How to Buy a Miele Dishwasher
As we said previously, all Miele dishwashers have these basic cycles: Normal Wash, Rinse & Hold, Sani-Wash, and Pots & Pans. The differences are in features like silence ratings, racks, cycles, and drying systems.
Let's look at Miele's top features.
Racks
The top rack is fully adjustable on all Miele dishwashers. However, the better dishwashers from the Futura Crystal have adjustable racks within the rack itself to accommodate almost anything.
You can remove most of the tines from the bottom rack in these dishwashers for larger pots and pans as well.
Note: Any piece in orange in a Miele dishwasher is either adjustable or removable.
3rd Rack
All Miele dishwashers have a 3rd rack for silverware. You will like this feature because you can now fit more on the bottom rack without the silverware basket.
The better Miele's have the 3D cutlery rack. You can swivel this out of the way for taller glasses on the top rack.
3 Full Wash Arms
Miele is one of the only dishwashers with the top, middle, and bottom wash arms. Most have two wash arms, or they will have two smaller arms on the top.
Three arms are important with the third rack because it washes silverware better.
Drying
Miele is also the only dishwasher with a real dry cycle. It allows the colder air outside into the inside of the dishwasher. Steam is attracted to the "colder" side and is fully dissipated.
The Futura Dimension and Diamond Series dishwashers have two fans at the bottom for even faster drying. In addition, the better Miele's (Futura Crystal and up) will pop open at the end of the cycle to allow steam to escape. This also speeds drying.
Knock2Open
You can open the two best dishwashers by knocking twice on the door. It is probably not at the top of your list for features, but you do not need a handle on these models. With better cabinets, not having a handle is a nice touch.
Are Miele Dishwashers Worth it?
Miele is certainly not cheap, but it is built to a higher standard than other dishwashers. By manufacturing the components instead of outsourcing like most other manufacturers, Miele has built a more reliable dishwasher.
The difference between the Miele dishwashers is quietness from 37-46 dBs. The top cutlery tray changes from none to a basic one to an adjustable, multi-functional 3D tray. After that, the racks, cycles, and warranties, as well as the drying system (with different fans and sensors) differ between the models.
Miele is probably your best choice for a premium dishwasher. Not to mention, all of Miele's dishwashers, aside from the base model, can have a panel to match your custom cabinets and will not protrude from the cabinet itself like most dishwashers.
