It is what it is
Washing machine agitation patterns have gotten more sophisticated and efficient over the years, and gentler on clothes in the process. This machine looks modern with its lack of a paddle agitator, but it makes no attempt to float and separate clothes, it merely whirls everything around forcefully, stops to let it settle, then whirls it around in the opposite direction. That works, given sufficient time and water, but it's neither efficient nor gentle.
There's a limit to how little water can clean clothes. In even the most efficient machines, clothes won't get cleaner than the water in which they're washed. (Which is why rinsing is as important as washing.) But this machine requires proportionally more water than a full-sized machine simply because it agitates so clumsily. That means, practically speaking, small loads of mostly small items in plenty of water work best, and since the intense whirly action limits the volume of water that will stay in the tub, in real life the load limit is considerably less than advertised.
Incidentally, the gentle setting uses exactly the same blender action, just of shorter duration during each reversal. That tangles and flagellates the clothes slightly less, but not appreciably less than simply washing them fewer minutes. It's not useless, but leaving the timing alone and reducing the cyclonic speed by half would be more effective.
Don't take this as scathing criticism. It's a reasonable machine for its intended purpose and I will use it. (Carefully, because the powerful motors and sturdy tubs are housed in incredibly flimsy plastic shrouding.) I'm only cautioning against thinking this is a miniature version of a modern washing machine. It's more like PTO attachments for KitchenAid® mixers: simple, powerful, space-saving, but fussier, more limited and only slightly less expensive than full-sized stand-alone corollaries.
For me, the advantage is gravity draining, which means this can safely freeze (unlike any modern automatic washer). It's also light enough to carry outdoors, or in the dead of winter set on a rubber mat in the bathtub. In my opinion, it's not so much an alternative to a full-size washer as it is an alternative to hand washing.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
