Best Dishwasher Tablets 2024

If you compare the advertising blurb, all dishwasher tablets say they are the best way to clean your dishes. From greasy oven trays to lipstick stained glasses, tea stained mugs to plates with dried on egg yolk they can tackle it all and give you streak-free perfectly clean dishes every time. It doesn’t matter how much your dishwasher cost, whether it’s the top of the range, or full of new innovations, if you don’t use the correct dishwasher tablets, it won’t get your dishes clean

Best Selling Dishwasher Tablets UK

How Do Dishwasher Tablets Work?

We’re all familiar with that little oblong package that slots into the dishwasher’s detergent compartment. But do you know what they’re made from? And how does that one little tablet clean a whole machine full of dishes without scrubbing them at all? That little tablet is made up from various chemicals to remove all kinds of stains from your dishes. Each Dishwasher tablet contains:

• Proteases
  This enzyme removes proteins like milk, cheese,egg yolks and meats.
• Amylases
  This enzyme breaks down all carbohydrates.   
• Bleaches
  Bleaches remove stains from plates and glasses.
• Salts
  These salts are used to soften the water, keeping your pipework clear and free from limescale.
• Surfactants   
  These help to create soap suds, remove stains etc
• Anti-Corrosives
  These will help prevent any parts of the dishwasher from becoming rusty and wearing out .

What Are The Benefits Of Dishwasher Tablets?

There are many benefits for using dishwasher tablets, here are a few in no particular order:

• Space saving
  Dishwasher tablets take up much less storage space than powder or liquid detergents.
• Easy To Use
  Most dishwasher tablets are all-in-one so there’s no need to add any salt, or rinsing aids. Plus no measuring required, just pop in one premixed tablet and press start.
• Prolongs The Life Of The Dishwasher
  As all the ingredients are all premixed and measured, you cannot overload the detergent dispenser which could lead to detergent residue building up and causing blockages.
• Better For The Environment
  Due to only using the exact amount of detergents as necessary, there are less pollutants entering the waste water system.
• Saves You Money
  Although the initial outlay is often more expensive than detergent powder or liquid, as less is used, you save money in the long run.

What Should You Look For In Dishwasher Tablets

The key features to look for in dishwasher tablets are

•  Ingredients
  Most dishwasher tablets have cleaning agents but many are not as eco-friendly as they could be. There does seem to be a trade-off between environmentally friendly or cleaning power, but eco-friendly dishwasher tablets are becoming much more powerful at cleaning dishes than they were even 5 years ago.
• Water Softener

60% of homes in the UK are in hard water areas. If you’re not sure about your home, opt for dishwasher tablets that are suitable for hard water, as they can be used in both.

• Soluble Packaging
  Most dishwasher tablets come in a water soluble package, just pop it in the hatch, and it will dissolve the outer package and get to work.
• Operating Temperature

Most dishwasher tablets are designed to be used at 60 degrees but nowadays many dishwashers have a low temperature option. Check that your tablets are suitable for use at lower temperatures,

• Dishwasher Tablet Price
  Price is a factor in everything nowadays, however, don’t assume that the most expensive tablets are the best performing tablets. Many low-priced, value range dishwasher tablets have the features attributed to expensive brands.
• Specific Cleaning Features
  Many brands now have tablets for specific types of dishes. Do you need glasses to be extra shiny? Do your pots need extra cleaning? Do you have delicate china?
• Cost
  The average price per tablet ranges from around 6p up to 30p per dishwasher tablet. As we said earlier the price is not always indicative of the quality.

Dishwasher Tablets Or Dishwasher Powder – What’s Better?

Whether you use dishwasher tablets or dishwasher powder, they are both designed to do the same thing but what works out the best, and the most suitable for your home?

The Pros And Cons Of Dishwasher Powder

Powder Pros	Powder Cons
Cheaper Purchase Price	Hard To Control On Pouring-Can Make A Mess
More Effective In Hard Water Areas	Hard To Measure Accurately
	Harder To Dissolve-Leaves Residue On Dishes

The Pros And Cons Of Dishwasher Tablets

Tablet Pros	Tablet Cons
Precisely Measured	More Expensive
Convenient To Use
No Mess
Take Up Less Storage Space
Added Rinse Agents

Which Dishwasher Tablets Are Better For The Environment

As we are only custodians of this planet, it is our duty to the best we can to protect the environment for future generations. It can be a predicament, we want clean dishes and less hassle, but we also want to feel we are doing our bit for the environment too.Detergents have added chemicals to combat with ever increasing stains etc, so where’s the balance?

Low Phosphate Levels

Phosphates are added to most detergents including dishwasher tablets. They are used to soften hard water, and enhance the cleaning power of the detergent. Sadly, phosphates cause all manner of problems environmentally. Phosphates encourage algae growth which can lead to lowering oxygen levels in rivers, lakes etc.

When the oxygen levels decrease fish, plants and other aquatic life dies off. So wherever possible opt for phosphate free detergents including dishwasher tablets. Often the eco-friendly brands are phosphate free, check the label, a phosphate level of less than 1.6% is considered low.

Other Harmful Chemicals Found In Dishwasher Tablets

Phosphate is not the only harmful chemical to consider, there are artificial colours, fragrances and bleaches to name a few. If you are concerned with environmental issues choose an environmentally friendly dishwasher tablet.Some are free from artificial colours and fragrances.

Frequently Asked Questions