You might be familiar with this situation: you excitedly unlock your dishwasher after it has completed its cycle, expecting to see sparkling clean dishes. However, they’re not clean as you anticipated. They might be covered with white spots, a layer of grime, or chalky residues. It’s quite irritating, isn’t it? Hard water is notorious for leaving residues on surfaces due to its high mineral content. While the hard water itself is not harmful to your health, it could cause damage to your dishwasher. Switching to the best dishwasher detergent for hard water helps deal with the spots on glassware and limescale buildup in your dishwasher. There are many excellent dishwasher detergent formulas on the market today. However, not all can deal with hard water.
Top 10 Best Dishwasher Detergents for Sparkling Dishes
1. Cascade Platinum Plus ActionPacs
In our tests, the Cascade Platinum Plus Actionpacs excelled at removing grease from dirty dishes, effectively whisking away food particles and leaving our dishes spot-free with minimal detergent residue. The three liquids included in the pod complement each other, contributing a degreaser, water softener, and rinse aid along with the powder detergent. The phosphate-free formula claims to work with both hard and soft water. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Exceptional grease removal, no residue, works in hard and soft water.
- Cons: Slightly expensive compared to other pods.
2. Finish Quantum Dishwashing Tablets
Need a detergent pod that’ll tackle even the grimiest messes? That’s Finish Quantum Dishwashing Tablets. These tablets cleaned everything. Dirty lasagna pan? Spotless! Flatware? Sparkling clean. Lipstick-smeared glasses? Not a smudge left. Load after load, these dishwashing pods-a blend of detergent gel and powder-performed. Never once did our testing team have to rewash anything that came out of the dishwasher when they used Finish-and that’s truly the sign of a great dishwasher detergent. One thing to note with this product: This powerful clean does come with a powerful scent. If you’re sensitive to this, try one of our other picks. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Tackles tough stains, no rewashing needed, effective on pots and pans.
- Cons: Strong scent may bother sensitive users, individual wrapping creates plastic waste.
3. Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs
If you prefer detergents without heavy perfumes or dyes, consider Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs. These single-use packs earn top scores for cleaning dishes and helping resist film and discoloration. We also find they resist water spots. But it’s one of the pricier dishwasher detergents we test, at 31 cents a pod. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Fragrance-free, resists water spots, excellent cleaning.
- Cons: Higher cost per pod.
4. Member’s Mark Ultimate Clean Dishwasher Pacs
Member’s Mark Ultimate Clean Dishwasher Pacs is a CR Best Buy, earning the highest score of any dishwasher detergent we’ve tested. And it costs just 10 cents per dose, less than half of most major-brand pacs-though it’s a Sam’s Club store brand, so you’ll get that low price only if you’re a warehouse member. But the results were fantastic, and this formula even resists water spots better than many other high-end packs do. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Budget-friendly, top cleaning performance, resists water spots.
- Cons: Requires Sam’s Club membership for best price.
5. Lemi Shine Natural Dishwashing Pods
Many of us are trying to go green in our kitchens-and that extends to our cleaning products. You can be eco-friendly and get a great clean with Lemi Shine Natural Dishwashing Pods. These pods combine the power of powdered detergent and cleaning gel for a satisfying clean. Dinner dishes came out spotless after each load. And testers enjoyed the fresh smell that came with Lemi Shine. This brand uses the power of citric acid to cut through grease and give a fresh lemon scent. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Eco-friendly, citric acid cuts grease, pleasant lemon scent.
- Cons: May not perform as well on very tough stains.
6. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dishwasher Detergent Pods
The Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dishwasher Detergent Pods offer a USDA-approved plant-based formula that effectively cleans food residue off of dishes. Overall, in our testing we felt that this pod worked just as well as other all-powder products (although not as well as some of the pods with liquids or rinse aids incorporated in). We like that the smell when opening the bag is pretty mild as far as dishwasher detergents go (some of these products can be pretty aggressive). Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Plant-based, mild scent, good for sensitive users.
- Cons: Less effective on heavy soils without rinse aid.
7. Amazon Basics Dishwasher Detergent Pacs
Amazon Basics may not be a brand name you’re used to seeing among detergents, but its Dishwasher Detergent Pacs do an excellent job at cleaning dishes and preventing film and discoloration, which occur when mineral deposits remain on dishes. It also resists water spots, which not all dish detergents do. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Affordable, prevents film and spots, good cleaning power.
- Cons: May not match premium brands on tough stains.
8. Nellie’s Dishwasher Powder
Nellie’s dishwasher powder got my dishes completely clean and stain free, earning a perfect performance score of 1/5 (Better Life Dishwasher Gel and Ecover Citrus Tablets are the only other brands to get a perfect performance score). In my experience, it’s right up there with the best dishwasher detergents – natural or not. And it’s worth mentioning, it did so with no rinsing and no light scrubbing with a sponge prior to washing in the dishwasher. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Eco-friendly, no pre-rinsing needed, biodegradable.
- Cons: Powder can be messy, not ideal for hard water.
9. Better Life Gel
Better Life Gel got the dishes sparkling clean, with no food residue left on the cutlery or dishes. In fact, Better Life was one of only three dishwasher detergent brands to earn a perfect score on performance during my testing (1/5). The main downfall is the fact that it’s slightly more expensive per load than my top performer (Nellie’s). Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Natural ingredients, excellent cleaning, no residue.
- Cons: Higher cost per load, less effective in hard water.
10. Finish All in 1 Tablets
The Finish All in 1 Tablets are a budget-friendly but high-quality choice. For a fair price, you get 94 dishwasher tablets, giving you months of clean dishes! These tablets have eight power actions. This includes, but isn’t limited to, cutting through greasy messes, scrubbing dried food off dishes, and removing tough stains. Shop on Amazon.
- Pros: Cost-effective, multiple cleaning actions, good for greasy messes.
- Cons: Tablets may arrive broken, foil wrapping adds waste.
Comparison Table of Top Dishwasher Detergents
| Product | Form | Price per Load | Key Feature | Eco-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Platinum Plus | Pods | ~$0.30 | Grease removal | No |
| Finish Quantum | Tablets | ~$0.25 | Tough stain removal | No |
| Cascade Free & Clear | Pods | ~$0.31 | Fragrance-free | Partial |
| Member’s Mark | Pods | ~$0.10 | Budget-friendly | No |
| Lemi Shine | Pods | ~$0.20 | Citric acid boost | Yes |
| Seventh Generation | Pods | ~$0.22 | Plant-based | Yes |
| Amazon Basics | Pods | ~$0.15 | Affordable | No |
| Nellie’s Powder | Powder | ~$0.18 | Biodegradable | Yes |
| Better Life Gel | Gel | ~$0.25 | Natural ingredients | Yes |
| Finish All in 1 | Tablets | ~$0.12 | Multi-action | No |
Testing Scenarios and Performance
Consumer Reports Testing Methodology
CR’s test engineers smear eight dinner plates with a carefully measured portion of starchy goop (it’s a secret recipe), then bake each plate until the goop gets crusty. After running the plates through a normal wash cycle, we use imaging analysis to determine precisely how clean each dish is, and whether any water spots are present. Then we run a set of clear drinking glasses and aluminum plates through 10 consecutive wash cycles, all with very hard water-that is, we purposely add minerals to our water supply to make the test extra-challenging. We then use a UV light and spectrophotometer to assess whether any haze or film forms on the glasses, or whether the metal plates have begun to discolor.
Good Housekeeping Institute Testing
For each dishwasher detergent we test in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we apply our own recipe of a greasy spinach mix to 10-place settings of dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and 50 pieces of flatware. Ten glasses get microwaved with milk. Beaten egg yolk is brushed onto additional bowls and plates. Coffee cup rims are “kissed” with lipstick and then filled with coffee that we allow to spill over onto the matching saucers. Serving platters get smeared with measured amounts of margarine. Then, we bake macaroni and cheese and baked beans onto casserole dishes, fry a hamburger in a skillet and make a serving of oatmeal in a saucepan. Everything gets dried or baked on for two hours before we load up the two identical dishwashers we use for all our side-by-side detergent testing.
Food Network Kitchen Testing
We tested both dishwasher liquid detergents and detergent pods and found that pods out-performed liquids every time. We did find these pods cleaned even our dirtiest dishes effectively and left no food on dishes that were sitting in the dishwasher for two days prior to cleaning. These pods also left our dishwasher smelling super clean and fresh after every load, but if scents aren’t your thing, that may be something to keep in mind before buying.
Buying Guide for Dishwasher Detergents
Types of Detergents
Dishwasher detergent comes in liquid, powder, gel, or tablet form. Tablets are pre-measured and ready to place in the detergent compartment of your dishwasher. While convenient, they’re more expensive than the other types. The remaining three each have their own benefit, with powder scrubbing, gel degreasing, and liquid shining your dishes. Some detergents come with a fresh scent, such as lemon or citrus, to make your dishes smell clean when you pull them out. Others are unscented or chemical-smelling. If you’re sensitive to smells, opt for a detergent with a light scent or no scent.
Hard Water Considerations
Hard water contains a high amount of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium, and if you have it in your home, you may have noticed residue on your dishes or hands after washing. It also can cause clogged shower heads, lower water pressure, leaks in appliances and other issues. If you’re not sure what your water quality is, you can test your water with a home kit. There are dishwasher detergents specially formulated for hard water, hard water spot removers and boosters that you can use to help regular detergents work better.
Eco-Friendly Options
Many dishwasher detergents are starting to use more eco-friendly ingredients. Using plant- or mineral-based formulas, they avoid phosphates, dyes, and other harsh chemicals. Some detergents are also packaged in recycled or recyclable materials, such as cardboard. By reducing your reliance on harsh chemicals and choosing products with minimal packaging, you contribute to protecting the environment while still keeping your dishes sparkling clean.
Cost and Quantity
The number of tablets or the number of ounces of detergent you have determines how many times you can run your dishwasher. Most tablets come in packs between 50 and 100, while liquid, gel, and powder detergents typically come in bottles or packages that hold around 40 or 50 ounces. Sometimes multiple bottles are packaged together to give you more detergent at a more affordable per-ounce price.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the best dishwasher detergent for hard water?
Detergents like Finish Quantum and Lemi Shine are formulated to tackle hard water stains, using ingredients like citric acid to prevent limescale and spots. Always check if the product specifies hard water compatibility.
Are eco-friendly detergents as effective as regular ones?
Yes, brands like Seventh Generation and Nellie’s offer plant-based formulas that clean effectively, especially for light to medium soils. For tougher stains, you may need to pair them with a rinse aid.
Can I use dish soap in my dishwasher?
No, dish soap creates excessive suds that can damage your dishwasher. Use only dishwasher-specific detergents to ensure proper cleaning and appliance safety.
How much detergent should I use per load?
For pods or tablets, use one per load. For powder or gel, 2-3 tablespoons is typically sufficient, but adjust based on load size and soil level. Check your dishwasher’s manual for guidance.
Do I need to pre-rinse dishes before loading?
Most modern detergents, like Cascade Platinum and Finish Quantum, are designed to handle stuck-on food without pre-rinsing. Scraping off large food particles is usually enough.
Conclusion
Choosing the right dishwasher detergent can significantly impact the cleanliness of your dishes, the longevity of your appliance, and even your household budget. This comprehensive guide has explored a range of options, from powerful pods to eco-friendly powders, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each to help you make an informed decision. By carefully considering the features discussed and weighing them against your individual circumstances, you are now well-equipped to select from the top-performing options presented. For more tips on maintaining your dishwasher, visit Consumer Reports or Good Housekeeping.