Practically everyone has heard of Whirlpool appliances, but the Estate by Whirlpool name has yet to become a household word. Though similar to the regular Whirlpool line, it occupies a place on their totem pole just below the regular Whirlpool models but apparently a notch above the Roper brand name. Like Roper, the Estate line doesn’t get advertised. It just exists alongside its pricier cousins in the showroom.

I asked my local appliance dealer why Whirlpool would put out a product that is essentially similar to their higher priced models and his reply was: “This is called marketing. It’s the same reason that GM builds one vehicle as a Chevy and another as a Buick. If they can’t get you to go for the higher priced brand with more features and frills, they offer something lower priced with fewer frills in the hope that they’ll still have you as a customer.” And so it is with this Estate TEDS840 dryer.

I should note that as a single guy, I HATE doing the laundry! So when I set out to replace my thirty-six year-old Frigidaire dryer (still operable, but slow) – I had a wish list of features that would eliminate the things I consider laundry day annoyances. After much searching in my local area, this Estate dryer was the one model that combined all my desired features at an affordable price.

First on my wish list: An automatic dry cycle with a moisture sensor system, so that I wouldn’t have to make multiple trips to my basement laundry room only to find clothes still soaking wet. Second, a light inside the drum. Believe me, I’ve grown tired of coming back upstairs only to find that one of my black or navy socks had hidden itself somewhere deep in the dryer’s interior. And third: A pull-down, hamper style door. I know not everyone likes this feature, but to me it helps keep the aforementioned socks and other small items from falling on the basement floor when I’m retrieving them from the drum.

When considering automatic drying cycles, note that some systems measure the amount of heat exiting the dryer’s exhaust and reduce the heat accordingly. Others, including the TEDS840, sense the actual amount of moisture in the exhaust flow and use that as the criterion for regulating the heat.

I’m pleased to report that in the TEDS840 the auto-sense system works like a charm. No matter what kind of load I put in, the clothes come out soft and dry – but not too dry. This model features four heat settings: High/cotton, medium/knits, low/delicate and no-heat. I’ve found the drying performance to be consistent for just about all the things I wash, whether it’s dress shirts, underwear, jeans, towels, you name it. The timer dial allows you to adjust drying to your preference: “Less dry”, “more dry”, or an “energy-preferred setting” that’s right in the middle. I use that middle setting all the time and things come out perfectly, every time. No more multiple trips to the basement! The auto sense mode will also prevent wrinkles by tumbling the clothes with no heat every few minutes after the cycle shuts down. It will do this for a total of forty-five minutes. Very handy when you can’t get to the dryer immediately after the end-of-cycle signal sounds!


Speaking of that end-of-cycle signal, it makes a somewhat raucous noise that will cause you to jump the first few times you hear it. Fortunately, it can be silenced if you’re going to stay close by when the cycle finishes.

The TEDS840 itself is reasonably quiet, but I think my elderly Frigidaire actually made a little less noise. Since my dryer is located in a basement, this poses no problem, but if you plan to locate yours somewhere close to a living area – in a first- or second-floor laundry room, or in your kitchen – you might be a bit disappointed by the noise level this machine generates.

Controls are clearly labeled and work logically, although the lettering on the timer dial could be a bit larger. The backsplash doesn’t look quite as glossy or upscale as the regular Whirlpool models but overall, the dryer gives an impression of quality and solid construction.

The owner’s manual seems a bit sketchy compared to those of other appliances; its description of the wrinkle-prevent feature took a number of readings before it made sense. The top-mounted lint filter is easy to clean – once you yank it out of it’s somewhat tight-fitting, curved slot. And one final, minor annoyance lurks in the form of the latch on the upper doorframe; it protrudes just enough to catch and snag clothing entering or exiting the drum.

All things considered, the Estate TEDS840 provides value for those who want the upscale features I mentioned at a down-to-earth price. That plus the security of the Whirlpool brand name make it an ideal choice. I’d choose it again.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 297