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Background: Single guy living in 1960's condo with no washer/dryer hookups. Laundry in the basement (3 toploaders, 3 dryers, 36 unit building).
I got tired of having to tapdance around other people and have had some clothes ruined with bleach stains from communal washers. Got tired of going up and down the elevator and setting timers for wash and dry cycles. Got tired of large folding chore from letting laundry pile up.
So I gave this a shot. This definitely cleans clothes well, and quickly. My 'light' loads wash for 4-5 minutes and my heavier jeans and towels, I wash for about 5-7 minutes; I rinse for about 3 minutes; then spin for 2-3 minutes. At an average of 10-15 minutes per load, it is easy to get through a week's worth of laundry while doing other activities. TIP: I fill this with a bucket rather than the included hose. The hose works well. but it does not fit on my sink faucet. You can save LOTS of time by filling your bucket during each cycle. So fill your bucket, wash, and while washing, fill your bucket for rinse; while rinsing, fill your bucket for next load. This REALLY speeds things up.
I am not a country boy or a smelly single guy -- I am not a metro, but my Mom, so many years ago, was a clean freak. Clothing isn't clean to me if it smells at all. AT ALL. It isn't clean unless the rinse water has the merest tinge of blue fabric softener, no brown or gray from dirt. So, I am not one to reuse wash water, and I do not. That said, a 5 minute wash REALLY gets clothes clean. To each their own, but I am particular about clean clothes, and this machine does the job.
Like most men, I overload washers constantly. You cannot overload this guy or the clothes will not spin to clean. Be patient, and remember that you are not sitting at a laundromat or a dank basement. :)
For a load, I use less than a tablespoon of Tide powder, less than a table spoon of fabric softener, and then add a bit more fabric softener in the Rinse, just a touch. There are a few bubbles in the wash drain cycle and Rinse water is clean. This is the correct amount to use. If your water is foamy like crazy, you're using too much product. For lightly soiled items, you can load and wash. For dirtier or thicker stuff, I let it soak in the soapy water for 5 or 10 minutes. For whites that aren't so white, I have used OxyClean in a bucket, allowed my whites to soak for an hour, then wash them and they came out 'okay'.
If you use bleach with this machine, make sure to RINSE TWICE. This should get rid of enough of the bleach to keep subsequent loads safe from bleach stains.
Clothes come out of the spin cycle more dry than they do out of a commercial washer, and I hang dry everything.
I have done 6 loads and am still working out my "system" but filling buckets during wash and rinse cycles is really where its at. It really speeds up the entire process, and I LOVE being able to work or watch TV or clean the kitchen or whatever while the wash is getting done. The smaller loads encourage me to do a load or three whenever I have time, and the clothes are clean and fresh. I own two drying racks in case I ever get behind, but so far, I've only needed one.
My only concern is that even after the machine has run a full Drain cycle, there is still water in the bottom of the machine -- not the bottom of the tub -- the bottom of the machine. I have yet to devise a solution for this. So far, I have just picked the machine up , turned it upside down, etc. This is not going to be a solution for many people who use this machine. The concern here is that the rinse water, which should be pretty clean, is just hanging out in the dark recesses of the machine. Storing the machine with the doors open is a good idea to avoid mildew.
Has anyone else noticed that there is still water sloshing around in the machine? How do you handle it?
All in all, for around $200 with shipping, the machine is good looking, well built, light, and allows condo and apartment dwellers and older folks who cannot go up and down stairs so well, as well as summer home/cabin by the lake dwellers, etc., to have a great wash option that is quick, easy, works great and is convenient. It was worth the money to me.
EDIT: I am 6" and a big guy and I can fit a fair of jeans and several shirts in one load. I can fit 2 regular towels and lots of kitchen and hand towels in one load. I can fit maybe 5 pairs of boxers and 5 pairs of socks and a T shirt or two in one load. If you have oversized towels, or beach towels, you'll have to wash one at a time with one or two smaller items.
You can wash slightly more than you can spin dry at a time -- but the spine drying LITERALLY takes between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. For example, I washed a thermal hoodie, XL, with rubber liner (for extreme cold and wind), and several other items. When the wash and rinse was done, I put JUST the hoodie in the spinner and ran it for about 30 seconds, and it came out VERY dry. Then, I spun the rest of the stuff for a minute or so. The wash and rinse cycle is long, but even with a few seconds of spinning, the water is mostly out of the clothing. Spinning longer is a waste of time and electricity. That spinner is efficient.
| Brand Name | Panda |
|---|---|
| Model Info | XPB36 |
| Item Weight | 28 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 22.83 x 14.17 x 25.59 inches |
| Item model number | XPB36 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Installation Type | Built-In |
| Part Number | XPB36 |
| Form Factor | Stand Alone |
| Color | White |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Material Type | Plastic |
| Included Components | XPB36^Inlet Hose |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
