Electrasol 2in1 Gelpacs VS. Cascade 2in1 ActionPacs
Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs are manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser Inc. out of New Jersey. The Gelpacs are made up of a combination of gel type dishwasher detergent with microbeads and Jet-Dry Rinse Agent. The Electrasol brand is recommended by leading dishwasher manufacturers Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Maytag, and Whirlpool for use in their dishwashers. Electrasol products are also listed as being safe for septic systems, which is important to me because I have a septic tank.
Proctor & Gamble, out of Cincinnati, Ohio, manufactures Cascade 2 in 1 Action Packs. The ActionPacs are similar in size and shape to the Electrasol Gelpacs, but are instead composed of a layer of compressed powder dishwasher detergent and a layer of liquid Dawn dish soap. I have not been able to find any information stating that they are safe to use with septic systems, but I have personally used them in the past without any problems. It is something to keep in mind though when it comes to long time usage.
Both Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs and Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs are very close in price. Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs tend to run approximately $4-$5 for a bag of twenty while Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs cost around $3-$4 for a box of twenty. The manufacturers of both products also print coupons quite frequently, so if you keep an eye on your local Sunday newspaper’s coupon inserts, you have a really good chance of finding one to purchase them for even less.
Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs are available in three fragrances – Green Apple Scent, Orange Scent, and Fresh Scent. Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs also come in three scents – Original, Citrus Breeze Scent, and Cinnamon Apple Spice Scent. The fragrance in the Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs is much more noticeable, even in the Original scent. When you open the package, you can detect a pleasant, fresh aroma. I really do not think the Original Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs have any fragrance at all, which is most disappointing when opening the dishwasher after completing a load of dirty dishes. When I use the Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs, the inside of the dishwasher and the dishes are left with a slight clean smell while the same is not true of the Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs. Actually the Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs seem to leave the smell of food in the dishwasher at all times. This is one are where the Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs really win out in my opinion.
When it comes to performance though, that is a completely different story. Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs seem to do much better at washing away even the toughest kinds of stuck on food. The Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs may make the dishes come out smelling really clean, but they often do not look that way. Also, the addition of Jet-Dry Rinse Agent to the Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs is more beneficial than the addition of Dawn is to the Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs. The Electrasol detergent in the 2 in 1 Gelpacs works well enough on its own to clean greasy dishes while the Jet-Dry helps prevent and eliminate spots and film, whereas the Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs seem to need the addition of Dawn just to get the dishes clean since the Cascade itself is not enough. Even with the addition of Dawn I personally don’t think it performs well enough.
Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs already are recommended by some of the major manufacturers of dishwashers, and I have to say I agree with them. Not only is the product slightly cheaper, but overall it performs better. I also feel safer using them because I know that they are supposed to be safe for septic systems. For me the Electrasol 2 in 1 Gelpacs win over Cascade 2 in 1 ActionPacs in all areas except for fragrance, but when it comes down to it, truly clean dishes are much more important than dishes that just smell clean.
