Baby Diapers: it’s one of the unavoidable parts of motherhood… and also one of the biggest dilemmas.
I’m not keen on disposable diapers because:
1) Cost of Diapers: The average family spends $2,000 on disposable diapers during the first two years of a baby’s life…
2) Environmental Impact: A whopping 7.6 billion pounds of disposable diapers are tossed into landfills each year — and these diapers can take up to 500 years to decompose… and
3) Safety: Disposable diapers contain trace amounts of chemicals and toxins (including the carcinogen Dioxin, the hormone-disruptor Tributyl-tin, and skin irritant sodium polyacrylate).
I never thought I would be so excited about diapers, but I was seriously impressed by BumGenius cloth diapers. They seemed like the answer to all my problems! They’re cloth diapers that are dry and snug, easy-to-use, and grow with your child.
Yet, selfishly, I also thought: “EW, I don’t want gross poopy diapers in my laundry machines!”
So, What’s A Mom To Do With Those Dirty Diapers?
Well, in my area there is the Little Rumpkins Diaper Service, which charges $25 per week to pick up, launder and drop off my baby’s diapers. That’s what my mother used to do back in the eighties. But wait… do the math… and that’s $2,200 over two years for your cloth diaper cleaning service, which is even more expensive than disposable diapers. Bummer!
Here’s your solution: the Haier Portable Washer.
The Haier Portable Washer costs $239.99 on Amazon and offers the following features:
- The 1-cubic-foot stainless-steel tub holds loads up to 6 pounds
- There are 3 water levels and 3 wash cycles, electronic controls, and LED indicators
- The machine operates quietly with cycle-status lights and an end-of-cycle signal
- There are smooth-rolling casters and a quick-connect sink adapter
- It measures 17-1/4 x 17-3/5 x 30 inches
- Annual utility costs of $21 (natural gas water heater) – $38 (electric water heater) per year
Moms rate this portable diaper washing machine a 4.5/5 stars, saying:
“The clothes come out very clean and well-spun-out, so they dry quickly. The controls are easy to understand.”
“The basket size is actually larger than it may seem, I was able to fit into the machine about 3/4 of a standard wash!!!”
“It is the spot-on size for people who are doing cloth diapers like us!”
“It has been great for my son’s cloth diapers.”
“I bought it because I got sick of schlepping my kid’s cloth diapers up and down three flights of stairs to the COIN-OP machines… but its small footprint does not speak to the capacity at all!”
“No more lugging poopy diapers to the laundrymat anymore 
”
“We have been using this washer for a year and a half to wash diapers and baby clothes in our apartment and it is AWESOME! It’s the perfect size for all of the diapers and clothes we need to wash. Another nice feature is that the spin cycle is really effective (I would say more than a regular washer).”
Are There Any Cons To This Diaper Washer?
The Directions: One trouble people have reported is that the Haier Portable Washer caused flooding. However, this is typically due to user error. One mom explains: ”I learned the hard way to turn off the faucet after the tub is done filling up; I left it on the whole wash cycle for the first few loads (all back to back mind you) and flooded the apt downstairs.”
Fixture Fitting: Other people have commented that they had trouble with the universal faucet attachment not fitting their older plumbing fixtures, so you may need to be prepared for that possibility.
Customer Service: Third-party sellers are not always known for having the best customer service, so be sure you buy directly from Amazon, Target, Home Depot, or another retailer that offers a no-hassle return policy, should you need it.
