Our writers test and research products independently. When you buy through a link on our site we may earn a commission but this never affects our product choices.
Best dishwasher tablets 2024, tried and tested by Mumsnet users
Whether you want to remove tough tea stains, burnt-on food or give your glasses a sparkling shine, here’s our pick of the best dishwasher tablets to buy in 2024.
By Hannah Wilson | Last updated Feb 20, 2024
While the best dishwasher can dramatically speed up the post-mealtime clean-up, using the wrong products can result in your dirty dishes and glasses going back in for a second wash. High-quality, effective dishwasher tablets will cut through grease, remove tough stains like tea and coffee, and leave your glasses gleaming and free of watermarks.
There are many different dishwasher tablets on the market from cheap supermarket own-brands to eco-friendly tablets and well-known offerings from the likes of Finish and Fairy, so it can be tricky to know which are the best dishwasher tablets for your home.
To help you figure out which dishwasher tablets to go for, we’ve scrutinised expert reviews to determine the bestselling and most highly rated brands in terms of removing tea and food stains, eliminating grease and bringing out the perfect shine for crockery, cutlery and glassware. We then scoured the Mumsnet forums for recommendations from real families. After all, there’s no better way to discover which household products work best for family life than to rely on honest reviews from the largest online network of parents in the UK. So, whether you have a freestanding or integrated dishwasher, here are the top tablets to buy.
Spruce up your kitchen with our guides to the best glass cleaner and oven cleaner, according to Mumsnet users.
The best dishwasher tablets UK: at a glance
Finish Quantum Ultimate Dishwasher Tablets
Clean stains and grease the first time
Highly rated
Works at lower temperatures
100% biodegradable wrappers
Pricey
Large capsules - may need to be folded to fit in the dispenser
Price on writing: £22 | Pack size: 85 | Price per tablet: 26p
You’ll find a variety of Finish dishwashing products around, but the Quantum Ultimate Dishwasher Tablets have been designed to achieve impressive results.
The tablet has three parts – gel and powder for scrubbing and degreasing, and a liquid powerball for getting that ultimate shine. While these tablets are pricier than others in our list, they promise to work the first time, cutting through grease and baked-on food while protecting glasses and preventing water spots, which means you shouldn’t have to rewash them by hand or put them back in for a second cycle.
The tablets can even work at lower temperatures, and they also come in a 100% biodegradable wrapper, so it's no wonder that they come so highly rated – they've earned over 14,000 five-star reviews (and counting) on Amazon.
The only downside is that the capsules are quite large, so they might not fit in every dishwasher. However, some reviewers found that they could fold the capsule and fit it in the dispenser without any problem.
Related: Discover the best American fridge freezer for family homes
Good value for money
Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly
Built-in rinse aid and salt
May not work as well on cooler cycles
Might struggle to remove dried-on starch like pasta
Tablet wrapping needs to be removed before using
Price on writing: £13 | Pack size: 100 | Price per tablet: 13p
Astonish makes a range of budget-friendly cleaning products, and their dishwasher tablets offer excellent value for money, working out at just 13p per tab.
The lemon-scented all-in-one capsules come with integrated salt and rinse aid, which promises to remove tough stains and leave everything from your lunch box to your dishes sparkling and streak-free.
Astonish recommends using a normal cycle wash (55 degrees) with these tablets, or 65 degrees for those who live in a hard water area or have heavily soiled dishes, so they may not work as well on cooler cycles. The tablets are phosphate-free making them kinder for the environment, although the wrapper won't dissolve in the wash and each tablet is individually wrapped.
Related: Best toaster and kettle for your kitchen
Affordable
Can clean on a short cycle
Built-in rinse aid and salt
Some users have found the wrapping doesn’t always dissolve properly
May need to rinse plates and cups before putting them in the dishwasher
Price on writing: £4 | Pack size: 37 | Price per tablet: 11p
ALDI Magnum Dishwasher Tablets keep cropping up on our forums, with many Mumsnetters praising how effective these tablets were. And at 11p a tablet, they’re budget-friendly to boot.
As well as being really good value, they also work just as well as other more expensive brands, leaving dishes clean and glasses streak-free and gleaming, even on a short cycle. These triple-chamber tablets not only save you time on rinsing and cleaning but also help care for your dishwasher with built-in detergent, salt and anti-corrosive ingredients.
What’s more, the wrappers dissolve in the wash, so your post-mealtime clean-ups will be even quicker, though a few did report that they didn't fully dissolve like the Finish Quantum ones. It's also worth noting that you will need to remove food scraps and rinse heavily soiled items before putting them in the dishwasher.
Built-in pre-wash so there’s no need to rinse your dishes before a cycle
Works for both short and eco cycles
Removes stains, grease and dullness
Tablets might not fit in all dispensers
Pricey
Price on writing: £12 | Pack size: 42 | Price per tablet: 29p
If you want minimal faff then an all-in-one dishwasher tablet is the way to go – and Fairy’s Platinum Plus has everything you could need.
As recommended by global manufacturers, such as Whirlpool, Indesit and AEG, these tablets come with integrated rinse aid and salt and have a built-in pre-wash system so you don’t have to waste time – or water – rinsing your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.
The liquid and powder capsules are designed to perform well on both short and eco cycles, removing grease and dried-on food while protecting your silver and glassware. And reviewers love how these tablets remove dullness from their dishes and bring back a like-new shine.
While you might struggle to fit the tablet in your dishwasher dispenser, the Fairy team say you can pop the tablet in the cutlery basket instead.
Related: Best fridge freezer according to Mumsnetters
Fragrance-free
Free from added preservatives
Recyclable packaging
Great value
Some users say the tablets leave a residue behind
May not be as effective at colder temperatures
Price on writing: £13 | Pack size: 80 | Price per tablet: 16p
If you’re not a fan of strong-smelling cleaning products, suffer from allergies or just want to avoid the odour that can be left behind on dishes or glasses, then Finish 0% Dishwasher Tablets could be your solution.
While they don’t contain intentionally added preservatives and are fragrance-free, the tablets promise to deliver the same cleaning performance as Finish All-In-1 Max Dishwasher Tablets while being kinder to the environment – and to your nose.
These tablets come in a biodegradable 100% soluble film, are free from phosphates and arrive in fully recyclable packaging – giving you cleaner dishes and a clearer conscience. However, some reviewers have found that they needed higher temperatures to achieve clean crockery, Tupperware and cutlery the first time round.
.jpg/889fabde1fea561e1463c2c0aa1e6f78.webp)
Glass and silver protection
Prevents build-up of grease and cleans filter
Tablet wrappers dissolve
Some users have found that capsules stick together in the pack
Not as effective as the Platinum Pro capsules on short cycles (but cheaper)
Lemon scent is strong
Price on writing: £13 | Pack size: 74 | Price per tablet: 18p
For crystal-clear glasses straight out of your full-sized or slimline dishwasher, Fairy Platinum Tablets come with integrated salt and rinse aid, as well as glass and silver protection.
While other tablets can leave a cloudy residue behind, reviewers have found these powder and liquid capsules keep glasses shiny, even after multiple washes. They also promise to prevent the build-up of grease in your dishwasher and clean your filter, while leaving your machine smelling lemony fresh (although the scent might linger on your dishes).
The Fairy Platinum All in One Tablets have been designed to dissolve quickly thanks to their soluble wrapping, and work hard to tackle even the toughest of food and drink stains the first time round, such as tea, coffee, burnt-on food and egg.
They're pretty similar to the Fairy Platinum Pro capsules also featured in this list, but the main difference is that this edition isn't as well equipped to tackle shorter cycles. That said, they're over 10p cheaper per tablet.
Related: Best tea towels for your kitchen
Renewable plant-based and mineral ingredients
100% recycled cardboard
Fresh-smelling scent
The tablets come in plastic wrappers that need to be removed
Pricey
Price on writing: £13 | Pack size: 70 | Price per tablet: 19p
If you’re trying to make your home more environmentally-friendly, Ecover’s Classic Dishwasher Tablets are made with renewable plant-based and mineral ingredients.
These lemon-and-lime-scented tablets come in boxes made from 100% recycled cardboard and they are also cruelty-free while promising to be tough on grease and dried-on food.
Ecover recommends using the tablets on an eco wash, but you’ll need to add rinse aid and salt, especially in hard water areas. The big downside to these dishwasher tablets is that, while eco-friendly, they come in individual wrappers which will end up as waste in your kitchen bin. Ecover says this is to keep them fresh as they don’t react well to the air – they are, however, looking at plant-based options.
Only needs to be used weekly (though many use it once a month with good results)
Leaves dishwasher smelling fresh
Cuts through grease and prevents limescale
Can use it during your usual wash cycle
Expensive (though not intended for use every day)
A lot of packaging when buying in bulk
Price on writing: £13 | Pack size: 12 | Price per tablet: £1.08
No matter what dishwasher tablets you use, if your machine is dirty you’ll never get the best results. Some dishwasher cleaners require you to put the dishwasher on empty, which can be frustrating when you have piles of dirty plates waiting to go in. However, Finish has developed the In-Wash tablets so that you can clean your dishes at the same time.
Simply load your dishwasher and put your usual detergent in the chamber, then add the In-Wash capsule to the bottom of your machine. While you’re running your regular cycle, it will tackle grease and prevent limescale from building up in your dishwasher, including on the filter and spray arms.
They're quite pricey compared to regular dishwasher tablets, however, many people use once a month with good results, so a bulk pack of 12 tablets should see you through the year.
How do dishwasher tablets work?
After placing a dishwasher tablet in the dispenser (or in the bottom of your dishwasher) and selecting the wash cycle you want, many of us don’t spare a thought for how dishwasher tablets actually work. But here’s how those small tablets get your dishes, cutlery and pans sparkling.
Once you’ve closed the dishwasher door, the dispenser will open and start depositing the detergent into the hot water that’s filling in the bottom of your machine. The hot water dissolves and releases the ingredients within the tablet and these are then pumped around the dishwasher.
What are dishwasher tablets made from?
Dishwasher tablets are made up of several ingredients that help to tackle stains, remove grease and reduce calcium and limescale build-ups. Most dishwasher tablets contain:
Safe bleach ingredients - to remove tough stains such as tea or coffee
Enzymes - to cut through grease and break down starch and proteins (found in food)
Builder compounds - which helps to reduce water hardness and prevents limescale buildup
Anti-corrosion ingredients - to prevent the corrosion of the dishwasher
As well as the above ingredients, some dishwasher tablets may also contain disintegrants (which allows the tablet to dissolve in the wash), rinse aid (which prevents watermarks) and scented fragrances.
Eco-friendly dishwasher tablets often substitute bleach and other chemical ingredients for more natural cleaning agents, such as sodium citrate and sodium percarbonate.
Are more expensive dishwasher tablets worth it?
As long as your dishwasher tablet works well with your appliance then it doesn’t really matter which brand you choose. However, some brands might work better with your dishwasher than others.
The dishwasher tablet you use will also depend on the results you want from your wash, the type of water in your area, and the types of stains you need it to clean.
Many dishwasher manufacturers recommend a specific brand or tablet to use, and these often help to achieve the cleanest results. But it might be beneficial to try different brands and tablets to see which one works best for you and your family.
It’s also important to remember that dishwasher tablets that contain salt and rinse aid only help to soften the water, so you’ll still need to refill the salt in your machine once a month.
How do I choose the best dishwasher tablets?
Ingredients
Dishwasher tablets come in liquid or tablet form, or a capsule containing both. While each product is different, they are generally made up of a combination of builders, bleaches, enzymes and surfactants. Some are designed to work better at a high temperature while others are more successful at removing tough stains or cutting through grease when set at lower temperatures.
Eco-friendly
If you want to be kinder on the planet, you’ll find environmentally-friendly dishwasher tablets made from plant-based, biodegradable ingredients that come in a soluble wrapper instead of individual plastic wrappers, and are vegan and cruelty-free. You can also be more eco-friendly by looking out for recyclable packaging.
Rinse aid and salt
Dishwashers also need rinse aid to assist with drying and to leave your dishes shiny and with fewer spots, and salt for softening the water and protecting the machine from limescale. You can buy dishwasher tablets that come with rinse aid and salt included. But in hard water areas where you can get a build-up of limescale, you may need to top them up separately to get the best out of your machine.
Price
For a family home, you may find yourself filling the dishwasher more than once a day, so the cost may be a big factor when it comes to choosing a dishwasher tablet. As you can see from our list, you don’t have to spend a fortune – prices can start from around £3.99 and can go up to over £60 for bulk or larger packs.
Do dishwasher tablets clean your washing machine?
While dishwasher tablets are made for cleaning your dishes and glassware, a cleaning hack that went viral on social media claims you can also use them to clean your washing machine.
The tip, which was posted on the Mums Who Clean Facebook group, recommends that you pop four dishwasher tablets into the drum on a hot wash. The water turns brown as it cleans out the inside of the washing machine and, when it drains, the drum is left gleaming.
However, some cleaning experts say this tip could do more damage than good to your machine, which is why we’d suggest a specially designed washing machine cleaner for the job instead.
What are the best dishwasher tablets to buy?
The best dishwasher tablets to buy are the Finish Quantum Ultimate. They promise to cut through grease and baked-on food the first time round while protecting glasses from water spots to leave them gleaming.
They’re suitable for those wanting to be more eco-friendly as the wrappers are 100% biodegradable and the tablets also work at lower temperatures.
How we chose our recommendations
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
To bring you our definitive list of the best dishwasher tablets you can buy today, we first sought the trusted opinions of discerning Mumsnet users, getting their feedback on the dishwasher capsules and tablets that they rate, recommend and use in their own kitchens.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnet users highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, overpriced or performed badly when returning dishes to their former glory.
Expert opinions
Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those suggested by consumer champions and home domestic experts.
Authentic consumer reviews
Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best dishwasher tablets on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Sainsbury's and Tesco to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.
About the author
Hannah Wilson is a freelance copywriter with over four years' experience writing for a wide range of publications and brands across many industries, including home, lifestyle, travel, health and business. As a passionate writer, who has two young nieces, she understands some of the struggles that parents face and is keen to save Mumsnet users time and money by finding the best products. In her free time, you’ll either find her walking in The Lake District, playing with her nieces, reading a book, attempting to write her own, or baking delicious treats.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
Read next: The best vacuum sealers for fresh food storage