I thought I couldn't have a dishwasher in my kitchen until I found this game changing gadget
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I spent five years wishing I had a dishwasher because my kitchen had no space for one, but the Loch Capsule Solo has completely changed my washing-up routine.
Without doubt, the Loch Capsule Solo dishwasher is my new favourite addition to my home gadget range, and it is something I now can't see myself ever being without.
That, to me, is the true definition of a game changing gadget. It is not simply something that is clever or convenient. It is something that cements an important place in your life and your routine because it performs a job you either didn't think was possible, makes a job so much easier or quicker, or performs so much better than your previous way of doing a task that you simply could not go back to not having it.
The Capsule Solo has done exactly that for me.
When I first bought my home five years ago, I was disappointed to discover there was no dishwasher. I had always grown up in a house with one, so it was something I had simply taken for granted. I even considered removing one of the kitchen cupboards next to the sink to make space for one, but once I had properly moved in and filled the kitchen with all my things, I realised just how much I needed that storage space.
So, I accepted that I was going to have to handwash everything. Most of the time, that has been fine. But there have definitely been evenings when I have been exhausted and looked at the pile of washing up next to the sink with absolute dread. Then there are those occasions when guests have been over and suddenly the pile of plates, bowls and glasses has doubled in size.
Those were always the moments when I would think: "I really wish I had a dishwasher." Well, Capsule Solo has answered my prayers.
What I like about the Capsule Solo dishwasher
The first thing that surprised me is just how much I can fit inside it.
I live on my own, so I can sometimes put a couple of days' worth of plates, bowls, cups and cutlery inside before I need to turn it on. Despite being a compact countertop dishwasher, it feels surprisingly spacious inside. Loch says the Capsule Solo can hold up to 25 items, or up to 35 when used with its optional Dual Tray.
It does have limitations, of course. This is still a compact dishwasher, so there are some things that won't fit. Some of my larger oven trays and serving bowls are too big, for example. If I have cooked a particularly elaborate meal or had someone round for dinner, I can sometimes need to run two cycles in one evening to get everything washed.
But I don't mind that at all. The fact that a wash cycle can take as little as 15 minutes makes a second load feel like a very small price to pay. Loch says the Quick Wash uses around 2.7 litres of water too so it’s pretty economical.
The cleaning performance has been superb too. I did have a little bit of trial and error at the beginning while I worked out which cycle suited different loads. If my dishes have been well rinsed and washed soon after eating, I have found 15 minutes perfectly adequate. For stubborn stains or food that has dried onto plates, I prefer a 30 or 45-minute cycle.
That flexibility is one of the reasons it has become such an important gadget in my home. It isn't simply a case of putting everything in and hoping for the best. I can choose the cycle according to how dirty the dishes are.
It is also fairly quiet, so having it running while I am doing other things in the kitchen isn't irritating. Loch lists the Capsule Solo at 60dB.
Another thing I appreciate is that it doesn't require permanent plumbing. The Solo takes its clean water from the supplied tank and can drain waste water into the sink or an additional waste-water tank. More on that below.
That is what makes this possible for someone like me in the first place, and also therefore accessible to all. You don't need to rip out any part of your kitchen or pay for a plumber to be able to use this.
What I don't like about the Capsule Solo dishwasher
There are a few things I would absolutely recommend knowing before buying, particularly because the whole appeal of the Capsule Solo is that it can be installed in places where a conventional dishwasher cannot.
The first is the size. Loch describes the Capsule Solo as compact and says it fits a standard counter, but I found it fractionally too tall to fit underneath my kitchen cupboards. That was disappointing when I first opened the box because I had assumed I would be able to put it beside my sink.
Thankfully, it wasn't a dealbreaker. I have a conservatory directly off my kitchen, so I was able to find a home for it there. But I would strongly recommend getting the tape measure out before buying and measuring the exact space where you want to put it.
The listed dimensions are around 26.2cm wide, 46.5cm high and 51.5cm deep, so it is worth checking the height as well as the footprint.
The second thing is the water set-up. The standard Solo comes with a fresh-water tank and hoses, so it can sit next to your sink and drain the used water straight into it. If you want to use it somewhere away from the sink, you need an additional waste-water tank, which is currently £49.99.
This is something I found disappointing. One of the biggest selling points of the Capsule Solo is its flexibility. Loch describes it as suitable for places including counters, shelves, vans and camping, and being able to use it away from a sink is a big part of that appeal.
For the amount you are already spending on the dishwasher, (£349.99), I would have preferred to see both water tanks included as standard so the machine could be used wherever you wanted from day one without having to make additional purchases.
I also wouldn't personally describe it as lightweight. It weighs around 12kg, or 26lb, and while I am a 5ft 4in woman of average strength and managed to move it around my kitchen and conservatory while deciding where it should live, I certainly wouldn't want to carry it for any great distance.
Finally, you will need detergent to use this. Loch advises using dishwasher detergent rather than ordinary washing-up liquid, because regular dish soap foams too much and can cause problems. The company says powder, gel, liquid or detergent should be used because most dishwasher capsules disolve too slowly inside.
However, I struggled to find the recommended detergent in my local shops and supermarkets, so I ended up buying some online. I use Care +Protect Eco+ Dishwasher Gel (£11.34 from Amazon). It isn't a major inconvenience, but it is another thing I would have liked to know before getting started.
My Verdict
It has taken something I had resigned myself to doing by hand and made it almost effortless. More importantly, it has changed the way I feel about washing up. Instead of looking at a pile beside the sink and knowing I have to stand there and deal with it, I can load the dishwasher, choose a cycle and get on with something else.
That might sound like a small change, but I have found it to be a big one. For the past five years, I believed that having a dishwasher simply wasn't an option in my home unless I sacrificed valuable kitchen storage and went through the hassle of installing one. The Capsule Solo has shown me that I was wrong.
It isn't perfect. You need to check the measurements carefully, you need to think about where the waste water will go, and I would have liked the additional water tank to be included. It is also heavier than I would expect from something described as lightweight.
But none of those things change how much I love having it.
The biggest compliment I can give the Capsule Solo is that I already can't imagine going back to life without it. It has become part of my everyday routine so quickly that I now wonder how I managed without it for five years and I can’t believe I didn’t know it existed until a few weeks ago.
- Please note that delivery charges may apply. Capsule Dishwashers currently have 15% off until September 20, so the Capsule Solo is £297.49 for a limited time.