I’m saving this for reference. While you may be shocked by your GE oven lasting 12 years (did it last that long or did I misunderstand your post) , I’ll be grateful if our new GE ovens last that long, mainly because of our experiences in the last 7 years . In those 7 years we went through 2 sets of wall ovens, neither particularly cheap. I’m hoping the GE. Ovens make it for even 5-7 years and will be ecstatic if we make it to 10 years.

J Corn, I was shocked that the ovens ONLY lasted 12 years. I still feel like my kitchen is "new" (realize that is not so, just saying it feels new to me). I bought everything 12 years ago, went on my merry way and thought "kitchen's all good, check." Time passed and I have been lucky I guess. When the appliance shop said 'yup, 10-12 years is about the lifespan of that oven", I couldn't believe it. Now, I am begrudgingly coming to learn that only Wolf and others in that price range have a 20 year plus life. Just didn't know. I am horrified to hear of your bad luck with ovens. That is so stressful. What models did you have in those 7 years that didn't work out?

I'm an engineer / DIY'er. Remodeled the kitchen about 12 years ago. The Viking 48" gas range, Viking fridge, Smeg wall oven, Grohe faucets, Omega cabinets - have had zero problems. The Miele dishwasher started acting up about 7 years old. I replaced a check valve, and then replaced another part. When it was about 10 years old - I had it. Wasn't going to pull out that DW and lay it on it's side. DW's must be the worst thing to work on. Despite my opinion, wife bought another Miele - made her buy an extended 3 years warranty - I'm not going to work on that sucker. Our Miele had a 6" high front panel, we had a panel made to match our cabinets. Well the new Miele's don't have that option - we had to get a new front panel made for $250.

We built our home and moved in 20 years ago. Brought our 1987 Maytag washer with us to the new house but bought the rest of our appliances. The oven was Kenmore, the dishwasher Kenmore, the fridge Maytag with icemaker and water in the door, the cooktop Kitchen Aid. The cooktop went first and another gas cooktop (can't remember the brand) replaced it. Then I got tired of gas and had an electric induction cooktop, in 2007, installed. It is a DeDetrich from France (only about 3 brands available in the U.S. in 2007 and I didn't like any of them). The DeDetrich is still working perfectly and I expect it will continue for many more years.

The fridge is now in our garage after the icemaker went kaput in 2012. The fridge and freezer still work (one repair this year to the thermostat). The wall oven quit in 2010 and I got a GE replacement that, under warranty, stopped working and the control panel replaced (GE admitted that it was re-designed due to problems). The Kenmore dishwasher was still working in 2007 but we replaced it with a Siemens which went kaput in 2018. I wish we'd repaired it for $600 as we went through two Samsungs in 3 months which were sent back for refund, and a Bosch that never was installed as it was damaged when we received it. We now have a Blomberg (never heard of it but it is German designed and the 3rd selling brand in Europe and not made in China and had many good reviews).

Now, about the washer. It died on us in 2016 (after 29 years with no repairs whatsoever). I wish we'd spent the money to have it repaired. Got a Samsung which was recalled as it was blowing up and hurting people. Replaced it with a top-loading GE. It was horrible - clothes didn't get clean and it bounced all over because the tub was attached differently than old-style agitator models - the Samsung also bounced all over. We finally declared three weeks ago that we were getting rid of it. Was going to get a Speed Queen but found that they changed the design in 2019 and it is now like all the other cruddy washers now being made. So, I went online and found a Maytag, probably about 20 years old on Craigslist sold by a repairman who buys appliances, refurbishes them and resells them. It is like new and it is music to our ears to hear it washing our clothes which come out clean. I offered to almost give the GE to the repairman and he refused. Says it is a piece of junk. Also had a minor repair to our gas Kenmore dryer a couple of years ago. The repairman said that, if the dryer (which is now 19 years old) ever needs a major repair, I should fix it as it is a much better dryer than what is now being sold.

The foot lowering device on my sewing machine, a Kenmore, about 12 years old, broke two months ago. The repair service I called wanted almost the same amount of money to repair it than what I paid for it. When I told him that, he said that the machine I have now is much better than the junk that is now on the market.

So a word to the wise: The appliances being made today are mostly junk, especially if made in China and by American companies. It's really too sad that I have to say that.

Despite my opinion, wife bought another Miele - made her buy an extended 3 years warranty - I'm not going to work on that sucker. Our Miele had a 6" high front panel, we had a panel made to match our cabinets. Well the new Miele's don't have that option - we had to get a new front panel made for $250.

I found four models (three of which are 24”) that have the front console AND accept custom panels on the A.J. Madison website. Miele full-console, panel-ready dishwashers

Personally, I’ll never buy anything BUT a Miele dishwasher, that’s how much of a superstar mine has been.

We moved 14.5 years ago needing new Sears (whirlpool) electric dryer--still fine but brought ~2000 Costco (whirlpool) top load washer with us. I needed to replace a washer motor coupler a few years ago myself and reseat a wire on the motor this year. The side by side Sears (whirlpool) refer. has no issues over 14.5 years. Two years after moving we replaced a leaking dishwasher that was probably only 6 years old with a basic Maytag. It was having some issues this year and I found the exact same model for $10 at Habitat. I have just noticed that the control buttons are acting up and expect that I will only need to reseat the cable from that board but 12 years could be the end.

Eleven years ago we redid our kitchen with a Kitchenaid double oven and glass gas cooktop. The oven has been fine but I had to replace the cooktop because of frozen screws holding the glasstop. The cheap whirlpool metal replacement cooktop has screws that aren't much better. 50-70 year old ranges had no such problems.

Sammy: it's not the same size.

Unfortunately this is common - it's not just a Miele specific thing. There is no such thing as a "standard" size custom dishwasher panel. Same goes for anything panel ready. Every brand and model is built different, and it's part of the price you pay for the panel ready look when it comes time for replacement. Sometimes old panels can transfer, sometimes they can't.