Dishwasher detergents

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

I for one noticed the difference when Cascade Complete along with other dishwasher detergents changed formulation due to the new environmental standards. The <br />Cascade Complete prior to the 2010 change got five stars. The current version merits four stars. I learned a little trick to achieve old school five star cleaning: Keep a box of 20 Mule Team Borax on hand. Add a quarter cup; pour half in the bottom of the dishwasher and the remainder in the detergent cup with the Cascade Complete tab. Voila! glassware, flatware and dishes come out sparkling with no film or etching! And this is using a bottom end el-cheapo General Electric dishwasher made for apartments! This machine has just one bottom wash arm and a spray tower that's it for the wash system! Imagine how this combination would perform in a Kitchen Aid dishwasher with the four way hydro sweep wash system or a top rated by CR Bosch model. One other thing to mention:<br />Cascade Complete like other tabs can sometimes not completely dissolve. The trick is to take a moment and place the powdered side of the pillow/tab on the bottom leaving the swirl Dawn gel facing you (visible). And I forgot to add I use white vinegar as <br />in the rinse aid dispenser and there's no spotting and this is cheap and easy. Cascade Complete Tabs can be pricey however I can usually catch a sale at Wal Mart, Sam's Club or Target. It's worth the premium price point.

How long have you owned it:

More than six months

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Comment:

We have an ancient G.E. dishwasher that gets run every day to take care of the day's accumulated dishes. We've always been happy with the performance of the dishwasher, even though we usually run it on the shortened light wash cycle and leave the washed dishes to air dry. Our water is described as moderately hard by the authorities.<br /><br />About two years ago, we noticed a drop in performance and then realized that the cause was removal of phosphates from the Cascade we'd been using. We went out and bought all the phosphated stuff we could find and are just now running out of our stash, so we decided to try the recommended Cascade Complete Action Packs.<br /><br />Pros:<br /><br />- It's better than the stuff we tried two years ago, which left food on the dishes, a white film on the plastic utensils, and turned aluminum a disgusting shade of brown.<br /><br />Cons:<br /><br />- It's still not as good as the old stuff that contained the phosphates. A recent load left a few food particles, and slightly darkened an aluminum measuring spoon (though not nearly as much as the first non-phosphate detergent we tried two-plus years ago), and leaves the plastic handles of our cheap steak knives feeling greasy.<br /><br />I recommend it only because, according to CU's testing, it appears to be the best of a long list of bad choices.

How long have you owned it:

A month or less

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

Consumer Reports got it right. It's the best dishwasher detergent you can buy. Period.

How long have you owned it:

More than six months

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.