Why are dishwasher tablets expensive?
Dishwasher tablets from major brands can be quite expensive, often costing over $0.30 per tablet. There are a few reasons for the high prices:
- Convenience – Tablets are pre-measured and contain detergent, rinse aid, and water softener all in one, making them very convenient to use.
- Brand names – Big brands like Cascade, Finish, and Electrasol invest a lot in marketing and advertising, which drives up costs.
- Specialized formulas – Tablets are designed to work effectively in dishwashers under various water conditions and on all types of dishes and cookware.
- Manufacturing – The process to manufacture the compressed tablet form is more complex than liquid detergents.
While the convenience and performance of dishwasher tablets is appealing, the costs can really add up, especially for frequent dishwashing. Fortunately, there are some cheaper alternatives to explore.
Use powder, liquid, or gel dishwasher detergent
Powder, liquid, and gel dishwasher detergents are usually much less expensive than tablets, often by 50% or more. For example, a 75 oz tub of Cascade powder costs around $8, which is about $0.11 per ounce. A 20 count box of Cascade Platinum tablets costs around $7, which is $0.35 per tablet. So the powder is less than one third of the cost per wash!
Powder and liquid detergents function just as effectively as tablets in most situations. The only difference is they are not pre-measured or compressed into a tablet, so you have to add the desired amount to the dishwasher dispenser yourself.
Gels tend to be thicker than liquids so they adhere directly to dishes better. Just make sure to use a detergent specifically formulated for dishwashers, as hand washing detergent creates too many suds.
To approximate the all-in-one convenience of tablets, you can simply combine powder or liquid detergent with separate rinse aid and water softening products.
Advantages of powder or liquid detergent:
- Much cheaper per wash
- Lets you control amount used
- Can buy in bulk sizes for even lower cost
Disadvantages:
- Not as convenient as tablets
- Requires accurately measuring out each time
- Powder can sometimes clump if exposed to moisture
So if you are looking to save money on dishwasher detergent, powder and liquid forms offer major cost savings over tablets. Just be prepared to put in a little more effort.
Use generic or store brand tablets
Opting for generic or store brand dishwasher tablets over the major national brands can also yield significant savings. For example, a 20 count box of Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club) tablets costs around $4 compared to $7 for Cascade Platinum. That’s over 40% cheaper for what is likely a very similar product.
Generic tablets contain the same active cleaning ingredients as the name brands. The main difference is that generic products are not as heavily marketed and lack the brand recognition. So you can get comparable cleaning power for a lower price.
One thing to note with generics is that the tablet composition and performance can vary more between different off-brands. So if you don’t get satisfactory results with one store brand tablet, try a different one until you find one that works well.
Here is a pricing comparison of name brand vs generic dishwasher tablets:
| Brand | Count | Price | Price per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Platinum | 20 | $7 | $0.35 |
| Finish Quantum | 60 | $12 | $0.20 |
| Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club) | 45 | $7 | $0.16 |
| Great Value (Walmart) | 40 | $7 | $0.18 |
| Kirkland Signature (Costco) | 115 | $17 | $0.15 |
As you can see, the store brand options provide a 30-50% savings per tablet over the premium national brands. As long as the performance meets your needs, this can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings per year.
Benefits of generic or store brand tablets:
- Much less expensive than name brands
- Convenient single-dose tablets
- Often available in larger pack sizes
Downsides:
- Quality and cleaning performance can be inconsistent
- Less research and development than major brands
- Limited to just store brand options at each retailer
The lower prices of generics make it well worth trying a few different options to find one that gives you satisfactory results at the best value.
Make your own dishwasher detergent
For the most cost savings and control over ingredients, you can make your own homemade dishwasher detergent. This allows you to avoid the expensive brand name products and create a large batch at a fraction of the cost.
There are a few different recipe options using common ingredients like borax, washing soda, citric acid, and salt. These minerals and acids provide the cleaning power to remove grease and food residues. Herbs like lemon peel add natural scent and antibacterial benefits.
Here is one recipe to try:
Basic Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup citric acid
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl
- Transfer to an airtight container
- Use 1-2 tablespoons per wash cycle
The cost to make a batch of this is around $5 and will last for months. Compare that to $7 for a 20 count box of Cascade Platinum tablets!
You can also add lemon zest or 10-15 drops of lemon essential oils to provide a fresh, clean scent. White vinegar or hydrogen peroxide can be used as a rinse aid.
Benefits of homemade detergent:
- Super cheap – pennies per load!
- Customize ingredients and scent
- Avoid chemical fillers and additives
- Make enough for 6 months easily
Potential drawbacks:
- Takes more effort than just popping in a tablet
- Results can vary based on recipe and water hardness
- Detergent needs to be stored in an airtight container
- No built-in rinse aid or water softener
It takes some trial and error to find the right homemade recipe and process that works consistently for your dishes. But the massive cost savings make it worthwhile to try.
Use tablets only for tough loads
If you want to stick with dishwasher tablets some of the time, you can just use them for your toughest loads. For example, use them when you have lots of greasy pots and pans or baked on casserole dishes to clean. For your everyday light to moderate loads, switch to a cheaper powder or homemade detergent instead.
Tablets excel at powering through those messy, stuck-on messes. So save them for when you really need their cleaning muscle and use an economical alternative for daily wash cycles.
This selective use of tablets will still end up saving you a good amount of money overall.
Run tablet-free wash cycles
Modern dishwashers are designed to get dishes clean even without detergent, relying on the hot water and mechanical wash action.
For lightly soiled loads without grease or stuck-on foods, try running a cycle with no detergent at all. Many people find their dishes come out fully cleaned this way. It will depend somewhat on your dishwasher model and water hardness.
But going tablet-free whenever feasible can add up to big savings. The hot rinse at the end of the cycle will sanitize your dishes just as well.
To help remove spots, add white vinegar to the rinse aid compartment when running without detergent. The vinegar helps break up mineral deposits.
Use tablets only in the main wash
Most dishwasher cycles have a separate pre-wash and main wash segment. Tablets are designed to be fully dissolved and used up by the end of the main wash.
But you can further stretch out tablets by only adding them for the main wash cycle. Add your powder or homemade detergent to the pre-wash instead. Then drop the tablet in the main wash door or detergent cup right before it begins.
This allows you to get more washes out of each tablet. Doing this can require some trial and error to find the right detergent combinations. But it is another way to reduce the tablets required.
Buy in bulk packages online
If you want the convenience of brand name tablets, you can find them much cheaper buying in bulk packages online rather than small boxes at the supermarket.
Costco, Sam’s Club, and Amazon all carry large packs of 100+ tablets for around 40-50% less per tablet than the regular retail size boxes.
For example, Finish Quantum is $0.20/tablet in a 60 count box, but just $0.14/tablet in a 200 count pack online. Buying larger packs allows you to stock up at a discount.
Brand name tablets ordered online in bulk deliver major savings over in-store prices for convenience without sacrificing performance.
Use auto-ship tablet subscriptions
Another way to save ordering dishwasher tablets online is to use a subscription auto-ship service.
For example, Seventh Generation offers an auto-delivery subscription where they ship you a large pack of 90-120 of their Eco-Tab tablets every 1-6 months. With the subscription discount, the cost averages out to around $0.13 per tablet.
Amazon offers a similar Subscribe & Save program with automatic delivery of select dishwasher tablet brands each month with up to 15% off.
These subscription services bring the convenience of tablets at more affordable bulk pricing right to your door. Just remember to set a reminder to cancel after your desired number of shipments.
Buy eco-friendly tablets
There are a growing number of eco-friendly and natural dishwasher tablet options made without harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances. Brands like Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, Grab Green, and Cleancult make tablet options.
While often a bit pricier than conventional mass-market tablets, eco-tablets can be found for under $0.20/tablet when purchasing larger packs online. And you get the benefit of safer, more natural ingredients.
Here are some examples of pricing on eco-friendly tablet brands purchased in bulk online:
| Brand | Count | Price | Price per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seventh Generation | 90 | $12 | $0.13 |
| Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day | 90 | $19 | $0.21 |
| Grab Green | 100 | $15 | $0.15 |
Using eco tablets is generally 20-40% more than generic tablets but can provide peace of mind about what chemicals you are exposing yourself and the environment to.
Takeaway Tips for Affordable Dishwasher Tablets
- Buy powder or liquid detergent instead – often half the cost of tablets!
- Use generic or store brand tablets for 30-50% savings
- Make your own detergent for just pennies per load
- Use tablets only for tough, greasy loads
- Try tablet-free cycles for light loads
- Add tablets only to the main wash cycle
- Buy larger packs online at bulk discount pricing
- Try eco-friendly brands for more natural ingredients
With a little effort, you can find much cheaper alternatives to brand name dishwasher tablets. Using powder detergent, generics, homemade solutions, and buying in bulk online can all lead to major savings. Going tablet-free when possible provides additional cost benefits.
Give some of these options a try to keep your dishes sparkling clean while keeping more money in your wallet!
Conclusion
Dishwasher tablets provide major convenience but can be quite costly, especially when used exclusively for all dishwashing loads. Fortunately, there are many ways to get comparable cleaning performance at a fraction of the price.
Switching to powder or liquid dishwasher detergent can immediately cut your costs in half or more. Opting for generically branded tablets at big box stores offers similar savings over name brands. For even greater savings, homemade detergent recipes let you make a huge batch for pennies per load.
Being selective about when you use tablets and buying them in larger bulk packages online also helps maximize value. And eco-friendly tablets give you effective cleaning without harsh chemicals.
With all these great options for achieving major cost savings, there is no reason to pay exorbitant prices for dishwasher tablets. A few simple changes can allow you to keep stocked up on affordable dishwasher detergent for the long run. Give one or more of these money-saving approaches a try today!