whirlpool had an exceptional Bulky cycle

The Normal cycle got just a bit toasty at 150.4ºF and ran over an hour, but got clothes dry. As long as you aren't drying the most fragile of fabrics, you shouldn't have any problems here. The Quick cycle, on the other hand, lasted 13 minutes. Indeed, it was quick. But it got a standard four pound load of laundry only 49 percent dry. If you ran it twice, or only threw in a shirt or two, you'd probably be OK.

Features-wise, there's not much going on here. A wrinkle-preventing extended tumble will run up to 150 minutes, but you'll be out of luck if you're looking for a boatload of dedicated cycles or a steam option.

Conclusion

It gets the job done

The Whirlpool Cabrio Platinum WED8000BW is a straightforward and effective dryer. All of its core cycles performed well, with the exception of a Quick cycle that sacrificed dryness for speed. If you're looking for an affordable dryer that turns its simplicity into an asset, this Cabrio may be the one for you.

Science Introduction

Science is the backbone of Reviewed.com. To ensure that our comparisons are accurate and results are repeatable, we perform standardized tests on every appliance that we install in our labs.

Normal and Delicate

The Normal and Delicate cycle tests start off with standardized eight pound test laundry loads. Each load is wetted down to 1.7 times their weight then placed into the WED8000BW along with temperature and humidity sensors.

The Normal cycle managed to get test loads 99 percent dry. However, it reached temperatures just barely north of 150 degrees—a bit toasty for our liking, though the mercury has to rise a bit more to guarantee increased clothes wear over time. The cycle also took over an hour even though the timer estimated 38 minutes. We like accurate predictions, but at least we got dry laundry.

The Delicates cycle was a different story. Yes, the timer said 28 minutes and our timers said an hour, but clothes still got 99 percent dry. That's a wearable state of affairs. A double bonus came when we took the readings off our sensors. The internal temperature never broke 107 degrees. A good showing all around.

Bulky and Quick Dry

Bulky is the K2 of dryer tests. Though Everest is taller, K2 is the toughest. A test comforter is wetted until it's 1.5 times its bone dry weight. Then, along with a couple of temperature sensors, it goes into the dryer where it usually knots itself into a wet ball. This Whirlpool is laudable for getting our comforter 89 percent dry. Yes, parts remained fairly wet to the touch, but this result was far better than most machines out there. The cycle took between one hour fourteen minutes and one hour six minutes.

Quick Dry is where this dryer stumbled. It got test loads only 49 percent dry. It compensates by only taking 13 minutes. So if you ran it twice, your clothes will probably get completely dry.

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.

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