The Loch Capsule dishwasher is compact, quick, and effective — it even disinfects devices

The Loch Capsule presents a sleek and simple design on a kitchen countertop, in my view. Although the exterior is plastic, the inner basin is made of stainless steel, differing from most countertop dishwashers. This feature enhances drying efficiency, increases longevity, and maintains hygiene, while effectively managing odors.

The unit is tall and spacious enough to hold large dinner plates and pans that typically do not fit into shorter countertop models. It measures 46.5 x 26.2 x 51.5 cm (18.3 x 10.3 x 20.3 inches), resulting in a small footprint and an internal capacity of approximately 30 liters. The integrated handle simplifies the transportation of the 12 kg (26.4 lb) dishwasher.

If you are preparing all your meals at home, you will likely only need to run it once a day for a one-person household, or twice for a couple based on my personal experience. It comes equipped with an external clean water tank, allowing for use anywhere there is access to power and H₂O. No plumbing is necessary, although a connection is available if you prefer not to refill the tank constantly.

Setting it up is fairly uncomplicated. Generally, you’ll plug it in for power, connect and fill the fresh water tank, and run a second hose from the dishwasher to the sink to dispose of the used water. In my van, where space for the Capsule was limited, I had to install it in my “garage” linking it to the optional waste water tank because the 1.2 m/3.94 ft hose was too short to reach my sink.

The bright white display features capacitive buttons that respond to touches even when my fingers are wet. The appearance is welcoming, yet the operation is loud, akin to many countertop dishwashers, which is a consideration for a device intended for small spaces. I measured around 56 dB max from one meter away. This is significantly louder than my built-in dishwasher, which operates at 38 dB. The sound intensity fluctuates as the water rushes and the pump vibrates. In essence, it won’t serve as a white noise machine during your sleep if that’s your goal.

The Capsule can also clean gadgets and fruits. The basket can fit around seven apples, which take about eight minutes to wash, or 12 if you incorporate UV cleaning. A waterless UV mode is available to eliminate surface bacteria on baby bottles and personal devices like phones and earbuds through medical-grade UV-C light.

Loading dishes into the Capsule can resemble playing advanced-level Tetris. During my initial attempt, it took me roughly five minutes to fit 18 items into that compact space. Now it requires about a minute or two, while filling and emptying the clean and dirty water containers adds a few more minutes. An optional $19 “dual tray” shelf can be positioned at the base to accommodate a large pot, or placed at the top to maximize any available space for silverware or other small, flat items.

Multiple cleaning modes are offered, starting from a 15-minute Meal Wash to an Intensive Clean lasting 152 minutes. I found the 15-minute setting highly effective, eliminating the need for the longer cycles, provided I didn’t let anything burn or wait until the next day to start the wash.

For testing, I filled the Capsule with all the mess created at breakfast and lunch for two people, including two 10.5-inch plates covered in grease, cutlery smeared with peanut butter, a milky yogurt bowl, espresso cups, a juice glass, a chef’s knife, tongs, and a sports bottle. Although my 12-inch pan fits within the Capsule, its handle does not, contrary to Loch’s assertion, so I had to wash it by hand. (My 10-inch pan with an 8-inch handle just fits, but the angle leaves little room for anything else.)

All items emerged clean, hot to the touch, and mostly dry in the 15-minute Meal Wash mode, comparable to my considerably larger built-in machine. I was quite impressed. The cycle used 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) of water and consumed between 220Wh and 300Wh in my multiple tests, with energy usage peaking at approximately 900W. The 15-minute wash cycle takes, in reality, between 20 and 25 minutes to finish. The most intensive wash mode lasted for 2 hours and 28 minutes, consuming 420Wh and nearly 4 liters of water.

In comparison, when utilizing my environmentally friendly vanlife dishwashing method on the same dishes with the same mess, I managed to wash and dry everything – including the 12-inch pan – in just six minutes using one liter of water and since no power was used. This method involves wiping everything with a used paper towel or discarded food packaging, filling a bowl with unheated tap water, dipping in a soapy sponge, and getting to work. Bear in mind, vanlife is less hygienic than conventional life, but we’ve survived so far.

If I were to install the Loch Capsule in my van, I would need to run the 15-minute mode twice daily to clean all the dishes my wife and I typically use. That translates to about 500Wh and 5 liters of water each day — a 33.3 percent increase in my average daily energy usage and a 100 percent rise in water consumption. I find it hard to justify that. This dishwasher is better suited for setups with considerably more water and battery capacity than I possess, or those willing to frequently connect at serviced campsites.

Importantly, vanlifers usually do not travel with full-sized dishes and cookware. Therefore, a more compact countertop dishwasher from brands like Comfee or Farberware for around $300 or less could be a better choice. Loch also markets a Capsule Solo for $399.99 without the UV features and plumbing connection. It is fundamentally the same dishwasher and is currently priced at $339.99.

Even in a tiny house, I find it challenging to rationalize the $459.99 price of the Capsule, even with its sale price of $390.99, despite the ample supply of hot water and electricity at the surf shack. For one or two occupants, it’s simply quicker for me to wash dishes myself, and I don’t sacrifice any essential space on the countertop or below it. Plus, my freshly cleaned hands render a UV sanitizer unnecessary for killing bacteria that aren’t a significant threat anyway.

To justify purchasing a Loch Capsule dishwasher, you and at most one other individual in the household must genuinely dislike washing dishes, have reliable access to both power and water, along with minimal space but still require large pots and dishes. This is a specific niche, yet one that the Loch Capsule dishwasher fulfills effectively.

The Loch Capsule serves as an outstanding countertop dishwasher with minor shortcomings — it simply isn’t suited for me.

Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge