Loch Capsule Dishwasher Review
A tiny, flexible dishwasher
Verdict
Very different to the other dishwashers that I’ve reviewed, the Loch Capsule Dishwasher is only the depth of a counter, and can run plumbed in or via a moveable water tank. That makes this model extremely flexible, allowing it to sit where there’s no plumbing or even for going camping. It cleans brilliantly, is easy to load, and can take full-size plates and tall wine glasses. For anyone who thought they couldn’t fit in a dishwasher, this model proves you can.
Pros
- Compact
- Takes full-size plates
- Powerful cleaning
Cons
- No water softener
- Hard to see the screen
Key Features
- Place settingsThis dishwasher has space for two place settings.
Introduction
If you don’t think that you have enough space for a dishwasher, you haven’t set eyes on the Loch Capsule Dishwasher.
The same depth (give or take) as a kitchen counter, this dishwasher can squeeze into almost any available space. As it can be plumbed in or run from its separate water tanks, it’s also a dishwasher you could take camping.
It has a small capacity, but its height does mean that it can take full-size plates, tall wine glasses and even some frying pans.
Design and features
- Tall and thin
- Works plumbed in or with water tanks
- Surprising amount of room inside
With a carry handle on top, the Loch Capsule Dishwasher isn’t a standard countertop model. Rather, this is a dishwasher that can sit on a counter, or be carried where it needs to go, such as camping, running off a battery power station.
With that in mind, the dishwasher can be run in two ways. First, it can be plumbed in, as with a regular dishwasher. However, there are also two 3-litre tanks in the box: one for clean water and one for dirty water, so you can run it where there’s not a convenient direct water source.
Just make sure that you get the tanks the right way around. They’re identical, except the clean water tank has a hose that runs down into the bottom of the tank.
Sitting about the depth of a kitchen counter, the Loch Capsule Dishwasher doesn’t take up much room and is just 262mm wide.
While its capacity may not be huge, the insides are at least well designed. Sliding all the way out, there’s a single wire rack in this dishwasher, which has two sets of fold-down tines.
Technically, the dishwasher is listed as having enough space for two place settings. In dishwasher parlance, a place setting includes a large dinner plate, small plate, cup, saucer, bowl, drinking glass, knife, two teaspoons, dinner fork and a small fork.
That measure is designed to give you a comparison between dishwashers, but unless you’re using the layout above, a place setting doesn’t always explain what can go into a dishwasher.
For the Loch Capsule Dishwasher, I got in four full-size dinner plates, four side plates, four mugs and the associated cutlery for four people’s dinners. For more basic use, then, this dishwasher will take care of the basic needs of a family of four, or for a small office.
While you may have to do multiple loads to clean everything, at least the Loch Capsule Dishwasher can take pretty much any item you need.
Height is an advantage in this model, and I even managed to squeeze in my tall wine glasses, which can cause problems in other dishwashers.
There’s even enough room to fit in a full-size frying pan (31cm diameter and total length of 48.5cm), although you’ll likely have to wash the pan and dishes separately.
Also included is an extendible rack, which can take a load of fresh vegetables and fruit. With the Fruit cycle, the Loch Capsule Dishwasher can wash your fresh produce in one go, putting it all away. There’s conflicting opinions on whether produce should be washed before storing or not, so whether this mode is useful depends on how you handle your fresh food. For food or items that shouldn’t be washed, there’s a UV light mode.
The Loch Capsule Dishwasher has a dispenser for rinse aid, but unlike a regular dishwasher, it doesn’t have controls over how much should be dispensed. This dishwasher doesn’t contain salt as a water softener.
The company recommends adding rinse aid or vinegar to the water tank, and running a washing cycle once a week/month with a small bowl of vinegar or cleaning the internal components. You can also use filtered water for washing. However, those with very hard water may find it better to choose a model with an integrated water softener.
Rather than a standard detergent dispenser, the Loch Capsule Dishwasher has a space in the door where washing powder should go (15g per cycle), although I found that detergent capsules worked for longer washes.
For most plates, the standard Eco setting (67°C) will do the job, taking 2h 46m to complete. This cycle also turns on the UV light to kill bacteria.
There are standard wash modes of varying lengths and temperatures: 15 minutes at 70°C, 30 minutes at 50°C, 45 minutes at 70°C, 90 minutes at 72°C or 152 minutes at 75°C.
Once the mode is selected using the touch controls on the front, the display shows how much time is remaining. It’s pretty hard to read the screen, particularly if there’s strong sunlight around. While the display looks nice, integrated into the door, a traditional LCD might have made more sense from a practical point of view.
Hit play, and the dishwasher goes about its business until the wash cycle has completed. There’s no automatic door opening on this model.
Once a wash has finished, the water tanks should be removed and cleaned (if using), and any debris should be cleaned out of the micro filter.
Performance
- Cleans well
- Relatively expensive per person
- Cheaper on shorter cycles
I started off by running the dishwasher on its Eco cycle, which uses 2.5 litres of water and 0.342kWh of power. According to my calculations, that’s a cost per cycle of 12.4p.
Given that the Loch Capsule Dishwasher is quoted as having two place settings, that works out at 6.2p per place setting, which is quite high compared to the full-size competition. Typically, I’d expect the cost per place setting to be under 2p for a full-size model and under 3p for a slimline model.
I can say that cleaning performance is very good. Starting with a coffee-stained mug, I found that the dishwasher removed all of the mess and returned it to its former glory.
It was the same with my dirty wine glass, which came out sparkling and fresh, without any smears or stains on it.
Adding my dirty plate covered in the remains of a mac-and-cheese dinner, I found that the Loch Capsule Dishwasher managed to clean the plate without leaving any mess behind, and it didn’t need rinsing first.
For a much tougher test, I microwaved eggs in a bowl and made scrambled eggs. Running on its Eco cycle, I found that the Loch Capsule Dishwasher removed all the mess, putting in a result that’s better than on many full-sized dishwashers. Here, the confined space and closeness of the spray arm clearly worked wonders.
Putting the Loch Capsule Dishwasher onto its quicker modes, I found it cost less to run, but could still clean well. Running the 15-minute cycle, the cost dropped to 10p for the cycle (the reduction from Eco mode isn’t so great, as the water temperature is 70C). In this mode, dirty cups and regularly soiled items were cleaned up well.
Going for the 30-minute wash, which is suitable for less soiled items, such as regular plates and cups, and the cost drops to just 6p per wash in my test. Fast and clean, for regular dishes, means that the Loch Capsule Dishwasher can quickly turn around loads, which is handy if you’ve got a few cups and plates to get through, such as in an office.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You don’t have much room but want a dishwasher
Compact and capable of washing brilliantly, this dishwasher isn’t huge, but it takes full-size items, doesn’t take up much counter space and can be moved easily.
You need more capacity
If you can fit in a slimline dishwasher instead, you’ll find overall running costs lower and will be able to fit a wider variety of items in, plus more in one go.
Final Thoughts
There’s nothing quite like the Loch Capsule Dishwasher to compare it to directly. What I can say is that if you’ve got space for one of our best full-size dishwashers, you’ll get more flexibility and lower running costs per place setting on standard modes.
However, if you don’t have space for a dishwasher and/or want something you can take around, such as for use in a camper van, then the Loch Capsule Dishwasher is powerful, can run without direct access to running water and delivers impressive cleaning results.
How we test
We test every dishwasher we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
We measure water and energy usage for each dishwasher to see how efficient they are.
We use real-world mess to test a dishwasher’s ability to clean.
You might like…
FAQs
Yes, as well as using the two tanks, you can connect regular water and a drain hose.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
