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expired Posted by GimmeYoTots • Jan 18, 2023
expired Posted by GimmeYoTots • Jan 18, 2023

Sam's Club Member's Mark Ultimate Clean Automatic Dishwasher Pacs, Fresh Clean Scent (105 ct.) $10.98 In-Store w/ Membership

$11

$11

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This is regular price, but I'm posting it because it's an excellent deal. Sam's Member Mark brand dishwasher detergent was Consumer Reports #1 rated dishwasher detergent beating out all of the various types of detergent from Cascade. It also beat out Costco's in-store brand Kirkland Signature [costco.com] (by at least a few places). Also, I noticed the last time I was in Costco, that Costco jacked up the price of their Kirkland Signature dishwasher detergent - it's now priced at $14.49 for 115 packets (12.6 cents per). This Sam's Club Member's Mark brand is $10.98 for 105 packets (10.4 cents per).

Highlights
Removes 24-hour stuck on food and grease
All-in-one single dose dishwasher detergent pacs
No need to pre-wash
Reduces film on glasses
Leaves dishes sparkling clean with a fresh scent

https://www.samsclub.com/p/member..._product_8
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This is regular price, but I'm posting it because it's an excellent deal. Sam's Member Mark brand dishwasher detergent was Consumer Reports #1 rated dishwasher detergent beating out all of the various types of detergent from Cascade. It also beat out Costco's in-store brand Kirkland Signature [costco.com] (by at least a few places). Also, I noticed the last time I was in Costco, that Costco jacked up the price of their Kirkland Signature dishwasher detergent - it's now priced at $14.49 for 115 packets (12.6 cents per). This Sam's Club Member's Mark brand is $10.98 for 105 packets (10.4 cents per).

Highlights
Removes 24-hour stuck on food and grease
All-in-one single dose dishwasher detergent pacs
No need to pre-wash
Reduces film on glasses
Leaves dishes sparkling clean with a fresh scent

https://www.samsclub.com/p/member..._product_8

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13 Comments

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Jan 19, 2023
17 Posts
Joined Jan 2018
Jan 19, 2023
The_Smithlord
Jan 19, 2023
17 Posts
Comes up as $11.98 for me.
Jan 19, 2023
44 Posts
Joined Nov 2019
Jan 19, 2023
EfficientHeat625
Jan 19, 2023
44 Posts
It's $11.98 on my end too. By the way, does anyone know if the 100 plus soap packs are individually wrapped? I prefer unwrapped.
Jan 19, 2023
240 Posts
Joined Mar 2019
Jan 19, 2023
UhsarpA
Jan 19, 2023
240 Posts
How does this compare to Finish Quantum?
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Jan 20, 2023
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GimmeYoTots
Jan 20, 2023
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Quote from The_Smithlord :
Comes up as $11.98 for me.
Quote from EfficientHeat625 :
It's $11.98 on my end too. By the way, does anyone know if the 100 plus soap packs are individually wrapped? I prefer unwrapped.
Hey, it may be YMMV, but I didn't think it was YMMV since most everything at Sam's that is not on clearance is not YMMV. I just looked at my local Sam's (online) and the price is still $10.98 for me. Either way, $10.98 or $11.98 -- both are great deals for Consumer Reports #1 rated dishwasher packets (esp when you consider Costco's price increase).
Jan 20, 2023
731 Posts
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Jan 20, 2023
Ascender
Jan 20, 2023
731 Posts
Do these work with hard water?
Jan 21, 2023
4,846 Posts
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Jan 21, 2023
The_Love_Spud
Jan 21, 2023
4,846 Posts
Though 10.5 cents / wash is a solid price, this still doesn't beat the everyday price per wash of powder dishwasher detergent (which should be around 6-7 cents/wash) for the hardcore cheapskates.

Good luck!
Jon
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GimmeYoTots
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Quote from The_Love_Spud :
Though 10.5 cents / wash is a solid price, this still doesn't beat the everyday price per wash of powder dishwasher detergent (which should be around 6-7 cents/wash) for the hardcore cheapskates.

Good luck!
Jon
Hey Jon -

Nothing wrong with being a chapskate, but Consumer Reports tested all of the various dishwasher products. I used to buy the Cascade gel because I figured I'd save money and the packets were just "gimicky." I was wrong. CR tested it, and the Cascade Gel scored very low. I didn't notice any powders tested, but I expect the same - if they were tested, they'd likely score low as well.

The above said, I, personally, have bought these from Sam's. I was lucky enough to get them when they were $9.99 a box, but even at this price, given inflation, how many you get, and their CR top rating, I think they're an outstanding bargain - at regular price.

Best!
Tots
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GimmeYoTots
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Quote from Ascender :
Do these work with hard water?
CR gave them their top rating, but made no distinction between hard and soft water. Consequently, I would expect them to outperform the other brands whether you had hard or soft water.
Jan 21, 2023
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The_Love_Spud
Jan 21, 2023
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank The_Love_Spud

Quote from GimmeYoTots :
Hey Jon -

Nothing wrong with being a chapskate, but Consumer Reports tested all of the various dishwasher products. I used to buy the Cascade gel because I figured I'd save money and the packets were just "gimicky." I was wrong. CR tested it, and the Cascade Gel scored very low. I didn't notice any powders tested, but I expect the same - if they were tested, they'd likely score low as well.

The above said, I, personally, have bought these from Sam's. I was lucky enough to get them when they were $9.99 a box, but even at this price, given inflation, how many you get, and their CR top rating, I think they're an outstanding bargain - at regular price.

Best!
Tots
You're spot on regarding gels: some of CR's worst performers were gels. CR has also noted that powders typically perform behind the... [consumerreports.org] (and it is indeed worth pointing out that Member's Mark pacs have recently been flagged, albeit not in a full report, as CR's current top performer).

Since there are so few powder brands in the market CR stopped testing them around 2019 (as noted in the link above). However, accessing old CR testing (through a subscription or, in my case, via my library's access to EBSCOhost) highlights old reviews which order the placement: a 2013 report put 5 premium pacs at the top of the list, and #6 was Cascade Complete powder (ahead, at the time, of plenty of other pacs from Kirkland, etc.). Basically, powders and major brand pacs all scored in a range of Very Good to Excellent for their cleaning power, while gels were put another step down to Good (like Cascade Complete gel) to Fair (the much more common ranking for gels in that report).

Cascade Complete powder remains widely available at typically under 9 cents/ounce. Given the price advantage, that suggests a price/performance window that could justify its existence (not to mention the ability to control usage [usatoday.com], though few users have to concern themselves too much with this). Though this deal demonstrates that the gap between the highest performing pac and a top performing powder is diminishing, I'm admittedly holding out until it gets to zero(!) or better (essentially compelling any value shopper to buy pacs).

This isn't unprecedented, as the laundry detergent market went through a similar transition as liquids improved to the point that options became highly available which were both higher performing and cheaper per wash than their powder competition.

Good luck!
Jon
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Jan 21, 2023
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The_Love_Spud
Jan 21, 2023
4,846 Posts
Quote from GimmeYoTots :
Quote from Ascender :
Do these work with hard water?
CR gave them their top rating, but made no distinction between hard and soft water. Consequently, I would expect them to outperform the other brands whether you had hard or soft water.
For particularly hard water the ability to control the amount of detergent with powder still remains a top consideration [usatoday.com].

Unfortunately, the 2020 and 2023 ratings from CR weren't detailed breakouts indicating the various contributing factors to the scoring, but rather quick "What We're Testing in Our Labs ..." updates with only the final scores for a few products noted.

Good luck!
Jon
Last edited by The_Love_Spud January 21, 2023 at 01:43 PM.
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Jan 21, 2023
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Ascender
Jan 21, 2023
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Quote from The_Love_Spud :
For particularly hard water the ability to control the amount of detergent with powder still remains a top consideration [usatoday.com].

Unfortunately, the 2020 and 2023 ratings from CR weren't detailed breakouts indicating the various contributing factors to the scoring, but rather quick "What We're Testing in Our Labs ..." updates with only the final scores for a few products noted.

Good luck!
Jon
Thanks! Our results were pretty bad when they first banned phosphates in these years ago. I resorted to buying commercial powder for a while. Eventually cascade platinum proved to perform well when used with a rinse aid.

I'll give these Sam's ones a try and see.
Jan 23, 2023
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The_Love_Spud
Jan 23, 2023
4,846 Posts
Quote from Ascender :
Thanks! Our results were pretty bad when they first banned phosphates in these years ago. I resorted to buying commercial powder for a while. Eventually cascade platinum proved to perform well when used with a rinse aid.

I'll give these Sam's ones a try and see.
I personally got burned by a very early (2009) CR recommendation of Method Smarty Dish, a new phosphate-free formulation of dishwasher tablet (as with the recent ratings notes, this was a relatively small-article mention and not a full review of detergents).

I was happy to be making an early effort to eliminate phosphates, but frustrated by the white buildup on my plastic containers (which I'd resorted to monthly soaking and handwashing) - a byproduct of the very hard water in my area. Ultimately, CR published a notification and explanation of the issue in 2011 titled Dishwasher detergents: New tests find a glitch. CR changed their testing going forward, but this occurrence definitely ingrained in me the distinction between CR's full reviews and their mini-recommendations as well as the limits of their process overall.

Thankfully, formulations have improved significantly since that time.

Good luck!
Jon
Last edited by The_Love_Spud January 22, 2023 at 04:48 PM.
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Jan 23, 2023
304 Posts
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Jan 23, 2023
nagol68
Jan 23, 2023
304 Posts
I buy almost all my cleaning products from Sam's or the $1(.25) store. After using this for over a month and a half I can say that they SUCK. I rarely had issues while using Cascade Platinum - maybe had to re-run 1 dish every other load. After switching to these it's about half the dishwasher. Nothing else has changed in our dishwashing routine and have been using Cascade Platinum for 3 years. Incredibly disappointed.

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