Mike, I'm not familiar with that particular unit, but Sharp has had a steam microwave for some years now, and considering that most of the microwaves in the world are made by Sharp or Panasonic, it's a good bet that they make the Miele one too. It would be worthwhile checking specs and features, and seeing if Sharp has one that would do the job for you and look good enough. You could also put it in a space sized for a built-in once the Miele gets here.

I have imported a cooktop from Europe, which is a pretty similar kind of thing. The first thing I was told to do was get a letter from my homeowners' insurance saying that they know it's not UL certified and are okay with that. The EU has just as strict, if not moreso, standards, but with that letter you can make the insurance pay if it catches your kitchen on fire. My insurance just required that a fully licensed electrician do the installation. Also keep in mind that your local building code may also have something to say about it. It's particularly important for you because microwaves are much more likely to catch fire (though usually through something bad you're zapping) than an induction cooktop with a proper heat shield.

Another thing to consider is the juice. The 50 vs. 60 Hz makes a difference for some things, and it might for microwaves. It turned out in the end that my cooktop was actually made for either, but we didn't know that until we got it. I checked with the local service group's "weird question guy" and he said that the induction would work either way, but the clock might not if it were the wrong frequency. You could check with your local Miele service.

Since my cooktop is an alternative version of the one they sold in the U.S. anyway, I didn't have concerns about repair, though I did confirm with weird question guy. Of course, there's no warranty when you self-import. If the microwave is made by Sharp, even if the Miele service here isn't trained to fix it, a Sharp tech should be able to, I'd think. :) Hopefully you wouldn't need a specialized part made just for the Miele version. But if they had the training to fix it, I don't know why Miele wouldn't. Again, no warranty, but if you're paying the only reason I'd think they'd refuse is CYA. Since I think they do sell microwaves here, as well as regular steam ovens, in theory the techs, armed with their computers and gizmos, would be up to it. Ask.

If you have it sent from Europe, have it double boxed first, and remember, if there's a scratch, it's yours. The box from my little cooktop was half destroyed. Luckily all the bits were still inside. The metal frame had a couple of little bends in it and I felt very lucky that nothing else was damaged. A shipping box would have made a big difference. FedEx are great, though, and do all the customs and everything. It's been awhile for me, but, then at least, they just sent a bill for the duty plus a nominal handling fee.

Thanks. The sharp model is countertop only it seems and really really ugly.

The Panasonic model (http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/home-appliances/microwaves/combination-microwaves/nn-cs894.html) looks decent, but not designed for wall mount either.

Does anyone have experience with these by chance? The Miele definitely looks like the high end compared with the others.

thx

mike

Initially, I was super excited to see the product description, and I thought that if only I could figure out how to get one in the US, I could eliminate one of our appliances in the upcoming kitchen remodel.

We are currently planning on getting both a Miele combi steam oven (i.e. steam and convection) and and a speed oven (i.e. microwave and convection). As we also have a gas range with a built-in oven, that's a bit overkill. I don't really need three ovens and it would have been wonderful to eliminate one of them and gain extra cabinet space.

But if I read the description correctly, this device doesn't have any conventional heating elements. It is purely a microwave and a steam generator. I am not saying that's a pointless device. There certainly are dishes that would benefit from this particular combination. But it is a much less useful device than I would have thought. And if I still need to buy a combi steam oven anyway, then for my second device, I am better served with the speed oven than with the steam microwave.

I wonder, if Miele USA followed a similar line of reasoning and thus decided not to offer this particular product on the US market.

Mike, that's the whole point anybody paying for the Miele--to look good. The alternative, if you want to wait for it to be sold here, is to make the proper space in the cabinet for it, and put the Sharp or Panasonic in that space, not on the counter. You can also trim it out so that it has a finished look. You can swap out when something better looking comes down the road...