I definitely think that antss comments are worth paying heed to. I have a Bosch DW - some sort of 500 series that is now 4 years old. It is brilliant. I like it very much. It cleans spotlessly despite that it has to clean things that have been put into it 3-4 days prior, it dries excellently; the only "smell" I've ever had out of it was when we had a blocked discharge line that produced the DW smell and then - most noticeably - backed into the kitchen sink (upon clearing that blockage, no more DW smell either); it is quiet, water consumption low, looks good, has been very reliable and truly handles *everything*. So, my experience has been manifestly excellent. But I've always wondered about the complaints I've read here - some misplaced but surely not all! So I've been gravitating to just about the same conclusion that Antss espoused here that while they make good stuff (my DW experience couldn't have been *such* a fluke! I'm never that lucky), the high noise/complaint level does indicate that they can't quite take care of their clientele, selling through every tom-dick-and-harry (HD, Lowes, Best Buy etc) generates volumes of sales but before going down that route, it is imperative that the process for generating that volume of sales AND the after-market support must also be present. The squawk sheet to me would indicate that perhaps it isn't locked down quite so well. Antss has inside or at least more direct knowledge; my observations are anecdotal. Still, I believe his assessment because my speculations were leading me entirely that way. I continue to be delightedly happy with my DW. It truly handles everything - and usually 3-4 day old eveything, to boot. However, I'm getting increasingly anxious should the day arrive when it needs some tending to. Parts do fail - it happens. But you want the company to be responsive & provide the support for when that does happen. I'm going to cross my fingers, but the security that at least thus far you can expect from Miele is manifestly more reassuring than having to rely upon crossed fingers & toes!

As for the F3 error on your lower drawer, troubleshooting that involves checking if the heating element and temperature sensor are working properly. The temp sensor (thermistor) is an integral part of the ceramic heating element. Overheat protection for the element is a thermal fuse in the element circuit track which melts at 514°F to 576°F, interrupting power to the element. Apparently it hasn't yet overheated to blow the fuse, as a non-heating element generates an F4 error. 1. Is the incoming water temp higher than 185°F? If yes, adjust the household water heater. 2. Is the heating element on continuously (overheating)? If so, replace the controller board. (Note this can also be caused by a bad temp sensor, so check that also.) 3. Are the wiring connections between the controller board and element plate OK? If not, repair or replace the connections/wiring harness. 4. Moisture leaking around the element plate / temp sensor? If so, locate and fix the leak/seals. 5. Is the temp sensor OK? (check the resistance reading with a volt/ohm meter) If not, replace the element plate. For reference it should read: 962 ohms @ 68°F, 1000 ohms @ 86°F, 1202 ohms @ 140°F. So at normal room temperature (the DD is cool) the reading should be between 962 and 1000 ohms.

Cycle sequences and temps depend on the model machine involved and the target sales market (US/Canada, NZ/Aus, European, Orient), and the details may vary a little throughout the production of a given series (control board revisions). The best reference is via the specific user guide packed with a given machine. F&P has some user guides online but not for all older models. I have a few "historical" user guides and service docs. Citing my US-market DD603 bought 8 years ago: Heavy 132 mins -- prewash, rinse, rinse, main wash 150F, rinse, rinse, final rinse 163F Heavy Eco 112 mins -- prewash, rinse, main wash 140F, rinse, rinse, final rinse 150F Normal 115 mins -- prewash, rinse, main wash 140F, rinse, final rinse 150F Normal Eco 88 mins -- prewash (or prerinse if no detergent), main wash 125F, rinse, final rinse 125F Delicate 86 mins -- prewash (or prerinse), main wash 120F, rinse, final rinse 130F Delicate Eco 72 mins -- prewash (or prerinse), main wash 115F, rinse, final rinse 125F Fast 56 mins -- prewash (or prerinse) main wash 115F, rinse, final rinse 115F Fast Eco 38 mins -- main wash 105F, rinse, final rinse 105F The newest models and some market areas may reduce cycle phases (such as eliminating the prewash/prerinse and starting directly with the main wash) and increase time to compensate.

If you are referring to the four side shelves, those are the same size in current models, except that the Tall model has the shelves height-adjustable. The main rack now has fold-down dividers and the upper drawer on the Tall model is deeper to take larger-diameter plates. I've not directly examined a Tall model, so can't say what other differences may be involved in the racking ... or if the lower drawer is the same depth as original models or shorter to allow for the taller upper drawer. Note that a different plate rack is available for older models to allow larger-diameter plates. It holds them at a a sharper angle. What effect that has on "deep" plates, I can't say. Have you tried loading your Fiesta plates facing toward the back instead of front? In regards to your other question ... the water softener is a mini-sized, full-fledged water softener mechanism. Salt is used to recharge the ion-exchange resin, same as in a whole-house unit. Adding salt directly to the tub or to the detergent dispenser won't do anything. Also ... please note that it'd been better to add your water softener question to this existing thread instead of starting a new thread. That keeps all your questions together in a single thread for easy reference ... and every new thread bumps the oldest thread in the section off the board.