Dishwasher tablets

[PK99]

Thanks everyone. I don't have an Aldi near me but will try the Lidl ones, or Tescos own (avoiding the lemon variety). I used the Fairy ones becasue they had a Which? award on the front, so I guess I have been a slave to marketing. Also because a plumber friend said they were the best, but I'm sure own brands work just as well, and yes I do rinse the worst of the muck off first if it's ground in. But I do not go "full Monica" on them, like my sister does, and pretty much washes them clean before they go in the dishwasher!

I don't think I'll bother with salt.

The trapdoor mechanism has always worked fine for me, but I remember my ex had trouble with hers where the tablet would not eject properly and you ended up with half digested tablet gunk in there.

Apparently, by design one should lob the tablets in the bottom of the dishwasher chamber; the trap door thigummy is designed for powders.

 

[PeteXXX]

I don't have a dishwasher. I used to but where we moved to, last January, there's no space for one in the kitchen 😔

 

[vickster]

I don't have a dishwasher. I used to but where we moved to, last January, there's no space for one in the kitchen 😔

Poor planning
I have a small kitchen but made sure I had space for a slimline one

 

[PeteXXX]

Poor planning
I have a small kitchen but made sure I had space for a slimline one

True....

 

[Drago]

I don't have a dishwasher. I used to but where we moved to, last January, there's no space for one in the kitchen 😔

I do, but with only 2 1/2 of us in the house it takes forever to fill it up to the point we can justify using it, by which time we've long since run out of crockery and cutlery as there's onky 2 1/2 of us and we don't need much crockery or cutlery...

So I wash up the old fashioned way.

 

[AndyRM]

I do enjoy a "branded" vs "own branded" thing. It's just the same, packaged differently. Aldi are particularly genius at this.

As for dishwashers, it's me. And I've a pile to get home to. Hooray!

 

[Electric_Andy]

I don't have a dishwasher. I used to but where we moved to, last January, there's no space for one in the kitchen 😔

I didn't have one originally, but got a new kitchen and made space in the plans for a slimline one. I'm still not sure if it's better or not. But I did often used to fill the sink and put the dishes in to soak, then forget about them, so ended up using 2 sinks of water for the dishes. And I went through sponge pads quite quickly. So I guess with the dishwasher it's a bit more expense but I'm using less water and fewer sponge pads?

 

[mustang1]

+1 for the Aldi tabs, we also find the Tesco tabs work well. We also just throw the tab in the bottom of dishwasher, as recommended by a dishwasher engineer on the Internet, he said the trapdoor mechanism on the door was designed for powders so sometimes doesn't work properly for tabs.
Agree with the comment about the Lemon tabs, avoid at all costs!

But doesn't the tab get used up during the initial rinse cycle then a lot of it is not left during the actual wash (when you need the tab) cycle?

 

[fossyant]

Use the sink instead !

 

[Kingfisher101]

Unless you have a large family or work in a cafe/residential home etc then i dont see the point of them. Its quicker to wash up and rinse in the sink.Also when pots and pans have a lot of food on them still , you have to wash them first anyway?

 

[oldwheels]

I do not have a dishwasher machine as I just do them myself in the sink.
I did buy tablets from Aldi tho’ as they were good in the chemical toilet in my motorhome and much cheaper than the fancy tablets sold for that same purpose.

 

[vickster]

Unless you have a large family or work in a cafe/residential home etc then i dont see the point of them. Its quicker to wash up and rinse in the sink.Also when pots and pans have a lot of food on them still , you have to wash them first anyway?

Each to their own, I'm happy not to spend time washing/drying/putting away/cleaning every day as I had to given my small sink and draining board. Instead, I fill the dishwasher, run it 2-3 times a week and spend 5 minutes emptying while the kettle boils No tea stained mugs or spoons either
Not much of a cook so don't have loads of pans to wash up (and they can also go in the dishwasher if needed )

 

[wonderloaf]

But doesn't the tab get used up during the initial rinse cycle then a lot of it is not left during the actual wash (when you need the tab) cycle?

Dunno, I just followed the guys recommendation. Doesn't seem to cause any harm and the glasses seem to be a bit cleaner.

 

[PK99]

I do, but with only 2 1/2 of us in the house it takes forever to fill it up to the point we can justify using it, by which time we've long since run out of crockery and cutlery as there's onky 2 1/2 of us and we don't need much crockery or cutlery...

So I wash up the old fashioned way.

Years ago as DINKYs we installed a slimline ...

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Although there are only 2 of us we manage to fill the normal sized dishwasher most days
a couple of pans and stuff soon fills the bottom up

As far as tablets are concerned I have an aversion to ones where you actually have to come into contact with the chemicals - hangover from an alergic reaction when I was a sensitive teenager and my lip swelled up over night after the dishwasher was emptied half way through and left detergent residue over everything
been a bit pananoid ever since

We normally use Fairy - but not the Platinum ones unless there is a special off that makes them cheaper than the others
will also use Finish - again only if cheaper

SOmeone mentioned the tablet getting stuck and leaving gunk all over the door and stuff - in mine I have found that this normally happens if I put the tablet in with wet hands - the water starts disolving the coating and it goes sticky then doesn;t disengage peoperly when the trapdoor opens.


and another point - sorry - saw a Youtube thingy a while ago showing how they work - the trapdoor on modern ones is set to release at the perfect time for the 'stuff' to enter the fray - tablets need to go in at a different time to powder which is why some machines have a "tablet" setting - it is to change the timing so the tablet goes in at the right point.
Apparently they start with a straight rinse to get the easy stuff off and start hydrating some of the dried residue and then the detergent should come along after.
or so it said!


anyway
thats all folks