Since 2016, I’ve had a white LG front washing machine and a white GE dryer that I purchased at a scratch-and-dent sale (the dents were imperceptible from a distance, and the machines actually looked like a matching pair). However, since those appliances were eight years old, I jumped at the chance to test the newer LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer.
It's packed full of features like FlowSense Duct Clogging and Clean Filter Indicators to help make drying laundry easier. The machine also has AI technology which will select the optimal drying settings for you, and Wi-Fi connectivity that'll link up with the LG ThinQ app so that you can start the appliance remotely, view power consumption, see how much time is left in a cycle and receive real-time alerts.
I tested the dryer for several months, trying the various features and cycles to see if there's anything it CAN'T do and if it could be the best dryer for you. Read on to find out.
Terri is a freelance writer living in Birmingham, AL. She has tested hundreds of products, including kitchen appliances, vacuums, bedding, furniture, luggage, and tech gear. Terri has bylines at Architectural Digest, Forbes, Popular Science, CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, The Daily Beast, USA Today, US News & World Report, Tech Radar, Homes & Gardens, and Tom's Guide. Follow her adventures @Territoryone.
Terri tested the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer for several months, evaluating design, performance, user-friendliness, maintenance. She was allowed to keep the set for ongoing use.
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: price & availability
The LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer in Black Steel has a list price of $1,249 on the LG website. My machine was supplied by AJ Madison which has it retailing slightly higher than list price at $1,319 yet, at the time of writing, it was on sale for $845. You can also find the machine on other reseller sites such as Amazon and Walmart so there's plenty of availability.
If you prefer, the machine is also available in white. This has a list price of $1,149 on the LG website which is a difference of $100 for your color choice.
It can also be bought as part of the LG Front Load Side-by-Side Washer and Dryer Set which is available at AJ Madison. The list price is $2,638, but at the time of writing it was on sale for $1,690. Accessories such as the LG 27'' Laundry Front Load Stacking Kit ($39) and LG 27" Pedestal Storage Drawer ($279) are also available if you need.
Unless you buy the dryer in the sale then it could end up being an expensive piece of equipment. It would certainly be a good idea to look out for big sales events such as Black Friday if you like the sound of the machine but are working with a strict budget.
Score: 7/10
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: set up
AJ Madison coordinated the delivery and installation of the dryer to my home – and asked if I wanted my older washer/dryer set hauled away. (I declined that offer and had those appliances picked up by someone who needed another set.) The service by the AJ Madison team was exemplary.
The third party delivery team (driver and helper) arrived on the scheduled morning of delivery, after the promise of an earlier delivery was dashed. Since the old washer and dryer had already been removed, it did not take them long to install the new appliances. Installation is an additional $110. Some people may feel comfortable installing the appliances themselves, but that’s not something I would do myself. The installation option is selected (or declined) at checkout, and this information is passed along to the delivery team and the delivery information.
To err on the side of caution, I called one of my friends and asked them to come to my home to check if the appliances were installed correctly. The dryer vent was not attached correctly and would have been blowing dust inside the laundry closet instead of outdoors. (Note: when I contacted AJ Madison to tell them what happened, they apologised profusely.)
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: Design
Trust me, the photos don’t do justice to the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer. It’s a simply stunning appliance. All of my previous laundry appliances have been white – which is not a big deal, since they’ve always been in either a laundry room or a laundry closet, hidden from view.
However, the beautiful Black Steel color looks so sleek and modern that I was in the habit of routinely opening the doors to show the set to everyone who came to my home the first month or so. The tempered glass door contributes to the stylish look, and the tempered glass isn’t just pretty; it also resists scratches and shock. And since I store two of my self-standing, stainless steel cordless vacuum cleaners in the laundry closet, everything also matches perfectly.
Yet one of my favorite design features of the dryer is the white LED light that illuminates the inside of the drum when I open the door. This makes it easier to see inside the dryer.
The LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer has dials and buttons, and since it’s a smart machine, it can also be controlled via the LG ThinQ app on your smartphone. You'll find the lint filter on the inside of the open door.
In total, this dryer has a total of 12 dryer programs visible from the front of the machine; Antibacterial, SteamFresh, Towels, Air Dry (Manual Dry), Perm. Press, Speed Dry (Manual Dry), SteamSanitary, Bedding, Delicates, Downloaded, Heavy Duty and Normal. It also has five dry options; Damp Dry, Less Dry, More Dry, Normal Dry, Very Dry. Alternatively, you can select manual dry times such as 20 min, 30 min or 40 min or opt for more Time/Less Time if you need juts a few minutes. These can all be selected using either the dial or buttons on the touch screens, or the app once up and running.
The machine is also a front-loading washer which means that it can either be stacked with the LG 27'' Laundry Front Load Stacking Kit ($39) or used with the LG 27" Pedestal Storage Drawer ($279) that'll keep things like dryer balls or dryer sheets neatly in one place.
Score: 8/10
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: Key Specs
| Type | Vented |
| Capacity | 7.4 cubic feet |
| Drying programs | Normal, Heavy Duty, Bedding, Anti Bacterial, SteamSanitary, SteamFresh, Perm Press, Delicates, Towels, Speed Dry (Manual Dry), Air Dry (Manual Dry), Downloaded |
| Heat settings | High, Med.High, Medium, Low, Ultra Low |
| Noise level | 54.6dB |
| Sensor drying? | Yes |
| Smart features? | Yes |
| Energy star? | Yes |
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: Performance
I tested the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer for several months, using various cycles and settings. The dry level, temperature, time dry, and turbo steam features can all be adjusted.
The 7.5 cu. ft. front load dryer is large enough to put a comforter or duvet inside, so I sometimes do this to refresh them. While testing, I learned to keep the dryer load manageable since this causes some of the clothes to be damp, and then I have to extend the drying cycle. (Honestly, this is something I always have to test with new dryers since I’m never sure what constitutes “too much.”)
However, it performs as designed when I don’t put too much laundry in the dryer. The dryer filter does an excellent job of catching lint, especially when drying towels. The rubbery filter assembly does seem rather cheaply made (and gets quite warm) though, but it gets the job done.
On the regular dry cycles (normal, heavy duty, bedding) the dryer takes between 54 and 57 minutes to dry a load. This allows me to wash and dry laundry within a 2-hour time frame.
As a general rule, I wash and dry small to medium loads, since this gives the laundry plenty of space to move around, which helps the laundry dry evenly. This allows me to select the speed dry cycle, and I can add or subtract minutes for the dry time.
The cycle modifier buttons include five dry levels ranging from damp to very dry, as well as five temperature settings, ranging from ultra-low to high. However, keep in mind that not all cycles let you adjust the dry level, temp, and time dry settings.
The wrinkle care option is convenient when you can’t remove the load immediately. It will periodically tumbler the laundry for up to three hours. Since I only launder clothes when I’m close by, this isn’t a feature that I use, but it might be helpful for others.
I love that the dryer uses AI sensor dry for most of the cycles. This allows the dryer to detect the moisture level and automatically adjust drying times. This means that sometimes, I’ll look up and there’s 30 minutes left, but in 15 or 20 minutes the dryer alerts me that it has finished. I appreciate that it’s smart enough to figure out the clothes are dry and doesn’t try to over dry them.
Sometimes, I like to take items out of the dryer as they’re slightly damp, and let them hang to dry. Other times, I have lightweight items that dry faster than the rest of the laundry. However, I can select the "damp dry" option which will let me know when the laundry is 80% dry, and then I can choose which items to take out before letting the dryer continue.
With larger loads, sometimes the laundry doesn’t dry evenly. Some items are dry and some are not. After making this mistake a few times, I’m now determined not to overload the dryer (or washing machine).
When drying comforters and duvet covers, sometimes, they become a jumbled ball inside of the dryer, and end up dry on the outside but still damp in the middle. I’ve learned to pause the drying process (usually two times) to rearrange the item so that the damp part is exposed to the dryer.
Overall, I found that when using the regular washing and drying cycles, it can take around two hours from start to finish. That’s one reason why I like to use the "Speed Wash" cycle on the LG WM4000HBA 4.5 Cu. Ft. Smart Front Load Washer, and "Speed Dry" on this dryer. Since this is not designed for large loads, I can wash and dry laundry in under an hour. Loading and unloading this front load washer is quick and easy too.
The dryer has a noise level on the dryer that’s around 54.6 db. This is equivalent to the volume created by boiling a kettle.
After each use I clean the dryer’s lint filter and wipe the outside of the appliance with a slightly damp cloth. I also vacuum around and underneath to remove any dust or lint.
Score: 9/10
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: App
If you want to make use of the smart features available on this machine then by downloading the free LG ThinQ app you can start the appliance remotely, view power consumption, see how much time is left in a cycle, be notified when a cycle is complete, and diagnose issues with the appliance.
For me, I could not download the app because my laundry closet is in a dead Wi-Fi spot. However, it’s doubtful that I would have used these features anyway since it’s just as easy to use the touch controls.
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: User reviews
The LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer is a mixed bag of reviews by other users, but it looks like the majority of any negativity is down to the shipping or installation.
Over on the LG site the machine has scored 4.4-out-of-5 stars out of a total of 1074 reviews. One reviewer says "Love the features and steam options!! Efficient dryer!" and another adds "The new dryer is great and so mart, very easy to use. It's neat to use it from my phone, I like how it updates on its progress."
This feeling is echoed over on AJ Maddison with a reviewer sharing "I’ve had the washer for a little over a month and have washed clothes, bedding, towels. So far it’s been great. Not loud. I haven’t connected it to wifi yet", and another over on Walmart saying "... it's working great."
It's worth noting that the customer reviews on the reseller sites were collected as part of a promotion by LG so all the reviews are the same. To consolidate any "thumbs down" reviews I can see that the top level is that clothes became stuck inside the drum under the lint trap, struggles are with connecting to the app and it gives error messaging although there isn't necessarily an error.
Should you buy the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer?
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Price & availability | Has a list price of $1,249 on the LG website. Plenty of availablity on reseller sites such as AJ Maddison, Lowe's and Sears. It is a lot of $$s when not on sale though. | 7/10 |
| Design | Tested in the beautiful Black Steel color; easy-to-use touchscreen and dials; love the LED inside the drum | 8/10 |
| Performance | Efficiently handles large loads and evenly drying clothes; AI sensor | 9/10 |
| Moisture sensor | Standout features, accurately detecting when clothes are dry and adjusting the drying time accordingly | 10/10 |
| Noise level | Relatively low; gentle hum is a testament to the quality construction | 9/10 |
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer: also consider...
The dryer is comparable to my old front-load GE dryer in terms of performance. However, that appliance didn’t have nearly as many features to choose from. Admittedly, it didn’t cost as much either (if memory serves me correctly, both the washer and dryer were a little over $1,000 at the time). However, it was difficult to fit comforters into the GE dryer, so I appreciate the larger capacity LG model.
If you prefer an all-in-one combo, the LG 5.0 cu. ft Mega Capacity Smart Smart Load All-in_One Ventless Washer/Dryer Combo gives you two appliances in one. It’s expensive at $2,999/on sale for $2,499, but if space is a premium, an all-in-one appliance is invaluable. It also has specialized programs for dresses, jeans, swimwear, active wear, and more.
How I tested the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer
I tested the LG DLEX4000B 7.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Electric Dryer, trying the various settings and features for several months. I put comforters and duvets in the dryer and gauged design, performance, user-friendliness, and maintenance.
Read more about how we test.
