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The best automatic dishwasher detergents you can buy
The best automatic dishwasher detergents you can buy
Mary Marlowe LeveretteJan 23, 2019, 22:15 IST
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We all want clean dishes and we want them done with the least amount of effort. That's why automatic dishwashers are so prized in the kitchen. But sometimes, they don't produce the best results.
Getting dishes clean in a dishwasher requires three components: a mechanical scrubbing action, thermal energy (hot water), and chemical energy (detergent). So even if your dishwasher is on its last leg, why not use the best dishwasher detergent on the market? You'll have a much better outcome and avoid that nearly endless and frustrating rewashing routine.
As I tested different automatic dishwasher detergent brands and formulas and read hundreds of expert ratings and buyer reviews, I took into consideration price, ease of use, and, most importantly, the ability of the detergent to produce clean, spot-free dishes and glassware to come up with our top picks.
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Here are the best dishwasher detergents you can buy:
Why you'll love them: If you are looking for a reasonably-priced, easy-to-use automatic dishwasher detergent that leaves dishes and glassware clean and spot-free, Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets are your best bet.
As I began my quest to find the best automatic dishwashing detergent, I was delighted to discover that I've been using it for years. Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets produced the cleanest dishes of all the ones we tried, removing even baked-on food from casserole dishes, pots, and pans.
The tablets contain a pre-treating solution, degreaser, bacteria-killing bleach, and a rinse-aid to prevent spotting on glassware.
At around 22 cents per tablet, Finish is a mid-priced cost-per-use detergent. It first hit the market in the early 1950s and is now sold in more than 40 countries around the world. Recommended by most of the leading china, glassware, and dishwasher manufacturers, Finish is manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser.
More than 80% of the reviews for Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets on Amazon are five-star reviews. One buyer thought the household needed a new dishwasher until a repair tech recommended Finish which brought the dishwasher back to life resulting in sparkling clean dishes.
Another buyer likes the fact that the tablets are not individually wrapped which saves time and packaging waste.
Pros: Convenient to use, removes baked-on foods, performs well in hard water leaving no spotting, no individual wrapper to remove, mid-priced cost-per-use
Cons: Pouch packaging can overturn spilling out tablets
Saving a few pennies each time you turn on the dishwasher can add up during the year. Kirkland Premium Dishwasher Pacs provide that savings, and according to Consumer Reports, perform as well as our top overall pick. At around 11 cents per use, this budget-friendly detergent works amazingly well in removing grease and baked-on foods.
Glasses and dishware came out clean with little spotting thanks to the product's rinse-aid. The individual pacs are simple to use and prevent waste from adding too much detergent. They come in a pleasant lemon citrus scent and stay dry in a sturdy recyclable container.
More than 60% of the reviews for Kirkland Premium Dishwasher Pacs on Amazon are five-star reviews. One buyer was thrilled with the results and the convenience of getting it without being a Costco member.
That's the downside of the product. If you are not a Costco member, the cost of buying from a third-party vendor negates any savings.
Pros: Easy to use, leaves dishes clean and spot-free, low-cost per-use
Cons: You must be a Costco member to benefit from the savings, cost more on Amazon
Why you'll love it: Environmentally-friendly with no phosphates, Palmolive Eco+ Gel is also easy on your budget.
If you like to use liquid dishwasher detergent, Palmolive Eco+ Gel is ranked as a leader by The Olive and other experts. Using a gel allows you to reduce the amount of dishwasher detergent used if you are washing a load of lightly soiled dishes and it dissolves easily. You can also use it as a pre-soak for pots and pans with burned-on food.
At a cost of only seven cents per load, Consumer Reports selected the gel as a best buy. Produced from only raw, natural materials and enhanced with environmentally-friendly enzymes, the gel does not contain artificial colorants and preservatives. It is available in a lemon or apple-citrus scent.
The gel does a good job with regular loads but does leave residue on heavily-soiled pans and some spotting on stainless-steel pieces and seems to work best in softer water that does not contain excessive minerals.
Why you'll love it: If you prefer powdered dishwasher detergent, Cascade Complete Powder will leave your dishes clean and streak-free.
When it comes to powdered formulas of automatic dishwasher detergents, Good Housekeeping has not only ranked Cascade Complete Powder as one of the best, the site's experts have awarded it a Good Housekeeping Seal. According to GH, it left virtually no water spots on glassware after a load is complete.
Definitely one of the oldest brands on market shelves, Cascade Complete Powder still performs well and is one of the least expensive types of dishwasher detergents. I like the ability to determine the amount to use based on the soil-level of the load.
While powdered formulas can become lumpy if stored in a humid environment, they will dissolve well in the hot water of the dishwasher. Simply transfer the powder to a sealable plastic tub for better results.
With one of the largest collections of customer reviews for dishwasher detergents on Amazon, 81% gave it four or five stars.
Pros: Easy to find on market shelves, inexpensive cost per load, leaves glassware free of spots
Cons: Powder can absorb moisture and become lumpy if not stored properly
Why you'll love it: Perfect for septic-systems and from a company committed to improving the Earth, Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs also leave your dishes clean and spot-free.
If you are looking for an environmentally-friendly dishwasher detergent from a company who is committed to the welfare of our planet, Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs are an excellent choice.
Produced in the United States, the packs contain no chlorine, phosphates, or synthetic fragrances. Never tested on animals, the packs have the USDA bio-based certification.
A bit more expensive to use at 22 cents per load, the packs have loyal customers. One reviewer on Amazon states that they pass the baby bottle test. Her last try with an eco-friendly brand left a film on bottle nipples but Seventh Generation did not, and she was left squeaky clean bottle parts.
More than 66% of the reviewers on Amazon rated the packs with five stars and Consumer Reports ranks it as one of the best dishwasher detergents.
Pros: Never tested on animals, produced in the United States, uses only bio-based ingredients, environmentally-friendly with recyclable outer pouch
