Review: Electrolux 900 PerfectCare 8 kg Tumble Dryer (EDI974E86Z)

Without the app and Wi-Fi, this is a perfectly adequate tumble dryer, but when it’s connected to the network and talking to the Electrolux app, it really comes into its own.

And if you also have a washing machine connected to the same app, the excitement never ends.

One advantage of having both washer and dryer connected via the app is the Dry sync feature. When a wash is finished, the app suggests telling the dryer how many clothes have been washed and what type they are, and it also suggests a drying programme.

Delicate test

The first time we try it is with a small delicate wash that we wouldn’t normally dry. It’s washed on the silk programme. But since the app suggests it, we take a chance.

There are three items of clothing that the washing machine has washed in 32 minutes. The app reckons it will take 42 minutes to dry them, and we go for it. More precisely, we upload the suggestion to the tumble dryer. Within seconds, the dryer display changes to “silk, 42 minutes” and from here we just press start and hope for the best.

During the drying process, we can follow the app, which even shows with an animation that the tumble dryer is drying our delicate clothes and how many minutes are left. Honestly, it’s a little nerve-wracking, but how often do you get that kind of excitement when doing laundry? We embrace it all.

Sensors

If you don’t have a washing machine from the same manufacturer so you can utilise dry sync technology, there’s no need to worry. Electrolux has equipped the tumble dryer with sensors that detect the moisture level in the clothes.

The technology is called 3DSense and with the SmartSave programme, which adapts the drying time to the moisture level, it can save 20 percent on energy compared to other tumble dryers, according to the manufacturer. This is a saving that will be noticeable. However, it requires that you remember to activate SmartSave before each drying cycle. Why is that, Electrolux?

The result

The delicate silk clothes are swirled around in the dryer for the specified 42 minutes, and when the time is up, the machine sends a notification to our mobile phone and also beeps to make sure we don’t miss the message.

When we open the door, we find the delicate clothes both intact and dry. The machine has passed its test.

Sometimes you want to dry very small amounts of laundry like this. Other times you want to do a full load, and this is where the Electrolux tumble dryer comes up short. With a capacity of just 8 kilos, the machine is clearly at the low end of what you can find on the market today. Machines with capacities of 9, 11 and up to 13 kilos are available within a similar budget.

The app

Electrolux has built an app that is intuitive, full of smart features and, above all, works. But in addition to making life easier for those of us who live with laundry as part of life, it also offers another smart feature we haven’t seen before: a built-in shop.

In the app, you can buy all kinds of spare parts for your tumble dryer directly. Small things like gaskets, air tubes, screws and a drive belt at such low prices that even I would consider trying to change them myself rather than contacting a technician right away. Imagine if you could replace a faulty part without paying a repairman’s hourly rate – or a brand new machine. It’s certainly worth a try.

Conclusion

An excellent tumble dryer with many advanced features, an intuitive app and sensors that both save energy and protect the clothes gives it five well-deserved stars.