Jenn-Air and Miele. This comparison could easily be titled KitchenAid vs. Miele, because KitchenAid and Jenn-Air are essentially the same dishwasher. Both are divisions of Whirlpool Corporation.
It is still an interesting comparison of American and European dishwashers, with Jenn-Air being one of the best American dishwashers and Miele being the best European dishwasher.
We will look at both companies and their products then compare the models.
Miele
Miele is a German company founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann. Miele aims to manufacture the highest-quality domestic appliances and commercial equipment in the world.
They are the the largest family-owned company in the world. The company’s founding father’s motto was, "Success is only possible in the long term if one is totally and utterly convinced of the quality of one's products".
They are the most integrated appliance manufacturer, producing an astounding 96.8% of all their dishwasher components.
In fact, the only parts subcontracted on the dishwasher are the wheels under the racks. This level of quality control is their reason for the fewest repairs in the industry and relatively high prices.
Most Miele dishwashers (except the entry model) includes a proprietary advanced drying system, drawing room temperature air through a port at the bottom of the appliance. The steam is attracted to the side wall and dispersed.
G6985SCVI Diamond Series - $2,499
Features
- Hidden control panel, requires custom panel
- Knock2open
- 14 wash programs
- 3D cutlery tray
- Built-in water softener
- Quiet Rating: 38 dBa with ExtraQuiet program
Jenn-Air
Jenn-Air started as an independent company in Indianapolis. They were mostly known for convection, cooking and downdraft ventilation. After being acquired by Maytag in the early 1990s, Jenn-Air languished until Whirlpool purchased Maytag 10 years later.
Whirlpool has invested 300 million into the Jenn-Air brand, mostly in cooking and is the most aggressive in rebates in the appliance industry.
Most other companies have followed Jenn-Air (along with Frigidaire and Thermador) in aggressively rebating their products especially in the affordable luxury niche. As I said before, Jenn-Air is really KitchenAid.
JDB9600CWS TriFecta $1,799
($400 when purchased with a Jenn Air Pro series range or cooktop and wall oven combo)
Features
- Cycle Status Light
- 44 dBA
- Concealed Controls with LED Display
- Multi-position Silverware Basket with Covers
- Upper Rack with UltraGlide Rails
- Sensor Wash Cycle with ClearScan™ Turbidity Sensor
- Condensation Drying
- WaterLock™ Plus Flood Protection Technology
Which Should You Buy?
First, Jenn-Air has a very aggressive rebate program when combined with other purchases. When you are buying a really good dishwasher for free to $400, it’s worth purchasing that product for that rebate.
That being said, I like Jenn-Air/KitchenAid, they have nice features starting at $999. From a price standpoint, it is less expensive. You do not have to spend $999 for a decent dishwasher.
However, Miele is the best built, most durable product in the world and has the second lowest incidence of any product sold at Yale (read the article, The Most Reliable Appliance Brands). It also has the only true drying cycle in the industry.
Related Articles
Additional Resources
Download the Yale Dishwasher Buying Guide with features, specs and inside tips to every brand like Bosch, KitchenAid, Miele, Frigidaire, Electrolux and more. Well over 100,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
Why Should You Trust Us?
It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.
We are here to fill in the disconnect. We'll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what's right for you.
Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.
A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
