"Electrolux is pretty but is still a Frigidaire under the pretty." Electrolux OWNS Frigidaire not the other way around.Frigidaire is Elux's economy line! Does that mean they can't and don't make "Higher end" products?Of course not!!! I personally compared (3 of each) Miele ovens and Elux Ovens. The doors are thicker and smoother operating on the Elux's. Try pulling out a rack on both the Miele and the Elux, Only Now, is Miele beginning to use the glide out racks but I think only one is standard on their newest ones and you can buy the updated racks for the older ones now. Compare the display panel, The panel is much bigger , easier to read, and more intuitive on the Elux. The window glass is bigger and stays cooler than the Miele. Checks posts on performance of the two ovens. Elux uses actual temp sensors to tell when the oven has finished preheating, whilst Miele uses some kind of "Algorithym" if you check posts, you will see where some users say this "Algorithym" just doesn't work, when the Miele says it has finished it is no where near the temp you set it for. Read about the actual oven temps, Elux is right on the mark using any thermometer you wish. Reports here have said that the Miele can be as low as 50 degrees F from what you set it for, in fact one poster had the oven replaced and the new Miele still measured as her old one did. That can be dealt with using a "fudge factor" as far as baking goes, but is not necessary with the Elux, and in the rare even it is off by a few degrees, it can be calibrated via the wavetouch controls alto no users have posted the need to do so.The Elux is about half the price of the Miele! So Please read the various posts about the 2 ovens before typing such a statement as this: "Meile ovens are great and worth every penny." We've had the Elux Icon 30" oven/convection for more that 4 years now, trouble free, looks and cooks great, Antss and I are gonna "Do the Town" on the 2 grand I saved!! Gary

For resale the only brand the makes a difference is Sub-Zero. Many people strongly prefer SZ to other built-ins. Look at resale value on craigslist of SZ vs other built in fridges and compare that to resale value of Wolf ranges/ovens to other pro-style ranges/ovens. If your neighborhood has mostly built-in fridges then not have one will ding your value a bit. I guess you are saying SZ has old tech becuase it does not use a variable speed compressor? Thermador 48" built-in uses 580kw/year while SZ 48" built-in uses 676 kw/year for a difference of about $3 per year. Does it offer same or better performance?SZ has some very nice tech features including a very advanced air purification system. If you have one eye on resale get the SZ with the big shiny grill on top not a paneled one. For the rest get what you really want to use. Resale between different brands of pro-style ranges,ovens,and dishwashers means close to squat IMO.If you ask potential buyers they may say they prefer Wolf because that is probably the only brand they know but are they willing to pay extra dollars for it? IMO the answer is no. I am even more certain that high end home buyers are not willing to pay a premium for Thermador. If you think VAH magic lungs are easy to clean make sure you have an appliance salesman give you a demonstration on how to clean then have him show you how you clean a tradional rangehood. I would not buy a VAH.

Have you thought about a Combi-Steam oven instead of just steam only? Of course it would depend entirely on how you plan to use it, but the Combi-Steam just gives you so many more options. I studied most models some time ago, and decided that having steam, convection, and broiling in one unit would work best for me, YMMV. There are many nice recipes that call for steaming/baking and then a broil finish. Other models may be available now, but for what it's worth, I ended up choosing the Miele Combi-Steam for my purposes. It's going to be installed this week, I'm told, so I'll have to delay an in-use performance review.

In Consumer Reports testing, the Miele Lumen dishwasher is one of the lowest rated dishwashers and extremely expensive at $2300: "Miele has a reputation for high quality, but this dishwasher doesn't quite live up to it. Its Very Good score for washing is below par for models in this price range, and the 170-minute normal wash cycle ties for the longest in the high-end cohort. It does offer an interesting convenience: Knock twice and the door pops open. And when surveyed, CR members give Miele dishwashers strong scores for satisfaction and reliability." The Bosch SHVM63W53N 300 Series Top Control Tall Tub Dishwasher in Custom Panel Ready performed better and is 1/3rd the price at $809. The top-rated GE Profile PHP9030DJBB 30 in. Electric Induction Cooktop at $1439 is half the price of the Miele KM6365 ($2800).