Budget Detergents Outperform Premium Brands in Stiftung Warentest Study

The comprehensive test of 20 detergents highlights the cost-effectiveness and cleaning superiority of powders over liquids, with environmental concerns also under scrutiny.

DM's 'Denkmit' and Lidl's 'Formil' powder detergents topped the rankings with the highest score of 1.6 and a cost of just 16 cents per load.
Aldi's 'Tandil Ultra' became the first liquid detergent to achieve a 'good' rating, though its cleaning effectiveness was rated only 'satisfactory'.
Premium brands like 'Spee Aktiv' and 'Lenor Aprilfrisch' received the lowest rating of 'poor', falling behind budget competitors.
Powder detergents excelled in stain removal and preventing greying, particularly at 60°C, while liquid detergents were gentler but less effective overall.
The study flagged detergents containing microplastics as environmentally harmful and recommended eco-friendly washing practices such as lower temperatures and precise dosing.