I am hip to the game of manufacturers siting disaster if you don't use their or their recommended products. Case in point I have used a steam mop on our maple hardwood floors for years with no ill effect. When we bought the floors we were told that they would be ruined if cleaned with anything other than their 20.00/litre cleaner. It's a marketing ploy - they need to sell you something during the time before you need a new dishwasher.

Ours is 12 years old and I've only ever used Finish Powerball tablets.

My Miele DW was purchased in mid 2015. I still use their salt and cleaner/conditioner. I bought their tablets and used them during ”break in” period so Miele couldn’t point any early issues as a detergent issue - no issues occurred. I initially used the Finish power balls for several years; however, neither Sams nor Costco carries them any longer I have switched to Cascade Platinum. No issues - cannot tell any better/worse results with the three.. I use powder Cascade if I am running a light load as not to overdoes on detergent.

I use the Finish tablets along with the salt for our hard water and rinse aid. Works great.

I use the Cascade Platinum packets from Costco. Just can't cut them in half. I guess I need to do something like Kim does and get something for small loads, which are few.

For machines with AutoDos, that feature can be turned off and you can then put any detergent in the detergent compartment as shown, for example, on page 64 of the instructions. For other models, you can just put detergent in the compartment as shown, for example, on pages 37-38 of the instructions. The instruction diagrams show powder detergent; I use Cascade Complete powder but Seventh Generation powder may also work well (based on my experience with its tabs).

12-year-old Miele here too and we've also never used their tablets. We use Ecover tablets right now (and sometimes use whatever is on sale when we are out). We don't use rinse aid at all--did for the first five years or so but then switched to tablets that ostensibly include it and haven't looked back--but also have very good water (and because of that, don't have a model that takes salt).

I used the brand specific tablets in my Miele dishwasher at the old house. Using them I never even rinsed the dishes, regardless of what was caked on them, and they always came out spotless. With other pods I either had to rinse the dishes before or rinse them after ☹️ We also used Miele’s water softener salt and drying agent. We did have well water, which is very hard, to the appliances so that may have played some part in the machine and detergent’s’ efficacy.

I do suspect water quality has a lot to do with how effective various tablets are--my in-laws have very hard water and use salt and pre-rinse everything with their Miele. We have mellow water and never pre-rinse anything and get beautifully clean dishes. (But that said, I'd be surprised if there's magic sauce in the Miele tablets that isn't replicated in at least some of the other brands, even if not all of them.) OP, why not pick another to try and just see how it goes? (We chose a brand based on some preferences around ingredients + cost + ease of buying it; your criteria will undoubtedly vary.)

Thank you all so much for your input and suggestions. I really appreciate it! I use their salt and rinse aid because we do have well water that’s very hard here. But, you’ve given me several great new options for dishwasher detergent, and I’m definitely going to start using them instead from now on! Yes!!!

Ive had a miele dishwasher since 2004 and have never used their tablets. i am using cascade ladvanced power liquid and have used finish tabs. just dont use very much or your dishes and dishwasher will smell bad. like a wet dog. I dont use salt because we have soft water