Product review (4 stars): all in all a nice product. it gets the job the done
So, all in all a nice product. it gets the job the done, is a bit more solid in construction than I would have guessed. The one I bought has a screw top instead of the new flip valve.

Pros: Small enough to fit on the counter but big enough not to be obnoxiously small loads.
  Easy to maintain.
  MUCH lower water consumption than standard washing machines.

Cons: The instructions are just a hair shy of useless. They were inaccurate, vague not well printed.
  The collars in the base that the barrel posts sit in are made of metal. The barrel post on the handle side is made of metal. These two things  do not work well together. Metal on metal makes for metal shavings and a nasty grinding noise.
  You need to add a little fabric softener to the wash to keep the suds down, otherwise you don't get that gap you need for good agitation.