Best Portable Washing Machine · Budget Picks

Best Budget Portable Washing Machine

For the lowest price, a small twin tub is the best value: our top pick is the SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb, HGTV’s best budget portable washer. It washes and spins electrically for a fraction of an automatic washer’s price. The trade-off is effort: you move clothes between tubs, set timers and drain by gravity.

Small twin tub washer in a compact bathroom corner, drain tube resting in the shower tray

Our top 3

Top picks at a glance

Best budget#1
SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb Twin Tub Washer washer

SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb Twin Tub Washer

Budget price range

A 22 lb twin tub rated at 9.9 lb wash and 4.4 lb spin; HGTV’s best budget pick.

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Best budget mini#2
COSTWAY 5.5 lb Mini Washer washer

COSTWAY 5.5 lb Mini Washer

Budget price range

A 5.5 lb counter-size washer with a removable spin basket.

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Best budget twin tub upgrade#3
Giantex 20 lb Twin Tub Washer washer

Giantex 20 lb Twin Tub Washer

Budget price range

NBC Select’s best twin tub, still at a Budget-tier price, with a bigger 12 lb wash tub.

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In detail

Who each one suits

Specifications and capacities are each brand’s own; awards are credited to the publishers that gave them. We did not test these machines ourselves.

Best budget#1

SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb Twin Tub Washer

HGTV’s best budget pick, and the simplest way to get an electric wash and spin for very little money. It is a small twin tub (9.9 lb wash, 4.4 lb spin by the listing’s numbers) that weighs about 22 lb and drains by gravity.

Why it stands out

  • Electric wash and spin at a Budget-tier price.
  • Light enough at about 22 lb to store in a closet or under a counter.
  • Spin tub rated at 1,300 RPM in the manual listing.
TypeTwin tub: wash tub + spin tub
Capacity (brand)9.9 lb wash + 4.4 lb spin
Weight22 lb
Fill & drainInlet hose or fill by hand; gravity drain
Hot waterBrand gives no temperature limit

Good fit if

  • You wash small loads and have a shower, tub or floor drain to drain into.
  • You want a backup to the laundromat for underwear, gym clothes and kids’ clothes.

Skip it if

  • You want a brand with a support website: we could not find a working SUPER DEAL site.
  • You wash more than about 10 lb at a time; the spinner holds less than half the wash load.
  • You need a drain pump.
Best budget mini#2

COSTWAY 5.5 lb Mini Washer

A countertop-size washer for small, frequent loads: baby clothes, underwear, socks, gym wear and scrubs. COSTWAY rates it at 5.5 lb, with a removable spin basket that goes in the same tub after washing.

Why it stands out

  • About 11 lb and 14 by 15 by 20 inches, small enough for a closet shelf.
  • 170 W motor and quick, standard and deep wash settings (6, 9 and 12+ minutes).
  • Gravity drain hose built in; 365-day warranty.
TypeMini, with removable spin basket
Capacity (brand)5.5 lb
Weight11 lb
Fill & drainFaucet hose; gravity drain hose
Hot waterBrand gives no temperature limit

Good fit if

  • You wash a few small items every day or two.
  • You want something electric that fits on a counter or in a dorm-sized space.

Skip it if

  • You need to wash towels, jeans or sheets.
  • You want a separate spin tub that runs while you wash.
Best budget twin tub upgrade#3

Giantex 20 lb Twin Tub Washer

The twin tub most often recommended by editors: NBC Select named it its best twin tub. You wash in the left tub, then move clothes to the right tub to spin. It is light, cheap to buy, needs no drain pump, and drains by gravity into a tub, shower or floor drain.

Why it stands out

  • Separate wash and spin tubs with their own timers, so you can wash one load while spinning another.
  • Giantex rates it at 12 lb wash and 8 lb spin, with a 1,350 RPM spin (other listings print 11 + 6.6 lb).
  • About 28–32 lb, light enough to carry to the bathroom and back.
TypeTwin tub: wash tub + spin tub
Capacity (brand)12 lb wash + 8 lb spin
Weight28–32 lb
Fill & drainFaucet hose or fill by hand; gravity drain (no pump)
Hot waterWater up to 129°F (brand limit)

Good fit if

  • You have a tub, shower or floor drain lower than the machine.
  • You do not mind standing by: NBC Select warns it does not stop filling on its own.
  • You want the most wash-and-spin for the money in an apartment, RV or garage.

Skip it if

  • You need water pushed up into a sink: there is no pump.
  • You want to load it and walk away.
  • You plan to use water hotter than 129°F, the brand’s limit.
Also worth a look

Giantex Full-Automatic Portable Washer

A fully automatic washer in a narrow footprint, about 20 by 20 inches, at a lower price than the big-brand models. Giantex rates it at 9.92 lb and lists 10 programs; BestReviews picked it for saving space.

Why it stands out

  • Narrow, about 19.7 by 19.8 inches, and 51 lb with side handles.
  • Long 78.8-inch drain hose for reaching a sink or tub.
  • 310 W wash and 250 W spin, by Giantex’s figures.
TypeFully automatic, top load
Capacity (brand)9.92 lb rated
Weight51 lb
Fill & drainFaucet hose; 78.8 in drain hose
Hot waterNot stated by the brand

Good fit if

  • Space is tight but you still want hands-off cycles.
  • You want automatic washing at a lower price.

Skip it if

  • You want clear instructions: BestReviews flags confusing setup.
  • You want wheels: it has handles only.
  • Your sink needs a special adapter; PureWow says some buyers needed extra hoses or adapters.

The Amazon title says 12 lbs; Giantex’s own spec table rates it at 9.92 lb.

Also worth a look

GRINCHAT Foldable Mini Washer

A foldable silicone bucket washer for a handful of small items, which collapses flat to store. NBC Select named it its best budget pick and was clear about the limits: it is not for larger clothes, and it has no spin basket.

Why it stands out

  • About 3.5 lb and folds down, so it fits in a drawer or suitcase.
  • 11-liter tub for socks, underwear and baby clothes.
  • 1-year warranty.
TypeFoldable mini bucket washer
Capacity (brand)11 L tub, small items
Weight3.5 lb
Fill & drainFill by hand
Hot waterNot stated by the brand

Good fit if

  • You want to wash a few small things in a dorm, hotel or RV without hand washing.

Skip it if

  • You want clothes spun damp-dry.
  • You wash anything bigger than a few small items.

Watching the budget?

A small twin tub is the cheapest way to wash and spin at home. Make sure you have a shower, tub or floor drain lower than the machine.

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Tips

Three things that make the difference

01

Check the drain first

Budget twin tubs drain by gravity. Apartment Therapy’s reviewer had to raise one and ran the tube into a bathtub.

02

Expect a bucket or two

The same reviewer found the included hose fit no faucet and filled the drum from a 3-gallon bucket instead.

03

Read the warranty

Warranties on portable washers are short: BLACK+DECKER, Magic Chef and GE give one year on their portables, and we could not find a SUPER DEAL warranty at all.

Honest note

Cheap washers save money but cost time. Apartment Therapy’s reviewer said a twin tub does not hold as much as a standard washer and is not built for towels and sheets. If you wash every day for a household, a fully automatic Mid-range model is worth the step up.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What is the best cheap portable washing machine?

Our pick is the SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb twin tub, HGTV’s best budget pick. For a step up in size at a Budget-tier price, the Giantex 20 lb twin tub is NBC Select’s best twin tub.

Are cheap portable washers any good?

For small loads, yes, if you accept the work. Apartment Therapy’s reviewer said a budget twin tub holds less than a standard washer and is not built for towels and sheets.

What do you give up with a budget washer?

Mostly automation and capacity. Budget twin tubs need you to move clothes, set timers and drain by gravity, and the spin tub holds less than the wash tub.

Is a budget twin tub cheaper to run?

Running costs are small for any portable. The PUCWM22 twin tub lists 250 W wash and 120 W spin; the US average electricity price was 17.3 cents per kWh in 2025, according to the EIA.

Is a manual washer cheaper than an electric one?

Often, and it costs nothing to run. The WonderWash is a Budget-tier hand-crank washer that uses about 2 gallons per load, by the brand’s figure.

Should I buy a used portable washer?

Be careful: BLACK+DECKER’s warranty excludes products bought second-hand or transferred from the original owner. Check the hoses, which GE says degrade and should be replaced every 5 years.

Do laundry at home for less

Want the full picture? See all our best portable washing machine, compared by home type, and the FAQ on hookups, drying and care.