Consumer Reports Tests Dishwashing Powders/Tabs/Gels

[MrX]

Dishwasher Detergent Prices at Tesco Ireland

Here are some prices from Tesco Ireland, one of the largest supermarkets here.

I'd be interested to see how they compare internationally.

All prices are in Euro.
at today's rates:

1 Euro = US$1.40
1 Euro = 86.5 UK pence
1 Euro = Aus$1.75
1 Euro = CAN$1.62

Daisy - Budget Brand:

Daisy Dishwasher Powder 3kg
€6.69 (€2.23/kg)
Daisy Dishwasher Tablets 40's
€3.99
Daisy Rinse Aid 1 Litre
€3.45 (€3.45/litre)

Ecover (Ecological)

Ecover Dishwasher Tblts 25 Pack/500g
€6.40 (€12.80/kg)

Fairy - P&G (Similar to Cascade)

Fairy Active Dishwash Tabs Lemon 14's
€4.35
Fairy Active Dishwash Tabs Lemon 28's
€8.25
Fairy Active Dishwasher Tabs Lemon 45's
HALF PRICE Was 11.19 Now 5.59
€6.49
Fairy Platinum Dishwash Tabs Lemon 22pk 370g
€9.49
Fairy Platinum Dishwash Tabs Lemon 33 Pk 555g
€6.49
Fairy Platinum Dishwash Tabs Orig 22pk 370g
€9.49

Finish (Reckitt and Benckiser R&B)

Finish All In 1 D/Wash Tablets Lemon 30 Pack
€10.25
Finish All In 1 D/Wash Tablets Regular 30 Pack
€10.25
Finish All In 1 Tablets Lemon 15's
€4.89
Finish D/Washer Cleaner Reg 250ml
€4.99 (€19.96/litre)
Finish D/Washer Powder Lemon 1kg
€4.35 (€4.35/kg)
Finish D/Washer Salt 2kg
€1.79 (€0.90/kg)
Finish Dishwasher Clnr Lemon 250ml
€4.99 (€19.96/litre)
Finish Lemon Liquid Gel 1 Litre
€4.79 (€4.79/litre)
Finish Max In 1 D/Wash Tablets Lemon 14 Pack
€4.99
Finish Max In 1 D/Wash Tablets Lemon 28 Pack
€9.89
Finish Max In 1 D/Wash Tablets Original 28 Pk
€9.89
Finish Max In 1 D/Wash Tablets Original 42pk
€12.99
Finish Max In 1 D/Wash Tabs Lemon 42 Pack
€12.99
Finish Odourstop Freshener
€2.04
Finish Powerball Classic Lemon 30/32pk
€6.47
Finish Powerball Classic Regular 32pk/30pk
€5.99
Finish Quantum Dishwash Tabs Regular 20s
€9.89

Sun - (Unilever)

Sun 4-In-1 Plus Tabs Lemon 16's/352 G
€5.09 (€14.47/kg)
Sun All-in-1 Tabs GreenPower (Ecological) 48 tabs
€9.64 (€11.16/kg)

Tesco - (Store Brand)
Tesco 5 In 1 Dishwash Tablets Lemon 15's
€6.50
Tesco 5 In 1 Dishwash Tablets Lemon 30's
€6.69
Tesco 5 In 1 Dishwash Tablets Original 30's
€4.35
Tesco Dishwasher Salt Granules
€1.64 (€0.55/kg)

Tesco Value Dishwasher Tabs 30's
€2.79

Tesco Naturally D/Wsher Tbs 4in1 25 Pk
€4.10 (Ecological own brand)

 

[rolls_rapide]

Tesco Naturally D/Wsher Tbs 4in1 25 Pk

Those disappeared off our local store's shelves, along with all Tesco's "Naturally" ranges of cleaning products.

I really wouldn't recommend those, as they put my Bosch dishwasher into suds-lock.

The only ecologic range stocked at the moment is Ecover.

 

[MrX]

Yeah, I tried them and they were an absolute disaster in my bosch too

Sun Green Power's pretty good.

 

[pulsator]

I absolutely LOVE the Cascade Complete Action Pacs!!! All it takes is one in the main wash compartment! I used to be the person who would fill both compartments to the rim and the dump some on the door! They not only do an AMAZING job, but they are also pretty cool looking with that swirl! lol

 

[MrX]

They look identical to Fairy Platinum

Here's the advert *youtube link below*

 

[polkanut]

Here is a pdf link to the brand of dw detergent we use, Chlorinated Hytron Automatic Dishwash Detergent, made in Madison, WI.

Error 404 - Stearns Packaging Corporation

Dispenser-Free Control Systems

www.stearnspkg.com

 

[ronhic]

Well here is the kicker....

The Finish tablets that I mentioned in an earlier post that work out about AUD$5.00 cheaper than they same ones in Ireland actually come from Europe...

...and the Aldi ones are imported from Germany....

 

[whirlcool]

Here in Houston, the Finish Power Ball Tabs for for $4.26 for 10 and $6.98 for 30. A box of these were supplied with our new Maytag dishwasher.

We usually keep a box of these on hand as well as a box of Finish Deep Cleaning powder with Shine Boost. For heavy loads we are trying Cascade Actionpacs with Dawn. They seem to work as well as the Finish Power Ball Tabs.

About a month ago we sent an e-mail to Reckett-Benckiser and complained about the Air Wick Lavender scent plug in. They added vanilla to the Lavender and it now smells like burning cotton candy. I asked them where we could buy the regular Lavender scent. They told us their testing indicated a majority of the people liked the new scent and asked me to try some of their other scents. A week later I received 3 $3.00 off coupons and 3 $1.00 off coupons on any of their products.
I was shocked at how many brands the company makes! What made this even nicer was a bold print on the bottom of each coupon indicating that the coupons could be combined at one sale. Free Stuff!

 

[statenislandgwm]

Sudsing anyone?

I have been using the Finish powerball tabs with great results here. I have found that if I use any liquid or gel/gelpac type dishwasher detergent it causes awful suds in my dishwasher to the point that they were once leaking out from under the door. Any kind of powder I use is fine (even a 99 cents store one I bought called "Sun"). Does anyone have the same problem as me? I tend to think it's because of the NYC water.

 

[launderess]

Most of NYC has soft water. When we used Electrasol tablets, then the "powerball" version, even with a half tablet still had horrible frothing problems. Indeed so much so one could hear the pump straining to push the suds laden water out the spray arms. Worse this foaming would cary over into the rinse cycle.

Personally do not like tablets because it requires one either accept using a pre-dose amount or break apart tablets. Our dishwasher is only an 18" model so we do not always need one tablet per wash.

 

[MrX]

Ronhic : We're absolutely ripped off on everything in Ireland. It's one of the most expensive countries in the EU.

 

[charger]

This subject is interesting to me because my 1993 KitchenAid is very picky about what dishwashing product is used, high end Cascade or Electrasol with the Jet-Dry dispenser filled gives good results as long as the machine is loaded carefully. The use of cheaper dishwashing product will result in disappointing silver and glasses – dishes are always clean regardless.

In my 2000 Maytag the results are always good regardless of what product is used even cheap crap from Costco and I almost never bother to fill the Jet-Dry tank.

I don’t know anything about the hardness of the water here but I have played with higher hot water temperatures and it does not seem to matter except that they are both slightly faster if the water does not need as much additional heating but cleaning is the same . Judging from the extra arms on the main dish wash system and the separate twin wash arms built into the upper rack you would think the KitchenAid would have the advantage. The Maytag does take about 20 Min longer to finish.

 

[ronhic]

MRX

I can believe that....

It used to be cheaper than the UK when I was there in 2000, but all of that seems to have changed...

 

[mysteryclock]

I use the Cascade All-in-Ones pictured above in our KitchenAid and they are the best performing things I've found. The only downside is the slight "Cascade smell" at the end of the cycle which I've never preferred, but it beats pre-washing everything. Of course our water is so hard here that I still have to add some Lemishine to each & every load or risk getting grey film buildup on the steel and glass items (and the SS tub too!)