When it comes to the best ultrasonic cleaners for jewelry, there are a lot of options out there.
Being in the jewelry business for over 15 years, we’ve tried just about every ultrasonic cleaner on the market.
Unfortunately, not all of them work as well as they should.
If you’re looking for the best ultrasonic cleaner for jewelry, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss three of the best ultrasonic cleaners on the market and why they are so popular.
For beginners who don’t have a lot of jewelry to clean regularly, we recommend the Ukoke 3800S. Intermediate users who need to control the cavitation frequency will appreciate the DK Sonic. And for professional use, the Gemoro ultrasonic cleaner has automatic self tuning to keep your unit running optimally.
Sometimes our customers would give us a heads up about how happy they are with their little home cleaners, so we though we’d pass that information on to you.
We’ll also provide tips to help you choose the right ultrasonic cleaner for your needs.
So, whether you’re in the market for a new ultrasonic cleaner or just want to learn more about them, keep reading!
Table of Contents
What Are Ultrasonic Cleaners and How Do They Work?
An ultrasonic cleaner is a small tabletop machine about the size of a two slice toaster although some of them are smaller.
They work by emitting high frequency sound waves that create vibrations in the heated water where your jewelry is placed into a basket and submerged.
This is known as a cavitation process and it effectively removes dirt, oil and grime from your jewelry depending on the solutions that you add to the water.
After you fill the machine with water, you then add a cleaning solution which will enhance the action of the machine and will aid to cut oils from the jewelry.
You then simply turn the heat at the desired temperature and after it has heated up, you choose how much time that you want to run it.
Typically, it only takes 3 to 5 minutes in this type of bath to clean jewelry that has been maintained, longer if it has been 6 months or more since the last cleaning.
Ultrasonic cleaners come in a variety of sizes and they are often rated by how much vigorous activity they are able to produce when the dirtiest and most caked on gunk is stuck up underneath the gallery of rings.
There are many of these cleaners on the market, but some of them are too weak to do anything much but heat and soak your jewelry.
One thing that must be said for these fantastic machines is that they cannot be used for every kind of jewelry that you may own. There are gemstones that must not be put into an ultrasonic because of the particular action that it causes.
Some gemstones simply must be cleaned and maintained by hand due to their fragile nature, while others would benefit from an ultrasonic cleaning that is far better than what you can achieve by hand cleaning.
Before we move on to which are the best ultrasonic cleaners for jewelry, we should inform you that if you own any of the following types of gemstones, then they must not be put into this type of cleaner.
What Jewelry Should Not Be Cleaned in Ultrasonic Cleaner?
While the ultrasonic cleaner can be a great way to get your jewelry sparkling clean, there are certain types of jewelry that should not be cleaned in this way.
Because of the cavitation process, some gemstones can be permanently damaged by this type of cleaning.
These include:
Gemstones Prone To Cracks
- Opals of any variety.
- Pearls of any color or type.
- Emeralds.
- Turquoise.
- Lapis.
- Fracture filled diamonds.
- Diamonds with a lot of inclusions.
- Agates.
- Tourmalines.
- Tanzanites.
- Peridot.
- Malachite.
- Onyx.
- Synthetic Stones.
- Copper plated jewelry.
- Amber.
- Mother of Pearl.
- Jade.
- Marcasite.
- Costume jewelry.
- Coral.
- Colored diamonds.
- Gemstones that have been dyed.
Whew! What a list!
What does this show?
It shows that there are actually very few gemstones that can be put into an ultrasonic cleaner without risking damage or destruction to them.
Gemstones That Have Been Glass Filled
These gemstones have already been damaged by both heat and glass filling to the point of weakening their basic composition and structure.
The cavitation process of the ultrasonic cleaner will only serve to further damage and weaken these stones, possibly even causing them to burst.
If you are not sure of what you have, take it to a jewelry store to find out.
Jewelry That Has Mixed Stones
There are some fantastic pieces of jewelry out there that are made with several different types of gemstones and may even have seed pearl accents or other accents in them.
Do not attempt to put these pieces into a sonic cleaner even for a minute, thinking that one minute probably won’t hurt it.
It might.
If any of the gemstones that are listed in #1 are included in that mixed piece of jewelry, then drop it in at your own risk.
Jewelry That Has Enamel
Enamel, or “antiquing,” is an “add on” of color that has been baked on or painted on to a piece of jewelry to enhance its appearance.
Dropping this into an ultrasonic cleaner will eventually result in loosening the enamel and it will come off in sheets or in chips.
Jewelry That You’re Not Sure About
If you don’t know the history of a piece of jewelry, or if it is antique, you shouldn’t put them in an ultrasonic cleaner because you have no way of knowing the origin of the gemstones and whether or not they have been filled.
It is best to take these pieces to a professional jeweler who can clean them by hand.
The old saying “when in doubt, don’t” holds true when it comes to dropping a piece of jewelry into an ultrasonic cleaner.
This is why sometimes even a jeweler will use steam to clean rather than subject a gemstone that is questionable to possible damage from an ultrasonic cleaner.
What Jewelry Can Be Safely Put Into An Ultrasonic Cleaner?
Although it seems like there isn’t much you can put into an ultrasonic cleaner, all is not lost. Many types of jewelry that can be used in an ultrasonic cleaner include:
Gold, Silver, and other Precious Metals
Ultrasonic cleaners are known for working great for cleaning gold jewelry.
You can safely use it for platinum too.
If you have chains such as necklace chains, bracelets or earrings that are of precious metals, these will accumulate grime, oil and sweat over time and wear.
Putting them in an ultrasonic cleaner for a few minutes will make them look brand new!
Hard Gemstones
Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires, Amethyst, Citrine, and Lab Created gemstones can all be safely put into an ultrasonic cleaner.
Do not dump them all in together to avoid the vibrations from scratching the metals together.
Make sure to check the stones to see if any of the tiny ones have been vibrated out of the mounting…you will find them in your strainer if they did.
The Best Ultrasonic Cleaners for Jewelry (Our Recommendations)
Here we have a few recommendations for you without going full commercial and huge.
If you do own enough jewelry to open your own store, you can still use these to keep your jewelry clean because chances are that many of your pieces cannot go into them due to the types of stones you may have that are prohibited.
You may want to choose the size of your cleaner based on the one largest piece of jewelry that you own that can be used in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Entry Level: UKOKE 3800S
 | Entry level Affordable Fast & Quiet Available on Amazon |
This is a small cleaner that can be put on your bathroom countertop along with everything else you have there for convenience sake.
It is best for small to medium-sized pieces of jewelry and will take care of most things you own in a few minutes.
We like this unit because it has a timer, so you can set it and forget it for the most part.
It has a little basket that catches anything that may come out as well which is nice. Aside from the very low cost compared to our commercial units, we found that this cleaner is well made and doesn’t feel cheap.
Easy and Versatile
If you’re worried about spending a lot of time reading instructions, this is the unit for you. It’s easy to use and can even be used to clean other things like your watchband, razor, toothbrush holder, and more.
Gentle Cavitation Process
If you’re worried about putting your expensive jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner, then this is the best model to start with because it has a gentle cavitation process. It also comes with a cleaning basket and watch stand so you can clean multiple items at once.
However, this means that you won’t be able to clean the toughest of dirt and grime.
Fast & Quiet
Many commercial units that we’ve used are very loud and can be quite a nuisance. This ultrasonic cleaner is much quieter and the timer is measured in minutes so you can get on with your day.
Intermediate: DK SONIC Ultrasonic Cleaner
 | Intermediate Great Features Stainless Steel Available on Amazon |
If you want to go with something a little more heavy duty, then this is the best ultrasonic jewelry cleaner for you. It has a 2L tank and can accommodate just about anything you will want to clean.
One of the features we really like about this unit is that it enables you to control what temperature you want, so you can be sure that your delicate jewelry won’t get damaged.
Additionally, it also comes with the ability to control how strong you want the cavitation process, from Semiwave to Fullwave.
This is perfect for those who have delicate jewelry but also want to be able to clean the tougher dirt and grime.
Industrial Strength Material
Unlike many other cheaper ultrasonic cleaners, this one is made of stainless steel which means it’s built to last. You can also use it to clean other things like your glasses, coins, car parts and more.
Degas Mode
Some ultrasonic cleaners come with a degassing mode.
This means that the cleaner will get rid of any gas bubbles that may have formed in the liquid. This is important because if there are gas bubbles present, they can cause the ultrasonic waves to reflect off of them and this will reduce the cleaning power.
It’s a nice feature to have but not necessary.
100W Heating Power
If you have experience with other ultrasonic cleaners, then you know just how long it can take to heat up the liquid. This cleaner has 100W heating power, which means that it will heat up much faster so you can get started cleaning sooner.
Cons of the DK Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaner
With all of that said, there is a major downside to this ultrasonic cleaner.
While it is more expensive than other units on the market, it’s still a product made in China and it doesn’t have a warranty, so if something does go wrong, you’re out of luck.
Best: Gemoro Ultrasonic Cleaner
 | Professional Grade Advanced Features Industrial Strength Available on Amazon |
If you’re the type of person who likes to skip the line and get the best of the best, then this is the ultrasonic cleaner that professionals use. It’s engineered in the USA (which is just another way of saying Made in China) but it has a 2.5 year warranty with a 10 year warranty on the transducer from Gemoro.
Although it doesn’t have some features like the Semiwave and Fullwave control, we found that this didn’t distract from the overall usefulness of the unit.
Professional Grade
Like the other unit mentioned above, the Gemoro Ultrasonic Cleaner is made from Stainless Steel and wont break down on you. The 1.8L tank is also large enough for most of your items, and it comes with a basket, tweezers and jewelry hangar so you can get started right away.
Turbo Sweep & Power Sweep Technology
Much like the degassing features on other ultrasonic cleaners, the Turbo Sweep and Power Sweep technology helps to remove any gas bubbles that have formed in the liquid. This is important because it helps to increase the efficiency of the cleaning process.
Gemoro has their own proprietary technology that you can switch between, depending on what you’re cleaning.
Automatic Load Self-Tuning
Did you know that the efficiency of your Ultrasonic cleaner will depend on the load that is placed inside, as well as your liquid levels?
This means that you will need to manually maintain these things in order to get the best results.
With the Gemoro Ultrasonic Cleaner, you don’t have to worry about that because it has Automatic Load Self-Tuning. This means that the unit will automatically adjust itself to give you the best possible cleaning results, regardless of what you’re cleaning – which is one of the reasons professionals love this unit.
FAQ’s About Ultrasonic Cleaners For Jewelry
Is ultrasonic cleaner safe for diamond ring?
An ultrasonic cleaner is safe for diamond rings as long as the diamonds have not been glass filled or are too heavily included with possible fractures. Also, a diamond ring cannot be put into an ultrasonic cleaner if there are other gemstones in with it that are listed as not safe.
Can you use vinegar in an ultrasonic cleaner?
You should not use vinegar in an ultrasonic cleaner until you have diluted it at 1:1 ratio.
Even then, you still cannot put the gemstones that are listed above in the cleaner regardless of the cleaning solutions you choose.
Vinegar is acidic so you will need to make sure to rinse your jewelry well to make sure there is no residual left to eat away at the metal.
Can you use Dawn dish soap in ultrasonic cleaner?
Using Dawn dish soap works to clean race car parts in a large ultrasonic cleaner. Is it safe or useful for jewelry?
Probably so, if you just add 8 drops into the water and rinse well afterwards.
Instead, we recommend using Mr. Clean, the green stuff that is for cleaning floors, diluted at a ratio of 1:5.
One part Mr. Clean to five parts of water.
You can experiment as long as you do not use bleach or other harsh cleaners.
Will ultrasonic cleaner remove silver tarnish?
An ultrasonic cleaner will be able to remove all but the most stubborn tarnish on silver.
Otherwise, you may have to first resort to using a silver dip for two seconds followed by immediate rinsing of water, then add the silver to the ultrasonic bath.
The silver dip we use is called TarnX and it can be purchased everywhere, including grocery stores.
It is important that this is not used on a regular basis, but just to get the worst of the tarnish removed if it has built up over years.
Do not soak in TarnX…a quick dip of 2-3 seconds is enough or it will discolor your silver by degrading the surface.
If you then put sterling silver into an ultrasonic bath, you must change the water before putting gold into it.
The silver ions that are left behind floating in the water will stick to the gold and turn it dark.
If this happens, dip the gold into the TarnX to remove it.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many different types and models to choose from depending on your needs. Weigh the pros and cons of each one before making your final decision.
The most important thing to consider are the gemstones that you will be cleaning and whether or not they are safe to put in an ultrasonic cleaner.
If you’re not sure, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and take them to a professional jeweler to have them cleaned instead.