Confused about dishwasher tablets

[tiokiko]

I am a dishwasher virgin - we've never had one but we are about to move into a house with one so I need to get my act together.

It's in Edinburgh so there's soft water - I think that means we don't need salt, is that right?

Do we need rinse aid?

Which would you go for - Finish Powerball / Powerball All in One / Finish Powerball Quantum?

I should have other more pressing things to think about but for some reason this one is foxing me so any tips would be great.

I'm in Manchester which also has soft water and don't use salt or use rinse aid.

I buy whichever tablets/ powder / gel is on offer and can't say I've noticed any being better than another.

If you are on a tight budget might be worth trying the supermarkets own value ones, have heard they are good too.

Enjoy not washing up

I use Tesco 5-in-1, and buy lots when they have a good price on! You don't need any added salt or rinse aid round here if you're using a combined tablet. TBH I think they're probably all about the same, so you might as well pick a cheaper one and see if you're happy with it.

I also think it's worth running a cleaning cycle every month or two, and just use the Tesco own brand stuff for that too.

I always buy Finish when it's on offer in Tesco. Don't think it makes any difference at all which to use (it's just marketing with slight changes to each one!).

Rinse aid makes a huge difference though. I didn't use it at first but it contains stuff to make the plates etc. repel water and dry.
Try using it without rinse aid to see the difference.
I was confused as to why I had to hand dry my dishes after they'd been through a wash!!!

Which magazine has done an best buy on this topic. Tesco value ones came out tops but I don't rate them. I would get the Finish powerball ones when they are half price in Tesco and 100% extra free (this happens about every six months). Now, in fact.

Great - thanks all.

Makes more sense now, I hate our local Tesco but for that sort of bargain I'll bear it!

My dh is in charge of the dishwasher in this house, and he would be horrified at not using salt, even in soft water areas. He says you need the salt to keep the pipes clean , even if you use the all in one tablets. We buy Fairy or Finish when they are BOGOF.

Oh yes, and you need rinseaid to make your glasses all sparkly

soft water here
IMO lidl tablets beat the others hands down. (not the all in one tablets). separate rinse aid. salt seems to make a big difference.

yup salt and rinse aid help the dish washer work properly, soft water or not.

main cause of breakdown is gunky pipes!

the salt make the water more acid or alkali (cannot remember which!!) to dissolve the food, and the rinse aid keeps all the bits from re settling on the clean plates

I always know when either need refilled as the glasses get "sandy"

I use tablets that are on offer - currently have finish powerball half price in tesco. Before that it was fairy liquitab things which were half price in Morrisons. I also use salt and rinse aid (own brand stuff) even though we have soft water.

Lidl dishwasher tabs are brilliant and are on offer atm for 84p. 84p!!

I use rinse aid but am lax with the salt, in a soft water area.

catsmama I always know when either needs refilling as a light comes on!

excellent valium....i was too cheap to get one that did that!

Mine was given to us secondhand - still going strong 8 years on. I luuuuuuurve it!