Why You Can Trust CNET Samsung WA54M8750AW review: This Samsung washer has no business in your laundry room
Samsung's WA54M8750AW top-load washing machine has some significant flaws.
In a lineup of top-load washing machines, Samsung's modern $1,099 WA54M8750AW stands out. Next-gen aesthetics aside, the WA54M8750AW is highly disappointing. And even though it's currently on sale for $649, I still wouldn't buy this washer. It didn't perform well, its display is hard to read, the latch holding the washer lid and sink together is flimsy and I completely gave up on the glitchy Samsung Smart Home app mid-setup. Save your money for the high-performing $1,530 Kenmore Elite 31633 instead (it's currently on sale at Sears for $990).
Samsung WA54M8750AW
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Modern design isn't enough
The Samsung WA54M8750AW channeled LG's $1,150 WT1801HVA with its integrated display. I like the concept of moving the instrument panel to the main washer compartment (rather than having a random hunk o' plastic and metal sticking up). It's similar to the difference between freestanding and slide-in range display panels. But the WA54M8750AW's design didn't do well in practice. Its panel sits so flat against the washer you can't read the display from a distance.
Like select other Samsung top-loaders, the WA54M8750AW has a sink so you can soak or hand wash heavily stained or delicate items with ease. The sink is a useful addition, but you'll pay extra for it -- and this particular model has a significant design flaw. The tab that holds the lid and the sink together is in the center of the washer, rather than hidden on the side. Half of the times I tried to open the WA54M8750AW's lid to get to the wash compartment, I accidentally released the sink. Frustrating.
Here's how the WA54M8750AW stacks up against other top-loaders in its price range:
Comparing washing machines
| Samsung WA54M8750AW | Maytag MVWB955FC | LG WT1801HVA | Kenmore Elite 31633 | Whirlpool WTW8700EC | |
| Price | $1,099 | $1,399 | $1,150 | $1,530 | $1,399 |
| Color finish | White, black stainless steel (for $1,199) | Metallic slate, white ( for $1,299) | Graphite steel, white (for $1,050) | Metallic, white (for $1,420) | Chrome shadow |
| Capacity | 5.4 cubic feet | 6.2 cubic feet | 4.9 cubic feet | 6.2 cubic feet | 5.3 cubic feet |
| # of cycles | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Energy consumption | 180 kWh/year | 240 kWh/year | 135 kWh/year | 290 kWh/year | 196 kWh/year |
| Water consumption | 14.8 gallons | 15.3 gallons | 15 gallons | 15.6 gallons | 17.4 gallons |
| Dimensions (width, height, depth) | 27x42.4x29.3 inches | 29.5x43.4x30 inches | 27x40.2x28.4 inches | 29.5x43.5x30 inches | 27.5x42.3x28 inches |
| App | Yes, Android and iPhone | No | Yes, Android and iPhone | No | Yes, Android and iPhone |
At a glance, Samsung's WA54M8750AW looks like a solid contender alongside the other high-end top-load washers in the chart above. Its 5.4-cubic-foot capacity can easily hold all of your clothes, it's priced lower than its competition and it's supposed to work with the Samsung Smart Home app for Android and iOS. I unfortunately had no luck connecting the washer to the app. It closed and logged me out regularly for no apparent reason and I ultimately gave up after more than an hour of failed attempts.
Can it clean?
The Samsung WA54M8750AW did not perform well.
To score stain removal, we run three identical cleaning cycles with "fresh" stain strips soiled with skin oil (sebum), mineral oil (carbon), pig's blood, cocoa and aged red wine. After each run, we calculate how much of the original stains are left -- the lower the number, the better it did removing stains.
On average 50 percent of the WA54M8750AW's original stains remained after a cleaning cycle. In contrast, the Kenmore Elite 31633 had just 41 percent of its original stains remaining overall. Take a look at the graphic to see how Samsung's WA54M8750AW compared to its other top-load competition in terms of stain removal.
We also run thin squares of fabric through the same three cleaning cycles. After each cycle ends, we count the number of attached, frayed threads that measure at or over 2 millimeters long. The higher the number, the tougher that washer is on clothes (in the normal cycle).
Samsung's WA54M8750AW had 254 attached, frayed threads. Kenmore's 31633 had an average of 251 threads per wash cycle; LG's WT1801HVA had 243 threads; and Maytag's $1,399 MVWB955FC had just 208. While the Samsung WA54M8750AW wasn't particularly tough on clothes, other washers were gentler.
Fabric squares pre- and post-cleaning cycle.
The takeaway
Samsung's $1,099 WA54M8750AW washing machine is an intriguing concept, poorly executed. It looks modern, but the flat, hard-to-read display hurts usability -- and the built-in sink is much too easy to open. This washer didn't perform well, either. Skip the WA54M8750AW and consider the impressive Kenmore Elite 31633 as an alternative. And, if you really want a washer with a built-in sink, take a look at the $899 Samsung WA52M7750AW. It didn't perform particularly well, either, but it doesn't suffer from the same design and usability challenges as the pricier WA54M8750AW. Bonus: It's currently on sale for $549.