Lisa, mine plastics dry better now with my Miele than they ever did with my heated option in the past. That is using the rinse aid with the Miele and with the one in the past as well. I think for me it does have something to do with how the Miele has things laid out that it is better than what I had before. Or at least it forces me to put things in better and therefore they dry better because of that. And they come out perfectly clean also. I would think if the Miele web site says that it has AutoOpen Drying that you are right about what it does, but that is just a guess on my part. Phil

I've had 2 Miele dws in the last ten years. The names change and they've added features. But many basics don't change. All of them do pots & pans really well -- there's a pots and pans cycle that's a gem. Also, these machines can be loaded up like crazy and everything gets clean -- there have been some amazing pics of that posted here. We use ours heavily for pots, pans and utensils, plastics -- everything. Only wood items and good knives are hand washed. All of them are quiet unless one is super sensitive, then go towards top of the line or second from top. I had posted a photo of my older dw packed with 30 dinner plates but I can't find it now. There are a few definers with Miele. My personal must haves are: The cutlery tray. I had one with my Optima that was divided but I only removed part of that once. Your big utensils like ladles and whisks are too large for the regular cutlery tray -- unless you get a model with the 3D feature which is relatively new. Otherwise, bigger utensils can go on top of stuff in the second basket. I would like the 3D for top cutlery tray but it may cause adjustment in the second basket. On bottom basket I like the plate guard separators and the pieces that come out or fold down. My stock and soup pots go in that flat space. Two key cycles. I need china & crystal. I also loved Express (45-50 mins) which my Optima had. I would not get a machine without either of those. Some people don't need china & crystal but it's another shorter, lukewarm wash for less dirty loads. But c&c seems to be in that 2nd-3rd tier DW and up. I didn't feel I needed more than 6 cycles. I basically use 3-4 of them most of the time: Normal, Normal Plus, Pots & Pans, China/Crystal. I used express a lot on my Optima for daytime loads (I don't have it now on my older machine). Adjustable center basket. There are clips that allow it to be raised and lowered. Very useful. Lights. My current dw doesn't have them but my new Miele washer & dryer do. It's one big improvement I would get and pay more for. But not necessary for everyone. If you don't want lights, then it looks like you're eliminating the whole Diamond range (someone correct me if this is wrong). After these factors, the consideration has a lot to do with door style and control placement which is a dominant force on various lines. It's more important than you'd think. I like the hidden ones on the top of the door -- my current dw has a cabinet panel and it blends beautifully. Previously I had a ss panel with hidden controls. But with hidden, I need to look for the red light that comes on when the DW is working -- that's just below the counter. If you want to track it, you may want a front panel. You can eliminate a lot of confusion by choosing control placement and panel/no panel first. Then start to look at features -- it gets easier. We have a whole house softener. You call them and they program the machine to disable the softener. I've never used salt -- when we had the Optima our city water was perfect and salt wasn't needed. Same thing -- disabled the internal softener. That, to me, should not be a selection point. If you feel you need 2 machines, don't overlook their 18-inch machine. It's not as compact as a dish drawer but it will hold a ton and might be a good compromise over 2 full sizes. Hope that helps you fine it down, at least on the first round. When you get some target machines, post the choices and folks may comment. Lots of happy Miele users here.

Thanks to all of your advice on this thread and past threads, we purchased the floor model G5775SCSFSS. It was selling for $1708, but because of the sale and a few scratches on the top control panel near the corner we snagged it for $1280. The scratches aren't visible when the door is shut. I'm not sure what full retail was originally, but it seems like a good deal. I would have even gone up in models if they had had one on clearance. Redoingit--I appreciate your experience. Sparkling--thank you for pulling up those specs. Covingtoncat--Mine is a Q4. I'm noise sensitive so I figured the quieter the better. Plus, the price was better on the Dimension Plus anyway even with the sale. Odd, huh? A2--I won't relate the fact that the noise started right after you visited.... ;) the racking system is the newest configuration, I think. Rococo--I appreciate you chiming in as I've read many of your posts with your experiences. Thanks to you, I know to ask to have the Miele hooked up to cold water. My concern about the handle protrusion was alleviated when I saw the store display. I think it will tuck mostly under the marble overhang. There isn't a good spot near the cleanup sink for a towel to hang so the bar handle will be handy. The photo you posted is very informative. Thanks!! Deeageaux--Thanks for the link. Your posts on other threads in the past have been helpful in sorting out the models also. Your time spelling it all out is immensely appreciated!! With the installation scheduled for Tuesday, I have a couple of remaining questions. I'd like to get the DW running ASAP as I'm sick of washing two DW loads per day by hand, and we're having a dinner party Thursday night. 1. Is the filler strip something that can be easily DIY'd by DH after install? Obviously it can't be here by Tuesday if I order it tomorrow. 2. I'm confused about the salt issue. Will the tech help me through this? Do I need salt if my water hardness is "slightly hard" at 55-60 mg/L? Is this regular salt or a special Miele salt? 3. Do I need any other special Miele products? 4. I've been using jet dry and Finish Powerball tabs in my old Kenmore. Are these OK to use? I have about a year's supply of each thanks to Costco coupons. Thank you all again so much! I'm looking forward to posting rave reviews of my Miele in future threads. :-)

My Optima had the top rack with the left piece that lifts out vs older DW with one-piece top rack. I removed the piece once. Most important to me was that back of the bottom rack that folds down. I also like that the plate-guard rack comes out so I can do a whole rack of pots. What I especially liked was the new config of the second rack, which is flatter in the newer models and easier to load (less sliding around). Also, I'd want that center one adjustable (both mine adjust -- it may be standard). I do use that. I think it's smart to focus on Express. I don't have it on the older machine and it's the one thing I miss. I also use china/crystal a lot but not everyone needs that. I wouldn't pay extra for delay start, anything more than the basic cycles plus Express, the whole sensor business and ultra quiet when regular quiet was just fine. Optima was once described by antss as the "sweet spot" and whatever the current equivalent is would be the same.