If you live in an apartment without a laundry closet, the machine you want is usually called a compact washer, and the one I would put in a one-bedroom is the Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub. It handles 20 pounds of laundry, weighs 28 pounds so you can move it yourself, and at 24.8 inches wide it clears most bathroom doorways. The runner-up for anyone who wants true automatic cycles is the BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. portable washer, and the COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. unit is the pick if noise matters most on an upstairs floor.
This roundup covers the best compact washers for small apartments in 2026, and the range is wider than the category name suggests. A compact washer can mean a freestanding 1 to 2 cubic foot portable top-loader, a small twin-tub unit that sits in a bathtub, or a full-size-format stackable pair. I have reviewed all three formats here because apartments impose all three constraints, and the wrong format is the single most common reason a compact washer ends up returned.
Every washer below lists its published width, depth and height in inches, because that is the number that decides whether it fits your bathroom, your closet or your kitchen counter. I also pulled the real review count for each model rather than inventing a score, since the shopping results for this keyword are full of listings with three or four reviews and no service behind them. Nothing here was lab-tested; the assessments come from published specifications plus thousands of verified owner reviews, and I say so plainly in the methodology section below.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Compact Washer Picks for Small Apartments (October 2026)
Best Compact Washers for Small Apartments in 2026: Full Comparison
| Product | Specifications | Action |
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Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub 20 lb
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Check Latest Price |
SUPER DEAL Compact Mini Twin Tub 13 lb
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Check Latest Price |
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BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. Portable Washer 11 lb
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Check Latest Price |
COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. Portable Washer 11 lb
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Check Latest Price |
SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb Countertop Twin Tub
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Check Latest Price |
Giantex 8 lb Full Automatic Washer With Pump
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Check Latest Price |
Auertech 28 lb Twin Tub With Drain Pump
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Check Latest Price |
INTERGREAT 18 lb Twin Tub Washer
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Check Latest Price |
ROVSUN 2.3 cu. ft. Full Automatic 25 lb
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Check Latest Price |
Giantex 2-in-1 Washer and Spinner 8.8 lb
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Check Latest Price |
How I Picked These Compact Washers
There is no lab here, and I would rather say that up front than dress up a spec sheet as a test. My selections come from published manufacturer specifications, verified owner review themes, and a hard filter on the two things that break apartment setups: physical footprint and how the machine drains.
First, published dimensions. A machine that claims to be compact but measures 27 inches wide will not clear a standard bathroom door, so anything without a stated width and depth got flagged.
Second, the drain method. Pump-driven machines can sit anywhere with a faucet. Gravity-drain machines must be raised or placed in a tub, which decides where they can live in your apartment.
Third, review volume, because a three-review listing tells you nothing about whether a machine still works in year three. Every pick here has at least several hundred verified reviews, and the top three each have more than 8,000.
Fourth, the format split. I kept twin-tub machines in the list because for one or two people they clean well and cost the least, but I flagged honestly that the two tubs are not equal in size and that you move laundry by hand.
Fifth, noise. Three of these models publish a decibel figure, and the spread runs from 60 dB and 62 dB up to 72 dB, which is a meaningful difference when the unit sits above a neighbor’s bedroom.
What I did not do: I did not measure wattage at the wall, I did not test vibration transfer through a floor joist, and I did not verify lease outcomes with any property manager. Where a claim comes from owner reviews rather than a spec sheet, I say so.
1. Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub Washer 20 lb
Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub Washing Machine 20lbs Washer Spain Spinner Portable Washing Machine, Blue+ White
12 lb wash and 8 lb spin tub
24.8 in W x 15 in D x 28.5 in H
28 lb, semi-automatic, 1350 rpm
Pros
- Washes and spins at the same time
- Spins clothes nearly dry at 1350 rpm
- Only 28 lb so one person can move it
- Stainless steel drum
- Built-in lint filter
Cons
- Included fill hose needs an extra adapter for US faucets
- No drain pump so it must be raised or set in a tub
- Spin cycle is loud on an unbalanced load
This is the washer I keep coming back to, and the reason is the review count. At 15,327 verified reviews it carries more real-world history than anything else in this roundup by a wide margin, which means the failure modes below are well documented rather than hypothetical. Owners overwhelmingly describe it as a laundromat replacement for one or two people, and the praise lands on exactly the two things a small apartment needs: strong agitation and low water use.
At 24.8 inches wide and 15 inches deep it is one of the slimmer footprints here, and 28 pounds means you can carry it up a flight of stairs without help. It runs on 120 volts with knob controls and a 15-minute wash timer paired with a 5-minute spin timer, so the whole cycle is under your control rather than the machine’s.
The spin motor is the sleeper feature. It runs to 1350 rpm, and reviewers report clothes coming out roughly 85 to 90 percent dry, which turns a two-hour line-dry into a short one. The twin-tub layout also means the next load can start washing while this one spins, so a full week of laundry for one person is genuinely one session.
Be clear-eyed about the compromises. There is no drain pump, so the drain hose has to run downhill and the unit either sits on a stand or lives in a bathtub, and the included fill hose does not fit a standard US faucet without buying an adapter. A minority of owners report motor or drain failures inside a year, and the printed manual is close to useless, so expect to work out the timer settings yourself.
Who this washer suits
A single person or couple in a studio or one-bedroom who wants the largest amount of real laundry done per session without hauling bags to a laundromat. The stainless steel drum, the lint filter on the side of the wash tub and the cover plate that holds clothes in during a fast spin all point at a machine designed for repeated use rather than occasional handling.
It also suits anyone with a bathtub or shower stall who is comfortable dedicating that space to laundry, since gravity drainage makes that the natural home for it.
Who should skip it
Skip this one if you have no tub, no stand and no appetite for plumbing hose routing, because without a pump it will not drain from a countertop or a closet floor. It is also the wrong choice for a household of three or more, where a week of laundry becomes two sessions.
Anyone with thin apartment walls should also weigh the alternative. The 1350 rpm spin is powerful and it is loud, and unbalanced loads knock against the tub hard enough that you may hear it through the floor.
2. SUPER DEAL Compact Mini Twin Tub Washer 13 lb
SUPER DEAL Compact Mini Twin Tub Washing Machine 13lbs Capacity Portable Washer Wash and Spin Cycle Combo, Built-in Gravity Drain for Camping, Apartments, Dorms, College, RV’s and Small Spaces
8 lb wash and 5 lb spin tub
23 in W x 13.5 in D x 26 in H
26.5 lb, 1300 rpm, plastic drum
Pros
- Washes and spins simultaneously
- 1300 rpm spin leaves clothes nearly dry
- Quiet in operation
- Works straight from the box with no assembly
Cons
- Spin basket holds roughly half the wash tub so a load needs two cycles
- Spinner must be balanced by hand or it knocks hard
- Fill hose is short and awkward for most faucets
- No lint filter is included
This is the dorm and RV workhorse of the group, and 12,406 reviews say the price-sensitive buyer already knows it. Buyers call it an affordable answer for apartments, college housing, RVs and vacation rentals, and the spin cycle does most of the drying work so you can get away without a dryer.
Dimensions are the appeal at 23 inches wide, 13.5 inches deep and 26 inches tall, and it weighs 26.5 pounds. That is a unit you can move between the closet and the tub by yourself, which matters if you are not allowed to leave it installed.
The drum is plastic rather than stainless steel, and at 13 liters it holds 8 pounds in the wash tub against only 5 pounds in the spin tub. That mismatch is the defining fact of this machine and the thing reviewers complain about most: one wash load takes two separate spin cycles because the spin basket is roughly half the size of the wash tub.
Hand-balancing the spinner is the other recurring task. Owners say an unbalanced basket knocks loudly against the inner walls and can be damaged, so the habit to build is stopping the spin, redistributing the clothes and restarting.
Where it works well
It is built for small, frequent loads in a place you do not own: a dorm room, an RV, a short-term rental, a studio where the washer must live in the closet between uses. The translucent tub window lets you check the water level without opening the lid mid-cycle, and owners repeatedly note how quiet it is relative to its size.
For anyone washing delicates, workout gear or a few days of underwear and socks at a time, the small drum is genuinely convenient because a small load is not a badly filled load.
Where it falls short
Do not buy it for a two-person weekly load unless you enjoy multi-step laundry. The spin-tub shortfall plus the need to move laundry between tubs by hand means a single session takes far longer than the cycle times suggest.
The short, awkward fill hose is a consistent complaint, and buckets or a shower head are the usual workaround. There is no lint filter, so lint redeposits on clothes and can build up in whatever you are draining into, which matters if you are a renter.
3. BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. Portable Washer 11 lb
BLACK+DECKER 1.7 Cu. Ft. Portable Washer, 11 lb. Capacity, BPWM16W, White
1.7 cu. ft. tub, 11 lb load
21.3 in W x 21.7 in D x 36.6 in H
72 dB, six cycles, stainless steel tub
Pros
- True automatic wash
- rinse and spin with six programs
- Stainless steel tub resists rust and corrosion
- Transparent quiet-close lid
- Spin is barely audible in the next room
Cons
- No drain valve so the drain hose must be raised to about 34 inches
- Sink adapter does not fit every modern faucet
- At 70.5 lb it needs a rolling dolly
This is the most conventional machine in the roundup, and that is exactly why it carries the highest rating. It has an impeller, a stainless steel tub, six real programs and genuine automatic operation, which is what most people picture when they say they want a compact washer for a small apartment. At 4.4 stars it ties for the highest rating in the roundup, and with 9,307 verified reviews it is the best-documented automatic machine in the group.
Capacity is 1.7 cubic feet, or 11 pounds of dry laundry, and the body measures 21.3 inches wide by 21.7 inches deep by 36.6 inches tall. That height is deliberate: owners note it stands about the same height as a standard washer, so you load it the same way rather than bending over a mini drum.
Cycle choice is a genuine strength. Six programs cover Normal, Heavy, Delicate, Quick, Bulky and Spin Only, with three water levels and hot, warm and cold temperature settings, plus a delay start up to 24 hours. Auto unbalance detection, auto shutoff and a child lock are all standard, and it ships with a connector adapter, water supply hose and drain hose.
The single most important thing to understand before you buy is the missing drain valve. There is no internal valve, so the drain hose has to sit at roughly 34 inches high or the tub drains while it is still filling. Get that wrong and the machine appears broken when it is simply installed wrong.
Who this washer is for
It suits a household of one or two who wants a normal laundry routine in a space too small for a full-size machine. The stainless steel tub resists rust and corrosion and outlasts plastic, and the transparent quiet-close lid makes it pleasant to use for a weekly session rather than a chore.
It also fits people who want to use a bathroom sink directly. The included connector adapter handles standard faucets, and owners report the spin cycle is quiet enough that full speed is barely audible in the next room.
Who should pass
Skip it if you cannot lift 70.5 pounds comfortably. That is heavier than every twin tub in this roundup, and reviewers consistently recommend a rolling dolly, which is an extra cost and an extra obstacle on stairs.
It is also a poor match for renters with modern pull-down faucets, since the adapter does not fit every spigot and plenty of owners end up filling the tub by hand. And if you want to move it up and down stairs regularly, 70 pounds is a lot of weight to relocate.
4. COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. Portable Washer 11 lb
COMFEE’ 1.6 Cu.ft Portable Washing Machine, 11lbs Capacity Fully Automatic Compact Washer with Wheels, 6 Wash Programs Laundry Drain Pump, Ideal for Apartments, RV, Camping, Magnetic Gray
1.6 cu. ft. tub, 11 lb load
20.3 in W x 20.7 in D x 37 in H
62 dB, built-in drain pump, 79.4 lb
Pros
- Pump handles drain pipes up to about 39 inches
- 62 dB operation suits upstairs units
- Stainless steel inner tub
- Delay start and mid-cycle reloading
Cons
- At 79.4 lb it is too heavy for one person to lift
- Power cord and drain hose are both short
- Some cycles stop mid-run and need the load redistributed
- Beeps frequently with no mute
This is my renter pick, and the reason is the drain pump combined with the published 62 dB noise figure. The pump handles drain pipes up to about 39 inches high, so the machine drains into a sink or a low tub without being raised on a stand, and 62 dB is 10 decibels quieter than the BLACK+DECKER at 72 dB. On an upper floor with thin walls, that difference is the whole decision.
It shares the same 11-pound class capacity at 1.6 cubic feet, with a stainless steel inner tub rated to outlast plastic. Owners in apartments, dorms and RVs rate the quiet operation and the program flexibility very highly, and the build feels more substantial than the price suggests.
Six programs cover Normal, Quick, Heavy, Bulky, Delicate and Spin Only, with an Extra Rinse button, three water temperatures, delay start, a reloading function that lets you add forgotten laundry mid-cycle, and a child lock. The mid-cycle reloading feature is the one renters mention most warmly, because it removes the need to restart a load you forgot in the machine.
Two practical frictions dominate the reviews and both are physical. At 79.4 pounds this is the heaviest washer in the roundup, and owners recommend a wheeled dolly. The power cord and drain hose are also short, which restricts where in the apartment you can set it up.
Who this washer is for
It fits an apartment where drain height is awkward, where noise travels through the floor, or where the kitchen faucet has a pull-out sprayer and needs a dedicated hose. A drain pump also means one less piece of plumbing to disconnect every time you move out, which matters more to renters than any feature on the panel.
It is a good second washer or backup unit for a couple who splits laundry between two bathrooms, since it runs quietly enough to leave going while you are elsewhere in the apartment.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you have stairs and no dolly, or if you need to move it regularly. Nearly every complaint in this review set is about weight and short hoses rather than washing performance, and the weight does not change with a stronger grip.
Two more warnings: cycles sometimes stop mid-run and need the load redistributed before restarting, and the machine beeps frequently during programming and at cycle end with no way to mute it. In a studio with thin walls, that beeping is the sound you will hear most.
5. SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb Countertop Twin Tub Washer
SUPER DEAL Small Portable Washing Machine 9.9lb Mini Compact Washer Twin Tub Laundry Machine Top Load Spinning and Washing Combo 6.57 FT Inlet Gravity Drain Hose
5.5 lb wash and 4.4 lb spin
22 in W x 14.6 in D x 22.6 in H
Only 22 lb, countertop, 1300 rpm
Pros
- Lightest unit here at 22 lb
- Independent tubs let you wash while another load spins
- True rinse uses two deep rinses on every cycle
- Very quiet even on spin
Cons
- Gravity drain means it must sit in a tub or shower on a stand
- Fill hose is far too short to be useful
- Short power cord usually needs an extension
- No lint catcher is supplied
This is the lightest washer in the roundup at 22 pounds, and that weight is the entire reason to consider it. You can carry it up stairs, set it in a shower stall and put it back in a closet without arranging for help, which no other unit here lets you do.
Capacity is small by design: 5.5 pounds in the wash tub and 4.4 pounds in the spin tub. Owners treat it strictly as a small-load machine for baby items, delicates and travel, where the tiny footprint is a decisive advantage rather than a compromise.
The twin compartments run independently with their own settings, timers and motors, so you can wash one load while spinning another. True rinse technology puts two deep rinses on every cycle, which conserves water, and reviewers call it very quiet even during the spin, which makes it the sleep-friendly pick in this list.
Drainage is the defining constraint. There is no pump, so it must live in a bathtub or shower stall, either directly or on an elevated stand, and that shapes the entire ownership experience. The fill hose is far too short to be useful in most installations and a pitcher or dedicated container is the usual workaround, and the short power cord often means an extension cord.
Who this washer suits
It suits a studio, a dorm or an RV where the washer must be carried rather than installed, and where washing happens in small batches. A parent washing baby clothes alone, or anyone who hand-washes would rather not, gets a machine that handles a full basket without rearranging furniture.
It is also a sensible second machine for a household that already has a primary washer and only needs a dedicated delicates or lint-heavy unit on a counter.
Who should avoid it
Do not buy it as your only washer for a two-person household. Five and a half pounds per wash load means laundry becomes a twice-daily chore rather than a weekly one, and a lint catcher is essential but not supplied, so you will be sourcing and cleaning it yourself.
Reviewers also report spin motor failures after two to three years and shipping damage, so expect a shorter working life than the fully automatic models here. If you can tolerate that trade for the 22-pound weight, it is a fair one.
6. Giantex 8 lb Full Automatic Washer With Drain Pump
Giantex Portable Washing Machine, Full Automatic Washer and Dryer Combo, with Built-in Pump Drain 8 LBS Capacity Compact Laundry Washer Spin Dryer for Apartment RV Dorm
8 lb full-automatic capacity
17 in W x 17 in D x 29.5 in H
60 dB, built-in pump, 37.4 lb
Pros
- Built-in pump so it needs no bathtub or stand
- 37.4 lb so one person can move it
- Can be filled by hand when no faucet fits
- Runs quietly at 60 dB
Cons
- Only 8 lb capacity
- suits one or two people
- Pauses mid-cycle for more water and can throw an E-4 error
- Overflows at the high water setting on some models
At 37.4 pounds this is a fully automatic washer one person can move without a dolly, which is unusual at this capacity. It also has a built-in drain pump, so unlike most small full-automatic machines it does not need a bathtub or an elevated stand, and it can be filled by hand when no faucet is available, which makes it usable in hotels and RVs.
The footprint is a near-perfect square at 17 inches wide and 17 inches deep with a 29.5-inch height, so it fits a bathroom corner or a closet without the depth a conventional washer needs. The honeycomb inner tub is stainless steel and the published noise figure is 60 dB, the lowest in this group.
Operation is full automatic with six programs and three water levels at 16, 23 and 30 liters. Buyers rate the cleaning quality and the near-dry spin very well, and the machine includes a drainage tube and drain hose out of the box.
Setup friction is what dominates the reviews, not performance. The machine pauses mid-cycle to ask for more water, and if you miss that prompt long enough it throws an E-4 error. It also overflows at the high water setting on some models, so medium is the safer level. The inlet hose is short and thin, and the drain hose needs securing or it flops out of the sink.
Who this washer is for
It suits a single person in a studio, a couple who washes together twice a week, or anyone in a dorm or RV who cannot place the machine in a shower. The 17-inch square footprint and 60 dB operation make it the most apartment-friendly fully automatic unit in this roundup.
The manual fill option is a genuine advantage if your faucet has no standard thread or no hose attachment point, which is common in older buildings and some rental units.
Who should skip it
Skip it for a household of three or more. Eight pounds is roughly two pairs of jeans, and owners are explicit that it suits one or two people only, so the number of sessions per week quickly becomes a burden.
Also be careful about the mid-cycle water prompt. If you run a load and leave the apartment, the pause can become an E-4 error, which is a real problem for anyone who wants to start a cycle before work.
7. Auertech 28 lb Twin Tub Washer With Drain Pump
Auertech Portable Washing Machine, 28lbs Twin Tub Washer Mini Compact Laundry Machine with Drain Pump, Semi-automatic 18lbs Washer 10lbs Spinner Combo for Dorms, Apartments, RVs
18 lb wash and 10 lb spin tub
27 in W x 15 in D x 32 in H
1300 rpm, built-in pump, 31 lb
Pros
- Largest twin-tub capacities here at 18 lb and 10 lb
- Real drain pump solves the bathtub placement problem
- 1300 rpm spins clothes close to dry
- Built-in lint filter and motor overheat protection
Cons
- Semi-automatic so you must stay with the machine
- Widest footprint at 27 inches
- Spinner must be balanced or it hits the inner walls
- Drain height must stay under 45 inches
This is the twin tub to buy if you need real capacity in a small footprint, and the number that matters is 18 pounds in the wash tub. That is nearly double the wash capacity of most budget twin tubs, and it is paired with a 10-pound spin tub so you are not constantly shuttling small batches.
More importantly for apartment living, it has a genuine drain pump. That solves the constraint that forces nearly every other twin tub into a bathtub, because the pump can push water to a drain higher than the machine or to a distant drain point, as long as that height stays under 45 inches.
The motor spins at 1300 rpm and owners report clothes coming out close to dry, which shortens line drying considerably. The stainless steel drum resists rust, the built-in lint filter addresses the one complaint renters hear most from landlords, and motor overheat protection cuts out and then restarts the motor after 20 to 30 minutes rather than burning it out.
The catch is that 27 inches is the widest footprint in this roundup, with a 32-inch height. You need to measure the doorway and the space behind it before you commit, and remember the machine is 15 inches deep.
Who this washer is for
It suits a household of two, or a family of three doing laundry together on a schedule, who want twin-tub simplicity and large loads without the laundry-room floor space a full-size washer needs. The pump means you can place it beside a sink rather than in a tub, which keeps the bathroom usable.
It is also the twin-tub choice for anyone with a long-term leak concern, because a pumped drain to a proper waste line does not depend on a stand staying level for years.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want a hands-off machine. It is semi-automatic, which means you stay with it and move clothes between the wash tub and the spin tub yourself, and you cannot start a load and walk away.
It is also the wrong choice for a narrow hallway or a bathroom with a tight door swing at 27 inches wide, and overloading triggers the overheat protection and stops the motor, so the large capacity only helps if you do not exceed it.
8. INTERGREAT 18 lb Twin Tub Washer
INTERGREAT Portable Washing Machine, 25.4lbs Twin Tub Portable Washer with Spin Cycle and Dryer, Semi-automatic Washer Machine Combo for Dorms, Apartments, Blue
9.6 lb wash and 5.4 lb spin tub
22 in W x 13.38 in D x 25.2 in H
1300 rpm, 250W wash, plastic drum
Pros
- 9.6 lb wash tub is large relative to its spin capacity
- 1300 rpm motor with 250W wash power cleans well
- Quiet in operation
- Light enough to carry up stairs alone
Cons
- 5.4 lb spin tub means four spin cycles per wash load
- Spinner wobbles violently if the load is not balanced
- Gravity drain only so it must sit in a tub or shower
- Lint trap is hard to remove
The INTERGREAT does one thing notably well, which is washing. The 9.6-pound wash tub is the largest relative to spin capacity among the affordable twin tubs here, and the 250W wash motor on a 1300 rpm spin cycle produces genuinely good cleaning for the money, which owners confirm directly.
It is also compact in a way that suits storage: 22 inches wide, 13.38 inches deep and 25.2 inches tall, light enough to carry up stairs alone, and quiet enough to run in a hallway closet. If your lease makes you remove the machine when you leave, a unit you can carry by yourself is a real advantage.
Now the honest part, which is that the spin tub is only 5.4 pounds. Buyers describe this as the one real design flaw: one wash load needs four separate spin cycles, and the spinner wobbles violently and sounds alarming on anything larger than a hand towel if the load is not balanced immediately.
There is no pump, so it must sit in a bathtub or shower, and the lint trap is awkward to remove for cleaning. It also will not handle a twin sheet in the spin basket without repeated attempts, which rules it out if bedding is on your weekly list.
Who this washer is for
It suits a renter with a shower stall who wants an affordable machine that washes well and can be carried out of the apartment without help. If the water reaching your clothes is the priority rather than the time to finish a load, this delivers more cleaning than its rating alone suggests.
It is a reasonable pick for a household doing one small load at a time rather than a full week in a session, and for anyone who already hangs everything to dry so the spin speed matters little.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want one load in and one load out. Four spin cycles per wash load is the kind of friction that turns a compact washer back into a laundromat habit, and the violent wobble on an unbalanced load is genuinely unpleasant rather than merely loud.
Skip it entirely if you need to wash sheets or anything larger than towels. That is a real limitation of a 5.4-pound spin basket, not a matter of technique.
9. ROVSUN 2.3 cu. ft. Full Automatic Washer 25 lb
ROVSUN 25LBS Portable Washing Machine, Full-Automatic Electric Laundry Machine with Stainless Steel Drum, Compact Washer and Spin Dryer Combo with Drain Pump for Home, Apartment
2.3 cu. ft. drum, 25 lb stated
22.3 in W x 22.5 in D x 36 in H
10 modes, five water levels, built-in pump
Pros
- Largest drum capacity in this roundup at 2.3 cu. ft.
- 10 wash modes and five water levels
- Quick wash finishes in about 26 minutes
- Built-in drain pump
- Very quiet in a small apartment
Cons
- Some buyers report the real drum is smaller than stated
- Control panel is confusing and the manual shows a different panel
- Final rinse is only about 4 minutes
- Hoses are flimsy and short
- Clothes tangle and need hand untangling
On paper this is the most capable machine here: a 2.3 cubic foot drum rated for 25 pounds of laundry, which is more than double the capacity of most units in this roundup. It runs 10 wash modes with five water levels, has a quick cycle that finishes in about 26 minutes for small loads, and includes a built-in drain pump.
The stainless steel drum has a diamond pattern intended to reduce fabric wear, and the feature list is long for a compact machine: air dry, delayed start, memory back-up, drum self-clean, auto unbalance detection, adjustable feet and a child lock. A faucet adapter and water supply hose are included, and the package even adds a rat-proof board.
The reason it sits at number nine is a credibility problem, not a performance problem. It has 866 reviews, the smallest base in this roundup by some distance, and feedback is polarized around one specific issue: some buyers report the real drum is much smaller than the stated pound capacity suggests. When a listing advertises 25 pounds and the drum does not deliver that, every other spec on the page deserves a second look.
Owners also report a confusing touch control panel, a manual that shows instructions for a different panel, cycles that are short with a final rinse of only about 4 minutes, and flimsy hoses that are too short to place the machine where you want it. Clothes tangle badly and need untangling by hand at the end.
Who this washer is for
It suits someone who wants as much capacity as physically possible in a portable format and is willing to verify the drum size on arrival. Positive reviews do describe strong cleaning on greasy work clothes and a full week’s laundry in one load, and the quick cycle is genuinely useful for a mid-week top-up.
If quiet operation is your top priority, reviewers consistently single this machine out for running very quietly in a small apartment, and the pump means no stand is needed.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you are risk-averse. With 866 reviews and unresolved complaints about capacity, you are buying on the least verified spec sheet in this roundup, and the price positioning of the fully automatic category is not where you want to take a gamble.
Skip it if you wash anything that tangles easily, such as fitted sheets or loose knits, because the hand-untangling routine is a weekly commitment rather than an occasional annoyance.
10. Giantex 2-in-1 Washer and Spinner 8.8 lb
Giantex Full Automatic Washing Machine, 2 in 1 Portable Laundry Washer, 8.8lbs Washer and Spinner Combo, 1.04 cu.ft 10 Programs Built-in Drain Pump, Energy Saving Top Load for Apartment Dorm
1.04 cu. ft. tub, 8.8 lb load
18.5 in W x 18 in D x 31 in H
10 programs, 5 water levels, 43.5 lb
Pros
- Wash and spin in one tub so no separate dryer is needed
- Ten programs and five water levels
- Very quiet including inside a fifth wheel RV
- Air dry leaves clothes nearly dry before hanging
Cons
- Small capacity of about 6 lbs wet weight
- Quick-connect adapter does not fit many modern faucets
- Drain hose must be clamped or it sprays water
- Panel requires holding buttons
- 2-month warranty
This is a single-tub machine that washes and spin dries in the same drum, which is exactly the arrangement an RV, a fifth wheel or a boat needs, and owners confirm it runs quietly enough in those environments to be a frequent recommendation there. At 4.3 stars it also has the second-highest rating in this roundup.
The footprint is small and square-ish at 18.5 inches wide, 18 inches deep and 31 inches tall, and it weighs 43.5 pounds, so it is moveable by one person. The tub is stainless steel with automatic unbalance detection and adjustable feet, and it has a built-in drain pump plus a child lock mode.
The 2-in-1 design claims 80 percent drying capability, and the air dry setting leaves clothes nearly dry before hanging, which cuts the time you would otherwise spend on a portable dryer. There are 10 washing modes with five water level selections and a timer, which is a lot of adjustment for a 1.04 cubic foot drum.
The recurring theme in the reviews is hookup rather than performance. The quick-connect faucet adapter rarely fits newer single-hole or pull-down faucets, so owners install a water splitter instead, and the drain hose has to be clamped or taped down or it sprays water across the counter.
Who this washer is for
It suits RV and fifth wheel owners, boat and van dwellers, and anyone who has no dryer and no plan to buy one, because washing and spin drying in a single tub removes a whole appliance from the equation. It is a sensible dorm unit on the same basis.
For an apartment, it works well as a washing-only machine for one person, where the small capacity means a single load runs fast and finishes dry enough to hang immediately.
Who should skip it
Skip it for two people. The capacity is about 6 pounds wet weight, roughly one adult outfit per load, and this is a real ceiling rather than a soft estimate, so a week of laundry becomes many sessions.
Also weigh the warranty. A 2-month warranty is far shorter than the limited year offered by the fully automatic machines here, and the panel requires holding buttons to select codes, so if you are not comfortable with a manual that explains a different panel, pick a machine with clearer controls.
Compact Washer vs Portable Washer vs 24-Inch Stackable
The category words are used interchangeably on shopping sites, and that ambiguity causes most of the bad purchases. A compact washer in the strict sense is an installed unit built to a reduced footprint, typically 24 inches wide, designed to sit permanently and connect to household plumbing. A portable washer is a freestanding top-loader that rolls or carries wherever you put it and connects to a faucet through an adapter. A 24-inch stackable washer-dryer pair is the installed route that adds drying.
Everything in this roundup except a full-size-format stackable pair is a portable machine, because that is what an apartment without hookups can actually accommodate. The distinction that matters day to day is not portable versus compact but pumped versus gravity drain, because that single feature decides whether the machine can live beside a sink or must live in a shower.
If your lease permits a permanent installation and your unit has a 24-inch alcove with hot and cold supply lines and a standpipe, a stackable pair is the better long-term answer. It washes more per load, dries indoors without a vent, and looks like an appliance rather than stored equipment. If you have a tub and no hookups, a portable twin tub is the right answer. If you have a faucet and no drain clearance, a pumped portable is the right answer.
Renting? Check Your Lease Before You Buy
Most leases prohibit in-unit washers, and property owners are usually specific about why. The stated objection on landlord and property-management forums is lint in the drains, not the machine itself. A portable washer that never connects to the building drain is much easier to defend than a permanent install.
Forum threads on this conflict run to 130 comments and more, and the pattern in them is consistent: renters buy a portable unit anyway, connect it to a kitchen sink or bathtub, and keep the hose disconnected between loads. That single habit of disconnecting hoses after every use is the difference between a renter who gets asked to remove the machine and one who does not.
Three things reduce the chance of a problem. Ask management in writing rather than assuming silence means yes, keep a lint filter or catcher in the line if the machine has one, and route the drain hose to a sink, tub or shower rather than into any building drain. If your lease is genuinely strict, the alternatives are the building laundry room, a laundromat, or a washer-dryer rental arrangement rather than an unauthorized install.
How to Set Up a Washer Without Hookups
Every unit in this roundup can run on a faucet, a tub or a shower. The steps are short, and the first one decides whether the rest is easy.
Choose a water source you can reach every day. A kitchen faucet or a bathroom sink is ideal because you will not have to move the machine; a bathtub or shower works but you have to crouch to start a load.
Attach a faucet adapter to the tap. Check whether your faucet is a standard threaded spigot, a pull-out sprayer or a single-hole design, because that is the number one reason adapters do not fit. Single-hole and pull-down faucets usually need a water splitter instead of an adapter.
Position the drain hose at the correct height. Pump-driven machines tolerate a drain around 39 inches high or more; gravity-drain units need the hose raised roughly 34 inches or the tub empties while it fills.
Secure the drain hose. Clamp or tape it to the sink or tub edge so it cannot slip out mid-cycle, which is the most common cause of a flooded countertop.
Run a short test cycle with two or three items before you fill the machine. This confirms the adapter seals, the hose stays put and the drum is balanced.
Disconnect the hoses after every use and store them with the machine. This is what keeps you on the right side of most lease clauses.
If the machine will not fit beside a faucet, an anti-vibration pad under each foot reduces the walking and thumping that travels through an apartment floor, and matters more in an upstairs unit than any published decibel figure.
Compact Washer Buying Guide for Small Apartments
Measure before you shop
Measure the width of the narrowest doorway on the route, not just the alcove, and add roughly two inches of clearance for hoses behind the machine. Depth is the number people forget: a 21.7-inch-deep unit plus hoses needs close to 25 inches of wall behind it. The machines here range from 13.38 inches deep to 22.5 inches deep, so a shallow closet rules out the deepest options before any other consideration.
Match capacity to your household
One person doing their own laundry is served by 5 to 8 pounds. Two people need 10 to 12 pounds. Three or four people sharing a machine need closer to 18 pounds or a full-size install, and at that point a laundromat is often the better answer. The trap is advertised capacity: treat 25-pound claims skeptically, and look at the actual drum dimensions before buying.
Choose automatic or twin tub
Fully automatic machines wash, rinse and spin on their own, which is what most people want. Twin tubs run two tubs at once, so you can wash the next load while spinning the last, and they clean well with less water, but you move laundry by hand and the spin tub is usually much smaller than the wash tub. The mismatch is the top complaint on nearly every budget twin tub, so buy a twin tub only if its spin tub is at least half its wash tub.
Decide how it drains
Pump-driven machines are more flexible and quieter to place, since they drain to a sink or a low waste pipe. Gravity-drain machines must be raised or set in a tub, and that single fact dictates where they can live. For a renter, pumped is safer and easier to disconnect at the end of a lease.
Noise and vibration
Three of these machines publish a figure: the COMFEE at 62 dB, the Giantex 8 lb unit at 60 dB and the BLACK+DECKER at 72 dB. Published numbers are rare, so treat any quiet claim without one as unverified and ask about the spin speed, since spin is almost always the loudest phase.
Service and warranty
BLACK+DECKER carries a one-year limited warranty and COMFEE a one-year limited warranty, while the Giantex 2-in-1 carries two months. Warranty length is a rough proxy for how a brand expects the machine to be supported, and a brand with a real US service network is worth more than a longer warranty from a seller with no parts operation. The ROVSUN, at 866 reviews, has the least verifiable support in this group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best compact washing machine for a small apartment?
The Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub is the most dependable all-round choice, with 15,327 verified reviews, a 20-pound total capacity split across a 12-pound wash tub and 8-pound spin tub, and a 28-pound weight you can carry yourself. If you want automatic cycles rather than hand-tub transfer, the BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. model offers six programs and an 11-pound load. If noise is the concern on an upper floor, the COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. washer publishes a 62 dB figure and has a drain pump.
What are the best compact washing machines for small spaces?
It depends on the format and the drain. A pumped portable washer such as the COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. or the Giantex 8 lb unit can sit beside any faucet. A gravity-drain twin tub such as the Giantex 20 lb model needs a bathtub or a stand. For the smallest possible footprint, the SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb unit is 22 inches wide, 14.6 inches deep, 22.6 inches tall and weighs 22 pounds. For the largest loads, the Auertech 28 lb twin tub has an 18-pound wash tub and a drain pump.
What is the most reliable compact washer?
Reliability correlates with review volume and with build materials rather than with capacity claims. The Giantex 20 lb twin tub leads this roundup on verified review count at 15,327, followed by the SUPER DEAL 13 lb model at 12,406 and the BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. washer at 9,307. The fully automatic machines with stainless steel tubs and multi-year parts support tend to outlast plastic-drum twin tubs, where spin motor failures after two to three years are the most common failure reported.
Am I allowed to have a portable washer in my apartment?
Many leases prohibit in-unit washers, usually because of lint in the building drains, so check your lease before you buy. The practical approach renters use is a portable unit connected to a kitchen sink or bathtub rather than to any building drain, with the hoses disconnected after every use. Ask management in writing, keep a lint catcher in the line, and never leave a machine plumbed in permanently without written permission.
Can I put a washer and dryer in my apartment without hookups?
Yes, as long as you have a faucet and somewhere for the water to go. Every machine here runs on a faucet through an adapter, and a pump-driven model such as the COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. or the Giantex 8 lb unit drains to a sink or low waste pipe. Gravity-drain twin tubs need the drain hose raised about 34 inches or the machine must sit in a tub. Check your faucet type first, because single-hole and pull-out sprayer faucets need a water splitter rather than a standard adapter.
Can you just pour water into a portable washing machine?
On some models, yes. The Giantex 8 lb full-automatic unit is specifically listed as fillable by hand when no compatible faucet is available, which is why it suits RVs and hotels. On most machines, manual filling is a fallback rather than a routine, and the twin-tub models here need the fill hose or a container to reach the wash tub. Buy a faucet adapter first, since it is the part most setups are missing.
Final Verdict
The best compact washers for small apartments in 2026 come down to two questions: how you drain the water and how much you are willing to lift. The Giantex 20 lb twin tub wins here on evidence, carrying 15,327 verified reviews, a stainless steel drum, a 1350 rpm spin that leaves clothes nearly dry and a 28-pound weight that one person can move. The BLACK+DECKER 1.7 cu. ft. washer takes the highest rating at 4.4 stars and is the pick for anyone who wants true automatic cycles and a stainless steel tub.
The COMFEE 1.6 cu. ft. machine is the renter choice, with a 62 dB published noise figure and a drain pump that keeps it away from the bathtub. The Auertech 28 lb twin tub takes the large-load crown at 18 pounds in the wash tub, and the SUPER DEAL 9.9 lb unit is the pick if 22 pounds of weight is the constraint that matters most.
Whatever you choose, measure the doorway, know your drain height and ask your landlord before you buy. Those three checks prevent more problems than any specification on the spec sheet.