Cascade Complete Actionpacs horrible!!

[liamy1]

Rinsing

advice here is not to rinse at all, as Mark says, scrape yes, rinse never - negates any efficiency saving of having a dishwasher.

Out of interest superocd - can you not get spotless results with any mass market available (not commercial/professional) detergent at all?

Have never rinsed and always get spotless results with either Fairy (Cascade) or Finish.

 

[DADoES]

Scraping and Rinsing

 
I scrape to a reasonable extent but *never* rinse before loading ... and I have one of those F&P Dishdrawers that are often disparaged as a "toy" dishwasher.

I use the Cascade Fryer Boil Out powder.

This is the condition of a typical oatmeal bowl going into the machine, and it may sit for 2 to 3 days until the load is run.  Always comes out pristine.

 

[pezzy669]

I'm honestly surprised at the bad reviews of the Cascade action pacs. Have used the Platinum version for 2.5 years now and swear by them, one of the very few items I don't go generic on. I have never had any remaining scent issue with them even on the HE Whirlpool dishwasher in my last apartment or the crude GE Nautilus in my condo.

The Platinum Cascade pacs let me put some pretty nasty baking dishes in my 18 year old GE Nautilus and have them come out sparkling if I do the "Hot Start" and honestly I think the Cascade has actually cleaned the dishwasher interior beyond where I started with it last year. The fact I can put baked on crap in this 18 year old builder grade dishwasher and have it come out perfect is testament to either cheap 2001 GE Appliances or the dish detergent.

Ge

 

[mark_wpduet]

complete action pacs - vs platinum

completely different. not talking about platinum (Cascade's best), I'm talking about the complete action pacs.

 

[appnut]

I use the Platinum pacs in the main dispenser. I use Cascade Complete powder in the prewash dispenser. I had been using Complete get in the prewash, but I figured out the gel was putting a film in my dishwasher and the pump system and inhibiting the cleaning as time went on in between me running Lemi Shine dishwasher cleaner through it as a "cleaning" cycle.

 

[rapunzel]

I detest pods and tablets - they are a complete waste of money and they don't dispense correctly during the various parts of a cycle. Not only that, but since I own F&P dishdrawers, the pre-measured dosages are far too high.

Now, what I do to get the best results, I use both Finish powder and dishwasher liquid. The liquid goes in the pre-wash dispenser and the powder in the main wash dispenser. A teaspoon of powder suffices and the same applies for the liquid. Both are slightly different formulations and they compliment each other.

I've noticed that if I only use the powder, the stainless steel filter plates go dull over time. When I only use the liquid my cups don't seem to clean all that well and they end up with coffee and tea stains.

Using both detergents yields excellent cleaning results and there is no heavy scent at the end of the cycle. Dishes just smell clean.

 

[ozzie908]

@rapunzel

I used to have F&P dish drawers loved them really superb machines and when you understand how they operate they are easy to repair too.
Like you I found the dosage of tabs and pacs too strong and found it more and more difficult to find powder so I had to sell my set and go to a standard DW I got a Miele and its a super machine but I do miss the drawer set as it was so easy to set one going with pots in and wait till the crocks one was full. I now have a Quartz work surface so would not have been able to screw the F&P set to it to stop them tipping over so maybe its as well I said goodbye?

Austin

 

[DADoES]

 
Austin, U.S. models (at least the older DD603) have anchor tabs at the sides of the cabinet at the lower drawer (two toward the front, two toward the back), not just at the top edge. Is that not the case for UK-offered units?  I have a granite countertop so can't anchor to the top but the side tabs anchor nicely into the side cabinetry.

 

[gregingotham]

old fashioned

my favorite is still old fashioned cascade in the big box. Does a good job, cheaper than the pods and no annoying scent!

 

[ozzie908]

DADoES

Now you say about it I do recall seeing those tabs and I could have kept them but I sold them a couple of years ago

Austin