Great Machine

Purchased this machine in early March 2009 for use in 16th floor condo with no venting area. I have found that it's a useful, reliable machine that is a wonderful alternative to the laundromat.  Keep in mind that it takes a long time but does exactly as advertised. This review is tailored to use as a PORTABLE MACHINE which means it is not hooked up like a regular washer. I hook it up when I need it and remove when I am not.  I have no idea how it would work if it were used as a more permanent set-up which the instructions suggests is possible. 

I use it about once or twice a week and do two to three loads each use.  I had put castors but found that I didn't like that it wasn't sturdy enough during the spin cycles so I switched to those moving furniture/sliding pads under each corner and while it requires a little more effort to move, the machine is a lot sturdier when its not resting on wheels.  I bought a lawn hose divider and a male/female converter I bought from lowes/home depot and hook the machine up to my bathroom sink since both cold and hot come from one faucet.  The divider really only "tricks" the machine since the machine has a hot and cold water inlet. Therefore, if you want hot water, just turn on hot; cold, just turn on cold; warm, both. If you're lucky enough to have two faucets, you won't need the divider but may possibly need the male/female connectors.  There are sites that will sell the "portability kits" with castors and the connectors for about $50-$70.00.  I did not purchase those and figured I could get a better deal getting them individuallly at a place like Lowes or Home Depot.  The castors and converters, I paid about $25.00 but it took a while because most people are not familiar with portability kits for washer/dryers.  You may find that if you ask someone specifically for the connectors to hook a portable dishwasher, you'll get looks of recognition and it's the same thing.  You will need two parts--I believe one is called the Snap nipple 27 dual thread dishwasher fitting and the other is the female part. They also come as a Snap coupling x 3/4" male hose thread with built-in snap nipple 27-thread female set.   When snapped together, it may leak a little into the sink, which is a tad annoying but that may be my fault or the sink's fault or the coupling parts.

When I am not using it, I put it away in a nook in the bathroom.  It's bulky and while the measurements are accurate, the front loading door sticks out about half an inch beyond the manufacturer meaurements and there are side handles that also stick out about 3/4 of an inch and appear to be removable but I haven't figured out how so plan for a little extra space.  The output water hose, I just stick it in the sink and put a lint trap over the drain because lots of lint comes out.  The first couple times I drained it into the tub without a lint trap, I noticed I had to clean out the drain with (aha!) lint so preventative is better than clogging the tub.

I've found that HE detergent (while slightly more expensive) is the best type of detergent to use and my clothes come out clean and fresh. I had used regular powder detergent and found that the water didn't get soapy enough to get the clothes clean. It only takes a little detergent. I fill the drum about 3/4 of the way for the wash and find that this way there's enough air space for the dryer to dry sufficiently.  If the machine is too full during the dryer phase, it won't dry sufficiently.  If you have the option of air-drying after the wash cycle, filling the entire drum is not a problem at all.  With my loads, I try not to stick in more than 2-3 thick items such as jeans and towels when I plan on using the dry cycle.  I find I have found the most success drying when I wash "regular" thickness items like underwear, and socks and one towel and/or one pair of jeans.

The instructions booklet is HORRIBLE and vague.  When I purchased the machine, I read a lot of negative reviews and was worried it would poop out on me and not wash/dry suficiently.  As for the wash part, keep the desired temperature of your wash portion on the entire time of your wash.  The machine will suck in water when it needs it. I use the shortest cycle with one wash cycle and the clothes come out clean.  The spin cycle is mostly fine and has a 600-1000 rpm option. HOWEVER, depending on the length of your cycle and the rpm you've chosen, the last 5-10 minutes can be REALLY LOUD. I've found the 600 does not spin the water out sufficiently enough but 800 rpm is only really loud for about 2-3 minutes.   I always set the drying function from the washing function separately instead of setting it all at the beginning. There's no real reason for doing this--sometimes I want to remove something between cycles and want an opportunity to do so.

If you are going to use it as a portable machine instead of a more permanent hook-up, YOU NEED TO KEEP THE COLD WATER RUNNING DURING THE DRY CYCLE!!!!! The first time I used the machine, I failed to do this and it would not dry. There are about two other reviews online that mention this and I decided to give it a try. However, ever since then, while the dry cycle is long (it's advertised this way), my clothes (even towels and jeans) come out dry and hot when the cold water is left on during the dry cycle. 

The machine does not use very much water but you can change the water setting depending on how dirty the clothes are.  I am not certain if it uses a lot of electricity as my electricity is included in my condo fees. It's 115 so I imagine it does not.

I have noticed that if you are doing more than 2 loads of washing AND drying, by the third dry cycle, the machine shuts off about half way during the third dry cycle because I think it detects near overheat.  This may be something wrong with the machine or a safety feature--I am not sure but the machine does get very hot after that many cycles. That's basically 6-7 hours of continuous operation so be careful.

It's a great machine for 1-2 people. You can't expect too much from it like washing 3 pairs of jeans and 2 towels. You have to pick and choose the types of things you wash with each load. It can wash/dry everything but you have to balance out thickness.

Overall, I got a good deal on it at an appliance site online. I paid approx. $600, shipping and tax inclusive.  It has made my life more convenient and while it takes time and has quirks, this is a LOT better than quarters and laundromat.