A Countertop Dishwasher Took On a Bosch Built-In—and Held Its Own

In her Loch Capsule countertop dishwasher review for BobVila.com, Glenda Taylor set out to answer a fair question: can a machine barely wider than a dinner plate clean as thoroughly as a full-size built-in? She ran the Capsule against a Bosch built-in dishwasher, splitting a load of dirty dishes between them after a large Italian dinner that included spaghetti. The dishes sat for a couple of hours, then got a quick rinse before the test. When both machines finished, Taylor reported that the Capsule cleaned dishes and glassware as well as the Bosch.

That result surprised her. Taylor went into the test as a first-time countertop-dishwasher reviewer, and she initially doubted that a 10.3-inch-wide unit could handle dinner plates and glassware. The comparison answered that doubt on this particular load, though capacity remains a separate matter.

Size, weight, and where it fits

Loch Electronics built the Capsule at 10.3 inches wide, 18.3 inches high, and 20.3 inches deep, with a weight of 26 pounds. A built-in carrying handle makes it possible to lift and move, and Taylor describes the unit as sleek and modern in appearance and portable enough to shift between locations.

Its height is worth checking before purchase. Taylor noted that the Capsule may not fit under all upper cabinets, a practical concern in compact kitchens where counter space is already tight. In her test, she placed the unit on a stainless-steel rack positioned over a sink.

No plumbing, separate tanks

The Capsule does not require permanent plumbing. Instead, it draws from a separate clean-water tank and drains through a hose. That design is central to its portability and to the use cases Taylor considers its strongest. It also means the appliance can operate in places where a standard dishwasher hookup does not exist.

Water use is modest. A quick wash consumes about 0.7 gallons, or 2.69 liters. The stainless-steel tub helps retain heat, and the machine reaches temperatures up to 167 degrees Fahrenheit. Taylor found it relatively quiet during operation; Loch rates the noise level at 60 dB.

Ten programs, from 15 minutes to intensive

The Capsule offers 10 wash programs, with cycles ranging from a 15-minute Quick Wash to Heavy Duty and Intensive Clean. There are dedicated settings for glassware and everyday loads. Taylor also removed the flatware holder when she needed extra room, a small adjustment that stretched the interior for a given load.

Capacity is where the machine’s limits become clear. Loch rates the Capsule at about 25 items, or roughly two place settings. For a household accustomed to loading a full-size dishwasher after a family meal, that is a fraction of the volume. Taylor identifies capacity as the biggest limitation of the design, and she describes the Capsule as a personal dishwasher rather than a full-size family replacement.

UV-C cycles beyond dishwashing

Beyond washing dishes, the Capsule includes UV-C sanitizing cycles, with dedicated short and long UV cycles that run without water. There is also a fruit-and-vegetable cycle that uses UV light. Taylor tried the produce cycle on newly purchased fruits and vegetables and felt better about serving them afterward. Loch suggests the UV function for baby bottles and small household objects as well.

These features broaden what the appliance can do, but they do not change its fundamental scale. The Capsule remains a compact machine with a compact interior.

Price and the value question

At $459.99, the Capsule is pricey for a dishwasher that holds two place settings. Taylor’s assessment is direct: she would not buy it for a kitchen that already has a full-size dishwasher. The math of capacity against cost makes that position easy to understand.

The case for the Capsule rests on circumstances rather than raw capacity. Taylor sees it as useful for RVs, houseboats, tiny homes, cabins, dorms, and small living spaces without a dishwasher hookup. In those settings, the absence of permanent plumbing and the ability to move the unit matter more than the number of plates it can hold at once.

Who should consider it—and who should not

The Capsule makes the most sense for someone who has no built-in dishwasher and no easy way to install one. Its tank-and-hose design, 26-pound weight, and carrying handle support that role. The UV-C cycles add a sanitizing option that a standard built-in may not offer, and the low water use per quick wash is a practical advantage where supply or drainage is limited.

It makes the least sense for a family that already owns a full-size machine, or for anyone who regularly generates more than two place settings of dirty dishes in a day. Taylor’s conclusion is not that the Capsule falls short at cleaning—her test found the opposite—but that its capacity defines its audience.

Several questions remain outside the scope of the test. Long-term durability is untested, as is energy consumption beyond the water figures. Performance on heavily baked-on stains beyond the dinner load is also unknown, and the review does not address warranty terms or how the Capsule compares with other countertop dishwasher brands. Those gaps are worth weighing alongside the cleaning result, which is the strongest part of the story.

For a renter, an RV owner, or anyone carving a kitchen out of a small space, the Capsule offers a way to stop washing dishes by hand without committing to plumbing. For everyone else, the $459.99 price and two-place-setting capacity are likely to settle the question quickly.