The utensil tray is one of the best features in my opinion. Yes you load each piece separately. But you don't scratch your cutlery or cut your fingers on a knife or fork tine. And if you separate the forks, knives and spoons as you load, putting the cutlery back in the drawer takes less time. The 3D tray is even better.

I'm with bluedevil - I was unsure I would like the tray but once I started using it daily, I became a huge fan.

I find it much faster and easier than using the normal basket.

Doc

I love it. After the first few weeks, I'd knew then that I never want to use a utensil basket again. It frees up more room in the lower basket, and allows for all the cutlery to be cleaned much better.

Luv ours, had the Miele Optima, going on 7 years now.
Never heard of Miele before that, and only bought it because of that top cutlery tray, No other DW had it 7 years ago.

I don't know where folks get the idea that everything has to be "Laid out in its proper place" in the cutlery tray. For 7 years now, I just "toss" the stuff up there, and everything comes out clean.
No "arranging" here!!!!

I always hated those bottom baskets, especially after grabbing the "business end" of a sharp knife, more than once, (Yeah I know, "Slow Learner") but with the top cutlery try, nothing to learn, exept you DON"T Repeat Don't have to line everything up in its proper place, unless you wanna!

Gary

I had never heard of a Miele dishwasher before a month + ago when I opened one up on the showroom floor and saw that pull-out utensil rack. It was love at first sight. I love everything about my Futura Dimension, but that utensil rack will always be my favorite feature. It allows more room on the main rack for dishware and pots. It also keeps the DW neater and more organized. I'm a new lifelong fan of the rack!

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This post was edited by karenlee56 on Thu, Feb 21, 13 at 18:56

I have a utensil rack in my Kitchenaid. I use it for large items and cutlery. I tried to use it for my flatware because I had read about it on here for so many years, but I am not a fan and can't be bothered. I've always sort of arranged my cutlery in the basket, kids are trained that way, easy to unload. We run the dishwasher daily and don't have space issues in it. For me it's a great thing to keep sharp objects out of the basket and it's a great thing for large utensils, but I don't use it for flatware. I am glad I have it though, I do find it useful.

I have a utensil rack in my Kitchenaid. I use it for large items and cutlery. I tried to use it for my flatware because I had read about it on here for so many years, but I am not a fan and can't be bothered. I've always sort of arranged my cutlery in the basket, kids are trained that way, easy to unload. We run the dishwasher daily and don't have space issues in it. For me it's a great thing to keep sharp objects out of the basket and it's a great thing for large utensils, but I don't use it for flatware. I do find it useful for what I use it for and would look for it in another dishwasher.

The KA tray is poorly designed for cutlery, Miele invented it and still has the best design.

I had the same worry, but talked to a friend who had it, and she convinced me that it wasn't a problem. Since I have had the Miele the last four years, I have to say its very simple to load and I think its more sanitary. Separate the rack into zones, then when you unload, you can grab the group of forks, spoons, etc by the stem, and unload quickly.

I can not believe how my old flatware looks brand new since I started using my new miele - love the utensil tray. It is also great for lids, small measuring cups, etc.

We also thought we wouldn't like it and considered ordering a separate silverware basket. We haven't missed the baskets at all. It turns out we find the tray very therapeutic. Also, even if you just toss in the silverware, it is so much easier to empty than the baskets. The only thing I watch out for is to try to face spoons downward. No biggie.

Love ours! DH does, too, in theory! He is a terrific handwasher of the stuff that gets handwashed (knives, pots and pans...) but usually leaves stuff inthe sink or on the counter for me to load/unload!

I designated zones in the cutlery tray early on (I move stuff forward/back as needed, in order to wash larger items for ex.) and I don't think it takes any longer to load utensils in the tray than it did in the baskets in our old DW's. Of course, unloading is a breeze.

*One tip ; don't slam the cutlery tray when sliding it back in. Depending on your utensils, you might dislodge them from their slots.

I decided against a DW with a cutlery tray just because I couldn't see myself putting everything in a rack. I could do what Gary does though. I think it is all in what you like.

We had a Miele installed just a few months ago with the utensil tray. It is a little more persnickety to load when you do it "right" but so much faster to unload, and no one is pawing all over the "mouth end" of the clean silverware trying to put it away.

Of course, now that I read Gary's post, I'm just going to have to try the "toss and hope" method of loading. How sad is it that I have a wonderfully rebellious feeling about this plan?

Love ours. As others have said, it makes for a lot more room on the bottom rack, makes unloading easier and more sanitary, and the cutlery gets cleaner than it ever did in a basket. I think it's a very efficient way of getting the flatware clean. It's less fussy than it seems to load the flatware into slots, and the ability to grab a bunch of spoons by their stems and toss 'em into the drawer later makes up for the time spent on the front end--and the time spent isn't significant. If space isn't an issue for you, then you can toss them in willy nilly and they'll still get clean--nothing nests on the top rack, the way it used to in the silverware basket. However, if I use the slots, I can get nearly every piece of flatware I have in there. I also like it for long spoons and other things that didn't really have a spot in the old dishwasher. That said, it's apparently not for everyone. There are those that see it and think it would be great (as I did) and those that shake their heads and say "no way". To each their own.

Cj

Meangoose, You said it's sad you feel wonderfully rebellious about just tossing the cutlery on the rack. I think it's even sadder that thinking about doing that makes me feel queasy and uncomfortable (LOL)---not because I think it's a terrible thing to do---I actually think it makes sense, but it would take a very BIG effort for me to be able to do that. I'm a bit OCD about my cutlery drawer. I could never just toss them into the drawer, either. They have to be arranged just so.

I don't even have my new DW yet,but I'm already excited, imagining using this wondrous cutlery rack.

Love, love, love the cutlery tray. Utensils are much cleaner. You just drop the silverware into place. It doesn't have to be in order. It's really simple and doesn't take a bit of extra time. Plus, unloading is faster because you can see at a glance to sort it. Honestly, I think it is the best feature!! You could take your silverware to a showroom and try it to see. It does take a time or two to get the hang of it but not more than that. You have more room below without the utensil baskets.

"Toss and hope," while defeating many of the advantages of the Miele tray, is certainly good for a LOL.

kas

Dh has been doing the dishes, so I haven't had the chance to "toss and hope" yet.

In all seriousness, the first few times I loaded the utensil tray, it seemed fussy. Now it's second nature. I love that nothing nests together, so all my flatware is actually clean. With the old dishwasher, often my spoons would nest together in the basket, and many of them would almost glue themselves together with goo that was so not-helpfully heated by the dishwasher. I had to inspect each piece before putting it away. I don't have to do that now - it's all clean and it's easy to verify that at one glance.

ditto what everyone else said

flatware much cleaner, easier to unload....

love it and would never buy another DW w/o it!!!