Miele W3922wps V W3824wps

[alanfg41]

As a new member of Washerhelp my wife and I are looking for some guidance. Having had a variety of washing machines over the years, non of which were particularly reliable except for a very basic Indesit we bought about 40 years back which lasted about 16 years, 6 of which were washing for a new baby.

We have finally decided on a Miele but can't decide on which one. The W3922 & W3824 both seem to fit the bill but I am tempted by the Professional motor and the load size/ dispensing on the W3922, however it does seem to have bells and whistles that we don't need. It seems that the W3824 might be a later addition to the range and looks simpler to use. The program that will get the most "welly" will be cotton 40 degrees, so I am told by the boss. Both machines are exactly the same price so which is the best way to go? I need help, "im only a man", doing the research. PLEASE HELP !!!

Alan

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Welcome Alan. Both washing machines are listed as "traditional" in style but the second one (W 3824 WPS) has a slightly more modern-looking control panel, which I personally prefer. Both models have a 6kg Honeycomb drum, 1600 maximum spin speed and a 10 year warranty. I can't see any other significant difference apart from the first one (W 3922 WPS) having the silent professional motor and the "waterproof system".  

In theory the W 3922 should be more expensive because it has the extra features. As there seems to be more people selling it the price could be dropping due to competition. If they are both the same price then clearly the better choice is the W 3922.

 

I would say it is unnecessary to pay much extra for the professional motor unless quietness is extremely important. I currently have a Miele W 3740 which doesn't have a silent professional motor (and therefore has the same motor as the W 3824) and the sound insulation level is only a level "2" (as opposed to the sound insulation level “4" that these two have - however, I can confidently say that a Miele washing machine with their “normal” motor is extremely quiet - and should be more than quiet enough for all but the very finicky.

As for the waterproof system, this is an extra safety feature described as follows - "a double safety valve can switch off the water supply within seconds of a leak occurring". The W 3922 WPS has the "Water Control System" instead which is, "a float switch that detects leaks and can trigger the water inlet to close". Again, this is in theory not quite as good as the waterproof system but should be perfectly adequate for most people unless paranoid about leaks (if living in a flat for example)

Both washing machines are quality and highly reliable. The Load Size & Dispensing Recommendation feature of the W 3922 is supposed to calculate the amount of detergent required according to the weight and soiling level of the load. I assume you would tell the machine what level of soiling the laundry has and the washer must weigh the load and display the recommended amount of detergent. Without more knowledge of how it all works I must admit it seems a little unnecessary to me, especially if you are using pre defined quantities of detergent in tablet form for example. It may be a refined feature but I'm not sure how useful it really is.

I can also personally recommend the cheaper W 3740 if you would be satisfied with a 1400 spin and less features, while retaining the same build quality. Watch out for my review coming soon.

[alanfg41]

We very much appreciate your very detailed reply, looks like we may well go for the W3740 you recommend, if i can get one at the right price. Is the 1400 spin ok on heavy cottons like towels etc? We only have experience of 1200 on our old Hotpoint. Thanks again for the help.

What a brilliant website.

Regards

Alan

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello Allan. 1400 spin should be fine. I have an opinion on spin speeds here - Are washing machine spin speeds a con? I don't claim it to be definitive, but I do think spin speeds are used to hike up washing machine prices and there has to be a point with spin speeds where the higher price, extra noise, and extra wear and tear isn't worth the small amount of extra water extracted.

The 1600 may well remove a little bit more water (it's spin rating is A as opposed to a B for 1400) - but how much more it removes is not qualified. To me, saying one thing is A and one is B only proves that A is, "better" but how much better? Is it even significantly noticeable other than in lab tests?

We find that the 1400 spin speed is perfectly adequate. The W3740 is a superb washing machine and by the looks of things about £100 cheaper.

The W3740 also has a 6Kg drum and 10 year warranty but on Miele's web site you can compare up to 4 of their models side by side to check that it's adequate for your needs.

[alanfg41]

Thanks again for your help, W3740 looks like the one we will go for.

Regards

Alan

[alanfg41]

Sorry to be a pain but one final question before i order the W3740. I am a little concerned about the level of noise, as it is only rated a 2 on a scale of 1-5. I realise that it's difficult ,if not impossible, to describe a noise level and i know that you said that the W3740 would be ok "for all but the very finicky" so how might it compare to a 12 year old Hotpoint for example?

Regards

Alan

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello Alan. It should be a lot quieter and considerably more stable. You can balance a coin on the top of it while it's spinning at full spin while loaded with laundry. The only time the coin tips over is when it stops spinning as the drum slows to a halt (starting up spinning and coming out of spin are the times where there is the most movement on a washing machine). On wash it will be earily quiet.

[alanfg41]

Thanks again, i'm just off to order the W3740. I will keep you posted with a review in a week or two.

Alan

[alanfg41]

Following a short period of communication with Washerhelp trying to decide between the Miele W3922wps and the W3824wps and a recommendation by Washerhelp of the W3740 (assuming that 1400 spin would suit us), I purchased the W3740 about 3 weeks ago. No other way of describing it but to say " First Class". It's built like a block of flats, much quieter and more stable that any machine we have previously had, excellent wash, and the 1400 spin is brilliant, lightweight items come out almost dry. It has enough features to suit our lifestyle and yet remain very simple to use. The 10 year warranty has just been confirmed with the receipt of our certificate, and this particular feature makes us feel even better. You were right the about 1400 spin, and it saved us about £100 over the 1600 spin models.

Superb piece of engineering, we can thoroughly recommend Miele and the W3740 in particular.

Thanks again for your much valued help.

Regards

Alan