- Every automatic dishwasher detergent promises to leave your dishes sparkling clean, but do they live up to that promise?
- Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets deliver the clean dishes they promise at a reasonable cost per use.
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, 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.
It’s important to note that not every dishwasher detergent we recommend will work perfectly in every dishwasher or home. The type of hot water heater you have and its settings, as well as water hardness, can also play a big role in whether a detergent will work for you. A bit of trial and error may be required to find the best detergent for you, but these are the best ones we’ve found.
Here are the best dishwasher detergents:
- Best overall: Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets
- Best on a budget: Kirkland Premium Dishwasher Pacs
- Best gel detergent: Palmolive Eco+
- Best powder detergent: Cascade Complete Powder
- Best eco-friendly detergent: Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus Dishwasher Packs
Prices and links are current as of 3/12/20. We also added a product showcase at the top of the page and section of related guides.
The best overall
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.
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.
The tablets are not individually wrapped which saves time and packaging waste, but that means if you get them wet, they will start to disintegrate.
Consumer Reports also recommends Finish Quantum Max Powerball Tablets as one of the top dishwasher detergents.
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
The best on a budget
If you are a Costco member, Kirkland Premium Dishwasher Pacs offer excellent cleaning results and save money.
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. 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.
If you are not a Costco member, however, 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
The best gel detergent
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 one of the best. 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.
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. It seems to work best in softer water that does not contain excessive minerals.
Pros: Cost-conscious, environmentally-friendly, easy-to-use, quick-dissolving
Cons: Does not work well on heavily-soiled pots and pans
The best powder detergent
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.
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
The best eco-friendly detergent
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 that 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.
They're a bit more expensive to use, but they're worth it for the peace of mind they provide in cleaning your dishware.
Pros: Never tested on animals, produced in the United States, uses only bio-based ingredients, environmentally-friendly with recyclable outer pouch
Cons: More expensive to use than some brands
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