Portable Spin Dryer from The Laundry Alternative

Japanese clothes washers have these sorts of things built-in.

Yeah, the third world loves those things. Like with guns, just make sure the kids are educated in their use, those things will rip your arm off if you stick your hand in while they're spinning.

My grandmother had the equivalent device, with hand cranked twin-nip roller presses on top to squeeze out most free water, and then a spin "extractor" on vertical axis, below, that removed the final drops. Modern washing machines simply combine the two functions using a gear box and pump so I don't see a significant advantage in returning to this older idea. Perhaps just the smaller capacity saves electricity for small loads. But for large loads it would surely be an inconvenient step backwards in design.

Being European I am just absolutely amazed by posts like this. Are you seriously saying American washing machines don't have a spin dryer built-in?

**Author's comment**

Sander,

Thanks for your comment. To clarify, this dryer spins at 3200 rpm, whereas conventional washers are closer to 1000 or 1200. So it serves essentially the same function as a spin cycle, but much, much better, doing the same work in 2-3 minutes that a conventional dryer does in 30 minutes. I liked it because it makes using a drying rack or clothes line much more feasible than just taking damp clothes directly from the washing machine and letting them dry.

CD

Better not let axis of evil nations get hold of this technology to process yellow cake (:->

Are you seriously saying American washing machines don't have a spin dryer built-in?

No, here in America we actually load our dryers half-full of water PLUS sopping wet clothes, then start up the three Hummers in our garage (which we all have) which power the dryers.

After things dry, we soak the clothes again and do the whole thing over just to waste more energy.

It's true!

Now that's funny! And it didn't even need a (sarcasm) in brackets at the end! Go USA!

In response to Bovis, they have safety features. To open the lid, you have to move a lever which brakes the machine. In response to Sander, American washing machines almost always have a spin cycle, but it is normally much slower than on European washing machines. As a result, you can extract quite a bit of water from the clothes in only 2-3 minutes using the spin dryer.

My partner ordered this spin dryer Nov.2,a month ago,through Laundry Alternative,we are still waiting for it!
We have repeatedly inquired why we have not received it and have not been given a definate reason only they are checking in to it,the shipping person works part time and is on a flexiable schedule. So if your are thinking of getting one of these spin dryers you may have difficulty getting it delivered and likewise assistance if a problem occurs.

It's not only the rpms that matter, it's also the radius. I'm wondering what the radius of a normal washer is and what the radius of these are. I assume the radius of a normal washer is 2 to 4 times the radius of this smaller one. A smaller radius must have a larger rpm to result in an equivalent force as that of a larger one. So giving the information of rpm is not useful without also giving the radius. Or better just give the force.
I'm also interested in reviews of these things, because I hand wash and in winter I must hang the clothes inside, which take awhile to dry.

I was wondering if someone could measure the inside diameter of the stainless steel drum on the laundry alternative spin dryer?

I was actually doing some calculations to see if laundry alternative spin dryer is comparable to to a normal washing machine spin cycle.

The spin dryer just arrived. It is fabulous, even better than anticipated. It is quiet and easy to use. It took nearly a quart of water out of the first load of laundry. By slashing the time needed by the electric heat dyer, the spin dryer saved time, money, and the environment.

Lorie, did you ever get your spin dryer from Laundry Alternative?

I want to by one of these things, and the laundry-alternative has these at a fraction ofteh german spin x price. However, two things: 1) Hase anyone out there gotten theor spindry from laundry-alternative ok? That one person who wrote the comments about not getting theirs scares me some.
2) Is this a cheapo version of the $spin X or is it ok? Looks like just what we need, as we have 2 adults 4 kids all using 1 dry to death.
Thanks,
Jamie

A few comments:

1. This is not a cheapo knock off of the Spin-X. Our price is more in line with that spin dryers commonly sell for in Europe. We came out with spin dryers because we sell non-electric washers without a spin cycle, and a lot of customers asked for a way to spin out the water.

2. Some people are wondering if a spin dryer is any better than a regular washing machine spin cycle. While it is true that the tub size also plays a role (not just the spin speed) this spin dryer extracts a lot more water from the clothes than a regular top loading washing machine. This is an easily verifiable, indisputable fact. The spin dryer is not very helpful if you have a faster spin cycle, i.e. 1000 rpm or over.

3. We are human and like any company can make mistakes. However we certainly are not in the habit of taking and not shipping orders, we ship a lot of units every week and the vast majority arrive quickly without any problems. If we have made a mistake on one order we apologize, but please do not think this is typical by any means.

I've owned the laundry alternative spin dryer for 4 years now and love it. The difference is incredible.
4 minutes to spin and 10 minutes in a conventional dryer and your done. Yea its smaller so you change the way you do laundy a bit. But the clothes are still dry before the next load is out of the washer. I lived out of town with only bottled propane (which I filled in town) and so saving propane was very imortant. I could go 9 months on 20 gallons of propane using it for the oven/stove, hot water and the dryer (a family of four). Thats huge!

I too have a problem with Laundry Alternative. It took 20 days for me to receive the WRONG item. I contacted them by phone, and it was suggested I send an email as it would be faster. I did, and they replied right away, asking that I keep the item and forward it to another customer in Canada where I live. I said no problem, compensate me for the tax and handling on the wrong item, send me the right item, and the address where they would like me to send the first item. And that was the end of it. No more emails, I sent them 3 more , still no response. Their phone number now answers with one word "Bye". The fact that there was not even a name at the end of the first reply should have been a clue about the service I was about to "not" receive. I notice Corey K Tournet, the owner, is quick to respond in this forum. I wish he was as quick to respond to me. Search on his name in Google and someone who understands web marketing, as he does, will quickly understand what is happening here. I say no more.

On Feb 06 2007 I posted here stating that I too had a problem with the service from Laundry Alternative. Today Feb 08 2007 I received the proper item. It seems an email problem somewhere prevented me from seeing a notice from Corey stating that they had indeed shipped the proper item. Considering when I notified them that there was a problem and when I received the proper item, less than half the time I expected, this is actually outstanding service. I retract anything negative about Corey or his company that I wrote in the "heat" of anger. I actually believe that the Laundry Alternative carries great products and that is why I ordered from them. Shopping at the Laundry Alternative has turned out to be a positive experience.
Thanks
Bob

Wow, so many problems with customer service from the Laundry Alternative. I, too had problems. They didn't bother to ship my item for a couple of weeks, and took about a month in all to arrive. No apology, no information to explain what was going on. In fact, their response was basically "deal with it". They even forgot to ship one item. Should I mention their online shopping cart was broken, placing items in two different cart systems?

I have the spin dryer, I like it a lot, but let's find an alternative supplier because they just don't seem to give a damn about anything beyond their product.

Quite few people do not understand the difference between a spin dryer and a tumble dryer. Readers here do, but in many cases the average person has never heard of a spin dryer. As a result, when people order, we send out an email confirmation asking the customer to confirm he or she understands the difference before shipping the order. We need to do this, otherwise it will result in extra returns, from people expecting a heated tumble dryer and force us to raise the price on this product.

If you want to order this product and understand the difference, please indicate this in the comments section of the order form, it can help speed up the processing of your order.

I wrote a previous post early in this discussion about waiting for a spindryer (from Laundry Alternative). After six weeks, the spindryer arrived with a ding on the side the size of a baseball and several centimeters deep.

I emailed customer service and explained about the
presumed shipping damage and asked what was the policy on damaged goods. I was told I could send the spindryer back and receive a refund with no mention of who would pay for the shipping charges to return it. I was also offered a second choice: a ten dollar refund to keep the new spindryer as is. I did not opt to receive the ten dollar markdown or send the spindryer back for a return. I already had a hand cranked washer (from Laundry Alternative) and I wanted to just get on with making doing laundry easier. I had little confidence that I would receive another spindryer without another long holdup and a short list of lame excuses if a holdup occured.

Yes the spindryer works. It has a nice look although mine has a hefty ding in it.

I agree with another person who says that this company seems to only care about their product...(and not so much abut customer service). I also did a google search and discovered a lot of interest by the owner to market his products on the internet using web page feeds. Also I did a search on Better Business Bureau. You may read the Bureau's history on Laundry Alternative for yourself and evaluate what may expect.

The upshot from this experience with Laundry Alternative and their products for a greener world leaves me wishing for a study on green companies
and ease of buying from them. I was excited to find the products offered by Laundry Alternatives but was let down by the way they handle customer service. Sure other people may have been luckier and happier with their experience and this is good because ultimately a greener world is critical to our future.

I recently tried to return a Wonder Wash and Spin Dryer because I was not satisfied with the product after seeing it. I tried the phone number for an entire day and nobody answered. It sounds like an overseas number the way it rings. I then sent an email and in response was told that I "tick them off" and "consumers like me are a drain", and I'm "stupid". I was completely shocked. WARNING! Do NOT buy products from The Laundry Alternatives, Inc. Corey K. Tournet is a scammer. The 30 day money back guarantee is a scam. You will NOT get your money back and you will be abused in the process of trying.

I checked the Better Business bureau and this is what I found out:

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaints and a pattern of complaints.

Beware! I was insulted by Corey K. Tournet, founder of Laundry Alternative, Inc. for two days while trying to get a refund.

Some criticisms are valid, we are not perfect. However please do not believe a word Kate Morgan says, we are trying very hard to take the high road. You would be horrified if you read what she wrote.

Here is a much more typical comment from someone who very recently bought a spin dryer. Please keep in mind that discussion boards tend to be dominated by negativity: this is not to discount some valid complaints, but the vast majority of customers receive their product in a timely manner and are very happy with it.

Received your spin dryer yesterday. How did I do laundry for so many years without one? A ridiculously simple, yet highly effective device. We did five loads of laundry last night – wash, extract, dry – in under two hours – thanks to the extractor, clothes would be out of the dryer in about 1/3 the time as before, and be folded before the next load of wash was ready. No washing machine downtime waiting for the dryer to finish. My girlfriend was completely amazed when a load of jeans came out of the dryer completely dry after only 15 minutes. So – we can finish the laundry in well under half the elapsed time – and save energy and money (the extractor will be paid for by electricity savings in about six months) – and the clothes are not being destroyed (much less lint) – what more could one ask for?

I ordered a wonderwash and 3200 RPM spin dryer this weekend. Awaiting this stuff to see how well it works.

Based on what I've read about Laundry-Alternative, I hope it works out, and we get the products soon. I'll post (hopefully positive) feedback here based on what happens.

When I ordered my second spin dryer on March 12th, The Laundry Alternative, Inc. listed them as being in stock. As of this posting I still have not received my order. On March 19th I emailed them to see if I could get a tracking number. The very next day, March 20th I received the generic email asking me to confirm that I knew what I was ordering. It said: “We can ship your Spin Dryer as soon as we receive your confirmation.” I set them a reply the same day, but have still not received my order. Is there another company that sells a similar product? Also the brake fell off my first unit. After not being able to reach The Laundry Alternative by phone, I repaired it myself. My wife said that it took about four minutes to stop spinning without the brake.

It took 2 weeks for an ups tracking # from Laundry Alternative, plus I believe they lack simple reading skills. I purchased 2 items; WonderWasher & Spin Dryer. The WonderWasher was the only item to arrive. They can’t read purchase orders very well.

Can't get them to answer their telephone and email responses take days. I'm looking for a response now for my missing Spin Dryer, and an "Alternative" seller whose shipping and customer service department get the job done. Laundry-Alternative is pathetic at best.

I'm curently shopping for a mini washer and dryer and from what I've seen so far, I'm inclined to get the wonder wash and portable dryer. But what make me hesitant is the comments I've bee seeing in this forum regarding the customer service aspect of the Laundry Alternative Inc. I would really like to learn more about the company. It seems a shame that a company that seems to sell really good products could be remiss in the important aspect of insuring customer satisfaction.

Hi there, I have had such a WONDERFUL experientce with the folks at the Laundry Alternative. They have provided such excellent customer service to me that I just never expected. My spin dryer was damaged through shipping but the problem didn't show up until about 3 months after I started using it. Immediately without question the Laundry Alertnative sent me a replacement unit free of charge. When it arrived, Customs charged me another duty fee of $16.45. I had already paid this fee r the first one spin dryer that came. I contacted the Laundry Alternative to have them fill in some paperwork for me so that I could get customs to reimburse me the double charge, but rather than doing that, the Laundry Alternative reimbursed to me through PayPal the $16.45. In addition to all of this, they answered all my emails and I have to say that truthfully, the spin dryer is AMAZING! We are a three person family, 2 adults and one teenager and we spin all of our laundry in it and it works superbly. I could never do this by hand as when I did, my hands were red and raw after only one day of trying. We put many loads through our spin dryer and it never lets us down and if you were to buy one, you would not be disappointed with it! Now I'd like to see the Laundry Alternative make a washer that is the same as the one they sell now, but that is also electric. Thanks so much Laundry Alternative for all that you've done for us and for SUCH A WONDERFUL machine!!!! Sue in Toronto, Canada

Very glad to see your message, Sue as I am also from Toronto, Canada! I was also concerned about the duties and custom fees and you somehow answered my question. My family have been using the Personal mini-washer from Technosonic for 3 years now and amazingly it has more than paid for itself. But now since the screws are corroded w/ rust and the machine is leaking, we are ready to move on to another machine, which is why I came upon the wonder washer. Having seen the spin dryer, that is another bonus to boot since we are a family of four (2 adults, 2 toddlers). Having a portable washing machine have saved us tons of money since we are apartment dwellers at the moment. Though it would be great to have the spin dryer as my hands are suffering too from the constant wringing and you can never get enough clothes to hang in the bathroom for dripping and then onto clothes drying rack. From the experience of others as well as yours, perhaps the company could improve their packaging to insure protection of the products that they ship out. But again, thanks for the info!

Very glad to see your message, Sue as I am also from Toronto, Canada! I was also concerned about the duties and custom fees and you somehow answered my question. My family have been using the Personal mini-washer from Technosonic for 3 years now and amazingly it has more than paid for itself. But now since the screws are corroded w/ rust and the machine is leaking, we are ready to move on to another machine, which is why I came upon the wonder washer. Having seen the spin dryer, that is another bonus to boot since we are a family of four (2 adults, 2 toddlers). Having a portable washing machine have saved us tons of money since we are apartment dwellers at the moment. Though it would be great to have the spin dryer as my hands are suffering too from the constant wringing and you can never get enough clothes to hang in the bathroom for dripping and then onto clothes drying rack. From the experience of others as well as yours, perhaps the company could improve their packaging to insure protection of the products that they ship out. But again, thanks for the info!

Could anyone tell me the amperage of the Spin Dryer? It should be in the specs that came with the manual. My apartment has old wiring that is prone to shorting out. Thanks in advance!

My name is Melinda. I live in Toronto, Ontario. I ordered the Spin Dryer on May 12, 2007 and the money came off of my Credit Card on May 15. 2007. Today is June 11, 2007 and I still do not have the Spin Dryer. The website states that it takes 4 to 10 days to receive, but tomorrow will be one month that I have placed my order. When I place the order, it stated that the item was in stock. I had also read that I needed to place a comment on my order form stating that I understood this product was not a tumble dryer and that I know the difference between a spin dryer and a tumble dryer. I was told it will speed up shipping. I did this and am still waiting. I have tried more than a dozen times to contact the company by telephone via their 1-888 number, regardless of day or night, their voice mail is always full. Today I wrote them an email asking why the delay and when can I expect to receive my Spin Dryer. I am awaiting a reply. I will follow-up as things progress.

We are out of stock as of today, and won't be getting any more units until sometime this summer. An out of stock notice will be going up on the website shortly. Melinda above is getting a refund today, not because she posted but because we just needed a little time to get to it. We held off on shipping her order, as we discovered a product defect first.

We would suggest that if people really care about the green movement they will stop the negative comments- we are not perfect but not dishonest. We spent a great deal of time and money developing products, we don't just buy and resell. Product development is hard, it involves a lot of risk and financial investment on our part. Things don't always work out the first time. The negative comments really take away from our love for creating energy-saving green products and providing them at an extremely affordable price (where they can make a difference, as opposed to most of the overpriced products out there).

For Laundry Alternative: I guess if you improve your service, be more accessible and updated with the information in your website, you wouldn't be getting all these negative comments.

I have a similar complaint as that of Melinda, or so I thought. I'm also from Toronto, Canada. After some research and some deliberation, I finally gave in and put in my order of the 12.2 capacity spin dryer on May 15. Then I immediately received the Notice Of Purchase Confirmation # 1179263533GM email message. So I waited and waited for the order until today, 4 weeks later and realized that on the payment selected, I entered my own name in the name of card entry instead of my husband's, who is the visa cardholder. So I checked our visa statements and verified that the payment amount listed in the notice of purchase was not credited. Noting Melinda's message there, my husband says I was saved a headache by my mistake.But my question is, how come I was not informed of this. Do you not check the orders that come in? You seem to have good producst there as I'm happy with the wonderwasher that we ordered and now use. But your customer service really sucks and like Melinda, I ordered the spin dryer in good faith as it says right in your website that its in stock. If you experienced delays or was having a problem keeping it in stock, wouldn't you at least have been considerate enough to inform her or another other customer what was going on? At least advise her? And here we are, we have to go here to tree hugger just to get some answers. That says a lot about your company!

First of all this spindryer and the spin-x version are made by a German company named Robert Stahischmidt gmbh. As you can tell they manufacture motors and decided to make spinners in order to sell motors. As you all know the Euro is 1.36 to the falling dollar, so this may explain lack of supply. I imagine they have to buy in large bulk to get a discount. The german company makes like 4 different extractors this one looks like the plastic one. If the load is not centered and hits the plastic say bye bye. I had the spin-x and they give a lousy 1 yr warranty-the motor died. Guess what a new one cost $200 not including shipping back and forth. And no Warranty. Over time the door lock will fail on both should a piece of clothing escape. So the stainless steel one maybe a better deal. Still I do not understand the price gap since both machines are pretty much the same. Also it is important not to use the machine right away after spinning a load- you should wait like 15 to 30 minutes. That is what the guy selling the spin-x said, since it will increase the longevity of the motor. But I always waited at least 15 minutes between loads-what a pain. Do not get me wrong but I love these things. also they make this IMPOSSIBLE to fix as the motor is welded and it is nearly impossible to remove unless you have special tools. I bought the spin-x for like $325 used it for a year and now I have to pay like $275! I guess there are no free rides. I would like to hear from buyers who have this machine for 2 yrs!

A bit of clarification- the company above supplies the motor to the company called robert thomas in neunkrichen Germany. It seems like the motor co. is related to the thomas co. Any way if you type into Google www.robert-thomas.de/neukrichen you will get the company. Click in the british flag on your left and hit laundry then spin dryers. You will get a bunch, it is my belief that the one Laundry Alernative is selling is the one on the left and the one spin-x is selling is on the right. This explains the price difference to a certain level. Also these spin dryers do not comply with American standards of saftey since after the measly door lock becomes non functional the machine still turns!
So a child can leave the lid open and push the lever and say bye to his hand or shoulder! And last of all if you cannot fix this motor or exchange it and put it in yourself how eco friendly is it? Okay and your cloths do come out with wrinkles forcing you to use a dryer!

Melinda here with my follow-up. My email to this company stated that I bought the Spin Dryer and have not received it. I did get an email back stating that they DID NOT BILL ME for this product and that it is out of stock until the Summer, this email was NOT signed (this is always a red flag). I was stunned by their response because they DID indeed bill me and even removed the funds from my Credit Card two days after I bought it off of their website, yet their email says I was not billed. Also I was puzzled by this email as the Spin Dryer was in deed listed as being in stock at the time I purchased it. At NO TIME did I ever receive a email, telephone call, or letter telling me this product was NO LONGER IN STOCK. Why did they remove money from my Credit Card if they indeed DID NOT have this item in stock? Doesn't a company only bill you when they can deliver the goods? Had I not written an email to this company I would still be waiting for a product that they don't seem to carry, yet they have no problems taking your money. In response to their email, I wrote back and informed them they did in fact bill me and when can I expect a refund. I recevied an email in response, again NOT SIGNED, stating and I quote "Thank you for smearing our reputation on the Internet." I was stunned. At no point did I get an appology of any kind. I made no comment in my email about this website, yet they stated I smeared their reputation. As far as I am concerned they smeared their own reputation with their HORRIBLE Customer Service. This email went on to say that they would issue me a refund and it will take 3 days. I replied to this very unprofessional email and asked why they never sign their name. The reply I received shocked me, I quote again "If we give you a name you'll just use it the next you go online and badmouth us." I have yet to receive my refund and will be issuing a charge back with my Credit Card.

I'm interested in buying a spin dryer, but would like another source as Laundry Alternative seems to have customer service issues.

Does anyone know of somewhere to buy one in Canada or another souce that ships to Canada?

To Laundry Alternative: you mentioned that you will update your website and inform the public that your spin dryer is temporarily out of stock. Went there just now...still in stock now! What's the deal?
I figured I might get more answers here than in your actual website.

From anecdotal information on other websites it appears that the reason Laundry Alternative were out of stock on the large spinner for a while last year is that they went back to make design improvements to make the machine more robust.

Smaller businesses often have customer service difficulties due to lack of staff or part-timers or whatever. Bear with them and be glad you're not dealing with WalMart.

Here's another option in spinners: Danby DTT-420 Twin Tub washer. Wash tub on the left for wash & rinse, spin tub on the right, 1600 rpm. I've had one for two years, works great, no trouble, and uses very little electricity (0.05 KWH for a 4 lb. load and 0.07 KWH for a 6 lb. load). Not automatic: you have to move the load back & forth manually, control the water supply manually, and so on, but the benefit is an utterly simple machine that should last forever if you take care of it. You can also re-use the rinse water from the last load as wash water for the next load, cutting water consumpton in half. Price is about $300 from various online sources.

I'm probably going to buy a WonderWash and the smalll spinner from Laundry Alternative for dealing with small loads in between regular loads in the Danby (e.g. "gotta have this shirt clean for work tomorrow, may as well wash a pair of jeans at the same time"). I'm patient about waiting for stuff to arrive, but may call them to check stock first and check order status later.

Re. power consumption of the Laundry Alternative large spinner: if it's anything like the spinner on the Danby twin-tub, it will start up at about 250 watts when you first turn it on, and quickly come down to about 130 watts when it's up to full running speed. Total power consumption probably 0.01 KWH per load, or about the same as leaving a 60 watt bulb on for ten minutes.

With any spinner, you have to get the load balanced properly or it'll be noisy and vibrate. For jeans, grab 'em by the cuffs, lower 'em in waistline first, and then scrunch the legs in evenly. For everything else, coil it arond the inside of the tub and leave a "donut hole" in the middle. Experiment to see what works best. In the end it's worth it; using a spinner is the best thing you can do for home energy conservation aside from replacing your fridge with a best-practices model. (Assuming you're already exercising good judgement about home heating & cooling.)

Re. child safety: Your kid can get hurt playing with your electric eggbeater too. Keep kids away from appliances, and keep appliances unplugged when not in use, and keep an eye on your kids so they don't get into stuff that can hurt them.

Nothing in life is completely safe, especially compared to global warming, and don't forget that "child safety" was the excuse Detroit used to sell SUVs too. Sustainable lifestyle is a whole-systems change that includes being more aware of a lot of things that one normally takes for granted.

Melinda again. After reading Gil's comments on this website my eyes were opened. What is the point of getting this Spin Dryer if those flaws are taken into consideration. Also what if you want to go camping or lets say the power goes out, you can't use the thing and when it breaks you are completely out the money. I found the best solution for me. I found a brand new hand wringer, you just take the clothes out of the wash and place them through the wringer and they come out so much better than a spin dryer. Best part, it will last forever and you can even run it when the power goes out because you do not need electricity to run it. The one I bought is called the Dyna Jet Hand Wringer. I phoned the company and on the second ring it was answered by a real person who was professional and helpful and told me they will ship it to me on Tuesday, June 19 and that I can expect my shipment to arrive 1 week later (from USA to Canada). The website is http://www.wisementrading.com/washing/wringer.htm You can also find hand wringers on eBay if you are looking for something a little less expensive, but personally, I just like new things. This hand wringer costs much less than the Spin Dryer and will not break down like the Spin Dryer will. The money you shell out is one time and the investment is for life. You run your clothes through it and then just hang them up to dry, or if you are in a hurry, you can place them in the dryer after wringing them to cut down on your drying time. For $98.95 you have an alternative to the Laundry Alternative, and Customer Service that it just that "Customer Service" You get real people that answer the phone and they treat you with respect and even tell you when they will ship it, so there is no waiting time or guessing time, you know when it leaves them. Just thought I would share my 2 cents, I will post again when I have had a chance to use it and let you know my final conclusion.

Melinda...at least you are luckier that you received a response to your email. I didn't. I would really be very interested to hear how the wringer works. I live in an apartment here in Toronto, that is why I am shopping for a portable dryer. Since I am already wary of the customer service issues of Laundry Alternative, I would be happy to hear if there are any other options out there. Spin X is too expensive for our budget. I've seen some other brands in UK...Credo but worried about shipping costs. If all else fails, I might as well give the wringer a try.

Also, I'm very disappointed that as of this date, Laundry Alternative didn't update their website and the spin dryer is still in stock.

I would readily disagree with g510 there about small companies and customer service issues as I have dealt with so many smaller companies before and so far so good, they know how treat customers even with basic courtesy, not with arrogance.

To all who have read my contributions on this website- IT TURNS OUT THAT I AM WRONG REGARDING THIS SPINNER. IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE SPIN-X!

After my unfortuate experience with the Laundry Alternative, I looked else where for something to replace the Spin Dryer. I came up with a hand wringer, which I bought brand new for $98.00 US. When it arrived, I had to assemble the two wringer rollers (they look like rolling pins only not as wide). Once assembled, I knew I would have to find something to clamp it on to. The one I bought does not stand up on it's own. No problem I have a washtub so I clamped it on to that, but I will most likely buy the stand that goes with it, since it would be so much easier to use, and it folds away with the wringer attached to it. You could just place it in the bathtub and wring the clothes that way, not worring about where all the extra water goes to.

I really adore the wringer, it is amazing...just watch those fingers...lol. I couldn't wait to wash some clothes to test it out. I washed one pair of pants, a t-shirt, a bra, underwear and 2 pair of socks. I ran them through the wringer and it was so much fun to use. I felt like a little kid. It's so great watching the wet clothes go into one side and have them come out on the other side...spin dried and ready to hang up. Once you run your clothes through this device, it is impossible to squeeze any water out of it with your own hands. It does an amazing job. I then hang up my clothes and they don't even drip. It is much gentler on your clothes, and you can even plop them in the dryer if you are in a hurry and your clothes will be dry in no time at all. I highly recommend this, but you need something that is at least 16 inches long, such as a washbin or a bucket to clamp it on to, otherwise, I don't see how you can use it.

Another great thought, if you know any one in the Restaurant industry, you could perhaps get a discount on a 5 Gallon Lettuce Spiner. I would think that would work just as well as the Spin Dryer, except you would have to manually spin it yourself. The 5 Gallon Industrial size is very expensive so a discount or a sale item would be the best bet.

after reading through the comments here and on other sites (including BBB), it's obvious that the laundry alternative is at fault and does not appear to be willing to accept responsibility for their errors. i appreciate all who have contributed their experiences to these threads & will most likely not being doing business with the laundry alternative company (however, i haven't completely ruled out a wonder wash... most of the problems appear to be with orders on the spin dryer)

also... i am appalled that the founder of the Laundry Alternative (Corey) would suggest in this thread "not to believe a word" that a paying customer has posted here. As well as, implying that anyone who posted a negative comment here does not care about the green movement. This is crap.

If you absolutely need to have a Wonder Wash, get it from Lehman's their Customer Service is INCREDIBLE. I have bought from them and they are amazing. The website for the Wonder Wash is http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1600&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=pressure+washer

Thanks for your input, Melinda. I was actually waiting to hear how you are doing with your hand wringer. It sounds really like something I desperately need. So I guees if I ordered onet, I should start start looking around for a wasbasin where I could securely clamp it. Their stand is nice but kinda pricey for me. I've thought about the salad spinner too as it is the same principle as a spin dryer. LOL it can only fit a pair of socks or an underwear. But that's a good idea. There is actually a nice store in Spadina in downtown Toronto that sells industrialized restaurant supplies and they might have a big lettuce spinner.

Like I said before Laundry Alternative carries nice and innovative products but failed to deliver on their customer service as it is in their lowest priority. And instead of improving and making amends, its disappointing to see its CEO pointing fingers and acting too defensive. A company who thrives on that will find it hard to succeed. Just my 2 cents.

1) PROBLEMS WITH SPINERS IN GENERAL

I have a spin-x made in Germany paid $425 and it worked for two years. Now it is broken! The motor alone costs $200.

2) I used a washer in my basement and then broght the cloths up to spin and went down to the basement to dry. Yes it cost me half in drying time,but if you remove the cloths after spinning it causes the cloths to crease-really bad. I'm not a favor of ironing!

3) So how long will the bearings or motor of a spinner last when you place very heavy wet cloths in it? I used a washer/dryer & then spun it out. Will the motor and bearings survive the one year waranty. Try to pay extra for a 2 yr and they will refuse.

4) So say my spin-x lasted 3 yrs and I saved $1.50 on the dyer each week it would not pay.

5) The same thing with the spin dryer- with shipping it is some thing like $160. If it lasts a year and a half it is the same story. It is made probably in south America or Asia. Got to send it back and forth another $60 not including plastic wrapping costs and box!

A common mistake when dealing with companies is assuming they don't care. It may sound easy to run a business from afar, but it often is not. Right now our main issue is ensuring quality control and reliable supply. We are spending a great deal of time and money on quality control issues, and until everything is cleared up in this area we simply do not have the budget to hire a fulltime customer support staff. Spin dryers are not easy to make, and also protect during shipping, they are pretty fragile. As you can see by the comments, even the expensive European models can break. We lost a lot of money on a bad shipment and are just getting back on our feet financially. We will be upgrading our customer service and also coming out with a number of new, eco-friendly laundry inventions in the near future as well. We recommend that customers try to contact us via email rather than phone if at all possible, as we can respond to emails much more quickly.

Regarding refunds: if any customer says he or she has not received one, please contact us immediately. We are not aware of any outstanding ones due. As a company it is our responsibility to take 100% of the risk, if a product fails we refund everything including shipping.

A good spin dryer (whether ours or one made by another company) will not commonly fail in only a couple of years. In lab testing ours last about 10,000 cycles, and we would imagine other well-made spin dryers last about the same time.

The laundry-alternative.com website hasn't been completely updated so one page states that the item is now in stock while another page states that the item will not be available until September -- so if you are interested in purchasing a spin dryer from Laundry Alternative and are looking to receive it as soon as possible, I recommend inquiring about the availability of the item via email (their voicemail is full) before placing an order.

Thanks to everyone for pointing out their difficulties with laundryalternatives.

I had already ordered from them but canceled my order after reading the comments here. I'm glad I did. I got an angry-sounding email reply back saying they hadn't charged me yet because both the washer and spin dryer were not in stock and wouldn't be available until sometime in September!. Yet when I placed my order, there was no mention of this delay. I might have been waiting weeks wondering where my order was.

I purchased the Wonderwash from Lehman's and the Dyna Jet hand wringer from wisemen trading. The wonderwash is a slightly different model than what is shown in the laundryalternatives site. Perhaps, if they could have them in stock, it would be better. The top doesn't securely close on mine: the screw seems to be popped out of the threads. I'm contacting Lehman's today to see how they respond to this defect and will update here on my experience with them. The good thing is that both companies shipped out my goods within a day of the order.

It seems one needs very very little soap in the wonderwash, or you will wind up with soapy clothes even after the rinse. As for the wringer, clothes definitely come out with much less water, but not to the point of being just damp, which I had hoped. I will try adjusting the screws to see if it makes them push out more water, though I'm afraid of breaking buttons if it's too tight! Going more slowly seems to help wring more water, too.

On my handwringer, I really tightend the knobs so much, that my clothes come out just barely damp. I wringe them slowly. That should help you. I also bought the stand because it is just so much easier to operate, but rather expensive. It is solid and heavy and does fold away with the ringer attached. My bathtub is very big, so I just set it up in there and wringe away. My clothes have never been so soft before and new clothes look new forever.

If you have a problem with Lehman's they will fix it immediately, they could have possibly had a faulty shipment which they were not aware of. They fix all problems and even ship you replacement parts free of charge. I have dealt with them many times and only once had a faulty item, I phoned them, was told they were so very sorry and that they would correct the flaw for me immediately. They sent me a brand new item and did not even want the old item back. They did not charge me any money for shipment and made me feel like I was their one and only Customer. Because of how great Lehman's treated me, I will contine to buy from them.

As for the Laundry Alternative. After they treated me so horribly, I will never buy anything from them again. They are the worst company I have ever dealt with. I would rather deal with Contractors in a Home Renovation project than with the Laundry Alternative.

Hi. I too have had horrible customer service from Laundry Alternative. I ordered a wonderwasher and it was not shipped for 3 weeks, although my credit card had been charged 3 days after I ordered. They stopped responding to my emails so I used a different email account and made general enquiries not using my name. They had not responded to 3 emails over the course of a week when they thought it was me but when they didn't know it was me they responded in 20 minutes or less to 3 successive emails. In those 3 email replies they assured me that it would only take about a week to ship to Canada where I live. After the third one I couldn't hold back and I let them know who I really was. It was really disgusting to see the change in tone and language as soon as they realized they were not talking to a possible new customer that they could also get money out of. It took almost 5 weeks before I receieved my wonder washer. It works okay, but everytime I look at it I am reminded of how stupid I was made to feel, and how to get them to answer my phone calls I also had to hide my phone number from their call display. (They wouldn't answer calls when I didn't hide my number, so 10 seconds later I called back again, this time hiding my number. They answered right away.) DO NOT ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY!! There are so many other alternatives out there. I am fortunate, my mother found an old washer/spinnner machine. It required a bit of cleaning but it works so great. It would be comparable to the new Danby twin tubs. It does all my laundry great. I've even washed smaller blankets and things in it. Sheets and pillowcases actually come out of the spin side with dry patches on them already. It only takes about 20 minutes of hanging sheets and some synthetic materials on the clothesline and they are completely dry. Other things take less than 15 minutes in the dryer and they are completely dry.
I will NEVER order from Laundry Alternative again. They have repeated complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau. If they were really concerned about going green and the environment they would make every effort possible to improve their customer service so that there would never be a negative message about them on this site ever again. But, sad to say, I don't beleive they want that to happen. Then the owner, Corey, wouldn't get to come on here and make big speaches and sound all important and like somehow HE'S the victim in all this. The real victims are the people who order in good faith, excited about the chance to use their new wonderwasher or spin dryer, and end up feeling so abused by the whole experience that they never try any other "green" product again.

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THE LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVE INC. This is the absolute worst company to purchase items online from. They have awful customer service representatives who are so rude and unhelpful. I simply emailed them to ask them how long my order would take to arrive, and I was called difficult and unfriendly. I’m not sure what I did wrong… it was just a question. The wonderwash doesn’t do much more than what you could do in a bucket or in the sink, and it is just as much work. The spin dryer really doesn’t cut down on drying time enough to spend $150 on it. Also, this company has no interest whatsoever in being environmentally friendly. They are simply trying to make money by overcharging for very simple items.

Hi. Been reading all the comments posted here abt Laundry Alternative and other alternatives. After finding out abt L.A.'s products, I was so willing to buy but just wanted to check on the reviews, only to get discouraged. Its really so frustrating to feel helpless, u can see the product, u feel its just the right thing u want and still not able to buy.

Talking abt other alternatives, has anyone tried the Haier 4.9 lb portable washer and/or Hamilton Beach quick dry station (found on walmart website).

Thanks and good luck to all of us looking for good affordable products.

The people at the Laundry Alternative have a way of making it seem like they are being rude to customers because customers are being rude to them. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I simply emailed them a question about my order and was called rude, mean-spirited, unfriendly, and a loser.... none of these words belong anywhere in customer service no matter what! I was also told that they were intentionally being rude just to avoid having customers like me. My whole problem was that I placed an order and was then told that it was out of stock and would be available in a week or so, so I asked if I could cancel my order since I did not know it was unavailable. The person who responded took this very personally. He/she also said that they have not had any other similar problems from other customers... SO NOT TRUE. I cannot believe just how out of line the person (who gave no name) was. I WOULD NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THE LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVE AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL WHO ARE CONSIDERING IT TO RESEARCH THEM FIRST. Customers should never be treated this way.

The Spin Dryers are officially back in stock again, as of October 5. We would suggest ordering quickly as the current batch/truckload is going to sell out soon. We are getting more later this year but there will be a delay in between.

As the owner is makes me ill to read some of the comments on this board. I have worked very hard for nearly 10 years in this business, only to have people try to smear my name and destroy my business. I have overreacted at times, but I love this business, it is about so much more than just money.

We are not perfect. However we offer excellent products for extremely low prices. The only other spin dryer available costs over $400! Actually a lot of people have told me I should raise the prices but I've tried to keep them low as many customers are on limited budgets. In terms of customer service we could do better, but in terms of product quality and price no other company even comes close.

There are plans in the works to improve the customer response time. I will be getting more help soon, the main problem is that I do too much myself and there are only so many hours in the day. We are growing rapidly now and finally have the budget to start spending more money for help.

One really important factor I'd LOVE to point out: it's my understanding that commerce on the internet is governed by the FCC, which prohibits false charges for goods promised yet failed to deliver.

This can be dangerous water for a merchant who violates such laws with customers informed of this fact: now YOU know.

Check the benefits of your credit card carrier, also. There may be built in guarantees which you can invoke in time of need.

Delaying a refund or delaying communication with a hostile excuse isn't against the law, however the results of such treatment in a public forum is what the L.A. owner suffers here!

I'd like to use a spin dryer (it should be called a water extractor) because air-drying clothes in my house typically takes 7 hours but using a spinner would probably cut that in half or better. Getting residue out of the clothes with the extraction of the water would be great, too.

I was all geared up to buy from L.A. until I read everything here. I'd be a bit skeptical of the bad reviews, except the presence of the owner's excuses compounds his problems of reputation.

As a former business owner, as an experienced retail clerk & current health industry technician, I'm aware that gentle, cordial responses from the service side of a business are more conducive to trust from the public/clientele, even when setting a record straight in one's own self defense. It takes monumental effort, but it's rewarding: less stress, really, in the end, than angry self-pity.

HEY Mr. L.A. : It isn't fair to take a bad day out on someone else, especially when one wants to receive money from the person poorly treated.

Mr. L.A. : You may have employees who rejoice in every failure your company experiences if you make their job miserable with your attitude. I know, because I've frequently had that experience on both sides: as an unhappy owner (yes I had guilty moments) & as a reluctant employee within 33 years of my professional life.

I learned from my lessons the hard way! I had a business partner who was also my verbally abusive husband. I eventually treated others the way he treated me to a certain careless degree - no excuse for that - an embarrassing memory & learning experience.

I now work for someone who really cares & communicates & proves she values reciprocation (I work in a clinic now.) We treasure our successes & work on improvement all the time as a team.

If you don't have a team, that's a hardship but it shouldn't be an excuse for harsh reactions. Your mistakes & slowness would be understood & forgiven, probably if you were gentle.

Mr. L.A., we hope you learn from your mistakes soon - because: can't you tell? We all want to give you another chance! We want to have a good business experiene with you!

So there is hope. You have to make it happen. We'd like to give you public kudos when they are due!

Best wishes to you, from all who want a greener world with a sweet smile.

Kate in Eugene, Oregon

please note that we are intresting in this porteble

spin dryer of $129.9

can we have some more information on size ond weigt

thank you

I will be hiring a full time office person next month which should speed up response times considerably. I am also automating some processes which currently take up a lot of time, such as credit card processing. I'm also hiring help overseas as I currently spend a great deal of time working on quality control issues. You should expect to see a major improvement in response times very soon.

Also my true love is inventing new green laundry gadgets. It is not about the money as some people claim. Almost all the profits will be reinvested in new, highly unique laundry inventions.

I do wish a few people would be a little more forgiving, running a business is not quite as easy as it seems and not every mistake is intentional. Also business is growing very rapidly, which is a good thing but has caused some growing pains.

I received my wonderwash a month or so ago shortly after ordering it to the laudry alternative. I love it. I ordered the mini spin dryer and I am the happiest ever with both products. I live in a small apartment and was tired of hauling my laundry to the laundromat, spending dollars everytime, and wasting at least a good two hours of my time away from home. The winters in South Dakota are very cold so this also spares me from going in and out of my cozy apartment when it is 30 degrees below outside. I have no complaints about the laundry alternative.

I have a Haier 4.9 lb portable washer and it is great. It is a pulsator, so the tub is not obstructed, and it makes the clothes clean.

For drying, we went to an Ikea outlet and bought a tall cabinet, fitted an exhaust into the top and put a fan and low heater on the bottom. The exhaust at top pulls the air up through the clothes which I can lay flat on screens or hang, the configuration can change to suit my needs. All together it cost us $79. to make and it works like no other dryer. I can use heat, or just the fan.

I found this post while searching for a more affordable alternative to Gaiam's Spin X dryer. I would have ordered from Laundry Alternative, but I value the advice of your experiences. I will get a hand wringer to compliment my system and wait for another web site to offer these spin dryers. Thank you sharing your ordeals.

I ordered from The Laundry Alternative after reviewing their website and doing some research on Spin Dryers. The portable washer looked like just the thing I needed for delicates like scarves with tassels which often get knotted and ripped apart even if you use the delicate cycle or hand-wash for that matter. I've ordered things from other companies, but I'd have to say my experience with shipping companies, Federal Express is the best company, while UPS is the one who often gives me aggravations. I emailed The Laundry Alternative and asked politely about the status of my shipment (email below). But knowing I wouldn't be at home, I called UPS, their delivery people hadn't delivered it to the shipping station. So I called UPS at 6:50am so I could have the delivery held at the shipping station. The UPS lady refused to put in the hold request, but noted my complaint. Then after work at 6:50pm, I got home, NO INFO NOTICE FROM UPS. So I got online and checked. Sure enough, the UPS tracking system said they made an attempt at 1:55pm and that a second attempt would be tried. So I called to have my stuff held at the UPS Shipping Station and told the customer service representative I looked in the pool and around my door and on the floor on the first floor (I live upstairs) and there was NO notice left for me AGAIN by UPS. This part has everything to do with UPS and nothing to do with The Laundry Alternative. So once I go pick up my items, I'm going to be curious and excited to try them out.

If people did their research, they'd also find out that there are many locations where spin dryers are manufactured which include countries like Pakistan, China and elsewhere. This is normal for the USA as we're an import-export country. Just look at clothing tags when you go buy suits, t-shirts, etc. Made in China for shoes, Made in Korea if they are Sneakers. Some things are U.S. made, but often parts are manufactured elsewhere and sent in for assembly. Mr. Corey has a small company and unlike big companies, there might be some training on customer service skills, but this also costs money which can add to overhead costs (NO PEOPLE ARE NOT BORN WITH THESE SKILLS - THEY MUST BE TAUGHT/LEARNED). Just look up Net Etiquette on email. Also a book called PEOPLE SKILLS by Robert Bolton. There is much that people have to learn in the way of communication both in business and at home. The worst thing people do not know how to do is listen. Talking is first and foremost always trying to make their point known. But never taking the time to shut up and really listen. Too busy thinking of a response.

Here's the status email I wrote and the response I received.

to service
Oct 29 (2 days ago)
Dear Sir or Ma'am,
I'm curious to find out whether my items have been shipped and to find out if it was via U.S. Postal Service or UPS. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to hearing from you.
~AMG

Laundry Alternative
Oct 30 (1 day ago)
Dear AMG,
Thank you for your email. They were shipped via UPS, the tracking numbers are:
1Z77T61T0362840163
1Z77T61T0360104159
Customer Service
The Laundry Alternative, Inc.
http://www.laundry-alternative.com
Tel. 888.813.9559

I recently ordered a spin dryer from Laundry Alternative. I was a little wary after reading some reviews, but a really wanted the dryer. Anyhow it arrived 5 days after ordering it. The only problem I had was that I got the tracking number after it got here, but that really isn't much of a problem. I have a old washer and it took 2 liters of water out of a load of clothes. This cut dry time from 1.5 hrs to about .5 hr. No complaints so far.

I found another place to purchase a spin dryer in the US and for much less than the company that wants $500 for one. I posted the address and phone number on a blog and will be share my experiences as I go.

http://charmingspindryer.blogspot.com/

Considering all the shipment problems others have had, I thought I would mention that things went reasonably smoothly for me. So it's not all bad news! I am now a proud owner of the bigger Laundry Alternative SPIN drier, and my wife and I are considering possibly getting a 2nd unit for the kid's Laundry room (assuming this 1st unit works out for us as expected).

In our case, the only (very minor) issue we had, was that we went a week (after ordering) without getting any indication of shipment status (it would have been helpful to automatically get an email with the tracking number, as soon as the order was shipped). However, when I emailed them asking for the status, they promptly sent me an email reply telling me that the drier had been shipped, and what the UPS tracking number was (so I could watch the status of the shipment from there on). And about 2 1/2 weeks after the initial order, the package arrived at my house without incident.

And FWIW I'm really glad I got it (even if it does seem like a strange device to other family members). I remember SPIN driers from my childhood days, but they are really hard to find these days (much less at a reasonable price). And while I remembered that they were effective at drying out cloths using little energy (before finishing up in a regular drier), I had forgotten just how effective a SPIN drier is at drying out cloths (so the cloths came out even drier than I was expecting)!

Of course, even the bigger SPIN drier (the one I got) is only big enough for about 1/2 of a wash load, so I have to divide the cloths up when taking them out of the washer (and putting them in the SPIN drier). But that's a small price to pay for cloths that get that dry, that quickly, for a trivial amount of electricity (before you finish them up in the regular drier, using a fraction of the drying time, and a fraction of the energy, that the regular drier would otherwise use).

BTW: I think some people were mentioning that the outside of the SPIN drier unit was plastic. Perhaps they have changed the design some, but the outside of my SPIN drier appears to be white painted sheet metal (except for the lid, which does appear to be sturdy plastic). And (as expected) the SPIN drum itself does appear to be stainless steel.

Hi!
I've read all of the comments on here, and I am going to order the spin dryer from Laundry Alternative anyway. I think they're trying to do a really good thing with this green stuff. Also, considering how many orders they've probably shipped, the number of "problems" is kinda small... Also, everyone is really quick to post negative comments, but very few people ever post about a positive experience. Human nature I guess. I do think that customer service is VERY important, if I'm going to pay for something, I'd like it to be delivered appropriately and to the description... However, I'd rather have crummy service and a low price and GREAT quality than great service for an overpriced piece of junk. :-) Just my two cents, I'll post on here when I receive my spin dryer! :)

I just hired a fulltime, highly qualified customer service representative. This should significantly improve the service level. A new, more efficient shopping cart has been added as well.

I also appreciate the comments from Anna & Robert. The vast majority of orders have been going through fine, sometimes a few days slow but with no major problems. I am not saying the service has been perfect- it has not- but the order fulfillment ratio has been in the high 90's.

Personally when I buy a durable product that I expect to last for many years, I don't care if it takes a few days or even a couple of weeks or so for delivery. My main concern is the product quality, not the service. However I have learned that not everyone else feels this way and am taking concrete action to significantly improve both delivery and response times.

I really hope this company has shaped up because there don't seem to be tons of alternatives to buying from LA. I've been Google like mad and I could only find one other product which was more money and didn't seem quite as effective. Sigh.

I recently purchased the spin dryer and wonder washer. Delivery was fast and products are fine. My wonder washer was missing the cotter pin that secures the handle, but my son was able to secure the handle for me with a paper clip. I am very happy with my purchase. The spin dryer is amazing. Sometimes I hang to dry and sometimes I use the conventional dryer, either way, my clothes are dry in record time because of the spin dryer.

We hired a fulltime customer service person in the beginning of January. There has not been a single problem since then. In fact our customer service and delivery have gone from sub-par to much better than average, so potential customers have nothing to worry about. We have some really good products in the pipeline too, the money you spend on our products will be re-invested in new green laundry products.

We hired a fulltime customer service person in the beginning of January. There has not been a single problem since then. In fact our customer service and delivery have gone from sub-par to much better than average, so potential customers have nothing to worry about. We have some really good products in the pipeline too, the money you spend on our products will be re-invested in new green laundry products.

I just received my wonder wash and spin dryer (the small one ).from Laundry Alternative.
It was recieved within a decent time frame so I cant really complain about that. Total paid =less than $100
It was easy to assemble.

The Wonder Wash: works to clean clothes, with little soap and water. Decent capacity (an entire outfit of my kids + two of my shirts)
but it is a BIT of a pain in the ass...(you have to do your own rinse cycle, use a quart measuring container to add the water by hand, crank it by hand)
The Spinner: spins all of the water out of the clothes, but has very small capacity. i could only do one pair of my daughters jeans. ....nonetheless, it was fast, and is better than drip dry, for sure.

However, here is why I am happy with this, and you would be too, if you were in my position:

i live in a small apt., with no possibility of laundry hookups, or large appliances ANYWHERE in the apt.. I can literally set these up in my bathtub (for draining purposes) ...so, this provides me with a cheap, and easy way to wash a few items of clothing when necesary..and it does work for those purposes....

So, in summary, nothing is ever perfect, but having the ability to wash clothes in my own apt. is going to revolutionize my life, i just know it.

I live in a small apartment in California, and can't really afford the laundromat. So the Wonder Wash seemed like a good idea. Received my Wonder Wash yesterday from Laundry Alternative, with no hassle or delays in shipping. Used it today. Love it. I will be ordering a spin dryer with my next paycheck.

If there were any problems with Laundry Alternative's customer service, they seem to have fixed the issues.

I ordered the Wonder Washer on a weekend and it arrived within ten days. I actually sent a follow up e-mail to them because my credit card had not been charged and I was worried about a delay to the order and I was responded to promptly and told that the item had shipped and I had been charged (the card company delayed posting the charge). The product was exactly as described and I'm very happy with it. Now I plan to order the spin dryer.

I went ahead and ordered the spin dryer. It arrived very quickly and works wonders!

I'm thinking about purchasing this dryer. I'm not too concerned about ship time. I was wondering, though, how this product does with lint removal? I have a regular sized washing machine, but we had to take the dryer out due to needing to change some things around. The washer is leaving a lot of lint on some loads of laundry, which just sticks on there after hanging to dry- Will this dryer help with lint as well?

I have the wonder wash and am now trying to choose between the mini and the less-mini SPIN DRYERS available at Laundry Alternative, so that I can consider washing stuff larger than socks and undies in my apt.

I understand the capacity and RPM differences between the two spin dryers.

But does anyone know which one works plain old BETTER? Also, what about NOISE? Which one operates more quietly (less noisily)?

Thanks in advance for any and all info and advice.

Hi, My name is Diane and I wanted to post this comment. I found your website while doing research about laundry alternative. I just wanted to let you know my experience with them. I ordered the washer and mini spin dryer last week, actually on May 23, 2008. Today is May 29, 2008. When I arrived home this evening, there sat 2 boxes waiting for me!! It was my washer and dryer. Yes, from start to finish 7 days!!!! Its too late to try it tonight, but, I wanted to let you know, I'm so impressed and so happy. I put my faith in a good company and they delivered. After I read so many bad things, I decided to take a step of faith and believe in them and I was right. Thank you laundry alternative.. Your Greatttttt!!! Best of luck to you. Diane

We have had nothing but problems with our Spinner and specifically The Laundry Alternative Inc and their customer service or lack thereof.

They don't return phone calls or emails if the product they sell you ceases to function. They don't respond to inquiries from The Better Business Bureau or the State Attorney General following up on complaints.

I was shocked to see that they posted to this site believing them to be incapapble of typing based on their ignorance of email complaints.

If anyone wants to by a non-working spinner, instead of buying one that doesn't work from The Laundry Alternative Inc, send your money to a charity and I will be happy to send you mine.

Rick Rose
Phoenix, AZ
rick@azcpa.com

I hesitated for a while after reading some of the past comments, but I ended up ordering the larger spin dryer.

It shipped quickly and arrived in good shape. The only issue I had was that I never received an email for a tracking number. I called and they were happy to provide it for me, and were pleasant and helpful.

The spin dryer works very well. I have largely eliminated using the dryer for clothes, since they easily dry overnight on a rack or hanger. I'm very pleased.

Thank you,
Mike

Since I posted my harsh comment above someone from The Laundry Alternative has contacted me and we are working toward a solution to the situation. Please don't base your choice to buy or not buy from them based on my experience prior to them adding someone to respond to issues. It looks like they have turned custome service around.

I had a horrible experience with Laundry Alternatives, specifically Corey Tournet. I specifically inquired, because of chemical sensitivities, whether their items had a plastic smell. Their customer service person Jessica reasured me they did not and that customers loved the product. So I bought the washer and spin dryer, but as soon as I received them and opened them I was assailed with a noxious horrible smell of very cheap plastic. The item says "Made in China". I asked to return them and be reimbursed for shipping, and though Jessica said Corey would call me, he did not. I paid $20 for items to be shipped to me and over $40 to ship back (I'm sure they get bulk discount but I didn't) thus was out $60 for products I couldn't use. When I emailed Corey he began to attack me personally just as others here have experienced. He said I was a difficult customer, that he was offended by my request, that he purposely ignored my request because he didn't want to have to deal with difficult customers like me, that I was trying to blackmail him (in 3 separate emails he accused me of blackmailing him--simply because i told him I would report this to the Better Business Bureau), and that nobody else had ever had a problem with his products.

I was appalled and disgusted that any business owner, especially one who promises on his website true customer service, saying that he spends extra time on the phone speaking with his customers to really learn their needs, could even stay in business with such rude, incomprehensible tactics.

Our service is actually very good now, we take it very seriously. The Jill Neimark comment is very unfair. The facts of the case: She complained that not one but both products had a bad smell. Nobody else is complaining about this, but we issued a refund anyway. She also demanded free shipping, but we do not offer free shipping on returns unless we are at fault in some way. We do not ever promise free shipping, it's clearly listed in our policy. We were not rude to her, she is just upset because we would not offer free shipping on the returns. She also threatened to post about us if we didn't give in and issue free shipping, which is basically blackmail. We'd prefer not to deal with negativity like this, but can't let these unfair charges go unanswered.

You have to wonder, on a site as wonderful as Treehugger, where very environmentally concerned people browse and post, that there are so many complaints of a similar ilk over a 2 year period about a small company, and that the owner continually comes on to insist he is blameless. I have never in my entire life dealt with an owner this rude, who would personally attack me, call my behavior offensive, and suggest I am blackmailing him three separate times. It seems he can't change his modus operandi and I guess he just doesn't want to do the math, to understand how much business he must have lost with the approach he continues to endorse. Browse the web and you'll find others complaining about him on other sites and one person wanting a class action lawsuit; in addition, his record with the BBB is abysmal. I'm sorry I didn't read Treehugger first, but am very glad to see the other comments here.

I bought the smaller version of this spin dryer from the Laundry Alternative. It worked great...until the motor stopped running. When I called to return it, customer service said, "that happens sometimes." I'm not sure if they're actively trying to improve the model. I'm very annoyed...as I have a bunch of wet clothes that I'll have to wring out by hand.

I've seen a lot of bad posts about the customer service and reliability or lack of delivery. I emailed the company on Monday asking if the spin-dryer was in stock and what was the fastest way to get delivery. I received an email very early Tuesday morning saying it was in stock and to order it online. I did and received the spin-dryer on Thursday. The dryer is amazing. It holds about half a full washer load of clothes and I get over a cup of water out of each half load.

I bought this spin-dryer because we have 2 beach houses that we rent out by the week for the summer. Each house sleeps 13 people and we supply towels, linens, and beach towels. There is usually 4-6 loads of laundry in each house that needs to get done in 5 hours. The towels take forever and many weeks I'm still trying to dry the laundry when the next guests arrive. I'm hoping this is the answer. I've tried it at home already and it definitly saved at least 20 minutes of drying on a load of towels.

It's not as loud as some posts made it sound, and loading it is not difficult at all.

I recommend this product and this company based on my experience.

If a motor stops running, the customer is most certainly entitled to a refund or replacement unit, there is no ambiguity in this policy. They all carry a one year warranty. We care a great deal about product quality and spend a great deal of time behind the scenes on it.

We do not reimburse for shipping on returns, that is a standard policy. Some of our products contain plastic (normal plastic, it is not "noxious" or " horrible" note that nobody else is complaining about this). People that are extremely sensitive to plastics should probably not buy plastic products, that seems like the most logical course of action.

We appreciate feedback, including negative, it can be very helpful. The number of complaints has dropped dramatically and we've also taken many steps to improve both the product quality and packaging.

Considering buying a spin dryer. Checking at Laundry alternative, didn't find where these are manufactured. My guess: China. Why isn't this mentioned? -Or did I just miss it?

The spin dryer is made in China.....I have had one with no issues now since the summer. It's very well made. :)

Oh....and regarding the plastic smell. It didn't have any more or any less of a plastic smell than anything else new I've bought recently.

I'm very happy. We have all but eliminated the use of our dryer, reserving it only for large bedding on rainy days. It was a good investment.

A few years back I purchased the both the Wonderwash and the smaller spin dryer from the laundry alternative. While the Wonderwash was great for the first few years until the inner seal on the lid cracked (making it useless) I cannot say the same for the spin dryer. The first spin dryer i received did not work at all. It also appeared to have been shipped with white paint spilled on the feet (not sure where that came from as there was no white paint on the product - the small spin dryer was blue). After receiving 0 response to my emails I called them and was given a short response from a woman who seemed rather disinterested in resolving my issue. Approximately one week later after another series of emails from me including my request to send the broken product back to the Laundry Alternative I received a response that they would ship another dryer at a cost to themselves and that I should be grateful as they are not compensated my the Chinese manufacturer of the product. The second dryer worked and was a great tool, however after my experience with this company and the multiple months it took to receive the working products I will not purchase anything from this company again.

I've owned one of these for over 2 years now. Extremely portable and easy to use. And the results are AMAZING! I live in a cool and windy part of San Francisco, and I hang my clothes on racks to finish drying. Even when I have to hang the clothes inside, virtually everything dries overnight because the spin dryer removes so much water. Regarding children ripping their hands off, they'd have to be a combination of geniuses/morons to manage it. The unit has a latch closure. Once that latch is opened, a clutch brake engages which stops the spinning immediately. This thing paid for itself in a couple of months.

Okay, folks. Here's the deal with Laundry-Alternative:

I emailed prior to ordering and inquired whether the spin-dryer was in stock. The website indicated it was, but I wanted confirmation. Rec'd response within 24 hrs: "Yes, we have 70 units, but they will likely go quickly." Corey advised me to put in the order right away. We received our spin dryer within a week. It's astonishingly powerful, safe, and convenient.

I went to the website to post a review and they have already sold out of those 70 units. This means they sold through in about two weeks. So they do go fast.

Here's the deal with the spin dryer:

I got this to help with our cloth diaper laundering. We do not have washer/dryer hookup. I use a small counter top Avanti eco-egg mini washer. Then I was blotting the clean items dry and hanging them. While searching online for a bigger drying rack, I came upon this spin dryer and opted to take my chances with the customer service and order it. My life is now so much easier because the spin dryer spins out about three gallons of water and leaves the diapers, baby clothes, blankets, etc. almost dry. I hang them for a short time and they are good to go. Voila! I've saved laundry money and I don't have wet towels galore from blotting my wet laundry. Life is good. Plus, this dryer is really fun and cool to watch.

Load the dryer carefully and evenly. This takes a bit of extra time. The centrifugal force is powerful and will throw off the balance if there are gaps or bunched-up items. You can tell how well you loaded it right away from the way it starts up--any shuddering or stop/start and you can just take hold of the sides and stabilize it for a moment. This seems to solve the problem and it whirs along nicely without sounding like an airplane taking off.

The instructions show a small cup placed at the water outlet spout. This spin dryer works so effectively that I recommend a small basin to catch the water spin off.

Five stars I say.

Just to clarify, these units are not currently made in China.

The box has just arrived, and it says on it "washer made in China"?

The spin dryers are not made in China. The washing machines have been recently, but we have now started making them in South Africa instead. The manufacturing cost is quite a bit higher but the quality is better. We will also be adding some high-tech features such as ozone as optional features.

Well, I'm convinced. I was just about to buy one of these dryers from Laundry Alternatives. Comment boards can be awful to read, but I'm thankful to everyone for cluing me in. I don't buy the "customer is always right" stuff, but it's not unfair to expect certain standards. Laundry Alternatives, I hope things get better for you, but I have a feeling a certain owner is just too arrogant.

When I lived in Germany, my host-mother used one of these in addition to the standard washer and dryer that was used for cleaning the family clothing. I remember her showing me how to use the dryer. She used this for her black clothes and delicates blouses, pants, and jeans that she did not want to shrink or become worn out and old looking. I was amazed by how it worked because I had never seen one in the U.S. before.I began to use it for my delicates and clothing that needed delicate care as well. It extracted water quickly and I didin't have to worry about shrinkage or color loss like I would with a regular dryer. I am glad to see I can order this now.

We just bought the Wonder Wash and larger spin dryer even with all the negative comments about them. A lot of times those negative comments are made by competitors to keep a business from doing well. We know that and that is why we ordered the appliances.

Our order was sent out the following day the order was received and they arrived yesterday in good order (no damage).

We tried both the appliances out last night to make sure they work and they work great. It will be a lot nicer using the washer and spinner then doing everything by hand or spending way too much to go to a laundry mat.

The service from Corey and his staff has been great. Fast, courteous and friendly. Every question I emailed them about was promptly answered within minutes. Every request I had was filled.

I would recommend this company to anyone. As a matter of fact, I have already mentioned The Laundry Alternative site to others and will keep doing so.

I did quite a bit of Internets searching for a spin dryer and decided against the Laundry Alternative models, based on all the negative comments I have read on multiple sites. I ordered from Amazing Motors LLC. A bit pricey, but not the most expensive one out there. It arrived two days after I ordered it. I had to try it out immediately and can tell you it appears to be fairly well built. Not as sturdy as a regular dryer, but good enough. It is the size of a large trash can, easy to carry in my arms to move it where I need it. I was able to fit an entire small washer load of laundry into it, and it extracted perhaps a quart or so of water. I packed it carefully, following directions, and had no problem with noise or an off balance load. After a few minutes of spinning, the clothes were barely damp. Synthetics were almost dry; cottons a little more damp, as you'd expect. I hung them indoors with a breeze from the window and they finished drying very quickly. Definitely a huge improvement over the time it normally would take to line dry. The instructions are, unfortunately, written in that cryptic, not-quite-English, instruction manual language we are all familiar with. None the less, it was easy to figure out how to use it. I think the higher price was worth the satisfaction of receiving it in two days, in working order. We'll see how long it continues to work as promised. I had been hanging wet laundry either indoors, where drying time depended on where I hung it (basement or bedroom) and the weather, or outdoors. Again, temperature makes all the difference in drying time. However, I don't like to hang clothes outdoors when there's a huge amount of pollen in the air. The spin dryer is a great compromise between the economy of line drying and the speed of the dryer, and avoids the problems with hanging clothes in whatever space you have available year round.

I just ordered the Large spin dryer and
wonder Wash almost a month ago. I got the washer within 10 days, but I have yet to get the spin dryer. I am still waiting. I have not gotten an email or call or anything telling me whether the spin dryer is in stock or backordered or anything. I tried calling but got the answer machine and it was full. It was be nice to find out about an item that was purchased.

This spin dryer happens to be packed with a lot of non-biodegradable styrofoam. We've also found that it needs to be held in place because it moves too much while spinning, and the suction cups aren't strong enough to hold it down. When we emailed Laundry Alternative, their reply was nothing but capitalized letters and snarky questions. It took a 3 email volley to actually get information about their 30-day guarantee, through which they suggested I "invented the problems" and regarding the packaging, they say, "Do you have any idea of
how hard it is to package a spin dryer so they don't break? We'll give you $5,000 if you can do this, but of course it's always much easier to criticize than solve problems."

As costumers ordering an eco-friendly product, I don't believe it's our problem to actually solve. Further, a company should not treat a customers reasonable frustration with their own aggressive frustration.

If you try to return it, you'll pay more than half the cost in shipping, and that's just not reasonable. Never has there been worse customer service.

I've left the units at Goodwill. Laundry Alternative is precisely the kind of company that keep "Buyer Beware" true.

To make a correction the washer I got was called Sputnik 3 not wonder washer. As of yet still no word and no answer from Laundry - Alterative as to what is going on.

To make a correction the washer I got was called Sputnik 3 not wonder washer. As of yet still no word and no answer from Laundry - Alterative as to what is going on.

If you are now manufacturing in South Africa, is it possible to buy a spin dryer in SA. No-one in this country knows about them and there would be a good demand I think, given the limited number of washing machines in use.

I had a great experience with Laundry Alternative.

I ordered the WonderWash and the large spin dryer on June 8. The WonderWash arrived on June 15 and the spin dryer arrived today June 17. I received my UPS tracking numbers within 24-48 hours.

I tried out both machines today and they work as described.

They were well packaged and came without any damage. I followed the instructions and assembled them myself.

I washed my first load about 2 hours ago and they are mostly dry, just hanging in the rack in the dining room with the window open. Right now, it's about 11:15pm.

Everything smells and looks clean.

ordered the larger spin dryer and wonderwash- got the wonderwash really quickly! but it does say sputnik 3 on it for some reason~~~~ ordered it on friday and it got to me today (tuesday). i'm expecting another package tomorrow- hopefully that's the dryer. keeping my fingers crossed-

I bought a Wonder Washer years ago, and had rarely felt as frustrated as I did while using it. It had a small capacity and was a wet mess to operate. The handle was cheaply made and uncomfortable to use. A small drum with a screw on top would have been easier to use.

I'm saying this because as I'm evaluating whether or not to purchase a Spin Dryer, I see comments from people who say they love their Wonder Washer and their Spin Dryers. No way I believe that.