A commercial dishwasher cleans a full rack in about two minutes.
I have worked washing dishes at two local shelters, the Pine Street Inn and the Women's Lunch Place.
The Miele PFD 104 can't do that, but it is measurably faster than a residential dishwasher.
If you cook every night, entertain often or run back-to-back loads, you already know the wait. The dishwasher is still running, and the next load is piled in the sink.
We sell and service Miele. In this article, we compare the PFD 104 against two competing dishwashers: the Thermador Star Sapphire DWHD661EPR and the Cove DW2451.
You will learn:
- What the PFD 104 costs and how its specs compare
- Who should buy it, and who should skip it
- How it washes, dries and holds up in service
- What you need to install it
- Where it falls short, and how it compares to Thermador and Cove
- Common questions about the PFD 104
Miele PFD 104 Specs: What Are You Getting?
Buy this if…
- Run two or more loads most days
- Entertain often and need dishes ready before the next course
- Want professional-style speed without rewiring your kitchen
Skip it if…
- Run one load a day
- Want a dishwasher you can’t hear in an open kitchen
- Are buying a Sub-Zero and Wolf or Thermador package
Who Should Buy the Miele PFD 104?
Who the Miele PFD 104 Is Best For
- You cook frequently and run two or more loads most days
- You entertain often and need dishes ready again before the next course
- You want professional-style speed without rewiring your kitchen
- You want Miele's reliability record behind a high-use machine
Who Should Skip the Miele PFD 104
- You run one load a day, so speed is not an issue
- You have an open kitchen and want a dishwasher you can't hear
- You are buying a Sub-Zero and Wolf or Thermador package and can capture a package discount
What Does the Miele PFD 104 Do Well?
Miele PFD 104 Cycle Times vs. Thermador and Cove
The PFD 104 washes and dries pots and pans in 1 hour 16 minutes. In Miele's comparison, the Thermador takes 2 hours 20 minutes, and the Cove takes 3 hours 55 minutes.
That makes the Miele about 1.8 times faster than the Thermador and 3.1 times faster than the Cove.
The normal cycle tells the same story. The Miele finishes in about an hour (1 hour 3 minutes), against 2 hours 15 minutes for the Thermador and 2 hours 40 minutes for the Cove.
Why the Miele PFD 104 Washes So Fast
The main reason is a much more powerful water heater. It brings the water up to temperature far faster than a typical home dishwasher can.
Most dishwashers spend a large share of each cycle waiting for the water to heat. The PFD 104 skips most of that wait, so more of the cycle goes to actually cleaning.
Miele PFD 104 Durability and Rated Cycle Life
The PFD 104 is part of Miele’s ProfiLine, its line of professional dishwashers built for frequent daily use, not just an occasional load. Miele rates it for 12,500 cycles.
At two loads a day, that works out to about 17 years. At three loads a day, it is still more than 11 years.
However, ratings really mean nothing. They could have said 15,000 cycles.
What counts is the five-year warranty Miele includes with the purchase of this dishwasher.
Miele PFD 104 Wash System: Two Pumps and Three Spray Arms
The Miele Professional has two pumps, so all three spray arms run at the same time.
In many other dishwashers, the spray arms alternate. With the PFD 104, more water is cleaning your dishes throughout the cycle.
180°F Final Rinse: Restaurant Sanitizing Temperature
The final rinse runs at 180°F.
That is the temperature restaurants must reach when their dishwasher doesn't use chemical sanitizers.
Other high-end dishwashers, like KitchenAid, Cove and Bosch, finish their rinse well below that, at 156°F to 162°F.
Because the heater reaches these temperatures so quickly, the hotter rinse doesn't slow the cycle down.
After a dinner party or a busy cooking session, you can get through the next load sooner.
Miele PFD 104 Drying System and Auto-Open Door
The PFD 104 uses the same drying approach as Miele's home dishwashers. Cooler air from your kitchen comes in through two ports at the bottom.
That cool air meets the hot steam inside, and the steam turns back into water. Then the door pops open on its own to let out the last of the steam.
Because the dishes come out hotter, they dry faster, even faster than in Miele's own high-end home dishwashers. Your dishes are ready again sooner.
Miele PFD 104 Warranty: Five Years Through 2026
Miele is offering a five-year warranty on its professional dishwashers through December 31, 2026, with registration. We expect Miele may extend it, but that is not confirmed.
Neither the Thermador nor the Cove matches five years of full coverage.
Cove covers two years of full parts and labor. After that, it covers select parts only, through year five.
Does the Miele PFD 104 Need a Water Softener?
If you are on soft water, such as MWRA towns like Boston, Newton or Quincy, you may rarely need the softener.
If you are on a private well or in a hard-water town, keep the softener filled with dishwasher salt. Never use table salt or softener pellets, which can damage the machine.
What Do You Need to Install the Miele PFD 104?
The PFD 104 plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet, so you don't need the dedicated high-voltage circuit many professional dishwashers require.
Miele's larger PFD 404 needs a 240-volt, 30-amp circuit. Our Miele PFD 404 review covers that machine.
- Electrical: Standard 120-volt outlet. No dedicated 240-volt circuit required.
- Opening: 24-inch cabinet opening, about 33.3 to 35.8 inches high and 22.4 inches deep.
- Panel: A custom cabinet panel and handle, since this model ships without a front.
- Water: Standard dishwasher water and drain hookups.
- Salt: Dishwasher salt for the built-in softener if you have hard water.
- Service: Confirm who services Miele Professional dishwashers in your area.
Budget for the custom panel through your cabinetmaker.
Where Does the Miele PFD 104 Fall Short?
Miele Dishwasher Reliability and Professional Model Service
This drawback is unusual, because Miele is the most reliable dishwasher brand we sell, at 5.6% service in the first year. Normally, reliability wouldn't be a con.
Last year, our technicians ran more than 33,000 service calls.
The closest dishwasher brand to Miele was Bosch Benchmark at 7.7%. The dishwasher category averages 8.8%, and appliances overall average 8.3%.
See our most reliable dishwashers list for the full ranking.
That brand-wide reliability figure is useful context, but it does not establish the service rate of this specific PFD 104. It is a professional machine, and fewer technicians have worked on one.
The more practical question is whether qualified service for this professional model is available in your area. Before you buy, ask who will service it where you live.
Miele PFD 104 Noise Level: 45 dB
You might expect a dishwasher this fast to sound like a train in your kitchen. It doesn't, but it isn't silent.
The PFD 104 runs at 45 dB. Below 44 dB, you generally can't hear a dishwasher, so at one decibel over, you'll hear it faintly.
Most other high-end dishwashers run 37 to 42 dB, and you won't hear them at all. The Thermador Star Sapphire is 42 dB, and the Cove is 41 dB.
Miele PFD 104 Price: $5,611 List
The PFD 104 SCVi XXL lists at $5,611, but you’ll often find it for less, since many dealers sell it below list.
If you only need a standard 120-volt hookup, we also carry a 120-volt-only version, the PFD 104 SCVi XXL 120V, in our overstock outlet for $3,200 while stock lasts.
At list, the PFD 104 costs more than twice the Thermador Star Sapphire ($2,499) and nearly twice the Cove ($2,861).
Inside a kitchen package, the gap widens. The Thermador drops to $1,100 and the Cove to $1,861.
You are paying for speed and frequent-use capability. If you don’t need either, that money is better spent elsewhere in your kitchen.
How Does the Miele PFD 104 Compare to Thermador and Cove?
When to Choose the Miele PFD 104
If you cook frequently, entertain or regularly run multiple loads, the Miele Professional is a compelling option. If you don't, it may not be the best fit for you.
When to Choose the Thermador Star Sapphire
Thermador may be a better fit if quiet operation or package pricing matter more to you.
The Star Sapphire DWHD661EPR lists at $2,499. With a qualifying Thermador kitchen package, $1,399 comes off, bringing it to $1,100. Thermador's brand service rate is 8.1%, below the 8.8% dishwasher average.
When to Choose the Cove DW2451
The Cove from Sub-Zero lists at $2,861. Inside a Sub-Zero and Wolf package, $1,000 comes off, bringing it to $1,861.
At that price, it is quiet, well built and a third of the Miele's list price.
Much like the Thermador, the Cove is quieter and has decent racks, but it isn't designed like a professional dishwasher, because it isn't one.
Should You Buy the Miele PFD 104?
It comes down to one question: how many times a day do you run your dishwasher?
If you cook frequently, entertain or regularly run multiple loads, the Miele Professional offers fast turnaround and is designed for frequent use.
You will get through those loads much faster than with a conventional dishwasher.
If you typically run one load a day and prioritize quiet operation or a coordinated appliance package for far less money, Thermador may make more sense.
If you want Miele's cleaning and reliability without the professional price, look at the Miele G 7000 series. Our best Miele dishwashers guide compares the full lineup.
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 33,000 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.
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