I just got a Miele Classic (bottom of the line, with a cutlery tray,) I love it. We have a whole house water softener, so the lack of a softener in the dishwasher wasn't an issue for us. The Classic is not silent, but it is quiet enough to stand next to it and have a conversation (in person or on the phone) without it becoming a distraction. Compared to the old Kenmore we had, it certainly is VERY quiet. It cleans well and reliably. Occasionally I will find an errant spinach leaf that has escaped and landed on a clean dish, but otherwise, every thing comes out clean. Items come out dry with the exception of tiny water pools in the bottom of some of our drinking glasses, which have a little well in the bottom. This doesn't concern me; I'll get new glasses before I would give up the dishwasher.

From a servicers point of view, both machines are very good. But so are most of others on the market. Anyone who follows what is posted on the web will end up with analysis paralysis and go crazy. Dishwashers have the most varied results because of a number of factors when installed in a home. Consumer Reports levels the playing field by following the same tests with each brand and model. So it is a good reference point. The problems we see with dishwashers of all brands are: poor installations; fill and drain hoses incorrectly hooked up. Machines not leveled or anchored. Sand or dirt not flushed from the incoming water line, clogging up the dishwasher water inlet valve, inadequate electrical wiring and on and on. Much of this leads to poor cleaning results that owners blame on the machine. Often the user can't be bothered to learn how to use the machine. But complain when things don't go well. Then when we are called upon to fix the problem, we educate the owner on simple stuff like using good detergents and rinse aids, making sure their disposer is empty before using the dishwasher and on and on. All dishwashers except the very basic builders grade models will do a decent job if they are installed and used correctly. Our advice, ensure that the machine is properly installed. Follow directions on loading and machine care. Use quality detergents and rinse aid. Viola.....you'll have clean dishes. Even from a $350 machine.

starfish24, Basically what happen was this....... My Diamante Plus unit is now 15 months old. I had used the original Miele tabs (half a tab per load) up until Oct/Nov of last year when I ran out. I went to buy another box, but it was replaced by a "newer" Miele tab that is now phosphate free. I again used half a tab per load and that box lasted me until about April of this year. I went and purchased a 2nd box, same "newer" Miele Tabs. It was a week or so later that my unit was running one night (with the half tab) and I went upstairs and saw something that I forgot to put in the dishwasher. So I back to the kitchen and opened it up to add the item. To my amazement, there was about 1" of suds on top of the water. I added the item and closed the unit back up, and it continued it's cycle. I know from before, that the original Miele tabs did not make suds, because once or twice I did have to open it up mid-cycle to add something....but this was the first time I had to do it while using the newer tabs. So I called Miele Tech Support and told them. They said "You need to use half a tab them", which I then informed them that I already was using half, so they then said "then try to use less, like one-forth of a tab." I tried it that night, but you can only cut them so much with scissors before they start to break apart. So instead I crushed them all up into powder using to large spoons and mixed it all together. I then used a one-half teaspoon measuring spoon (which is equal to a quarter of a tablet) to does it out into the detergent door of the dishwasher. I saw that it still did make some suds, but not nearly as much as when I was using a half tab, but everything still came out clean. So since April, that is what I've been doing, just using the one-half teaspoon dose for each nightly load. When I went to run the unit on July 22, I pressed the power button on the front, and it started a continual drain mode with the 3 yellow LED lights (rinse, dry, end) all flashing. I could not select a program and start the unit. I called Miele Tech Support, which instructed me to unplug it, and shut off the water to the unit from under the sink, so that is what I did. He said that there is a lower-pan under the unit with an overflow protection switch that will put the unit in a continual drain if it gets wet. The unit was unplugged and unused this all weekend, as on Monday 24th there was to be a service tech to come out, but he was out sick, and the other tech was booked-up, so I was re-scheduled for three days later. A bit later on that Monday, I plugged the unit back in just to see if it was still on the continual drain, and it wasn't, so I was able to try a Rinse mode, and it worked Ok. At that point, I didn't want to use the Miele detergent any more, as I had a feeling it was the suds that got down in the lower pan and tripped the overflow circuit. So I went out and got the Method Smarty tabs. I tried those (half and full tab) and it cleaned just fine and there was no suds. Now on Thursday the Miele Tech and the Area Tech Supervisor came out to inspect it. The dishwasher did not have to be pulled out. All they did was remove my lower wood toe-kick board and unscrew and remove rectangle shaped metal plate on the bottom-front (about 6"x3"), that would normally be covered-up by the toe-kick. Behind that metal plate was a bottom metal floor and he showed me where there was died-up detergent. There was also a circular piece of white plastic that was on the bottom, and attached to something else above it. He said that was the overflow protection, that if water or suds happen to get down in there, that it triggers the circuit and puts the unit into the drain mode. But they said all the water gasket seals were fine, and ran it on a rinse, and no water leaked down in there. I showed them the pictures I took of all the suds from the newer Miele tabs. They both looked at them and said it didn't look excessive, but said it still really shouldn't make a lot of suds. Neither of them could explain as to why the newer Miele tabs made suds, but said that overtime it could of built-up and then triggered the over-flow down there. The Area Tech said he was going to "forward it up" so that the other departments can be aware of my issue and maybe have to re-test the Miele Tabs on their own. They also tested my water hardness and said it was 5 grains, which my unit was already set to that level. I showed them the Method tabs and said I've been using them for 3 days and haven't had any suds from them. The one tech said he uses regular Cascade powder detergent in his older Inspira unit, and it works just fine for him. So to sum it up... I believe the suds from the newer Miele tabs that I have been using since October of last year was the cause of the problem, and eventually got down in the lower pan area and triggered the overflow circuit. Then when I had the unit unplugged and not used for 3 days, whatever was down in there dried-up, and released the overflow protection. So I'm not sure how the tech would "fix" it if there were water/suds down in pan at the time of him being here, since mine was all dried-up and just had some white residue.

With my Miele Dimension Plus that I've had for 4 years, we purchased the warranty directly for Miele for $250 for 5 years. This is the only way to know for sure that Miele tech comes out. We've had them out here twice. The first time was a year after we had the unit, the overflow protection sensor was tripped in the lower pan. It turned out that one of the newer detergents was making too much suds. Then a couple months ago I noticed that the coating on some of the racks were chiped away and there was some rust. So I called Miele and told them, they sent up an appointment and the following week a tech came out and installed the racks. I could have done that myself if they would of just mailed it to me from the warehouse in NJ, but they said it had it be done by the tech under warranty. Next April the warranty ends. I just hope the unit stays working OK after that, since it was about $2200 when we purchased it. About the sound. Mine is a Q2. I did see a working La Perla that was a Q5 and it was slightly quieter. But the more dishes, pots, pans, etc that is in the unit, the less you will hear the water spraying around.