My grandmas used to have them -- this would be in the 60s & 70s -- they were popular in the UK because most people hung their wash out to dry. They had a washing machine and a spin dryer. Clothes were damp, like we take them out of the washing machine. I can't remember, but maybe her washing machine didn't spin. This was a set-up where everything was portable and they did the washing in the kitchen.

We use a spin dryer that we bought online from a place called "Laundry Solutions" or similar. It was built in Pakistan. We paid about $125.00 for it. We've used it for about 18 months now.
It works pretty good. Clothing that has been spun before being put in the dryer drys in half the time. It also spins out excess detergent in the clothing. We use a Whirpool TL washer. I would think that if you use a FL machine, this wouldn't be needed. The spinner makes a hell of a racket, and I have heard that a few of them have flown apart while in use. We did have a warranty issue with ours and Laundry Solutions did repair it without question and very quickly I must say. We have had no problems with the replacement unit.
I would venture to say that clothing that has been spun in the clothes spinner would line dry in half the time as well.

I'm not familiar with spin dryers, (which obviously makes me perfectly qualified to comment) but modern HE front loaders and some HE top loaders have much higher spin speeds than washers used to have, so they do a good job of spinning moisture out of a wash load all by themselves.

They probably don't spin as fast as spin dryers, but their drum diameter is several times larger, so the effectivness is probably close to being as good.

Spin driers used to come in two forms:

gravity drain, where the water was collected in a basin/bowl (or emptied straight down a drain;

or pumped, whereby a mechanical, or electrical pump sent the water up a hose to a convenient sink, etc.

They varied in their capacities, anything from 6lbs, upto around 10lbs, of washing.

Some of the pumped versions could rinse as well: you placed the soapy washing into the spinner, span out the suds, then filled the spinner-drum with water. When the water reached a certain level, it would start the spin sequence; when the water was gone it would stop.

They were popular in the UK in the 1960's. They were also built into the twintub machines, so you could wash one load as another was rinsing/spinning.

Popular models of standalone spinners were Creda Debonair, and Hoover Spinarinse.

Popular twintubs were Hotpoint's Supermatic, Hoovermatic from Hoover, and models from Rolls (Concorde, Rapide, etc.)

If I remember correctly, the Hoovermatic claimed a speed of 2800rpm. But the Hotpoint claimed to spin at 3100rpm, or thereabouts. Used to make laundry very wrinkled.

My mother still has a spin dryer, which I use when I visit. It is great for spinning hand-washed items and for getting excess water from stuff that has been through the washer. My mom has a Hoover 1000 rpm washing machine and also a much better Miele that spins at 1100 rpm. She always puts everything in the spin dryer, while I only use it for the stuff from the Hoover. It really does extract a lot of water, making drying time much quicker. BTW, she line dries everything, while I, becoming more American everyday, like to tumble dry my clothes in her 38 yr old Servis dryer.

I think her spin dryer is a Creda. I think they are a good idea if you don't have a FL, or handwash a lot.

Spin dryers work very well, it is an old and proven technology. They are most beneficial if you either don't have a washing machine with a spin cycle, or have a top loader. As Jim says, if you have a front loader with a fast spin speed, they aren't as helpful. You can read independent reviews at
You can also read independent reviews at http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/portable_spin_d.php
& http://www.productdose.com/article.php?article_id=4816

Regarding the Wonderwash, it's not a gimmick. The main thing to understand is that it's a hand-crank unit, it is not as convenient to use as an automatic washer (but it beats hand-washing).

Here is a link that might be useful: spin dryer

we have one and it works; the clothes come out pretty dry and don't take too long to dry. However its a real pain to use it shakes like crazy and if you don't balance the load perfectly it will wobble and won't spin fast enough to work. If you don't hook the water outlet up to a drain pipe you have to stick a bowl or something under there and keep the machine still so it doesn't walk across the room away from the bowl. We're getting a front loader soon and I can't wait to be done with the spin dryer.

Yes! I have! I used to have a Hoover spin dryer in the early 1970s. It was awesome! You hooked it up to the kitchen sink for water and draining and there was this little basket off to the side that would extract the water from your laundry. Wash, spin, rinse, spin, and then hang out. The washer part could hold up to 12 heavy cloth diapers. I'd hang those outside and in 15 minutes they were dry--just in time for the next load to be hung!

Last time I called Hoover (1992), I was told they no longer manufactured the units for the United States. Apparently they were made for Canada only. Last time I checked online, the units were no longer being made. Boo. They worked FAR better than the so-called apartment size washers that are just under-powered miniature versions of full-size washing machines.

I wish Hoover still made them. I'd save up and purchase one in a New York minute!

Back in the 1950s they used to call these things "extractors". I recall a laundromat that my mom used occasionally had one. (She didn't use it herself, but other customers often did.) Big round stainless-steel thing that looked like someone had taken an old Bendix washer and laid it on its back. The outer tub had a small lid in the top center, and then the basket had its own inner hatch. Unloading was a lot of trouble for the shorter women because they couldn't reach all the way in through the small opening. It was large; it held 2-3 washer loads.

It had an exposed motor and belt drive. Upon starting, it took several minutes to spin up, and it made an incredible amount of noise. It was difficult to have a conversation inside the laundromat while it was running. As a small child, I was afraid to go near it when it was running because the noise was so scary. When I could convince myself to get near it, I was always impressed by the amount of water it pulled out of the clothes that had already been spun in the washer (it gravity-drained into a floor drain). There was no brake, so when the motor shut off, it took several more minutes to spin down.

All the clothes that went into it came out nearly dry. They also came out crushed absolutely flat. No doubt every single thing that went through it had to be ironed afterwards. That being so, I tend to doubt that it actually saved any time vs. using a dryer. But lots of people used it nonetheless.

I had forgotten about this until I read this thread. I am reporting it here mostly as a curiosity. Many decades ago an aunt, who had the first washer/drier pair in our small rural community, would run the washer through a second spin cycle before moving the clothes to the dryer. It may or may not have done anything useful but she was using the spin cycle on her washer as a spin dryer.

if anybody wants an old portable hoover washer/spin dryer,let me know, I have several. I'm going to keep one for a travel trailer, the rest are going. may need repair. email me. lyondresden@hotmail.com

can someone show me what they look like i need an apartment size washer if it spins dry that even better

Today I received the Wonder Wash I ordered from laundry alternatives. I absolutely love it! I have a HE set of washer/dryer but I wanted something for those small loads of hubby's work clothes (oilfield - ugh!), vacations without electricity, etc.

I played with it for 2 hours and got the washing for 4 people done in that time. Fast, efficient, and even gets the oily grime from the uniforms out!

I can fit 3 pairs of MY jeans in it (plus size) and they come out great. 7 M Adult t-shirts and 4 pairs of undies in one load; I only did one set of uniforms at a time...they get really grungy.

I'm not saying I will use it all the time, but here are the facts: I did 4 1/2 regular loads of laundry in 2 hours using 12 gals of cold water (reused rinse water for next wash), same amount of soap, and NO electricity. Very easy to turn, did not seem unstable at all. Larger loads turn easier FYI. No leaks. Simply fill, wash, drain, fill, rinse, drain. I used a garden hose. Unit has suction cups to help it stay in place, but didn't have any trouble with that.

I set it up outside so I didn't have to bother with wringing out much, just hung straight out on line, drippy wet. It was breezy and 90 degrees...jeans dried in a little over an hour. NO wrinkles. Took about 7 mins per load. Definitely going to use it for uniforms regularly, save my good washer.

I did use an old salad spinner I never use from the cupboard (crank of course) to spin out water from socks and undies...works GREAT! I would wring what water I could from them, set the clothes in evenly, gave it a 30 second spin and VOILA! they were MUCH dryer!

I am seriously considering a sturdier, larger salad spinner. I would like to be able to do laundry easier on camping trips (2 weeks long) and vacations so don't want to go electric. I figure I can pack clean clothes in both during travel and just set up in the bath...no more laudromats!

Considering the success with the salad spinner, I think the regular spin dryer would work great. The same place I bought my mini washer sells some that crank up to 3200 rpm's and can handle about 13 lbs wet laundry. By my calculations, I can only spin the salad spinner at about 700 rpms (every turn of handle turns interior 4 times...can turn handle about 3 times per second if I REALLY try...12 X 60 = 720).

Well, there ya go. My experience with the crank-style mini washers is exceedingly good. Definitely worth the total price of about $60 including shipping.

At least one brand is sold in the US and Canada - albeit at the price of some all-in-one washers or dryers. It spins at 3,300rpm though, twice as fast as a good washer (albeit with a smaller-diameter drum). Several people here had them about 5 years ago and liked them. One of the pools I go to has a small commercial spin dryer used for drying your swimsuits and towels. They do work, and fast.

Spin dryers were built into twin-tub washers as well. I don't know of any sold in the US currently - they were never popular here, although Danby sold one until a few years ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spin-X Spin Dryer

Washer spin dryer Hoover was one of the best for using Google in small areas would love to find another one Please let me know Thanks