Price versus performance. The ­highest-rated detergent, SA8 with Bioquest (made by the company formerly known as Amway), cleaned up when it came to, well, cleaning our test swatches, which were impregnated with nine common staining agents, including blood and makeup. It was also the most expensive, at 61¢ per load. Plus, it’s available only online. Fortunately, store-bought alternatives, such as Tide Free HE and Gain HE, perform nearly as well for less than half that price.

ConsumerReports.org – Laundry detergents 1/07: Surfacants, NPEs