girl - the sump of a DW needs a given amount of water to even run at all -"the fill". For a miele it's around 7 gallons. It doesn't matter whether it has 1 spray arm running or 5, it still takes 7 gallons to fill the sump. The half load options lessen that , but not by half , down to 3.5 gallons. The arms run on water flow and pressure - not electricity. Sure it takes a bit more to run multiple arms - but not enough more that you'd notice without some sophisticated equip. hooked up to your DW. I'd rank em : 3. Bosch - broader line and more $$$ options especially at the low end. Their entry level DW is nothing like their top of the line model, they aren't even made in the same place. The top models are quite good but are just as expensive as a miele so there's not a great reason to select it of that brand at the upper levels. 2. Asko - high quality across the line, but not as big and not as widely distributed. Started to produce some/all models outside home country. 1. Miele - high quality from entry level to top of range. The only difference is more insulation, more adjustment in the racks, and more wash programs. The very cheapest model is without a water softener to save $$$. Still made at home in germany.

Sorry,dont know anything about Asko except some users indicated "Ya had to learn how to load it" and then it is ok, so apparently it does have some idiosyncracies there. You can have it either way top cutlery tray or a conventionally located one in the Miele so that would not be a factor , I have the Optima, and we luve the cutlery tray on top and in fact that is why we bought it, 3 years ago it was the only one that offered it. I have always had KA dishwashers before, so I did not need "OJT" for loading the Miele ya just throw the stuff in, just like the KA. Drying , especially plastics probably not as good as the old KA, but part of that could be "Psylogical" For more than 30 years we reached in the KA to retrieve Hot dry dishes---ya know, "Old Dogs can learn new tricks"--but------- It takes a while. The Miele has been trouble free and it "Cleans Everything" including my wallet as I mentioned in a prior post, elsewhere! Good luck on your decision Gary

The Asko experiences I reviewed that have been peppered about its products recent years have left me too uneasy about choosing it. So I went with the Miele set. Perhaps time will tell, and I will give Asko a try somewhere down the road as a supplemental set. Thanks, sshrivastava!

Hi All, I finally heard back from Miele. They didn't really respond to my question re: vibration, so I'm assuming that the vibration on the washer I saw at the Miele Gallery is typical of a Miele unit. My email to them and their response is below: Sept. 9 email to Miele: Hi, I'm looking for a new washer and dryer and have narrowed it done to a few contenders, the Miele W1612 being one of them. I went to the Miele Gallery in Vancouver and had a demo of the model. The washing performance was excellent and I love that you're offering a free 10 year warranty. It's refreshing to see a company that's willing to stand behind their products! Before making a decision, I have few questions that I'm hoping you can respond to. 1. During the demo that I saw, the washer vibrated between about a quarter to a half an inch at the top of the machine when it was spinning at 1000 RPM. I would be installing it on a wood (main) floor of my 83 year old house, so I am concerned about vibration. In the Vancouver Miele Gallery, the washer and dryer were stacked, but a stacking kit wasn't used. So, I'm wondering if perhaps the unit wasn't installed as well as it could have been and that what was leading to the vibration. Alternatively, is between a quarter and a half inch vibration typical of Miele washers? 2. I noticed that the drain holes on the rubber bellows are about half an inch above the bottom of the bellows. It seems like water would pool there, without any way to drain. Is there a reason why the drain holes are not located at the bottom of the bellows and have you had complaints/issues with odours and mold? 3. Is there any plan to bring back a 240V washer? I was really hoping to get one, but there aren't any in Miele's current line up. Thank you in advance, Lisa Sept. 17 Response from Miele: Dear Lisa, Thank you for taking the time to write. There are things you can do to prevent the vibration in your appliances. The main thing you would need to look at in your case is if your floor can actually handle the weight and the vibration. Soft surfaces can vibrate more readily than hard surfaces such as concrete. Locate the washing machine in a corner of the room, floor stability is the greatest there. If beams are below the wooden floor, fit a wooden board under the machine and screw it to as many beams as possible. Make sure the unit is perfectly levelled. We usually recommend that the unit is installed in the basement on a concrete floor because that is where there will be most stability. In regards to the drainage in the seal, we haven't had any complaints of mold issues. As with any front loaders, you do need to follow a few simple maintenance rules. Make sure you wipe down the seal after you're done with your laundry. If you're able to, leave the door ajar for a few hours to make sure it has a chance to dry completely. Once a month, run a hot water cycle without any detergent in your appliance to rid the appliance of any detergent residue you may have. Try to avoid using too much detergent in your washer as well. A little goes a long way with a front loader since they are very low water consumption. And there are no plans to bring back a 240 V washer in the future in Canada. I hope this will help in your decision. Please do not hesitate to contact us again in the event that you may require additional information. Sincerely, Annie