I found the same avaailibility for mid-size central texas town and was not at all available for a Houston Tx zip code. Maybe Miele is trying to expand availability for their product. But I question what service would be available.

Big box retailers are the big movers of appliances. Stand alone stores are good, but they arent putting up numbers big enough. Lowes is the "better" of the two - Home Depot is the other.

Mfgs have a pretty good idea of breakdown rates and who needs what service how often. Montana wouldnt be on my top list to sell to but who knows - maybe they have third party service there signed up

Very interesting find. I had to look and note Lowe's also lists one Miele dryer, plus the stacking kits plus the pedestals. And three different dishwashers models.

There are even some customer reviews on the DWs, which is suspicious -- Lowe's just recently starts carrying the line and people, supposedly people who bought the actual model from Lowe's, post reviews.

wonder if the units are actually in the stores?

The washers have a different model number, door and control panel than the regularly available USA models. The Lowes website says they are exclusive. The dryer and dishwashers also are exclusive. Very interesting...

I too noticed things appeard different and I did notice the term Exclusive.

When I bought a Bosch range from a favorite local appliance store several years ago, the salesperson told me that the models they sold are actual Bosch models and have "True European Convection." He said that the Bosch stoves in the big box homestores were actually made by Frigidaire. I posted that message on one of these boards, and one or two people affirmed what I'd posted. That's not to say that the Frigidaire-made models were no good, but they weren't the same product. It's possible that Miele has made a similar marketing decision, but I don't know.

I'vr heard similar regarding Insinkerator garbage disposers. The ones sold by plumbing suppliers are the real deal and that the ones sold at big box stores have a component(s) that are plastic rather than metal. Also something similar with water heaters,

any and all mfgs change model numbers when they sell to a national retailers. That would include any type of business - electronics, appliances, cameras etc. They either cripple or add a feature.change a button or two and sell to the Big Box. Keeps the average consumer (who doesnt check features) from directly comparing seller's prices. Also keeps mom & pop stores from getting too angry about what they consider their domain "we supported you when no one did" - although they sell whatever they can anyway.

the lowes rollout does tell me is that Lowes made a commitment to sell enough of these to take a reasonable amount of these units from Miele - not just selling what Miele has in stock.

They are actual Miele units, but with small changes to make it impossible to price match them elsewhere. I, personally, don't like the black ring around the door. It doesn't look "right".

@littlegreeny: "The washers have a different model number, door and control panel than the regularly available USA models"

The Lowes washer has the control panel of the Miele WXD160WCS. While the Lowes washer has "660" in its model number, based on the user manuals it appears to be comparable to the Miele WXD160WCS, not the Miele WXF660WCS. However, there may be no difference in the performance of any of these models.

Appliance User Manuals:

• Miele WWD660 WCS TDOS (Lowes)*
• Miele WXF660WCS (Appliances Connection)
• Miele WXD160WCS (Appliances Connection)

@boba1: "I'vr heard similar regarding Insinkerator garbage disposers. The ones sold by plumbing suppliers are the real deal and that the ones sold at big box stores have a component(s) that are plastic rather than metal"

Stop spreading this old wives tale. If the model number is the same, the product is the same regardless of where it is sold.

*Update: see @littlegreeny's message below regarding this user manual

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lowes-expands-assortment-of-premium-appliances-through-new-partnership-with-miele-301680171.html

I figured the units would be crippled from Lowes. Guess they can sit on them then after people catch on. More confusion caused by Miele again.

Caused by Miele or Lowe's? I mean honestly, a pox on all of em. Why does everything have to be a game that only the House has the rules book to? Smart to just plain look up and look at the manuals. Thanks all you knowledgeable people!

Is this another sign of Miele lowering their quality and trying to increase market share? There's a vacuum guy that says Miele has really gone downhill in recent times and recommends only Sebo. With washing machines, I think Miele was the last one standing, so if they lower their quality there is no where else to go.

i think they are trying to incease market share and dollars for sure and you cant do that without a major retailer like Lowes. Independent and larger regional luxury dealers can only take you so far. That doesnt mean lowering quality - it all comes off the same mfg line just with different software

The vac guy loves Sebo because Miele discovered Amazon a few years ago and sells a ton through them. The independent vac dealer is definately taken a back seat to Amazon and they are grumpy about that

He was saying about the vacuums that Miele now does manufacturing of some parts in China so it’s no longer all made in Germany.

Going mass market often requires changes theoughout the supply chain.

some very old generation Miele vacs are made in China - price point for secondary markets

Anything new is made in Germany