Which is the best dishwasher detergent?
All-in-one tablet detergents combining detergent, rinse aid, and salt function are the most convenient choice for most households. In independent testing over multiple years, Fairy All-in-One has consistently performed well at the premium end, while budget own-brand tablets from supermarket discount ranges have tested close to the performance of premium brands at significantly lower cost per wash. Using the right amount for water hardness makes more difference than brand choice at a similar quality tier.
Dishwasher detergent is available as tablets, capsules, powder, and gel. The format matters less than using a quality product at the correct dosage for the water hardness in the area.
Types of Dishwasher Detergent
| Type | How it works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-in-one tablets / capsules | Combines detergent, rinse aid, and salt function in a single dose | Most convenient. Salt and rinse aid dispensers still work when separate products are also used. In very hard water areas a separate softener salt may still be recommended |
| Powder detergent | Loose powder measured into the dispenser drawer | Allows dosage adjustment for load and water hardness. Less convenient than tablets but often cheaper per wash |
| Gel / liquid detergent | Poured into the dispenser drawer | Works similarly to powder. Generally less effective on dried-on food than tablets in independent tests |
| Eco / concentrated tablets | Reduced-formula tablets designed for lower environmental impact | Performance varies widely by brand. Some eco tablets perform comparably to conventional products; others do not. Check independent test results before committing to a large pack |
Does Brand Matter?
Independent testing (Which? and others) consistently shows that premium brands such as Fairy All-in-One perform well, but that several budget and own-brand alternatives from major supermarkets perform closely behind at significantly lower cost. The cost per wash for dishwasher tablets ranges from approximately 4 pence at the budget end to 26 pence for premium products.
Which? require a subscription for full test results and specific brand recommendations. Their reports are thorough and worth consulting if choosing between a large number of options. Note that a subscription is required for the full results and Best Buy list – some general information is available to non-members.
The practical implication of independent testing is that spending more per tablet does not guarantee proportionally better results. A mid-range or budget tablet that performs at 90% of the standard of the top-rated product at 30% of the cost represents better value for most households. The difference between a good budget tablet and the top-rated premium tablet is typically subtle in everyday use.
What Actually Makes the Biggest Difference
Beyond brand and format, these factors have a greater influence on wash results than the specific detergent choice:
Water hardness and salt
Hard water significantly reduces cleaning and rinsing performance and leaves limescale deposits on glassware. The dishwasher’s built-in water softener – fed with dishwasher salt through the salt reservoir – is the most important factor in hard water areas. All-in-one tablets include a salt-function component but this is not a substitute for correctly set and regularly topped-up dedicated salt in hard water areas.
Rinse aid
Rinse aid prevents water droplets settling on surfaces during the drying phase, which causes water marks and cloudiness on glassware. All-in-one tablets include rinse aid function, but for the best results with glassware – particularly in hard water – using a separate rinse aid dispenser alongside the tablet is worth considering.
Filter and spray arm cleanliness
A blocked filter or partially blocked spray arm reduces cleaning performance regardless of detergent quality. Clean the filter regularly and check that spray arm holes are clear. See our guide on dishwasher not cleaning dishes properly for more on maintenance and performance factors.
Related Guides
Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes ProperlyHow spray arm blockages, filter maintenance, water temperature, and detergent dosage affect cleaning results.
Connecting a Dishwasher to Hot WaterWhether connecting a dishwasher to hot rather than cold supply saves energy and affects results.
Which Type of Washing Machine Detergent Is Best?The same brand vs. value question applied to washing machine detergent – powder, liquid, and tablets compared.
Is Calgon Worth Using?Whether anti-limescale products add meaningful protection beyond what detergent already provides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all-in-one dishwasher tablets as good as using separate detergent, salt and rinse aid?
For most households with moderate to hard water, all-in-one tablets are convenient and perform well. In very hard water areas, the salt-function component in all-in-one tablets may not provide the same degree of water softening as using dedicated dishwasher salt, and separate salt is still recommended by most dishwasher manufacturers. The machine’s water softener setting should be adjusted to the local water hardness regardless of detergent type.
Do more expensive dishwasher tablets clean better?
Not reliably. Independent testing consistently shows that several supermarket own-brand and budget tablets perform close to the standard of premium products at a fraction of the cost. The difference in everyday cleaning performance between a good budget tablet and a top-rated premium product is typically small. The larger performance factors are water hardness management, filter maintenance, and spray arm cleanliness.
Why do my glasses come out cloudy or marked?
Cloudy or marked glassware after dishwashing is usually caused by limescale deposits (hard water), insufficient rinse aid, or the water temperature being too low during the final rinse. Check that the dishwasher salt reservoir is topped up and correctly set for local water hardness, and that the rinse aid dispenser is not empty. Using a glass protection programme if available helps.
7 Comments
Grouped into 7 comment threads.
0 replies I use the Miele branded tablets which you can buy from the Miele website, under the "accessories" section. These clean better than anything else I have used. Granted they are more expensive, but its a lot nicer than having to remove, by hand, things like tea stains from the inside of cups because the other dishwasher detergents have not done their job properly.
0 replies I'll give them a try WMUser, thanks.
I’ll give them a try WMUser, thanks.
0 replies I can definitely say that Fairy Platinum tablets are the best compared to all the other types of dishwasher detergents I've tried. Until recently I'd been using Finish Classic tablets, which don't have the built-in salt and rinse aid. I've tried other detergents and one thing is clear - the Fairy Platinum tablets get everything cleaner. I've been using Fairy Platinum tablets for about 8 weeks now and in that time, everything is being washed properly, metal items are much more shiny and discolouration from the base of saucepans and other items has been removed and not returning. Before using Fairy Platinum, I'd regularly find items which still had food debris left behind or discoloured. The bottom of saucepans used to feel like they were rougher and they looked dull. All this has changed after a shopping trip when I had to buy Fairy Platinum because I could not find the Finish Classic tablets or other detergents on special offer. I wish I'd discovered Fairy Platinum a long time ago. I can see why they are normally so expensive - when not on special offer - and you sure get what you pay for. Before using them I thought my dishwasher was to blame for things not coming out clean. Yes they do contain built-in salt, rinse-aid and other things, but these capsules actually do the job properly and claim to keep the dishwasher itself clean. There are other types of Fairy detergent, but these ones have the word "Platinum" on the front of the packaging and there are several types, but all the ones I've bought that are Platinum have not let me down. It's rare now that anything comes not washed properly and even when that does happen, it's a tiny area that's been missed and I just put it back in. This contrasts to regularly having dirty items! I now stock up on packs of Fairy Platinum when they are on special offer, as normally they are very expensive. I also make sure the dishwasher is as full as possible before using it, to keep running costs down. Besides using these, I always rinse off strongly coloured sauces from items, under the hot tap, before putting in the dishwasher, as this saves other things getting discoloured, especially plastic items. I'm still adding dishwasher salt and rinse aid when using Fairy Platinum, just as I did before using them. I also keep the dishwasher itself clean i.e. the holes in the spray arms, the filters and regularly use Finish dishwasher cleaner when the dishwasher is empty of all items except the cutlery holder.
I can definitely say that Fairy Platinum tablets are the best compared to all the other types of dishwasher detergents I’ve tried. Until recently I’d been using Finish Classic tablets, which don’t have the built-in salt and rinse aid. I’ve tried other detergents and one thing is clear – the Fairy Platinum tablets get everything cleaner.
I’ve been using Fairy Platinum tablets for about 8 weeks now and in that time, everything is being washed properly, metal items are much more shiny and discolouration from the base of saucepans and other items has been removed and not returning. Before using Fairy Platinum, I’d regularly find items which still had food debris left behind or discoloured. The bottom of saucepans used to feel like they were rougher and they looked dull. All this has changed after a shopping trip when I had to buy Fairy Platinum because I could not find the Finish Classic tablets or other detergents on special offer.
I wish I’d discovered Fairy Platinum a long time ago. I can see why they are normally so expensive – when not on special offer – and you sure get what you pay for. Before using them I thought my dishwasher was to blame for things not coming out clean. Yes they do contain built-in salt, rinse-aid and other things, but these capsules actually do the job properly and claim to keep the dishwasher itself clean. There are other types of Fairy detergent, but these ones have the word “Platinum” on the front of the packaging and there are several types, but all the ones I’ve bought that are Platinum have not let me down.
It’s rare now that anything comes not washed properly and even when that does happen, it’s a tiny area that’s been missed and I just put it back in. This contrasts to regularly having dirty items! I now stock up on packs of Fairy Platinum when they are on special offer, as normally they are very expensive. I also make sure the dishwasher is as full as possible before using it, to keep running costs down. Besides using these, I always rinse off strongly coloured sauces from items, under the hot tap, before putting in the dishwasher, as this saves other things getting discoloured, especially plastic items.
I’m still adding dishwasher salt and rinse aid when using Fairy Platinum, just as I did before using them.
I also keep the dishwasher itself clean i.e. the holes in the spray arms, the filters and regularly use Finish dishwasher cleaner when the dishwasher is empty of all items except the cutlery holder.
0 replies Does dishwasher POWDER work better than any of the tablets? I would imagine dishwasher powder works best as it dissolves instantly and a small amount can be added to a pre-rinse too. If the cycle includes a pre-rinse; pour about 2 heaped teaspoons of the powder onto the inside of the door just before starting the dishwasher with a pre-rinse cycle. This effectively gives you a head start before the main wash, when the compartment door opens and releases the normal dosage for the main wash. I understand that dishwasher powder is more abrasive than tablets or liquid dishwasher detergent? What type of detergent is recommended by dishwasher engineers?
Does dishwasher POWDER work better than any of the tablets?
I would imagine dishwasher powder works best as it dissolves instantly and a small amount can be added to a pre-rinse too. If the cycle includes a pre-rinse; pour about 2 heaped teaspoons of the powder onto the inside of the door just before starting the dishwasher with a pre-rinse cycle. This effectively gives you a head start before the main wash, when the compartment door opens and releases the normal dosage for the main wash.
I understand that dishwasher powder is more abrasive than tablets or liquid dishwasher detergent? What type of detergent is recommended by dishwasher engineers?
0 replies Hi Andy, So I am not the only one that thinks (KNOWS) the salt and rinse aid function of these tablets does not work! You are right specialist products are deffinatley better. What do you think to our "economy" Bosch (Tecnik), impressed, I bet not!!!! All the best, Oliver.
Hi Andy,
So I am not the only one that thinks (KNOWS) the salt and rinse aid function of these tablets does not work!
You are right specialist products are deffinatley better. What do you think to our “economy” Bosch (Tecnik), impressed, I bet not!!!!
All the best,
Oliver.
0 replies We used to use Finish dishwasher 3 in 1 tablets. Finish did well in the Which? tests with several of their detergents in the top 10 but there's a leading supermarket brand which is up there at the top at less than half the cost of brands like Finish. We've been using Fairy 3 in 1 dishwasher tablets but Which? haven't tested that yet. We have received free samples of Miele's new own brand dishwasher detergent which is just a detergent so we've gone back to using proper dishwasher salt and rinse aid. Results are definitely improved and glasses are no longer cloudy as they often were with the 3 in 1 tablets. You can't beat specialist products instead of all this 3 in 1 convenience stuff. There are even 4 in 1, 5 in 1 and even 6 in 1 detergents available now which is pure marketing rubbish in my opinion. The 6 in 1 detergent did very poorly in Which? tests, which I don't find surprising at all.
We used to use Finish dishwasher 3 in 1 tablets. Finish did well in the Which? tests with several of their detergents in the top 10 but there’s a leading supermarket brand which is up there at the top at less than half the cost of brands like Finish.
We’ve been using Fairy 3 in 1 dishwasher tablets but Which? haven’t tested that yet. We have received free samples of Miele’s new own brand dishwasher detergent which is just a detergent so we’ve gone back to using proper dishwasher salt and rinse aid. Results are definitely improved and glasses are no longer cloudy as they often were with the 3 in 1 tablets.
You can’t beat specialist products instead of all this 3 in 1 convenience stuff. There are even 4 in 1, 5 in 1 and even 6 in 1 detergents available now which is pure marketing rubbish in my opinion. The 6 in 1 detergent did very poorly in Which? tests, which I don’t find surprising at all.
0 replies Hi Andy, We use Finish Detergent, salt and rinse aid and enjoy excellent results. Have tried supermarket altenatives and they can't hold a candle to Finish! We still use salt and rinse aid even if we use the supposably 3,4,5, Max in 1 etc! As they don't work as they say, we are on tablets at the moment, got a load cheap and they are washing well. We used finish liquid before this and it didn't get things quite as clean. There again I think the dishes not always being spotless is down to the dishwasher, We just had to have a "Tecnik", basically an economy verson of a Bosch, so NO intensive programme with heated prewash, only a 65 and 50 temp. washes and a cold prewash cycle. All the best, Oliver.
Hi Andy,
We use Finish Detergent, salt and rinse aid and enjoy excellent results. Have tried supermarket altenatives and they can’t hold a candle to Finish!
We still use salt and rinse aid even if we use the supposably 3,4,5, Max in 1 etc! As they don’t work as they say, we are on tablets at the moment, got a load cheap and they are washing well. We used finish liquid before this and it didn’t get things quite as clean.
There again I think the dishes not always being spotless is down to the dishwasher, We just had to have a “Tecnik”, basically an economy verson of a Bosch, so NO intensive programme with heated prewash, only a 65 and 50 temp. washes and a cold prewash cycle.
All the best,
Oliver.
I use the Miele branded tablets which you can buy from the Miele website, under the “accessories” section. These clean better than anything else I have used. Granted they are more expensive, but its a lot nicer than having to remove, by hand, things like tea stains from the inside of cups because the other dishwasher detergents have not done their job properly.