Thinking of a Miele W1512 but door is hinged on the wrong side

[uumode]

Thinking of a Miele W1512 as a replacement but very irritatingly the door is hinged on the wrong side restricting access in our utlity room.

Also the drum is small compared to most machines and it doesn't appear to have a delay start.

The AEG L64810 which was tested by Which? to have the same clean/rinse/dry/noise/ performance and running costs as the W1512, has a bigger 6KG drum, door opens on the correct side and has a delay start. Bad point is it looks plain ugly compared to the Miele and is not that much cheaper (Miele is about £430 for me and the AEG is about £380)

Which one?

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

New washing machines don't appear to run as significantly cheaper as you might think - although to quote a famous slogan, “every little helps”. Savings quoted are £10 a year if replacing a washing machine bought in 1995. Replacing one a fair bit older than that though should save more. Washing machines offer the least energy cost savings of the white goods, replacing a fridge freezer from 1995 offers the highest savings and would save around £45.

This is one of the reasons why I wrote my topic ECO energy labels and washing machines in which I advise against focusing too much on the energy labels of washing machines. The main point being that you could choose a washing machine with AAA ratings, but it could be rubbish; noisy, unstable, unreliable and even uneconomical to repair after several years. Conversely, another make of washing machine could be ABB (for example) but could last twice as long because it's simply a much better make, which one is the cheapest to run? The energy labels should be just a minor detail these days.

The Miele door hinging on the "wrong" side always struck me as weird. I can't think of any advantage at all, although there's probably one somewhere. Miele don't tend to go for being different just for the sake of it. However, I think the reason is only likely to be relevant to Miele, or the Germans - or anyone in the UK who happens to find this arrangement suits their kitchen.

Miele do make washing machines with bigger drums, faster spins and more options but they are just more expensive. The Miele W1512 washing machine is relatively basic. It costs the same as a souped-up “ordinary” washing machine coming with a faster spin, bigger drum and more options. The money spent on a W1512 is going more into build quality, whereas the money going into the fancy one is focused more on features. To me, it's a going for a basic Ford Focus over a high spec Lada or a BMW over a Ford type of thing. Ultimately there is a big demand for both kinds of option. However, AEG are a decent machine, and quality wise are a bit nearer Miele than the household name “ordinary” washing machines like Servis, Indesit, Hoover Hotpoint Candy etc. The price difference between the Miele and AEG should drop though if you compare the AEG you mention with a similarly specified Miele. A Miele W3240 for example, has a 6Kg drum and 1400 spin plus more options, but it costs (depending where you buy it) anything from as high as £660 to £885. So AEG’s are a fair bit cheaper than Miele’s and a decent compromise choice if you want more features without significantly sacrificing quality.

As for the LG steam washing machine. I personally would not be interested in trialing out such totally “revolutionary” new technology, which if history serves as a fair guide, is inevitably likely to either take years to perfect, or just not take off and disappear. I can’t see it being particularly economical either although I haven’t seen any specifications. For some reason, sudden new technology or innovation in washing machines doesn’t seem to take off. Personally I reckon it’s because they inevitably cost more, and the UK public just don’t want to spend much on their washing machines - which is what I’m trying to help change.

[uumode]

Wow, thanks for all those pointers.

I'm sold on Miele now, especially after reading this press release

still can't decide which Miele though :

- and does it actually matter if I don't get a Miele with a free 10 year guarantee, from the info below, it may actually be 'redundant'?

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Press Release

No. 181/2006

Miele: World Cup endurance test for washing machines and tumble dryers passed with flying colours

Running non-stop for 10,000 hours

A 20 year life for the washing machine

Gutersloh – The Miele washing machine and Miele tumble dryer have successfully completed the washing machine longevity test. Both appliances have been running non-stop since 5 July 2005 and in this time have washed and dried more than 30 tons of washing. At 3.15pm on 31 August they reached the magic 10,000 hours of non-stop operation. For the washing machine, this equates to a lifespan of 20 years, while the tumble dryer, with its shorter programme length, achieves a life of 26 years. During this time the machines had next to no rest, their drums pausing only to allow the washing to be replaced. The test was broadcast in its entirety on the internet via webcam. The washing machine and tumble dryer will continue to run until 8 September to prove that they're still not tired even now.

185 washing machines and tumble dryers stand cheek by jowl in Miele's test laboratory. They run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Detergent is added automatically and the washing in the tumble dryer is automatically moistened over and over again. The machines are only allowed a break for the laundry to be changed or the fluff filter to be cleaned. There's just a quick breather between programmes when new detergent is added.

Time is counted in programme cycles. Each machine must clock up 5,000. That's the equivalent of 10,000 hours of operation for a washing machine and 7,500 for a tumble dryer. This converts to a lifetime of 20 years at a rate of 5 programme cycles a week. Every Miele machine must last for at least this long. That's why they are constantly being tested, new developments and prototypes alongside standard machines that are taken straight from the production line. Machines that fail the test do not go on sale.

The trouble taken by our technicians is worth it, as shown in domestic surveys. A consumer survey carried out by the GfK in Nuremberg established that Miele's appliances really do have the longest lives – 18.5 years for washing machines, for example, while tumble dryers are used for even longer: 18.6 years. In comparison with the average lifespan of domestic appliances, the owner of a Miele appliance can look back on a lifetime that is up to 40 percent longer.

Testing down to the smallest detail

Even the tiniest parts that make up a Miele machine have to satisfy Miele's high standards. Following the motto that "only the best will make it", this means that every component is stringently tested before it is used in an appliance. Everything, down to screws, seals and hinges, undergoes testing to ensure it meets the manufacturer's quality standards.

Before an appliance can go into series production, all the programmes and functions are checked again to ensure they stand up to Miele's demands. These tests are carried out during the production process, directly on the production line. Each individual machine – not just washing machines and tumble dryers, but every other product as well, such as dishwashers, ovens or vacuum cleaners – is tested at intermediary stages and at the end of the production process. The intermediary tests check the functioning of individual parts and components. The test at the end checks all the programmes. If something is not quite right, the machines are removed from production and the problem investigated and eliminated. Only appliances that function 100% correctly are passed on to the packaging plant and the consumer. In addition to this final test, Miele regularly take machines off the production line for random tests. These appliances are subjected to the full range of individual and longevity tests.

Even before appliances are assembled, individual parts are set a hard test. For example, the door lock and hinges for a washing machine must withstand 60,000 operations. If there is a problem, the parts simply won't be used. The whole washing machine is shown no mercy when it comes to the spin test: it has to spin perfectly at top speed for 800 hours. This test is a challenge for every part of the machine, sorting the good parts from the bad. Not until the machine can pass this ruthless test with honours will it be allowed to pass into production.

International consumer tests prove time and again that the rigorous testing of Miele machines is worth it. Currently, the Miele W 254 toploader is the category winner of the washing machine test in the Stiftung-Warentest (9/2006), while last year the W 2241 WPS washing machine won in test 9/2005.

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[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Very interesting, although it should be pointed out that this a Miele press release. It would be even more impressive if the tests were done independantly although I do believe you can't buy a better made washing machine in the UK. Even Rolls Royces can break down, and if a high quality product needs repairing it's usually not a cheap event so a 10 year guarantee is comforting to some. Chances are though, that most people wouldn't really need a 10 year guarantee and may not get full value for money if they paid a lot extra for it.

[uumode]

Very interesting, although it should be pointed out that this a Miele press release. It would be even more impressive if the tests were done independantly although I do believe you can't buy a better made washing machine in the UK. Even Rolls Royces can break down, and if a high quality product needs repairing it's usually not a cheap event so a 10 year guarantee is comforting to some. Chances are though, that most people wouldn't really need a 10 year guarantee and may not get full value for money if they paid a lot extra for it.

boy, what a journey I've had.

Originally I was going for a John Lewis 2 year guarantee job, then revised my decision to an AEG, then again to a Miele W1512 £430 ish, then thought as it should last me another 20 years I might as well splash out in style and get an all singing and dancing W3922 at £833 ish, then questioned if I actually needed the extra features and settled for a W3240/A from Dixons (what ever that /A means, which has been pointed out in another thread - I also emailed Miele, awaiting a response).

I was quite tempted by the Silent Professional Motor of the W3922 but figured as I have a dedicated utility room and have the door closed anyway, I'd be spending extra money for a quiter motor which I wouldn't benefit from (e.g. if I had the washer in the kitchen area then I would benefit from the quieter motor).

Bascially an extra £200 or so for the Miele upgrade from my original target Miele W1512, to a 6KG honeycomb care drum, a 10 year guarantee, 200 more RPM, and some other functions. I was quite a sucker for Miele's honeycomb technology - looks so nice compared to the innards of my Philips - which is more related to a cheese grater!

Now await delivery...