Smol and other laundry detergent subscriptions: are they worth trying?

Subscriptions for everyday essentials – like laundry detergent, pet food and fresh vegetables – are a convenient way to make sure you never run out. They’re also perfect for having bulky items delivered straight to your door, saving you time and effort.

Brands such as Bower Collective, Smol and Splosh position themselves as a greener alternative to conventional supermarket products, with a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly packaging.

While these companies offer a range of household items – from cleaning sprays to dishwasher tablets, and even toilet paper – this guide focuses specifically on their laundry detergent offerings. Keep scrolling for our detailed comparison.

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At a glance

Smol

Price comparison

• 24 bio or non-bio laundry tablets £6 (one per wash, 25p per wash).
• 2 x 500ml bio or non-bio laundry liquid £12.50 (50 washes, 25p per wash)
• Available from Smol.

Smol liquid tablets can be popped into your wash in just the same way as regular laundry detergent tablets. Bio and non-bio tabs are available.

Initially, Smol wasn't sold in supermarkets. But since July 2022, the bio and non-bio tablets have been available in Sainsbury's, where they're slightly more expensive (£7). 

While a big brand such as Ariel Platinum + Extra Stain Removal Pods can cost 30p per wash, a supermarket own-brand powder detergent like Aldi's Almat Bio costs just 9p per wash. So while Smol is on the cheaper side for a laundry tablet, it's certainly not the thriftiest option.

Smol's 'free' trial isn't technically free – you'll have to pay £1 to cover postage – but you can try it out with nine capsules delivered to your door.

How frequently you'll need a new pack delivered will depend on the number of tablets you use per wash (you can use two if you like), and how many washes you do a week. For example, if you do five washes a week with one capsule per wash, a new 24-pack will be delivered every four weeks. You can choose to delay the next pack being sent, or request one earlier if you've been doing more laundry than usual. 

You don't need to be at home to collect them when they're delivered – each pack is sent in a slim box that can fit through a standard letterbox. 

Green claims

• Plastic-free, recyclable packaging made from sustainable materials.
• Cruelty-free, contains no animal-derived ingredients and Leaping Bunny-accredited.
• Fewer added chemicals than other capsules.
• Full life cycle from production to delivery produces 35% less carbon than bigger brands.

All Smol packaging is made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved sustainable materials and is 100% recyclable.

Household products sold in the UK can't be tested on animals, due to EU law. Because Smol is a British operation that doesn't currently have a parent company, you can be sure that no international branches or sister companies test on animals either, which isn't the case with large internationals Procter & Gamble (which owns Ariel) and Unilever (which owns Persil).

Smol claims to have lower levels of added chemicals than other capsule brands. However, all cleaning capsules have to be safe to be sold in the UK – just because a product contains more or fewer chemicals than another, it doesn't affect how sustainable that product is. Smol is B Corp-certified though, meaning it meets high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Smol also offers dishwasher tablets, washing-up liquid, fabric conditioner subscriptions and cleaning sprays. The sprays are available in three varieties – multipurpose, bathroom and glass – and come concentrated in a small tablet that's dissolved in water to produce the cleaning liquid.

How well does it clean?

We haven't tested Smol laundry capsules or dishwasher tablets recently, but you can see what consumers think of Smol according to a Which? survey.

Read our guide to the best and worst laundry detergents to find out which brands were the best at banishing stains in Which? lab tests

Splosh

Price comparison

• 430ml fragranced and fragrance-free non-bio liquids £5.75 (23 washes, 25p per wash).
• 430g bio laundry powder £5.55 (22 washes, 25p per wash).
• 10% off most products when bought on a subscription.
• Available from Splosh.

Retailing at around 25p per wash, Splosh liquid detergent is very similar in price to Smol and Bower Collective. 

All three are pricier than many supermarket brands, but similar in price-per-wash to Ariel, Fairy and Persil liquid detergents. Branded laundry capsules generally tend to be more expensive.

However, Splosh SuperSize non-bio refills are available to buy for £18.95 (including postage). One refill box contains enough liquid to top up your bottle five times – equivalent to 115 washes. Splosh says that this means each wash will cost you around 16p.

Splosh also sells fabric stain remover and fabric conditioner, dishwasher tablets, glass cleaner and hand wash, so you can get all your cleaning products delivered regularly.

Green claims

• Liquid refills reduce plastic waste by 90%.
• Empties can be sent back to Splosh to be reused.
• Cruelty free, vegan-friendly and septic tank-safe.

Splosh products are delivered as concentrates, which you then dilute at home with tap water. As such, Splosh claims that it uses three or four times less plastic packaging compared to supermarket products. Splosh pouches also weigh about 70% less than bottles and dispensers.

Combined, Splosh claims this means its refill pouches reduce plastic waste by around 90%. So as not to waste the other 10%, you can send your used refill pouches back to Splosh where they can be cleaned, sanitised and refilled. If pouches can't be refilled, they are made into new products.

Just like Smol and Bower Collective, Splosh is a British company, so it doesn't test on animals and it isn't connected with any international companies that may do so. 

How well does it clean?

We haven't tested any Splosh products recently.

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Bower Collective

Price comparison

• 1L fragrance-free refill £6.29 if you subscribe (30 washes, 21p per wash), or £7.86 for one-time purchase (30 washes, 26p per wash).
• 5L fragrance-free refill £28.99 if you subscribe (150 washes, 19p per wash), or £36.24 for one-time purchase (150 washes, 24p per wash).
• 1kg Bio-D Concentrated Washing Powder £5.59 (33 washes, 17p per wash).
• Available from Bower Collective.

Bower Collective's non-bio laundry liquids are pricier than many supermarket brand non-bios when bought as a one-off. They're similar in price-per-wash to Ariel, Fairy and Persil liquid detergents. Scents include lavender, orange blossom and fresh linen, though fragrance-free versions are available.

Bower Collective also sells a reusable one-litre PET bottle for £5.99 for your liquid refills, as well as a 1kg Bio-D washing powder (Bower Collective's non-bio detergent) for £5.59.

It also sells lots of cleaning products, including dishwashing liquid, plus a variety of personal care items and kitchen accessories such as bamboo kitchen roll, eco cleaning brushes and cloths, most of which can be included in your subscription.

Green claims

• Made using ethically sourced, vegan and cruelty-free ingredients in the UK.
• Refill pouches reduce plastic waste.
• Empty refills can be sent back to be reused.
• Partners with the Marine Conservation Society and CleanHub to remove plastic waste from the ocean.

Bower Collective says all its products are made using ethically sourced ingredients and manufactured in the UK to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

It also says that you can fold empty pouches and return them in your pre-paid postal return box (customers are advised to collect around four pouches before returning). The used pouches are cleaned and sterilised before being refilled for another round.

On top of this, every Bower Collective purchase will help fund the Marine Conservation Society's Save Our Seagrass appeal to protect one square metre of endangered seagrass meadows in the UK. Once the appeal reaches its target, all subsequent donations will go towards the Marine Conservation Society's ongoing conservation work to protect and enhance the health of our oceans.

Bower Collective is a British company set up in 2019, and is not currently owned by an international company. This means that it won't be complicit in animal testing carried out by international branches or sister companies in other countries. It's also B Corp-certified, meaning it meets high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

How well does it clean?

We haven't tested Bower Collective products recently.

Find out more about green cleaning brands in Green brands: how sustainable really are they?