Best and worst dishwasher detergents
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You bought a good dishwasher, and it doesn't get your dishes clean! What's with that? It could be your detergent.
Choosing a dishwasher detergent used to be simple. But after manufacturers removed polluting phosphates two years ago, some detergents couldn't get the job done.
Consumer Reports tested more than a dozen products to find out which ones get the job done at the best price.
Carol Kuen couldn't figure out why her dishwasher wasn't cleaning her dishes very well, and why they were turning filmy.
"I tried loading the dishwasher differently. I tried different detergent. I tried different rinse aids," she said.
When Consumer Reports evaluated detergents last year, testers found some left a white film on glassware.
Consumers complained, too, so some manufacturers reformulated their phosphate-free detergents.
"We developed a tough hard-water test to evaluate these detergents. In hard water, glassware is likelier to develop a film," said Bob Markovich of Consumer Reports. And aluminum can discolor.
Testers loaded a dishwasher with clear plates and with small aluminum sheets that stand in for pots and trays. They added detergent and repeated the test 20 times.
To see how well the detergents clean away food, Consumer Reports performed another tough test. A messy mix of 17 ingredients, including peanut butter and eggs, was applied to plates, and then baked on.
"some of the worst-performing detergents left food on the plates," Markovich said.
The lowest-rated detergent - Green Mission Organic Dishwasher Gel from Whole Foods.
But Cascade Complete with Dawn Actionpacs was a clear standout. Great Value Powder Pacs from Walmart was close behind and costs far less. Both do a very good job cleaning dishes, and they don't leave a filmy buildup.
In addition to choosing a good detergent, Consumer Reports says there are a number of things you can do to get your dishes cleaner. Use a rinse agent. Load properly -- that means the dirty side of the dishes should face toward the water jets. And separate your flatware.
Choosing a dishwasher detergent used to be simple. But after manufacturers removed polluting phosphates two years ago, some detergents couldn't get the job done.
Consumer Reports tested more than a dozen products to find out which ones get the job done at the best price.
Carol Kuen couldn't figure out why her dishwasher wasn't cleaning her dishes very well, and why they were turning filmy.
"I tried loading the dishwasher differently. I tried different detergent. I tried different rinse aids," she said.
When Consumer Reports evaluated detergents last year, testers found some left a white film on glassware.
Consumers complained, too, so some manufacturers reformulated their phosphate-free detergents.
"We developed a tough hard-water test to evaluate these detergents. In hard water, glassware is likelier to develop a film," said Bob Markovich of Consumer Reports. And aluminum can discolor.
Testers loaded a dishwasher with clear plates and with small aluminum sheets that stand in for pots and trays. They added detergent and repeated the test 20 times.
To see how well the detergents clean away food, Consumer Reports performed another tough test. A messy mix of 17 ingredients, including peanut butter and eggs, was applied to plates, and then baked on.
"some of the worst-performing detergents left food on the plates," Markovich said.
The lowest-rated detergent - Green Mission Organic Dishwasher Gel from Whole Foods.
But Cascade Complete with Dawn Actionpacs was a clear standout. Great Value Powder Pacs from Walmart was close behind and costs far less. Both do a very good job cleaning dishes, and they don't leave a filmy buildup.
In addition to choosing a good detergent, Consumer Reports says there are a number of things you can do to get your dishes cleaner. Use a rinse agent. Load properly -- that means the dirty side of the dishes should face toward the water jets. And separate your flatware.
What is wrong with old fashioned powder that you pour in the dishwasher soap holder? That seems more cost effective - why the soap packs? Do they work better or is it just a new gimmick?
@Silvia  Powder might be more cost effective but I will tell you that the soap packs are a blessing to many people. Easier to use with vision problems, weak grip, missing arm, wheelchair bound etc.Â
Just watched this, I noticed the tests were done using hard water which most of the country has. It was not mentioned that Seattle has naturally soft water which not only activates soap better but it does not rinse it well, it's important to always use 1/4 of the amount of soap, the little soap packs are not good for soft water.
@Dchris2013 I use the soap packs - Cascade with Dawn - and have no problems whatsoever. Everything is nice and clean and shiny. 12 year old dishwasher.
I used gel packs in my dishwasher until I realized that the plastic covering was dissolving in the heat but not completely dissolving, which left a huge mess in the machine. I think that if I had continued using the gel packs, my machine would have quit working and I would have had an expensive repair job. I urge you to check your machine very closely to make sure this is not happening to you.
@Ali N
I also had a problem with the gel pack covering not dissolving. It was gathering under the drain trap and had the consistency of gorilla snot. I also had a problem with my glasses smelling like wet dog after they were clean. Ugh! After I cleaned out all of the residue and switched to a powder, the smell in the glasses was gone.Â
I use those Finish Gel Packs.
Those work great in my opinion.
Kind of spendy but they sure get the job done.