even with a washing machine set up you still need to empty its contents through a set of bubble bags...so im not sure one is really better than the other.
having the machine just takes a little bit of work out of the equation, albeit not much. one still has to pull all the bags and let em drain...scrape up its contents, press, and dry.
I don't know what washing machine you are referring to. But, if it's anything like the wonder washer....do it by hand instead. It makes a huge difference mixing the ice, water, material slowly. I have a wander washer....and I only use it after I have done two rounds by hand in a 5 gallon bucket. Just to get any left over trichs the hand method may of missed.
a good amount...but it is much darker and full of impurities that don't come off under normal mixing. The wonder washer is too fast of a mixer...even on gentle cycle to get premium bubble.