Kenmore 22352 review: This boring washer cleans pretty darn well

Kenmore's $720 22352 top-loader is about as bare-bones as it gets when it comes to washing machines today. You won't find a touchscreen display panel or tons of options -- quite the opposite. The 22352 looks like it rolled off the back of a truck from the 1980s.

7.0

Kenmore 22352

$1,109 at Amazon

The Good

Kenmore's $720 22352 top-load washing machine has all of the standard settings you need for less. It removes stains well, too, and is extra gentle on clothes.

The Bad

The 22352's MSRP seems a little high given that it's the most pared-down washing machine we've tested thus far. Don't expect any luxury features or design flourishes here.

The Bottom Line

Avoid the Kenmore 22352 if you're looking for advanced tech, but this straightforward top-loader does just fine where it matters most -- performance.

That said, it removes stains quite well and it's really gentle on clothes. You can also currently find it at Sears.com for just $500. If you're looking for a no-frills washer that's easy to use, you might want to take a look at the Kenmore 22352.

A bland Kenmore washer with solid cleaning power

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The gist

Kenmore's 22352 stands out amid the sea of shiny gray metallic washers available today, but only because of its comparatively bland design. It looks like a carryover from a previous generation of appliances -- and not in a good way. Plenty of folks looking for an affordable top-loader that simply cleans clothes well won't care about that, though.

As its plain exterior suggests, this model doesn't offer any high-end features. Look elsewhere for auto-dispensing detergent, Android and iPhone apps and other advanced options. It is easy to use, though. Turn the various dials on the display to the settings you want and press "Start."

Here's an overview of the 22352's specs compared to other sub-$1,000 top-load washers we've tested:

Like GE's $650 GTW485ASJWS, the 22352 relies on an agitator to clean clothes. An agitator is a plastic rod that extends from the bottom of the washer bin to the top and takes up precious cubic feet. For that reason, the 22352 only has a 4.2 cubic-foot internal capacity, meaning it won't be able to hold the mega-size loads of laundry that some less invasive impeller-style top-loaders can.

If you want to a comparison of the agitator and impeller models, check out my washing machine buying guide.

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Cleaning power

What Kenmore's 22352 lacks in style, it somewhat makes up for with its performance. We use two metrics to score a washer's performance -- how well it removes stains and how gentle it is on clothes. The 22352 earned pretty high marks on both fronts.

To test stain removal, we run stained fabric strips through three wash cycles and measure how much of the original stains remain on average. The lower the percentage, the more stains it removed. Like GE's GTW485ASJWS, the 22352 had 48 percent of its original stains remaining. That isn't as good as the $1,530 Kenmore Elite 31633's 41 percent, but it's still a solid score for the price.

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Here's how it handled each individual stain:

• Sebum - 43 percent stains remaining
• Carbon - 50 percent stains remaining
• Blood - 41 percent stains remaining
• Cocoa - 54 percent stains remaining
• Wine - 54 percent stains remaining

To test wear and tear on clothes, we run thin fabric squares through three wash cycles and count the number of attached, frayed threads that measure at or over 2 millimeters long. The higher the number, the tougher the washer is on clothes. The 22352 did very well here, with just 228 attached, frayed threads. GE's GTW485ASJWS had a 266-count and Kenmore's 31633 had an average of 251 threads that measured at or over 2mm long.

The verdict

Kenmore's $720 22352 isn't fancy, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not only will this top-load model successfully freshen up your bed sheets, towels, t-shirts and other everyday items, it'll also remove quite a lot of nasty stains. Bonus: It's gentle on clothes. And given it's current discounted price of $500 at Sears, the 22352 is well worth your consideration -- if you can get past its limited features and dull design.