The Great Dishwasher Debate: Miele Versus Bosch
As we’ve mentioned before, we’re currently subletting a desk in an architecture office, so occasionally there’s some chit-chat going on around us that is relevant to the blog. Yesterday, a debate broke out about dishwashers. After the dust settled, the clear consensus was that Miele (pictured) is far and away the best, both in terms…
As we’ve mentioned before, we’re currently subletting a desk in an architecture office, so occasionally there’s some chit-chat going on around us that is relevant to the blog. Yesterday, a debate broke out about dishwashers. After the dust settled, the clear consensus was that Miele (pictured) is far and away the best, both in terms of function and noise. Bosch, which is what we have in our kitchen, was the second choice. So that got us wondering what readers experiences have been with these two brands as well as other, less expensive ones. We’ve set up a brief poll to see what brand readers have at home and encourage people to discuss the pros and cons in the comments section.
Dishwasher Poll [Survey Monkey]
I would never buy anything made in China. It has a horrendous, human rights record. Therefore I would never buy a Bosch appliance. I have a Miele Refrigerator that is the cream of the crop! German products are far superior to many other manufactures. Each time we buy from China we are enforcing their belligerent attitude to the to the rest of the world. We are in danger of creating a super power with no concern for human life. Yet our greed for cheap goods at whatever costs blind us to what we are creating.
Britain no longer manufactures anything of worth. It honestly thinks that finance and Banking will sustain it into the future. One of the last great institutes British Steel, reknowned for its superior quality will probably sell out to TATA. in India. I suspect like Bosch the quality of steel will also degenerate. (NO OFFENCE TO INDIA) they just do not have the technology. However they are catching up and I predict that very soon Britain and the USA will fall sharply behind China and India and we only have ourselves to blame. Watch this space…
I’m really disappointed by the quality of this debate since for the most part, people seem to be offering emotionally-motivated anecdotal evidence in support of their dishwasher choices. I am in the process of buying a dishwasher and came to this forum looking for facts. Since there are not many, let me offer a few that I’ve uncovered in my month long deliberation over this very expensive and intimidating purchase:
These high end dishwashers are not just status symbols, but rank the highest in the world for their water-saving innovations. If you’ve paid any attention to water issues in NYC then you know that within the next five years, as a homeowner, you will be charged not for the amount of water you consume, but for the amount of water that WASHES DOWN YOUR DRAINS. That means you’ll be charged for the rain water running off your roof as well. That is quite a bit of water, my friends.Try doing the math — 20 inches per year per square inch of your roof. Even in the interim before these new water regulations come to pass, having a dishwasher that uses 2 or 3 gallons of water per wash is much smarter than one that uses 15. If you run that thing once a day, that’s already 96 gallons a week you’ve saved. I think that a gallon of water costs a few cents, so that’s already a few dollars a week. That doesn’t even take into account the fact that both these brands use less electricity! So you’re saving money on both fronts, not to mention preserving natural resources and polluting less.
These American-made “energy star” dishwashers just scrape by every year under the legal limit of water-saving. That’s why they all went on sale this august because the new energy standards were coming out and this year’s models will no longer be able to maintain their energy star rating! Miele and Bosch use 50 percent less water than the energy star standards require. I would love to meet the person who thinks that they can wash an entire dishwasher load of dishes by hand with two gallons. It is a fallacy that washing by hand saves water. Even a conservative water user will use about 20 gallons of water washing that way. The EPA now recommends NOT pre-washing your dishes, but instead using a dishwasher that has built in sensors which evaluate the amount of food on the dishes and clean accordingly.
I don’t work for miele or bosch, I am just someone who takes this kind of purchase very seriously, both because I am an environmentalist, but also because I am not made out of money. I certainly don’t want to make a choice based on price alone and then throw out some crappy model four years later after finding that it was poorly made. Americans are far too ok with such pollution. (And yes, I am American). Moreover, in terms of price, one of these washers will pay for itself in water and electricity savings within 3 years, and at that time will still conceivably have a very long life ahead of it.
As of this point, I don’t really have too much information to post about whether a Bosch or Miele is better (that being the original reason I came on this posting), but I do know that Bosch is now made in China. I have also spoken to at least one repairman who claims that the quality on the Bosch has degenerated considerably in the last few years. I’m personally looking for an 18 inch machine, so the internal organization of each model will be very important to me. Would love to hear about other people’s research.
i have a kitchen aid. this is an unfit dishwasher. if unfit is a word. the thing’s gone wrong with it since the day i brought it home. today it died. now i use my front loading washer, now i dont have to worry about my dishes any more. at all. i use paper plates
I have read every sentence carefully and I am now even more unclear what to buy. If I don’t want to spent the $ on Miele, and I want a quiet and reliable machine, what is the best option ? Kenmore, Whirlpool GE ? I had wanted Kitchenaid, Bosch and GE profile but now based on so many complaints, I don’t know what to do.
I want a machine that cleans very well, I’ve had foggy glasses for years. I want it to be quiet since my kids do their homework in the kitchen while the DW is running. I’d really like to buy 2nd hand but I can’t figure out how to do that with a guarentee.
I have a older DW – my husband. He is quiet, cleans well, and rarely needs maintenance. However, if I move can close on new DUMBO condo it has a Bosch – I may leave the old DW with my old condo to amuse the new owners.
Penny
I HAVE SOLD AND SERVICED ALMOST EVERY
BRAND OF APPLIANCE FOR THE LAST TWENTY
SIX YEARS. IF YOU WANT A GREAT PERFORMING DISHWASHER WITH LITTLE
SERVICE PROBLEMS WHIRLPOOL IS THE CORRECT CHOICE. IF YOU WANT A EURO
DISH BOSH ASKO MIELE ECT THEY ALL WILL
RUN QUIET. THE MIELE HAS FEWER REPAIR
PROBLEMS. THE BOSH IS A GOOD MACHINE
BUT HAS DRYING ISSUES.ASKO HAS MORE
SERVICE ISSUES. THE AMERICAN MACHINES
HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WASH SYSTEM
THAN EURO MODELS. AMERICAN MACHINES
FLUSH DEBRI THROUGH THE PUMP SYSTEM
WITH BLADES TO CHOP FOOD.THE DEBRI IS
FLUSHED OUT DURING THE DRAIN CYCLE. EURO MACHINE USE A THREE FILTER SYSTEM
SO YOU NORMALY GET A CLEANER WASH AND
USES LESS WATER.
I’m glad some people can complain or brag about there dishwasher’s capabilities. My Kitchenaid came out of the box damaged (apparently from the factory, since the box was not damaged) and so far Brandsmart and Kitchenaid both say tough s–t, you bought it it’s yours!
The Miele is without question superior to anything on the market in every aspect – hands down. If you actually want to have your dishes, cutlery & glasses cleaned – in silence mind you – then any choice aside from the Miele is a bad one…
One more thing. I’m pretty sure that, proportionally, more of my income goes to support charities than any of the stoners protesting Yuppie decadence and ‘designer labels’ (Bosch is available at Sears, it must be noted) above. I think I’m more than entitled to save myself time and money by having a high-quality dishwasher, thanks. I don’t give a fuck what people think about the _name_ on my dishwasher. It’s there to wash dishes and do it damn well.