Pros
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Extraordinary cleaning power
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Has its own internal heater
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Easy-to-read controls
Cons
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A few slow cycles
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Occasionally smelly gasket
If you’re tired of your washer smelling like mildew, not dissolving your detergent pods, or leaving residue on your clothes, you need to check this Electrolux front-loader out.
About the Electrolux ELFW7637AT front-loading washing machine
- Dimensions: 38" x 27" x 32" (H x W x D)
- Capacity: 4.5 cubic feet
- Finishes: Titanium, white ($100 cheaper)
- Cycles: Active Wear, Allergen, Colors, Delicates, Extra Rinse, Handwashable, Heavy Duty, Normal, Rinse & Spin, Sanitize, Soak, Fast Wash, Towels & Sheets, Tub Clean, Optic Whites
- Options: Pure Rinse, Perfect Steam, Allergen, Extended Refresh, Control Lock
- Matching Dryer: Electrolux ELFE7637AT
- User Manual: Electrolux ELF7637AT user manual
What we like
It cleans like a champ
First and foremost, a washing machine needs to clean your laundry. The Electrolux ELFW7637AT does this and gives you plenty of options to help you along the way. In just pure stain removal, this washer is on par with or better than its high-end competitors. This is in part due to its SmartBoost, which mixes water and detergent ahead of time to maximize its potency.
We test washing performance with a bolt of cloth that has been mechanically dyed with common household stains, like blood, red wine, and cocoa. This Electrolux washing machine did particularly well against sweat and protein stains.
The Electrolux ELFW7637AT also has plenty of add-ons that set it apart from other washers. A great example is its Pure Rinse option. Unlike many other rinse options, the Electrolux’s Pure Rinse does not pass through the dispenser, meaning it’s pure water and doesn’t pick up any additional detergent or fabric softener.
If you or someone in your household has sensitive skin, this is a very useful feature to make sure there isn’t any residue left on your clothes.
An internal water heater brings the heat
All washing machines use three tools to get laundry clean: chemical additives, mechanical action, and heat. Most homes have their water boiler set to around 120°F, which means this is as hot as many washers can get. However, the Electrolux ELFW7637AT has an internal water heater that can really crank it up.
During testing, our sensors picked up temperatures north of 165°F when it was set to Sanitize. That’s hot enough to kill many diseases like E. coli. More and more front loaders have a single sanitize cycle, but this Electrolux allows you to raise the temperature of Normal, Heavy Duty, Towels & Sheets, and Optic Whites to sanitize levels. This allows the washer to scour off sweat and grease stains as well as keep your whites brighter.
The high heat can also be activated via the Allergen feature. When selected, the temperature is raised high enough that 95% of allergy-causing substances literally fall apart in the wash, according to the Electrolux ELFW7637AT’s NSF Certification.
Finally, high heat can also be a great way to clean delicate items. This might sound counterintuitive, but hear us out.
Imagine taking a musty stuffed animal, placing it in this washer, turning on the Perfect Steam feature, and setting the washer to the no-spin setting. The heat can help eliminate odors without subjecting the item to chemicals or a harsh spin cycle.
It is designed to handle detergent pods
This Electrolux has a spot for detergent pods.
If you’re a household that uses detergent pods, you should know that the Electrolux ELFW7673AT is designed to evenly distribute them. There’s a special spot in the dispenser drawer specifically for pods.
A lot of other washers require you to place pods directly into the drum, but that means the laundry in contact with the pods gets the most detergent.
Controls are easy to read and use
The contrast on the control panel make the options easy to ready.
Over the years, we have appreciated Electrolux’s dedication to easy-to-read controls. The timer on the dial is bright, and the average person can see it and read it from across the room. The printing on the options menu is clean and legible.
What we don’t like
Some cycles are slow
Aside from the 15-minute Fast Wash, all the cycles on this washer are either average or on the slow side.
It’s funny because the Electrolux ELFW7637AT boasts one of the fastest speed cycles on the market. Clocking in at 15 minutes, the Fast cycle blazes past the competition while still providing an adequate clean.
However, its Normal and Heavy Duty cycles are on the slow side. The Normal and Heavy Duty cycles took 46 and 114 minutes respectively, which, on average, is turtle pace. LG front loaders take around 30 minutes to wash eight pounds of laundry on a normal cycle and 90 minutes for a heavy cycle.
The gasket and drum are hit or miss
The gasket is coated with an anti-mildew substance that gives the drum a distinct smell.
The gasket on this washer has an anti-mildew chemical, which has a very distinct odor. We did a non-scientific survey where we invited the office to come and sniff the washer (they’re used to such requests) and asked if they liked the smell.
It was a pretty even split of those who liked the smell and those who were put off by it.
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What owners are saying
The Electrolux ELFW7637AT scores 4.8 stars out of five when you average 5,287 reviews on Home Depot. Users reported liking the easy-to-read control panel and good cleaning ability. Detractors did not like the bright LED drum light and the noise level of the pump.
Should you buy the Electrolux ELFW7637AT?
Yes, if you’re looking to upgrade your washer
We think the Electrolux ELFW7637AT is a great fit for most families. It has the right cleaning performance, feature loadout, and general design.
What sets this washer apart is that it has simple solutions for common laundry headaches. Have sensitive skin? Use the Pure Rinse option. Like using detergent pods? Put it in the pod dispenser. Need to sanitize something? Crank up the temperature up to Sanitize.
If you’re looking for a washer that has similar stain removal performance but is a bit more affordable, check out the LG WM3500CW.
Meet the tester
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
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