The tabs really do a great job (there are some older threads with loads of posts singing their praises!). We used Cascade Complete initially, but Miele came out with the tabs sometime around when we first started using our DW. A bunch of GW'ers tried them and kept raving about them so we decided to give them a try. The CC worked perfectly fine and everything came out spotless. However, the tabs seem to give the loads an extra level of clean and sparkle. Also, the air in the DW just had a fresher quality (odor) after running a load with the tab vs CC. The DW after a CC cleaned load isn't bad, just less fresh smelling. FWIW, some on this forum use 1/2 a tab (and possibly even 1/4 tab?) to clean most loads. Again, my stuff comes out fine with a 1/2 tab, but a full tab just seems to raise that sparkle and clean to another level. It's not overly noticeable, in fact, I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, but some others here have said the same thing. We don't usually run our DW every day, so I like the sense of security (that everything will get clean) that using a full tab gives. Last night I had a pretty empty DW, but one of those few items was a stinky plastic food container that would have been quite foul smelling by morning let alone this evening, so I ran the DW before bed instead of waiting, with a 1/2 tab and everything came out great. PS there were some posters who had trouble with grit (undisolved soap powder) build up in their rack glides from using Ecover so you might want to do a search for those threads discussing that.

Momotom What model did you get? I've not had this issue even when the bottom rack is completely loaded and it always is loaded. I think the sensor for the middle rack may be in the door..I think it expects a pass from this arm every few seconds and if it doesn't get it that's when you get the warning(I could be wrong about where this sensor is it could be on the sides too). Do you have anything very tall near the door in the front of the machine? The only time I've gotten the middle arm blocked message is when something in the middle rack was sticking down through it. Chipshot I've had steel cut oats..they are like oatmeal only more oat like and chewy. I think oat bran has more fiber and carbohydrate than the meal and this is why it is so sticky and difficult. If I run cold water in the pan immediately after cooking oatmeal it will come right off...but oat bran just becomes worse. I am lazy and mostly toss in a full tab but I used 1/2 tab all last week. 1/2 tab works well but on some of the loads because they are full and heavy there was some bran left on other items(doesn't happen with full tab)..so I think a full tab is needed when you have difficult soil..however I could have used a more intense cycle with the 1/2 tab and this would have probably taken care of the bran. Then again I tend to really load items on top of each other which is not recommended either..but I do it with not much of a problem. This week I am using Cascade Gel. lgrdh Scroll up to the top of this thread and then down to see chipshots plates. Are yours deeper than these? I have two large plate inserts but have never used them. I meant to order one but ended up receiving two. These hold the plates at an angle so I think they are for tall plates not deep ones. Can your plates fit into the spaces on the right of the bottom rack? They don't have to sit upright to get clean.

Love, love, love, the 1918 machines. No experince with the dryer, though I have an Asko condenser dryer. Perhaps you could sell it if you find a regularly vented dryer that can pair with the 1918. Condenser dryers are not quite as efficient as regualr dryers, but you could use it until you find something to swap it out with. If you do buy the washer, I'll be glad to help with any questions. You can download the owners' manual on the Canadian Miele site - the US one didn't have last time I looked, which was a few years ago. The 1918 is a long-cyle default machine (though it has a rapid wash feature). I do queen sized bedding in them with no problem. I am sure you could do king-sized sheets, duvet covers, and perhaps, mattress pads depending on the filling. I doubt you wash KS down comforters (or any KS comforter). I can do QS medium-weight down comforters, and of course. full-sized ones of all weights. I'm not sure what sized machine you are used to, but as a test you could weigh a basket (adjusting for tare) of a typical normal load. If it weighs 11 lbs or less, it would fit nicely in the 1918. Most people who take the trouble to do this are actually surprised. If you wash a great deal of synthetic fabrics (esp. permanet press items like pants and dress shirts) you will have to dial the laod size down somewhat as those sorts of loads need to be smaller to avoid wrinkling. But for general wash (sheets, towels, all cotton shirts, play clothes, household and kitchen laundry, jeans, kids clothes, etc.) the 11 lb size is right on the money. This is dry weight, of course. HTH Molly~

Having just spent the past several months going at it with MieleUSA with our washing machine, am here to tell you a few things. Frist, no MieleUSA does not have enough field technicans. Things are better closer to major core urban areas such as NYC, Boston, parts of South Florida, California, Utah and a few other Western states, other than that all bets are off. Anyone considering purchasing Miele products outside of those areas would to well to speak with MieleUSA directly (not the dealer) about what sort of service is available to their local area. We have personally heard of MieleUSA sending techs from New Jersey to Maryland, Conn, PA, and other places up and down the eastern seaboard. That should give you an idea of how many local field techs they have. Part of the problem is for the work and knowledge skill set required Miele does not offer an attractive enough wage for field service techs. The job is one that already does not attract enough Americans and Miele products are more complex and so forth than say your average Kenmore. Here in the NYC area waits for a MieleUSA service call range from 8 to 14 days or longer. That is just to have someone come out and see what the problem is; if they have to order parts and come back you could be waiting an equal or more amount of time until they return. MieleUSA to their credit have hired more inhouse telephone customer service reps/technicans, but here is the rub. Most if not all are new and therefore do not have any field experience, thus they only know what they pull up on computer screens and or read from scripted flow charts. We asked about an odd part found loose in the bottom of our washing machine. Not one of several phone techs who sat staring at the part diagrams could say what it was. An email to Germany where we have several friends who are "Miele nuts", gave not only a prompt reply to the query but told us it was not required for proper washer function. MieleUSA has also opened several call centers outside of their New Jersey headquarters. IIRC one is in Utah and another in California. One reason for this is to allow callers in the Central and West coast time zones to reach a live person after 5PM EST. However again you are likely to be dealing with newly hired persons with limited access to tech knowledge besides whatever on the job training Miele provided. MieleUSA's new thing is that most calls in will be prompted to set up an appointment for a tech to diagnose the problem. They have even changed their callout charges to reflect this. Now one pays a set fee just to have Miele come out, then parts and labour (billed hourly IIRC) are then added. Do think if the problem can be fixed in the initial service call one pays only for that visit. MieleUSA has also begun working with certain third party repair contractors. In NY that means "Mr. Appliance" a franchise operation. Miele takes employees of these services and trains them to work on their appliances and will supply parts. However here is the rub: if you own an "older" Miele appliance (washer, dishwasher, oven, etc...) you may be in for a shock. MieleUSA in general is moving away from dealing with older units. Whatever parts they have in NJ is all there is and once they are gone that is that. Most field techs with working knowledge of older appliances are either dead, retired, or confined to telehone customer service work. The ones who are often sent out either will not or can not work on older appliances. While in theory all Miele washing machines are front service, however early models from the W 700 and 10XX series require more effort than say the later 19XX models. Relative easy repairs on the latter such as motor brush or shock absorber changes can be a bear on the former and require more time and effort than MieleUSA will allot for an inhouse repair. When this happens the tech will often say he has to "speak with headquarters" and someone will get back to you. MieleUSA will then do a cost benefit and rksk analysis usually reporting back your unit is any one of or combination of the following: too old, too delicate, parts NLA, repair cost versus lifespan too high, and so forth with the bottom line a strong suggestion you purchase a new machine. If MieleUSA really wishes to stress the point you may be offered a *small* discount on a new unit. Case in point the W 700 and 10XX washers. The motors in these units are huge cast iron behemoths. These are bush motors and sooner or later that part will need to be replaced. When the brushes do go the machine will stop spinning prompting a service call. In order to replace the brushes however the entire motor must come out of the machine. That is something many new Miele techs either do not know and when faced with the prospect of doing so in the field balk. It is easier to say the "motor has gone" and advise to purchase a new machine and leave things at that. MieleUSA and in general the world over also has what is often called a "German attitude" problem. That is when one contacts customer service/technical support you will be told nothing is ever wrong with their appliances, it it just that *YOU* are not using them properly. Washing machine leaking? You didn't use the right detergent (Persil or MieleCare). Appliance doing this or that? No, that is not possible, it *CANNOT* be doing that, *YOU* are mistaken. And so it goes.