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  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Controls

  • Interior

  • Sides

  • Back

  • Speed & Performance Overview

  • Normal Cycle Performance

  • Delicates Cycle Performance

  • Bulky Cycle Performance

  • Quick Dry Cycle Performance

  • Dry Cycles

  • Customization

  • Additional Drying Options

  • Controls

  • Door

  • Lint Trap

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Controls
  • Interior
  • Sides
  • Back
  • Speed & Performance Overview
  • Normal Cycle Performance
  • Delicates Cycle Performance
  • Bulky Cycle Performance
  • Quick Dry Cycle Performance
  • Dry Cycles
  • Customization
  • Additional Drying Options
  • Controls
  • Door
  • Lint Trap
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Unfortunately for the {{product.model}}, however, it tended to choke in all of our performance tests, getting clothes extremely close to dry before suddenly giving up. Despite its flaws, it's still not a bad choice if you need a big dryer and don't mind throwing a few damp garments back in for a couple minutes of supplemental tumbling.

Front

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Samsung put a lot of effort into the exterior of the {{product.model}}. A smoked glass door, stainless exterior and easy-to-read control panel give this dryer a top-of-the-line feel. One drawback: since it's meant to be paired with a top-loading washer, it can't be stacked.

Controls

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Interior

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The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

A simple lint trap was easy to clean, with no doors or baskets to get in the way.

Sides

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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Back

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Speed & Performance Overview

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Across a wide variety of cycles, the {{product.model}} displayed some of the most uniform drying ability we've ever seen. Normally, test loads that go through the quick and delicates cycles remain far more moist than if they'd undergone a normal tumble dry, but that wasn't so with the Samsung. Unfortunately, the end result for each cycle we tested was just short of fully dry.

Normal Cycle Performance

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With a standard 8 lb. load of laundry wet to 170 percent of its bone dry weight, the {{product.model}}'s Normal cycle took anywhere between 48 and 56 minutes to complete. The longer the clothes stayed in, the more dry they got. On average, though, you'll probably end up with a sheet or a towel that's still a bit damp.

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Delicates Cycle Performance

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Initially, we were pleasantly surprised at the {{product.model}}'s performance on the Delicates cycle: about an hour to get clothes 97 percent dry. As soon as we took a look at our temperature measurements, however, we learned that the cycle wasn't that gentle after all. Most delicate cycles we've tested are about as warm as a summer day in Arizona. Even Death Valley won't get as hot as this Samsung, however, which may damage some fragile fabrics at 135.7 degrees.

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Bulky Cycle Performance

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Like the Normal cycle, the Heavy Duty cycle varied in how long it took to complete its task despite the standardized loads we used for testing. It also varied in how dry it got clothes, but on average they still stayed pretty damp.

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Quick Dry Cycle Performance

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Staying true to the LED screen's promise of a 30 minute cycle, the {{product.model}}'s Quick Dry was one of the best rapid cycles we've ever tested. Our 4 lb. test loads routinely emerged almost fully dry every time. It did get a lot warmer than other quick cycles we've tested, but as long as you're drying sturdy fabrics, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend this cycle for everyday use if you need clothes in a hurry.

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Dry Cycles

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Count 'em: Thirteen drying cycles! There's something for everyone, whether you're wearing washable wool to play golf or need to sanitize your kid's filthy soccer uniform. You can also hook the {{product.model}} up to a water connection, which allows for a steam cycle that Samsung claims will release wrinkles.

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Customization

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If Samsung's cycle choices aren't good enough for you, or your clothes require extra special attention, the {{product.model}} lets you choose from five dry levels and five separate temperature settings. That's more than most dryers we've tested.

Additional Drying Options

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There are a few cool features in addition to the cycles on offer, most of which take advantage of steam to release wrinkles and "refresh" loads. The dryer also includes a plastic rack for items that cannot be tumbled.

Controls

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There's a button for everything on the control panel of the {{product.model}}. Depending on your perspective, that's either comforting (no hidden menus) or terrifying (too many buttons). About our only complaint is that cycles couldn't be changed mid-way through -- even if the dryer itself was paused. Changing time or temperature required powering off and "rebooting" the cycle.

Door

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A giant door swings out wide for easy loading and unloading. Unlike some larger doors we've tested, this one felt securely attached and closed securely on the first try every time.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

Lint Trap

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A simple lint trap was easy to clean, with no doors or baskets to get in the way.

Conclusion

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Samsung's {{product.model}} has an impressive resume. It's got an unbeatable set of features, a high-end design matched with a high-capacity drum and -- when found on sale -- a reasonable price tag for a dryer in its class. In our tests, it did a better job getting clothes uniformly almost-dry across a variety of cycles than any other dryer we've tested.

But as Brandy taught us back in the '90s, everybody knows that almost doesn't count. Despite its ability to get a light load nearly completely dry in just 30 minutes, a full-size load took nearly an hour to complete and ended up a little damp. Even its Delicates cycle initially seemed flawless until we saw the high temperatures it reached. None of those problems are deal-breakers, as the owner can easily reprogram cycles for optimal performance. But we were hoping such an advanced and expensive dryer would do that work for us.

Overall, we think the {{product.model}} is still a good value, but only if you require lots of features and generally dry extra large loads. Otherwise, save some money and stick to something simpler.

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

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