I almost always buy concentrated liquid to do my laundry but I saw these Ariel 3 in 1 pods whilst out shopping recently and bought them on a whim. I have tried similar pods and tabs from other brands in the past and occasionally had experienced some difficulty with them. The main issues were the fact that they were not that versatile and I was also finding that they didn’t fully melt during the cycle. However, these Ariel pods looked new and interesting and I wanted to take a chance on them!
The product comes packaged as a small green plastic box. It’s not very environmentally friendly unless you can think of some way to re-use the box after use. As a ’greenie’ I often decoupage boxes and tubs instead of putting them into landfill so I might try that once I’ve finished these! Inside there are 19 little ’pods’. The pods are like tiny fluid filled sacs that seem like they might easily burst open. I tend to be very careful when I pick these up incase my nails catch the fragile film and the laundry liquid spills out of them.
The pods are like no other that I’ve seen or used before. These are comprised of three different liquids. The main part of the pod is filled with a green liquid whilst on one side of each pod are two swirled sections containing a blue and white liquid. Together these three liquids are said to clean, remove stains and brighten clothes. Quite why the liquids need to be kept separate like this I really don’t know and it isn’t explained anywhere on the pack. However, this design makes the product look very technologically advanced! It’s also reassuring to know that the pod can provide these three levels of care for my clothing!
These pods are extremely easy to use. You simply pop one into the drum on top of your clothing. No need for pouring out of bottles or measuring liquids. It’s all very clean and quick, which is what I like most about this kind of product. One pod equals one load of washing (4-5 kg) and they can be used in washes from 20 degrees up to 90 degrees.
The pods contain biological liquid but they are not suitable for use on wool and silk and also not suitable for pre-washing or for hand-washing. The tub is actually designed so that the first thing you see is a big warning to keep these away from children and to ensure the tub is securely fastened after use. This not only keeps the pods safe from children but it also is necessary to protect them from damp conditions. The film on each pod dissolves on impact with water so it’s essential these are stored in a dry place. The tub makes a clicking sound when it has been properly shut.
I’m happy to say that I haven’t had the same problem I had in the past when using these kind of pods from other brands. These Ariel 3 in 1 pods melt completely and there is no trace of them once the wash has been completed. I have used the pods on most temperature settings with great results every time. I have also used on the Quick Wash cycle and found they work well on that too.
The pods provide a deep clean, thoroughly removing stains. I often come home very muddy and recently started to notice that my latest concentrated liquid wasn’t quite doing the job. When I started using the pods, however, my clothes started to come out of the washing machine looking pristine and bright.
I really like the fragrance of the pods. I’m used to using laundry liquids that smell rather feminine and more like a perfume but these pods have very classic, fresh, soapy scent which I find is more suitable for the whole family and for use on all kinds of fabrics.
I would definitely consider buying these again in the future assuming the price was affordable. I can’t recall exactly what I paid for these but they are available at supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons in the UK with prices varying from £4 to £7