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Original poster

Dishwasher Eco setting

34 replies

TomRipley · 18/04/2022 18:17

Is anyone else Eco setting rubbish?

I've switched to it for obvious reasons but it doesn't clean everything properly.

Grainy bits left on everything like it hasn't rinsed properly and some things left greasy and stained orange.

Am I doing something wrong or is it generally not as good?

OP posts:

Squiff70 · 18/04/2022 18:24

We don't use our eco setting. It takes nearly three hours. A normal cycle takes 35 minutes. Seems like a complete waste of energy and I'm yet to see evidence that a much longer eco cycle uses less energy than a standard cycle. It probably uses less water but nearly three hours to wash is ridiculous. Our washing machine is the same.

Sagaris · 18/04/2022 18:24

Ours is the same - I'd cleaned the dishwasher first to make sure everything would be ok - the same as you, crockery and pans came out dirty with salt deposits on everything? Nothing felt 'clean' either, it was as if everything had a film on it? Salt and rinse aid were fully topped up too. I reverted back to the normal wash programme and it was fine again. No Eco washes here now!

WhatHaveIFound · 18/04/2022 18:29

I have a Bosch dishwasher and always use it on the Eco setting. It works perfectly well and I've never had any problems with dishes not being rinsed properly. Tend to use Finish tablets with it.

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PurpleFlower1983 · 18/04/2022 18:31

@WhatHaveIFound

I have a Bosch dishwasher and always use it on the Eco setting. It works perfectly well and I've never had any problems with dishes not being rinsed properly. Tend to use Finish tablets with it.

Same, ours is great. It takes 3.5 hours but it’s just as good as the normal setting.

DinosApple · 18/04/2022 18:31

We have an eco wash and a 40 minute cycle. The eco wash works well but takes aaages, the 40 minute one is fine for light work though.

Nowhere in the manual does it say which cycle uses least electricity - my money would be on the quick cycle tbh.

I can't seem to get hold of dishwasher salt at the moment either...

MoonBat · 18/04/2022 18:40

My eco setting works fine for everything except the grill pan. Takes longer, but I have enough cutlery and crockery that it doesn't matter.

Original poster

TomRipley · 18/04/2022 18:41

Ours is a hot point but it's relatively new. I'm using Finish everything (tablets, salt, rinse aid).

Seems it's just the setting so I'll have to switch back.

I hope there's not a shortage @DinosApple, I've just used my last half bag!

OP posts:

MackenCheese · 18/04/2022 18:42

The shop who sold us the dishwasher (Neff) told us not to bother with the ECO setting as it was a complete waste of time and money . It cleans perfectly fine on the 1 hour cycle.

Wilma55 · 18/04/2022 18:44

The booklet/user guide should tell you how many units each cycle uses. I have a Howdens dishwasher and googled energy usage for it. Eco setting (2.5 hrs) uses less energy than the shortest wash (apart from cold rinse.

Bloodybridget · 18/04/2022 18:46

Like some pps we have a Bosch and nearly always use eco setting, it cleans much better than the short cycle and things come out dryer too.

BertieBotts · 18/04/2022 18:47

Use the auto 40-60 setting, that's meant to be the best as it only heats the water as much as it needs to be heated.

Quick washes use more electricity than longer cycles, they don't use a consistent amount of energy the whole time they are on.

In any wash you'll have multiple instances of new, clean water being heated and squirted over everything. In an eco wash or quick wash, the tablet gets released for the first of these cycles. In every other wash mode it only gets released on the second cycle. That means it can work better as the worst of the grease and stuff has already been rinsed off. For even better performance, buy some cheap dishwasher powder and throw a bit on the floor of the dishwasher or in the pre wash compartment if your dishwasher has one, so that it uses this for the first cycle and then dispenses the tablet for the "real" wash which starts with the second go around.

IcedOatLatte · 18/04/2022 18:50

@Bloodybridget

Like some pps we have a Bosch and nearly always use eco setting, it cleans much better than the short cycle and things come out dryer too.

I have a Bosch too and have never had any problems with the eco cycle, it's the only one I use

I don't rate the finish tablets at all though, I had a free sample and found them to be worse than own brands ones. It might depend on what type of water you have.

Ganymedemoon · 18/04/2022 18:54

I also have a Bosch and always use the eco cycle. Cleans brilliantly just takes an 2 hours longer than the regular cycle.

FourTeaFallOut · 18/04/2022 18:57

My eco setting is shit. Like yours, it leaves baked on gritty residue and then I have to hand wash it all. It's fine on every other setting.

PetronellaOsgood · 18/04/2022 19:17

Bosch here too, always use the eco cycle, takes 3.5 hours, I usually put it on before bed and empty it in the morning, everything is always sparkling.
Before this one I had a Smeg, useless eco setting, plates and cutlery always had food residue on them. Have always uses either finish or fairy tablets with both, so I think it’s the machine rather than anything else.

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 18/04/2022 19:19

Another Bosch / eco cycle user, much less energy than the quick loads as others have said and perfect performance

Floralnomad · 18/04/2022 19:22

We have a Bosch and use the eco setting and it’s fine - I use Fairy tablets

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 18/04/2022 19:31

I have a Zanussi and have recently switched from the (good) 30 min cycle to the eco cycle. Everything comes out clean but it takes approximately 200 years.

ChiefInspectorParker · 18/04/2022 19:34

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Original poster

TomRipley · 18/04/2022 19:47

I usually use the Aldi lemon tablets and they're good, smell nice too.
I'm only using Finish because I got a deal on Getir a while back.

They all work the same for me, apart from the Ecover tabs.
They left everything chalky!

OP posts:

zaffa · 18/04/2022 19:53

I have a cheap currys one brand dishwasher and the eco cycle works fine (but had to be in overnight as At least I don't have to be reminded by it's stupid flashing light that it's still washing three hours later).

There is a dishwashing salt shortage!! I couldn't find any in any shops about a month ago and in the end ordered this massive bag off Amazon that took a week to arrive but at least will last a good while.

Good luck finding some 🤞🏻

zaffa · 18/04/2022 19:54

@TomRipley

I usually use the Aldi lemon tablets and they're good, smell nice too. I'm only using Finish because I got a deal on Getir a while back.

They all work the same for me, apart from the Ecover tabs.
They left everything chalky!

Also the Aldi 'premium' ones smell like damp. To the point that I pulled out the dishwasher and emptied the kitchen cupboards trying to find the source of the damp as surely we must have a huge leak ....

CatNamedEaster · 18/04/2022 19:58

We use the eco setting on our Bosch with Ecover tabs and it's never a problem. If there's a load that doesn't include any baked on food, we use half a tablet and it's still fine.

Original poster

TomRipley · 18/04/2022 20:17

Ooo yes @zaffa
Those smell of wet dog

OP posts:

BarbaraofSeville · 18/04/2022 20:58

Another successful eco cycle in a new Bosch here. Plus it uses half the energy of the standard cycle despite taking nearly 5 hours.

But the eco cycle on our old Hotpoint was shit so we always used the standard instead.

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