The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: TheGadfly on December 30, 2016, 11:21:29 AM
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I saw this on Amazon and I'm considering it: https://www.amazon.com/Giantex-Portable-Compact-Washing-Machine/dp/B01ALBMIEI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483120114&sr=8-2&keywords=portable+washing+machine
I currently live in a small, 3rd floor apartment. In the basement of a building adjacent to mine, there a set of (old, dirty) washers that cost $2.00 per load (I air dry my clothes on a drying rack).
I estimate that my wife and I do at least 50 loads of laundry per year. This unit costs $105 so I will break even in one year. I'm not thrilled with the break-even timeline (especially since it assumes this machine won't crap out in less than one year). It is also slightly more labor intensive than a normal washer (although, given the hassle I go through now to retrieve rolls of quarters from the bank and make multiple trips to-and-from the basement, it's probably about the same). Overall, I'm on the fence about this one.
Anyone have experience with these portable washers?
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We have used a really small washer before:
https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Alternative-Wonderwash-Non-electric-Portable/dp/B002C8HR9A/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1483122501&sr=8-9&keywords=portable+washing+machine
and this dryer
https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Alternative-Mega-Spin-Dryer/dp/B0150X71NU/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1483122633&sr=8-16&keywords=portable+clothes+dryer
Both worked well enough, but honestly, If I were to do it again... I would buy a tote with a locking lid, add water, detergent, and clothing. Then throw the tote in your car for the commute to work and back. In the evening pull the clothes out and throw them in the dryer or on a clothes line. I wouldn't bother with the washer, its just a fancy electric thing that jiggles clothes in a puddle of water and detergent that is easily replicated by a tote in a car. The little washer takes FOREVER to do loads, the tote is way more efficient, and cheaper.
I dunno... That's just me.
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I tried using a Haier portable washer a year or two ago.
Upsides:
- I could do laundry in my apartment whenever I wanted, rather than walking 50 feet to the other end of the building where the laundry room is.
- Some theoretical breakeven point
Downsides:
- Washer was heavy and I had to move it from my closet into the kitchen or bathroom every time I wanted to use it. The sloshing inside indicated to me that some deep crevice of the machine never fully drained after use.
- Installing the washer's quick-release adapter to the kitchen sink required removing the sink aerator. This made using the sink unpleasant for all other uses. I eventually hooked up a series of adapters to my shower head which was somewhat easier to use.
- The washer was very difficult to get balanced, and would frequently make horrendously loud knocking noises during the spin cycle. As an apartment-dweller, I did not want to subject my neighbors to this noise.
- A lot of extra soap scum/lint residue ended up draining into the bathtub, requiring me to clean that more often.
- Line drying clothes left them stiff and uncomfortable.
- I found myself worried about a hose bursting or coming loose from its adapter and causing a massive leak in my apartment, so I never left the machine unattended while pressurized.
Needless to say, after a few months I called the experiment off and resold the washer to some other poor sucker on Craigslist.
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Doing the homestead thing with 4 kids, I've done a lot of laundry in alternative ways.
Look on Amazon for the laundry plunger. It looks similar to a toilet plunger, but it's blue. Way cheap.
Clothes in your bathtub, water, detergent of choice, 5-15 minutes of plunging, depending on fabric and how dirty they are. Change water out, plunge some more to rinse. Hang to dry.
The hand crank ones, imo, are too much work for too small loads. If you have indoor plumbing and a tub, the plunger is awesome. Especially if your clothes aren't farm-mud or 4-yr-old dirty, lol.
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I believe poster Joon has one of these, and really likes it. You might try PM-ing her as she is not on the forums much.
:) You are correct, lhamo! And I happened to appear here at the same time this post was at the top, and was eager to chime in.
Mine is featured and linked to in this post: https://financialtipsforthebroke.com/2016/10/22/4-tweaks-to-make-a-cheap-apartment-work/
I've had it for about a year (?) and still adore it. It lives right next to my kitchen counter, tucks in there beautifully (flush), and easily rolls those few feet to the sink and back. (Well, it rolls any distance easily, but when I figured out this spot for it, score!)
I originally bought its companion dryer—planning to mount that in the free vertical space above my fridge—but I found the washer spins so well, stuff dries quickly on the folding racks.
This is one of those things I would buy again in a heartbeat, only wish I had sooner! I bought from Costco, which has an eternal return policy too.
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Ah, I didn't look at the link and automatically assumed non-electric! Sorry!