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Say goodbye to the laundromat! Clothes Line
If you don't have a washing machine at home, you're likely all too familiar with the ways of the laundromat. Sure, they serve their purpose of getting clothes clean, but laundromats are often hot, crowded and just not the most fun places to be. But if you don't have the space or ability to install a full-size washing machine, you still have the option of a portable one.
Portable washing machines are the downsized counterparts of full-size washing machines. They still offer the convenience of washing garments at home while taking up significantly less space. (They cut water and energy usage, too!) They may not have some of the features offered by some of the smarter washing machines we’ve tried, but they can take care of small to medium loads and can be wheeled to the sink when you are ready to use them.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab has been testing washing machines since they were first made commercially available in 1907. To test full-size washing machines, we use the industry standards developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and compile hundreds of pieces of data for each model that we test. For this story, we made our selections based on some of the same criteria we consider for full-size washers, like the cycles each model offers, online consumer reviews and our own experience testing other products from brands we trust.
After our picks, find more information about portable washing machines like what to look for and answers to some frequently asked questions. Interested in more compact appliances? Check out our guides to the best portable carpet cleaners and the best countertop dishwashers.
GE washers have long been good performers in GH Cleaning Lab tests and this portable model has many of the same features we’ve reviewed and loved on their full-size models.
It senses the size of the load to determine the correct amount of water to use and offers deep fill and deep rinse options if you want to add more. At almost 3 cubic feet, it has the largest capacity of our picks, so it can easily handle loads with larger items, like towels, bedding and jeans. Nice extras include presoak, extra rinse and extra spin options as well as a speed wash cycle for things you need in a hurry and a delay wash to start a load at a later time.
The see-through glass lid folds back on itself for even more space savings when open. Clocking in at just under 100 pounds, it is the heaviest model on our list so won’t be the easiest to move and may not be the best option for RVs that have a low cargo-carrying capacity.
For a fraction of the cost of other portable washing machines, you can buy this portable model from Danby that has many of the features you might find in those more expensive models. This washer has five wash cycles, a stainless steel drum and an automatic load-balancing function that keeps garments from moving to one side of the drum during a cycle. All of the cycles are highly customizable, allowing users to select the duration of rinse and spin cycles and the water level in the machine. Because of its light weight, it is likely the best model for users who plan to move their portable washer often.
Though you can control the water temperature by adjusting the water at your sink faucet, the manufacturer recommends only using cold water to operate this model. Danby has long been known for its stellar compact appliances and our experts trust its performance and reliability. Two of the brand's dishwashers are featured in our list of the best countertop dishwashers, and several kitchen appliances have been tested by our experts over the years, too.
Knock out a workout and a bit of laundry all in one go with this non-electric portable washing machine. The Wonderwash weighs just 5.5 pounds and allows you to wash up to 5 pounds of laundry right on your counter.
While this may not be the best option for large loads of laundry or anyone who has more than a few loads to wash on any given day, it’s a great option to take on the road to keep small items clean in between stops at the laundromat. Just keep detergent to a minimum to avoid over-sudsing and to minimize the number of rinses you’ll need to crank through to get clothes suds-free.
How thoroughly your garments are cleaned will depend on the effort you put into cranking the handle on the Wonderwash and how long you keep the garments turning in the machine. There is no spin-dry cycle with this manual model, so you’ll have to wring out your clothes by hand before laying them out to air dry.
The brand does also offer an electric spin dryer that can be used after washing loads. We haven’t tested this portable washing machine in the Cleaning Lab yet, but with over 5,000 reviews online, we feel it's worth considering.
In addition to keeping the size and weight of a portable washing machine in mind when shopping for a model for your RV, another important thing to keep in mind is water and energy consumption given the limited supply on the road. This model from Avanti allows you to control the amount of water that goes in by selecting a small, medium or large load size and offers the best combination we found of large capacity and low electricity use per year.
It's our second-largest pick and it's got a full set of features. You can delay the start of the wash for up to 48 hours or wash items you need in a hurry in just 15 minutes on the Quick Wash cycle. Special touches include its soft-close glass top lid and a spin-only cycle that helps clothes dry faster, though it lacks separate bleach and fabric softener dispensers.
It’s heavier than other portable models available, but because it has a capacity of 2 cubic feet, it can accommodate large loads like bedding. Our experts haven’t tested this model yet, but other Avanti kitchen appliances have been tested by our experts in the past and have performed well.
Whirlpool is another tried and true brand we have tested extensively in our Labs. This model is packed with features that bring the comfort of a full-size washer to anyone looking for a laundromat or wash-and-fold replacement.
Yes, it's pricey, but there is no compromise on extra features. You get five water temperature choices, the ability to add or remove time from any cycle, rinse- and spin-only options, a dedicated clean washer cycle and an end-of-cycle signal. There are also separate dispensers for detergent, liquid chlorine bleach and fabric softener, though only powder detergent can be added to the detergent dispenser.
Liquid and pack detergents must be added directly to the basket. Reviews online are largely positive, and with a stacking kit from the brand, it can be set up with a matching dryer for a full at-home laundry experience.
While it isn’t technically a portable washing machine, the Scrubba Wash Bag is a convenient quick fix for a few items of dirty laundry when a traditional washing machine isn't available, like on a camping trip.
Simply place clothing inside, add water and detergent, seal up the bag and scrub away. We tested the Scrubba Wash Bag in our Cleaning Lab to see how well it removed 20 different food, ink, grass and other stains we applied to cotton fabric test swatches. Following the bag's instructions, we scrubbed for three minutes and found that it did a good job removing our stains and the odors were gone, too.
The brand says you can wash up to six small items at once in the Scrubba, but reviewers online say it’s easier to wash just half that amount, plus you’ll get a more effective clean if you don’t overfill the bag. It weighs less than a pound so won’t add much weight to your camping gear and it folds down for compact storage and toting.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we’ve been testing washing machines for 116 years, so we know what to look for and what to stay away from.
While we have not tested the models included in this story, we selected portable washers from brands whose full-size washing machines have performed well in previous Cleaning Lab tests, brands who have long-standing experience in all types of compact appliances, products with favorable consumer reviews and those that appear well-designed for their intended use.
Because a portable machine should be easy to move, we also only considered the traditionally designed models with wheels or ones that were light and compact enough to be easily carried from one place to another.
Though most portable washers can be permanently installed like full-size ones, the real advantage is that these machines can also be attached to a kitchen or bathroom sink faucet and then disconnected and wheeled out of sight.
Most come with the necessary sink connections, but it's always best to check before you buy to be sure you have everything you need when you are ready to use it. Keep in mind that sinks with pullout spray faucets won’t be able to hook up to a portable washer. There's also a separate hose that gets placed into the sink so the water can drain out of the machine.
If you are using your portable washing machine as a movable, sink-connected appliance, you will have to hook up the water supply hose to the sink faucet and manually set the faucet to hot, warm or cold water, regardless of the setting you select on the washer. When it's time for the rinse cycle, you'll have to go back to the faucet and turn off the hot water to get a cold water rinse.
When choosing a laundry detergent to use in your portable washing machine, look for high-efficiency (HE) low-sudsing options. Using too much detergent or a high-sudsing one can cause leaks and will require additional rinse cycles to remove all of the detergent from a load. After the rinse cycle and dry spin cycle (if your model has one of these), remove the clean garments from the washer and allow them to air dry.
A separate spin-only or spin-dry cycle can help remove more water from clothes for faster air drying. Every couple of loads you should clean the lint filter on the machine by hand. If you’re done with all your loads for the day, disconnect the hose from your sink faucet and wheel your washer to its storage spot.
In addition to making sure that the portable washing machine you purchase comes with a hose that will fit your sink faucet, there are a few other things to keep in mind when considering all of the portable washers available on the market.
✔️ Capacity: Most portable washing machines are limited in capacity. Even portable washers with the largest capacities will not be able to fit the large loads that can fit in a full-size washing machine.
Of the models we recommend, only the model from GE has a capacity of over 2 cubic feet, just half the capacity of the smallest full-size washers on the market. Keep in mind that as the capacity of a washer increases, so does its size, so be sure to pick a washer that will work in your space.
✔️ Size and weight: For a portable washing machine to truly be portable, it has to be light enough and small enough to be moved from one place to another. How large and heavy of a machine you can accommodate will depend on your space and the weight you are comfortable moving around your home (wheels are helpful here).
If you plan to keep your portable washer in a fixed location, measure the space well and ensure that it will fit when the door or lid is open. For RVs with low cargo-carrying capacities, the weight of a portable washer will be even more important as you don’t want to overload your vehicle. Keep in mind that the washer will be filled with water during operation so the weight while in use will be heavier than the weight of the empty washer.
✔️ Cycles: Most portable washing machines have many of the basic cycles that are available in full-size washers. A portable washer should at least have a normal, heavy duty and delicate cycle to cover the laundry needs of most homes. If it doesn’t have pre-set cycle options, look for a washer that allows you to change the water temperature, spin speed and other settings that can help tailor a cycle to your garments’ needs.
Don’t have much white clothing to wash or rarely wear delicate garments? Opt for a simpler washer with just normal and heavy-duty cycles. Or you may be able to work with a model that offers no cycle adjustments at all.
You’ll find a portable washing machine is worth it if you live in a small space or are a frequent RV traveler and you're ready to ditch the laundromat.
They’re compact, can be moved into a new space relatively easily and don’t need to be permanently installed in a space to work. They’ll save you time and are less physically taxing than hand-washing clothing, plus you don’t need any special water hookups to use them.
Just connect the hose to a sink faucet. When it’s done, just wheel away the washer into a designated, out-of-the-way storage spot. If your home has many large loads of laundry to wash each week, it may not be the most efficient option as you’ll have to wash a greater number of smaller loads and will likely spend twice as long on your laundry day as usual.
As long as a portable washing machine is big enough to fit a pair of jeans (or two), you can wash them in a portable washing machine. So that you aren’t stuck with soaking wet jeans after washing, look for a model with a spin-dry cycle that spins fast enough to remove as much water from the jeans as possible. A soaking wet pair of jeans will take forever to air dry.
The same goes for sheets and bedding. As long as it fits comfortably in the machine and still has room for water and for the item to spin properly, it can be washed in a portable washer. Don’t try to wash a full comforter set all at once, though.
Carolyn Forté has over 40 years of experience in the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab. As executive director, she oversees all of the testing and writing done in the Cleaning Lab and leads many of the tests that are conducted in the Lab. Using her extensive knowledge and experience with full-size washing machines, she selected the portable models on the market that have full-size counterparts she has tested and brands that have been previously tested in other categories.
Product Reviews Analyst Jodhaira Rodriguez is the most recent updater of this article. She has hundreds of loads' worth of experience with full-size washing machines from her recent tests of wool dryer balls and the Lab's first category test of detergent sheets.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
From 2021 to 2023, Jodhaira (she/her) was a product reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab, where she tested and wrote about home appliances, cleaning products and cleaning tips. Prior to joining GH, she graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor’s degree in forensic science and spent two years as an analyst in an environmental lab in Queens.
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