Consumers Reports says that nearly all dishwashers nowadays (including low-end models) do a good job of getting dishes clean, as long as you use an enzyme-based detergent (as opposed to old-fashioned chlorine-based detergents), and you use a rinse agent such as Jet-Dry. The big differences between low-end and high-end models is now in quietness of operation, loading flexibility due to adjustable racks, number of spray arms and cycle options, drying systems, and other bells and whistles like delayed-start, hidden control panels, and cutlery trays.

The more you pay, the more you get.

My dishwasher happens to be a high-end model. I chose it primarily because of its quiet operation. It's very nearly silent. It has numerous cycle options, but about 99% of the time I use the main or 'Normal' cycle. I paid a premium price for all those extra cycles that I don't need or use, but it was the only way to get a super quiet machine. That being said, I have to admit I enjoy the convenience of racks that are configurable and adjustable, in not having that pop-up tower in the middle of the bottom rack, and some of the other extras that are more usual on higher-end models. A bottom-of-the-line model would probably clean just as well, it's just that they often are a good bit noisier in operation, and quiet operation was my priority.

Look for a machine that includes the features that are important to you, but not the those that you don't think you'd use.

This is just one man's opinion, but I think you need 3 cycles and that will just about cover all the bases. You will want an extended, "pot scrubber" cycle for burnt on foods, a normal cycle that just does the dishes, and a quick wash for knocking out a tub full of glasse/stemware or lightly soiled items. My dishwasher also has a "rinse and hold" and a "top rack only" wash, but I do not find myself using either. If I am in a position that I have a half load of dishes in there I will pull the grates off the stove or the filters out of the range hood to make a full load and then just run a regular wash.

I NEVER prewash any dish. I scrape the big chunks into the garbage disposal and will use water if convenient to get large loose clumps out of the dish and into the disposer. Sometimes the easiest way to scrape a salad bowl or cutting board is to hit it with the hose in the sink. But this is the extent of any rinsing. I never prewash anything. My dishes come out great. I use Cascade tabs, the ones with the "Dawn" inside the gel. For my level of water hardness they are the perfect amount of detergent.

I have a midlevel Bosch dishwasher that I have had for 6 years. Apart from a few idiosyncrasies that I figured out how to recognize and cure, the machine is absolutely stellar; very quiet, very effective, very efficient. But if I were going to replace ours, it would probably be with a Miele.

The reason I would go with the Miele is that I looked closely at several while we were shopping for other appliances. The Mieles are completely enclosed in steel and the quality of them in every noticeable regard is exquisite. Plus, I have a couple of Miele appliances already and love them.

But Miele is certainly not the only option when it comes to getting the dishes clean. You are going to find people who hate ANY brand, and there are plenty of horror stories on here about every maker over one thing or another.

What I would do if I were just starting out looking at the different makers is try to find retailers who actually have working demo kitchens where you can watch the various models in action, and, even more importantly, listen to them in action.

When we bought our Southern California tract house back in 1989, it was 4 years old. It came equipped with a "contractor's model" Gaffers and Sattler POS dishwasher that we hated. It made so much noise that you had to yell to be heard over the racket. No tears were shed when I hauled its carcass off to the dump. We next bought a Kitchen Aid that we kept for 6 years. It, too, was noisy, but nowhere near as loud as the old G&S. It is still doing a good job at my youngest daughter's house.

The difference we experienced getting the Bosch was indescribable. It is VERY quiet. Night and Day quiet. You can barely hear it if there is anything else going on. It does not disturb conversation in any way and you can run it at any time without worry about being bothered, woken up, etc. I am not sure that Kitchen Aid makes anything that quiet. The Mieles, however, are reputed to be similarly hushed. That is what I would be after if I were in the market today.

Best of luck with your search.

I find the sanitize cycle occasionally useful, but there are other ways of doing it for the number of times I actually need it.

The glassware cycle is good if you have gritty water or detergent and you don't want to etch your fine glasses.

Some people wash a lot of plastics. Convection only DW's don't have a problem with washing them in the bottom rack, though they notoriously don't get them really dry if there are a lot of them, because they rely on the china holding heat to make the drying work. A plastics cycle on an American DW allows you to put the plastics in the bottom, but I don't know if that also means they come out a little wet, or if the heater is just set to a lower temperature.

I, personally, almost always use the normal cycle. Unless you have a particular need, I wouldn't choose a DW for its cycles. Much more important is rack design, appearance, price, noise and quality.