If you want squeaky-clean dishes, stick with us till the end to see the best dishwasher pods currently available on the market.
We will be looking through several brands and packages that offer great ingredients, good value for the money, and outstanding customer satisfaction.
Contents
Best Dishwasher Pods (Updated List)
Before we get into the rankings, here is a sneak preview of our top three choices for the best dishwasher pods.
We chose these dishwasher pods based on customer ratings, quality, price, and overall efficiency when it comes to what dishwasher detergent should do – cleaning dishes.
14. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Automatic Dishwasher Pods
- Automatic dishwasher detergent pods leave dishes sparkling clean and are safe for use in all machines
- Dish soap tablets made without animal derived ingredients, phosphates, or chlorine
- Garden-inspired Basil Dish Pacs have a cool, crisp scent that is uplifting & grounding
| Pod amount: | 20 pods x 3 packages = 60 pods |
| Scent: | Basil Scent |
What makes the Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Pods so good is the fact that they’re efficient without ever being tested on animals.
Each tab is perfect for washing a regular load of dishes such as the ones found in portable dishwashers. For larger loads, you might need two pods.
Other than that, we can’t really complain about anything in this package, seeing that Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Dishwasher Pods are made with so much thought and care.
Verdict
The Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Automatic Dishwasher Pods are a great addition for anyone who owns a dishwasher and cares about the environment.
With a decent price compared to other natural dishwashing solutions, you will benefit from cleaner dishes and lower stress on your wallet.
13. Method Dishwasher Soap Packs
- Contains (1) resealable pouch with 45 individual packs of dishwasher soap inside
- Dishwasher detergent packs with mineral and plant-based stain lifting power.
- Free of phosphates and chlorine bleach.
| Pod amount: | 20 or 45 |
| Scent: | Scent-Free or Lemon Scent |
Method makes some of the best dishwasher detergents out there, and their Dishwasher Soap Packs are no exception to this rule.
Their naturally-derived formula works wonders even on stuck-on food as long as it hasn’t been left over for more than 24 hours.
Furthermore, the Method Dishwasher Pacs come in two distinct versions, either with a lemon scent or completely unscented, depending on how you prefer them. Plus you can purchase them as either a 20-pac or a 45-pac offering.
Verdict
The Method Dishwasher Soap Packs are made by one of the most respected brands in the dishwasher industry.
Their formula is non-toxic and natural yet manages to clean about as well as other more premium brands out there such as Cascade or Finish.
12. Presto! Premium Dishwasher Detergent Pacs
- 1. 2-in-1 formula delivers grease fighting and a rinse aid to leave dishes sparkling clean
- 2. Removes 24-hour stuck on food so there's no need to pre soak or pre rinse dishes
- 3. Leave your dishwasher machine looking clean and smelling fresh with these dishwasher detergent pods
| Pod amount: | 67 |
| Scent: | Fresh Scent |
If you want an affordable pack of dishwasher pods, the Presto! Premium option should be one of your main options.
The package contains 67 dishwasher pods with a fresh scent and non-phosphate formula that manages to clean well considering it’s got fewer chemicals than other detergent pacs.
Furthermore, the Presto! Premium Dishwasher Pods are backed by Amazon’s own production standards. And on top of that, you also get a one-year money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with their quality. The user reviews speak for themselves regarding this matter.
Verdict
The Presto! Premium Dishwasher Detergent Pacs come at a very low price and leave your dishwasher smelling wonderful after every wash cycle.
These pre-measured pacs allow you to skip over the bothersome process of measuring detergent scoops, and they’re optimized for loads of up to 16 place settings.
11. Nature Clean Automatic Dishwasher Pacs
- 🧽🧼🍽✨POWERFUL FORMULA - Finally a plant-based dishwasher pod that gives you great results. No pre-soak, it quickly removes baked-on food, grease and stains leaving your dishes spot-free and squeaky clean.
- 🧽🧼🍽✨NO NASTY CHEMICALS - Our plant-based dishwashing pods are hypoallergenic and they contain NO chlorine, phosphates, sulphates, perfumes, or dyes making them super safe for you and your family.
- 🧽🧼🍽✨MOTHER NATURE APPROVES - With the precise amount of detergent in each dishwasher tabs, you use less detergent which means less soap in water treatment plants. This product is also septic tank safe.
| Pod amount: | 24 or 60 |
| Scent: | Unscented |
For those who want to get fairly clean dishes and keep their septic system safe from harmful chemicals, the Nature Clean Dishwasher Pods are the perfect fit.
All the ingredients are naturally-derived and don’t harm your skin at all. As for the cleaning process itself, the Nature Clean Pacs do a good job for the most part. However, they struggle with food remains and hard tea spots.
As long as you scrape and rinse your dishes beforehand, you’ll be happy to know that the pods sanitize them properly. Also, the shiny finish on porcelain and glass makes any dish look much cleaner and appealing for guests.
Verdict
The Nature Clean Automatic Dishwasher Pacs are great as long as you scrape and pre-rinse your dishes.
They do a fantastic job of cleaning regular stains and keeping your drain and septic tank free of harmful chemicals.
10. Beyond Natural Auto Dishwasher Tablets
- USDA Certified Biobased Product. Septic Safe.
- No dyes, fragrances and chlorine bleach. Ultra concentrated mineral and plant based ingredients.
- Built in rinse aid technology for a spot free shine
| Pod amount: | 32 |
| Scent: | Unscented |
With a rinse-aid agent included, the Beyond Dishwasher Tablets are some of the best natural dishwasher pods that you’ll find in this price range.
Each tab comes in a biodegradable protective film that dissolves once it’s put in water. Free from dyes, fragrances, and chlorine bleach, the Beyond Natural Dishwasher Pods are efficient in hard water and quick cycles.
What’s more, you can get just one package to test how this detergent works out for you, or you can order one case of eight boxes for an even lower price. And on top of that, the manufacturer makes their products in the USA.
Verdict
The Beyond Natural Auto Dishwasher Tablets are effective in hard water and for quick wash cycles.
They come at a more than decent price, so anyone can afford to test them and see if it works for them as well as they worked for many other people.
9. Kirkland Signature Premium Dishwasher Pacs
- Works Great on Grease, Coffee, Wine, and Eggs
- Sparkling Clean, Streak Free Dishes
- Easy and Convenient
| Pod amount: | 115 |
| Scent: | Lemon Citrus |
Kirkland Signature’s Dishwasher Pods contain active bleach that thoroughly cleans even the toughest stuck-on foods.
Considering its amazing price, we would’ve ranked it higher if it didn’t require an additional rinse-aid for hard water. Also, another thing that sets this package back is the fact that you can’t allow silverware to come in contact with stainless steel items during the wash cycle.
However, other than that, the pods do a fantastic job. They remove grease, coffee stains, wine spots, and even hardened egg residue left on dishes. As long as you don’t have hard water, the Kirkland Signature Premium Dishwasher Pacs ensures your dishes will come out sparkling clean and streak-free.
Verdict
The Kirkland Signature Dishwasher Pacs are an amazing value deal.
While far from perfect, we still recommend them for people who already have water softeners installed. Also take note not to use these capsules in a countertop dishwasher, as it contains too much detergent for small place settings.
8. Dropps Dishwasher Detergent Pods
- dropps detergent dishwasher pods, unscented, 25 Count, free and Clear, biodegradable
- Effective & safe cleaning
- Plant-based ingredients. No animal testing. Recyclable packaging. No plastic.
| Pod amount: | 25 or 120 |
| Scent: | Available in Lemon Scent & Unscented |
With natural ingredients and free of toxins, the Dropps Dishwasher Pods provide a safe and reliable cleaning process on any wash cycle.
We absolutely love the low price and the fact that you can order them in bulk for an even more bargain deal. The best dishwasher pods give dishes a squeaky-clean feeling and streak-free look. And the ones dishwasher detergent pods from Dropps do exactly that.
What’s more, the company doesn’t test on animals. And you can use these in either hot or cold water and still get excellent results. Furthermore, the
Verdict
7. Finish Max in 1 Powerball
- Powerball that powers away tough grease and scrubs away burnt and dried-on food
- Contains new Glass Protection ingredients.
- Available in Fresh Scent, Ultra-degreaser with Lemon Scent.
| Pod amount: | 117 |
| Scent: | Fresh Scent, Ultra-degreaser with Lemon Scent |
With 117 pods readily available in a single package, the Finish Max in 1 Powerball provides tremendous value for the money.
Each pod comes in a dissolvable plastic wrapper. It protects them during shipping while also allowing you to place them in the dispenser without having to waste time unwrapping.
Unless really small bits of food are stuck on your dishes, you’ll no longer need to pre-rinse or scrub anything with the help of the Finish Max in 1 Powerball. It’s clearly one of the best dishwasher pods out there considering the price and the brand.
Verdict
The Finish Max in 1 Powerball is powerful when dealing with burnt and dried-on food.
Having 117 pods in a single package is absolutely fantastic. You’ll be saving a lot more money in the long run when compared to other options.
6. Love Home and Planet Dishwasher Detergent Pods
- 🌱 [plant based cleansers] packed with 78% plant and mineral-based cleansers & Formulated without dyes or phosphates. Dermatologist tested & Gluten Free 🙌🏼
- 🍽 [Care for your tableware] one little packet to give your dishes a clean, dreamy bubble bath. Our dishwasher packets effectively remove tough, stuck-on food residue to leave plates, pots, pans and glasses gleaming and squeaky-clean. For best results, load soiled surfaces facing the center and taller items away from the center. No need to pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher - scrape off food and empty liquids, the dishwasher will do the rest.
- 💜 [calming fragrant scent] Infused with ethically sourced calming French Lavender, and blended with Moroccan Argan Oil, These dishwasher packets give your dishes the gentle bubble bath they deserve after that delicious meal.
| Pod amount: | 38 |
| Scent: | Lavender and Argan |
Love Home and Planet is a brand dedicated to making eco-friendly products.
Coincidentally, one of their offerings can be considered some of the best dishwasher pods that you can buy right now.
Despite the Love Home and Planet Dishwasher Pods’ lack of chemicals, they still manage to do a fine job even when confronted with grease and hard food residue.
The one thing to note is that you should wash silver, aluminum, and stainless steel dishes in a separate load to avoid discoloration. We believe that having to do so might be inconvenient for some people. Nevertheless, the pods do a good enough job to merit such a high place on our list.
Verdict
While not perfect, the Love Home and Planet Dishwasher Detergent Pods do a fine job of cleaning dishes.
Some people may find it inconvenient that they can’t wash silverware with the other dishes, but other than that and the more premium price, we can’t complain about anything.
5. Grab Green Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Pods
- Contains: 1- 24 Pod Bag of Grab Green Natural Tangerine with Lemongrass Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Pods. Our velcro closure bags are convenient and easy to use, no hassling with frustrating zip closures
- Naturally Effective: Specifically formulated to cut through grease and stuck on food without harsh chemicals, noxious fumes or caustic chemicals, leaving a spot free, brilliant shine
- Tangerine with Lemongrass: Our convenient, pre-measured pods provide a bright burst of natural fragrance. Just drop one in your dishwasher and easily tackle your toughest loads
| Pod amount: | 24 |
| Scent: | Tangerine with Lemongrass |
Made with natural ingredients and several sodium derivates, the Grab Green Dishwasher Pods provide a powerful cleaning formula.
The pods remove minerals from hard water, provide anti-caking properties, remove grease and proteins, absorb excess water, and give a refreshing fragrance to your dishes.
Each Grab Green Automatic Dishwashing Detergent capsule is good enough for a full load of dishes as long as you don’t overcrowd the dishwasher tub. The company recommends resealing the package using its velcro enclosure to keep the tablets fresh as long as possible.
Verdict
The Grab Green Dishwashing Detergent Pods provide an outstaning cleaning solution at a fairly reasonable price when compared to other natural alternatives.
The natural formula provides a completely toxin-free dishwashing experience, and the scent is a pleasant one even though some might consider it a little too powerful.
4. Ecover Zero Automatic Dishwashing Tablets
- Dishwasher Soap
- Fragrance Free
- Ecover
| Pod amount: | 25 |
| Scent: | Fragrance-free |
Coming from one of the most renowned natural dishwasher detergent brands, the Ecover Zero Automatic are some of the best dishwasher pods with non-toxic properties.
While it doesn’t handle greasy dishes all that well, it does a fantastic job for everything else. The Ecover Zero Dishwashing Tablets contain no fragrance, dyes, or chlorine, and work with 100% natural plant and mineral-based ingredients.
They’re also free of phosphates and other harmful chemicals that affect the environment. You can rest assured that the resulting drained water won’t affect your septic system, nearby rivers, the ground, or the municipal sewage system in any way.
Verdict
The Ecover Zero Automatic Dishwashing Tablets provide a decent dish cleaning solution for the environmentally-friendly crowd.
They also come at a relatively decent price considering the number of tablets you get in the package. Also, the company’s products are never tested on animals.
3. Solimo Dishwasher Detergent Pacs
- Solimo dishwasher detergent pacs remove stuck-on food, and are tough on grease, stains, and residue.
- No pre-rinse is required when using Solimo dishwasher detergent pacs, which makes cleaning easy.
- Leaves your dishes sparkling clean, and gives them a great fresh scent.
| Pod amount: | 85 |
| Scent: | Fresh scent |
Being an Amazon brand, the Solimo Detergent Pods come at a more than decent price.
On top of that, you also get a one-year money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with the product. So you’re not only spending far less on dishwasher detergent, but your investment is also safe in case you’re disappointed.
However, chances of you being disappointed are close to zero. The Solimo Dishwasher Detergent’s grease-fighting and rinse-aid abilities will make your dishes squeaky-clean and will save you even more money on separate rinse-aid products.
Verdict
The Solimo Dishwasher Pods bring immense value for anyone who needs to buy dishwasher detergent.
We also like that it doesn’t leave any dubious scent in the dishwasher tub, but rather leaves a pleasant smell on the dishes. We can forgive the initial hard smell when opening the container because of this.
2. Finish Quantum Dishwasher Detergent Powerball
- Finish Quantum Scrubs, Degreases, and Shines. Because There’s Clean. Then There’s so Clean It Shines
- 3 Separate Fast Dissolving Chambers, Delivering 3 Different Power Actions
- Powder: Scrubbing Power to Break Down and Remove Toughest Stuck on Food in One Wash. No need to pre-rinse or soak. Cuts through grease, breaks down and lifts away even 24-hour burnt, dried on food
| Pod amount: | 82 |
| Scent: | Fresh Scent, Lemon Scent and Baking Soda |
Coming from one of the most respect brands in the dishwasher detergent category, the Finish Quantum Powerball delivers excellent performance at a decent price.
The triple action delivered by each pod provides scrubbing, degreasing, and a nice shine to each type of dish that you can imagine. A single package is enough for 82 full dishwasher loads, which is tremendous considering the price.
Also, the Finish Powerball Quantum improves on the old lineup of this brand’s dishwasher detergents to make it even more efficient in the long run. With each wash cycle, you’ll notice better and better results down the line.
Verdict
The Finish Quantum Powerball Dishwasher Pods offer great value for the money.
A single package is able to wash 82 full loads of dishes, and you’ll see better results with each consecutive wash cycle.
1. Cascade Platinum Plus Dishwasher Pods
- Cascade cleaning power allows you to skip pre-washing dishes, saving up to 15 gallons of water with each load
- ActionPacs are formulated with the grease-fighting power of Dawn dish soap. Formulated with POWER BOOSTER.
- Cascade Platinum PLUS+ ActionPacs dishwashing detergent dissolve, lift, and rinse away food.
| Pod amount: | 70 |
| Scent: | Lemon |
Just by looking at the number of total ratings and the percentage of 5-star reviews, you can clearly tell that these are by far the best dishwasher pods.
The Cascade Platinum Plus Dishwasher Pods are powerful and easy to use. One pod is enough to completely clean an entire dishwasher load. This new version of the classic Platinum series does a much better job at dissolving foods and cleans pots and pans significantly better.
Another major advantage is that it works in hard water, making it a desirable purchase for more than 80% of US households. The Cascade Platinum Plus Pods also have the significant advantage of dissolving thoroughly in water and not leaving any residue in the tray or on dishes.
Verdict
The Cascade Platinum Plus Dishwasher Pods offer thorough cleaning and leave no residue behind.
They work in hard water, are easy to use, and bring a ton of value for the money. Finally, this new version is much better at cleaning pots and pans.
Frequently asked questions
Are dishwasher pods better than liquid?
The best dishwasher pods aren’t necessarily better than liquid dishwasher detergent. This depends on several factors, such as the ingredients used and their concentration among other things. However, for people who don’t want to bother with pre-measuring the quantity of dishwasher, pods are the way to go. They offer a good cleaning solution without having to second-guess how much you need.
Are pods bad for your dishwasher?
Some people believe that the pod’s enclosure causes clogging. However, that’s a rather far-reaching statement. Dishwasher pods don’t clog the drain as long as you don’t already have other gunk built up. And if you use enough water, it’s unlikely that this will ever happen to you. Also, do take note if you have hard water problems in your area. Clogging is much more likely to occur from limescale deposits than from the dishwasher pods’ enclosure.
Why won’t my dishwasher pods melt?
In such cases, most of the time, there’s something blocking the dispenser cup. Check to see if you didn’t overload the dishwasher. Sometimes a utensil might be blocking the dispenser cup or even a large plate. Once you solve this issue, check to see if there’s enough water flowing through your dishwasher. To check for this, put a large measuring cup or mug in your dishwasher on the top rack, open end up. Run a regular cycle and then see if the cup is full. If it’s not, there’s a problem with your machine.
How do dishwasher pods work?
Modern dishwasher detergent pods contain enzymes that are pretty much the same as the ones in your gut. These enzymes break down starch and proteins in food, effectively eliminating stains in the process. At the end of the cycle, the food remains and the enzymes get flushed away into the drainage, leaving you with crisp, sparkling dishes.
Do all dishwashers take pods?
Yes. There is no reason why pods wouldn’t work on a specific dishwasher. Ever since pods appeared, people have started using them instead of grain or liquid detergent. Why? Because of convenience and effectiveness. You don’t have to second guess any measurements and, more often than not, pods also contain a rinse-aid agent instead of just the regular detergent. In cases like these, pods are usually much better.
Can you put dishwasher pods at the bottom of the dishwasher?
No, don’t do this under any circumstance. Single dose dishwasher detergent pods should be placed in the dispenser. If you toss one inside the dishwasher tub, it will dissolve during the pre-wash cycle. And even if you skip the pre-wash cycle, it will still dissolve too quickly and it will lose a significant amount of its efficiency.
Can dishwasher pods clean hand-painted wooden dishes?
Yes, they can clean wooden dishes, but they will also wipe away all the paint. The enzymes found in dishwasher pods don’t just dissolve food. They also dissolve most food-grade paints almost completely. Best case scenario, your drawing will look slightly more erased. Worst case scenario, it will be completely wiped off.
Do you need rinse aid with dishwasher pods?
Some dishwasher pods already contain a rinse-aid agent, case in which you don’t need to bother adding more. However, in areas with particularly hard water, we recommend adding an extra rinse-aid agent just in case. Hard water minerals tend to stick to surfaces quite easily. The rinse aid agent found in pods is only enough to keep them away from dishes. An additional agent will also protect your dishwasher’s interior and parts from limescale deposits.
Final thoughts about the best dishwasher pods
Now you’ve seen some of the best dishwasher pods currently on the market.
Hopefully you will now be able to make a more informed purchase by looking through each product’s strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to take notes and choose the one that’s best for you.
