Best dishwasher tablets?

[Chloe94]

Sorry for the boring question! But the house we just brought and moved into has a dishwasher! Something I have always wanted as I HATE washing up and HATE seeing washing up on the side... so I use it all the time and have been using the finish ultimate or whatever there called wich are fantastic and I've noticed no 'chalky' feel to them after... but there expensive and as my dishwasher goes on twice a day (we do alot of cooking) I need something a bit more affordable? Where's best to buy them and what ones will still do a good job to a high standard ? Thank you!

I use Fairy and buy them when they are on offer. Do not use the Aldi ones, despite having a Which best buy thing on them, they are shit.

Aldi dishwasher tabs - if there's one near you. Better than Finish in my opinion.

Aldi ones are very good and came out top on trial with either which or good housekeeping. Plus very cheap.

Ha, ha - horses for courses then :) I live in a very hard water area if that helps, Aldi work best here.

Fairy or finish bought on offer

Fairy Platinum. I never really believed that a dishwasher tablet could make a big difference but it does. I am one of those boring frugal types who is always wanting a bargain but even tight fisted old me thinks that Fairy Platinum are worth paying for. I only buy them when I see them reduced in price though, so sometimes I stock up on them and have multiple bags of them shoved in my cupboard.

I was just coming on to recommend the Aldi ones - cheap and does a great job for us. Why are they shit for you Pippa?

Don't use the gel tablets, apparently the gel doesn't always melt / dissolve and can clog up a machine's innards (so I've been told...)

They are AWFUL for me. I kept thinking we hadn't put the dishwasher on/hadn't forgotten to use a tablet. The glasses and cutlery were particularly awful. We persevered for a bit but I got really irritated having to handwash everything again so I revered back to Fairy. I have half an unused box under the sink, do you think Aldi will let me return them?!

had forgotten not hadn't forgotten

We use Finish liquid (not liquid pods). Bottle lasts a good couple of months - you can adjust quantity depending on how full dishwasher is rather than always using a complete tablet which can be a bit of a waste imo.

I came on to say exactly the same as treaclesoda. Since using Fairy Platinum I've never had to remove a teastain from a white mug by hand. The incidences of having to put a soiled dish through 2 cycles are always because of bad positioning and burnt on stains on old cookwear are actually dissappearing. Glasses etch less badly too. I still am a no brand buyer for most things but buy Fairy when on offer.

Fairy tablets tainted plastics and silicone when I used them. Took ages to get rid of the disgusting soapy taste and smell and I had to throw some things out. Finish stripped the pattern of some crockery.

I swear by Aldi magnum tablets. Everything is perfectly clean and no unwanted side effects.

Just a thought on you having the dishwasher on twice a day: would it be worth getting more crockery, etc? Depends whether the machine is actually full or not of course.

I prefer Finish liquid. Keep your salt and rinse aid at a decent level and use a good liquid, no worries about residue and it cleans brilliantly.

For some reason tablets are more popular in the UK but I think liquid is just as convenient and works better.

I use Waitrose own brand which are surprisingly cheap - they also do a powder you can tip in that is even cheaper. They do a great job. Don't forget to keep your salt topped up especially if you are in a hard water area.

I find asda smartprice ones amazing and so cheap! I handwash my pans though.

Use Sainsburys own brand, they do a really good job.

I use Lidl 5x (?), as recommended by the company that fitted the kitchen. The boss said he recommends them to everyone and to do an empty hottest cycle once every 4-6 weeks to clean the machine.

Thank you so much for all your replies! I will give the aldi ones a go if there no good I'll try and stock up on the others when I see them on offer :D haha yes enb67 it is slighlty horses for courses! haha