Pros/Cons Miele vs HE Top Loaders?

15 years ago

Hi,

I would like some advice on choosing a Miele over any one of the HE top loaders (or vice versa).

We are depth constrained for our next washer/dryer. Our laundry closet has only 34in of depth which limits the pool of washers/dryers we can look at. After some research, it appears the Miele washer/dryer can be positioned right next to the back wall, with alignment of the exhaust hose which is on the back wall. That would fit. Other front loaders I looked at (namely the Samsung) require up to 5in clearance on the back. That plus their great depth than a top loader make them too deep to fit the closet.

We have a Miele dishwasher and have been pleased with it so far which is why I looked at Miele. The top loader HE machines look good too but there seem to be some quality issues as well and these designs appear to be newer than even front loaders.

I am looking for any pros/cons to consider. Thanks in advance.

Criteria:

Cost is a concern of course but not the primary one. I am okay paying the Miele premium if it has better performance.

I like the idea of saving water so I definitely want something HE. Wash quality is not that important as I am sure a HE top loader wash quality is good enough. My wife usually washes things on cold anyways. Her priority is to be delicate to the clothes vs really sanitized. She does do whites on higher temp.

Noise is a primary concern of mine. Our laundry closet is close to our family room where we watch TV. There are doors to blunt the noise but quieter is better.

The laundry room is ground floor, tile over a cement slab so vibration should not be an issue.

We are a family of only 3 and do maybe 4-5 loads per week, most are not full.

We do not need a lot of cycles or fancy features so mainly, it boils down to quietness, gentleness on clothes and water efficiency (probably in that order).

Given my criteria, does it make sense to spend up on a Miele or would I be happier with a HE top loader?

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Comments (9)

ebear1271
15 years ago
I have the GE Harmony, which is an HE TL. It's a great machine but may be a bit big for what you are looking for. We have 6 in our family and I can fill it at least once a day. If you decide to go with an HE TL this would be a great choice.
As far as the Miele, I don't have any of the appliances but I do have the vacuum. It's the best one I've ever owned and when my appliances go I plan to look at Miele for replacements.
fahrenheit_451
15 years ago
My wife and I took a different approach in purchasing Miele products. Since Miele is still family owned, and has an established service base of their own, we chose to go with them as we are looking to redo our kitchen as well and want both quality, and more importantly: reliable service when needed.

There is no doubt, in my mind, that the quality is there. New model issues with the washer and dryer that has been discussed at length here, but still the quality is a big part of Miele. Service, for us, fortunately lies within Miele's fifty (50) miles radius of a Miele service center, so there is no mileage up-charge for service under warranty, but a caveat for others to consider when purchasing Miele. There is also the issue of when a third-party service tech comes to service your Miele of how Miele will interface with them as was the case with Gordonr who found an excellent tech who was not a Miele tech, and Miele was not that considerate of the tech.

Miele is releasing its RemoteVision that will monitor and troubleshoot certain Miele washers and dryers. No doubt that this feature will be an additional cost, but I do like that Miele is gathering data to help make better products. The consumer is not obligated to purchase RemoteVision.

Another fact to consider since Miele is family owned they are not under pressure to turn a profit for investors so they concentrate on their products. Miele products are high-priced, but keep in mind that USD against the euro is so pitiful that Miele actually loses money when it sells product to US customers in today's market versus past markets.

If we were to purchase another top loader it would be from Fisher & Paykel unless Electrolux were to introduce its new Water Aid Washer in the US, or Miele made a top loader for sale in the US.
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I just purchased a Speed Queen AWN 412 top loader. 3 year parts & labor, 5 year motor & 10 year transmission guarantee. Uses about 25% less water than the old TL's. Lot less lint than my old Whirlpool TL. I even washed sweat pants w/ jeans & there was very little lint on the sweat pants. Higher spin speed than the old Whirlpool. Several water level settings, so the water level is more customizeable compared to just 3 choices w/ the Whirlpool. Because it uses less water, I can wash an X-Lg load without running out of hot water from my 40 gal H2O heater, unlike the Whirlpool. 'Hot' water ended up being warm--our 'cold' water is very cold so the incoming cold water in the tank diluted the 'hot'. So far, I like this washer a lot. Chose a TL because the SQ has no electronic controls to flash error codes, because I'm familiar w/ the TL's and do most of my own repairs, our clothes get very dirty & I like to stop the washer & let them soak in plenty of water and, for less dirty clothes that I don't need to soak, the load is finished in much less time than a FL. Yet another reason was because my local Craigslist is loaded w/ non-working front loaders for sale. That was telling me something, something that has been confirmed by appliance repair people. Oh, and Speed Queen is made in the USA, right here in Wisconsin. Think it was the transmission that went out on the Whirlpool. (Plastic parts in the tranny.) SQ is all metal & has only 6 moving parts in the transmission w/ confidence to offer a 10 year warranty on it. If you're shopping 'used' Speed Queens, make sure to get a newer one mfg'd by Alliance Laundry systems. You don't want a Raytheon one from what I've read. HTH
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oregpsnow
15 years ago
If possible you may want to consider removing the doors to your laundry closet so the machines can stick out a few inches. I did that so my stacked Duet Sport would fit and it worked great. It is not in the way, looks good and gave me some room above it for storage.
That will give you many more options than the very expensive Miele. If you are not a laundrymaniac that is a lot to pay for a washer.
jono123
Original Author
15 years ago
Indeed, very expensive! We do not really need much but I definitely want an HE model. It is just hard to figure out what benefits we get from spending up for a Miele. In general, I would prefer a front loader as they are generally more delicate to the clothes and spin more water out, thus lowering dryer time.

I am glad to hear good things about the GE HE top loaders. Seems there are fans and some distractors for each of the popular HE top loaders.

The doors hide the machines which would otherwise be open to a hallway. That and when closed, help with sound though there is yet another door we close off of the family when the washer/dryer are on. Definitely, the doors stay.

We have had a good support experience so far with our Miele dishwasher. We have not had service yet, just a call to their response center on a fault code. Since we live in a large metro area (near San Jose to be specific), I am pretty sure Miele operates in the area either directly or through a network.
fahrenheit_451
15 years ago
Which model Miele are you considering? There are smaller models that will fit your needs: W30XX & W12XX

Also, showrooms are giving great deals on the 220v models.
jerrod6
15 years ago
If you are considering a smaller model and can get the 220V one I would go for it. In the 120V models the heater is not as powerful so it takes longer to heat the water and they cannot heat the water as hot as the 220V models.
jerrod6
15 years ago
Sorry they are 110V not 120V - that's even worse
gordonr
15 years ago
My W4840 is positioned VERY tight to the wall. To the very front it is 32.75 inches from the wall. To make it happen had to make some plumbing fittings that turn 90 degrees (caution - brass fittings like this are quite expensive these days).

Here is a picture along the wall behind the machine. Was going to use it in a Miele review I'll write someday soon.

{{!gwi}}
asolo
15 years ago
Very intelligent and efficient arrangement using quality components. Good on ya.

Pros/Cons Miele vs HE Top Loaders?

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