While renting a home or apartment can be a perfect situation for those who aren’t ready to buy yet, rentals do often have their limitations. The landlord might not want stuff up on the walls, that ugly industrial carpet is probably threadbare, and — oh yeah — it doesn’t have a dishwasher.
Enter Capsule. This desktop tower-sized device is a personal dishwasher, food washer, and UV sanitizer, all in one countertop device that doesn’t need plumbing — unless you want to hook it up to the sink.
With many of the features of a full size dishwasher, this clean box will heat the water, scrub with heavy-duty spray, and even filter particles and debris. Wastewater can be drained directly into a sink or into a container for manual emptying. A full dishwashing cycle takes 15 minutes and uses less water than hand-washing, according to the company that recently launched Capsule on Kickstarter.
Capsule’s selling feature is that it’s compact yet designed to handle the dirty dishes of a one- or two-person household. Even so, it can also handle larger items like cutting boards and frying pans. At just 18 inches tall, 9.8 inches wide, and 20 inches deep, it’s designed to have a small footprint so it can sit on a countertop or table or in an unused corner of the room.
Reflecting the concerns of our pandemic era, Capsule also works as a UV sanitizer for both hard and soft objects. (Skeptical about UV light sanitizers? We put one to the test.) Pop a smartphone, tablet, or keys inside for 10 minutes, and your germy, everyday objects will come out clean, using only UV light and no water. For soft things like face masks, clothing, paper products, or packaging, there’s a longer 30-minute cycle that’s designed to penetrate.
Designed and built by Scotland-based Loch Electronics, Capsule is made to be easier to fill, using a separate water tank that can be set beside the washer, at countertop level. The company notes in its Kickstarter campaign that you don’t have to pull the Capsule out to fill the tank or lift a heavy jug of water above your head to pour it in.
If you’re tired of manual dishwashing, want to impress your mother with how responsible and tidy you are, or just want to keep things clean and sanitized because pandemic, Capsule might be a smart play for you. If you need something more substantial, you can also surf the best dishwasher deals.
As with any Kickstarter campaign, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks associated with crowdfunding campaigns. This might include products that take longer to ship, aren’t as described, or don’t arrive at all. If you still want to get involved, head over to the project page to make your pledge. Capsule starts at about $400, and shipping is currently set for February 2022.
