My old regular size stackable started leaking in my apartment. It's hard to get to to shut off the water, so I ordered this in order to have easy access to the water supply in case of mishap. After reading about all the portable type washers in my price range, I chose this for it's reviews and functions. It arrived in less than a week. I'm a senior with health issues and this was light enough for me to handle. After removing the packaging, I discovered a crack in the plastic ring around the top of the tub. After examining, I realized this could be easily fixed since it's function was of a minimal capacity. I wanted to make sure first, so I contacted the seller to find my options. They responded immediately and asked for pictures. After a few emails back and forth, they came back with the same conclusion, and gave me my options. I could repair myself and they deducted a generous portion of purchase, I could wait for a replacement and just dispose of this one, or send this one back for repairs. I chose to fix it myself and get the discount. They even gave me the year warranty in case I changed my mind and sent it back later. I immediately set it up and used it. It works great. It has many settings and load sizes. It doesn't move around and is quieter than my stackable. I hook it up to the kitchen sink and control the water temp. It spins out to a very manageble damp for machine dry or hanging. Cycle times run from 25-45 minutes depending on cycle you choose. For my use short wash is good because I like one rinse instead of 2 and wash time is about 12 minutes. I use standard for larger items, but it has 2 rinses. Tub is larger than it looks. Easily handles a generous load. I can do a queen set of sheets and 4 pillowcases. I use this about 3 times a week and I've had about 2 months. The only changes I feel I need is to order the suggested rolling platform for ease in moving and possibly a better inlet hose as this one leaks at the faucet connector. All said, well worth the purchase.
Apparently this unit has undergone a redesign since the previous reviews, now with a translucent blue lid and a silver body.
Pros:
-The design is great as mentioned above.
-Generous capacity. The 1.6 cubic feet provided is enough to wash 2 pairs of jeans, 2 shirts, and some socks and underwear.
-Cute diagrams in instruction manual
-Easy, intuitive setup and use
-Extremely quiet, even on spin
-No chemical odor open unboxing
-Even if I were to move into a house from an apartment, I could still use this to do laundry. The only advantage of a permanent washing machine is the larger capacity.
-The unit is fun to use! The laundry chamber isn't fixed to the unit, but instead wobbles and gyrates.
Cons:
-There are no wheels/rollers/casters, but there are two handles near the top. You can either pick it up (it weighs about 50lbs), put it on dollies, or leave it in place if your setup allows (I currently leave it in place since I am lucky enough in my new apartment to have a setup that allows this, but not everyone will.)
-The manual's English is not the best but it is decipherable.
-There is a mild (pleasant) plastic odor produced during my first three uses. By the fifth use, the odor was much fainter. After a short period of time, the odor was gone.
-The inlet hose is about three feet long, which could be too short for some people. My understanding is that there are replacements available online.
UPDATE: We still love it. I do my small loads such as delicates or 2-3 red shirts in it. It it now hooked to the shower with a splitter converter and drains into the bathtub. (They also say you can drain into the toilet but the distance between all the hoses, including electrical, doesn’t work out.) I couldn’t be happier and am upping my review to 5 stars. I’m still confused about shipping the machine with water in it, but just remember to sit it over a drainage hole or in a plastic machine pan on the first use. It also easily fits into the tub or shower to catch it. One of the best plusses is that you can see through the lid to confirm it’s working. Yay! Definitely recommend; husband agrees.
We couldn’t get a new large machine for over a month due to a warehouse shortage, and we needed something to fall back on without going to a laundromat. We decided to go small, but not too small. The Panda is great for that. It shows that it will do sheets, a blanket, towels, etc as well as everyday clothes. I usually had average loads of about 2 pair of shorts, 3 t-shirts, and 4 pairs of socks. Maybe underwear tossed in. The heavier loads consisted of 2 very thick bath towels and 6-8 matching wash cloths. A few kitchen towels tossed in. It handled it all perfectly.
The water levels are great. You choose one based on what you’re washing, and it then adds water after the cycle has been on a minute or so if it thinks it is needed. You pour the detergent directly in, and there are dispensers for fabric softener and bleach. It also has an ambient temperature air cycle for “drying.” Unlike most of the smaller washers, it is one large tub instead of two little ones that will wash a few socks to then be transferred to the second small tub for air drying.
An issue that is a big negative and might cause you to return it: the manual. You can guess the native language of the writer, a person I suspect has never done laundry much less used the Panda. When we got it we did a simple rinse and spin cycle to make sure it worked. Water flowed freely from the bottom. After sending 2 brand new full size machines back to Lowe’s in the previous 3 weeks we almost cried. Finally I found where it said that if a problem was water running freely during the first use it was because water was left over from where it was tested during the manufacturing process. What? They left water in it? It journeyed from China to Amazon’s Kentucky warehouse, to me with water in it? Enough to run out of it and puddle? One of the pics shows it in the process of forming. I don’t pretend to understand. The other issue with the manual is the pure lack of explanation regarding cycles. It doesn’t explain how to set them or what they do. I chose the only option that had both wash and rinse in the description. After it went through the cycle and whistled telling me it was done, I opened the lid to find clean clothes floating in a full machine of water. Flashbacks of returned washers. I saw a Rinse & Spin cycle and turned it on. Cycle finished leaving me with perfectly spun clothes and no standing water in sight. I figured out that Normal was the correct choice. With all the options I thought wash & rinse must have been correct, but it turns out drain and spin needed to specifically be included. I don’t know why I would have wanted a container of clothes floating around, but obviously someone did. So, always use the Normal cycle even though it is hidden in the middle of the options.
We decided we like it enough to keep it as a backup washer or an additional washer for small loads. It isn’t too big to keep.
We did connect it to our regular washer water and drain hoses in the laundry room.
I had a portable washer before we had to manually drain, them put into the spinner and turn it on to then put it back in the washer to rinse it. This is just spoiling me with letting me put it in, wash set and forget. It also gets the clothes cleaner. One thing I am not used to is the clothes being so wet after it is done. It then takes forever to dry. It’s much more quiet, and has a good pump to get the water out. I love it has a spot for fabric softener. Ours does not have wheels on it, some person wrote that in a review and I was so bummed when it came without them. I like it, a lot, I just wish it rang out the clothes better, but we have been using the spin setting or air dry to wring it out better. I read many reviews and many people recommend the Panda washers, now I know why. It is a nice big portable washer, it doesn’t look ugly and works great on my kids clothes. My husband is 6’4” and is happy he can wash more work pants at once than he used to with his mother’s Midea washer. If you are looking for a bug portable washer, this one is a winner.
Update: we’ve had this washer for a year and it’s still running strong. My mother in law’s Midea was making a lot of noise and to replace her old one she bought the same one we have. I have posted a review on YouTube showing how quiet and how the washer machine works. We made our own stand for it with wheels and even without brakes the caster doesn’t move during the wash or spin cycle. Still as quiet as the first day too.
I had a Whirlpool Duet Steam 4.5cu-ft washer-dryer pair, very nice when the washer was working, but then it stopped working, and the Whirlpool authorized service wanted $360 to replace an electronic part that MANY owners have reported failing, and therefore should have been repaired on the basis of a defective design/manufacture at no cost to owners instead of an ABSURDLY HIGH repair cost with no warranty that is half the price of a new machine with a warranty!
I learned from the failure and of my Whirlpool Duet Steam 4.5cu-ft washer that the most important attribute of a washer is how much it costs to repair/replace, because eventually every machine will need to be repaired/replaced, and I started looking for low-cost alternatives to the full-sized major-brand rip-off even though I can afford to buy any machine because I HATE being robbed.
I studied the features and reviews of all the portable compact washers and chose the Panda PAN56MGW2, which I bought on Amazon for $200 - a little more than half the cost to repair my full-size Whirlpool ! Here are my observations and advice:
The Panda arrived well-packed in perfect condition - some buyers have reported receiving machines with shipping damage.
The new Panda had some residual water in it and some buyers complained about this but you should be grateful for the residual water because it means that your machine passed testing before it was shipped.
Before installing the bottom panel (ships removed for machine stability in the carton), I examined the interior and judge the machine to be well-designed and manufactured with good quality materials and components.
The quick-connect hose & adapter provided is perfect for a laundry-room type faucet and drain, but you will have to improvise to connect to other types of faucets and drains - many users have commented on this. Note that the drain pump is very powerful and when it engages there is a very forceful surge of water out the drain hose, so if you do not have the drain hose securely inserted a laundry room drain pipe, then you better make sure that it is securely fastened to something so that the force of the water does not blow the drain hose out of your sink and spray water all over.
The machine does a very good job of agitating/washing and the spin cycle is very effective at forcing out enough of the water so that the clothes dry quickly on a rack or line, very important to me because I hate wasting money running a dryer.
The only negative I have found is that the user guide is poorly translated into English, and especially that the user guide has no information on the cycles, eg 01 Normal, 02 Standard, 03 Quick, 04 Heavy Duty - how are these cycles different from each other ??? The manufacturer should provide a table that shows each cycle and its attributes, eg how long it washes, how many rinses & how long each rinse is, how long it spins, etc.
The hard plastic lint filter is a good design, easily accessible and effective, much better than those filters using synthetic fabric.
The maximum amount of water the machine can hold is to the top of the lint filter, and during washing, clothing pieces will fill with air bubbles that cause those pieces to float above the water level and not get as clean, so keep this in mind when you are loading the machine and watch the machine when it starts washing to ensure that it is properly loaded for effective washing.
Be sure that the load is well balanced when the spin cycle starts so that the basket does not wobble and vibrate otherwise you will quickly wear out the bearings and the washer will need to be repaired.
A little advice based upon chemistry on how to maximize the cleaning using any machine, but especially these small machines: add some non-sudsing ammonia to your detergent and your wash will come out cleaner because ammonia is very effective at breaking down and dissolving oils, which are contained in your body's sweat, and are the primary cause of fabrics getting "dirty" because oils cause particles to adhere tightly to fabrics.
Now I will have to continue using the machine to find out how durable it is, but for less than $200, if it fails I will just use it for spare parts and buy a new one rather than get robbed by outrageously high repair charges !
Feature Product
- It is a space-saving design which makes your laundry easy and simple. It is perfect for Apartment, RV, Vacation Home, Dorm, and second washer for your house
- Lager size 1. 6cu. ft. capacity allows you to hold up to 11lbs. of cloth, timeless design, portable and lightweight to carry around, regular 3 prongs 110 Voltage which can be plugged anywhere
- Electronic controls with LED display. 10 washing programs and 8 water levels, Stainless steel drum is durable and resists rust and chipping
- Connect the washer directly to your standard faucet using the inlet hose and quick adapter
Description
Boasting a unique, space-saving design, the Panda Compact 1. 6cu. ft. Portable Load Washer makes your laundry easy and simple. It is compact which is perfect for small loads for daily usage, you can use it in apartment, dorms, RVs, and it just the right size to be the second washer in your house. This portable top load upper drainage washing machine offers 10 different washing programs set with the touch of a button. 8 water level settings to make sure your clothes come out as clean as can be. Its sturdy and quiet design accommodates up to 11 lbs. of laundry in its stainless-steel drum which is durable and resists rust and chipping. Lightweight to carry around, regular 3 prongs 110 Voltage can be plugged anywhere. 310 Watts of motor rate, it saves the electricity bills. Brand: Panda Model: PAN56MGW2 Color: Light Grey Volume Capacity: 1. 6 Cu. ft. Wash Program: 10 Water Level: 8 Tub Material: Stainless Steel Dimensions: 20 * 19 * 34 inch Length of Inlet hose: 39 inches Length of drain hose: 55 inches Weight: 51 lbs. 1 Year manufacturer warranty. Please acknowledge before purchasing: *This machine only has ONE water inlet that can be connected to a standard faucet using the inlet hose and quick adapter in the package. Please adjust water temperature by the faucet. **To ensure the quality of products, 2% of the machines were water tested by the manufacture before transporting to our warehouse, so you will have chance to see water mark or water left outside or inside the machine. ***There is a black plastic rectangle piece located at the bottom of the machine (might drop off when take the machine out of the box), it is the motor protection part, it is not part of the machine, please remove it from the machine before using the machine.
This machine is fabulous! I had an older Haier that needed to be replaced. After reading Amazon reviews and a few videos on Amazon decided on the Panda.
Delivery was quick. Shipped out of California and arrived to Chicago in about five days in perfect condition. Packed very securely. Color is a gray which I prefer to white.
This machine is much better than my Haier. It has several water level settings and wash settings including air dry. This has an eleven pound capacity so can handle a lot of laundry. It compares to a full size machine I just washed a king size heavy fleece blanket and it came out beautiful and tub wasn’t overloaded.
I am impressed and totally satisfied with this purchase.
i lové this little washer! we bought it for our fifth wheel that we are staying in right now while my husband is traveling for work. we had originally ordered one that cost 3 times as much, but the shipping kept getting delayed. after 2 months of delays i finally cancelled that order & took a chance on this. i didn’t think there was any way it could be as good as a “real” washer. i was sooo wrong! yes the loads are small, but that is ok with me. my only regret is that i didn’t buy it sooner.
We just purchased this wash machine and it was delivered with some droplets of water, apparently this was tested at the factory as it is stated that some machines are.
Set up was easy (attach the "Anti-rat" screen at the bottom , per instructions, lol)
The noise level was as expected and tested a load using a heavy thick hoodie in it's initiation run.
The attachment to the sink has several rubber washers inside of it and you may or may not use them all. We use this in an RV so I removed the first thick one and snugged it with a taped pair of pliers.
Turned the water on, everything was good.
Pleased with the product so far. Longevity is hoped for!
Rounded up to 4. The good: so far so good, deivery was fast, setup was relatively easy. Handles decent size loads (I’ve been consciously trying not to overload it). I’ve done around 10 normal washes so far and seems to be working good and no leaks so far (*knock on wood*). Also it is pretty silent.
The negative: low build quality. Part of the plastic of the spinner case arrived cracked. A lot of it is held by zipties. One of the adjustable front legs is stuck. Feels like it will break down any time. I feel like I would be willing to pay more if the quality were better. Too bad all portable washers on the market look like they are built poorly . Will update this review in a few months
I really like this little washing machine. My old washer kicked the bucket and I couldn't afford the price of a new full size washer … the least expensive top loader I could find was >$600. So I decided to give this Panda a try.
Like other users have reported, mine did have some water in it when it arrived. You have to turn the machine on its side to attached a plastic cover to the bttom. That's when the water runs out. No biggie for me.
I also had the "leak" issue as reported by others. I soon came to discover that the leak from under the machine was caused by the water in the drum sloshing around so much that some water went over the top of the drum and onto the floor. The simple remedy for this is to set the machine level to 7 or less. Plus, don't try to cram too many clothes in at one time. Hopefully, the manufacturer will make the drum lip taller in the future and this won't be a problem. You may also get a leak if the attachment to the single water inlet is not tight enough.
This machine did a really good job at getting my clothes clean. I was able to fit 4 pairs of XL sweat pants in at one time. More than that would be overloading and the clothes wouldn't get clean. It holds about half to 2/3 as much as my old school top loader. It has a place to add fabric softener and a lint filter that actually does catch some lint. I guess it's better to catch it than to let that junk go down your drain and take a chance on clogging.
Since I had washer hookups in my apartment, I decided I wanted to hook this up permanently rather than use the sink method of filling and draining. As you can see from the pictures, I used the standard washer hoses I already had. I used a common hose splitter (about $4 at the hardware store) to rig it so I could get hot, cold or both water temperatures into the machine. To attach the hoses, you just flip the hose splitter from what it would be if you attached it to a outside spicket to have two hoses going in different directions at the same time (like for two sprinklers). The standard splitter fit the single water inlet on the machine perfectly.
The controls on this machine are confusing at first. Read the instructions carefully and you'll get it. Basically, press once to change a setting, press again to change it again, and long press to change a setting on a different subject.
Overall, it seems to be fairly well made. I like the see-through lid. It does ring the clothes out VERY well. I wash a load, throw it in the dryer and then wash another load. I dry the two loads together at the same time in my standard size dryer. It'll just take a little while longer to get laundry done each week, but it's WAY better than going to a laundromat!
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