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Help!!! Trying to Decide between Miele and Whirlpool Duet

15 years ago

First let me say that this forum is awesome. It has saved us money and tons of headaches.

We are now trying to make the final decisions on our Utility/Laundry room. Of course one of the key decisions is the Washer and Dryer. We are torm between the Miele (with honeycomb SS drum) and the Whirpool Duet. What advice and experiences can you share with us? Which do you think is the best buy for the money?

Thanks in advance, O

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Comments (12)

asolo
15 years ago
FWIW....3.5 yrs., now, with Duet9400. Pretty much perfect from day one. Read the manual and did what it said. Very satisfied.

Linoleum over slab; soft water; Tide HE powder, about 1/3 cup for full load; none of the myriad problems others have spoken of with HE/FL's; machine still looks like it was installed yesterday.

No experience with Miele, sorry.

Part of my decision based on availability of easy service in my area. That knocked out Miele and Bosch/Siemens for me. At that time, Miele didn't have larger machines that ran on 110v so that was another barrier. Do suggest considering service situation in your area as part of your decision.
mc58
15 years ago
I have the Duet 9200sq and have had nothing but troubles, tangling & braiding in a knot of anything that has arms and legs, and the soap wont rinse out. I bought mine 1 yr ago, and I'm on a replacement washer almost 3 months now it does the same thing, and I am wondering if they have made any changes to them in the last few years, because I know that some people like them and others hate them.
I would suggest to do a search on them here and other places, I wish I would have, because I would have bought something else with all the bad stories I have read since my troubles.
I have posted alot here, even pictures on my washer and the issues that I have had. I have recieved alot of help trying to figure out the problem, The only thing that has kinda worked for me, is I have to wash everything in Delicate cycle to get all the soap out and I only use 1/2 Tbl HE, I always use the extra rinse and have to rinse again, sometimes wash again "without soap" numerous times. I have found out that even the delicate cycle doesnt always put more water in like it is suppose to either.

I dont mean to scare you, but if I can help anyone else from having to go thru what I and alot of others have had to go thru, I would feel better about me writing the posts that I have wrote.

Good Luck on your decision! I hope that what ever you get, that it will work for you.
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It is really not my intent to be defensive. I think I do get a little urked when LG is the "ONLY" washer w/service issues. I did extensive research on all the washers I was interested in buying and they "ALL" had their issues! And for folks to say I might add in a condescending way that they "didnt even consider a particular brand" because of service issues is in my opinion disparaging. I have found as much on this site about Whirlpools/Kenmores smelling, Bosch running marathons (vibrating) and all kinds of software errors. GE's and Fridgidaires w/multiple mechanical and workmanship problems. Maytags...I wont even go there, not to mention the LG stuff. On the other hand there have been several testimonies by owners of these brands that would buy it again. I have not seen that much on Miele or Asko; simply because they are not purchased as much as the ones above. Being that LG's sells are so hot I understand they have the "Microsoft" affect on folks and they have become somewhat disingenuous with regard to the brand, but c'mon!! OK...maybe I have become a bit defensive (lol). The best way to sum it up is like this; I am an iPod user, I know folks that are trying to decide between an iPod and the new Zune. Naturally I am very familiar w/my product being that I own it and I have read several reviews on the Zune. Should I go around saying the Zune is inferior to the iPod because it cant do this or that and it only has this amount of space etc, etc. when at the end of the day they both hold huge amounts of music and the person is simply sitting down and listening to music on one player as the other is.... I said all that to say that until LG or any other brand comes out with a machine that sorts clothes, moves them from the hamper upstairs and folds and put them away after the wash....stop touting one washer as being far superior to the other! As far as the Miele heater thing goes most folks will use only one cycle the majority of the time, and it is a farce when the heater does not run on the cycle that is used the most. This site has been extremely helpful and is full of useful info, but the superior attitudes of owners of FL's over TL's and owners of certain brands is getting old.
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Heater will NOT engage in normal no matter what. I often use wrinkle free for clothes, husband's dress shirts, sometimes towels. This will not allow a max spin though. I use extra white for white sheets/towels/socks. Usually with extra warm or hot temp and sometimes extended and/or prewash. I have used custom for kids' clothes warm with a max spin speed. I have used express for bathing suits/towels after a day of swimming. A little Vaska on express and everything is fresh for the next day. These items don't really need to be washed daily so express is great (30 minutes). I have used delicates/hand wash for ... well delicate items. This setting works great. More soaking less tumbling. I have used woolens for wool sweaters also great. I LOVE the comforter setting. It will "vent" the item(s) first - wet them thoroughly before it adds the detergent. Very smart. I almost always use the sensitive setting which uses a higher spin speed between wash and rinse and uses an extra rinse. I don't like too much residual detergent smell (if possible). I've used clean machine. I used table linens a few times for table cloths - not really sure what makes that setting good for them. They turned out just fine. The only program I was not thrilled with was the dress shirts one. It only does a medium spin and left the shirts quite wet. I prefer wrinkle free for them (but that's me). I have used prewash and extended. If items are noticeably dirty I use a prewash. I have used extended if I think they need a little longer tumbling. The more agitation the better the wash. Shorter cycles are not the answer for clean items. Gosh ... have fun and keep us posted on how it's going.
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troy08
15 years ago
O,

We have the Whirlpool 9600 Steam and we lov it...no problems at all. We've had it for a month now and have done big comforters and little loads...Tide soap and Charlies Soap...all with good results. I dont know if Whirlpool has done something different from the above post...but all we do is throw clothes in the washer, throw in some Charlies soap and then transfer to dryer...pretty simple, like it should be...Lowes has an additional 4 year service plan for about $140 total for washer with dryer.
Good Luck
Troy
willowdecor
15 years ago
I have both the Duet and the Miele - The Miele is in my winter house and with a family of four we do many smaller loads. This is not a problem for us as I am crazy about sorting colors and usually do smaller loads. The Duet is at the beach house and is great at handling towels and sheets in large quantities - I have had electronic panel problems with both so get the warranty on both. All in all I prefer the Miele, but smaller loads are OK for me. The clothes come out a bit drier and a bit cleaner in the Miele, but its marginal. Both are really fine.
shaggnasty
15 years ago
We have been very happy with our Duet 9400 as well...no problems whatsoever.
mc58
15 years ago
Willowdecor,
What Duet do you have?

Duet owners,
I have noticed that most of the problems I have read about the Duet's have been with the 9200s, everyone else is happy with their duets. So my question is, What is so different about them, that would cause so many problems?
Why does my washer only want to rinse the soap out in the Delicate cycle? Even with large loads that the tech told me to do they still get tangled?

I wish I was one of all that are so happy with their Duets, I did come here and was reading about them and that is why I bought one, because here I didnt read anything bad. I just didnt know that I should have bought something other than the 9200, I guess that is the problem.
asolo
15 years ago
9200 is exactly like all the others except for the heater and a few cycles....which lots of folks don't use anyway.

I still have this nagging curiosity about your problems that makes me wish I could be there and work with them. Still don't understand how my machine could be so exemplary and yours -- being essentially identical -- could generate the problems you've described.
mc58
15 years ago
asolo,

I dont understand it myself along with the others that have the same problems.

Could the tangle issue be from the paddle or fins, I know that mine are about 2/3 of the back of the fin is raised up higher than the front, does your? I know that the ones in my old frigidaire fl didnt they were flat and it didnt cause the tangling.

Also I bought some regular "non HE" detergent and have been trying it, and guess what there are no suds. So I think I have figured out the suds issue. I still only use 1/2 to 1 TBL. and my clothes seem to be cleaner too.
ella_socal
15 years ago
Wondering if anyone has any updates as I find myself in the same situation trying to decide between the Miele and the Whirlpool Duet (9500, since I want white). I have an upstairs laundry room with the washer situated on the right (due to plumbing/drain/pan location I can't switch the machines).

Two appliance stores recommended the Whirlpool and one recommended the Miele due to the washer on the right configuration.

So, either I get the Whirlpool and the doors open into each other or the Miele, a more expensive (and, I must say, uglier) machine with the correct set-up.
mara_2008
15 years ago
For me, the main considerations would be:

1) price

2) capacity

3) availability of service

4) the preponderance of others' experiences with both

HTH
cr85b
15 years ago
I don't think you could go wrong with either.. both are of European design (or half-European for the Duet) and I trust the Europeans' longer experience in making reliable front-load washers. Salesmen at the appliance stores I visited have generally recommended Bosch, Miele, and/or Whirlpool. You might want to consider the availability of Miele service and parts though.

I bought a Whirlpool Duet 9400 in March and have been pleased with its performance. I had a white bath rug with blue dye stains that no top-loader would ever get out, but after running it through several laundry cycles with the Duet (washing and drying each time), the stains eventually disappeared.

I really don't know what to make of mc58's problem with the Duet 9200. I had a 9200 for a couple weeks before exchanging it for the 9400, but I never experienced problems as bad as described by mc58. See my recent post about differences between the Duet 9200 and 9400 here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/msg11133252652.html?6

That said, if you do decide to go for the Duet, I recommend avoiding the 9200 and getting their 9400 model (or if you want steam, the 9500 or 9600). Even though there aren't supposed to be significant differences between them, it seems from these boards that most owners of the 9400/9500/9600 are quite pleased with their purchase.
ella_socal
15 years ago
I figure both are good options. They are the 2 brands that have been recommended in the 3 showrooms I've been to.

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