Best Dishwasher Detergent

Best dishwasher powders, gels and pre-measured packs

Cascade dishwasher detergents receive the best reviews. The Cascade Complete line of detergents claims to completely rid users of the need for pre-rinsing because Cascade Complete uses more enzymes and can dissolve food particles. Almost all reviewers agree with this claim. However, note that dishwasher manufacturers and experts, including those at Consumer Reports, say that modern dishwashers are completely capable of cleaning dishes without pre-rinsing, and that doing so is a water waste.

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel (*Est. 20 cents per load) is a favorite of consumers and receives top marks in comparison testing. At a website called KeepingtheCastle.com, a blogger known as Maricar tests this detergent by not pre-rinsing dishes before washing. She finds that "in terms of clean results," Cascade Complete is the best detergent she has ever tried. (Note that she received the detergent to review along with a competing brand. She does not reveal who gave her the detergent to test.) On the Cascade website, dozens of reviewers rave about this detergent, stating that it gets most dishes clean no matter how dirty they are going into the dishwasher and leaves behind no spots or residue. Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel is available in three scents; it is also available with added bleach. (The bleach smell can be a little strong, according to Stephanie Sheaffer at MetropolitanMama.net.) A complaint shared by several reviewers is that the gel can be hard to squeeze from the container. Besides the gel, Cascade Complete All-in-1 comes in powder and ActionPac formulations.

The powdered formula of Cascade Complete receives similarly strong reviews. At HowToCleanAnything.com, editors give four families Cascade Complete powder to try during the course of a month. The families "were trying to make this product fail," by putting very dirty dishes into the dishwasher without pre-rinsing. After 100 loads, only 1 percent of items needed additional cleaning. (We do note that the detergent was supplied by the manufacturer, but the results of the test seem genuine.) The latest version of Cascade Complete powder is Cascade Complete All-in-1 powder (*Est. 12 cents per load).

Cascade with the Grease Fighting Power of Dawn ActionPacs (*Est. 39 cents per load) are packets filled with premeasured detergent that are placed in the dishwasher. The packet dissolves in water to allow the detergent to dispense. With the ActionPacs, overfilling and spills are eliminated. On Amazon.com, about 15 reviewers give the Cascade 2-in-1 ActionPacs very good scores overall, but for a few reviewers, the packets do not dissolve. Reviewers also caution that touching the packets with wet hands can cause them to dissolve. Aside from the ActionPacs, it also comes in gel and powder.

Palmolive Eco (*Est. 15 cents per load) is Palmolive's entry into the environmentally friendly arena. This detergent is free of phosphates, but it contains bleach -- an ingredient that many environmentalists say disqualifies this formula from being truly green. Many reviewers comment on the strong smell of bleach that emanates from the dishwasher when Palmolive Eco is used. In addition, this detergent frequently leaves behind a white, powdery residue, as attested to by 90 percent of reviewers on Amazon.com. Many reviewers say they have to rewash their dishes after trying Palmolive Eco.

Several low-cost dishwasher detergents receive good reviews. Great Value powder detergent from Wal-Mart (*Est. 6 cents per load) compares favorably with more expensive brands in professional tests. Several user reviewers at ThriftyFun.com and GardenWeb.com say that Great Value detergent works well for them, and that the price makes it a real value. Contributors to BlissTree.com and a website known as RantsRavesandRejects also find that Great Value cleans well, even when dishes are not pre-rinsed.