So.... recently I spotted an online ad for a portable, mini washing machine. It was electric & folded flat(ish) for storage - by folded I mean squished 😂
Straight away I thought "ooh this could change the way I wet block forever!" I know this might sound extravagant to some but it was actually very reasonably priced - by "reasonable" I mean less than £10!! Including postage! (Sadly it is now a fair bit more than that).
I'm not usually an impulse buyer, but as I have issues with my back & hip, standing for any length of time can be a struggle for me, as can the bending & repetitive motion of handwashing. So what could I do but hit the buy it now button 🤷♀️
In this post I will review the mini washing machine. You can use the following menu to navigate.
This post may contain affiliate links. As a lovecrafts associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you make a purchase from any of those links, I will receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continued support!
Less than a week later, our lovely postie arrived with my parcel & I couldn't wait to get it open. I dashed straight upstairs to my "office" (also known as the spare room 😂) & ripped off the packaging.
First impressions of the mini washing machine
I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the washing machine, when folded it measures just 10cm/4" tall & 30cm/12" wide. When opened out the machine measures 28cm/11" tall (about the size of a standard bucket) & can hold up to 8 litres of water. The washing machine also comes with a "drain basket", & power lead which don't fit into the machine once its folded so would need to be stored separately.
The washing machine has a port at the back to connect the power lead, a drain at the side with a rubber plug, a control panel on the front & four suction feet on the bottom to help stabilise it when it's in use.
My excitement waned though, when I picked up the instructions that came with the washing machine. Not only were they VERY basic, they were clearly written by someone with a limited knowledge of written English.
I realised that my first use of the machine was not going to be as easy as I'd hoped but I was determined to give it a go.
The first use
The washing machine was simple enough to set up, I simply made sure that the plug was in the drain, filled it from the tap whilst adding a small amount of a gentle detergent & then plugged it in. Then the fun started!
The first button on the control panel says "10 min standard washing" & displays a t-shirt, that's straight forward enough. The next button says "15 min soft washing" & displays underwear, OK, I assumed that represents a "gentle wash."
Now, the third button says "2 min semi dehydration" & displays another t-shirt 🤷♀️🤦♀️
OK, now I was confused & my head was starting to hurt. Should I press this to start the draining? The instructions indicate that the machine drains automatically so I'm guessing not.
It's fair to say that first wash didn't go particularly well. All of those buttons got pressed! Thankfully I was only washing a baby dress, but I was so exasperated that I decided to rinse it by hand. I then had to dry the machine thoroughly before I could store it!
All in all, at that point I wasn't feeling very positive about the washing machine. I felt that the experience wasn't really any less physical & was definitely more stressful, than just handwashing.
I created a review on Youtube after that first half failed attempt & I was definitely sitting on the fence about the washing machine, feeling that there were just as many cons as pros.
However, having now used the machine a couple of times, I have worked out that the third button is used after emptying the machine as a "spin" cycle 💡this "revelation" made all the difference.
The Correct instructions for the mini washing machine
So, as I said, I've now used the washing machine a few times & now understand the controls, even if I don't understand the instructions. The washing machine is actually straightforward to use, as follows:
Fill the washing machine with water from your tap, adding detergent as you do. For a cool wash, use mainly cold water, adding just a little hot. I fill mine to the top of the dark purple section. Don't add the basket at this point.
Add the item/s that you want to wash.
Choose either the 10 min or 15 min cycle depending on what you are washing.
At the end of the cycle, the washing machine will drain automatically - You'll want to make sure you have it positioned near a sink (I place mine on the draining board) & you'll need to remove the rubber plug from the drain located on the side.
As the water empties, remove the washing & place it into the drain basket & pop it back into the machine.
After the machine has completely emptied completely, ensure that the basket is correctly inserted & fixed on the locating arms, now press the semi dehydration button & the machine will run a 2 minute spin cycle.
Next, replace the rubber plug. Remove the basket from the washing machine & replace the washing. Fill the washing machine with cold water only.
Repeat steps 3 - 6 to "rinse" your items.
My overall opinion of the mini washing machine
With a couple of uses under my belt I have been "swayed" in favour of the machine. Now that I understand how to use it properly, I feel comfortable to leave it during the cycle (setting a timer on my watch a couple of minutes before the cycle ends), which means I'm not standing for a long period of time.
It's also quick to fill & drain due to it's compact size & most importantly, now that I understand how to use the "spin" function, I no longer have to stand over the sink & squeeze the water out of my smaller makes.
In the youtube review that I did, I said that I probably wouldn't purchase the washing machine again at full price, but now I know that I would, simply because it's better for my back!
A final note!
I hope you've enjoyed this review & would love to hear your thoughts. Why not let me know in the comments below. You can also let me know if you would like to see more product reviews like this.
Comments