If you're short on space and are tired of hand washing dishes, now might be the time to invest in one of the best countertop dishwashers.
The Loch Electronics Capsule 3-in-1 countertop dishwasher is a multi-functional machine that has a good capacity despite its compact design. It sits comfortably on most worktops in apartments, in office kitchens or RVs, and is big enough to fit large dinner plates, frying pans, tall glasses, baking pans and chopping boards.
And the Capsule doesn't just wash dishes. Its medical grade UV light disinfection mode can sanitize other items like baby bottles and toys, plus it has a fruit and vegetable wash function. One of the best things about this kitchen appliance is that it requires no plumbing, as it is connected via the mains power source, so you can use it anywhere - and take it anywhere with it's handle and bag.
The Loch Electronics Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher isn’t just convenient, it's super stylish and eco-efficient, too. According to Loch Electronics it saves seven times more water and four times more energy than washing by hand.
In this review, we test claims that the dishwasher can fit two full-place settings and we also take a closer look at the Loch Electronics Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher features, how it performs on different wash cycles, and whether this justifies the $349.99 /£349.99 price tag.
If you need something more permanent for your home don't miss our guide to the best dishwashers.
Loch Electronics Capsule: Price & availability
The Loch Electronics Capsule 3-in-1 countertop dishwasher is a mid-range appliance at $349.99 / £349.99 and is available to buy directly from Loch Electronics (US) and Lock Electronics (UK).
It comes with several accessories including rack, fruit basket, cutlery tray, clean water tank, inlet hose and drain hose. The plumbing hose is also included in the box and you can buy an extra one (sold separately) if needed.
The Capsule is $100 more expensive than most countertop dishwashers, but it has some premium standout features including eco and fruit mode as well as a UV light function that is designed to sanitise personal items that might get damaged by water. The design is also streamlined, it's incredibly easy to use and set up and provides a powerful eco-efficient clean in very little time which, I feel, gives you more bang for your buck.
Score: 4 out of 5
Loch Electronics Capsule: First impressions
The Loch Electronics Capsule arrived in a large brown cardboard box and was carefully packaged in non-recyclable polystyrene. It was a bit tricky to pull the dishwasher out of the box on our own (it's possible but would be easier with someone helping) and the instructions manual was incredibly clear and simple to follow.
Extras available to buy include a big black carry bag ($49.99), a second plumbing hose ($15.99) and waste water tank ($49.99).
Loch Electronics Capsule: Key specs
Loch Electronics Capsule: Setup & assembly
For a fairly large countertop kitchen appliance, the set up is refreshingly easy and quick. It comes in a large cardboard box protected by non-recyclable white polystyrene. All the accessories and instructions are packed in the dishwasher.
It's quite tricky to lift the dishwasher out of the box without help, so you might need a hand to get it out then lift it up onto your counter. The instructions are easy to follow and it only takes a matter of minutes to set up the machine.
Firstly, it needs to be plugged into a socket using the cable provided. We opted to connect the drain hose to the back of the dishwasher and then directly to the water tank. We poured fresh cold water into the tank through the metallic mesh as advised, to ensure the water is clean and free of debris. We filled the tank to the top but if you need more water it will flash a water drop icon to tell you.
To add detergent we put the dishwasher capsule on the designated place in the internal wall of the door. It's not advised to use washing up liquid as this will cause excessive foam. If you add this by mistake the dishwasher will sound an alarm and show an error message.
You can also add rinse aid in a hole within the dishwasher door. Simply twist the circular cap and pour it in.
To drain the waste water, we connected the hose with an elbow to the machine and placed the other end in a nearby old saucepan. You could put it straight into the sink, too.
If you want to plumb the dishwasher into the water line you need to buy the hose separately in order to do this. There are detailed instructions in the manual how to set up the machine this way.
Loch Electronics Capsule: Design & Features
The Loch Capsule is well designed, compact and sleek, with a white and grey color scheme. It can be used straight out of the box, doesn't need to be wired or plumbed in, and despite being compact has a large and tall interior, with space for a medium sized saucepan or frying pan and chopping board.
It comes with an inlet and drain hose, plumbing pipe, storage rack, fruit basket, water tank, cutlery basket and manual.
It has a digital control panel with touch screen buttons that light up when the machine is on. The buttons are really big and obvious, but not if there is bright sunlight.
It's designed for smaller households with capacity to wash two meals worth of dishes in just 15 minutes. Small enough to fit on your countertop, it's big enough to also effectively clean some larger, more awkward items.
According to the manual it has capacity to fit a dessert bowl, three dessert plates, two knives, one soup plate, one dessert plate, a saucer, one bowl, a teacup, two teaspoons and two tablespoons, two forks, one serving spoons, two glasses and one mug. When put to the test, we managed to fit in about half this, but it's certainly big enough for a full size chopping board and tall glasses, which is great.
It comes with a timer and child lock, which allows users to disable all the buttons on the control board. It can also work in 'silent mode' with the beeping sound feedback deactivated.
The handle at the top of the unit makes it portable, but at 12 kg it's not the lightest machine to move around.
The Loch Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher features eight wash cycle options: (15m, 30m, 45m, 90m, 2hr32m), eco, fruit and UV mode.
The UV light sanitisation is a standout feature as it can disinfect personal items that might get damaged by water, such as phone cases, keys and dog toys. The child lock is also a useful function and prevents children from accidentally opening the dishwasher mid-cycle.
It's available in a selection of four trim colors; Black Rhino, Gery Wolf, Blue Ocean, Purple Octopus. I tried it out in the Black Rhino.
Score: 4 out of 5
Loch Electronics Capsule: Performance
We first tested the Loch Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher on the 15 minute wash setting and loaded it up with a mixture of glasses, plates, bowls and knives. We actually forgot to add the detergent on the first test, and despite running with just water the dishes came out fairly sparkling. There was just a little bit of food left on a couple of the plates.
The 60dB noise is not dissimilar to a full-size dishwasher and is not overly noisy or disruptive. After a cycle there is a low humming noise which must be the dishwasher drying itself out.
The cutlery basket features 12 slots of varying sizes.
The dishwasher is fairly eco-friendly consuming around 4 liters in one cycle, depending on the programme and time selected. The fruit and veg basket is a nice feature as means you can wash your weekly shop all in one go.
We tried the 30-minute speed mode with a few plates and glasses and everything came out really clean. You don't need to use any special cartridges, so we just used our standard dishwasher tablet.
The fruit mode washes fruits and veg in cold water for eight (soft fruit like strawberries and grapes) or 12 minutes with added UV light action. We washed carrots and potatoes using the longer wash and while they came out fairly clean, we still needed to scrub the potatoes so wasn't really using this function.
We tested the UV mode with a phone case, portable coffee cup and some sunglasses. After 20 minutes of a very silent clean (medical-grade UV light rather than heat or water is used as a sanitiser) the items came out smelling fresh but it was hard to know how effective this process was without having the items tested in a lab.
With the shorter cycles we tried, the dishes came out still pretty wet. The dishwasher uses heat and UV to dry stuff but it still needed a little air dry before it could be put away.
What we loved about this machine is that only running the dishwasher for 15 minutes, instead of 45, means a ton less power being used to heat the water during a cycle. It's also designed to use a lot less water than the other countertop dishwashers, which helps, too.
Despite testing out the longest 2h30m cycle, which was very effective, we found we leaned more towards using the 15 and 30 minute cycles. The Loch Capsule does an excellent job of cleaning even in that short amount of time.
Score: 4 out of 5
Loch Electronics Capsule: Care & maintenance
Loch Electronics recommends inspecting and cleaning the filters regularly. This is easy to do - you just need to twist the basket to release it and the stainless steel filter. Rinse both under running water and use a soft brush to remove any leftover food. Do not use sharp or abrasive objects to scrub the filter as this will damage them.
To clean the sprayers, firmly pull it to release, then clean with running water. Loch also recommends you clean the dishwasher interior monthly to prevent doors and build up of detergent, minerals or dirt.
For an environmentally friendly way to clean inside, pour 200ml of distilled white vinegar into a cup and put it in the middle of the rack. Run the dishwasher on the fruit cycle. Remove the cup then sprinkle baking soda around the bottom of the machine. Run for any of the wash cycles. Once finished, wipe away any dust waste, specially in corners where there's less water flow. You can use a soft brush to remove stubborn stains.
The machine has a 12-month warranty and has been designed to withhold 10 years of use, and be repair friendly.
Should you buy the Loch Electronics Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
The Loch Capsule 3-in-1 Countertop Dishwasher is a stylish and compact kitchen appliance that is eco-friendly and efficient. It's a great choice for small households, offices, camping, RVs, boats, and anyone with limited counter space. It's effective at quickly removing grease and dried food from dishes, and we love that you can wash fruit and veg, as well as sanitize personal items.
This impressive mini appliance has a range of wash cycles to suit all needs, but we found the 15 minute setting was often enough to get dishes clean. Its compact style means it's better suited to smaller households, but it's a well built and sleek looking machine that warrants the higher price tag.
How does the Loch Electronics Capsule compare?
The Loch Electronics Capsule is quite expensive compared with similar sized countertop dishwashers, and it's lacking the drying mode that both the HAVA R01 and the Danby DDW6321WDB have. It's more spacious than the Kapas Portable Dishwasher, however the latter is cheaper.
How I tested the Loch Electronics Capsule
We tested the Loch Electronics Capsule for a week, loading it with a range of different sized crockery and cutlery with varying levels of dirtiness. We also used the fruit and veg mode and cleaned some carrots, as well as the UV function to disinfect sunglasses, a phone case and an old reusable coffee cup.
Read more about how we test.
