With its gigantic capacity and long list of features, the Kenmore Elite 61633 saves you time by doing lots of laundry in one load. It does it efficiently, too, especially considering how large it is. It is one of only four machines in our comparison that earned an Energy Star from the EPA.
With this clothes dryer, you get 10 drying cycles and can choose either timed cycles that simply run for a set period or sensing cycles that monitor the moisture in laundry and adjust the time to the shortest operating interval needed to get the clothes dry. This will vary depending on the size of the load, the fabrics and the dryness setting you have selected. The Kenmore Elite 31633 washing machine is a great choice to accompany this dryer. It gives you an enormous capacity of 6.2 cubic feet and can wash 32 towels in one load. This dryer could also be paired with any washer of similar proportions.
This unit includes a normal cycle, one for bedding and other bulky items, a heavy-duty cycle, one to sanitize clothing, one for delicate clothing, a quick touch-up cycle, and more. In addition, you get a choice of five dryness levels and five temperature controls.
This dryer also provides a trademarked steam refresh option that cuts down on odors, reduces wrinkles, and shortens or even eliminates ironing times. With this feature, you can get clothing ready to wear in about 20 minutes. The Kenmore Elite 61633 was one of only two we compared that had steam options. You pay for it, in this case, because it is the most expensive dryer we compared.
In case you get busy and cannot pull the newly dried laundry out of the Kenmore Elite as soon as a cycle ends, this dryer has a trademarked wrinkle-guard mode. This setting tumbles your clothes at intervals of up to 150 minutes after drying is complete to reduce the likelihood of set-in wrinkles.
You can use the energy-saver mode when you are running the normal drying cycle. This runs the dryer at a somewhat lower temperature for a slightly longer time to reduce electricity consumption.
This dryer also includes a number of convenience features, such as a damp signal in case you want to remove some clothing midcycle and let it finish drying on a hanger, and a drum light to see what’s inside when you are reaching for small pieces of laundry. You can also reverse the direction the door opens by unscrewing the hinges and simply installing them on the other side to suit the configuration of the laundry area in your home.
The 61633 offers two features that help lower fire hazard – a check vent and a check lint light – so you know your machine can function safely. One thing it lacks is a strong warranty, which is sort of a surprise considering that it costs more than any others we compared. It just has the one year of coverage on everything.
The Kenmore Elite 61633 is relatively expensive and could use a better warranty, but its massive capacity and steam feature make it great for a large household with diverse laundry needs. It can tackle the massive bedding loads but still treat the small load of dress shirts right.
