We are currently in the process of doing a major remodel and we are trying to find appliances that we'll be happy with for many years to come. I inevitably discover that each brand has it's strength and weaknesses. It never really occurred to me to stay with a single brand. Rather, I'd buy the best appliance for the job, and then install cabinet panels to make them all look similar.

I can commend you on getting a Miele dishwasher, though. I grew up in Germany and have seen at least 40 years worth of Miele dishwashers. They are amazing. You generally can't go wrong with them. And yes, auto-open is a very important feature. On the other hand, I find most of the specialty cycles are not really required. I can't recall the last time I wanted to use one. We have a Sensortronic user interface on our dish washer. It's a little annoying at times, but really the only thing I ever do is unlock the child-lock feature and start the default program. So, Sensortronic honestly is good enough for what we need. And it's just so impressive how well Miele dishwashers work. We on occasion forgot to put detergent into the dishwasher (yeah, silly me), and the dishes came out just as clean!

I have seen the Miele vent hood, and I really didn't like it. Way too noisy and didn't suck as well for the amount of noise that it made. I think there are other companies that specialize in vent hoods and know much more about how to make them. For that reason, we will be getting a Modern Aire hood with a remote Abbaka blower. I second the vote for getting baffles. But I really wouldn't want to buy a Miele product that quite obviously isn't part of their core expertise.

I have used Miele cook tops before. They are not horrible. But they also left me wanting for more. I can't make much of a recommendation for induction cook tops, as I simply don't have enough hands-on experience with them. But as for gas, I honestly wouldn't consider anything other than BlueStar. Their ranges and range tops run circles around everybody else. Their cooktops are not quite as special. So, avoid those unless you have no other choice. But that agrees with the other recommendations in this thread. Cooktops are always a little more of a compromise.

We are ordering a plumbed (!) Miele combi steam oven, and I am insanely excited about that. After having done a lot of research, it seems to be the best option on the market for a residential steam oven. We are getting M-touch, which seems to make a lot of sense for this particular appliance.

On the other hand, after a lot of soul searching, we go against the consensus in this thread and we ordered a built-in microwave. In my experience, microwaves don't actually die quite as quickly and the part that does die is usually something superficial (e.g. Panasonic has door locks that are infamous for dying after only a few years). My hope is that this won't be an issue with Miele. The main reason though for getting a built-in is that we opted for a SpeedOven. I have had one of those before, and they can be really really nice for some dishes. I have been wanting to get one again for a couple of years now.

But we made a somewhat surprising decision with the user interface. The SpeedOven is going to have old-school knobs. As 95% of the time, it is just being used as a dumb microwave, we wanted it to be as easy to use for our kids as possible. And honestly, Sensortronic is aggravating; M-touch is OK, but still has way too many menu levels for simple tasks. With DirectSelect knobs, we do lose some of the advanced baking features (e.g. surround heating and cooking sensor). But that shouldn't matter much, as we already have these features in the combi steam oven. And going with the DirectSelect interface brings down the cost a lot! That wasn't the only reason, but it did make the decision much easier.

I have looked at the Miele refrigerator and I personally really hated the internal organization. It looks great on a show floor, but it absolutely wouldn't work for us at all. Also, friends of ours have had horror stories to tell about their Miele fridge; but they might just have gotten a lemon. Hard to say from a single data point. So, instead, we are going to get a SubZero all-fridge. We are actually really excited about that. I have had SubZero before, and I really like a lot of their design choices.

Of course, with an all-fridge, we now need to find an answer for the freezer. And again, we are going with a specialty manufacturer who really knows this particular product group well. We are getting Perlick under counter freezer drawers. That's definitely more on the unusual side of things. But I think it'll work exceptionally well for our kitchen layout. Sometimes, out-of-the-box thinking is good.

And finally, one appliance that I don't want to miss at all, after having gotten used to it, is our trash compactor. The kitchen is on the top floor and not having to take the trash out more than once a week is awesome. Of course, for most people, this probably doesn't matter one bit, as kitchens frequently are right next to garages in many American houses. Anyways, again, we don't have the choice to stay with a single brand, as Kitchenaid appears to be pretty much the only game in town.

That leaves us with the appliance that nobody even thinks of as an appliance, the garbage disposal. After some extensive research on Gardenweb, we decided to go with the top of the line Insinkerator. From all reports, it's the device that is least likely to give us trouble and to continue working for many years to come.

Should I mention that we are getting a Rachiele workstation sink? Or does that not count as an appliance?

> I seriously doubt changing a handle is going to affect the warranty.

If you DIY it will. This is what they tell you. And I believe it.

Imagine if you remove the front panel from a dishwasher or refrigerator. You then replace the handle, and reattach the front (stainless steel) panel. But you get something misaligned, the door doesn't close right, the DW slowly leaks, the fridge can't maintain the correct temperatures, or the door is not balanced correctly, and the mounting come loose. Do you think Miele will accept responsibility for the consequences?

Are you sure it works this way? My understanding of the Magnuson-Moss warranty act suggests that a vendor can't disclaim warranty just because the product was repaired by somebody unauthorized. Instead, they'd have to prove that the unauthorized repair caused the damage and that the defect wasn't preexisting.

Of course, that doesn't stop a company from trying to refuse warranty service. And if they do, the consumer would have to take them to court. That frequently isn't worth it, if legal costs exceed damages

True, a couple of people will notice if you have a different handle. Most won't, and even of those who do notice, fewer will care or think it's unusual.

This is a kitchen. Function trumps all. We're not talking about one appliance having a hot pink and gold handle with rainbow sparkles and applied cabochons. We're talking about slight variations in boring appliance handles. The overall look will be unimpeded. If you were going for an extreme level of reflective symmetry and uniformity, it might be a concern. That's where the panels make it impossible to tell the appliances from the cabinets, even by their shapes. And in that case, you'd be doing custom panels and handles on everything and hiding the ovens behind doors.

If YOU (or your marriage partner) are bothered by a differing handle, don't do it. Otherwise, just think of it as "special", and then forget about it.

With respect to matching handles, it's one of those artificial problems. Unless your kitchen is quite unusually unattractive, you have probably never noticed how well the handles match or not. Appliance handles do not make one continuous line across a wall. You will not notice different handles in real life.

This is an interesting debate, and two years ago I would have been in the camp that says 'doesn't matter.' My opinion changed over time, it does matter to some people, I'm one of them.

Below are some examples in pictures. I'll qualify by saying it's hard to find glaring mismatches on here (pinterest will have a lot), this site tends to get people and projects where they post their best work.

Group 1, subtle mismatches in consistence:

231 Easton Way · More Info

Kitchen View · More Info

My Houzz: Steve and Amber Frazee · More Info

Soho Loft · More Info

Oakland/Piedmont Kitchen Remodel · More Info

Group 2, consistency in lines, handles, symmetry, appliance controls, etc:

Bulleen · More Info

Kitchen Island · More Info

Modern Kitchen · More Info

Modern Kitchen · More Info

Kitchen · More Info

I can see the issue--I'd better be able to given what I do--but I still don't think the ones with mismatched appliances look bad. In fact, in some ways they look better for having some variation.

When I see matchy matchy, I just think someone was in a hurry and just accepted everything a salesperson said about the brand. I could make an extra assumption that the all-the-same-brand-sale will get that salesperson the biggest commission. Or, it could be a situation of appliances bought by a builder who gets a discount by buying big lots of one manufacturer, and has an easier installation because all his new construction will have all the same appliances. I never think "how beautiful are all the same handles, so the appliances must be wonderful". The photos above with everything the same just seem dull and monotone to me. At work my office's decor is very modern, and the office's kitchenette has that same look - everything the same, plus the white counters.

I don't see any beauty in the handles themselves. However they can either contribute to the overall effect or they can detract from it. Just like consistency in finishes, colors, controls panels, alignments, etc.

The pictures above are good to figure out which is you own your personal preference.

I have a copper, wood, and stainless steel theme, but I didn't sweat it if all the handles didn't match.

I went all Miele because I liked the look and they seemed tops in class (or very close) for almost everything I bought, except maybe the hood. If I was going gas, I would have broken that and went with a BlueStar

Jerry, nice sink. Are there any better pictures of it? How do you like using this design?

The sink works great. You can keep all the messy stuff off of the counter. This one is 42 inches wide. If I had a larger kitchen, I'd go for a bit larger.

That looks absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for the picture. Is that the Rachiele "Evolution"?

dbabrams, I should have mentioned that my Bluestar wall oven is not gas. I did go with the Miele dishwasher, but the oven seemed overly complex.

M. Mine is a Signature, the Evolution has two levels and adds about $1500 to the price. (and the sink was already the most expensive appliance--worth every penny though).

I'll largely agree with the function over form comments above. That said, sometimes you can get good enough function for your needs with better form.

Coffee - Skip the Miele. For a good cup of American coffee get a Solis Maestro grinder and pick one (or more); Aeropress, Chemex, French-press. Less money, better coffee. We have several large french presses that we use when we have guests and they work quite well. For auto then Nespresso. More: http://localmile.org/cafe/

Hood - Not an expert, but I believe VAH is quieter and works better. I think a baffle will be louder and more likely to leave grease on the outside of your house if you do a lot of cooking.

Oven - We've had a Miele Masterchef electric oven for 17 years and been very happy with it.

Oven II - We are planning a Miele combi steam for our new kitchen.

Jerry, I thought Dino had mentioned to me that the colander doesn't fit the Signature sink. Good to see that you found a way to make it work.

Agreed on the rest though. We're going to get a heavily modified Signature, and I'm already so excited. It looks like a really awesome appliance.

Like many things, matching appliances or not is not a debate as much as it is knowing what kind of person you are and what is important in the kitchen to you so you will be happy with the results

Most here are going function first but if your not that type of person and matching is the priority, it's OK too.

M. The colander and bowl fit just fine. I think you must have misunderstood. The difference is that with two levels, it's easier to slide one under the other. With the signature you have to lift the cutting board to do that. It's not a big deal to do so and it keeps the cutting board from contacting the (often wet) copper grid. Okay, that wasn't very clear. From bottom to top the order is (optional mini sink), grid, plastic bowl holder, cutting board. Obviously the actual bowl/colander can't be in the plastic holder when you do this. The Evolution would (as I understand it) let you slide the bowl under the grid and the cutting board (assuming you didn't use the mini-sink).

Ah, that brings up a good question. With the add-a-bowl "mini sink", do you feel that the colander is still needed?

I use the bowl more than I use the colander, and unless I'm washing something exceptionally dirty (e.g. leeks where the mini sink and basket work very well) I just place the veggies on the grid and rinse (or scrub with potatoes and similar foods). I would use it more if I was cooking for several people, but with just the two of us, both methods are overkill. Something like two peppers, five carrots, and a head of broccoli or some such just don't require anything more.

Thank you. That's very useful feedback. So, I think that means, I shouldn't order the colander in addition to the add-a-bowl. But I'm considering ordering extra cutting boards

I'm not sure why so many people commented on handles". And I see the original poster never checked back in. So this is to summarize the points I want to make:

- If you buy kitchen appliances from multiple different manufacturers it's difficult almost impossible to make the finishes, colors, control knobs or panels, match.

- If you buy kitchen appliances from the same high end manufacturer then, yes you can make the finishes, colors, controls, and handles match. This is intentional and by design.

- The original posted listed all (but one) appliances from one manufacturer, but he/she had different handles, controls and colors and finishes spec'ed. It doesn't make sense to do it this way, you don't want to intentionally mix things -- colors, finishes, handles.

Thanks for all the comments guys. Sorry I haven't responded quicker. I've been trying to pick up cabinets and other items.

In regards to the appliances, looks do matter to me. So if I could get everything to match, that'd be a nice bonus. What appliances would you pick if you had to go all Miele?

Actually, I confess I'm not too familiar with appliances in general, but if you could teach me the benefits of mixing and matching different brands, that'd be great as well.

Miele is offering 10% discount if I go with all their appliances.

The reason I had Sub-zero for the wine fridge is because Miele doesn't do a 18in full height wine fridge. I was thinking about going with a 36in Subzero refrigerator, but again, that'd break up my package

A thought: When it comes to people's complaints about their new kitchens it has always been about function. We've rarely heard anyone complain about aesthetics.

Similarly, people often get new kitchens, then get more interested in cooking, then wish that they'd paid a bit more attention to function when they were making their choices.

BTW, I'm a photographer so my days are focused on aesthetics and trying to find good places and angles for photo shoots so I do have an appreciation for that. I think that form and function can often both be satisfied in a kitchen design. But for me, I'm very cautious about sacrificing function for form.

Agreed with opaone. It feels strange to pick an expensive premium brand, if the goal is form over function. There are much cheaper brands that look pretty, if that's the main goal of the remodel.

But if the goal is function first, form second, then Miele is a good starting point. But all-Miele is very unlikely the final decision. Miele makes some really amazing products (e.g. dishwasher), but there are other appliances, where they are clearly not the most appropriate option for most consumers.

But everybody's needs are a little different. So, it is difficult to give perfect advice

Personally, I am a big Miele fan. Refrigerator, dishwasher and washer dryer in my house. I think their induction cooktops and ovens are highly rated as well- not the brand I chose, but the runner up. The only appliance of theirs I have seen less than stellar reviews on is the hood. For me an all Miele kitchen would be a no-brainer. Go for it. Be diligent and check the discussions for each individual machine on GW and the Yale Appliance store website (they do a very nice job of comparing and contrasting features.) I think the most difficult decision you'll have to make with Miele is which one of their regular ovens you'll want. The rest seems very straight forward.

I didn't worry too much about the hood, if I do something like blackening, I do it outside on my power burner, 60,000 BTUs

newton031
> In regards to the appliances, looks do matter to me. So if I could
get everything to match, that'd be a nice bonus. What appliances would
you pick if you had to go all Miele?

I'll take a try to answer this. After looking at your initial list above, here's my opinion:

-Fridge/freezer, stick with what yoiu have listed, a bottom mount frdige/freezer.

-Dishwasher, I'd go up one or two more models and get the next up in price that has 1) Auto Open drying, and 2) Inside Lights. The model you have listed says custom panel and handle ready. If this is what you want then ok, if not get a model with a stainless (Clean Touch) steel panel, and "integrated" control panel.

- Cooktop, looks ok, one question do you ever need more than four burners?

- Ovens: I'd suggest you tweak your selections to be 1) A Combi Steam oven (Traditional convection plus full steam), plumbed in model. and 2) Speed Oven, (microwave and traditional convection in one). Miele recent;y released a larger (24" vs 18" height), model is XXL Combi Steam oven, and a Combi Steam oven, whether in XL ir XXL, is as good as you can get from Miele for a cabinet mounted oven.

-Hood, no special comment. If you go all Miele then it's be best to stay with a Miele hood. My personal preference in hoods is for the simplest design.

-Wine cooler: There's a reason you don't see many 18" wide models is that width is pretty small and I'll guess has a very limited appear and limited audience. Afterthought: Miele does make an 18" wide freezer (which is intended to be paired with a 24 or 30" wide refrigerator), so if you are limited to 18", can you do some swapping, put an 18" freezer and get a wider wine cooler. I'll guess no wanted to mention this.

- Go to a Miele design center ("experience center"), where you can look at finishes, trim lines, handles and colors. If you're going high end with all Miele, don't let your selections to an appliance store salesman, or even a kitchen designed (the design staff at the miele centers are who kitchen designers call, without you ever knowing, with their questions and for a second opinion).

There is one very surprising (to me) wrinkle. If you do go with a plumbed CSO, and that's what I suggest you do, then you are limited in designs. For some reason, that particular model is only available with a black/stainless front. No other colors -- and of course no custom panels.

This caught us by surprise. The white model would have worked much better for our design. But then we'd have to give up plumbing, which I am absolutely not prepared to do.

Future_retiree, I provided opinions above on the OP's choices of cooktop (it's a don't, and I provided alternatives) and hood. The OP has not responded, so you might have saved some time for yourself.

Jerry, I hadn't seen a photo of your entire kitchen. It is stunning. I love the metal combos and your choices of wood. Nice!

Agree, friedajune! "When I see matchy matchy, I just think someone was in a hurry and just accepted everything a salesperson said about the brand. I could make an extra assumption that the all-the-same-brand-sale will get that salesperson the biggest commission. Or, it could be a situation of appliances bought by a builder who gets a discount by buying big lots of one manufacturer, and has an easier installation because all his new construction will have all the same appliances. I never think 'how beautiful are all the same handles, so the appliances must be wonderful'."

I think the 18" wine cooler is partly for the market that installed trash compactors they may not want anymore. Slides right in, no need to redo cabinets.

I went for the Fisher Paykal fridge drawer that you can set at different temps (fridge, wine cooler or freezer). I thought it was the best choice for a snack station right outside the family room and for entertaining (wine fridge).

I don't get the matchy matchy comments, in particular related to taking whatever advice a salesperson comes up with.

The average appliance sales person, even the way above average appliance salesperson, is no where near savvy enough to pick -- much less recommend -- matching trim lines. If anything what you'd get from a sales person is a mixed up conglomeration of appliances brands, colors, finishes and aesthetics.

Look at the last set of pictures I posted above, no appliance salesman came up with those designs, they couldn't even come close. The work in those pics is from an experienced architect or an experienced kitchen designer. Experienced is the key point.

Want proof of this? Go into any appliance store front, anything from Sears to a store that carries high-end brands, and ask the sales staff what experience or training they have. Sears, ... well you get what you pay for. High-end stores: "Ive been selling appliances for five/seven/ten years, I know this stuff..."

I'd put a typical interior designer one small notch above appliance salespersons.

I've gotten a bunch of incorrect information from salesmen, so I'm just going the route of spending much less and ordering online. Some people feel more comfortable having their local showroom also repair their appliance, but in this area it's difficult to get a repairman out within 3 weeks so that argument becomes moot.

The issue with interior designers is that most go with what's trendy or what they think will sell the house, and so in five years your kitchen either looks dated or blah. Go with what you like whether or not some designer agrees.

Future_retiree - there is a big difference between a salesperson at Sears, and one at an appliance store selling high-end brands like what is being discussed in this thread, like Miele, Thermador, etc. You are lumping the salespeople together from Sears and high-end appliance stores, and that is not realistic. I am not sure what appliance stores you are going to. I bought mine from Abt Appliances because I live in the Chicago area. Those are some trained and knowledgeable salespeople, let me tell you. Having said that, the comments on this thread about salespeople are that they are driven by commissions and sales incentives, not what is best for the buyer. Well, they gotta make a living too. It's best for the buyer to be well-informed and not rely on the salesperson.

Your comments about the OP's choice in cooktop and hood are not savvy recommendations. In addition, just because you are buying from one manufacturer does not mean that the stainless steel will look identical on all the appliances. Manufacturers buy different runs of stainless steel, from different sellers at different times. You can indeed buy all the same brand appliances and have the stainless steel differ on some of them. The point is that it doesn't matter.

Respectfully, friedajune, I disagree, at least about Abt. While I like and will continue to shop at Abt, their salespeople are just that. I purchased every large appliance in my house from Abt and found their salespeople misquoting specs (when compared to specs from manufacturers websites).

FreidaJune: I also disagree with your above comments. I'd rank the quality in the results in this process this way:

- Design staff at the design centers of the major manufacturers, Miele, Viking, etc.
- Experienced architects, and experienced kitchen designers.
.
.
.
- Interior designers.
- Appliance sales people. Whether at Sears at ABT or whatever. Don't care whether they have have training or not, they are in a sales role, not a full-time design role.

The three dots means 'big difference' Plain old contractors are right above interior designers.Your earlier comments about how you reviewed the OP's choices and therefore no one else should comment come across as 'your opinion in the only one that matters and no one else should bother to comment.'

Future_retiree - I respectfully accept your opinions about ranking for appliance purchases. However, regarding your comments on the cooktop and hood. It's not really my opinion - for the cooktop, it's geometry. Math. The OP is looking at a 30" cooktop which loses quite a number of inches and surface real estate to the knobs. The OP will have trouble with crowded pots on that surface. People sometimes complain that a 30" range is crowded, and a range doesn't even lose inches from knobs. That is why people often choose the 36" size. All anyone has to do is go to a shop and see these 30" cooktops in person. Many people bring their favorite pot and pan to test whether the surface area is adequate. You did not consider the space lost and loss of utility; all you said is the cooktop looks OK. I will reiterate what I said above - to solve the cooking area limitations of a 30" cooktop, the OP's alternatives are either to go to a wider 36" cooktop, or if 30" cannot be changed, go to a 30" rangetop. Regarding the hood, you made no mention of its mesh filters which do not function as well as baffle filters. Nor the fact that the flat shape will not provide the capture that a canopy-shaped hood would. That is physics, not my opinion.

30" is bordering on too small - and that was on a range that had the knobs placed elsewhere (it was a continuous grate Bosch that was also sold as a Samsung). I'm putting a 36" in and that will be adequate for my family's needs.

You have to take all of the salesmen vs architect vs designer with a grain of salt. Most are not masters of their craft, that's the way the bell curve goes. Our architect was hired for an addition and structural issues (replacing walls with beams) and the permitting process and state energy certification (we have a lot of glass). But I hired a kitchen layout designer to help me with the cabinet order and where everything goes. In a small kitchen a layout designer may not be needed, but I have a complicated unique kitchen and needed help working with the space. My advice is that the planning stage is the critical component to getting the result you want. If handles and different runs of stainless bother you, make sure you minimize this. To each his own.

I think you need to be cautious of all advice. I agree that sales people are very often the least knowledgable but occasionally you may find one who cooks a lot and has a good aesthetic eye. Rare, but it happens.

A really good kitchen designer is likely the most likely to provide good advice but I've talked to some who really didn't know what they were talking about. Architects and interiors folks will likely be good on aesthetics but their knowledge of cooking and how a kitchen and appliances function may be limited.

If function is important then you'll likely want someone who does a lot of serious cooking and baking themselves—someone who understands that the 'kitchen triangle' was a marketing idea and not anything to base design on.

On our last major kitchen remodel we had an architect, kitchen designer, and interior designer providing valuable input. We also ran the kitchen itself by Donald Silver who provided some valuable functional input.

Even if you hire experts, you have to make sure they understand your needs. There are lots of people who say they want a professional kitchen that emphasizes cooking. But what they really mean to say is that they want lots of big stainless steel surfaces.

The designer needs to filter through all this and give you what you want, not necessarily what you literally ask for.

I agree. I went through a ton of kitchen designers. In my area, most wanted to hijack my house and present me with a huge bill afterwards. Definitely look at their portfolio. A few kitchen designers had just 1 kitchen look they did and that's great if your house has a similar architecture, but not so much if your house doesn't. And if you're planning to stay in the house for many years like we are (raising our sons) try to stay away from trendy fads that are permanent. It's easy to paint, much harder to replace tile and cabinetry.

"We also ran the kitchen itself by Donald Silver who provided some valuable functional input."

I recommend Don Silvers book on this forum from time to time. I used it to design my own kitchen.

A Complete Guide to Kitchen Design with Cooking in Mind https://www.amazon.com/dp/0932767095/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_nT2BzbNP5ZEMC

We used a kitchen designer who was also an authorized dealer for several brands. We did most of the research to pick brands and desired functionality. The designer added a lot of value in tweaking a number of our choices to make sure they worked well together, and in taking ownership of the installation process. Many GCs and appliance stores fall short in this critical aspect. With most premium brands there is little in terms of discounting, and for us the design firm earned their margin far more than a straight appliance dealer.