A:Answer Hi - Thanks for reaching out to us with this great question. We recommend HE (high efficiency) detergents in all of our clothes washers as they are formulated to provide superior cleaning performance while eliminating the potential for over-sudsing. Our specific recommendations are as follows: use only HE (High-Efficiency) liquid detergent when using the SmartDispense feature. Powder (granular) or liquid detergent can be used in the Manual compartment. Like with all our frontload washers, detergent packs, pods, and sheets should be placed directly into the basket before the clothes are added, following the manufacturer's label instructions. These products should not be placed in the dispenser drawer compartments. We hope you find this helpful. Kind regards - Vikki@GEAppliances