bit-tech Shopping: Whirlpool LEW0050PQ 24" Front-Loading Electric Dryer w/ 11 Dry Cycles & Moisture Sensor Control

Rating: 2

Time with product: 13 Months

Strengths: None - Not Even Compact Given No Side Exhaust Option

Weaknesses: Unreliable, Frequent Break Downs, Poor Service Attitudes and Non-Existent Service Skills

Summary: My Dryer broke down three times in the first year of ownership. 1st Heating Element Burnt Out, 2nd Motor Burned Out, 3rd Repairman guessed that it was the

Rating: 2

Time with product: 1

Strengths: small

Weaknesses: annoying beeping, **loud**, and has needed two repairs in the first year

Summary: today our lew0050pq won't turn on *unless* the door is open!??!i have had it with this dryer. even under normal operation it makesa loud noise, which can be heard anywhere in the house, even with the laundry room door shut. and the "beeping when the cycle is done"thing is really annoying. i want my old dryer back!

Rating: 4

Time with product: 4 Months

Strengths: Compact, Nice capacity

Weaknesses: No Side Exhaust/Rear exhaust coupler adds several inches to depth/THAT STUPID FINISHED CYCLE SIGNAL BEEP AND WRINKLE CYCLE

Summary: I bought this dryer along with the same companies washer to replace an all in one washer/dryer. The front load has a bigger capacity. It is electric, so drying time is an hour per load. The automatic cycles don't completely dry the clothes. The absolute WORST feature of this dryer is the stupid finished signal and cycle. It sounds a signal to tell you the clothes are ready. If you do not get the clothes out or turn the dryer off, it will continue to signal and RUN a "wrinkle cycle" every minute. So don't plan on leaving the house, unless you like wasting money on your electric bills. Not to mention, an electric dryer doesn't do a good job of releasing the wrinkles anyway. Installation is challenging as well, due the rear exhaust vent setup. There is no side vent. The attachment for the rear adds several inches to the depth of this unit also. So beware. After reading some of the other horror stories, I consider myself pretty lucky so far. Just a little annoyed.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 45 Days

Strengths: Compact size with relatively large capacity; reversing tumble action to prevent wrinkling; stainless steel drum.

Weaknesses: No "air fluff" setting; no alternate exhaust outlets on either side; so "minutes remaining" display; noisy.

Summary: I bought this dryer for one important reason. I don't have a setup in my apartment for a normal 240-volt outlet. Because this is a European-made machine (from Italy), it's set up for 240-volts only and draws less than 15 amps -- which means it runs at 3,100 watts. A typical U.S. electric dryer runs at over 5,000 watts, needs a 30-amp outlet and 120/240 volts -- because the motor, timer or electronics, end of cycle buzzer and any lights run on 120 volts while the heating element runs on 240 volts. I happen to have an air-conditioner outlet near a window which I can use on this machine -- it's 240 volts only and has a 15-amp circuit breaker on the line -- and has an outlet configured for a 15-amp only plug, so this machine was compatible. I was replacing a 120-volt convertible/portable dryer that ran at 1,650 watts which I'd had for years and put up with. It took forever to dry anything -- two hours for permanent press shirts and 3-1/2 hours for a load of towels. The thing is, this dryer matches an Italian made Whirlpool front-loading washer that spins at 1,200 rpm. The clothes come out much drier than from a top-loading washer with an agitator, so between the high-speed spin in the washer and the 3,100 watt dryer, everything is great. The clothes dry in under an hour and the dryer is ready for the next load of laundry -- because a front loader washer takes about an hour to wash and spin. The combination works quite well. As to most people, there's no reason you can't run this dryer on a standard 120/240 volt, 30-amp dryer outlet -- the dryer simply "ignores" the 120-volt connection and draws less amperage, so it's fine. Here are some advantages to this dryer. With the use of a special stacking hardware kit Whirlpool sells, you can stack it on top of the matching washer if you like. You can also build it in under a counter -- it fits in the same space as a built-in dishwasher. You see, it is small! It holds 3.8 cu.ft.. You can fill it fuller than a U.S. dryer because it tumbles in both directions -- a couple of minutes one way and then a slight pause and the dryer revolves in the other direction. It keeps changing direction every couple of minutes throughout the drying cycle -- Euro-dryers do that typically. That keeps the clothes from being twisted up into knots and from wrinkling as much. (Whirlpool doesn't disclose this feature in any of their literature, by the way). This dryer is virtually identical to a Eurotech EDV278 -- the only differences are in the fonts and terminology on the control panel -- High/Low temperature vs. Normal/Delicate, for example. There are two sets of automatic dry settings using a moisture sensor -- one for regular fabrics and one for synthetics (which would include permanent press). There's a 10-minute cool-down phase at the end of the cycle. Four choices for each set, extra dry, normal dry, damp dry and very dry. There are three timed settings available, 60 minutes, 40 minutes and 20 minutes. You select the cycle you want, automatic or timed, from a single dial. There's a button to choose between high and low temperatures and also a power on/off button. A red pilot lamp on the panel tells you the power is on -- it glows steadily if the dryer is running and flashes to tell you it isn't going. Interesting, there's a separate motor for the 200 cfm (cubic feet per minute) blower. The dryer keeps moving warm air during the two-second pause between direction reverses. Most dryers move 110 cfm -- the blower here is nearly twice as strong, which helps the clothes dry faster at the lower wattage and enables a longer vent run if it's built in under a counter in a kitchen, for example. However, my one complaint is it's very noisy on account of the blower. That's probably not going to be a problem if you have a laundry room, service porch, basement or garage installation. Mine's in my living room when I'm using it. A faint but clearly audible triple-beep signals end of cycle. If you don't take the clothes out, the dryer will give a tumble (with no air movement) once every minute and give you that triple beep to remind you to take the clothes out. This non-optional feature is supposed to prevent wrinkling from letting the clothes just sit. To stop the repeated tumble and beep you must open the door, turn the selector knob to "stop," or turn off the power switch. I miss the air fluff setting just a little. There are a few times when I've wanted to tumble something with no heat and you can't do it on this dryer. The lint filter is right inside the front door at the bottom of the drum and very easy to access. One other possibility for installation is this. If you have a side-by-side installation with the matching dryer, you can spend some money to buy special pedestals that raise the height of the washer and dryer by 18 inches. That makes both the front-loading washer and dryer much easier to load and unload.