The Whirlpool WTW4816FW is part of the Washing Machines test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Top-Load Agitator Washers models like the WTW4816FW are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Washing performance This reflects the degree of color change to swatches of fabric that were included in an 8-pound test load of mixed cotton items using the machines' most aggressive normal cycle. (We do not use special cycle or option buttons.)

Energy efficiency Indicates the energy needed to heat the water, run the washer, and remove the water left in the clothes after the spin cycle completes.

Water efficiency This score denotes how much water it took to wash our 8-pound load. On models that didn't set the fill level automatically, we used the lowest fill setting that sufficed for the 8-pound load. We then calculated water used per pound of clothing.