Miele washing machines: Build quality
This independent review examines the ethos of the washing machine manufacturer Miele, and why they are a lot more expensive than most other washing machines such as Hoover, Hotpoint, Whirlpool and many others.
Reading this review, you could be forgiven for thinking I wrote it specifically to promote Miele. My enthusiasm however is totally genuine and not solicited by Miele in any way - Washing machine reviews policy
If you don't want to read the Miele build quality overview, you can go directly to some actual Miele washing machine reviews - Miele W 3740 review | Miele W864 review
Summary
What kind of washing machine would you end up with, if quality and reliability was the main influence on its design and production? You end up with a washing machine that combines the build quality and reliability of products from decades ago, with the sophistication, and energy efficiency of modern technology. The company motto at Miele is, "forever better". They are one of the minority of washing machine manufacturers that decided to build the best product they were capable of, even though to achieve this standard, their product would be amongst the most expensive in the business and the majority of people would be put off by the price. That's what I respect about companies like Miele.
About Miele washing machines
I'd known for years about Miele's reputation for producing some of the quietest, and most reliable washing machines available. I'd not recommended Miele washers to my customers though. I suppose I'd always been put off by the extra cost, and concerns about getting a Miele washing machine repaired if it does go wrong. However, after finally doing some proper research into the declining quality of new washing machines currently on sale, I stared to realise, that in the UK at least, Miele probably make the best washing machine you can buy.
OK, so Miele washing machines seem very expensive. To be fair though, there is a good argument that in the long run, a Miele washing machine is actually cheaper to own than the cheapest washing machine. There's an old saying that springs to mind, "buy cheap, buy twice". If something costs twice as much to buy, but lasts more than twice as long, it's actually cheaper isn't it? It's just the up-front costs that are higher.
Will a Miele washing machine last over twice as long as a cheap one? Well, I can't say for certain, but it should do, (Miele themselves expect their washing machines to last 20 years) and it'll be a lot quieter, more sophisticated and more reliable too.
What's wrong with cheaper washing machines?
The trouble with many washing machines these days, is that their design and reliability seems to be dictated almost entirely by costs. The majority of washing machine manufacturers are fighting out a long running price war, which will probably end up with them all being taken over by large global companies until there are just one or two companies making washing machines worldwide. Already, many apparently competing washing machines are actually owned by the same companies. ( Who owns who? Who really makes your washing machine )
In an ideal world, companies making a product should make it as well as they possibly can, and then sell it at what it costs, plus the profit margin. Unfortunately though, this results in a product costing a lot more than the average person is prepared to pay. So manufacturers usually do it the other way round. They find out or guess what most people will pay and build the product to sell at that price. This usually results in a lot of corners being cut, then as competition increases, these products can become lower and lower in quality until they become rubbish - but most people still buy them because they won't pay for a "proper" one. People usually get what they pay for. Frankly, if you've had nothing but trouble for many years with your washing machines and think they are rubbish, it's possibly because you won't pay up for a good one. To be fair though, most people just don't think of it like this, or aren't even aware that high quality washing machines are available. ( If you're thinking, "what does he mean, I paid a lot of money for my last washing machine?" Read this - If I buy a more expensive washing machine do I actually get a better one? )
The manufacturers who have decided to compete in the most competitive price range, must keep their washing machines strictly within this price range at all costs. As manufacturing costs constantly increase, they daren't pass on the costs to customers. Manufacturing costs constantly have to be cut to maintain the final selling price and stay in the competition. To be fair, many cost savings are achieved with improved manufacturing techniques and other methods, but there's only so far you can go without having to start compromising quality.
Continued on next column ...
Best Retailer
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John Lewis are a great place to buy a washing machine from. They give at least 2 years guarantee on all washing machines and other appliances - and even 3 years on their own brand (plus 5 year guarantees on TV's).
Miele washing machines
Miele Washing Machines at John Lewis
Free standard delivery on everything
They have also been voted top of the customer satisfaction polls by Which? consumer association.
How useful are these washing machine reviews?
For information about my washing machine reviews and what my aims and intentions are please see the washing machine reviews main section.
Overview continued (from left column) ..
What's wrong with the majority of washing machine manufacturers?
Ultimately, the obsession with supplying washing machines at ridiculously cheap prices has resulted in a plethora of virtually throwaway washing machines. These washing machines are noisy in operation, dance around the kitchen, and suffer long known about and totally unnecessary breakdowns.
I've seen mains cables and fill hoses get so short they don't even reach in many situations. Many washing machines now have basic time-locks which make a customer wait two minutes to open the door whereas before they had more sophisticated (and more expensive) systems that let the customer into the machine as soon as it stopped.
Over the last 30 years, I've seen many individual parts getting cheaper - but much poorer in quality. Dozens of metal parts have been replaced by plastic parts, and parts that used to be repaired if a minor fault occurred, now only come as complete items. The worst example of this is when a simple coil goes open circuit on a motor, or a bearing wears. The only option on many of the cheaper washing machines is to fit a whole new motor which costs nearly as much as the machine did in the first place. This, is one of the hidden costs of cheap washing machines.
In fact, many of these manufacturers now appear to rely heavily on the profit from supplying spare parts to make up the shortfall in profit from making the washing machines in the first place. If this is the case, then they don't have much incentive to improve the quality of some of the parts inside.
Of course, if quality was too poor, it could start to get counter-productive, so a suspicion is that many washing machine manufacturers keep their product just reliable enough to keep people buying, but unreliable enough to make lots of profit on the spares. Of course, this could just be an inevitable side effect of trying to keep prices artificially low as discussed here, Do new washing machines have built-in obsolescence?
Are there any downsides to Miele washing machines?
There are two downsides. The first is obvious, and that is cost. A quality washing machine simply costs more. More to buy and more to repair. The second potential downside is that there are very few independent washing machine repairers that repair Miele washing machines, and there is a small percentage who will have a go, but don't have the equipment and knowledge to do it properly. Unless a fault was very simple, they could end up wasting your time and money. At worse they could totally misdiagnose the fault, or lacking the computer laptop and diagnostic software carried by Miele engineers, could be unable to diagnose or even calibrate the machine.
My advice would be that if investing in a Miele washing machine, you really need to be prepared to use Miele engineers for any future repairs. I would also be cautious if you think it would be a serious struggle to find the money for an expensive repair sometime in the future.
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Alternatives to Miele?
One new rival to Miele is the ISE10 washing machine with a 10 year guarantee, which I will be reviewing soon.
"Longer lifespan for less environmental damage. This machine is simply outstanding in terms of build quality and performance and is engineered from the outset to maximise the life of the machine. This is done by using higher quality components that are designed to last in excess of 8000 cycles, or over 20 years normal domestic use and by wherever possible, using steel and metal instead of plastic".
The ISE 10 washing machine is made by Asko in Sweden, a company with a good reputation for high quality washing machines. The main advantage of the ISE10 over Miele is the fact that repairs and technical assistance will be more forthcoming and cheaper - ISE10 washing machine
Miele forum
Although closed to new members & questions, my Miele washing machine forum may be of interest where people posted their feedback and asked questions about Miele washing machines.
Although my reviews are comprehensive and very detailed, they are limited in number and may not feature all the very latest models. Which? have the resources to review many of the latest washing machines and have a specially set up test laboratory. They also have a huge database of savvy members to gain reliability and satisfaction feedback from.
You can easily obtain a 30 day trial from them, which you may find useful as they review and advise on all products, not just washing machines. Which? Online 30 trial (NOTE: The Which? reviews and consumer advice is available immediately online).
Miele washing machine reviews - Miele W 3740 review | Miele W864 review
Miele washing machines
Miele Washing Machines at John Lewis
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Disclaimer
Please note that all information on Washerhelp is given freely and without warranty. I can't rule out errors in quoted specifications, features or sizes. Please double check any aspect that is important to you with your supplier before buying any washing machine.