Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel

April 2009. Reviewers are impressed by the cleaning ability of Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel dishwasher detergent, which handles dishes, glassware and pots and pans equally well, without leaving behind any spots or residue. The Cascade Complete line of dishwasher detergent is a favorite of consumers and receives top marks in comparison testing. These detergents claim to rid consumers of the need to pre-rinse dishes, although experts say that pre-rinsing is unnecessary with most modern dishwashers.

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel comes in three scents and is available with bleach (which one reviewer says smells a little strong). A few reviewers complain that it is difficult to squeeze the gel from the bottle. Like many mainstream dishwasher detergents, Cascade Complete contains phosphates, which can damage the environment by allowing algae to overgrow in waterways. If you are looking for a phosphate-free dishwasher detergent, reviewers recommend Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder (*est. 13 cents per load) which contains no phosphates or chlorine. Reviewers say it's a good value and does a good job on dishes, though Cascade is said to be better on heavily soiled pots and pans.

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel dishwasher detergent receives the most reviews of any brand and is one of the detergents included in Consumer Reports' testing. We found informal tests of Cascade Complete All-in-1 Gel at the websites KeepingTheCastle.com and MetropolitanMama.com. There are brief consumer reviews on ExpoTV.com, ThriftyFun.com and at the manufacturer's website, CascadeClean.com.