Samsung WF50K7500AV review: A superfluous second door doesn't damage this washer's appeal

The $1,499 Samsung WF50K7500AV AddWash washing machine is a true luxury appliance. With 14 cleaning cycles, a massive 5-cubic-foot capacity, a black stainless finish and a streamlined display panel, this high-end washer is a pleasure to use. It happens to do a great job removing stains, too.

8.0

Samsung WF50K7500AV

The Good

Samsung's $1,499 WF50K7500AV AddWash washing machine performs well, looks good, is easy to use and has a massive 5-cubic-foot capacity.

The Bad

Its hatch-like door doesn't make it any easier to do laundry and the related Samsung Smart Home Android and iPhone apps are very glitchy.

The Bottom Line

You'll love the AddWash's impressive performance, large capacity and luxury black stainless finish -- just pretend that extraneous hatch door isn't there.

But that's not quite where the AddWash's story ends.

Samsung also tried out a couple of additional features with this appliance that didn't fare as well -- a second, smaller door that you're supposed to use to add forgotten items mid-cycle and a related Samsung Smart Home app for Android and iPhone. Since you have to pause the washer for the second door to unlock, you might as well just open the main door to add that errant sock or towel. And the app was so glitchy I never made it past the configuration phase.

Even so, Samsung's AddWash still exceeds expectations and is well worth your consideration if you're in search of a stylish and functional premium front-load washer.

Here's what Samsung's AddWash washer does differently

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One door too many

Black stainless is a relatively new finish for Samsung, one that instantly transforms an appliance from the consistently 'meh' look of traditional white washers to something decidedly more high-end. It also features a 5-cubic-foot tub, the largest of any front-load washing machine we've reviewed so far.

I also like that the AddWash supports app integration. Unfortunately, the Samsung Smart Home app, available for Android and iPhone users, was the most frustrating thing about this appliance.

A decent laundry app should let you check on the status of your washer remotely, as well as start and stop cycles. I'd also like to receive push alerts when a cycle ends.

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Not only could I not figure out if these features were available on the Smart Home app, I couldn't even get past the initial configuration steps to view the app. I tried a number of times on both a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an iPhone 6 Plus to no avail. The screenshot to the right pretty much sums up my experience.

There's also the issue of the AddWash's second door, something I really looked forward to trying out in our appliance lab.

My initial belief was that I'd be able to open that trap door any time I wanted during a cleaning cycle to chuck in socks, hand towels and other small items (you'd really have to get creative to fit jeans or something similarly large through the AddWash compartment). And that is true...kind of. The trick is that you have to hit pause on the washer to unlock the door.

Since pressing pause on a cycle also unlocks the washer's main door, I'm not sure what value the AddWash hatch really adds -- if any. I never ran into an issue where soap suds and/or water spilled out from the main door, but I imagine that would make the second door more useful.

That said, this washer is still full of useful features. Here's a closer look at the AddWash versus two luxury competitors:

Cleaning power

We run our washers through a rigorous set of tests to collect data related to how well a machine removes stains and how gentle (or rough) it is on clothes. Check out this how we test washing machines article for all of the details.

Generally, though, we run three normal cycles per machine, using normal soil, hot water and a high spin. We pack each test run with stain strips saturated with sebum (skin oil), carbon (mineral oil), pig's blood, cocoa and red wine. We then use a reflectance colorimeter to measure each stain's level of saturation before and after being run through the washer and calculate a "percent stain remaining" score.

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The AddWash had 46 percent of stains remaining on average. By stain, that translates to:

• Sebum: 45 percent stain remaining
• Carbon: 61 percent stain remaining
• Blood: 24 percent stain remaining
• Cocoa: 47 percent stain remaining
• Wine: 53 percent stain remaining

Both the GE GFWS2600FWW and the Electrolux EFLS617S did better here, with just 45 and 40 percent stains remaining overall (compared to the AddWash's 46 percent).

We also add thin squares of fabric called "mechanical action" strips to our test runs. Each strip has holes patterned like a 5-dice that get frayed during a wash cycle. We count every frayed, attached strand that measures at or over 2 millimeters long after a cleaning run. The lower the number, the gentler the machine is on clothes.

The AddWash's normal cycle was pretty hard on clothes, with an average of 294 attached frayed threads at or over 2 millimeters long. The Electrolux EFLS617S clocked in at 295 attached frayed threads -- the highest wear and tear score so far -- making the AddWash the second toughest on clothes.

The verdict

Samsung's $1,499 WF50K7500AV AddWash washing machine is a unique case. While its glitchy app and quirky hatch door don't add much value, this appliance is still highly recommendable. That's because the AddWash manages to merge top-of-the-line design with simple controls and unexpected features, like its huge 5-cubic-foot wash bin.

Get it if you're looking for a stylish high-end washing machine that also nails stain removal. Consider the $1,099 4.4-cubic-foot Electrolux EFLS617S instead if you want impressive performance, but don't need a premium finish or a super-sized capacity.