Does anyone else have an issue with your dishwasher not doing a great job?

I have found that most dishwasher detergents leave dried and crusty food on my plates and leftover residue in my glasses. Overtime I have tried a few different brands, but in the last two years I have been trying both Finish and Cascade products. These are the two largest brands, as far as advertising goes, and I look forward to trying a few others. Once my giant packs are gone, I’d like to try some alternative organic dishwasher detergents or just less chemically-filled ones.

Cascade Platinum Actionpacs

Finish Quantum Max

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Actionpacs

Finish All in 1 powerball

There are 6 standard questions that need to be answered when choosing a dishwasher detergent: clean-ability, convenience, price and do I use gels, tablets or powders? In this product overview, I am basing my reviews on clean-ability and price. Both the Cascade and Finish products I have chosen to review, fit in the convenient category and are made up of a mixture of gels, tablets and powders.

 

Cascade Platinum Actionpacs

4 out of 5 stars

Scott’s Rating

My current everyday user and favorite of the four detergents is the Cascade Platinum Actionpacs. Although not a perfect dishwasher detergent, I am able to leave many dishes without major pre-rinsing procedures and I am still left with dishes that are very clean and with little to no water spots on glasses. The plates are left completely clean without any soapy residue.

As with the other detergents I am reviewing, non-stick pans are left with an oil residue that must be rinsed or cleaned off after the dishwasher cycle. However, the Cascade Platinum Actionpacs left the least amount of oily residue that could just be rinsed off.

At the current price of $16.99 for the 64 ct box, these actionpacs are .27 cents a piece.

 

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Actionpacs

3.5 out of 5 stars

Scott’s Rating

I found that the Cascade Complete Actionpacs did an average job at cleaning my dishes. Pots and pans continued to see oil residue, glasses continued to see water spots and if my dishes were not pre-rinsed they were left with hard crusty food that had dried and stuck to each dish.

At the current price of $17.42 for the 80 ct box, these actionpacs are .22 cents a piece.