What is the best portable washing machine for a small flat, student room or caravan?
Prices checked on Amazon UK, 12 October 2026.
What is the best portable washing machine for a small flat, student room or caravan? For most people it is a foldable mini washer with a spin basket, such as the Cawevon 12L model we rank best overall. It has 3-, 5- and 10-minute timer buttons, a removable spin-dry basket and a 12-litre tub, and it was £30.99 on Amazon UK when we checked on 12 October 2026. If you want the lowest spend, the DMJJSD 8L folds down to 14cm deep and was £21.66. For bigger loads of baby clothes or gym kit, the Hapihom 16L (2kg) washer and spin dryer was £45.99.
These are small top-up machines for socks, underwear, baby clothes and delicates, not a replacement for a plumbed-in washing machine. We have not lab-tested them: every spec below comes from the Amazon UK listing. Prices change, so use See price on Amazon for the live price.
Need a full-size machine instead? See our Comfee 10kg/7kg washer dryer guide. Kitting out a caravan? Try our Christmas gifts for caravanners and air fryer for a caravan guides.
As an Amazon Associate, 10Deals earns from qualifying purchases.
Our picks
Cawevon 12L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
Cawevon 12L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
£30.99
Best overall
DMJJSD 8L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
DMJJSD 8L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
£21.66
Best budget
Hapihom 16L 2KG Portable Washing Machine and Spin Dryer
Hapihom 16L 2KG Portable Washing Machine and Spin Dryer
£45.99
Best for families
How we pick
We shortlist products sold on Amazon UK using capacity, features, customer ratings and price band. We do not lab-test every model unless a page says so. The Amazon page is the live price. How we recommend.
Compare at a glance
| Product | Capacity | Last Amazon price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12L mini |
£30.99
|
||
| 8L |
£21.66
|
||
| 16L |
£45.99
|
||
| 13L mini |
£32.99
|
||
| 12L |
£35.63
|
||
| 3.8L mini |
£32.42
|
The products
Cawevon 12L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
- Compact and portable design makes it ideal for small living spaces like apartments, dorms, and RVs
- 12L capacity for washing and spin basket for efficient cleaning of clothes and other items
- Foldable design for easy storage and convenient travel use
Who it is for: individuals living in small apartments, dorms, or RVs, as well as travelers
Downside: small capacity of 12L,
DMJJSD 8L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Basket
- Foldable design for easy storage and portability
- Offers 3 cleaning modes for versatile use
- Ideal for washing baby clothes and underwear
Who it is for: individuals
Downside: low rating of 1 out of 5, indicating potential quality or durability issues that buyers should be aware of
Hapihom 16L 2KG Portable Washing Machine and Spin Dryer
- Foldable design for easy storage and portability
- Offers 3 cleaning modes for versatile washing options
- Ideal for washing delicate items like underwear and baby clothes
Who it is for: individuals living in small spaces such as apartments, dorms, or RVs, as well as for travelers and campers looking to do laundry on the go. It is also perfect for parents washing baby clothes and delicate items separately
Downside: small capacity of 2KG,
WEJIUAFB 13L Collapsible Mini Washing Machine & Spin Dryer
- Collapsible design for easy storage and portability
- Offers 3 cleaning modes for versatile use
- Large 13L capacity ideal for washing baby clothes and delicate items
Who it is for: individuals living in small spaces such as apartments, dorms, or RVs, as well as frequent travelers
Downside: smaller capacity of 13L,
Vxoyo 12L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Dryer
- 2-in-1 design with spin dryer for efficient laundry process
- Foldable and portable for easy storage and travel convenience
- Touchscreen with one-button operation for user-friendly experience
Who it is for: individuals living in small spaces such as dorms or apartments, as well as frequent travelers
Downside: moderate 3/5 rating, indicating that it may not offer the same level of performance or durability as higher-priced models
Sxhlseller 3.8L USB Portable Mini Washing Machine for Underwear and Socks
- Foldable design for easy storage and portability
- Ideal for washing delicate items like underwear and baby clothes
- Convenient USB power source for versatile usage in various settings
Who it is for: individuals living in small spaces such as apartments, dormitories, or RVs. It is also ideal for travelers
Downside: limited capacity of 3.8L,
Buying advice
Our picks at a glance
- Best overall: Cawevon 12L Portable Washing Machine (£30.99). A 12-litre foldable tub with a removable spin-dry basket and three timer buttons (3, 5 and 10 minutes), according to the listing.
- Best budget: DMJJSD 8L Portable Washing Machine (£21.66). The listing gives 30 x 30 x 30cm unfolded and 30 x 30 x 14cm folded, a TPE and food-grade silicone body, the same three timer modes and a removable spin basket.
- Best for bigger loads: Hapihom 16L 2kg Washer and Spin Dryer (£45.99). The largest tub on this page and the only listing that gives a load weight (2kg), with 10-minute, 5-minute and 3-minute spin cycles and touch controls.
The other machines on this page
- WEJIUAFB 13L Collapsible Mini Washing Machine (£32.99). The listing says it comes with a lid, basket, drain pipe and instruction manual, with quick wash, deep clean and spin-dry modes.
- Vxoyo 12L Portable Washing Machine with Spin Dryer (£35.63). One-touch touchpad with 3-, 5- and 10-minute cycles. The listing says the box includes a mains power cord and a drain hose, and that it folds to 5.3 inches thick. Amazon showed only 1 left in stock when we checked.
- Sxhlseller 3.8L USB Mini Washer (£32.42). A desktop-size tub for socks and underwear. The listing gives 5V and 18W, so it runs from USB power. Only 4 were left in stock when we checked.
What to look for
Capacity. Litres describe the tub, not how much laundry it can wash. Only the Hapihom listing gives a load weight (2kg), so plan on a few small items per cycle.
Spin basket. All three picks include a removable spin basket, so you can spin water out after the wash instead of wringing clothes by hand.
Folded size. If storage space is tight, compare folded depth: 14cm for the DMJJSD and 5.3 inches for the Vxoyo, per their listings.
Voltage and plug. UK mains supplies 230V. This month we removed one 15L machine because its Amazon listing gave a 110-volt rating. Check the voltage and plug type on any listing before you buy.
Draining. The WEJIUAFB and Vxoyo listings include a drain pipe or hose, which helps if you want to empty the tub into a shower tray or sink without tipping it.
Full loads. For bedding and family-size washes you still need a full machine. See our guide to the Comfee 10kg/7kg washer dryer.
Good places for a mini washer
A foldable washer suits caravans and campervans, student halls, small flats without a plumbed space, and anyone who wants to wash baby clothes or delicates separately. If you are kitting out a caravan, our Christmas gifts for caravanners and air fryer for a caravan guides cover more compact kit.
Changes this month
On 12 October 2026 we removed four listings: the 110V Cawevon 15L model, and three machines with no Amazon UK buy box (a 16L pink model, a cordless underwear washer and a xixibuy 16L washer and dryer).
Prices note
Prices were checked on Amazon UK (delivery to the United Kingdom, prices in GBP) on 12 October 2026. Prices and stock change often, and the See price on Amazon button always shows the live price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best portable washing machine?
For most small homes we rank the Cawevon 12L foldable machine best overall. It has a removable spin-dry basket and 3-, 5- and 10-minute timer buttons, and it was £30.99 on Amazon UK on 12 October 2026. For a bigger tub the Hapihom 16L (2kg) was £45.99, and on a tight budget the DMJJSD 8L was £21.66.
Are portable washing machines worth it?
They are worth it if you mainly wash small loads such as socks, underwear, baby clothes or gym kit and have no room or plumbing for a full machine. They do not replace a full-size washer: the largest model on this page lists a 2kg load. Check the capacity and what is in the box on the listing before you buy.
Do portable washing machines need hookups?
The foldable mini machines on this page do not plumb in. None of their listings mention a water inlet connection: you add water to the tub, choose a timed cycle and power it from a socket, or from USB for the 3.8L Sxhlseller. The WEJIUAFB and Vxoyo listings include a drain pipe or hose for emptying.
Do portable washing machines use a lot of electricity?
Small ones use very little. The Sxhlseller 3.8L listing gives 18W, so a 10-minute cycle uses 18 ÷ 1000 × (10 ÷ 60) = 0.003 kWh. Most other listings here do not state a wattage, so check the product details and multiply the kWh figure by your tariff's unit rate.
What is the difference between a portable washing machine and a regular washing machine?
A regular washing machine is plumbed into the water supply and waste and washes full loads. The mini machines here are foldable tubs you fill yourself, run on short 3- to 10-minute timers and suit a few small items at a time; the largest on this page lists a 2kg load.
What is the biggest portable washing machine?
On this page the biggest is the Hapihom 16L, which lists a 2kg load. Amazon UK search results also show larger twin-tub portable washers, such as 5kg and 8kg models, which are bigger and cost more than the foldable mini machines here.
