Whether the apartment of your dreams is missing a washing machine hookup or you’re organizing an extensive road trip, a portable washing machine can come in handy. In most cities across Canada, laundromats are easy to come by, but nothing beats the convenience of doing your laundry in the comfort of your own space. Not to mention, the cost of relying on a laundromat can add up over time.
That said, there are many reasons why a portable washer can make your life easier when it comes to doing laundry. Keep reading to discover the ins and outs of portable washers and how to choose the right kind for your laundry needs. We’ll also highlight the best portable washers in Canada this year.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: Giantex Fully-Automatic
Jump to Review - Best Spin Dry Feature: Giantex Semi-Automatic
Jump to Review - Best High-Capacity: Panda PAN50SW
Jump to Review - Best Small-Capacity: BLACK + DECKER
Jump to Review
How Does A Portable Washer Work?
Portable washing machines work similarly to standard full-sized washing machines. They will come with a variety of pre-programmed wash cycles, spin cycles, and water level options. What really sets them apart from a standard washing machine is their more compact size and installation requirements.
Instead of being hooked up to a dedicated washing machine valve, a portable washer is connected to a sink or bathtub faucet. The machine will also have to be plugged into a nearby outlet.
The 5 Best Portable Washers in Canada in 2025
We’ve analyzed the most popular portable washers available on Amazon, and we’ve put together a list of our top picks. Here they are:
Giantex Semi-Automatic Portable Washing Machine
Giantex’s Compact Top-Load Portable Washing Machine is affordable, compact, and easy to use. Measuring just 25 inches in length and 28 inches in height, the machine is small enough for RVs, tiny homes, or small apartments. The Giantex is particularly convenient since it doubles as a dryer.
Instead of just one section for washing clothes, the Giantex has two sections; a washing tub and a spin dryer tub. After washing your clothes, you can transfer them over to the spin tub and the machine will spin your clothes until they are nearly dry. While they won’t be completely dry, air drying them will be much quicker.
In terms of settings, the Giantex has timers for both the wash and spin cycles and lets you select the type of wash. There are 2 wash options to choose from; Soft and Normal. There is also a Drain setting.
In terms of capacity, the machine is quite small, but can wash 11 lbs of clothes at a time. The drying tub is smaller and can dry 6.6 lbs of clothes at a time. This means you’ll likely have to dry your clothes in two batches, but each batch takes just 5 minutes to dry.
Giantex Full-Automatic Portable Washer
The Giantex Automatic Portable Washer is another convenient portable washing machine. While it’s slightly more expensive than the semi-automatic model above, the machine offers more features, such as 10 wash programs and 8 water level options. It’s fully automatic and very easy to use with its LED display.
In terms of size, the machine is wider than the Twin model above, but less tall, measuring 34 x 20 x 20 inches. It has a capacity of just under 10 lbs, which is perfect for making average-sized loads.
The Giantex washer has a built-in pump and a drain hose that allow you to easily dispose of its dirty water. With 10 wash settings to choose from, Giantex’s fully automatic machine is comparable to a conventional washing machine. Its spin cycle is powerful enough that your clothing will air dry quickly afterwards.
The machine also has an automatic balance adjustment function, so if your items are piled up on one side of the machine, the washer will tilt in order to restore balance before continuing the cycle.
Panda PAN50SW Portable and Compact Washing Machine
The Panda PAN50SW is a powerful, high-capacity portable washing machine that operates relatively quietly. With a capacity of up to 15 lbs per load, it’s the largest capacity portable washer on our list so far. Its operation is fully automatic and the machine is easy to use.
The machine also comes with an LED display to make it even easier to use. You can add a timer and choose from 6 wash settings including normal, quick, cotton, jeans, anti-wrinkle, and air dry.
The machine comes with everything needed to quickly and easily hook up the washer to your water source. The machine has similar dimensions to the washer listed above, but weighs almost 64 lbs. That said, this portable washing machine is not ideal for moving around frequently.
BLACK + DECKER Portable Washer
BLACK+DECKER’s Portable Washer is a simple machine that does a great job at cleaning. It has a capacity of 6.6 lbs and takes less than 20 minutes to complete a cycle. Comparable to a full-sized washing machine, the machine has 5 wash cycles to choose from: heavy, gentle, normal, rapid, and soak.
The BLACK + DECKER Portable Washer has a built-in LED display that lets you keep track of the progress of your wash. The top door is transparent, so you can monitor everything that’s going on inside the machine. It weighs about 45 lbs so it’s easy to move around when needed. It’s also quite compact, measuring 17 x 18 x 31 inches.
Similar to the Giantax automatic washer above, the BLACK + DECKER has a system that rebalances the load if ever an imbalance occurs. You can also set a timer to start the machine automatically within up to 24 hours. The only downside is that the spin cycle can be quite loud.
Panda Portable Mini Washing Machine
Panda’s Portable Mini Washer is a smaller and more affordable version of the washer above. It has a capacity of 6.6 lbs and measures about half the width of the above mode. It weighs 44 lbs, making it significantly less heavy than the above model.
The machine offers 5 automatic washing settings to choose from, including heavy, gentle, normal, rapid, and soak. You can also choose the wash cycle duration and spin duration. The water level can be adjusted based on the size of your load.
Panda’s Mini Washer has an LED display that makes it easy to select your settings. It’s also a very quiet machine, which can be an advantage if noise level is important to you.
Different Types of Portable Washing Machines
There are two main types of portable washing machines available on the market: electric machines and non-electric machines. Below is an overview of each type of machine.
Electric Portable Washing Machines
Electric portable washing machines are the most popular type of portable washing machine found on the market. An electric machine can simply be plugged into a power outlet and used immediately, as you would a standard washing machine. Electric machines are often larger and more expensive than non-electric portable washers.
If you have access to electricity, we recommend opting for an electric portable washing machine. However, if you’re looking for a portable washing machine that you can take on a road trip in a Westfalia, it would probably be better to opt for a non-electric portable washing machine.
Non-Electric (Manual) Portable Washing Machines
Manual portable washing machines are a convenient choice if you’re on the move with your machine and don’t have access to an electrical outlet. For example, if you’ll be going on a long camping trip without access to a laundromat, a non-electric portable washer would be a great option for you.
A potential downside of non-electric portable washing machines is that they require physical labor. Since these washing machines do not require electricity, you have to manually pump a foot pedal in order to operate the machine’s spin mechanism. For certain people, the process can be exhausting or simply not possible.
What Are The Benefits of a Portable Washing Machine?
Convenient
A portable washing machine means you can do your laundry in the comfort of your home without requiring a washing machine hookup. You’ll no longer have to spend hours at the laundromat, waiting for your laundry to be finished before moving it onto the dryer. You won’t have to keep change handy or ask your building manager for laundry tokens on a weekly basis. Portable washing machines are also convenient in terms of their size and portability.
Affordable
Laundromats can cost anywhere from $1.50 to $4 per load, with a similar price for drying. Depending on how often you do laundry, this can end up costing you upwards $200 per year. With a portable washing machine, you can pay once for the machine and pay the minimal electricity cost associated with using the machine.
Portable
Obviously, one of the biggest advantages of a portable washing machine is its portability. The machine can be set up in any room you desire, without the requirement of a water hookup. The machine can conveniently be stored in a closet when not in use. If moving to a new home, the machine can easily be transported without having to uninstall it or hire someone for the heavy move.
Full Control Over Your Laundry
With a portable washing machine, you won’t have to worry about losing clothing at the laundromat, or even worse, theft. You’ll also have more control over the number of cycles required to get your items clean.
What to Consider When Buying a Portable Washing Machine
Maximum Load Capacity
A portable washing machine’s maximum capacity will be expressed in pounds of clothes. While a portable washing machine is smaller than a typical washing machine, some portable washing machines can surprisingly handle decent-sized loads. That said, the sizes available on the market do vary.
When shopping around for a portable washing machine, be sure to opt for a machine with a capacity that meets your needs. For example, if you have a queen-sized duvet that needs to be washed regularly, look for an 18-pound capacity washer.
Wash Settings & Options
The range of wash settings will vary from machine to machine. While some portable washing machines offer minimal settings, more deluxe models offer a wide range of settings to choose from. If you will be washing a variety of fabrics, requiring different spin intensities and temperatures, make sure the portable washing machine you choose offers this.
Spin Speed
The spin speed is what determines how wet or dry your clothes will be at the end of a wash. A higher spin speed allows your items to dry quicker afterwards. Most basic portable washers offer a spin speed of at least 850 rpm. More expensive portable washing machines can run at a speed of 1400 to 3000 rpm.
Noise
Portable washing machines tend to be louder than standard washing machines. If you live in a small space with thin walls, you might want to reconsider this purchase or make sure to opt for a quieter machine. Since you can’t take the machine home for a test wash, it’s always a good idea to read user reviews to see what is said about the noise of the machine.
Price
When it comes to price, there are two factors to consider: the price of the machine and the cost of using it over time. When buying a portable washing machine, you can expect to pay between $300 and $500. Depending on where you buy it, you might also have to pay for delivery.
The cost of operating a portable washing machine can vary based on the machine you choose and the cost of electricity in your province. Just like any large appliance, you’ll also have to expect some repair costs down the road.
If you have a very small place, and you’re looking for small appliances, check out our article on the best portable dishwashers in Canada.
What is The Standard Size of a Washing Machine
There is not really a standard size when it comes to washing machines. The size of a washing machine will instead depend on its capacity and design. Washing machines with large capacities will obviously be bigger than their smaller-capacity counterparts.
To give you an idea of the standard size of a washing machine, most washing machines tend to be between 27-28 inches wide and 30-35 inches deep. The height of a traditional washing machine varies between models.
In terms of capacity, you can generally except anything from 3.5 to 5 cubic feet. Smaller load capacity washing machines will be anywhere between 1.5 and 3.5 cubic feet.
