"Bosch's promotional information says that powder is less economical because there's a risk of over measuring or spilling, but that hasn't been a problem for me, and has been more economical."

That is complete bunk. Pods are not economical for small loads --- it is actually overdosing. I keep a box of Cascade Powder handy for those small loads, or when I put the gold rimmed China and sterling silver in the DW; those items get pre-rinsed well and a light dose of powder. Works great for me.

What's the right way to put the Finish Quantum dishwasher pod(not tablet) in the detergent dispenser Bosch 800 series dishwasher?

We put tablets or pods into the basket on the front of the 2nd rack in our 800 series.

Edit: these were the instructions for our 2011 800 series where the basket was clearly labelled for tabs. It seems new models have different instructions now.

Just drop it into the dispenser lengthwise and close the door. Per the directions, you're not supposed to put a tab or pod in the basket on the rack. That's where the dispenser drops it at the correct time in the cycle.

Our 800 instructions did not say the same thing. And the basket was labelled "tablets go here" or something like that right on the basket. It was purchased in 2011 though so sounds like instructions have changed. I should have prefaced with which year/model we had.

We just had a new Benchmark arrive so I’ll be sure to check those instructions before we add pods or tabs to this one. I did notice the "tab basket" isn't labelled directly on it anymore like our 800 series was. Thanks for pointing it out.

We have hard water and had issues with white residue on the stainless interior until we started using 7th Generation detergent/pods at the recommendation of the Bosch service guy. We also use rinse aid (usually Finish) and frequently do a very light pre-rinse. No issues with cleaning or etching whatsoever. We are on our second Bosch—first was still going strong at 17 years when we renovated the kitchen and current one is just over a year old.

We only use Cascade Complete Powder at the advice of the installer. He also suggested we don't use much, which we also follow (fill only one cup to the lowest line). We have terribly hard water and the equivalent of a small municipal water system to deal with it, so we're pretty careful what we put in our appliances. Building a new house this year (city water..woo hoo!) and going straight for the Bosch again.

@M: "...we see claims in the Houzz forums that Consumer Reports tested tons of dishwashers and they all supposedly cleaned equally well."

Of course, CR says no such thing but M bashes CR -- which he does not read -- at every opportunity. CR's overall dishwasher scores are currently between 88 and 37 while Washing performance scores are between "Excellent" and "Good".

Our Bosch 800 DW is just like Mo's. When the dispenser opens, the pod lands on that basket/shelf thing on the front of the glassware rack. Our DW has a pre-wash cycle. If the pod was in the basket from the beginning, some of the detergent might be lost during that cycle.

No pre-rinsing.

I have very hard water. Nothing works except Finish. Not any finish, it has to be quantum. It took me a while to find Finish quantum and many half used dish detergents.

"Cavimum: If the pod was in the basket from the beginning, some of the detergent might be lost during that cycle."

The prewash period should have some detergent by definition, otherwise it's a prerinse ... which depends on what one wants that period to be / do. A long-experienced service tech I know advises that there should always be a small dose of detergent in the first fill / spray period.

dadoes- thank you for the terminology clarification. I was not sure what to call it, but pre-rinse makes more sense.

I recently got the 18" Bosch 300, and have soft water. Since I already had Cascade pods I used them. Although everything was sparkly clean, the smell of detergent was incredibly strong. Since there's no way to run an extra rinse I've started to run two full cycles to ensure all detergent rinses away. Obviously that's time, water, and energy over consumption.

So I guess I should buy powder or gel and only fill the dispenser half way?

If I use Finish Powerball Tabs, or Quantum Tabs, do I still need to use a rinse aid?

Yes, according to my instructions. First thing in the chapter Rinse Aid. Check the instructions for your model.

@HU-136427365

The instructions say if it has rinse aid in the pods, you still have to add it but I have used Cascade complete or platinum pods and it has rinse aid in it. It has been fine.

I actually got worse results with the Finish products with my water. I had a Bosch before this one and never used additional rinse aid.

I use the cheapest powder detergent at the store ..as long as it has enzymes. And I use the blue rinse aid...whatever brand is available. we have softened water so I’m careful not to use too much detergent. As a matter of fact I keep and pour my detergent from a sugar dispenser so that I can control the amount dispensed. our bosch gets everything sparkly. Probably use 2 tsp. of detergent.

@deb515wea I think the pods are too much detergent for the smaller size dishwasher cavity (I have the same!)

The manual recommends pods or powder, but then also has a detailed chart of the amount to use for various kinds of cycles and water hardness, which obviously is not possible to control with the pods.

I have moderately hard water and fill to the lower or middle line of the dispenser.

Mittens Cat. I will look at the site to see how detergent affects the planet. Thanks.

I need to rinse my dishes because I don't use the dishwasher every day. I have the same Bosch dishwasher and dishes for the last 5 years and I don't see any problem with rinsing my dishes. As for glass etching, I don't know. I hadn't really noticed a problem. But I did check and I may have some etching. This is what I read about etching on hunker.com:

"The chemical processes involved in glass etching require a lot of heat. This is one of the reasons glasses aren't etched when you hand wash them. The water temperature simply isn't high enough to cause etching. If it was too high, you would burn your hands. To turn down the heat and prevent etching in your dishwasher, lower the setting on your hot water heater so that water coming into the appliance is 140 degrees Fahrenheit or less. If your dishwasher has extra hot settings like "power scrub" or "temp boost," refrain from using them. Use the "no heat" or "energy saving" drying modes, as well, to help your glasses stay cool and clear."

I know my water heater is at a lower setting. Perhaps that has been an asset to my dishes and glassware.

Dadoes, I agree with your statement: "I don't like tabs, pacs, or pods, etc. for either dishwasher-ing or laundry-ing because the dosage is not controllable." I hate the pods. I think they are too strong, especially since a lot of my dishes are rinsed. The powdered stuff is not even easy to find! In fact when I do see it, it's on the very bottom shelf in a corner. Sometimes I find that my glasses have a smell in them. I worry that the dishwasher products are not getting rinsed thoroughly. I don't want to eat or drink dishwasher detergent or rinse agent!

Cavimum, I think I'll get some powdered detergent and use it too,

ILoveRed, "I keep and pour my detergent from a sugar dispenser so that I can control the amount dispensed." Good idea!

My Bosch dishwasher says I have to have rinse agent. The light goes on when it doesn't have any and I don't think it works if it is not filled up.

This has been an informative thread for me.

To the people who say their dishes are not getting clean, may I suggest that once the main cycle is under way, stop the machine and check to see if enough water is inside. There should be a couple of inches at the bottom. If there isn't enough water, you may need a new inlet valve. This is a common, but not major, repair.

The light goes on when my Bosch is out of rinse aid. It makes the cycle run 10-15 minutes longer. That's the only thing I've noticed. The dishes come out with no residual grit when the rinse aid is used. I have it set to dispense the absolute smallest dose. Our water is 'moderately hard.'

This thread made me find my dishwasher manual again. Apparently I can set the rinse aid to dispense a smaller or larger amount---or actually none at all. I was surprised to read that I could use no rinse agent. If I used a pod with rinse agent in it, I would try turning off the rinse dispenser. Right now I have it also set at the lowest setting.

I find there is a smell when opening the dishwasher. I am not sure if it is the detergent smell or the rinse agent. I am noting that my dishes need to have some food particles left on them in order for the detergent to work properly. As our dishwasher runs about every second day, it's difficult to just leave food on the plates because it may leave a foul smell in the dishwasher prior to the wash. I am going to try to find a detergent where I can control the amount I am using. Otherwise, I feel like I am drinking and eating detergent or rinse agent residue, and that can't be healthy!

Good suggestion Fillmoe.

I just got Bosch 800 series & will be having to wash all my dishes due to drywall & sawdust that went everywhere during kitchen update.

Suggestions please?

Can I just wash without any detergent - hoping hot water will be enough to clean dust off dishes?

Can i use white vinegar as the rinse aid - for now & future washes (have city water).

Once I start using it for real, will be using the cycle for 1/2 load maybe once a week. I'll scrape dishes, but they will sitting for a few days until I have enough to run it.

Vinegar and rinse aid aren't the same thing.

I don't put any stock in detergents that claim to include rinse aid. Rinse agents are dispensed into the final rinse. Most dishwasher cycles have two or even three rinses after the main wash period, detergent is gone down the drain by the last rinse.

Has any one used finish power all 0%. It seems to be online only and not sold in the us?
I normally use Trader Joe’s but the Bosch service guy warned it would ruin the dw. And he said finish works with enzymes so it is environmentally friendly ? And when I went searching , I found finish powerball 0%. Thanks for your input!

We’ve had a Bosch for over 15 years (just got our second one) and use cascade complete powder and vinegar as the rinse agent. Do NOT use too much of the powder, you don’t need it to get things clean. About a tablespoon is plenty.
Cleans great!

Our Bosch is 16 years old. We use Cascade pods and monthly I run the DW empty with only a cup of vinegar in a glass bowl. Cleans out excess suds and residue from our extremely hard water. Unfortunately the DW detergent that claims to not contain toxic chemicals cleaned so poorly that I might as well have washed by hand. I always make sure the water is running hot in my sink as the washer fills for the first two cycles. When it’s time, we will by another Bosch.

Propere chemicals are required to deal with water hardness if 1) the dishwasher doesn't have an onboard water softener feature or 2) there's no whole-house water softener.

Hard water supresses suds but does cause mineral residue.

if you have hard water, we have 300+ppm Finish is the only tabs that work, but you can try others if you want to wast your money and time and have to hand wash your dishes

I have a Kenmore dishwasher built by Bosch. I use Cascade Platinum Plus and Cascade power dry rinse agent. I’d like to try Finish just to test it.

I'm trying Finish right now and they seem to work well like Cascade does, maybe even better. And this is from a Cascade fanboy.

I tried Finish Ultimate in my Bosch built Kenmore and let me tell you, it works better than Cascade!

I used Cascade powder for years, switched to Palmolive pods which I liked but which have been discontinued and my stock seemed to dry up and not work as well over time. Then I saw Cascade and Finish pods at Costco, quickly googled and was led to believe they’re both good but Finish leaves less perfume so I chose those. The cleaning power has been amazing. (Bosch)

It's fascinating to me to see how what is portrayed as "factual advice" is actually generational. During our first kitchen renovation in, I believe, 2011, I lived on the (then) Gardenweb appliance forum. Those were the days when the forum was much more active (the Lacanche range thread had something like 50 parts!). At that time, the prevailing wisdom was that excessive DW detergent was the culprit behind the demise of many DWs. The mantra was use powder, never liquid or pods. Tablets were OK, like the Miele tabs, but use only 1/2 tablet per load.

Now it appears that the pendulum has swung 180 degrees, with the vast majority here using pods. A few iconoclasts (like dadoes, whose opinions I respect) still advocate using powder so you can control the amount. Even with our water, about a tablespoon of powder works great with our Mieles and the Bosch. And it seems like an easy way to reduce risk of etching--drastically reducing the amount of powder used if it's a light, delicate, or relatively clean load.

I've always felt that pods were mainly a marketing tool to increase the consumption of DW detergent by forcing the use of a large amount each load. It's almost impossible to find powder these days. But all the raves for pods here suggest that perhaps my anti-pod prejudice is outdated. We'll see, new Bosch's will be installed in two weeks and I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do.

@clinresga - Pods are definitely not an economical choice. I was one who used a lot less powder than called for when I used Cascade, especially with low soil loads. It’s one reason, along with oil, electricity, and cesspool consumption that I typically carefully load my dishwasher to capacity before running, even if that takes a couple days. I’ve not noticed any ill effects from “too much” detergent using pods.

I don’t know why the brand or model of dishwasher should dictate which detergent is best. Don’t they all kind of just spray hot water around? Makes more sense to me that there are differences based on local water quality.

I think it’s always worth revisiting and challenging one’s past conclusions from time to time. Spend a little extra unit price on small packages of detergent when you get your new DW and run your own tests. Burnt edges on casserole dishes will be a good indicator. Good luck! I still miss my old Miele but the two Bosches since have been good to me.

We never used pods or powder in our dishwashers, and our new one is a Bosch. I buy the generic d/w gel at Krogers and it seems to make the dishes clean. I also clean the dishwasher once a month with a product designed to do that. We have a huge “whole house” water conditioner as we have our own well and the water has sulfur gases in it, so everything gets “treated”.

I have always thought the pods for dishwashers and washing machines were silly since you don’t need the same amount of soap every time.

I expect that a dishwasher manufacturer's recommendation for a specific detergent is much moreso a marketing/advertising arrangement than legitimately relevant to the machine's performance.

I only use Finish products in my Kenmore dishwasher which is built by Bosch.

"#1 Recommended Brand

"More dishwasher brands recommend Finish products worldwide than any other brand. Recommendations as part of Comarketing Agreements." -- Finish Power Ball on Amazon

"I buy the generic d/w gel at Krogers and it seems to make the dishes clean."

In CR tests, all gel dishwasher detergents performed worse on the "cleans dishes" test than all single-dose product except for one.

Recommendations are nothing but marketing agreements. I switched to cheap powder and always rinse aid, and get the water hot before even starting the machine. My dishes are perfect.

I have a Bosch and treated well water. I used to use Walmart's house brand powder, and it worked great. I later switched to BJ's Ultra Dishwasher Pacs for the convenience, and they also work great. Aldi has similar pacs that work just as well.

I have a Bosch dishwasher that came with the house 2 years ago and my dishwasher has the worst smell. It is some type of chemical smell and I think it is from the previous owner's d/w soap. I have tried every remedy to clean it known to man, but the smell still hits you in the face when you open the dishwasher. The dishwasher works fine and I feel guilty, but I will replace it when I redo my kitchen in the spring. What a waste.

@Violetta Valero - Have you tried a vinegar wash? Before you get rid of a very expensive appliance, it might be worth a visit from a knowledgeable appliance repair person. Or just a phone call to Bosch’s help line. Yes, it would be a pity to have to sacrifice a (usually) good dishwasher.

I use cascade platinum have never had a issue..have two Bosch dishwashers in my kitchen..and they are just fine.

Violetta have you cleaned out the filter in the bottom?

With I think all Bosch..you are supposed to pop open the door when it is done to allow steam to escape..I was told this many times..so I always do…that may be what the smell is from?

I want to start using my own DIY dishwasher detergent, bit have read that suds can be an issue. we have hard water. Thoughts?

@Mittens Cat - How is the dishwasher functioning?

Jackie F: "I want to start using my own DIY dishwasher detergent...Thoughts?

Detergent manufacturers spend $$$ developing detergents that perform in ever-changing appliances. You can't compete with them. Buy commercial.Cascade Complete Powder works great.