Product review (5 stars): I settled on this unit and Im so glad I did
I live in an apartment complex where washer/dryer hookups are non-existent and you have to use their laundromat facilities; well, they recently raised the prices and it costs $6.75 to do one load of laundry from start to finish.  Thats highway robbery and doing laundry every month was costing me an arm and a leg; I decided getting a portable washer was the way to go and that itd pay for itself in the matter of months.  After doing a ton of research and watching a bunch of Youtube videos, I settled on this unit and Im so glad I did.  Yes, this sort of washing machine requires more work and babysitting than your traditional large washing machines but Im more than willing to put the effort in if it means not having to go to the laundromat and being able to do laundry in the comfort of my own home.  I truly love this machine and if it were to stop working on me Id buy a replacement without batting an eyelash.  Below is my start to finish routine that Ive found works best for me (the instructions that come with the machine aren't great at all); this may seem like a lot but once you get the routine down its not a big deal at all:

1. Hook all hoses up and start filling the machine with water (DO NOT fill past the lint catcher thats in the machine or you're going to have a big puddle on your floor).
2. Add a SMALL amount of detergent; Im talking like half of a teaspoons worth.  This machine produces a lot of suds and if you add too much detergent you're going to have to do a ton of rinse cycles.  I also add my scent boosting product at this time.
3. After adding the detergent I turn on the wash cycle just for 15-20 seconds to get the detergent to mix well with the water.
4. Add clothing.  This machine can hold a decent amount; I can wash 2-3 pairs of leggings and 2-3 shirts/blouses per load (depending on weight); I also wash my towels in this machine without a problem (I do one large towel and one hand towel per load).
5. Once the water is filled to the level of the lint catcher I put in the separate lint catcher that I bought here from Amazon (link below) because the built in lint catcher in this machine is totally and completely worthless.  The separate lint catcher floats on top of the water and catches a ton of lint (I have 2 cats, so this is a necessity).  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NR295FY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
6. Close the lid and set the timer (I usually do 5-12 minutes; all depends on how soiled the items are).
7. Once the wash cycle is done I turn the dial to drain and start loading the items into the spin dryer (I usually fit half a load at a time into the spin dryer) and spin them out for about a minute while the machine is draining the water; once the spin cycle is done I put the items back into the washer for the rinse cycle.
8. Start filling the washer with water again and add fabric softener.
9. Once the water is at the proper level I put the lint catcher back in and turn the washer on for another 5-12 minutes for the rinse cycle.
10. When the rinse cycle ends, turn the dial to drain and transfer the items to the spin dryer and spin dry for about 2 minutes or until water stops draining from the hose.
11. Take items out and hang up to dry fully; the spin dryer on this machine does such a great job of removing water that most items dry completely in 2-3 hours.
12. When Im done doing all laundry I lift the machine up onto my kitchen counter and turn the dial to drain to get all of the water out of the machine (you need gravity for this); the machine is really lightweight, so its not difficult to lift it.
13. Once all water is drained I use a paper towel to dry the inside of the washing & spin dryer tubs; then I leave the lids to both sections open overnight to make sure the machine gets to air dry properly.

Hope this information helps you!!