Product review (5 stars): Easy, Green & Gets Clothes Clean
I'm disabled and quite weak and was worried it might be too hard to crank or just plain tiring. It's not. The trick is to get the amount of water and clothes correct. It took me a couple loads to figure it out. If it's hard to crank or feels heavy, you either need more water or fewer clothes. If you get it right, a,small load feels about the same as a large load.

In order to get the clothes clean, make sure you hear a THUNK sort of sound as you turn it, as the vacuum created inside works. If you don't hear that, it means you need more water, fewer clothes and/or you're turning it too fast.

Also, you don't need to use hot or warm water, cold is fine. I've found that my whites clean better with hot water, just as they do in a full size washer.

I use the Laundry Alternative mini countertop spin dryer with this washer and a portable mini dryer (eg Panda) if I don't want to air dry.