I’m a writer on Wirecutter’s appliance team, where I cover large cleaning appliances, including dishwashers. I conduct our dishwasher testing, during which I’ve observed and assessed more than a dozen dishwashers and hundreds of dishwasher cycles. I’ve paid close attention to dishwasher detergent since my mother started buying Electrasol tabs in bulk in 1997.

For this guide:

• I researched and tested over 30 dishwasher detergents.
• I spoke with a variety of experts, including mechanical engineers who design dishwashers, service techs, detergent formulators, chemists, an environmental scientist, and representatives from Cascade, Cleancult, Dirty Labs, and Reckitt (the manufacturer of Finish detergents).
• I read multiple research papers on the use of PVA/PVOH on detergent pods. And I interviewed a variety of sources, including a scientist who authored a paper that questions the biodegradability of PVA/PVOH, representatives from a manufacturer of PVA/PVOH, and a chemistry professor who specializes in polymers and recycling.

If you typically open your dishwasher to find spattered plates, cloudy glasses, and dull flatware, first consider using a new detergent. (This is especially true if you currently use liquid detergents, which consistently clean worse than pods or powders.) A great detergent can significantly improve the cleaning performance of an average dishwasher and can even boost the power of an excellent machine.

If you prerinse your dishes, it might be time to stop (really!) so that a good detergent can do its job properly. Dishwasher detergents contain a combination of enzymes, buffers (to maintain pH balance), surfactants (to remove grease and other soils), and bleach or some other high-sodium base (to remove stains). The enzymes are designed to target specific food soils; if you rinse your dishes clean, you leave nothing for the enzymes to devour. Dishwashers are also designed to do just that: wash dishes.

You may need to experiment with a few different detergents to find the one that works best with your dishwasher and water supply. If you have hard water, note that many pods — particularly those with chambers that separate boosters from the main detergent — now contain water softeners, too. (If you’re unsure, check your detergent’s label.)

Also check the expiration date of the detergent you have. I suggest using any dishwasher detergent within a year of purchase; the potency of enzymes can degrade over time and lose some cleaning power. If you’ve noticed your dishwasher detergent shows discoloration after a few months, don’t worry. This is normal and does not affect cleaning performance.

Dishwasher detergents come as pods, powders, tablets, or liquids. In addition to differing in how convenient they are to use, these assorted types of detergents vary in their cleaning features and strengths. Here’s an overview:

Pods

Dishwasher pods (also called packs) are single-dose detergents typically made of powder detergent encased in a water-soluble PVA/PVOH film. Some pods, such as our top pick and runner-up, contain additional liquid cleaning agents (in separate chambers) that release when the PVA/PVOH film dissolves. This design keeps liquid and powder separate until they are dispensed, allowing detergent boosters (which operate best in liquid form) to combine with powder detergent during a dishwasher’s cycle, thereby enhancing their effectiveness.

Pods are also neat, convenient, and easy to use. Their PVA/PVOH film prevents direct contact with their detergents — a plus for people with sensitivities. But pods are typically more expensive than other detergent types.

Powders

Though powder detergents lack some of the advantages of pods with liquid detergent boosters, the granulated enzymes in powder detergent still provide plenty of cleaning power. Detergent in powder form also allows you to easily adjust how much product you use. This can be helpful if you have an older dishwasher that’s equipped with a prerinse drawer (where you could add more detergent) or a less-effective machine that’s not quite powerful enough to handle a stronger detergent (which might leave detergent residue on your dishes). Powders are typically the most economical option. But they often come in larger boxes, which can be heavy and hard to pour from precisely.

Tablets or tabs

Compared with powders, layered, single-dose tablets of powder detergent dissolve more slowly, and this extends how long they can clean. We found that most tablets cleaned better than powders — but not as well as pods with liquid detergent boosters. Some tablets, such as the Finish tablets we like, are individually wrapped; this keeps them dry, but it isn’t ideal if you’re attempting to reduce waste. Others, like the Miele UltraTabs All in 1 (designed to be used with Miele dishwashers), have a water-soluble wrapping.

Liquids

Often called gels, liquid detergents performed the worst in my tests and are generally not the best cleaners. Unlike with pods, powders, and tablets, with liquid detergent, a large portion washes away early on in a cycle. In addition, the cleaning agents are diluted during the process of manufacturing gel detergents, and key stain-removal components, such as bleach, often can’t be used with other ingredients in a liquid solution. (Liquid detergent formulas contain either bleach or enzymes, but not both, and that leads to much less effective cleaning.) If you use a liquid detergent, and you think you need a new dishwasher because its cleaning isn’t up to par, try a powder or a pod before you replace your machine.

If you simply prefer a gel detergent, despite the trade-offs, we found little difference among brands. So we advise opting for the one with the best price you can find, the one that works best in your machine, or the one with a scent you prefer.

Since 2023, we’ve tested over 30 detergents commonly found in grocery and big-box stores, as well as those from generic brands and newer boutique companies. I also mixed up a batch of DIY detergent (yes, it’s a thing) using washing soda, citric acid, boric acid, and kosher salt. (Spoiler: It didn’t work.)

Here’s how I evaluated the detergents:

Cleaning performance

To assess detergents, I used the most challenging soils I encountered during dishwasher testing, including baked-on egg, peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate syrup, rice, and tomato sauce.

For each test load, I coated four dinner plates, four salad plates, and two bowls with a variety of foods, and then I microwaved them for five minutes to set the stains. I also replicated a burned-on pasta-and-cheese casserole, and I included lipstick-stained stemware, drinking glasses coated with tomato juice, coffee-stained mugs, and dirty utensils.

Using the same dishwasher for consistency, I ran the dishes through two one-hour cycles with each detergent. Shorter dishwasher cycles are designed for fresher stains, not for baked-on foods; using such a cycle helped me gauge how much work the detergent did versus how much the dishwasher did.

I then tested the high performers in multiple express cycles, using five other dishwashers to determine how well they worked across a variety of machines.

Scent

I evaluated the scent of each detergent, taking special note when a smell was too strong, odd, or outright unpleasant (both before and after use).

Some of the stronger-scented detergents left an acrid stench after a cycle was run. Conversely, some unscented detergents struggled to counteract the lingering odors of scummy dishwasher filters — though this is more likely due to less-effective formulas.

Top pick

Top pick, The best dishwasher detergent pods Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs

Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs

These convenient pods are the best at annihilating tough messes, and they neutralize odors with a mild lemon scent. But they don’t leave glassware as shiny as some other detergents.

Buying options: $20 from Amazon, opens in a new tab

(pack of 47)

$20 from Walmart, opens in a new tab

(pack of 47)

Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs detergent was the most well-rounded one we tested. These pods are terrific at cleaning a variety of stains and substances, and they have a subtle scent and a dye-free formula.

They’re excellent at cleaning. Free & Clear ActionPacs came the closest to cleaning every dish in my test loads.

The pods contain liquid detergent boosters designed to cut through grease, and they worked effectively in my testing. In load after load, this was the only detergent that fully eliminated tricky stains and smears, including from avocado, tomato sauce, and peanut butter. With Free & Clear ActionPacs, most dishes emerged spotless, while other detergents left behind bits and blobs.

Notably, this detergent easily wiped out baked-on egg yolk — a stain that most dishwashers in my dishwasher testing struggled with. (Morgan Eberhard, a senior scientist at Procter & Gamble, the company that makes Cascade detergents, told me that Cascade contains a specific enzyme to combat egg protein.) The Free & Clear ActionPacs also did a good job of cleaning glassware and stemware.

Free & Clear ActionPacs are conveniently premeasured and easy to use. These pods are encased in a water-soluble film made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/PVOH). Pods with a PVA/PVOH film are less messy to dispense than powders and liquids, and they ensure you’re using the correct amount of detergent.

The liquid detergent boosters in the top of each pod do not contain dyes or chlorine bleach. If you’re concerned about dyes due to sensitivities or preference, this detergent is a good option.

The pods have a pleasant, odor-neutralizing scent. Made of essential oils, the appealing lemon scent is milder than that of many other detergents we tested. It did the best job of neutralizing dishwasher odors without being overpowering.

Price per load: 43 cents (for a 47-count package) at the time of publication

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s not easy to adjust the amount you use. All pods limit your ability to tweak doses. And this may be important to you, depending on a load’s soil level and a dishwasher’s cleaning abilities. (If this is a concern, try our powder pick from Cascade.)

The pods are not fragrance-free, despite the “Free & Clear” in the name. Though the scent is pleasant, these pods have a fragrance, so they may not be ideal for people who prefer an unscented detergent.

Runner-up

Runner-up, Powerful pods with a stronger scent Cascade Platinum Plus ActionPacs

Cascade Platinum Plus ActionPacs

These pods clean nearly as well as our top pick. But the dyes and stronger scent may be less appealing to some people.

Buying options: $20 from Amazon, opens in a new tab

(pack of 47)

$19 from Walmart, opens in a new tab

(pack of 47)

If you can’t find our top pick and you want a pod, Cascade Platinum Plus ActionPacs detergent is a good second choice.

The pods clean well. Like our top pick, these pods contain liquid detergent boosters that help cut grease. In my tests, the Platinum Plus ActionPacs effectively handled even peanut butter and baked-on egg — though not quite as thoroughly as our top pick did. Pyrex casserole dishes, glassware, and stemware dried spot-free.

The liquid detergent boosters on the tops of the pods contain dyes. The dyes don’t affect performance, but if you want to avoid dyes, our top pick is a better choice.

Price per load: 42 cents (for a 47-count package) at the time of publication

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The scent can be intense. Platinum Plus ActionPacs have a strong “fresh” scent that’s harsher than the lemon fragrance of our top pick and not quite as pleasant. But in my tests, it effectively neutralized odors.

You can’t easily adjust the amount you use. Like our top pick (and all pods), Platinum Plus ActionPacs are encased in a water-soluble film made of PVA/PVOH. Though it ensures you use the right amount, you can’t modify the dose as you can with a powder detergent.

Best for...

Best for..., Best fragrance-free detergent pod Dropps UltraWash Plus Dish

Dropps UltraWash Plus Dish

These fragrance- and dye-free biobased pods deliver squeaky clean dishes. But they’re pricey.

Buying options: $35 from Amazon, opens in a new tab

(pack of 64)

$35 from Walmart, opens in a new tab

A detergent pod that is both fragrance-free and a strong cleaner is hard to find, but Dropps UltraWash Plus Dish checks those boxes. These pods contain no added fragrance or dye. They are also biobased, and their cleaning power eclipsed that of all the other detergents claiming to be sustainable that I tested.

They clean nearly as well as our top-pick pods. Despite being manufactured by a smaller detergent brand, UltraWash Plus Dish outperformed many detergent pods in my testing, including some from major brands and those from smaller brands that purport to be more sustainable than traditional detergents. They made quick work of peanut butter, cheese, and other protein-based soils that many dishwasher detergents struggle with.

They are one of the only fragrance-free chambered pods available. My testing has consistently shown that pods with multiple chambers of cleaning agents are superior cleaners, but most chambered pods contain fragrance. (Even our top-pick Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs have a lemon scent.) UltraWash Plus Dish pods are available with no added fragrance. A lemon citrus scent is also available.

They are USDA biobased certified. UltraWash Plus Dish pods are part of the USDA BioPreferred Program; they contain at least 61% plant- or mineral-based ingredients.

They come in a cardboard box. Our other pod picks come in plastic containers.

Price per load: 55 cents (for a 64-count package) at the time of publication

Flaws but not dealbreakers

They’re slightly less effective on grease stains. These pods were among the top 5% of performers in my cleaning tests, but our top pick and runner-up are better at removing grease.

The cardboard box isn’t always sturdy enough for shipping. I appreciate a container that isn’t plastic. But while most of the many boxes of UltraWash Plus Dish I’ve ordered have arrived intact, one box contained several pods that had burst and leaked.

Best for...

Best for..., Best detergent for those who prefer powder Cascade Complete Powder

Cascade Complete Powder

This affordable and powerful powder detergent wipes away baked-on and greasy foods, but you may need to use more than the recommended dose to get the best results.

Buying options: $7 from Amazon, opens in a new tab

$6 from Walmart, opens in a new tab

$7 from Target, opens in a new tab

Although powder detergents are economical, they typically aren’t as powerful at cleaning or as convenient to use as pods. Of the 10 powder detergents I tested, however, the highly effective and affordable Cascade Complete Powder detergent rose to the top, delivering the best combination of cleaning power and value.

It’s an impressive cleaner. While it did not quite reach the level of our pod picks, Cascade Complete Powder handled all types of soils well, especially grease and protein. This detergent includes a powdered formulation of Dawn dish soap that boosts grease removal and shine. (Don’t worry, Dawn’s surfactants have been adjusted to prevent the sudsing associated with using dish soap in the dishwasher — which you shouldn’t do!) The detergent’s blend of enzymes helped it to scrub away tough proteins, like egg yolk and burnt milk, as well as greasy meat sauce, pudding, peanut butter, and avocado.

You can easily adjust how much you use. For people with quirky dishwashers that have a prerinse drawer (where you can add more detergent) or for those who own older dishwashers with simpler wash systems that cannot easily dissolve a pod, this powder detergent is an excellent choice.

It comes in a cardboard box. If you are looking to reduce the amount of plastic you purchase, this detergent is a great option.

Its price cannot be beat. Cascade Complete is the least expensive of our picks. A medium-soiled load, using about a tablespoon of detergent (about half an ounce), costs around 5 cents to clean.

Price per load: 5 to 10 cents (for a 75-ounce box) at the time of publication

Flaws but not dealbreakers

You may need to use more for tough jobs. I found that loads of especially dirty dishes came out the best when we added at least 1 ounce of Cascade Complete Powder.

There is no scent-free version. Though Cascade Complete Powder’s scent is mild (similar to that of dish soap), it may be too much for those who are sensitive to fragrance or those who simply avoid it.

The box can feel heavy when dispensing the detergent. Almost every box of this detergent that I’ve encountered weighs 4.5 pounds when full — just heavy enough that it can be a pain to lift when pouring. (If you’d prefer a lighter load, consider our other powder pick.)

Best for...

Best for..., Best detergent for minimalist cleaners Dirty Labs 2-in-1 Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent + Booster

Dirty Labs 2-in-1 Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent + Booster

This powder detergent is free of dyes, allergenic fragrance, PVA/PVOH, and plastic packaging. It cleans very well, but it falls short on grease and glassware, and it’s the most expensive powder we tested.

Buying options: $20 from Dirty Labs, opens in a new tab

If you don’t want a pod and you’d prefer a detergent that’s free of dyes, synthetic fragrances, PVA/PVOH, and plastic packaging, consider Dirty Labs 2-in-1 Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent + Booster. From a boutique brand, this powder detergent is a strong, dependable cleaner.

It’s the best-performing “sustainable,” minimal-ingredient powder detergent I’ve tested. Of the multiple dishwasher detergents I tested from boutique brands that purport to be more sustainable than traditional detergents, Dirty Labs was the best cleaner by a noticeable margin. It scrubbed tomato sauce off cutlery and pans, and it made short work of oatmeal, meat sauce, beans, rice, cheese, and other messy soils — even in quick-wash cycles.

It’s free of dyes and contains fewer ingredients than other powder detergents. Dirty Labs has a pared-down formula without dyes and with fewer ingredients than other powder detergents typically do.

It comes with a sophisticated scent or in a fragrance-free version. If you like complex scents, this dishwasher detergent’s Aestival fragrance (yuzu, geranium, lemon balm) smells closer to something you’d find at The Scent Lab than in the cleaning-supply aisle. If you’d prefer something without scent, there’s also a fragrance-free option.

It comes in a cardboard container, with a wooden spoon for dispensing. The container is recyclable, and the wooden spoon is a nice alternative to pouring from a metal spout.

The container is lightweight. The entire package weighs about a pound, so it’s less than half the weight of the smallest box (2.5 pounds) of our other powder pick.

Price per load: 42 to 84 cents (for a 16.8-ounce package) at the time of publication

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s less effective on greasy stains. In my testing, this detergent fell short on some grease-removal tests when compared with similar brands (and our other powder pick).

It can be a pain to open (and close). The cardboard container has a metal lid, which can be frustrating to open — and the container is nearly impossible to open with one hand.

It is not the best option for glassware. Many of the additives that help a detergent rinse glassware are harder to include in a uniform, all-powder formula. (Plenty of people hand-wash glassware, though, so this won’t be a dealbreaker for everyone.)

It’s expensive, especially for a powder detergent. One scoop is about 42 cents (at the time of publication). If you are washing a particularly dirty load of dishes or you have hard water, you’ll likely need two scoops — or 84 cents’ worth — to get results rivaling those from our other picks. One reason for the higher price may come down to the enzymes, which are expensive — and niche brands, such as Dirty Labs, don’t buy them in large quantities.

If you’d prefer a pod but our picks are not available: The entire suite of Cascade pod dishwasher detergents cleaned well in my tests. Cascade Original ActionPacs and Cascade Platinum ActionPacs had strong showings, as did Cascade Complete Pods. If you come across any Cascade dishwasher detergent at the store, it’s worth trying.

If you want a single-dose detergent without a PVA/PVOH film: You might like Finish Powerball Deep Clean tablets, the highest-performing PVA/PVOH-free tablets in my testing. This detergent cleaned tough baked-on egg stains pretty well — though not completely. It left glassware consistently shiny and spotless, as many Finish detergents do. Because these tabs don’t have a PVA/PVOH film, like our pod picks do, you don’t have to worry about them sticking in the dispenser. But they are individually wrapped in plastic, which adds an extra step and produces waste.

If you want an effective, lemon-scented powder detergent: Finish Powder Advanced, a former powder pick, has been discontinued, but I’ve spied some boxes floating around in stores. If you prefer powder dishwasher detergent and happen to see this out in the wild, it’s worth considering.

If you want a simple, fragrance-free powder detergent: Truly Free Dishwasher Soap surprised us with its above-average cleaning. Of the fragrance-free powders we tested, only Dirty Labs 2-in-1 Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent + Booster did better.

If you want an effective tablet from a boutique brand: Cleancult Dishwasher Ultra Power Tablets did great in testing. But these hard, layered tablets come with a loose PVA/PVOH wrapping that seems meant to be removed, even though it isn’t. We don’t mind when PVA/PVOH serves to enhance a detergent’s formula, but these tabs really don’t need it. That said, if you’d prefer not to buy a mainstream brand, Cleancult is a good choice.

Pods

AspenClean dishwasher pods cleaned reasonably well, but they are among the most expensive pods we tested and don’t offer much in return compared with other detergents that claim to be more sustainable.

Attitude Dishwasher Tablets left the dishwasher a sudsy mess, even on glassware in the upper rack.

Basically Dishwasher Pacs, available on GoPuff, were a disappointment. Despite using chambered technology, they struggled with basic soils from things like tomato sauce and ice cream.

Clorox Triple Action Ultra Dishwasher Packs cleaned better than a lower-quality powder alone, but otherwise their performance didn’t impress me that much.

I tested several other Finish detergents. Finish Powerball Quantum Tabs, which are actually pods, did not clean as well as our chambered pod picks. Finish Powerball Quantum Infinity Shine Tabs were also disappointing. And Finish Gelpacs, which struggled with basic soils, ranked toward the bottom of all the detergents I tested. Finish Powerball Ultimate Quantum Infinity Shine Tabs were an improvement over other Finish products, but their overall cleaning power didn’t compare to any of our pod picks.

I tested Costco’s Kirkland Signature Platinum Performance UltraShine Dishwasher Detergent Pacs. The price is one of the lowest among pod detergents I tried. But this formula wasn’t a top performer in my testing.

Molly’s Suds Dishwasher Pods performed the worst in my cleaning tests. (The company’s laundry detergent fared similarly.) They smelled nice, though.

Puracy Dishwasher Detergent Pacs were mediocre, and there are better, comparably simple detergents available.

Although Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs were good cleaners, they had a hard time neutralizing odors.

Of all the pods I tested, the ones from Target’s Up & Up and Method were the weakest cleaners, struggling with burned-on cheese and oatmeal in particular.

Trader Joes Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Packs are hands-down the worst dishwasher pods I tested in 2026. They left dishes caked with food and spotty residue.

Powders

Though Ecover Dishwasher Powder, which is discontinued, would be fine for lightly soiled dishes, it struggled on more-challenging messes.

The bargain-priced Great Value Automatic Dishwasher Powder failed to clean well and left a gritty film on glasses.

Nellie’s Dishwasher Powder has an enthusiastic following, but it was only an average cleaner in my testing.

Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Powder was a middle-of-the-road cleaner compared with the other powders I tested. In my soak tests against front-runner powder detergents, it came in last place.

The DIY powder detergent that I mixed up for this guide wasn’t worth the time. After sourcing the ingredients (washing soda, citric acid, boric acid, kosher salt) and mixing the finished product, I ended up with a mediocre detergent that made me sneeze while I mixed it. Ultimately, it was also more expensive than our powder detergent pick.

Tablets

Blueland Dishwasher Detergent Tablets come with a stylish reusable metal tin. But the tabs are softer than those of competitors, and pieces broke off when I handled them (which made me sneeze and triggered some asthma symptoms). The cleaning performance has improved from previous years (Blueland reformulated its detergents in 2025), but it still has a long way to go.

Branch Basics Dishwasher Tablets surprised me by aggressively tackling crusty casseroles and macaroni and cheese blobs. However, other dishwasher detergent tablets consistently cleaned better.

Miele UltraTabs All in 1 detergent is a fantastic cleaner, but it’s hard to find and was more than 50 cents per load at the time of publication.

Liquids and gels

Cascade Complete Gel, Finish Advanced Gel, and Target’s Dealworthy Dishwasher Gel all performed similarly poorly in my testing, leaving behind large streaks and globs of food — including at the bottom of the dishwasher.

Rinse aid helps dishwashers dry better, and I added it to each machine at the beginning of my dishwasher testing. Dishwashers are designed to be used with rinse aid (which is why most machines arrive with a sample bottle of the stuff, and it’s why dishwasher manuals emphasize its use). Adding rinse aid to your dishwashing routine yields drier, sparklier glassware and dishes.

Any rinse aid is likely to be adequate for the job. During my dishwasher testing, I used rinse aid from Cascade, Finish, Miele, Seventh Generation, Ecos, and Ecover, and I did not see a significant difference in performance.

Most dishwasher pods are covered in a film made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/PVOH), a synthetic, water-soluble polymer. The majority of PVA/PVOH on the market is petroleum-based, though some companies are making an effort to produce biobased PVA/PVOH.

PVA/PVOH is included on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List, and it has passed stringent consumer safety testing in both Canada and the European Union. PVA/PVOH is shown to be biodegradable in lab tests, but some people are wary of its environmental impact. Although dissolved PVA/PVOH is sometimes referred to as a microplastic, many scientists we have interviewed believe that this is an inaccurate description.

PVA/PVOH, which is approved for human ingestion and is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), is a common additive in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and even some foods. Items that contain PVA/PVOH include extended-release pill capsules, eye drops, cosmetic face masks, sutures, bandages, and mascara. It’s also a common ingredient in glue, including school glue.

PVA/PVOH residue on dishes from using pods is highly unlikely — any PVA/PVOH residue should be washed away by a dishwasher cycle’s final rinse, if not sooner. (If you’re finding residue on your dishes, it’s most likely mineral deposits, and you may need a detergent with a water softener.) If a microscopic amount of PVA/PVOH were to remain on a dish, PVA/PVOH has been shown in studies to have a half-life of less than a day, and there is no evidence at this time of PVA/PVOH bioaccumulation in the blood.

This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Courtney Schley.