- Portable 1-1/2-cubic-foot washing machine with quick-connect sink adapter
- See-through top lid; electronic control panel and LED display; indicator lights
- 4 wash cycles; 4 water-level settings; 6 programs; end-of-cycle signal
- Auto shut-off for peace of mind; leveling legs; lint filter and water filter included
- Measures 19-11/16 by 21-1/8 by 34-23/32 inches; 1-year warranty
I got a little angst-y over buying a portable washer--I hate, hate, hate the laundromat (we live in a 4th floor walkup apartment in Manhattan) but was still suspicious that a $220 machine could actually be the solution to our laundry problems! In fact, I did a lot of research before buying the Haier HLP23E and looked at some other much more expensive portable washers (like the GE and Whirlpool, which are both about $600 or more). Haier isn't a brand that I'm familiar with and I was worried this washer would be cheap/flimsy, would break right away, or would arrive damaged. However, after reading many, many reviews, I felt the general gist was--this is a pain in the butt to set up, Haier's customer service is not great, etc., instruction manual sketchy, etc., but the actual washer itself works well. In addition, the much more expensive portable washers did NOT get much better reviews; in fact, there seems to be less info about them online than the Haier washers. So we went ahead and got the Haier HLP23E (Manhattanites--we did NOT buy it on Amazon, we picked it up at J&R Electronics downtown. They had it in stock and available for in-store pickup. I'd read some reviews saying that the washers arrived dented and this allowed us to avoid having it shipped or paying shipping charges. We were able to jam the box into the backseat of a regular cab...barely. It did not fit in the trunk.)
Anyway, we got it home and set it up. As others have said, the instruction manual is not great and we found the set-up advice in other buyers' reviews helpful. The bottom, screw-on, plastic noise reduction panel was probably the most complicated part of setup--it is REALLY HARD To get it to line up with the holes for screws. We did eventually get it on. The panel now says "FRONT" on the side that is supposed to face the floor (when the washer is upright) and we decided "FRONT" meant it should point toward the front of the washer. We got it on after a lot of effort.
After that setup wasn't bad...for us it required a few trips to the hardware store, though this wouldn't be the case for everyone. We connected the washer to our shower head, which required a different adapter (turns out shower and sink faucets have different threads). We got that at Home Depot (fyi, the shower head adapter is not compatible with the quick-pull-off sink adapter). We used a level to make sure the washer was absolutely level. Also, make sure you follow the terrible manual's advice on how to position the drain hose, because if you don't, it will leak.
Once it's set up...yay! Well, granted we've only had it for a week, but I've been really happy so far. The washer is very, very quiet, and it does its job. The clothes come out clean and the spin cycle gets them damp dry so drying on drying racks in our apartment isn't much of a hassle. The washer also holds more clothes than I thought it would--there is no agitator and that means there is more room. I think my largest load has been one queen size sheet along with a couple pairs of boxers/T-shirts.
A couple other little things I noticed...
*The washer's instruction manual says that the lint trap is included in a plastic bag with the instruction manual. I was worried that ours was missing...but in fact it was already installed in the machine.
*The washer cleans by "pulsating," not agitating--I wasn't familiar with the sound, it sounds like (very quiet) thumps. The washer really is quiet but it might not sound like a washer you've had before.
*I read somewhere else that HE detergent is recommended with these washers--I think because otherwise there might be way too many bubbles going down the sink drain. I think the instruction manual recommended using "concentrated" detergent--I took this to mean HE, and I just use a splash at the bottom of the machine.
*The instruction manual--bad, as noted--lists two different sets of instructions for loading the machine. In fact, I load it the way you would any machine. I put the detergent at the bottom (just a little bit). Then I add the clothes. Then I power on and select the cycle and hit start.
*The manual also mentions a "water heater" built into the washer...as far as I know, it doesn't have one. I just vary the output of the faucet based on what I want going in. This means that if I want a warm wash and cold rinse I have to go and turn the faucet to cold when the rinse cycle begins.
*If there are detergent dispensers, I did not see them. I pour it in the bottom of the tub. I don't think there is a fabric softener dispenser.
*Your faucet must be on BEFORE you select the cycle/hit start...might be self-explanatory to some but wasn't for me :)
*Oh yeah...the HLP23E doesn't look like the picture! Or at least mine doesn't--mine doesn't have a see-through top. Instead it has a jointed white top that folds open. I am fine with that; I leave the washer open when it's not in use to avoid any problems with mildew.
*It's super satisfying to see dirty water come out the drain.
Sorry that I wrote a book here--but hopefully it'll be helpful to others. It is just so great not to have to go to the laundromat anymore. Having a washer in the apartment is a luxury in Manhattan...and you can really make the cost of the washer back quickly (we were spending like $50 a month at the laundromat, sending laundry out is even more expensive).
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I live in a one-bedroom unit in a massive apartment building with 6 laundry machines in the basement. I did not buy this unit from Amazon but rather from a Chinese electronics dealer in my area. Haier is very popular in China and the machine came highly recommended by the dealer.
The dealer delivered it to me, set it up and away we went. I have had this unit for about a month and here are my comments:
1) The unit is quieter than a traditional laundry machine.
2) I have had no problems with balancing the machine or with water intake. It fills quickly so long as there is high water pressure. The machine balances itself by stopping and starting until the clothes are balanced.
3) The high water level can accommodate a lot of clothes. I do about 3 loads a week: shirts/undies, pants, and towels.
4)It uses a lot less soap than traditional washers (about half I would say)
5)The regular wash runs for about 45 mins which I found excessive. The quickwash runs for about 22 minutes and I find that my clothes are perfectly clean. I only use the regular wash for very soiled items.
6) My unit came with casters so I had no problem. You may also buy casters at the hardware store... the casters are fairly standard.
7) Hooking it up to the sink did require a trip to the hardware store but it was easy to find the adapter as I brought the intake hose with me.
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This washer has changed my life! I live in an apartment and having to go to the laundromat was killing my weekends. So, if you can think of nicer things to do than spending a Saturday or Sunday at the laundromat, this washer is for you.
It is one of the larger compact washers out there 20 inches wide. That way, it is large enough to fit a decent sized load, yet small enough to fit most closets and other tight spaces.
I can usually wash either 10 XL t-shirts, 3 jeans, or one queen sized sheet set at once. Just make sure to load things loosely until the washer is full and select the high water level, which the washer does NOT do by default. Clothes come out perfectly clean. This washer works much better with liquid detergent than powder detergent, which tends to accumulate in the lint filter. Although it does have a powder detergent dispenser, I would advise against using powder detergent.
The only two wash cycles I use are normal for almost everything and heavy for whites. The normal cycle takes 45 minutes. Not bad at all. The display tells you the time remaining. The washer does not have a fabric softener dispenser. If you want to use it, add it manually to the last (2nd) rinse (when 14 minutes show on the timer). Two rinses are nice no more detergent residue on my clothes.
I noticed some people have trouble hooking up this this washer. The quick adapter will work with virtually any bathroom faucets that come with the little aerator which you have to unscrew. The drain hose has to drain in the sink because it must be above water level. Otherwise, water will drain inadvertently. This is true for all top load washers. At the same time, the drain hose should not reach a maximum height of 46 or 49 inches, because the pump is not strong enough to pump water that far up. This should not be a problem with most bathroom sinks, although some kitchen sinks might be taller.
The only problem I have had with this washer is the location of the drain hose. It attaches to the bottom right side of the washer. The user manual says you may reroute it to the bottom left side, but you can't. There is an opening made for that, but due to the location of the drain pump, it is impossible to use that opening. So, if your sink is located to the left of your washer, the hose will be too short because it cannot reach around the washer. I had to extend my drain hose using a foot of hose from the hardware store and a hose clamp.
Overall, I am kicking myself for not having bought this quiet little washer sooner. It could have saved me so many trips to the laundromat.
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So, I bought this washer about a month ago and I have to say that even though I was so excited to be doing laundry in my apartment, I found this washer not as convenient as I would have liked, considering that I had to babysit it.
Here is my list of pros:
1)You can do laundry in your own home! As a New Yorker I can not overstate the convenience of this. I would write more about this but since this is the reason I bought it...
2)It fit about 10-12 items in it. This included pants, skirts, underwear and shirts. I mixed it up.
3)The control panel is real nice. smooth even.
4)Even without the muffler,it's an okay volume (see below).
Here is my list of cons:
1)It arrived dented. Not only were the thingees that were supposed to connect it to the sink dented but so far I have not been able to attach the bottom sound muffler plastic plate because the body of the washer is too dented to do that.
2)I have to babysit it. I know I already mentioned that but here are the deets: it would do a wash cycle and then tell me that there wasn't enough water coming through the sink. How much water do you need, little fella? The sink was turned all the way on and streaming away so maybe consider hooking it up to a fire hydrant? Waterfall?
3)The metal widget to adapt to the sink (even if it had been undented) was well, unique. They give you these rubber washers which are supposed to make things connect to your sink. These washers may work for others. For me? Nyet. So I went to the hardware store, with my washer, consulted with the plumbing dept, and bought a different piece which I then installed to my sink (FYI, apparently in plumbing there are either big threads or small threads and the threads on my sink were the wrong kind).
4) The drainage tube should be hung lower than the faucet. I found this difficult and logistically if you have a small apartment a bucket might be a good idea because otherwise the spin cycle does not get all the water out unless the drainage tube is lower than the input tube.
5) No casters. It's on a furniture dolly because I wanted it to move around but I foolishly concluded that 'portable' and 'casters included' go together.
6)Terrible, I mean TERRIBLE instruction booklet. I rate the instruction booklet negative 65 stars.
I've only used my washer a few times so I'll update when I have more to say.
We love this machine. We live in New York City in a 5th floor walk-up apartment, and this machine has been great for us. We feel foolish for not having bought this a lot sooner.
Setting it up is easy. You just affix the dampener on the bottom and then connect the hoses. It took about 20 minutes from the time of opening the box to having it ready for a test run. Have pliers, a wrench, a screwdriver, and a level handy. One tip: be sure to use a wrench or pliers to tighten all fasteners on the water lines. It makes a big differences in preventing drips and little sprays. There is still a really slight trickle off the sink adapter, but it's barely anything and so I don't worry about it.
Some people have complained that their products arrived significantly banged up. We didn't have that problem: we ordered ours through Amazon but it was delivered locally from a J&R store by UrbanExpress. No scratches or dents---looked pristine when it arrived.
It handles a pretty sizable load with no problem: last night I did two oxford shirts, 5 pairs of boxers, 5 pairs of socks, and three T-shirts; this was what I would call a 3/4 full capacity load. You could get away with probably two pairs of jeans, to give you an idea.
Definitely worth it for apartment dwellers like us. Laundry in our building is $3.40 total for one wash and dry load. My wife and I have about 5 of these loads a month. We don't pay for water in our building, as is the case for many people I know in NYC. So the machine pays for itself in about a year and a half. That's not even counting the huge cost (in time and hassle) of schlepping laundry down from our fifth floor apartment to the basement.
