Product review (4 stars): I immediately set it up just like anyone else would
First of all, the box this arrived in did NOT have pictures on the side showing what it was, but it did say portable washing machine on it. So unless someone walking by is going to take the time to read whats in it, they won't know whats in it. I included a photo of the box so you can see. When I got this machine, I immediately set it up just like anyone else would. Had to test it out to see if all the reviews I read were accurate. The good, the bad, and everything in between. One thing I noticed is that it did have an odor to it. Like that fresh plastic from a factory odor. Not horrible or offensive, just strong.

So I started the first load by following the instructions. Added water, detergent, agitated for a moment, then added clothes, and ran it. Then when I did the spin cycle, I remembered a friend of mine who had a machine like this once and she never rinsed her clothes. She just ran them through the spin dryer after the wash. Needless to say after some time she discovered the error of her ways and corrected herself. So.... I rinsed my clothes. I added water to the spin side after putting the clothes in. Then ran the spin for 1 minute to drain the water. I added fresh water again and spun again for a minute. I have been doing this add water, spin for 1 minute rinse routine about 3 times with each load. Its not an exact science though. I just keep doing it till the water runs clear that is draining out.
After the water is clear, then I let it spin the full 5 minutes. And I will say Im relatively impressed with how dry this little thing gets the clothes. Lighter materials that dry fast come out virtually dry. Just hang dry for a while and they are done! Other materials like denim, that retain water better take longer. They do come out fairly dry, Id say maybe 80-90% dry. Ive been hanging them up in front of a fan to finish drying. I would say if you have the ability to sun dry them, then do that. Itll be faster than hang drying indoors.

As for how much this machine can hold, again Im pretty impressed. I have a family of 4, and Im pretty optimistic that I can do 1 load a day and keep up for the most part. I was able to put 7 full size bath towels in one load and they came out clean. When I combined my 12 year olds clothes, I was able to fit roughly 18 of her articles in there. Adult size items are less for sure, but still you can fit more than you would think. I have one pic of clothes hanging. Dont count the towels, but the other clothes are 1 load, and note that some hangers have 2 items on them like 2 pair of leggings.

How well does it clean? Again, Im impressed. My kids are heathons when it comes to their clothes. Ive included a couple of photos before and after for you to judge for yourself. The zebra dress and red jacket were not pretreated at all. Just washed and dried. The grey strawberry shirt was soaked prior to washing for about 15-20 minutes in hot water with detergent, and it came out beautifully!

Some things to consider, make sure you rinse the machine thoroughly after using it to ensure detergent doesnt build up. Allow it to air dry between uses to ensure it doesnt develop mildew or mold. And make sure you don't pinch the drain hose like I did or you will think the motor is broken. (The hose was under the corner of the machine on my 3rd load and I was unaware. The motor was struggling and I started to worry some of those scary reviews of crappy products were true! But after some trouble shooting, I discovered the hose under the corner, pulled it out and it worked perfectly!!)

For a working mom who has been spending almost a full day every single weekend hauling laundry to the laundromat, washing, drying, folding, hauling it all back and putting it away.... not to mention that I was spending around $100 a month there.... Im super excited to have this machine in our apartment! I know Ill still have to take bulky items like coats and comforters to the laundromat. But this little machine is going to allow me to keep up during the week and gain half of my weekend back! Not to mention the $100 a month I was spending.... did I mention that this thing will pay for itself in only 1 month?? Cuz I was spending $100 a month at the laundromat!

If your wondering why I only gave 4 stars instead of 5, its because the hoses are short and I had to place the machine in my tub to prevent the drain from spilling all over my bathroom floor. However I have read reviews of others getting extensions and adaptive equipment to make it more functional for their home. Ill likely be doing that. I just wish this thing automatically came with a longer drain hose so it wasn't necessary.