SUPER DEAL Portable Compact Mini Twin Tub Washing Machine

This review is for the 2-tub, aqua blue & white unit.

My apartment building has a laundry room, but it is disgusting and expensive ($1.75 to wash, $1.50 to dry). I’ve had quarters eaten, clothes destroyed by the machines & by debris within the machines, clothes stained by other users’ laundry products, and clothes stolen. The machines smell and don’t agitate very well, and I never felt like my clothes were getting clean. After paying $20-$50 month to do my laundry for 2 years, I finally decided this purchase would be worth the risk even if it breaks within a few months. I paid about $65 and $12 in shipping.

I received my washer & spin dryer unit today, and already, I am thrilled with the purchase. It was on my doorstep within 6 days of placing my order (shipped from California to Pennsylvania) and was packaged very well. There was no damage to the box or unit.

I spent all day doing laundry, and it’s so easy! I only use the machine in my bathtub to make sure there won’t be a disaster if it ever leaks. I was worried that the slight downward slant in my tub would make it difficult to use, but it’s not a problem. Before use, I vacuumed out the bits of styrofoam from shipping. The unit did have a slightly strong plastic smell when I first opened it, so I ran a wash cycle with water, white vinegar, and a few drops of blue Dawn dish soap before using it; this helped get rid of the smell a bit.

I use Tide HE detergent and Clorox2 stain remover/color booster (the free & clear versions of both). I tried my first load with 1 Tablespoon of detergent, and it was way too much. I recommend using 1 to 1.5 teaspoon for a full load, or even less if you want to rinse faster. Towels get REALLY sudsy and require multiple rinses.

You should only use cold water in this machine. If you’re worried that you can’t use hot water “to kill germs”, don’t be. A normal full-size washer definitely doesn’t have water hot enough to kill germs either. Think about it - is your washing machine boiling hot? No. The only step of the laundry process that kills germs is using a high heat dryer. But you have an immune system; you’ll be fine with this.

I purchased a Rinseroo (another product on Amazon that I randomly found) to fill the washer via my shower head. It is awesome! It has a stretchy end that fits almost any fixture, including shower heads, tub faucets, bathroom sink faucets, and kitchen sink faucets. This was so much easier than trying to find the perfect converter to hook up the provided hose to only one fixture in my apartment. Although it was $20, I highly recommend this accessory for your unit. You can also use it to clean your shower, clean your dog, or fill buckets that won’t fit in your sink. It is quick and easy to attach & take off. It also perfectly matches the blue color on this unit!

The unit is fairly light... for a washing machine. If you are elderly or have mobility issues, it may be difficult to move the unit, especially since there are no wheels.

The 3-prong cord is pretty short; you will almost definitely need an extension cord.

Each of the following were a good-sized load in my many uses today:
- 5 women’s blouses
- 3 knee-length dresses
- 5 bras (they tangle easily)
- 1 pair of jeans (could have added a pair of leggings)
- A ton of socks
- 3 light tops, 1 pair of athletic shorts, 5 pairs of underwear
- A light beach towel, 3 washcloths
- 2 kitchen towels, 10 washcloths/cleaning cloths

The washer got my clothes very clean (no smelly pits). Be aware that this washer will draw dye out of newer dark-colored garments. I washed a pair of jeans that had been washed at least 5 times in a regular washer already, and the drained water was still dark blue.

The spin dryer works well, but I feel like some reviewers exaggerate how dry it gets the clothes. They are certainly not sopping wet after use, but they are definitely still damp. You will need to air dry a blouse for 3-4 hours before you could wear it. Add a fan pointed at your drying rack, and then dry time would be about an hour.

Lint may become a problem... I have a fine mesh drain cover, which I had to clean out after each load. I’m worried there’s a lot getting through, though, and that it will clog my drain. When I attached pantyhose to the drain pipe, it took way too long to drain, and I removed them. Still looking for a solution to this problem...

This unit is almost certainly not allowed by my lease, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The unit operates fairly quietly, and I cover up the small amount of noise by keeping the bathroom fan on during use (probably a good idea anyway).