Finish has dominated the dishwasher cleaner category for a decade, and the 2026 reformulation earns its top spot decisively. The updated dual-action formula tackles both grease deposits in the spray arms and limescale on the heating element simultaneously — which most rivals still handle as separate problems.

In testing, it removed over 95% of visible grease residue after a single 65°C cycle. The bottle design has also been improved: the wide cap doubles as a measuring vessel, and the anti-drip nozzle is a small but genuinely useful addition.

Affresh pioneered the tablet format for appliance cleaners, and their dishwasher variant remains the benchmark. Each slow-dissolving tablet works across the full wash cycle, meaning it cleans spray arms, the interior drum, and the door seal progressively — rather than all at once like a liquid flush.

Particularly impressive is the odour neutralisation: Affresh’s STPP-free formula doesn’t just mask smells but addresses the biofilm layer that causes them. Six tablets per pack, used monthly, covers half a year — making the per-use cost competitive despite the higher shelf price.

Ecover’s plant-based formula is the most environmentally responsible dishwasher cleaner we tested that still delivers genuinely competitive cleaning results. EU Ecolabel certified, packaged in recycled plastic, and 100% biodegradable — it’s the clear choice for households prioritising sustainability without accepting poor performance.

Against light-to-moderate soiling it matches Finish closely. The gap only appears with heavy limescale buildup in hard water areas, where the more aggressive acid-based formulas pull ahead. In soft water areas, Ecover may be the only dishwasher cleaner you’ll ever need.

At the lowest cost-per-use of any product we tested, OXO’s pods deliver a level of cleaning that punches well above their price point. The pod format is the most convenient format for habitual maintenance: drop one in the cutlery basket at the start of a monthly maintenance wash and forget about it.

Results are solid rather than spectacular. The OXO pod won’t rescue a heavily fouled dishwasher — that’s a job for Finish or Glisten — but as a monthly maintenance cleaner it keeps a well-maintained machine fresh and grease-free without the premium cost of rival brands.

Glisten Dishwasher Magic is the only product in our top five specifically engineered for hard water areas. Its chelating acid formula dissolves calcium and magnesium deposits from the heating element, spray arms, and sensors far more aggressively than any multi-purpose cleaner.

If you live in a hard water area (much of southern England, the Midlands, and large parts of the US Midwest and West), this should be your deep-clean product used every two to three months, with a cheaper maintenance cleaner used monthly in between. The higher price per bottle is justified by the specialist performance.