Why You Can Trust CNET Whirlpool WTW7500GC review: Whirlpool WTW7500GC washer looks modern, weak on stains
The $999 Whirlpool WTW7500GC top-load washing machine has a lot going for it... except great performance.
Whirlpool's $999 WTW7500GC top-load washing machine has a faucet built into its washer drum like GE's $799 GTW750CSLWS for convenient hand washing and stain treating. It also has the easiest-to-read display panel I've ever seen -- everything is so neatly organized that I hope other brands take note. Sadly, the WTW7500GC wasn't as good at removing stuff like red wine and cocoa as other washers we've tested.
Whirlpool WTW7500GC
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
It's a shame, because I like a lot of things about the Whirlpool WTW7500GC, but this isn't the washing machine for folks who consider performance a prime concern (and that will be most of you). If you care more about design and usability, this could be the right model.
Get to know this Whirlpool
See how the WTW7500GC stacks up against Maytag's MVWB765FW, GE's GTW750CSLWS and Samsung's WA52M7750AW:
Comparing washing machines
| Whirlpool WTW7500GC | Maytag MVWB765FW | GE GTW750CSLWS | Samsung WA52M7750AW | |
| Price | $999 | $899 | $799 | $899 |
| Color finish | Gray | White | White | White |
| Capacity | 4.8 cubic feet | 4.7 cubic feet | 5.0 cubic feet | 5.2 cubic feet |
| # of cycles | 5 | 11 | 7 | 13 |
| Energy consumption | 212 kWh/year | 356 kWh/year | 55 kWh/year | 180 kWh/year |
| Dimensions (width, height, depth) | 27.5 x 42 x 28 inches | 27.5 x 42 x 27 inches | 27 x 38 x 31.5 inches | 27 x 46 x 29.3 inches |
| App | No | No | No | Samsung SmartCare |
The WTW7500GC's higher price is somewhat misleading in the chart, since the gray finish costs more -- and the other three washers I tested (in roughly the same price range) had white color finishes. All three of the Whirlpool's competitors are also available in gray and also cost $100 more in gray, making the gray Maytag and Samsung washers $999 and GE's gray washer $899.
No, the WTW7500GC doesn't have as many cleaning cycles as its counterparts, but it covers the basics with normal, quick, delicate, heavy duty and "colorlast" options.
It doesn't have any smart integrations either, but its built-in faucet is somewhat unique, a feature that's also available on GE's GTW750CSLWS.
The faucet in Whirlpool's WTW7500GC is controllable via a simple button in the back of the washer with a water droplet icon. Press it to send water into the drum; press it again to stop it. On the GE washer, you have to select the "Water Station" setting on the display's control knob and hit start.
There's nothing different about the installation for either the GE or the Whirlpool washers with these built-in faucets. Both companies simply give you on-demand access to the water line that fills the tub anyway during a normal wash cycle. This way, you can fill the drum to soak your clothes -- or use the stream of water to hand wash or stain treat -- whenever you need to.
Instead of a faucet, Samsung's WA52M7750AW has a complete sink integrated into its design. The sink latches to the washer lid when it isn't in use; press down on the tab to separate the sink from the lid. From there, you can more easily soak, hand wash and stain treat your clothes. Samsung's sink feature is very handy -- if you're sure you'll regularly make use of it. Otherwise it's just in the way.
Whirlpool's faucet is nice to have, too, but again -- only if you think you'd use it.
Performance
We judge how a washer performs based on two metrics: how well it removes stains and how gentle it is on clothes. Read this article to get more in-depth details on our testing process. To test stain removal, we use fabric strips saturated with five individual tough-to-remove stains: sebum (skin oil), carbon (mineral oil), blood, cocoa and red wine. After running the strips through a cleaning cycle, we calculate how much of the original stains are left over on the fabric.
The lower the percentage, the better that washer did removing stains. Kenmore's 25132 scored the best in stain removal so far in our testing with just 39 percent of its original stains remaining; Samsung's WA52M7750AW is tied with a few other models for the worst stain removal score -- 52 percent of its original stains were left over on average.
Whirlpool's WTW7500GC had 50 percent of its original stains left after a cycle. That isn't as bad as the Samsung WA52M7750AW, but it isn't good. Check out our washer graphic below for more details on how this Whirlpool removed each stain.
The lower the percentage, the better that washer did removing a stain.
The WTW7500GC was very gentle on clothes, though. To score gentleness, we use fabric squares (different from the stain strips) with holes punched in the middle arranged like the five face on dice. After a cleaning cycle, threads of fabric have begun to fray on the inside of each circle. The number of attached, frayed threads that measure at or over 2 millimeters long count toward the wear and tear score. The lower the number, the gentler that washer is on clothes.
This Whirlpool has just 195 attached, frayed threads, making it the gentlest on clothes among its top competition. Samsung's WA52M7750AW clocked in at 227 frayed threads, Maytag's MVWB765FW had 245 and GE's GTW750CSLWS had 214.
The verdict
The $999 Whirlpool WTW7500GC top-load washing machine looks good, has a straightforward display panel and a built-in faucet for hand-washing stuff when you don't have dedicated sink in the laundry room. I really like it based on its design and ease of use. Unfortunately, it didn't do a good job removing stains and that significantly hurts its overall appeal. Sure, the WTW7500GC will do a fine enough job if you're washing stuff that isn't particularly stained, but you should look elsewhere if you want a washer with excellent performance.