Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

BUY NOW
  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Controls

  • Drawer

  • Interior

  • Sides

  • Back

  • Electricity Use

  • Water Use

  • Cost Per Wash

  • Yearly Running Cost

  • Washing Speed

  • Normal/Permanent Press Cycle

  • Cotton/Whites Cycle

  • Delicate Cycle

  • Heavy Duty Cycle

  • Quick Wash Cycle

  • Dirt Removal

  • Clothes Wear (1.11)

  • Water Retention (4.08)

  • Washing Cycles

  • Customization

  • Additional Wash Options

  • Washing Options

  • Detergent Dispenser

  • Washer Door

  • Ease of Use

  • Controls

  • Efficiency

  • Performance

  • Features

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Controls
  • Drawer
  • Interior
  • Sides
  • Back
  • Electricity Use
  • Water Use
  • Cost Per Wash
  • Yearly Running Cost
  • Washing Speed
  • Normal/Permanent Press Cycle
  • Cotton/Whites Cycle
  • Delicate Cycle
  • Heavy Duty Cycle
  • Quick Wash Cycle
  • Dirt Removal
  • Clothes Wear (1.11)
  • Water Retention (4.08)
  • Washing Cycles
  • Customization
  • Additional Wash Options
  • Washing Options
  • Detergent Dispenser
  • Washer Door
  • Ease of Use
  • Controls
  • Efficiency
  • Performance
  • Features

Introduction

Front

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

Controls

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

Drawer

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

Interior

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

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Sides

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

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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

Electricity Use

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

Electricity use is a very small component of a washer's overall cost of ownership. The {{product.name}}'s total average yearly electricity cost was a mere 92 cents.

Water Use

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

The {{product.name}} used much more cold water than hot water, which helps to keep costs down. If you want to save even more, you can adjust the wash temperature to make each individual cycle only use cold water.

Cost Per Wash

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

None of the wash cycles on the {{product.name}} are particularly expensive, ranging in cost per wash from 6 cents for a Speed Wash to 12 cents for the Stain Wash.

Yearly Running Cost

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

Altogether, we estimated the {{product.name}}'s yearly cost to run at $30.49, which is around average for a front-load washer.

Washing Speed

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

Normal/Permanent Press Cycle

The GE GFWN1100LWW’s often-used Normal cycle did an admirable job getting stains out of our test fabrics, though it left behind a little more sweat and oil than some higher-end washers.

Cotton/Whites Cycle

Though it still had some trouble with sweat stains, the GE GFWN1100LWW had no problem lifting red wine, cocoa and blood from fabrics during the cotton cycle.

Delicate Cycle

Other washers did a better job cleaning delicate clothes than the GE GFWN1100LWW. That wasn’t all. Clothes emerged still soapy and dripping wet, and more worn than other washers’ delicate cycles.

Heavy Duty Cycle

While the Heavy Duty cycle sure took a long time to complete, it managed to wash out tough stains like cocoa and oil better than any other wash cycle we’ve seen on any of the washers we’ve tested. If you’ve got a stain on your favorite shirt, trust it to the GE GFWN1100LWW and it’ll probably get it out.

Quick Wash Cycle

Though it’s usually the weakest link among cycles, the GE GFWN1100LWW’s Quick Wash actually did a pretty good job lifting stains. It also took 43 minutes, which means it wasn’t all that quick after all.

Dirt Removal

Need to wash a softball uniform after sliding into second? Just finished working in the yard? Throw it in the GE GFWN1100LWW, because it will have no problems cleaning even the most heavily soiled clothes. In our tests, it removed nearly all the dirt we added to our test loads. It’s the best dirt-removal performance we’ve ever seen.

Clothes Wear (1.11)

Even on the tough-as-nails Heavy Duty cycle, the GE GFWN1100LWW was as gentle on clothes as some of the normal cycles we’ve tested on other washers. We weren’t impressed by its subpar delicates performance, however, as it left fabrics frayed, wet and soapy.

Water Retention (4.08)

Although the GE GFWN1100LWW’s drum had no trouble spinning, it didn’t always get all the water out of the wash load inside. This was especially apparent with the Delicates cycle, when clothes emerged so water-logged they weighed three times as much as they did when they went in.

Not only did the clothes that had gone through the GE GFWN1100LWW’s Hand Wash cycle remain extremely wet, but they also emerged feeling soapy. If not re-rinsed, those soapy clothes would cause skin irritation and dryness.

Washing Cycles

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

Customization

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

Each cycle has three levels of customization: Soil level, spin speed and wash temperature. If you want to add a rinse, there's a button for that, too.

Additional Wash Options

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

Washing Options

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

Detergent Dispenser

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

The detergent dispenser slides out from the front of the unit, with room for detergent, softener and bleach.

Washer Door

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

The {{product.name}}'s door opens easily, from right to left.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Ease of Use

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

All front-loaders require some bending over to load and unload clothes. Otherwise, the {{product.name}} doesn't pose any challenges and would be a great washer for someone used to a simpler machine but in the market for an upgrade.

Controls

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

Unlike many modern high-end washers, whose busy control panels light up like Christmas trees, the {{product.name}} has a well-labeled knob to select a cycle, and three selectors for soil level, spin speed and wash temperature. Other than that, there's a power button, start/pause button and selectors to add an extra rinse or silence the end-of-cycle signal.

Efficiency

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

The {{product.name}} would cost on average about $30.49 annually. Its energy efficiency is helped by a lack of high-temperature, energy hogging specialty cycles -- though the thorough Stain Wash only costs about 11 cents per cycle.

Performance

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

Washing performance was very good. While the {{product.name}} had some trouble with delicates, its Stain Wash cycle obliterated traces of cocoa, wine and oil better than any wash we've ever seen. It did well on the Normal and Whites cycles, too, though it had some trouble lifting sweat stains.

Features

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

The {{product.name}} doesn't have too many features, and folks interested in simplicity may see that lack of specialty washes a feature in itself. Cycle speeds, temperature and intensity can be adjusted, and there's a button to add an extra rinse, but that's it. Luckily, the included cycles are well-chosen.

Meet the tester

Keith Barry

Keith Barry

Former Editor in Chief, Reviewed Home

@itskeithbarry

Keith was the Editor in Chief of Reviewed's appliance and automotive sites. His work has appeared in publications such as Wired, Car & Driver, and CityLab.

See all of Keith Barry'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