Why You Can Trust CNET Electrolux EFLW417SIW review: An excellent Electrolux washing machine you can afford
Electrolux's EFLW417SIW is proof you don't need to spend a ton to get a great washing machine.
Electrolux's $899 EFLW417SIW straddles the line between a budget and a luxury front-load washer. You won't find dozens of cleaning cycles, a related app or other extras. But it's an attractive appliance with a dark gray touchscreen panel and a unique round digital display. It tied the pricier Electrolux EFLS617S in stain removal, too, making it one of the best-performing washing machines we've ever tested. Definitely consider the EFLW417SIW if you're in the market for an affordable, stackable midrange washing machine.
Electrolux EFLW417SIW
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Up close with the EFLW417SIW
Electrolux clearly put thought into the design of its EFLW417SIW. Instead of sticking to the same tired template, Electrolux opted for a seamless, touchscreen-style control panel. A circular digital display sits in the middle where you can easily see how much time is left on a cleaning cycle. But if you're used to the tactile feel of buttons, you might not like using this washer. Selecting a cycle or a particular setting is more of a tap than a press, similar to using a cellphone.
See how the EFLW417SIW's basic specs compare to Maytag's MVWB765FW, Samsung's WA52M7750AW and Kenmore's 26132:
Comparing washing machines
| Electrolux EFLW417SIW | Maytag MVWB765FW | Samsung WA52M7750AW | Kenmore 26132 | |
| Price | $899 | $899 | $899 | $830 |
| Color finish | White | White | White | White |
| Capacity | 4.3 cubic feet | 4.7 cubic feet | 5.2 cubic feet | 4.8 cubic feet |
| # of cycles | 7 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| Energy consumption | 55 kWh/year | 356 kWh/year | 180 kWh/year | 169 kWh/year |
| Dimensions (width, height, depth) | 27 x 38 x 31.5 inches | 27.5 x 42 x 27 inches | 27 x 46 x 29.3 inches | 27.5 x 37 x 27.9 inches |
| App | No | No | Samsung SmartCare | No |
Electrolux's EFLW417SIW has a smaller cleaning capacity than the other three models in its price range. It also has noticeably fewer cleaning cycles. If you regularly use the "colors" cycle or want to set a favorite custom cycle, you'll be disappointed with the minimal EFLW417SIW. Still, it has all of the basics, including normal and delicates, and even a heavy duty and a 20-minute fast wash cycle. You can also schedule a cleaning cycle via the delay start setting -- anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours.
Cleaning power
To test a washer's performance, we measure how well it removes stains and how tough (or gentle) it is on clothes. Find out more about our test methodology here. Basically, we run stain strips and "mechanical action"/wear and tear strips through three identical cleaning cycles.
Stain strips are covered in sebum (skin oil), mineral oil (carbon), blood, cocoa and red wine. Mechanical action strips are thin fabric squares with five holes punched in the shape of an X. After each cleaning cycle we measure how much of the original soils are left on the stain strips, as well as how many frayed threads appear in the holes on the mechanical action strips. The higher the percentage of stains remaining, the worse the washer did removing stains -- and the higher the number of frayed threads, the tougher that washer is on clothes (using the normal cycle).
Washers that do a better job removing stains are often (but not always) tougher on clothes. Since most folks prioritize cleaning power over long-term wear and tear, we weigh the overall performance score toward stain removal.
The EFLW417SIW got an excellent stain removal score, with just 40 percent of its original stains remaining. Check out the washer graphic below to see how it compares to its competition (again, the lower the number, the better it performed). Its normal cycle was tough on clothes, though, with an average of 312 frayed threads per mechanical action strip. Electrolux's own EFLS617S has the second highest wear and tear score of the models we've tested with an average of 295 frayed threads.
The verdict
Electrolux's $899 EFLW417SIW is an excellent washing machine. It remove stains better than most of the models we've reviewed, it looks nice and it's easy to use (if you don't mind touchscreen displays). The main downside is that it's tougher on clothes in the normal cycle than other washers, so stick to the delicate cycle if you're concerned about wear and tear on certain items. Definitely consider the Electrolux EFLW417SIW if you're searching for a solid midrange washing machine that's regularly on sale for less.