I think I missed some responses to one of my comments. Sorry for the late response. xedos My Miele overlay panel was made by my cabinet maker, Tedd Wood. It was not warped when delivered. It became warped over time at the intersection between the upper "drawer" panel and the lower "cabinet" panel. In my panel style, there is a gap there that has to look like wood. The Miele mounting frame is too wimpy to restrain warping. The interface was a thin piece of wood, and perhaps could have been veneer plywood. I tried training the door back into shape using weights, but eventually fractured the thin panel at the intersection. This I re-glued and I added some some stainless steel supports on the back, bonded when the door was flat. In hindsight, a stainless steel back plate with a thin red birch veneer covering the intersection would have been better if used from the beginning. Note that any stainless steel used has to be shape-compatible with the Miele mounting frame. Davis Janowski In my Optima, the door screws somehow capture the tabs on the door mounting frame so one cannot just lift it out without loosening them. It has been too long since I installed the door panel to recall the exact "feel" of the screws. The door frame tabs have to be fully in place. I "think" that the screws are turned CCW to loosen the door frame, and CW to tighten it. It is probably necessary that they be in their loose position before the door frame is settled in place and the screws tightened. kas

I pulled the filter and checked mine last night. There is water like yours and there was some small bits of food particles. Did not smell. Although It finished running a load about 18hrs before. I can't test the two day thing since it pretty much always has dirty dishes in it. When there is dirty dishes in it obviously will have an odor that will build over time. I scrape but do not rinse my stuff. Wasn't as hard to break the habit that we had with rinsing the dishes since we were without a DW and sink for like 8 months for my remodel so it was like starting over :). I just started using the DW a few weeks ago. I have started using Miele Tabs and using 1/2. No rinse aid or salt. I have a whole house water softener and I just tested the water again and its at like 2 grains vs 28 without the softner. Kas, You use Tabs and rinse aid. I thought based on the directions that rinse aid should not be used with Tab detergents? I set the unit to not dispense any rinseaid. I do get white spots on silverware, plastic and glasses. Not sure I should add rinse aid.

Ok, so far some things in this thread are not true. I spoke with Miele about this two months ago before I got my Diamante. The 4 year extended warranty on the Miele dishwasher is $249, not $150. (Where did you get a $150 price from?) http://www.mieleusa.com/miele_care/miele_care_indepth.asp?nav=400&snav=490&tnav=492&oT=230&benefit=88&page=2&menu_id=30 If you have a non-Miele-Authorized installer do the work, you then get the 1 year standard warranty. Within that 1 year (12 months) you can then decide to buy the Miele 4 year extended at $249, but after the 12th month it can not be purchased. If you have a Miele-Authorized installer do the work, you get the 1 year standard warranty + an extra 1 year courtesy warranty (for a total of 2 years coverage). But here's the thing....you can still buy the 4 year extended warranty ($249) but it has to be purchased by the 12th month (not by the 24th month like someone else said). That means that during the 13th-24th month, both the courtesy warranty and extended warranty run together. My delivery and installation using a Miele authorized installer was $149, which means I get the 2nd year of courtesy coverage. I have within the first 12 months to decide if I want to buy the 4 year extended warranty. If I do, that means the 2nd year (13-24th month) it is covered by the courtesy warranty and extended warranty. But then on the 25th month (and for 3 years) it is covered by the extended warranty. So in this case, I'd really be spending $249 for 3 years of extra coverage, since I'd have 1 year standard and 1 year courtesy. Hopefully you were able to understand this. If not, call Miele and have them explain it, since you can ask them questions directly.

I'm afraid your sales weasel or installer is an ignoramus. The manuals STILL state hookup to hot OR cold water and if you have the china setting AND your hot water heater is set to deliver 120 deg. + water - you are going to cook most fine china. The cold water hookup is to ensure the incoming water is not TOO HOT for china and crystal. These machines will heat their own water. They WILL NOT chill incoming water that is too hot for a given program. Cat - , I'm curious what your weasel told you has changed about the new generation that now allows hot water to be used with the China setting. Like EXACTLY what the unit does to cool the water to safe china temps - not some horse pucky weasel speak.