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Old 20-01-2021, 09:16   #1
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Cheap portable washing machine

My boat doesn't have a built in or marine washing machine, and the size, and cost will be very inconvenient.

Has anyone used the small plastic washing machines?

They are very cheap (under $200), and look like they are just big enough to wash a single set of clothes, (one pant, one shirt, pair of socks, etc).

They are 120V around 500Watts (inverter sized).

And either fill with a pitcher, or a faucet hookup.

I'm thinking of putting one in a small closet and wiring to a nearby plug.
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Old 20-01-2021, 09:34   #2
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

this side of the pond , I have experience with the Portawash Plus around about $190
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Old 20-01-2021, 09:57   #3
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

A bucket and a plumber's friend.
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Old 20-01-2021, 10:05   #4
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sequoyah View Post
A bucket and a plumber's friend.
we don't need no stinking washing machine who needs clean clothes anyway , vastly overrated
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Old 20-01-2021, 10:10   #5
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

koblenz 8 kg laundry washer for 80 ish usd..love it.. is semiautomatic, mexican style laundry and saves my hands. when it breaks i will buy the 11 kg with 2 bins, one for spinning one for washing.. wont go back to hand washing.
beastie fits in shower when not in use.
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Old 20-01-2021, 10:54   #6
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

We bought a panda brand washer. Same power usage as you stated, but able to plumb in or screw on to galley faucet. It also has an "air dry" setting which spins the clothes pretty fast and gets them pretty dry.
Ours (model 56mgw2) will do our bedding, so pretty good size. They do make smaller versions as well. Ours was $400 canadian.
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Old 20-01-2021, 13:13   #7
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Cheap portable washing machine

This (below) portable compact twin-tub washing machine with spin-dryer works great on a boat. Easy to plumb in/install. Economic on water, being manual vs automatic (manual => user controls how much water to use with each wash). Easy on power and energy usage: requires only 120w - 240w, can be powered off most inverters; also easy to solar-power. Good capacity: handles everything (including bed linen, towels) except large comforters. So far well proven and very reliable.

Cost was $99.97 - when it was available on Amazon. There are several others like it still available:

Della Mini Electric Washing Machine Home Twin Tub 8.8LBS Portable Compact Washer & Spin Dry Cycle Built-in Pump w/Hose, White
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019PBH9IA...ing=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 21-01-2021, 02:17   #8
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

we brought on of the cheap twin tubs ex Ebay 2 years ago. cost A$109 (!)

we have been exceedingly happy with it. full time live-aboards (2) with water-maker so the owner does not stint on washing. usually say 3 loads per week (?) so it's had plenty of use and still going strong

for some reason price has gone up a bit now, but still cheap as chips...

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Companio...wAAOSwzQlgCAwd

really don't know why anybody would either spend more or go without

cheers,
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Old 21-01-2021, 03:44   #9
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

We use the same machine as ChrisR when on the boat, dirt cheap, very light so can easily be moved around (we stow below but use in the cockpit), works great so far (intermittent use over the past year).
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Old 21-01-2021, 09:12   #10
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

unless you want a spinner to help speed up drying, a 5 gal bucket and a plumbers friend, as mentioned by Sequoyah works just fine. If you're going to hang your clothes on the lifeline to dry, just wring them out by hand and hang. They'll be dry at the end of the day whether you spin them or not.
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Old 21-01-2021, 09:16   #11
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

The plumber's friend version works even better if you drill some big holes in the plunger to help move the water. It washes clothes rather quickly that way.
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Old 21-01-2021, 09:57   #12
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

We got a 1.2 cu ft Haier unit that appears to be discontinued - probably similar to the Panda mentioned by Chrismac. Lives in the shower nook of the aft head; plumbed into the sink. Absolutely brilliant. We run the generator (and of course make water) when we're doing laundry.
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Old 21-01-2021, 11:05   #13
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sequoyah View Post
A bucket and a plumber's friend.
That's a different animal than a cheap, portable washing machine. That is a cheap, portable, multi-function washing machine.
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Old 21-01-2021, 11:31   #14
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

https://laundry-alternative.com/products/the-wonderwash Hand crank alternative maybe.
I've put in clothes out of my home washing machine and the water that comes out of the hand crank is amazingly dirty. Works great, small foot print. Not too much cranking to get good results.
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Old 21-01-2021, 12:12   #15
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Re: Cheap portable washing machine

I've been thinking of building one that won't need either power or manual effort.

Construction: Take a good-sized pressure cooker and weld some SS angled fins on the outside, some lumps on the inside (SS pipe caps?), and a SS ring to the middle of the bottom. Put a decent-sized swivel on the ring.

Operation: Put the clothes, some detergent, and some fresh water in the pressure cooker and seal the lid on tight. Tie a line to the swivel on the ring on the bottom of the contraption. Throw over the stern and tow for a couple of hours. The thing should float and the spinning caused by the fins plus it bouncing on the waves should cause lots of agitation. Retrieve and repeat a couple of times with fresh water but no detergent to rinse the clothes.

Now to come up with a manual spinner - or perhaps powered by my Milwaukee M28 drill. Take old bicycle gears.. . .
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