If You Can’t Splurge on a Miele Dishwasher, Here Are 25 Ways to Get Its Features for Less
Like a good friend or a pair of comfortable heels, a good dishwasher is hard to find. I would know — throughout my adult life, I’ve spent plenty of time and money troubleshooting and repairing lackluster dishwashers.
Then, as part of a recent kitchen remodel, my husband convinced me we should splurge on a German-engineered (aka pricey) Miele G7106 dishwasher. As a classic cheapskate, I was awfully skeptical that the Miele G7000 series would live up to its $1,500 price tag in terms of cleaning and scrubbing for our family of five.
After using this appliance daily for a couple of months now, however, I’ve become nothing short of a Miele fangirl. It cleans better than any dishwasher I’ve ever owned or used. It’s quiet, quick, and hard-working. (Case in point: A cutting board I thought was irrevocably brown from 17 years of use is now white again.)
That said, Miele’s high-dollar price tag is definitely prohibitive for most folks on a budget. (It was almost a dealbreaker for me too, honestly!) Fortunately, when a fancy-schmancy Miele dishwasher isn’t in the cards, options abound for enjoying many of its qualities for a lot less. A number of other name-brand appliances offer similar features at a more economical price.
Looking for high-end features without the hefty credit card bill? Try these alternatives.
Hard-working cleaning
To me, the top advantage of the Miele is simply its ability to clean. (Shocking, right?) Glasses emerge from its cycle crystal-clear without water spots, and even casserole dishes with baked-on grime come out sparkly clean. But Miele doesn’t own the market on gunk removal. These lower-priced dishwashers have garnered rave reviews for hard-working cleaning:
Third rack for silverware and utensils
Initially, I wasn’t sold on Miele’s third rack for silverware and utensils. Having to pull out an extra drawer just to load silverware seemed like it’d be a pain. But after a few months of use, I see the intuitiveness of this feature. Not only do forks and knives get cleaner by lying flat, having them at the top of the dishwasher means less bending down to load and unload. Want to spare your back and enjoy cleaner utensils? Check out these budget-friendly models with a third rack:
Automatic door opening
As clean as your cups and plates may get inside a dishwasher, letting them sit in a closed, steamy box can leave them with the distasteful smell of mildew. That’s why many top-rated dishwashers (such as Miele) now automatically open their doors upon completing a cycle. This added air flow keeps dishes smelling fresh. Find this handy feature in these economical alternatives:
Fingerprint-resistant stainless steel
Stainless steel has reigned supreme as the appliance color of choice for years — and for good reason. Its shiny visage is oh-so-sleek and clean. Unfortunately, as anyone with stainless steel appliances can attest, fingerprints can easily smudge this pristine look.
Miele’s exterior circumvents this issue with fingerprint-resistant stainless steel. (Yes, it actually works. I have three kids and have noticed a real difference between the fingerprint-resistant stainless on the Miele versus my other appliances.) When budget is a concern, check out these lower-priced options that feature a fingerprint-resistant face:
Quietness
These days, quietness is a sought-after feature in dishwashers. (Isn’t it nice not to shout kitchen conversations over a noisy appliance?) At 38 decibels — quieter than the hum of most refrigerators — my Miele is among the most subdued dishwashers on the market. But since manufacturers now list decibel levels, it’s not difficult to find alternatives with comparable volumes. For a noise level you’ll hardly notice, look for 50 decibels or quieter, as in these models:
Wi-Fi-connected
It doesn’t get much easier than “Hey Alexa, start the dishwasher.” Miele’s highest-end G7000 dishwasher models come equipped with Wi-Fi capability — meaning you can control them from your mobile device or Amazon’s Alexa. Want to start a cycle from afar without breaking the bank? These lower-priced “smart” appliances offer Wi-Fi connection at a lower price:
