One of the first things I looked for when I was moving into my first apartment was a dishwasher. It's not something I grew up having and, as someone who can't stand having dishes in the sink but also never wants to mess up her nails, I knew a dishwasher was a must-have.
Luckily, the New York City apartment gods were on my side and I landed in a place with the beloved appliance. But then came a new question: How do I know what dishwasher pods to use? Sure, I've seen the commercials for the same few brands my whole life, but do they actually work? There are so many options in stores, I didn't know which choice was the right choice. So I decided to get my hands dirty (figuratively, of course) and put 10 different pods to the test against a variety of sticky, saucy and dried-on stains. Here's how they fared.
How we tested dishwasher pods
We conducted two sets of tests for dishwasher pods — one in the TODAY office and one in my kitchen at home.
In office, we filled plastic containers with 1.5L of boiling water heated via electric kettle. Then, we put the pod in and agitated it with a wooden stick to ensure it dissolved completely. We then put in a small aluminum tin with about a teaspoon of baked-on gravy and let it sit for 20 minutes. After that time frame had passed, we checked to see how much of the stain was removed and what was left behind.
At home, the pods were tested in an actual dishwasher against a variety of stains. We applied the stains as follows:
- Chocolate syrup on tall glass
- Yogurt and turmeric on spoon and small plate
- Egg on bowl and fork
- Marinara sauce on dinner plate
- Honey on mug
- Jelly on knife
The marinara sauce, egg and yogurt and turmeric mixture were each microwaved for 30 seconds to 1 minute (30 seconds for eggs and yogurt/turmeric, 1 minute for marinara sauce) to dry and set the stains in. Everything was then left out for 30 minutes to allow the rest of the stains to set in. We then ran the stained dishes and flatware through a normal dishwasher cycle.
Best overall dishwasher pods, tested by an editor
Dried gravy: 4/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 4.5/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.79/5
These pods surprised me with how well they tackled every stain. During our in-office testing, almost everything came off from being in the water for less than 30 seconds. While most pods did well with almost every stain, what made this one stand out is where the others struggled: the dried egg. It wasn't a perfectly clean removal, but these dishwasher pods left behind significantly less residue on the bowl than every other one we tested. Ultimately, this is what made it a cut above the rest.
Editor's note: While these pods are currently unavailable at the time of publish, we are keeping an eye on if or when it will become available again.
More dishwasher pods, tested by an editor
Runner-up:
Dried gravy: 4/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 4/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.71/5
This was a very close runner-up in our tests. It performed well on everything in the at-home tests, only leaving behind marginally more dried egg on the bowl than the Amazon Basics pods. During the in-office test, we found that the pod dissolved quickly with a little agitation in the hot water and, once submerged, it removed pretty much all of the baked-on gravy. There was a small amount of residue left behind, which was the reason it got a 4 during that test instead of a 5.
These are great for the person who wants an eco-friendly cleaning product that's still efficacious. It's made with 90% plastic-free packaging and the pods themselves do not contain chlorine bleach, phosphates or synthetic fragrances, according to the brand.
It's worth noting that, at the time of these tests, these were the most current dishwasher pods available from Seventh Generation. Since then, the brand has come out with a new triple action formula that is a personal favorite for daily use.
Household name:
Dried gravy: 3/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 4/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.57/5
Finish is likely one of the first brands that comes to mind when you think about dishwasher pods. We opted to test their highly-rated Powerball Quantum Infinity Shine pods that have three chambers that dissolve to disperse different things — a powder, a gel and a powerball (solution for shine).
It performed pretty well on all of our tests at home, struggling most with the dried egg like all of the pods we tested. During our in-office test, however, we found that it left behind lots of blue detergent bits and residue (likely from the powder chamber) in the tray. So even though it removed the stain, it left behind more to be cleaned.
Won't leave any residue behind:
Dried gravy: 3/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 4/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.57/5
Cascade is another household name in the dishwasher pod world. It has four dissolving chambers — three gels on top and the main chamber of powder detergent. By the end of our tests, we found that it performed nearly identically to Finish. The main difference was that, in the gravy test, the powder didn't leave any residue behind on the tin.
Sleeper hit:
Dried gravy: 5/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 2/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.57/5
These pods were the ones I had the lowest expectations for and were most pleasantly surprised by. At just $5 for the bag, it's far and away the most budget-friendly option out of the bunch. It did really well with our in-office test, leaving the tin sparkling as if it was brand new. The only area where it really struggled was the dried egg test. It left behind a decent amount of egg on both the bowl and the fork. But the rest of these results weren't anything to sneeze at! It's a solid option to keep in your kitchen.
Eco-friendly pick:
Dried gravy: 4/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 3/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.57/5
One of the first things we noticed about these pods was how good they smelled when dissolved in the water. It has that classic Mrs. Meyer’s lemon verbena fragrance that we are already fans of. (If lemon isn't your thing, they're also offered in other scents including basil or lavender.)
These pods did pretty well on everything but, like the others, struggled a bit with the dried egg. It left behind a small amount of food on both the fork and the bowl, which is why it scored a 3.
Small but mighty:
Dried gravy: 3/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 3/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.43/5
The Dropps dishwasher pods did pretty well in our tests. It tackled almost every stain easily, mostly struggling with the more intense, baked-on stains such as the gravy and the egg. For the latter, it was able to thoroughly clean the fork, but left some egg behind on the bowl.
According to the brand, these pods are made without dyes, chlorine, phosphates, phthalates, parabens and sulfates.
Plastic-free packaging:
Dried gravy: 4.5/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 1/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 4/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.21/5
Blueland is a brand that prides itself on being effective, good for the environment and good for you. These pods come as packed powder tablets without being wrapped in any plastic like most dishwasher pods, which is good for the environment but can lead to some of the pods getting broken apart in transit if handled too roughly.
While these pods did well for most tests including the baked-on gravy, it really struggled tackling any of the dried egg and also left behind some of the yogurt and turmeric mixture. It handled the liquid-y, sticky messes with ease, so while this one may not be best for more intense stains, it's a decent everyday option.
Lives up to its sudsy name:
Dried gravy: 2.5/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 2/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 5/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 4.21/5
True to its name, we found these pods were very sudsy during our in-office test. It cleaned off almost everything from the aluminum tin with baked-on gravy but didn't get it back to a sparkling, like-new look. It left the tray looking a little dark and also left some soapy residue behind (likely due to how sudsy it got).
During the at-home tests, it did well with everything but the dried egg. It struggled pretty decently there, leaving behind a good amount of food on the bowl, but successfully cleaning it off of the fork completely.
Best for simple stains:
Dried gravy: 2/5 | Honey: 5/5 | Dried marinara sauce: 5/5 | Jelly: 5/5 | Dried egg: 3/5 | Dried yogurt and turmeric: 2/5 | Chocolate sauce: 5/5 | Overall average performance score: 3.86/5
Across the board, these pods had the most varied performance. They didn't do very well with the baked-on gravy, leaving behind a lot of grease and residue on the tin. We also found that, after agitating the pod in the hot water, it still left behind undissolved bits of blue detergent in the container.
After the in-office test, I was worried about how it would perform at home in an actual dishwasher. It performed about how I expected it would: serviceable, just not my first pick. It managed most of the stains well, but failed to remove all of the yogurt and turmeric mixture from the plate and also failed to remove all of the dried egg on the bowl (but it did thoroughly clean all of the egg off the fork!).
Overall, it’s a decent pod if you’re on a budget, but if you have deeper set stains, you’re probably better off just scrubbing the old-fashioned way.
Frequently asked questions
Meera White, senior manager of product marketing at Whirlpool Corporation, says, “Pods or tablets that contain built-in rinse aid or degreaser may offer additional benefits such as shinier glassware or better performance on baked-on food. These added features can enhance both cleaning and drying results.”
Jessica Ek, associate vice president of strategic communication at the American Cleaning Institute, adds, “Look for a brand you trust. It can also be helpful to look for a certification that matches your values, like the SaferChoice logo for products that use ingredients that are safer for people and the planet.”
White says, “Liquid or gel dishwasher detergents are often less expensive and work well for lightly soiled loads. However, they tend to be less effective than other types when it comes to heavily soiled dishes. Pods or tablets are pre-measured, help eliminate mess and generally offer superior cleaning performance, especially on dried-on food.”
Ek adds, “In general, the single dose packets are going to be more concentrated, so they are more efficient to ship and require less packaging. It depends on the qualities that are most important to you. Packets (also known as pods) are more convenient to quickly add before running the dishwasher, but gels can be adjusted depending to the size of the load. Gels are usually a lower cost per load, but packets often have additives in different compartments that would otherwise be separate products to purchase (rinse aid, etc.).”
Yes, there is! White details the following process:
- Start by scraping off excess food and removing any container labels.
- Load items angled downward, toward the center, to allow the spray jets to reach all surfaces.
- Mugs, stemware, plasticware and small plates go in the upper rack, secured between tines.
- Large utensils should be laid flat on the upper rack, while dishwasher-safe plastic containers should be kept away from the heating element.
- The bottom rack is ideal for bowls, plates, casserole dishes and stainless steel cookware, positioned to allow spray arm access.
- Soiled pans and bowls should go on their sides and platters or cutting boards should be placed along the perimeter.
- For utensils, load cutlery with handles down — except for knives and skewers, which should be blade-down — and alternate forks and spoons to prevent nesting.
- Third racks can accommodate flat utensils or even 6-inch mugs and bowls, depending on the model.
“Pre-rinsing is not required; simply scrape off excess food and remove any labels before loading,” says White. “Most modern dishwashers...have built-in sensors that measure the soil level of the load, which eliminates the need for a pre-rinse.”
Both Ek and White recommend following the instructions on the detergent packaging and the dishwasher itself to ensure you are not over- or underfilling the dispenser. For liquid detergent, Ek says the typical dose is 1-2 tablespoons, but it will ultimately depend on both how full the dishwasher is and how dirty your dishes are. If you’re using powder detergent, White says to be sure you’re not filling past the recommended line in your dishwasher. “Using the correct amount is essential for optimal performance,” she advises.
Why trust us
Kamari Stewart-Jackson is an associate editor who started out writing and reporting for Shop TODAY back in 2021. One of her earliest beats (aside from beauty) was home — and she covered topics such as cleaning supplies, laundry do’s and don’ts, testing reusable paper towels and handheld vacuums and the like. Plus, she was thoroughly involved in the testing process for this piece and can be seen pictured in red and black sweater above!
Meet the experts
- Meera White is the senior manager of product marketing at Whirlpool Corporation.
- Jessica Ek is the associate vice president of strategic communication at the American Cleaning Institute. She has previously spoken with Shop TODAY about kitchen sponges, stain removers, automatic soap dispensers and more.
