Does the new house have the electrical service to provide receptacles and adequate power for both the Miele washer and a typical 220v dryer? Otherwise, if you are determined on the Miele washer--a decent choice indeed, you may wish to get a Miele dryer, as it can be used with the Miele adapter box. Otherwise, count on some rewiring.

The Miele dryer, of course :-)

Jon

I like the Kenmore 7 cubic foot dryer with the hamper style door, and moister sensor. Last week Sears' had the electric version on sale for 379.00 This dryer is made by Whirlpool Corp for sears. not sure how well it will match the Miele washer but it comes in white like you wanted and if you want to go with gas there is a gas version that Miele doesn't offer.

I'm gettting one of these when my GE dryer gives up.

Appearance-wise, anything other than Meile will be obvious mis-match. If appearance doesn't matter, I'd get the GE Profile Harmony dryer. Good sensors, large capacity and powerful blower. Expensive, though.

CR just rated washers and dryers in the March issue, and the GE Profile DPSB620EC dryer was rated a best buy at $580. I have the same model from 3 years ago, and it's an excellent dryer. It's exceptionally quiet, fast and has a very low temp delicates setting that's great for certain things, like wrinkle resistant fabrics and lingerie. I don't think that this is the same GE Profile Harmony that asolo was talking about.

And it looks fine next to our Miele washing machine, even though the two don't "match".

If money is of no object, why don't you match it with a Professional Series Dryer from Miele?

I have a Miele washer and an old basic 1980's Whirlpool gas dryer.
It has regular, perma press, air fluff(whatever that is) auto dry and timed dry. It has a big drum blows lots of air, has two heat settings regular and low, is vented outside through the wall and it gets HOT.

Clothes and even towels dry in 15 to 20 minutes.
I will say though that I can wash more clothes in the washer than the dryer can dry even with the bigger drum, so with a smaller drum I guess I could dry even less clothes than the washer can wash.

When this dryer goes I am going to try to get another one just like it a basic no frills dryer and I don't care if it matches the washer or not.

FYI, "Miele white" is not the same color as standard US appliance white, if that makes a difference. It is a greyer and slightly yellower white. Also if you prefer to use natural gas or propane in the dryer, I don't believe Miele offers anything except electric models.

Another thing to think about is whether you'll like the Miele. Don't get me wrong I love my (older) Mieles, and wouldn't trade them for anything on the market today. And that, unfortunately, includes the Mieles that are for sale today in the US.

I'm not saying they are bad machines, or poor quality, but you should certainly spend some time reading the long threads posted by some recent purchasers of Miele machines that are not really all that satisfied with how they work. And please understand that some of the most satisfied Miele owners are those who don't live in the US. So while they have seemingly identical machines theirs are much more flexible, and in my opinion, better washers than anything you can buy here.

Yes, there are some bootleg programming upgrades you can do to the US Mieles to make them more like the non-US models, but you can't really make them as good as overseas ones, and doing so could void your warranty (though probably not damage your machine).

I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade but I think people buy Miele based mostly on its overall reputation, long-time customer satisfaction and long expected service life. Those are all true, but at the same time there are issues with the current models regarding how they perform as washers. And that after all, is why people buy them, isn't it?

If you know you'll love the Miele, then I'm sure you'll be happy. But if you are just assuming because you know the brandname that you'll auotmatically like how the US Miele washes, I would do some homework here.

Another good brand to consider is Asko. As it happens I have own both Asko and Miele machines, and consider them to be equally (though slightly different in wash action) satisfactory, and problem-free machines.

HTH

Molly~

Thanks for all the reponses. The reason I was not set on getting a Miele dryer is that there seems to be complaint about its capacity being small. Plus a dryer is a dryer. Why spend $$ on a Miele dryer when the American versions are if not better, at least as good?

It sounds like the Miele washer requires some changes in the electrics in the house, as most have mentioned. Can someone explain what it involves exactly?

Thanks for the mentioning of CR. I will definitely check into the GE dryer.

If I had it to do over again, I would NOT buy the Miele W1213 and would buy the Asko instead.

Molly is very right. I selected Miele for it quality. Unfortunately the washers Miele now sell in the US do not give the user the flexibility of the older Miele washers. There were selections on my old Kenmore that I really miss not having on the Miele, such as being to do a rinse/spin or just spin cycle only and being able to manually set water levels.

I also purchased a matching Miele dryer. I am not really happy with the length of time it is taking to dry my laundry. I fear it is going to make my electric bill go sky high! Your decision to go with a different brand of dryer is a wise one.

Miele washers require a 220 volt electrical supply because of the built in heater. They also require a particular wall socket to plug into - any Miele dealer can give you a one page sheet with the electrical requirements, or you can call the 800 number. The outlet is a standard NEMA designation that you can buy at any electrical supply place and any electrician can put in for you. If you don't have 220 service in the laundry room, a circuit will have to be run. You may already have 220 there for the dryer.

We have a five year old Miele (the W1926) and they really are terrific.

Sheryl, "Prelude" is quite right. The Miele dryer takes a very long time to dry and it has affected my electricity bill.

Sheryl,

It was DianeKY (among others), I was thinking of when I responded to your query suggesting you make sure you will like how Miele washes before you make the leap.

I have older 1918 models, Richard F's 1926 is also older, as are the 1986 models. All three of these are now discontinued and no longer available; replaced by the model you are considering.

Miele made the choice when bringing the current model to the US to offer only a significantly stripped-down version (at least with regard to cycle options) of the model that replaced the older ones I listed above. There are many theories why they elected to do this: they reportedly concluded that US residents who might consider their products didn't want to deal with so many options, and preferred a narrower range of pre-set cycles; and they may also have been lowering water and energy consumption to meet the next level of US standards. Whatever the reason, they only offer machines that though they look the same and belong in the same model line as the European and Australian versions, are simply not the same. Of course, the irony is that we pay more for a lesser machine, but apparently that fits Miele's strategy, too.

Now there are folks here on the forum, and in the US, who are perfectly satisfied, even delighted, with their new model Mieles, not only on the quality issues, but also the wash action, as well. But there are also people who struggle mightily to overcome functional washing problems with their new Mieles. And it doesn't appear to be the case that these machines are defective lemons, either. I think it possible that Miele, in adapting the machine for the US market, has inadvertently changed the machine enough so that it can only operate satisfactorily within a narrower range of water chemistry.

Or perhaps there is some other explanation. But I have been reading here on the boards for a long time, and though it is not true of every Miele owner, there is a steady drumbeat of problems being reported by thoughtful and resourceful people who are clearly trying really hard to work with their Miele and solve the puzzle of how to get it to wash well for them. If you've been here as long as I have, you can pretty quickly distinguish between those posters who just want to vent or find encouragement to return their machine, and those who are genuinely trying to figure it out.

I understand that NO machine line is perfect for everybody, but there is a disconnnect between paying the highest price for any FL washing machine available in the US and having so many people find it lacking in washing performance. I fully expect that the current Miele models' fit and finish, inherent, in-built quality and expected lifespan are fully up to the brand's usual standards. But who wants a 25-year-washer if it doesn't do a good job washing for a quarter of a century?

Sheryl, your question about electrical service was answered above. I would only add that if you were planning on a non-Miele electrical dryer you will likely need two 220 lines, and that not every 220v line will work for Mieles. For new constrcution this is not usually a problem, but some, much older, dryer hookups (220v) don't work, though I can't recall why just at the moment; perhaps it was something to do with the ground wire, or phases. At any rate any electrician can solve this, easily. The additional hardware (wire, socket etc.,) is not expensive; only labor, in some cases, to run the line can run into serious money.

I hope we have helped you; not made it harder to decide. It is always a setback when you're thinking you're all set to buy something and other people bring up issues..... (sorry)

Molly~

Would it be possible to stack another brand dryer on top of the miele? Either the touchtronic super capacity or the Little Giant.

Can you stack a gas dryer?

I've heard several people say the dry times are exceptionally long, which is surprising. I thought the wash spin would help reduce dry time?

Mieles should not be stacked unless they are a matching set. Miele makes a stacking kit just for this purpose so it is a solid and safe installation where the dryer legs are actually locked onto the top of the washer via the stacking kit. I would be afraid to put a non-matching dryer on top.

I've heard many people say that the dryer times for the residential Miele are quite long but I don't have personal experience. I have the Little Giant set and the drying times are actually about the same as my ex Kenmore HE3T set. According to the Miele Pro rep, the professional dryer is much faster but be prepared to hear the professional blower. It's loud!

Thanks for the feedback. I was also considering the little giant set as well and appreciate the feedback on the loud dryer. I think that is going to be quiet a problem. Was it louder than your HE3T dryer? I'm already kind of reluctant to get an electric dryer due to the operating costs so I may just have to switch to the Duet sport.

Yes, it is louder than the HE3T matching dryer but I love the reverse tumbling offered by the Miele. I will be speaking with the Miele pro rep tomorrow about the possibility of using an insulation package from another machine to put in the Little Giant to reduce the noise. If I can accomplish noise reduction, then I'll be much happier.

Go to a car stereo place and get "Dyna Mat". It's sound deadening sheets about 1/4" thick.

It works great in cars, should work good in washers too.

-------------------
VegMom wrote:

I will be speaking with the Miele pro rep tomorrow about the possibility of using an insulation package from another machine to put in the Little Giant to reduce the noise.

If I can accomplish noise reduction, then I'll be much happier.
-------------------

Thank you for the Dyna mat suggestion. DH knew exactly what it was when I told him! We're goint to give Miele a shot first since they are new machines and I don't want to do anything to void the warranty but if it doesn't work out, we'll certainly give the Dyna mat a try. Thank you!

Thanks Vegmom, if you don't mind, please post an update on the noise reduction package. I may consider this set as well.

Vegmom, can you give us a little giant update? Is the washer worth the relatively large investment?

I had the Miele W1119i washing machine and the T1339Ci installed in August. Both the washing time of 59 minutes and the drying time of 90 to200 minutes is excessive time involved to be doing - and waiting for - the laundry! I have called Abt, where I purchased them - and asked for an exchange which they are willing o do.
Because of Miele's small footprint (they are undercounter in my Master Bath), I think I have to stay with Miele, don't I? I will vent outside now, the electric is already there, and now it is decision time. I do want the fronts to match - therefore the previously Integrated units - any suggestions?
Something else?

IMO I agree with Byron - you should keep the Miele washer (any other European washer, even AEG is a downgrade IMO), but exchange the dryer out for a vented model. I own both vented and condenser European dryers, and the vented Bosch dries a load of towels in 40 minutes or so whereas the condenser AEG dryer takes at least 90 mins to dry the same load. But if I were you I would definitely keep the washer - you can't beat a Miele.

Jon

Byron1

Would you be so kind as to offer a feedback on your experience with your AEG and your ASKO washer and dryer sets? I am particularly interested in what models you have and how you rate the performance of the dryers.
I was planning to purchase the Miele W1213/T1403 but I am now looking into the AEG and ASKO units before making a decision. I previously had the AEG 74620 washer and the 37700 dryer. Although I was not thrilled about the dryer, I had always been pleased with the performance and flexibility of the washer (cycles and spin speed selection).
Thanks.

Leetikes - until recently - two weeks ago - when I put the AEG into storage due to space issues, I ran an AEG 86741 (UK equivalent to the 86760) alongside my Miele washer. The AEG was a nice machine, however it really did lag compared to the Miele. IMO, I found that the Miele could wash well on a short wash whereas the short wash ont he AEG was sluggish and sometimes didn't perform too well. Rinsing performance of the Miele is better - the AEG had a recirculating jet which made rinsing worse. Noise wise they were about the same, but on the upstairs floor the Miele was more stable than the AEG. The newer AEG machines aren't the same as your 74620 - since about 5 years ago now, they have used the same tub design and internal parts as the cheaper Zanussi and Bendix brands sold in Europe - i.e. AEG washers are just an Electrolux machine with an AEG badge on the front. IMO, whilst AEG are great machines compared to most other machines out there on the market - and they are a good choice, I still feel that the Miele is tons better in overall build quality, washing and rinsing performance, and time efficiency - this comes from using both machines almost equally side by side for 2 years or so.

Jon

leetikes:

Would you be so kind as to offer a feedback on your experience with your AEG and your ASKO washer and dryer sets? I am particularly interested in what models you have and how you rate the performance of the dryers.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Back in 2003 there were only 3 manufacturers of front load washers to choose from (that I knew of) - Asko, Miele & Creda. I decided to go with Asko because at that time the Miele washer only spun at 1200 whereas the Asko spun at 1500 rpm and sported nice touch controls. This was my first european washer & dryer.

ASKO/ASEA (circa Sept 1993)

The Asko set I own is the TOL Excellence 20004 washer & 7304 vented dryer. Although some have had bad experiences with their Askos, my unit has performed flawlessly in almost 13 years . The washer is solidy built and rinses clothes 5 times (optional 6th rinse available). Of all the FL washers I own, IMO it is best when it comes to stability, cycle flexibilty (i.e. temp control), opening door during the cycle and rinsing. The dryer is sensor drivin. It's quiet and drys all my clothes accurately the fist time.

AEG (circa Feb 2002)

The AEG set I own is TOL Lavamat 88840 washer & Lavatherm 37700 vented dryer. The 1800 RPM spin speed is what sold me on this baby as well as being the first consumer in USA to own one. Wash performance is great and lots of features. Of all my FL washers it is clearly the quitest (yes quiter than even Miele), sports a drum light and lots of options & indicators (lights up like a XMAS TREE). The dryer is sensor drivin. It is the only one I own that advises the remaining dry time.

Miele

w1918 washer paired with t1515 vented dryer
w1930 washer paired with t1520 vented dryer

These two sets were purchased in 2006 brand new at unheard of prices. Overall they are the same machines. The washer w1918 has a window the w1930 does not. The dryer t1515 has an angle control the t1520 has a straight panel. I'm still getting used to how they perform but so far I've been please. The build quality is THERE.

It's been over 18 months since Molly's (housekeeping) informative discussion about the Miele washers. Has anything changed in the US models?

If not, do you know if it's possible to get a European model rather than an American (maybe special order from someone)? If not in the US, how about from Canada? (I have easy access to Canada when I visit my parents and can drive over the Bridge to purchase from Canada.)

On dryers, it seems the bigger the better. As it has been noted, it is possible with the larger washers like Miele W48xx, Duets, HE5t, etc, to actually overload the dryer.

I had the Miele T9800 for about 5 months. Some observations. Overall a good dryer. List price is actually reasonable (I paid $1200). A little smaller at 6.4CF than other competitive dryers (7-7.3CF). And limited temp controls and very limited manual timer/temp options. Almost too limited, YMMV. Loud, but bearable (mostly air flow sounds). Nice SS drum, filter, all glass door, and reverse tumble. Normal setting sometimes slightly under dried clothes, but not a big problem.

I now have the HE5t matching Kenmore (Whirlpool) dryer. As posted, I returned my Miele W48xx machines. I did considered for a while just keeping (or getting another Miele T9800 dryer) to go with the HE5t. Eventually matching considerations and the ridiculously low price I ended up getting both the HE5t and dryer.

The Kenmore high-end dryer as compared to the Miele is bigger (7 vs 6.4 CF), shocking quite (like real quite), seems to dry about the same- time/dry level. Very flexible temp control and timer/temp options. Almost overkill. but nice to have. Digital readouts (including time remaining) instead of Miele status LED indicators. No SS drum nor option to get one. Overall pleased but lack of SS drum is concern.

If the Miele dryer was a little larger, a little quieter and had more manual temp/controls, it would be strong contender. The Miele looks like a high quality dryer, the Kenmore looks so-so.

Looked at LG, and Samsung dryers. Both had SS drum options, but overall quality level seem to be more in the Kenmore/Whirlpool range and price about the same as Kenmore. Where LG and Samsung lead if a very big 7.3 CF capacity.

So far I have not missed reverse tumble. I had it both on the Miele and older Bosch dryers. I don't think you need it on these larger dryer (or need is very reduced). On the Miele T9800, the reverse tumble was actually used very little of the time. It was also interesting on the reverse tumble phase because the dryer suddenly would get very quite- apparently just reduced air flow noise. This indicated the noise was not the mechanics of drum but just motor noise and air flow issues. My gut feel is the Miele could (or should) cut the air flow back for home use. For a commercial dryer, it is probably ok, but most home users would make the trade-off easily. Also, it is sucking your conditioned air out your home at a high rate. So no free lunch on reduced drying time (if any) over other more standard dryers. In a basement- yes. Upstairs- no.

Buehl,

Here's the bad news: Miele has introduced a new line of washers and dryers that now run on 110V and these also have been furthered "dumbed down" for the American market. In fact this new line, the 48XX series, was developed only for the North American market and deosn't really exist anywhere else.

To answer your question about importing better, non-US Mieles: No, you can not do that because the other machines are intended to run on 50 hZ current and we have 60 cycle current in the US and Canada. For reasons which are beyond my electrically ignorant brain it justdoesn't work well. In fact I keep a pair of 50 cycle machines in storage in in Brussels for when I am live in the EU or UK. I have thought of trying to bring them back here as backup machine but my DH (who knows about such things) says it won't work.

If you were absolutely sure you wanted one of the older machines (1926, 1918, 1986) you could call dealers. Recently some people have turned up NIB but discontinued models.

I own both Miele and Asko machines, perhaps you should give Asko a look?

I wonder if Dianeky ever got her washing machine problems sorted out, and how her health is holding up.

Molly