I'm not 100% sure but I think Miele is pretty strict about using their own installers if you don't want the warranty to be voided.

I do agree with the preceding comment about warranty.

However, for Miele DWs, I see more than a few comments on here from people who DIY install. In a confirmation of that point I also see things that make you believe Miele concedes this point, such as they publish three different sets of installation drawings (with charts, graphics and instructions), one more than for their other appliance. Examples:

1. Usual manual with installation chapter (usually listed as "Operating instructions" document for each model), all of Miele's appliance models will have this document.

2. An assembly plan, example here.

3. A spec sheet, found in the Specification Library here.

Most other Miele appliances normally have either Item #2 or #3 but not both. And being true to form (e.g., this is the norm other Miele manuals I've seen), some info in the user manual is not in #2 and #3, and some things in #3 are not in #1 or #2. Case in point, the chart ("Acceptable Height Installation") with the blue rectangles in #3, it's not shown in any other document.

To summarize, if you are able to extend the usual warranty by some number of years by using Miele's installation service then that would seem to be the logical thing to do. If there's no warranty extension and DH is super handy then let him be your installer.

I installed ours (about 8 years ago). I've never heard that a warranty would be void from installing a product where all you have to to is connect it to the water line, connect discharge hose, and plug it in.

Dishwashers are by far the easiest kitchen appliance to DIY remove and install, and though they are somewhat bulky, they are light and can be easily maneuvered into place by one able-bodied person. Maybe take side of the cardboard box and use to both protect the floor and help slide the unit into place.

As far as connections, may have to buy and rig up to one fitting each for the electrical plug, disposal connection, and water supply - but there's only a couple of variants of each really, so hard to go wrong. Also make sure every piece of trim and soundproofing is installed, no shortcuts - sealing up every gap makes a huge difference in the sound level.

Only challenge I've seen is if the floor tile or kitchen tile has been installed after the old dishwasher, could have closed up the opening just enough to make getting the unit in tough - but you'd learn that trying to get the old one out.

I installed our Miele range and have had no issues with the warranty. They've had to come out a couple times to make some adjustments.

My in laws had a Miele dishwasher installed by a non "approved" installer (handyman). It initially had draining issues that turned out to be due to the air gap in the drain hose being unnecessary. After some unsuccessful troubleshooting, Miele came out, removed the air gap and it works great now.

So far Miele seems to stand behind their products very well when they are within the warranty period no matter who installs them.

Trickiest aspect for me on DW installs is getting it leveled and squared with the cavity cut-out. Floor in the cavity doesn't always fit with the floor outside ... so multiple attempts at adjustment may be needed.

Thank you all! That is super valuable information. The kitchen is essentially "new" construction (we did a whole house remodel a few years ago). I am hoping that since the flooring was run throughout the entire kitchen before cabinetry, and the cabinetry is newish, that maybe some of those adjustments will be easier.

My floor is travertine tile. The "lay" of such tends to be uneven.

IIRC, Miele would extend their warranty to 5 years if they did the installation.

Also, their machines are usually slightly narrower than US machines, like 23.5" vs 24". This might require a trim strip on one side in order to get a tight fit at the front. There can also be height differences, so check carefully.

Update, talked with someone at Miele. There is no current promotion about the warranty being extended if you use their installer. Basically, they officially recommend and installer because if a warranty repair is needed then they would be more likely to pay it. If their repair person felt that the installation was not done correctly, then they would not cover the repair.

I did one in 2013. And by the way the same laws that say you can service a car somewhere other than the dealer apply to appliances, at least for the basic warranty. It's possible they may be able to withhold an extended warranty if not factory installed., but I think it must be sold similar to an accessory. You just must meet their specification to get the base warranty.

If doing the install yourself, they are very easy install, but have a few oddities that can cause issues with local inspectors if out-sourcing the install:

-the hose is 7/8* leaving the dishwasher, unlike the typical 5/8" on domestic brands
-good luck finding a siphon break for a 7/8" hose at the top of your sink; I could only find 5/8 x 7/8, not 7/8 x 7/8 needed
-I used the high loop method to make sure it was as siphon resistant as possible; this does not meet select city ordinances where a top of the cabinet siphon break is required.

Leveling is a snap since they have some sort of worm gear that allows you to adjust the rear legs from the front even on the cheapest models.

They are a tad narrower than domestic models, so you will need to build up a small jam if noise is important and to allow the side wall screws to bridge the gap.

At the time I bought you could not hard wire them in. Instead I had an electrician install a waterproof outlet under the sink in a cabinet.

And on my machine every customer interface joint used the same torx tool - kind of nice!

i spent about 4 hours on mine and 60 minutes for an outside electrician, mainly because I had to redo a bunch of plumbing under the floor in the basement and drill a new hole through the floor because the water inlet was in a different spot than my old GE. Once that was done, tying in under the countertop and side cabinets, leveling and making the drain and water connections took 30 minutes.

Rating it versus other appliances it's definitely more involved than a washer, dryer, or electric range install (all 30 minutes or less), but a bit easier than adapting a water heater install (no brazing required, just compression fittings when adapting the water line). I could have spent the time brazing pipes but in the end you still rely on a compression fitting on the connector hose anyhow to avoid flooding your house.

Good luck.

Laundryvet

If you feel you can follow the installation instructions exactly, then I don't see any problem installing DW by yourself. Besides, on paper, Miele installation requires quite a lot ready before the visit, IMO. So you may not save a lot work.

I did mine and my friends. If you follow the instructions there are no problems. And this includes custom front panels.

I am a Sales Rep that sells Miele products and have an affinity for them due to their design and quality. All Miele dishwashers come with a 2 year full parts & labor, with the exception of the Diamond, which comes with 5 years Parts & Labor. If the dishwasher is installed by someone other than a Miele Technician, the 2 year warranty drops down to 1 year and the 5 year drops down to 2 years. This policy is due to the fact that 99% of problems arise from a poor/improper installation. I just purchased a Lumen and plan to install myself. I bought the extended warranty through my place of business which gives me 5 years full Parts & Labor and 10 years on the motor. All consumers, including myself, would have to call Miele direct to get a repair authorization to have a service performed. In my case I would make the initial call to Miele and then have my place of business do the service call as we are a self servicing dealer here in Rhode Island. Hope this helps clear things up. :)

Diana-

I am on my 2nd Miele Dishwasher.

The first one was installed in April 2010 with 2 year warranty, and I purchased the 5 year extended from Miele, which is 5 years total from the date the dishwasher was purchased.

Earlier this year (in year 8) the motor died, I was told the unit was out of warranty, and the costs of parts + labor would be close to $1000.

I looked at new models, and ended up buying another Miele (discounted new, customer cancellation). Once again I have the 2 year warranty. I called Miele and was quoted the $250 for the 5 year. You said "5 years full Parts & Labor and 10 years on the motor". This is not what Miele is telling me, just a straight 5 years on everything. You may want to double-check with them....or maybe they are giving you a longer warranty since you're a dealer?

Has anyone installed one lately? The 2nd one is due to be delivered tomorrow (first one wad damaged so rejected delivery). Installation seems pretty easy EXCEPT for the drain hose. Says it is 7/8" (inner or outer diameter?) while my current DW drain inlet is for a 3/4" ID hose. Looking at various sources (household, industrial, automotive), it would seem 7/8" ID hoses are not used at all in N. America.

Plus is that I bought mine direct during a promotion and have a 10 year warranty and 30-day pace-of-mine money back guarantee.

Your comment made me look at the specs on a three year old Miele DW. It says drain hose has internal diameter of 7/8 in. (22 mm). It mentions adapters are ok and hose extensions up to 13 ft 1-1/2 in.

If you have a garbage disposer under a sink then check it. Almost all garbage disposers have a connection for a dishwasher drain hose, thereby creating an air gap and eliminating the need for a pipe trap only for the DW drain.

If unsure of any of this best to talk to a plumber.

I installed my Miele Lumen dishwasher last year. And the reason I did, is because I used to sell them and know 1) how great they are and 2) how simplistic they are to install... to a point. The reason I say this is that the installation instructions that come with the machine are basically a quick to guide used by Miele installers, not the general public. To be honest, I did have to do a Google search and look up a couple of videos. But once I did, it was pretty smooth. I would agree that Miele’s website is confusing and atrocious and they know because I’ve told them. Lol I would help my customers all the time with trying to navigate. Just horrid. They did revamp a short time ago, but I haven’t had the need to navigate and cannot comment.

All Miele dishwashers come with a 1 year manufactures warranty. The homeowner would receive an additional year, if they have a certified Miele installer to the job, for a total of two years full pars and labor. The warranties are never lost by DIY installation.

Miele dishwashers come self contained and all come with a power cord, an inlet hose and drain hose. If you need a hardwired installation, you can remove the plug and hardwire the unit at the bottom front. everything is accessible from the front. I did not have to do this step as I plugged my unit in. I did have to get my Dremmel and make a slightly larger access hole in my cabinet for the drain hose though. One thing to note is that you must make sure you have a high loop on the drain hose for proper function. This means that the hose must Look like an inverted letter “u” under your sink. I bought a hook and just placed it so it would hold. Easy.

The dishwasher will come with a flat shiny piece of stainless. Most will think this is the kick plate. This is not for that use. It is actually used to shield the underneath front edge of your counter to protect it from the steam when the dishwasher pops open to dry. Miele will give you tiny brad nails (if needed) and silicone to seal and attach. This is the first step prior to installing the machine. Next, you slide the dishwasher in place minding the cord and hoses. You level the rear legs of the machine by turning screws located on the front bottom. You turn the front feet to level those, making sure the machine is level side to side and front to back. Then secure to counter and side walls with included hardware. I then had to place my front panel onto the machine as the model I purchased was panel ready. I then turned two screws on either side of the door front to adjust the door hinges. The hardest part was having to cut the European 6” height kick plate (black plastic piece) to a 4” US height with my Dremmel and attaching. It was super precarious. That took me the longest believe it or not.

Have a box of salt at the ready, along with Rinse Aid and either a tablet or powder detergent, as you have to run the machine once before use. Liquid detergents do not work well at all. I use the Miele dishwasher tabs as they breakdown quicker and get to washing faster. They are meant for you to get the most out of your machine.

I will say that improper installations on any branded machine, account for the majority of dishwasher failures. However, if you read the directions and watch a few videos, your Miele will give you 20 years. This is why I own one. And it is so quiet, the first time I ran it (38 dB) I thought it wasn’t working. But it was! My dishes and utensils always come out sparking.

If you are really nervous about installation, then I would have a certified Miele tech do the job. I managed and installed it properly. Leveling is key and the high-loop is imperative. If you have any questions, please let me know and I’m sure I could help.

Sorry for the sideways images. I‘m uploading uprights and this is how Houzz is laying them out.

@Funguy... The 5 years/10 years is an extended warranty that I purchased through my place of business. Miele offers a 90 day love it or have it removed... but only at Miele‘s discretion of course.

@znerect... I did not need any adapters. The hose that came with the dishwasher fit the older fittings that were in the house when I bought it. I never measured. However, I think you are viewing the German instructions written in English. I don’t think Miele changes out to Americanized instructions. It’s quirky to say the least.

From what I've found out, and seen since my DW came today (undamaged - 2nd time lucky)., Miele (and Bosch FWIW) requires a 3/4" ID dishwasher drain inlet, which is rare as the standard is 1/2". Not expensive or difficult but just different.

The 1/2" barbed slip on is will fit a 3/4" ID hose loosely, so a 3/4" should fit the 7/8" hose snugly.

I think you are going to do just fine. Let me know how it goes!

Hi Diana Lockaby,

My mother will be purchasing an 18” Miele, as a new addition to her kitchen (never had a dishwasher before). Note that I’ll be shifting cabinetry and installing an endpanel for it’s location, as part of a minor renovation.

The supply and drain hoses will be about an 8ft length away from the center of the sink. There’s no garbage disposal.

Questions are:

1. Do you happen to know if a drainage hose pitch is ideal for this distance, or even necessary?

2. Regarding the drain hose’s upward loop to prevent sink waste water going in from a clogged pipe, would it exist under the sink, or at the back of the dishwasher itself, due to the longer drainage hose length and energy it takes for the DW to pump water out?

We will hire a plumber, although I would like to have some knowledge exclusively from a Miele perspective!

Thank you,

Mike