Product review (4 stars): Yes it's noisy but worth it
I've had this washer for about a month now and really have enjoyed not going to the laundromat!  I guess Haier made some adjustments to the confusing parts because my bottom metal plate was labeled "This towards floor."  The holes also do not match up well but I found the best way to get the plate on properly is to put in the screws opposite on the diagonal, like when putting a tire on a car. And the lint trap has markings for up & down and can only fit the one way.  Took me about 15 min to set up.  It is noisy but usually only during the first spin after the wash for the rinse cycle.  It sounds like a regular washer's spin cycle but coming from such a small machine I think that's why it sounds horrendous. The most noise comes from the spinning in the rinse cycle, not the actual spin cycle which is a little odd.  It doesn't last more than 5 seconds.  The heavier the fabrics and larger the load the more noise it makes.  The high water level does throw some water (maybe a tablespoons worth) around but it comes from the top of the machine and doesn't get on internal components.  It also throws some water on the lower settings with heavier fabrics like towels and jeans.  The clothes do come out pretty wrinkled but I have found if you smooth out the fabric before hanging to dry this gets rid of most.  But ironing is not that difficult.  My landlord lives right behind me, we share the wall where I use this machine and I have not heard any complaints.  If I run my dishwasher at the same time I can't hear the washer at all.  My dishwasher is actually louder.  When I turn on the vent in the bathroom (where the machine is), it masks the sound of the washing cycle fairly well.  I use All brand HE detergent & drain the water into a 2 gallon plant watering can (for each drain) & use it to water my non-edible plants.  This type of All is biodegradable, safe for grey water use.  Not sure about other brands of HE detergent.  I use approximately 1/2 of a tablespoon's worth.  Clothes come out clean & rinsed well.  I also use borax powder and have had no trouble with it dissolving.  The Downy ball also works great for the rinse cycle but I recommend putting it in after the wash cycle.  It doesn't open during the wash but does slide along the tub & makes more noise.  Something that confused me at first was how the water worked.  There is no indication in the manual (which is less than useful, there's no point in even attempting to read it) if the machine beeped or anything when adding water.  You just hook up the hose & turn the faucet on.  Physics prevents it from overflowing or spraying or wasting.  The capacity on medium is about the same as an extra small load for a normal sized washer. I can usually fit about 3 days worth of laundry on a medium load. I usually spent about $10/week at the laundry so this should pay for itself in about 6 months after figuring the cost of electricity.  I have been able to wash 1 sheet at a time & was even able to wash a crocheted twin size blanket and a queen size fleece blanket. For the most part this is a wonderful machine for the price mostly because it is more convenient than going to the laundry.