Life changing piece of equipment!

This machine's compact size fits into the smallest of bathrooms and the faucet adapter can be left on the faucet all the time making hookup extremely quick. I hook the water up to the bathroom sink and let it drain into the bathtub, which works great. This 6.6 lb capacity is just the right size for weekly color-separated loads, so because I can do wash more frequently I don't need so much clothing. The best part about the washer is the very powerful spin cycle which helps wet clothes dry on the line (or shower curtain rod) in just hours. I think the spin cycle is more powerful than some full-sized washers. This allows the laundry day to take even less time from start to finish.
Cleaning quality is good but I do need to keep an eye on grease spots and pretreat more often than I would with a more powerful machine. Upon initial installation my connections were leaking but I tightened them up enough finally- and you only have to do this once if you leave the faucet adapter installed (hose snaps on to it while in use).

this is exactly what i need..

i was so excited when i received this washing machine. i use this machine for my baby's clothes. it's not loud and very easy to operate. size is just right. a must have for apartment dwellers.

Solution for water leakage from adaptor

I like to use my original aerator to wash dishes.Every time after laundry was done,I would unscrew the adaptor and switch back to my old aerator.Then I would switch back to the adaptor to do wash.A wrench is put near the sink for this purpose.It wasn't long before water began to leak.I called customer service but was told just to screw it tight,which I did and water still leaked.I thought of the teflon tape I used to install my shower head.I wrapped some around the adaptor about 3 turns.No water has ever leaked and I have not even changed the teflon tape.It costs only about 80 cents.I also taped the drain hose to the sink using masking tape.
Some of my tips for this machine are:
1.When I remove the quick connector,I wrap it around towel because water will shoot out even after faucet is turned off.
2.Machine tends to move a bit and the shop somehow got me caster wheels with locks.
3.It doesn't wash too big a load.It is hard to tell how much can be washed.I put clothes in a plastic shopping bad.It can hold about one and a half shopping bags of clothes.I turn on the washer and fill it up with water.After it is full,I open the lid and push clothes as further down as possible.So far,I have not had an unbalanced signal from the washer.
One complaint is that the control panel is too sensitive.Sometimes when I touch the panel and it is not even near the buttons,the machine would change to a different setting.
Where I am living now,electricity is cheap,about 6 cents per kwhr.It costs about $1 per month to use this washer.(I do about 8 to 10 washes a month).In the old days,I spent more than that for one wash in the laundromat.I still have to use the drier in the laundry room of this building but the savings have been considerable.

I like it

I live in an apartment, and I needed to buy small washer to wash my underwears and t-shirts. And this model is perfect to use and it is not that noisy, so sometimes I use it at night.

Love this little washer

I downsized and moved from a house into a 500-square foot studio apartment in the city back in February. One of the sacrifices I had to make -- or so I thought -- was private indoor laundry at home.

This little Haier changed that for me.

It is the smartest $200 or so that I have spent in a long time.

It is so cute and small, it fits right into my walk-in closet next to the bathroom. Works like a charm, I just move the washer out of the closet and a couple of feet into the bathroom, snap the hose onto the bathroom faucet and put the drain hose into the tub. I can do a whole week's worth of laundry in a couple of hours.

It holds roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of what most people would consider a normal load of clothes. In one wash load, I can do maybe 4 or 5 pairs of pants, or a full set of queen sheets (fitted bottom and flat top sheet); two large bath towels and two face towels.... you get the picture.

It is too small to wash my comfortor so I just do that once a month in the building laundromat downstairs.

I figure this machine has saved me at least $5/week in washing machine costs; probably more than that. So at this point the machine has already paid for itself.

I've never had any leaking problems except once when I experimented and washed a blanket that was too large for the machine. There was a small puddle on the bathroom floor afterwards; no big deal.

As long as you don't overstuff it, you shouldn't have any leaking issues.

It's also important to me that this machine is nice and new and CLEAN... I don't have to wonder who used the machine before me or what they put in it.

On a lighter note, this washing machine has also turned out to be something of a conversation piece. Whenever I have guests over and they see the washer next to the bathroom, they always comment on how cute and convenient it is.

I'm debating whether to get the Haier portable dryer; for now I use my shower curtain rod as a clothes line or I just do a bunch of loads of laundry, and take them downstairs to the laundromat dryer in one shot.

But it is so nice to have the option of doing all my laundry entirely in my apartment if I choose. Huge money saver and convenience. I highly recommend this machine.

The only (small) complaint I have about it is not really a complaint but more of a question. The drain hose and water line are very short. I wish they were a little longer so that I didn't have to move the washer into the bathroom (three feet away) to hook it up to the faucet.

I'm thinking of going to Home Depot and seeing if I can finding extensions for the water hose and the drain hose that would be long enough to reach into the bathroom.

If anyone has had any luck with that, please let me know.

I like it but it has it's quirks...

I also have the Haier portable dishwasher. That piece of equipment changed my way of life, seriously! This washer? Not so much. Uses same sink adaptor as the dishwasher, that was convenient. Found the washer on another website and it came with the screw-in wheels, that was convenient. I think this machine is loud - much louder than the dishwasher. I'm afraid that I'm going to make my neighbors next to me complain. The first spin is deafeningly loud but subsequent spins are not so bad. It also has a tendency to fill just a little too full on the "high water" setting. I only washed 2 regular sized towels (not jumbo sized bath sheets) and it just kept filling...and filling...and filling...and I found myself bailing water. Not fun. We'll see how it goes.

Very Pleased

I live in a small, college apartment on a tight budget. I recently gave birth and found that not only did the number of laundry loads increase but that they needed to be done ASAP. I decided to give this washer a go. I've been really pleased with its performance. The only difficulties I encountered were: 1) I needed to purchase a pipe wrench to get the aerator off the faucet and a level. 2) It leaked until I tightened the in-flow from the faucet. 3) It would keep filling and draining if the load was unbalanced (which depends on what you put in the machine). It can be a little loud when its spinning but I can run the machine with my son sleeping in the same room. Overall, this machine is a life-saver!

Good choice for an appartment or as a temporary solution

The washer came well packaged, in two boxes with a filler between the boxes.
Installation was easy. Of course I've meet a problem when a hole on bottom cover does not match to a hole in a body of a washer. Bottom cover is made from very soft metal and it is not a problem to punch new one.
On second use an input filter was a little bit popped out by water. I pushed it back and did not see any problem since then.
I use it two months and in a whole this washer works fine.

Do not over load

This is a great machine, especially if you live in a small place and have a baby like I do!. Just be careful about how full you fill it. It is quick to overflow on to floor if you put too much in.
Like most others we had trouble putting the bottom plate on. Directions are unclear. Put it on so the indentation is inside and the extended part faces floor. If you don't it will scrape and make a horrible noise. We made this mistake and had to flip it up and turn the plate around. Its shaped like that so when drum is full of clothes and water it has some room to sink too.

love it

the instruction to assemble are a confusing, but manageable. and was a little bit of a beast getting up my stairs to the apt. but once i got in and hooked up, even with some confusion with the instruction, it don't take more then a half hour, and i was ready to wash. it's been about a month now and no problems, the spin cycle is loud, but only last a minute...

but i love the little machine and it is well worth the money, i say it'll pay for it self in about another month. one of the smarter purchases from the web.

Great product for the price

I've been using the HLP21E for the last month and it's been working great. You just need to make sure that you don't overload the machine. I recommend it for anyone looking for an easy alternative lightweight machine.

excellent value, just enough features: what more do you need?

i've had my washer now for a week, and after 8 loads generally agree with most of the reviews here on amazon. this machine is my 2nd portable washer in the past 8 years (the 1st was a GE that was nearly full-sized). at this point i am happier with this machine and its smaller-sized load than i was with my previous machine that could handle 3x the amount of laundry.

this machine is very quiet, and somehow gets the clothes cleaner than the other larger machine. Haier claims this machine has a 6.6 pound capacity but in my experience a 5 pound load is what it handles well.

in pratcipal terms this 5 pound load of laundry equals:

* 4 bath towels

* a set of sheets (top, bottom and two pillow cases)

* 4 pairs of mens pants (3 khaki-types plus a pairs of denim jeans)

* about 8 pairs of socks, 6 boxers, 6 t-shirts

for me this means about 4 loads per week (i let a LOT of laundry piling up when i knew my washer was coming in a week). at the "Normal" setting a load of laundry takes about 40 minutes, and comes out very well "spun" and ready to hang-dry over night.

one thing i especially like about this washer is that while the tub is filling with water you can leave the cover open and add the detergent, then add the clothes before the agitation cycles begin. since this washer lacks a dispenser for detergent it is convenient to add the detergent to the machine while it fills.

there are three wash cycles (heavy, normal and quick), and three water levels. the other options are for a spin and a rinse. the control panel has membrane buttons similar to a microwave oven. the lid to the washer is made of transparent plastic which seems like a nice touch but in practice if you use even warm water this window clouds over from the steam.

using this washer is a bit more "hands-on" than a full size washing machine. for example you must adjust your water temperature manually, since there is only one hose that supplies water from a faucet. after the wash cycle begins you can turn your sink faucet to "cold" if you want cold water for the rinse, then you can walk away.

the drain hose must be in place in the sink, shower, or bath tub. the drain hose has a U-shape on the end that can be used to hang it in place. i've found the best arrangement in my bathroom is to hang this from the bar on the inside of my glass shower doors. this points the water into the tub and down the drain.

some of the other reviews mention that the user's guide is confusing. i did take the time to read through before i began setting up and using the machine and found that the instructions are about as good as you can expect with this type of product--and really not the worst i've ever seen.

one problem i did encounter was that the instructions seem to suggest that an item known as a "thread adapter" is included, but it is not (reading reviews on amazon and also walmart you will find several mentions of this item being missing). the "thread adapter" is a fitting that might be needed to attach the "quick connect" to your faucet, depending if you have "inside threads" or "outside threads" on your sink faucet. i happened to have a "thread adapter" on hand (it came with a Brita water filter) so i was able to set up my machine without an unplanned trip to the hardware store.

another minor problem that i have encountered is that when you're done using the washer and want to un-hook the water hose from your sink, the hose will be filled with about a cup of water that could spill onto the floor. on solution is to turn off the water, remove the hose from your sink and hold the free end up, then turn on the "power" to the washer and hit the "normal" wash cycles button. this will allow any water in the hose to drain into the wash tub. if you use the washer ever few days this small amount of water in the tub should not be any problem. you could also catch the water into a small container so that it doesn't end up in tub between uses.

Great product, poor documentation

I purchased this washer a little more than a year ago, and once I got the bottom plate on correctly (which is not easy to tell from the documentation), it's been great. Several others have mentioned this, but you want to put the metal plate thing on so it bulges out, rather than in. If you put it on bulging in, you will hear TERRIBLE noises when you try to do laundry. With it in the right position, it is actually quite quiet.

I've had a few spills, but not due to anything the washer did--my sink was actually clogged or partially clogged and overflowed. This was not the fault of the washer in the slightest. I've never had any overfilling issues with the water on the high setting, and as long as I don't overload it, I don't have a lot of unbalancing issues.

Keep in mind that a pair of jeans is 2-3 lbs, a t-shirt is about 1 lb and that the capacity is only 6.6 lbs and you shouldn't have many problems with overbalancing. :)

Good for a small family

Even it is very samll, it is very suitable for a small family. It is very quite; there is the reason I love it mostly.

handy compact machine to do your washing

Delivery: perfect condition (from [...])- no dents or damage, very well boxed, timely

Assemby: easy hose connection (though mine is useless because my sink faucet is not typical; the bottom plate is very thin aluminum with screw holes that will not match up, but a very small issue. You need to install it with the concave towards the floor. The illustration in manual is useless.

Load: decent size load; 3-4 loads is equal to about a medium of the regular-sized washer. You can fit a lot of toddler clothes in this washer. Adult clothes is limited, as well as bedding. Long pants or shirt sleeves can tangle a bit. I've even washed twin sheets, towels, smaller comforters, and rugs with great results. Heavy stains don't wash out too good (this goes with any washer I guess).

Washer pulse washes with low noise level. The initial spin to wring out water is pretty loud. The actual spin cycle noise level is lower and spins intermittently. The result is very dry clothes.

Problems: There were occasional malfunction with machine detecting water levels. Therefore, do not leave the machine alone when it is close to being done with filling the tub. If it is full and does not ring or stop at capacity, turn off the water and shift the tub gently from side to side. If this doesn't work, turn the capacity nob to the lower level, then back.

I was a little skeptical since some people did get faulty machines with questionable Haier customer service and problems with having the machine fixed. I'm happy with mine and hope it will last a few years. Having this machine beats going to the laundry room or the laundry mat. Now I need a compact dryer.

good for what it is

I have now owned this machine for a little over two years, and I must say...it is pretty good. During this time I have been washing clothes on average about twice a week. I have a family of four and here are my comments for the machine:
Pros -
can get close very clean (if you do not overload)
convenient - can fit into a corner of your kitchen and slide it out when you need it.
great for baby clothes and underwear
spins clothes very dry, clothes don't drip and are just damp to the touch so you can hang things on a drying rack, or heater to dry completely
Cons-
it really cannot hold that many clothes at all, in order for your clothes to get really clean, you should probably only fill it about half-way on high
FOr more than one person, you are going to have to do clothes ATLEAST twice a week in order to not have dirty laundry laying around

I was annoyed with the machine for a while, but now I've resigned myself that it is what it is. Its great so long as you don't overload it. It does not have an agitator, so the only way it can get your clothes clean is if they have alot of room to move around in there.

I now use the machine everyday to wash my cloth diapers and I must say, to my somewhat surprise, it is doing a great job at keeping them clean.

Especiallay for baby/little kid clothes, and cloth diapers, its a great investment. DOn't expect it to do what a big Kenmore can, but it is a workhorse so far.

So Far, so good,

After reading a lot of reviews on this product, I thought I'll chance it and get one, as I really did not want to use the public machines. What a surprise. I assembled as pictured and explained and had no trouble (after I've read some horror stories on bad assembly due to assembly instructions). I positioned the machine on a roller platform and made sure it was level. No problem. I also took some advise from some reviews and hooked the inlet/outlet pipes together with a tie at the faucet connection. I'm glad I did this - the water comes out really fast and forceful and would have unhooked the pipe if I just let it hook over the kitchen sink.
On the first hook-up I did 3 loads back to back and had no problems. On my second laundry day I did 5 loads back to back. On the fifth load I overloaded the tub with laundry and the machine made a few grinding noises. It kept on washing though. (Note to self: DO NOT OVERLOAD.)
The tub is bigger than I expected and would fit half a full washer load. (I could fit 1 pair jeans, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair shorts, 2 pair socks, 5 pair underwear - no problem). I also used a little too much soap on the first few loads - still saw soap in final rinse water.
Last week did 3rd laundry day - machine sounds fine (after overfull load the previous wash day) and did 2 loads back to back.
The laundry comes out clean and the tub (no agitator) is wonderful on my delicates.
I am really, really happy with my purchase and would highly recommend this washer to anyone in an apartment with no washer hookup pipes/outlet.

gets the job done

this washer gets the job done .....most people never bother to read instruction manuals when they purchase a product but are quick to leave bad reviews . the instruction booklet clearly states that heavilly soiled cloths must be pre-soakeed or stain remover applied first before washing. Other than that this machine does a great job for normal wash loads cloths are clean and dry.......Very portable and makes very little noise great for apartments.

Yes it's noisy but worth it

I've had this washer for about a month now and really have enjoyed not going to the laundromat! I guess Haier made some adjustments to the confusing parts because my bottom metal plate was labeled "This towards floor." The holes also do not match up well but I found the best way to get the plate on properly is to put in the screws opposite on the diagonal, like when putting a tire on a car. And the lint trap has markings for up & down and can only fit the one way. Took me about 15 min to set up. It is noisy but usually only during the first spin after the wash for the rinse cycle. It sounds like a regular washer's spin cycle but coming from such a small machine I think that's why it sounds horrendous. The most noise comes from the spinning in the rinse cycle, not the actual spin cycle which is a little odd. It doesn't last more than 5 seconds. The heavier the fabrics and larger the load the more noise it makes. The high water level does throw some water (maybe a tablespoons worth) around but it comes from the top of the machine and doesn't get on internal components. It also throws some water on the lower settings with heavier fabrics like towels and jeans. The clothes do come out pretty wrinkled but I have found if you smooth out the fabric before hanging to dry this gets rid of most. But ironing is not that difficult. My landlord lives right behind me, we share the wall where I use this machine and I have not heard any complaints. If I run my dishwasher at the same time I can't hear the washer at all. My dishwasher is actually louder. When I turn on the vent in the bathroom (where the machine is), it masks the sound of the washing cycle fairly well. I use All brand HE detergent & drain the water into a 2 gallon plant watering can (for each drain) & use it to water my non-edible plants. This type of All is biodegradable, safe for grey water use. Not sure about other brands of HE detergent. I use approximately 1/2 of a tablespoon's worth. Clothes come out clean & rinsed well. I also use borax powder and have had no trouble with it dissolving. The Downy ball also works great for the rinse cycle but I recommend putting it in after the wash cycle. It doesn't open during the wash but does slide along the tub & makes more noise. Something that confused me at first was how the water worked. There is no indication in the manual (which is less than useful, there's no point in even attempting to read it) if the machine beeped or anything when adding water. You just hook up the hose & turn the faucet on. Physics prevents it from overflowing or spraying or wasting. The capacity on medium is about the same as an extra small load for a normal sized washer. I can usually fit about 3 days worth of laundry on a medium load. I usually spent about $10/week at the laundry so this should pay for itself in about 6 months after figuring the cost of electricity. I have been able to wash 1 sheet at a time & was even able to wash a crocheted twin size blanket and a queen size fleece blanket. For the most part this is a wonderful machine for the price mostly because it is more convenient than going to the laundry.

Haier portable washer

I bought this machine for an aunt who is 86 and was washing on her hands. She loves it. Great for small loads. Doesn't take up much space.

Satisfied so far

I've got this little machine for a week and no problems so far. Very little noise and only noticable during the spin cycles. Programming is working great and is intelligent enough to pause itself when the top lid is opened unintentionally, and resume where it stops after the lid is closed 10 minutes later. However, I can't find the hooks for drainage hose and faucet hose on both sides(although two holes designed for that purpose can be easily identified on the sides of the machine.) Maybe someone may know where to get them?

good machine and useless manual

I reviewed most comments before my decision to purchase such minimachine. As I received it, I installed the parts according to the manual. However,it didn't tell anything. Frankly, the installation is easy except the bottom panel. I didn't know which side should face up. OK,I tried the convexity upside firstly. When everything was set up, I turned on the machine. Oh,man!I was shocked by the terrible sound like a jack hammer.I doubted the installation I did. I inversed the bottom panel to make the concave upside. Then, it's solved!Everything worked fine. No leak, no terrible sound,clothes coming out clean and just damp. I don't worry about the dirty public laundry anymore.
The complaint is about the useless manual. It wasted my time. That's why I just rate it with 4 stars, although I'm satified with the washing machine itself so far.

Don't be scared, it is the Bottom plate!

I've read about that loud hammering sound here a lot. Unfortunately, just today, two days after I tried mine. I had the same problem and I was almost scared! It is the bottom plate!. Install it with concave side facing to the floor! Manual is useless telling it which side! Also, make sure to use some faucet wrench to install that faucet adapter, otherwise you'll definitely get wet! Aslo, keep the hoses up after you're done since it still have water in them. After this horrifying start, now mine works well.

Great little machine

After reading many reveiews on this product I decided to go ahead and purchase it. I hate the public laundry so I thought this would be a little bit better even if I had some of the problems other people had mentioned. I had the same problems with the screws that every one else did. The screws dont match up to the holes to screw on the bottom panel. You have to kind of force them in where they dont belong and then screw them on. I also have to weigh down the water out house into the sink or it will flip out of the sink from the water pressure and end up all over the floor. I thought it would be sufficent enough to just place it in the sink, however I learned my lesson after the first load! You can fit quite a bit in it despite the small size, however I would not try to overload the washer as the water level will get too high and overflow. I am able to wash with the water level on high as long as the washer is not too stuffed up. Overall if you can iron out the little kinks with the washer, it is much better than public laundry and will save you a lot of money over the long run. As opposed to the rolling thing for the bottom I got those furniture sliders and they work GREAT to move it from one side of the kitchen to the next.

Good washer with terrible customer support!

We bought this washer a couple of weeks ago and as soon we turned it on, the washer started making a screeching noise in the wash cycle. I called Customer Support immediately, but they assumed it was a defective piece without even trying to find out more details.
There is absolutely no onsite support or phone support to help you troubleshoot. We had to cut the power chord, remove the original sticker from the machine and mail it back along with the sales receipt. Shiiping is not covered under warranty, so we had to pay for shipping again. Haier shipped another unit after 3 weeks. We received a new unit and when we switched it on, it started making the same exact noise. This time we didn't want to call Customer support as they were least helpful.

We tried a couple of things..
First, we checked on the capacity, this machine takes very few clothes. We started with a small load of our baby clothes and the washer started working.
Secondly, the bottom panel needs to be fixed outwards. When the washer is loaded with water, it sinks a bit and it hits the bottom panel when fixed inwards.
If you experience similar difficulties, Please take these two precautions before you go through the hassle of sending it back and getting a new washer shipped again.

Love it!

I'm so happy to have found this great little washer! It cleans and spins dry just as well as the big ones, but takes up very little space. It sure beats lugging my clothes to the laundromat, and I don't even mind hanging them up to dry. I also used a Downey ball for the fabric softener.

The only problem I had was with attaching the bottom plate. The screws don't line up exactly and they don't screw in all the way. As long as you can put most of them in, in will be fine. Also, it should be mounted so that the concave area points toward the floor so that the inside mechanisms don't hit it. This will avoid the jack hammer sounds that other reviewers have experienced. Actually, I find this machine to be very quiet.

I hook mine up to my bathroom sink, but the gooseneck that is supplied is too small to fit over my sink. I solved that problem by using a Velcro tie to attach the drain hose to the supply hose and it works perfectly.

To avoid leaks, make sure the hoses are screwed on tightly, don't overload the machine, and don't use too much detergent. I used a small amount of Method detergent, which is low sudsing. I highly recommend this cute little machine!

8 Months and going strong!

We have used the Haier Compact Washer almost daily for the past 8 months and have had no mechanical issues. Works great on lightly soiled clothing and is highly recommended to anyone with newborns or toddlers. Like the other reviews I advise you to double check all connections/fittings and make sure the drain hose is fixed securely in the sink. Also, I will never wash more than 2-bath towels or 1-pair + 2-tshirts at a time. Otherwise the load will become unbalanced during the spin cycle.
Product Complaints:
- Handles on either side are extremely too small for moving the unit.
- Drain hose adapter will not fit over most standard sinks. We have to use a heavy pot or pan to secure the hose in the sink.
Other than that we are very pleased with our purchase.

What to know before you buy: capacity

I estimate that I have used this washer for 4 loads each week since buying from J&R in early October, 2006. I live in a studio in New York and bought this one because (1) it has a sink adapter, which the front-loading 14.3-lb model didn't seem to include and (2) at 17.5 inches wide/deep, it fit through my bathroom door, which the front-loading 14.3-lb model (at 20.5 inches wide) wouldn't.

Out of the box, you have to install an included metal pan at the bottom. Install it so that it is convex: there's a reason that the legs are so high. One of the problems I had during installation was that one of the screws holding this metal pan to the body comes very close to a clamp holding the gooseneck drain tube as it exits the body. The clamp had fallen out of position, and the end of the screw is close to where the clamp goes. I don't think I was ever in danger of puncturing the drainage tube, but it's something to watch out for.

You need a place to hang the drainage tube, between 31.5 and 40 inches high. The machine cannot fill the tub with water to a height above the maximum height of the drainage path.

On my first two loads, I made a puddle of water on the ground. There were two reasons for this: the first time, the water supply hose was not tightened sufficiently at the machine end, and water dribbled out and behind the machine until I figured out what was going on. With that tightened (I used a wrench), there was no leak. On my second load, I put in too many clothes (more about that later) and there was a water-resistant nylon jacket on top. Just before the very first spin cycle, some water was cupped on that jacket and did not drain out with the wash water. When the tub started to spin, that water came out. I never loaded that many clothes into the washer again, and haven't had any spills since.

During a normal wash cycle, the machine does the following steps three times: fill, agitate, agitate, drain, spin, drain, spin, drain, spin. The second and third iterations are called the "rinse" cycle. Often, the water out of the drain is still bubbly after the second spin. (I use a quarter capful or less of All no-fragrance 3x liquid concentrate.) So, I run another rinse cycle. If the machine detects an unbalance condition during a spin, it will stop, fill the tub with water, and agitate in an attempt to redistribute the clothes before draining and spinning again. I think the machine does this two or three times before giving up and beeping ten times to alert the user of the unbalance condition.

During the agitation process, this machine tends to intertwine long or extended parts of clothing --- shirt sleeves and socks --- into braid-like knots, which often trigger the unbalance condition during the subsequent spin. For example, when I wash four or five long-sleeved shirts together, I always have to untie and separate two or three of the shirts where the sleeves have been twisted together. I think good washing is where the wash water can touch every surface of the clothes, and being tied together prevents this. These problems probably would not happen with a front-loading washing machine.

What is the capacity of this washer? Well, I would say:

2 bath towels; or
2 pairs of jeans or pants; or
2 sweatshirts and 1 pair of sweat pants; or
4 long-sleeved oxford shirts; or
6 small-size undershirts; or
8-12 medium-size boxer underwear.

That's at the "high" water level. You may be able to load more than that, but I think the clothes won't get as clean, and the machine will probably reach more unbalance situations.

I once tried to wash a terrycloth robe. The robe fit in the tub, but the machine always got to an unbalance condition when it tried to spin. I think it's sort of like trying to run a centrifuge with only one tube. Sometimes after the spin cycle I find a sock or a shirt stretched across the middle of the tub, instead of having been thrown centrifugally against the tub walls.

Using my DSC-P71 digital camera in the multi-burst 30 frames-per-second mode and a light and a dark shirt in the washer, I estimate the initial spin at 450 rpm (light shirt passed once every 4 frames) and a final spin at 780 rpm (light shirt passed about 6.5 times in 0.5 seconds - about once every other frame). If I hang the clothes in my studio (not in the bathroom), then they dry in about one day or less, depending on the humidity. It takes much longer if I hang them in the bathroom.

Update (November 2007): This machine is still running. After a year, here are my comments:

After getting tired of the drain tube clamp falling out, I made two small wedges out of a folded-up credit card to hold the clamp in place.

I made a third spill (and this one was a big one): once, the gooseneck drain hose came apart from the U-shaped drain-pipe hook. So, now I check that connection every week or so.

I always run an extra rinse cycle (or two). If I have time, during the spin cycles, I lower the drain tube to allow more sudsy water to drain out. (This is a high-maintenance tactic, though --- it can lead to floods if you're not careful.) Some types of clothes absorb and retain more water (and detergent) than others, and my skin is better after more of the detergent is rinsed out. You can take just-washed clothes from a standard washing machine and re-rinse them here to check how much detergent is left.

Update (April 2008): In the past two months, I have had two more major spills. Both times, it seems that the water-level sensor got stuck and failed to tell the inlet valve to shut off. When this happens, the water overflows the tub and comes out the bottom of the machine. (Usually, you hear a click when the water level is reached, and then the valve shuts off; but in these cases, the first click never occurs.)

Now that I live in an apartment building with a good laundry room, I use this washer mostly for small items: socks, underwear, undershirts.

Update (April 2009): It turned out that the water-level sensor had failed. The sign of impending failure is that the sensor will sometimes fail to close the valve when set to "high", but will always close at "low" and "medium" water levels. Then, "medium" will stop working and the valve will only close when the water level is set to "low". Since the manufacturer's warranty had expired, I had the part replaced under my credit-card-based extended warranty program. Haier suggested two authorized repair operators; one of them said that they didn't service this model. The other did, and charged $85 (diagnostic service call) plus $60 (labor) plus $21.52 (part). The part had to be ordered and took about five weeks (!) to arrive.