Miele G 1202

I know Miele washing machines to be highly durable and efficient so when the time came I decided to purchase a Miele dishwasher to go into my newly finished kitchen. My husband who made the kitchen cabinets had allowed a space of 50cm on the left hand side of the sink cupboard, so I was definitely requiring a slimline freestanding model and after several gulps at the price I chose the white Miele 45cm 1202 SC. I have found this model currently priced between £575.00- £695.00.

~ Exterior Description ~
I was immediately impressed by the sleek modern design, the 'white' is an ivory white which looks classy in my opinion. At the top under the central handle there is a display panel and beneath that the classic oval shaped Miele control buttons arranged simply and clearly. Now, appliance controls do need to be very straightforward for me, I'm not one for using a multitude of different programme settings, timers and so forth. The dishwasher measures 57cm deep, 45cm wide and has an adjustable height of 85 to 88cm. My husband had no problem in moving the dishwasher into position and there was a good length of cable, inlet and outlet pipes for ease of installation.

~ Interior Description ~
Internally, there are three drawers. The bottom and deepest drawer features large plate storage at the front and a good size area at the back for saucepans, bowls etc but also adjustable racking. The middle drawer has small plate size storage central front and back, either side and in between a good general open area and further adjustable racking. The top shallow drawer for cutlery and utensils is again well designed for flexibility of use. Small items can be safely placed here because the moulded mesh base of this drawer has areas with a textured finish to prevent items from sliding. All drawers run on rollers and move quite freely even when loaded.

~ Use ~
The tablet/liquid and rinse aid dispenser on the inside of the door has push button release catches which operate smoothly and securely. I use tablets mostly and my rinse aid is white vinegar. The machine remains clean. The bottom drawer can slide right out if necessary, but you only need to pull it forward two thirds of the way over the door to access the filter for occasionally checking and washing through.

There are 7 washing programmes including sensor washing. A quick 40 degrees wash lasts approximately 30 minutes including a short drying period where items are partially dried. The hottest wash at 75 degrees, apparently for pots and pans, I have never found the need to use. I generally stick to a 50 degree 'turbo' (meaning quick) energy saving wash as this gives very good results for dinner plates, baking and cooking items including saucepans and the drying function leaves little need for a tea towel.

The display panel will show your chosen washing programme and a count down on time remaining. It will indicate when a top up of rinse aid is required and when necessary inform of water inlet problems and faults. The water inlet light has flashed several times due to a troublesome outside filter on our water supply sourced from a spring fed well. There has not been any faults with the machine.

A slight irritation is the stiffness of the door when closing absolutely shut. It often appears to be closed adequately but the machine will not respond to 'start' and so the door needs an additional push. Rather odd and a shame when everything else, as far as I'm concerned, is designed so thoughtfully and operates smoothly.

It runs reasonably quietly for a dishwasher and is an energy saving model with AAA rating. For a slimline dishwasher I can manage to fit a surprising amount in there and I'm constantly pleased with its performance, I have hardly ever taken something out which hasn't washed or rinsed properly.

~ Conclusion ~
After nearly two years of use I'm still impressed with the Miele 1202 SC. So, yes I would say for a slimline dishwasher Meile is definitely worth the extra expense. A very efficient machine and produces good reliable results.

Thanks for reading x
© Lunaria 2012
This review also appears on dooyoo.