Never found a dry spot in any loads, whether the drum was stuffed or doing a smaller load. Perhaps the water level controller (sensor) was defective? (Asko's literature at the time we got our set mentioned how Americans were concerned with the low levels of water used - and so Asko began to include a 'higher water level' button.)

Rococogurl - when i referenced the 1.5 gallons of water i did not mean every fl put that much water in the machine. I would have no way to know that. However on another forum someone mentioned that their fl only put that amount in so that is why i used that number. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Here's the consumption chart for the Asko I'm considering, with 2.83 cu ft drum. Take Color cycle for example, at 21.4 gallons with 3 rinses. That's 4 fills, with an average of 5 1/3 gallons per fill. Doesn't seem bad. There's also the High Water Level button. I wouldn't want to use that regularly since it might impair cleaning by making the action too gentle.

I have an old Miele stackable from the 1990s, plus a newer model Miele FL washer that is coming up on 10 years old. The older washer has mini-cycles for Rinse/Spin, Starch, Spin Only. The newer one has the honeycomb drum. Both have internal heaters and are very reliable, and I would buy them again in a heartbeat. The second dryer in my laundry room is a Fisher-Paykel top-loader, which produces fluffy clothes with minimal wrinkling. The reverse tumbling is truly a great invention! If the FP dryer ever breaks down (I can't remember any service calls in nearly 10 years), I've been wanting to try a steam dryer - but would again look for one that does the reverse tumbling.

So, I'm looking into water usage of the current Asko line in North America. They aren't listed in Energy Star Certified Residential Clothes Washers, or Energy Star Certified Commercial Clothes Washers. So no water usage info there. The 2014 Dishwasher and Laundry Brochure, the most recent on Asko's web site, shows Water Factor (WF) of 3.9 for both models. Now the question is, how to compare this to the Energy Star residential clothes washers, which are rated by Integrated Water Factor (IWF)? Well, one clue is in this document

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/pdfs/rcw_direct_final_rule_5_14_2012.pdf

where it's stated that the standards in Table I-1 (in IWF) are equivalent to those in Table I-2 (in WF). In all cases, IWF is higher than the equivalent WF. So Asko's WF of 3.9 probably translates into an IWF of 3.9 or greater. How good (where good means more water) is an IWF of 3.9? Well, there are 109 washers listed, and IWF 3.9 is better than 106 of them, putting it in the 97th percentile of water usage. If its IWF is greater than 3.9 then it's even better, maybe even at the top (the highest IWF is the 2.27 cu ft LG WM1377H with an IWF of 4.2).

I will probably buy another front loader when mine dies. My experience with it has been very good. It was from Sears, and I believe that Frigidaire made it. At the time we bought ours it was top-rated by Consumer Reports. I would likely buy a Speed Queen now, if my husband would agree to spring for it, due to the things I have read here about them. I would only consider a top loader if he did not want to spend the extra for the SQ front loader. In that case I'd be content (I think) with a Speed Queen top loader.

I don't understand the complaints about the clothing not getting wet enough. My clothing always comes out clean, and I can see while it is running that everything is vigorously tossed around in sloshing water. I have it set to always rinse an extra time, because my skin is extremely sensitive, and everything come out well rinsed and clean.

I have no trouble understanding the complaints about clothing not getting wet enough. Seems clear to me that there are plenty of poorly designed or improperly calibrated FL clothes washers out there. If I had ended up with one, instead of my Miele, I might be in the TL diehard camp also.

I am on my second set of FL machines. My first set were Kenmores that I found acceptable but I never truly loved. I am now on a LG set that I despise. I frequently do laundry for my parents who have a TL Maytag Oversize Capacity Plus model from around 2003. It rinses well, has spray rinses during the spin, and the laundry is washed perfectly clean. We are planning on building a new house within the next year and a half. My intention is to go back to a TL for everyday laundry. I will be searching estate sales and craigslist for an older TL washer (i.e. pre-government interference with real hot water setting) to do the everyday loads. I will probably also install a FL just to do the comforters and bedspreads. Sometimes I wonder if I would be happier if I had a Miele but the smaller capacity just did not meet our needs. I envy those of you who love your FL machines, but I prefer a TL at this time.

sparky, I have the Sears Kenmore HE set, front loaders, don't remember what year though....

We have a Whirlpool Duet FL. It's our first FL and we are very happy with it.

After two Frigidaire FLs that had short lives, bought a Whirlpool Cabrio TL high efficiency washer. Will never go back to FLs, or Frigidaire.

Seventeen years ago, we researched front loaders when we bought our house. Though I had yearned for a legendary Maytag, we learned from Consumer Reports that the Frigidaire was superior. It has been a great reliable machine with nary a service call. The salesman at Sears told me not to expect the next one to last more than five years! He did say a lot of FLs fail because people use non HE detergent, too much of that or even too much of HE detergent. We have been careful to mark the measure needed so even our house guests use the sparing amount! Next one will be another FL.

We hated our machines because of the smell, wife started using the laundry lasso, and the machine stays open to dry out. Our door used to be in the way and now it doesn't, great !!!

I've had the same set of Whirlpool Duets FL for 15+ years and would buy them again. Haven't needed any maintenance and they're big enough for king-size comforters. Sometimes I need to use the drain/rinse cycle because I mix heavy and light-weight fabrics.

I'd never go back to TL. Have had Kenmore version of Duet for about 10 years with no issues. Bought Frigidaire Affinity to replace dead top loader at my lake home. Not as nice as the Kenmore but they were the only thing that fit my space. They worked fine, just seemed like cheaper construction. Sold that place and new place has year old Samsung FL. Have probably done 10-15 loads so far and really like them. I have always left my FL washers open to dry because of all the complaints about mold and have never had a problem with that.

Too bad Miele does not make the 220V washer with the internal heater. I still have mine treating it gently so it will last a good long time. Miele washers are designed to last around twenty-five years, at least this was the case when I bought my Miele. Miele has mostly gotten out of the American washing machine market after the fiasco of introducing large-drum front loaders. As I wrote on another forum, Americans and Europeans have a different way to do laundry. While Americans expect their washer to accommodate a king-sized quilt, Europeans do not. Their machine has a small drum. Mind you it holds a lot, just not a king or queen-sized item. I can see how problems arose once customers stuffed their front-loader to the gills expecting to do a week's worth of clothing in one short setting. Europeans don't mind a long washing cycle -- the Miele can set to start washing at a certain time, so you could set it to begin when you go to bed and have clean laundry when you get up -- long 7+ hour cycle is great for stains on white clothing that can take 195F temperatures.

Miele still offers a 110V washer. They also have what used to be known "Little Giant" (since renamed, I believe), a professional heavy-duty washing machine with a serious price-tag.

Which Miele has a 7+ hour cycle, in 195F or in any temperature at all?

Unfortunately, this 220V model is no longer available. Now Miele sells just one washer for the home. It uses 110V. Highest wash temperature is 140 (or 145?).

There's a semi-professional model "Little Giant PW6065. It needs a 208-240V connection. Has an internal heater. Washes as hot as 195F. According to the description, this washer is designed to last 25,000 operating hours.

The cost of the Little Giant in white costs $3,745. A little bit more if you want stainless steel.

I hope my current Miele lasts. I've had it for twenty years. If ever I need to replace it I'd have no choice but to purchase the Little Giant.

P.S. Some cycles, such as for silk, jeans, and dress-shirts are pre-set. Others you can select various temperatures, including cold wash. Plus how long you want to wash.

Btw, the highest temperature I have on mine is 190F, not as I stated above 195F.

Frankly, if you are in the market for a Miele and can swing the higher price tag, buy the Little Giant model. I really can't say anything about their current 110V washer. Most likely it does not heat via internal heater (or if it does, it's not as powerful) and therefore cannot reach 190/195F.

Hope this helps!

Hi

If you go to www.mielemarineusa.com/us you will find miele washingmachines that are 220 v and 50 hz.

I do not know if these are sold for use in household use at all but if you have a big boat and want as washingmachine there are machines for you. So why not investigate how you can buy these machines. I live in Sweden and do not have this problem you all are talking about.

I do on the otherhand have one of those big american washers from Bosch and it is made in the us and it is 220 volts 60 Hz but the heater are only 1000 watts so washing takes along time because it is cold fill only.

linus2003 -- thanks so much. I have emailed them to request details.

The highest temperature on the 110v Mieles is 70C/160F.

Doesn't Larsi have or had the Little Giant...or it ma y be s omeone else lol

I could have sworn it was 140 or 140F on the 110v Miele. Went to the Miele USA site. They only have two washers available, one of which is semi-commercial.

It's definitely 160F! I have the W3038 which is their current residential offering, and Sanitize goes up to 70C. Although in all honesty I only use that temperature when I run a "clean machine" cycle once a month, the rest of the whites get Hot (60C/140F).

So, 160F is the "Sanitize" cycle?

I tried to find out from the mieleusa.com site but was unable to. Does the W3038 also have a silk cycle? Is there an internal heater? There must be; probably not as powerful as on the 220v model but surely better than relying on one's water heater to provide hot water. Washing in 160F water, does it remove the stains? Also, what detergent do you use?

What is a "clean machine" cycle? I don't have this on my washer.

http://www.mieleusa.com//MieleMedia//docs//operatinginstructions////Laundry/Washers/English%20manuals/Washer%20W3038_us.pdf

I have a W3033, it is 70C/158F. i also have two other Mieles, a W1966 and W1215 which was the last of the 220V models. I have to be honest because I pooh poohed the W3033 before I owned one. It cleans equally well as the 220V machines. I wash on sanitize twice a week because I use re-usable kitchen towels and they come out sparkling every time. I use Persil and the Miele detergent and don't have issues with sudsing.

Btw, the temps are listed on Page 12 of the Product Manual for the W3038.

Good luck with your choice.

160F is the Sanitize temp level - you can either run a Sanitize cycle, or set the Custom cycle temperature to Sanitize if you don't need a prewash.

There is a Silk cycle, a Delicates, Woolens and Handwash one too. And there is of course an internal heater, as with all Mieles.

"Clean machine" isn't an actual cycle, but the manual recommends once a month running an empty machine with a regular dose of detergent on the Sanitize cycle as part of regular maintenance.

I don't have any issues with stains, and I don't pretreat, although I do run a prewash for most loads. I primarily use German Persil and Miele Care detergents, but have a big stash of all sorts of stuff for my regular clothes.

Overall it's a really great machine, and even though I grew up in Europe and have always had washers with boil wash capabilities I really don't miss that with my current Miele.

The only thing I do wish it offered was the old fashioned temperature and time knobs... All of my previous machines had that and it was great, since it offers a lot of flexibility. The custom settings are a little "dumbed down" compared to being able to set those two things separately, but overall it's just a minor inconvenience.

We have a Miele W1986 which with the W1966 were the first of the "Little Giant" series sold in the USA. They are 240V with an internal heater that will quickly heat, a wash to 195F if so desired. 1200 rpm spin. If you get the service manual with the correct codes you can make many changes to the way the washer handles cycles. i.e. extra water, number of rinses, cool downs, etc.

Mine is 12-13 years old and I would buy it again in a heartbeat though the current version of this machine does have an eye watering price. The W1986 was a bargain in comparison. Good thing, I don't expect t need to replace this machine anytime soon. It is built like a tank.

dancw -- this is great to hear from someone who is currently using a "Little Giant". These are superb machines. Yes, expensive now. Almost four thousand Dollars, a little over if one wants stainless steel. There's now just one model when previously there were three. Also, if I remember correctly, the early models washed slightly higher than what I have, reaching 203F/95C.

This machine should give you many years of reliable service. We've had our Miele Novotronic 220V since the mid nineties. Not a problem ever with this washer.

I have had a Bosch Nexxt for 9 years & never had a problem until today. Love the way it washes & the fact I can use scented detergent & not have skin issues, as it rinses so well. I have a good Maytag TL for 22 years previously, but I would buy another FL in an instant if I can find the features that my Bosch has.

PekeMom: what did you buy?

Here are some additional things I observed:

The FL's cost twice as much as the TL esp, Speed queen.

Also I am not sure, but I heard that the FLs are bad on back, not sure I dont own one yet.

No harder on your back than getting clothes out of the dryer. With a pedestal it would be perfect--but does cost more.

r2d2indy -- I would buy either a Miele, Bosch, or Asko. Asko didn't have good customer service and their washer died after 7-9 years of service. New washers, LG, etc. are not built to last longer than 4-5 years. This was told to me by someone at Loewe's.

Am currently using a Miele. It's a great machine. I've had mine since the mid-nineties. Bosch seems to be a popular brand as well.

If you are considering a front loader I would check out all three. The pedestal is really not tall enough to make much of a difference. We looked one time at the Miele pedestal. It was not tall enough to hold a box of detergent. Unless you have a bad back where you can't bend at all, I'd skip the pedestal.

Below a linka regarding FL and TL.

Most Efficient Clothes Washers (Uses Least Water)

Another link:

• Best Front Load Washers for 2015
• The Miele washer is not mentioned in the evaluation but further down, when answering a question. The author suggests buying a Miele when "money is no object". A Miele compact washer costs around $1900, money well spent if one wants a washer that lasts.

Hi guys and gals - new to looking and very frustrated. A $1000 for a washer and another $1000 for a dryer is what I am told? Currently have a great (but old) Whirlpool TL God. Can control water level, temps - just like the old days. Now everything is HE - are FL really the way to go? Asked my repair guy and he said to either get a low end Whirlpool TL with adjustable water or an entry level Duel FL. What does everyone recommend? We don't need steam, nor 27 wash cycles. And why does every sales person either personally own or have a family member own the model I am looking at - LOL. BTW - Speed Queen impressed for a TL - comments? Thanks

Skip what is wrong with your great but old traditional top loader? If you don't need or want all the bells and whistles why buy new? I can't help you with FLers as I'm more the old but great top loader gal lol. Word of advice I'd hang onto that whirlpool even if you buy a new machine you just may find you miss it . Speed queen has a great reputation. ..there are some people here that have speed queen and love it, I'm sure they will chime in. Good luck.

Skip, why don't you start your own thread. You will get information specific to you and your situation. It will get lost in this thread,

We moved last week and I got another Whirlpool FL set. Went with more bells and whistles this time and got the 95's. I like the options of allergen for the cat-fur loads, the short washes, the wash/dry load and spent Sunday putting the washer through it's paces. I especially like the towel option on both machines since we live in the Phoenix, AZ area and have both bath and pool towels. The rinse and drain cycle allows me to run the bathing suits, too. Haven't tried the steam cycles, yet, but I got rid of my iron and ironing board this year. One reason I like the FL's is that we live in a perpetual drought area and the HE's, specifically the FL's, use far less water than traditional top-loaders. Our floors are tile on slab, our water is alkaline and Whirlpool is easily available, not so with Speed Queen, Miele, Asko and Bosch.

what model Whirlpool did you get?

He said he "got the 95s". That means the WFW95.

Yes, the WFW95's. I looked at the 87's, 81's and 72's, which were closer in style to my previous Duets, but I was able to get the set in gray/silver from my favorite appliance dealer for just over $1500.00, an awesome deal in comparison to the big-box stores. I didn't get the risers this time, though. I didn't use them in my old Duets and the $500.00+ cost was better spent on the model upgrade, IMHO. It's no farther to bend to get into the FL than it is to mash the belly and boobs getting into a toploader.

I read this last post...it was all seriousness (<is that a word) got to the last sentence and rolled with laughter. I use a top loader, I think you just solved my bodys FL' erproblem. Lol

Mamapinky0 - I have never, ever seen this body-mashing topic brought up but, really, washing machines are not for the weak, the short or the infirm. Anyone considering whether to buy a FL or TL should consider which contortionist position they prefer to get that last washcloth out of the washer.

Yes, when I dig around the bottom of TL at the end to get that smashed small piece, my feet have to leave the floor. And if I don't position myself carefully, it HURTS. This isn't the only reason I am so very happy with a FL.

I'm only average height 5.5 and a 1/2..but I can easily reach to the bottom of my TL'er maybe because its an older one, and its on the floor, but that being said my body still gets mashed , almost like I'm getting a mamogram with every load I do..lol...but bending to remove each item from the dryer is worse, I like to fold each piece as I take it from the dryer, warm to pervent wrinkles and it kills my back..than because my laundry room is also a mud room someone always has shoes in front of the machines that I either have to bend over to pick up or trip on them. Sometimes it seems like a constant battle just to survive the mashing and bending/ twisting positions involved in the laundry room. You'd think I was performing circus stunts. * Step up folks, watch the pink lady perform amazing stunts with her boobs and washing machine, adults only*

The GE Adora that I had for 2 1/2 years I had to get on my tiptoes to get to the bottom. I can reach easily to the bottom of the Speed Queen.

This new washer that arrived today is deeper than my yester days washer.lol...I thought of this post when I wad removing my 1'st load, I do have to get somewhat on my toes, I can lean forward and smash the boobs or I can kinda turn sideways and crush my hips into the washer, neither one feels better than the other, so I guess so as not to overly stress this older body I'll take turns, lean forward for one load and twist sidewise for the next..lol. but really I never gave it too much thought until today.