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).