Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Options
Automatic dishwasher detergent tablets contain soap and other cleaning chemicals and are placed in your dishwasher soap compartment. The dishwasher tablets, also known as dishwasher tabs, gel pacs, or capsules, are more convenient and less messy than filling the detergent compartment with liquid dishwasher detergent or powdered dishwasher detergent. How much does dishwasher detergent cost, and which dishwasher tablets are the best at getting dishes clean in your dishwasher?Dishwasher Tablets and Gel Pacs
Dishwasher tabs and gel pacs are a convenient way to load your dishwasher with soap. Dishwasher tablets are made of a solid detergent material that dissolves during the dishwasher cycle. Dishwasher gel pacs have a soft wall containing liquid soap that dissolves during the dishwasher cycle, releasing the soap. Some gel pacs contain multiple compartments of cleaning products that are released at different times during the dishwashing cycle. |
| Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Gel Pac- You can see gel and powder inside the pac Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher |
Dishwasher Tablet Cost
Dishwasher tablets and gel pacs cost about 25 cents each depending on the brand and quantity that you buy. Since a load of dishes takes one tablet or pac, the cost of detergent for a load of dishes is about 25 cents per load for tablets or gel pacs.Dishwasher Liquid Cost
Dishwasher liquid or gel comes in jugs and is poured into the detergent dispenser of your dishwasher. The cost is about 9 cents per ounce depending on the brand and size of container. Dishwasher detergent capacity is typically 2.5 fluid ounces. This brings the cost for running the dishwasher to about 22 cents per load.Powdered Dishwasher Soap Cost
Powdered detergent costs slightly less than dishwasher liquid or gel, about 7% less by some estimates. The cost of powdered dishwasher detergent is about 20 cents per load depending on the brand and size of container that you buy. Dishwasher powder detergent is the lowest cost automatic dishwasher detergent solution. However, dishwasher powder is messier and more difficult to pour into the detergent dispenser. Also, the solids in the powder may not dissolve as well as gel, resulting in less effective cleaning of your dishes.Cost of Hand Washing Dishes
The cheapest way to wash dishes is in the sink, washing them manually. The cost of dish soap is only a few cents per load. You can buy a 24 oz bottle of name brand dish soap for about $6 that will wash many loads of dishes. If you use 1/2 oz of dish soap, your cost is about 12 cents per load, where a load in this case is the capacity of an automatic dishwasher which is several sinks worth of hand wash dishes. If you wash dishes like me, you can use the 1/2 oz of dish soap to wash a few sink fulls before adding more.Another cost of doing dishes in the sink by hand is time and effort. Washing dishes by hand is labor intensive and time intensive. Using an automatic dishwasher is much more convenient. A dishwasher is a robot that washes dishes for you so you can do other things. This is worth spending a few extra cents on soap if you have an automatic dishwasher available.
The Best Dishwasher Tablets: Finish Powerball vs Cascade Platinum
I prefer the tablet or gel pac format- this is very convenient and seems to do the best job at getting dishes clean. We normally use Quantum Finish Powerballs. We ran out of Finish Powerballs and bought the only gel pacs that our neighborhood grocery store had to offer- Cascade Platinum. Which is the better dishwasher detergent product: Finish Powerball or Cascade Platinum? |
| Quantum Finish Powerball vs Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Gel Pac Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher |
The best dishwasher tablet: Finish Powerball produced noticeably cleaner dishes. Cascade Platinum left flecks on glasses and silverware. The water at our house goes through a water softener, but the water is still hard water with high mineral content, which may have affected the cleaning performance. Finish Powerball was much more effective than Cascade Platinum- we will give away the rest of the bag of Cascade gel pacs since we like Finish Powerball so much better!
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