With an asking price of $849 the LG WT7400CV sits in a sweet spot, including premium features at a reasonable price. As a modern top loading washer it has all of the bells and whistles you may expect for a washer at this price point, including WiFi and app functionality, a deep fill option and large 5.5 cu. ft capacity, though we'll dive more into all the features and performance later on in this review.
Electronics giant Goldstar, which later became LG Electronics, was founded in 1958 and has a long established history for creating electronics such as phones, radios, refrigerators, TVs, washing machines and air conditioner units. It's perhaps no surprise that washing machines produced by South Korea's 4th largest company frequently appear in our best washing machines buying guide.
Price: $849
Dimensions: 27x44.5x28.4”
Noise level: N/A
Capacity (cu. ft): 5.5
Cycles: 8
Energy Star certified: Yes
Warranty: 1 year (Drum: 3 years drum, Motor: 10 years)
The LG WT7400CV is a top load style washing machine with a huge maximum capacity of 5.5 cu. ft, large enough for king size comforters, with creature comforts like Wi-Fi, app functionality and TurboWash3D technology.
Energy Star certification will bring peace and mind to users wanting to save money on their water and electric bills as this means the LG WT7400CV has been independently tested and meets their strict energy performance standards.
At $849 it sits at the higher end of the market, but is still more affordable than models like the recently reviewed Whirlpool WTW8127LC which costs $1,399.
In this review, we run through the advantages and drawbacks of the LG WT7400CV looking at features, specifications and delving through hundreds of user reviews to see what customers who bought this product loved, as well as what they didn't, so you can weigh it all up before parting with your money.
LG WT7400CV: Design
The LG WT7400CV has dimensions of 27x44.5x28.4” and has a top load design so make sure to measure and check that your space will be able to be able to accommodate it, as well as the opening lid.
It has a sleek and minimalist design with a blank front and smart control panel at the top of the machine behind the slam-proof glass lid and comes in two colorways - Graphite Steel or White. The latter is a little cheaper on LG's site at $799, but both look clean and tidy with the detergent dispenser drawer hidden away underneath the lid.
The sleek control panel has a physical dial to choose between the eight cycle options (Normal, Heavy Duty, Bedding, Deep Wash, Pre Wash+ Normal, Delicates, Waterproof, Downloaded) though using the touch buttons, or the app, you'll also be able to customise your washes with 16 different options (TurboWash®, Soak, Extra Rinse, Add Garments, Delay Wash, Control Lock, Water Plus, ColdWash™, Rinse+Spin, Spin Only, StainCare, Tub Clean, Signal, Remote Start, Wi-Fi, Speed Wash).
With a high price-tag you can expect the LG WT7400CV to have some premium design choices. These include an Inverter Direct Drive Motor which are more durable than a standard drive belt you'd typically find on budget front-loader. The motor also boasts a maximum RPM of 950 and LG are so confident in it that the motor comes with a 10 year warranty.
Another high quality part is the NeveRust® stainless steel drum and washplate, the cabinet is also painted steel. While the LG WT7400CV comes with a one year warranty as standard, the stainless steel drum has a three year warranty.
One design choice is to feature an impeller, though there's no agitator. An agitator is a central spindle or column that sits in the middle of the drum to 'agitate' the clothing to help rub the material and break down dirt.
If you like your appliances to match then be sure to look at the LG DLE7400VE too, which is the company's matching electric dryer for the WT7400CV.
LG WT7400CV: Features
The LG WT7400CV features TurboWash3D technology which LG claim will give you a 'powerful' clean in just 29 minutes. This would be handy for when you need your clothes washed in a hurry and you don't have time to wait for a full cycle.
It also features 6Motion technology designed to wash the clothes in six different motions for a deeper clean, as a well as a TrueBalance® Anti-Vibration System aimed at keeping noise to a minimum.
Load sensing is also featured and there are three soil levels users can choose from. For a deeper clean there's a Water Plus mode too, which will use more water to help make sure every part of your load becomes wet. Water Plus mode can be enabled on any of the eight cycles with the push of a button.
The LG WT7400CV should deliver on cooler eco washes too with its ColdWash technology designed to penetrate deep into fabrics, for cold water savings and warm water performance.
It also features a SmartRinse™ Jet Spray System which forces water to penetrate through and into the close as the tub spins for quick and thorough rinsing.
Sadly, the LG WT7400CV doesn't feature a steam option.
LG WT7400CV: Price and availability
The LG WT7400CV has an RRP of $1,149 or $1,049 depending on whether you want the Graphite Steel or White model, though at the time of review they were discounted down to $849 or $799 respectively depending on the color choice.
Stock was also readily available directly from the LG US site, as well as retailers including Lowe's, Abt, Best Buy and US Appliance. All retailers listed the washing machines at pretty much the same discounted price, though US Appliance had the best deal at $4 cheaper and offered free shipping within 1-2 business days too.
Even at the discounted rate of around $849 or $799, this high price does mean the LG WT7400CV sits toward the top end of the market. That said, it's considerably less than a machine like the Whirlpool WTW8127LC which will set you back around $1,399 for the chrome model.
With the LG you get a 10 year guarantee on the motor, three years on the drum and 1 year parts and labor on everything else. You also get some essential features like a large 5.5 cu. ft stainless steel drum, Wi-Fi as well a wide range of cycles with fast, eco and deep fill settings too.
LG WT7400CV: User reviews
The LG WT7400CV has garnered an impressive score of 4.5 out of 5 stars on the official LG website from over 300 reviews.
One customer left a 5 star review saying, "I have only had this washer for a few weeks but so far it’s great. It has a huge capacity that I can throw all my bedding in there and still have room. I haven’t had a high efficiency washer before and was a little unsure how clean stuff would get without the agitator but it works great and all my clothes feel cleaner and smell better than my old washer.
While another gleaming review gave it top marks with the following comments, "I recently purchased an LG Washer and I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase. The LG Washer is incredibly efficient and easy to use, making laundry day a breeze. The machine's energy-saving features are also impressive, allowing me to save money on my utility bills without sacrificing performance. I also appreciate the machine's quiet operation, which means I can run loads of laundry without disturbing the peace in my home. Overall, I highly recommend the LG Washer to anyone in the market for a new washing machine. It's durable, efficient, and easy to use, making it the perfect addition to any household."
As with any product with a large volume of sales you expect some negative comments too. Some of the frequent issues that appeared in low ranking reviews were about error codes and the long waiting times to get an engineer out to fix their washers. Others made comments about balancing issues with bulky items and a noisy operation.
One customer left a one star review saying "It uses to much water the runtime is an hour and a half and it clogs every week and reads error code" while another unhappy customer said "It does not wash my clothes properly, socks come out soiled, uses a lot more water and noticeably lowers the water pressure while in use, I did not have this issue with the front loader."
One user gave a three star review simply saying "GOOD WASHER, IF YOU CAN PUT IT OUT OF EARSHOT"
LG WT7400CV: Expert reviews
So what do the experts say about the LG WT7400CV? Laundry expert Mark Brezinski at usatoday.com made it his Editors' Choice. He says: "If you're looking for a new washer, front-loaders are better overall, but there are still reasons why you might prefer a top-loader. They're a bit easier on your back, since you don't need to bend down to load them, they typically have simpler controls, and they're generally cheaper than front-loaders. If those aspects brought you to research the LG WT7900HBA, you'll notice right away that last point doesn't seem to hold true.
"The LG WT7900HBA also has a pretty extensive feature set. We liked that it has steam cleaning options, a slow-close lid, and a smart phone app that enables features like remote start and stop.
"We clocked the LG WT7900HBA’s Normal cycle at exactly 30 minutes, which is significantly faster than the average time of 54 minutes we see with other washing machines.
"While it wasn't far off from average, we did note that the LG WT7900HBA's cleaning performance was subpar on every cycle we tested. Compared to average performance numbers, the Normal cycle got laundry about 5% less clean, the Heavy Duty fell about 10% under, the Quick Dry cycle was down by 7%, and the Delicates cycle fell shy by 9%. Within the context of the Normal cycle finishing in about half the time we typically see, those numbers make more sense. In all other cases, though, it's just subpar performance."
Should you buy the LG WT7400CV?
While the high asking price of the LG WT7400CV does place it towards the premium end of top load washing machines it does fit in a lot of features to help justify its high entry-point and increase value for money. If you're in the market for one we'd certainly wait until you can find one at the lower sale price of around $849 or $799 (depending on the color) to save a good chunk of change.
There's only about $50 difference between the graphite steel and white versions, with the latter being the more affordable and all other features being exactly the same. With this in mind it's not too expensive to get the Graphite Steel model if it fits in with the color scheme of your kitchen or laundry room, though the standard white model would make it just that little bit more affordable if you don't need the graphite steel color.
The LG WT7400CV in theory should be a quiet machine with its TrueBalance® Anti-Vibration System though reviews were mixed with some users pleasantly surprised with how quiet it was and others reporting that it was loud and clunky when balancing. It's hard to discern whether those negative reviews left online were from customers that received a faulty product.
Looking through user reviews some said that the machine had issues balancing large and bulky items, or multiple sheets or towels, and used excess water when attempting to rebalance.
Putting these comments to one side, the LG WT7400CV has garnered an impressive overall score of 4.5 stars out of five, so there are clearly a large number of customers that love their machines and haven't encountered these issues which is reassuring and make us inclined to believe those customers received a faulty product.
How does the LG WT7400CV compare to competitors?
The Samsung WF42H5000AW was rated our best front loading washing machine and is a little more affordable at $700. But, it has a front-loading design and fewer wash cycles (only 8), it also has a 23% lower capacity at 4.2 cu.ft. However, like the LG, it does have Wi-Fi. So if you're looking for a more affordable option with smart features it could be one to consider.
The Maytag MVW6500MBK has a similar capacity of 5.4 cu.ft, 12 cycles to choose from and is a top-loader machine too. It's also been designed especially to tackle pet hair so would be a great choice for dog and cat lovers. That said, it is considerably more expensive at $1,299, but regularly found on sale for $999.
The Maytag MVW6200KW has a similar aesthetic to the LG WT7400CV with its top load design and minimalist layout and was named our best budget washing machine. It boasts 10 cycles, vibration reduction and a deep fill option, though no smart features and a smaller capacity of 4.8 cu. ft.
