Product review (5 stars): great little machine!
this little washer is excellent!
i checked reviews on several machines before buying this one.  wanted the washer/dryer combo from thor, but there seem to be numerous mechanical problems.  especially surprising considering the price.  also looked at the little "wonder washer" mini portable washer and rejected it for the same reason.  it's apparently cheaply made, doesn't work well and got more bad reviews than good.
the haier reviews made me a little nervous, too, until i noticed that all the bad ones said the same thing.  it leaks if connections are not tight enough, it makes a horrible sound if the plate is put on upside down, and it mustn't be over-loaded or have too much detergent put in.  all of this amounted to consumer error.  i really needed the washer and decided to take a chance.  it's one of the best decisions i ever made.  the only problem i had was with installing the plate.  as everyone has mentioned, the holes don't match and the screws are too large.  i remedied this by very gently enlarging the holes on the bottom of the machine with an ice pick, being careful not to damage any working parts.  got the machine running soon and i've been using it several times a week since it arrived two months ago.
one other thing.  in reference to the metal plate being improperly installed, there were comments about instructions not being clear.  something may have changed since those reviews were written because the instruction book i have is quite explicit, and the plate is clearly marked.  the directions are actually pressed into the metal.  there is no way i would have put it on wrong.  either people were ignoring this or (more likely, i think)haier took note of the problem and did something about it.
anyway, if you're in need of a washer and short on space, do get one of these.  it's well worth the money.
my sincere thanks to everone who wrote reviews, good and bad.  you were all instrumental in helping me make this choice.