We'd initially considered the one just below the Diamante (whichever is the lowest model with the drying fan) but ended up with the Optima for two reasons. One, we thought the water softener in the DW would be a good thing for us as we have moderately hard water in our area. Two, we liked the bottom rack configuration better on the Optima. The cost difference between the two was about $200 (in November of '06), and worth it to us. As for cycles, 99% of the time I use the Normal cycle. Once in a blue moon I'll use the Pots and Pans cycle (e.g., if I happen to throw in some really messy pots or a baking dish, or if there are dishes that are really coated with grime and have been sitting more than a day or so). I don't even know if using the P&P cycle is really necessary the times I do use it, but feel if it's there I should at least use it on occasion! We scrape well (not obsessively) and don't rinse unless it's easier than wiping off a large am't of "gook." Everything comes out clean except for the rare oatmeal flake on a spoon, or something like that. Good luck with your decision! PS Love my DW BTW!

I have the Excella and love it... If I were going to buy again I'd probably go with the new La Perla that opens the door when itÂs finished the wash program. It's my only complaint with the newer European condensation drying systems. If you do not open the door within a few hours of the cycle completion, the residual moisture redistributes throughout the inside of the tub and starts to smell funky. If you're not getting this feature I'd lean towards saving your money and going with the Inspira... I personally do not have to remove my cutlery tray but if I did I would not like the split cutlery feature. ItÂs more of a pain in the butt when you want to remove it when itÂs filed with silverware. I would consider paying more for the delay function so that you can run it during Âoff peak grid hours for possible savings on your energy bills. IÂd also consider spending more money for the turbidity sensor, quieter insulation package and possibly the new sensor dry feature. The only reason I opted for the more expensive Excella over the Optima 2 years ago was for the auto-load and auto-wash functions [auto wash was not available on the Optima at that time]. I liked the idea of not having to run a full load with the auto-load feature Sorry for rambling, I'm sure all of this will be no help to your decision making process...

Tomalyse I don't have the Bosch so cannot accurately describe its features but I did read the news release regarding the new 2007 models. Everything that is on the Bosch 2007 models is all ready on my 2006 Miele G2830 Laperla model which was released in the U.S.A in 2006 but released in Germany in 2004. If you read the Bosch press release they explicitly compare their new models to those manufactured in the U.S.A. not to models made elsewhere so for the most part I think the features found on the new release are all ready on the Miele....However..some of the features may not be found on all Miele models so you have to examine them to see. I would order the brochure from the Miele web site. it also contains general installation sizing requirements..I think it is free. The softest Miele is 42db which is what Bosch is saying is on their top end new model...but I think this is relative to what is going on in your area. Racks found on the OPTIMA and above can handle the placement of glasses in the bottom without breakage. Once you get up to the Excella there is an added advantage of being able to remove the center rack and then wash only in the bottom. I actually like this better than top rack only since you can place tall large items in the bottom easier than in the top and since glasses can also go in you have more flexibility. Excella and Laperla also have alternating spray arms and automatic spray pressure so don't need to draw a lot of water to keep everything moving. The spray pattern differs by what cycle is running. If you check the printed information in the U.S.A you will NOT find out about the alternating spray arms. It is not mentioned, but can be found out about on Euro web sites. But the feature is there just not talked about in the U.S.A. I think both Bosch and Miele DW clean. I think all Mieles clean. The Excella and Laperla have some addtional cycles which are nice. With them you can add a soak or extra pre rinse or extended drying to some cycles. There are some cycles that cut the time duration down, and still clean just fine. There are cycles for cheese and pasta which provide an extended hot prewash and a very hot main wash. Both machines make use of sensors to vary the wash temperature and the make up of the cycle( wash and rinse durations, number of water changes - to match the soil load. Both of these use Automatic Load recognition to adjust the amount of water taken for each fill to the size of the load. Sometimes there is so little water inside it's scary. The top tray holds cutlery and parts of it can be removed and adjusted so that if you have tall items in the middle rack they can protrude up further. The tray also frees up some space in the lower racks. Middle racks can be raised, lowered, titled. There is a thread around here called Miele Load. I posted some pictures of one of my loads run last year. If you check that thread you will see how the dishes can be placed in. The Bosch made for the U.S.A requests you to supply a water temp of at least 120F so you are the one heating some of the water to that temp to get best performance. Miele has no such restriction and will heat tap cold water to almost 170F degrees used to wash pots and pans so I suspect this is one reason there may be the difference in electric costs. Also which one of the Bosch cycles is using that low amount of Kwh and under what conditions can you use that cycle? There may be one other thing that contributes to this and that is that Miele uses a fan to assist in drying. I am not sure Bosch does this. Both use a form of convection drying. Rather than just letting everything sit Miele uses a fan that draws in cool air from the outside and then blows the air in a space between the outer and inner tubs. The difference in air temp helps the water condense off of the dishes. Outside air never touches the dishes. Some folks talk about having a high loop. My dishwasher is not next to the sink and the drain line goes straight down through the floor and into the basement. No high loop and the machine holds the water in and prevents any from backing up into it. All Mieles have the anti leak protection from the bottom of the DW as well as the fill and drain line(electronics is running through the fill and drain hoses and they cannot be cut). My previous Miele from 1996 also had this feature. There are posts on the board where people are saying that their dishwasher is virtually silent. I don't like that term because at the upper end the Miele, and now the 2007 Bosch is 42db and the naked ear can still hear that, so if I sit around and listen for the DW I WILL hear it. If other things are going(conversations, radio,cooking, HVAC on high stage) then I don't hear the DW. As others have said there is not that much difference between 48db and 42db plus surroundings and construction materials will also have an impact on how much you hear. As I stated in the beginning I don't have a Bosch so cannot accurately describe their features, but these are some things found on the Miele. I purchased this current one last June. I used it to replace the previous model purchased in May 1996 because I redid the kitchen, and liked the smooth touch black panel which matches everything else. No problems with the the first Miele DW at all, and it operated as new on the last day I used it. So I purchased this next one expecting reliability and good results. So far so good.

I too have the Diamante, which is one step up from the Inspira. As mentioned above, it adds to it the Delay Start, but also has the fold-down tines on the bottom rack (that I believe aren't on the Inspira), and is Q2 noise level (where the Inspira is Q1) so only 1-2 dB difference in sound. The advantage of having it installed by an Authorized/Certified Miele installer, is that it extends the standard 1-year manufacture warranty to 2-years. But within the 1st year (regardless on who installs it) you have the option to buy the $249 Miele Care extended warranty that covers it for 5 years total from the date of purchase (so that would run concurrent with the 1 or 2-year manufacture warranty). I've had the Diamante since May, and haven't had any issues with it, and it was installed by a Miele Certified installer, so it has the 2-year warranty, but I still plan to buy the Extended Warranty for $249, just so it will give another 3 years of coverage once the 2-years end. There was a 3rd-party warranty offered by the Dealer for $99 for 4 years, but it just has 'anyone' do the work, not a trained Miele Tech.