Portable hand-cranked washing machine great for boaters, campers, and emergency uses

If you are boater and out at sea for weeks at a time, or a camper with a young family, a hand-powered portable washer might be worth buying.

The Wonderwash is a non-electric, portable washer that you use by cranking a handle on the side. According to a product page listing, the Wonderwash can “wash a 5-lb. load of laundry” and it claims to wash it “in just minutes.” It has a “patented pressure system that forces detergent into the fabric at high speed for a fast, efficient, economic and very easy wash.”

It has a spout at the bottom to drain dirty wash water, so no need to pick it up to empty it. You do, however, need to refill it with clean water for the “rinse” cycle.

Laundry-Alternative.com, a website that sells the Wonderwash, also sells mini, portable dryers as well. A quick search on Amazon also came up with some more portable and compact laundry machines from such well-known names as Haier, so be sure to comparison shop for the right price.

Another thought, a hand-powered washer might be a great addition to people in areas that lose power often. As long as you have running water, or enough bottled watered, you can continue doing laundry and air dry your clothes. A portable washing machine is also great for people going through a home renovation.