A baby’s arrival in the family is a joyous occasion, marked with a ton of changes – and one change, as new parents are quick to discover, is the amount of laundry you’ll be going through. Whether you’ve made the conscious decision to use cloth diapers along with or in place of disposables, or are exclusively using disposable diapers, your laundry loads will increase regardless, from all those drooled-over bibs, peed-on blankets and soiled clothes of both you and your baby. And this can be a bit of a problem if you’re living in an apartment complex with a shared on-site laundry – you might be hesitant to hog the washers down there, or not be up to the tests of patience of waiting for one of your neighbors to get their load out of the washer or coming in to get your clothes to find them stacked, still wet, on top of some questionably clean surface. And if you have to look forward to multiple loads, as inevitable when there’s an infant in the home, lugging it all up and down your building can be more than a chore.
Laundry-room horror stories aside, there’s also the question of how hygienic this is – if any of your neighbors own pets, there’s a strong likelihood that pet hair is inevitably going to get everywhere, especially if they wash cleaning rags and mop heads used in their homes in the shared laundry. Worse still is if you don’t have an on-site laundry – dragging all your messy cloth diapers to a local laundromat isn’t exactly an attractive prospect. Portable washers are the way to go – compact and space-saving, but with enough capacity to give your clothes a thorough clean right in the comfort of your home, here are our picks for the best portable washers for cloth diapers.
KEN’S PICK
17.8Lbs Portable Washing Machine, 2.3 Cu.ft Portable Washer
This 2.3 cu. ft. capacity portable washer and spin dryer combo is a real game-changer. It’s fully automatic, so you can wash and dry those dirty diapers in one go. You just set the program and let it do its thin. It even has a drain pump and an extended drain pipe to make sure the water gets out quickly and easily.
The control panel is super user-friendly with 10 programs, 8 water levels, and a timer. You can customize it to fit your laundry needs, and there’s even a child lock for safety. It’s designed to be compact and lightweight, so you can move it around without any hassle. With a generous load capacity, it’s perfect for apartments, dorms, RVs, and more. Plus, it’s energy-efficient, which means it saves you money and is great for the environment. Say goodbye to laundry hassles with this nifty machine!
KEN’S BUDGET PICK
The Laundry Alternative Wonderwash Washing Machine
The Wonderwash is rather aptly named – everything from its unique design (reminiscent of a cement mixer – or is that just us?) to its functionality sets it apart from typical portable washing machines. The first and most notable difference between this unit and the rest of the entries on this list is that it does not require electricity – it’s manually operated. This makes the unit a brilliant solution for those situations where we’re going on holiday or are on the road, and find ourselves running out of disposable diapers and facing a building pile of soiled cloth ones.
The portability and space-saving design means it can be used anywhere and at any time, the hand-crank operated machine handling loads of 5 pounds at a go while saving 90% more water and detergent compared to electronic alternatives. Just a minute or two of cranking up the machine, and you’ll have a freshly laundered, squeaky clean load of cloth diapers and baby clothes (not to mention your jeans, underwear and sheets) without worrying about electricity bills and water wasted. The top-loading machine comes with a snap-open lid that is easy to flick open and secure shut, the machine as a whole sturdy enough to last you several years of manual laundry washing. The ingenious design of this budget friendly unit makes it not just a lifesaver when you’re on the go without access to a laundromat or washing machine, but is the perfect heavy-duty space saver for a smaller-sized apartment.
RUNNER-UP
Panda Small Portable Washing Machine, 1.34 Cu.ft
This washer is a breeze to set up. Just hook it up to your faucet with the provided adapter, and hang the drain hose over a sink or basin – super easy! It’s got wheels too, so you can move it around effortlessly. Plus, it’s designed to work with regular 110V outlets, making it super convenient.
Despite its compact size, it’s surprisingly spacious, holding up to 10 lbs. of laundry. The stainless steel drum is tough and resistant to chipping and rust. And when it comes to washing, you’ve got options – 10 programs to be exact, catering to all your laundry needs. Whether it’s a quick wash or a heavy-duty cycle, this washer’s got you covered.
This washer isn’t just easy on laundry; it’s also great for washing cloth diapers and saving you energy and space. Perfect for small spaces like apartments, condos, RVs, vacation homes, and dorms. It’s a real game-changer for anyone looking to make laundry day a breeze.