When the first dishwasher was granted a patent in 1850, a seismic shift ensued and a butterfly effect of innovation, development and engineering expertise resulted in the covetable modern essential that we know and love today.
Engineer Joel Houghton had patented a device consisting of a wooden box with a manually cranked mechanical wheel which splashed water and scrubbers. Fifteen years later, this slow and unreliable design was improved on by L.A. Alexander which featured a hand-cranked rack system – though neither device was taken to by the general public, with kitchen staff and homemakers deeming them unnecessary and complicated.
Yet in 1886, wealthy socialite Josephine Cochrane decided to put an end to this nonsense. Teaming up with mechanic George Butters in their hometown of Illinois, the two put their minds together to create a washing machine that cleaned even the finest china without breaking it. After being unveiled at the Chicago World Fair in 1983, the Lavaplatos paved the way for the modern dishwasher. By 1929, the first dishwasher powered by an electric motor was introduced to the public by Miele, and the rest is history.
With the invention of the dishwasher came the inevitable need to produce a soap product that could dissolve slowly over time, while counteracting water hardness and breaking down foods containing starches and proteins. Enter: Finish. In 1953, US company Ecolab launched two products for the household dishwashing machine, one of which was the now beloved premium detergent Finish.
Though made up of powerful cleaning chemicals, dishwasher tablets such as those manufactured under Finish can contain unnecessary plastic packaging and environmentally-damaging additives. As such, recent years have seen smaller eco-conscious brands come to the forefront with money-saving and sustainable dishwasher tablets which are delivered right to your door. Likewise, Finish has also produced their own fragrance and preservative-free tablets.
From the old classics to the modern and innovative – keep scrolling for the best dishwasher tablets on the market.
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Smol Dishwasher Tablets
These award-winning, all-in-one concentrated dishwasher tablets are sustainably packaged and delivered straight through your letterbox thanks to their compact size for just £5.80 a pop. The 100 per cent plastic-free packaging houses 30 vegan, cruelty-free, carbon cutting tablets. Smol’s technology only needs lower levels of added chemicals compared to other high street brands without impacting the cleaning performance.
If you’re not sure on whether you’d like to commit to a subscription service, you can try out a box of these pretty in pink tablets for free – all Smol asks is that you put forward £1 to cover delivery costs. However, we think the testimonials on the website alone are likely to convince you.
Buy now £5.80, Smol
Ecover All in One Dishwasher Tablets, 68 Tablets
Whether you’re aware of Ecover detergents and cleaning products thanks to that infamous Morrissey cover story featured on a February 1989 edition of NME, or you simply plucked it off the supermarket shelf one day and never looked back – why not try their fantastic all-in-one dishwasher tablets?
Despite being manufactured from plant-based materials, these tablets are an incredibly effective degreaser which contain Ecover’s very own rinse aid and salt action. The products are never tested on animals and come in fully recyclable packaging. Plus, we think 68 eco-friendly tablets for under £15 is an absolute bargain.
Buy now £13.32, Amazon
Dishthings
If you’re a sucker for good branding and nice packaging, feel free to go ahead and judge these dishwasher tablets by their cover – because they’ll certainly deliver when in action too. They come secure in 100 per cent biodegradable packaging, which means once they’re taken out of the box, they don’t need to be unwrapped – simply pop them straight in the dishwasher.
Vegan, 96 per cent plant mineral based, cruelty-free and made from non-toxic ingredients, the list goes on and on as to why you should scoop up your very first pack of Dishthings. A one-time purchase for a box of 40 tablets costs £10, though you can subscribe and save by paying just £8.50 for automatic delivery at your chosen regularity. With this second option, shipping is always free and you can cancel or reschedule your delivery at any time – no commitment necessary.
Buy now £8.50, Homethings
Finish Ultimate Zero Tablets
These tablets from our tried and true favourites over at Finish are some of the most powerful on the market. Free from phosphates and eco certified, you can sleep easier knowing your dishes are getting a proper clean, without being attacked by harsh chemicals. With this product’s EU Ecolabel certification, you can be sure that there’s a reduced environmental impact across multiple stages of the product lifecycle.
Buy now £14.39, Amazon
Attitude Dishwasher Tablets (70)
Phosphate free and hypoallergenic, these are another plant-based dishwasher tablet to have on your radar. They are EcoLogo certified, which means that the product has undergone rigorous scientific testing and auditing to prove its compliance with third-party environmental standard. Each package contains 70 water soluble eco-pouches for a squeaky vegan clean.
Buy now £17.65, BigGreenSmile
Fairy All-In-One Dishwasher Tablets Lemon, 70 Tablets
For a dishwasher tablet that’ll get deep into the crevices of your device for a grease-free clean, Fairy Platinum is the way to go. Do note that these all-in-one tablets are not fragrance free, and will leave your washing-up smelling like fresh citrus fruit. If, however, you can’t go without the fast-dissolving power of Fairy tablets but prefer detergents without any extra smells, you can also bulk by fragrance-free original Fairy tablets.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
