@ coruscate Larsi, another member of this forum, thought he had the same problem, but then realized he was mistaken. You are saying that immediately upon filling for the pre-wash, as you are standing in front of the machine, you can verify immediately after starting the cycle that detergent from the main compartment is being dispensed? There is no setting except Maximum Water Levels that is designed for soft water conditions, and most of us here have that turned on and do not experience what you are describing. Only the pre-wash/heavy soil compartment dispenses if Heavy Soil/pre-wash is selected. The pre-wash lasts about 10 minutes, the water drains (no spin) and then fills again for the main wash from the main detergent compartment. Either you are mistaken or you need to have your machine serviced.

90% of the time, I use Persil MegaPerls for my whites. I do not like the MegaPerls Color for darks, colors and brights...IMO, they seem to not clean very well or de-odorize! Regular Persil MegaPerls is awesome for whites though. I love it...no bleach or oxyclean ever needed. Persil + Extra White Cycle in my Miele W4842, and I have flawless whites!! As mentioned, several cycles in the Miele (Comforters, Jeans/Denim and Express) require liquid detergent. I really, really like Tide he liquid with a touch of Downy. It smells great, and cleans really beautifully! For sheets, towels and my son's school clothes, I always end of going back to Original Tide he Powder. It smells AMAZING, and clean virtually anything. It is low sudsing, rinses well and is just a great value! I ALWAYS use a little fabric softener. I almost always use Downy or Vernel. About a 1/2 cap in the FS designated compartment, mixed with 1 capful of water! So in a nutshell: Persil MegaPerls Tide he liquid with a touch of Downy Tide Original he Powder Downy or Vernel FS

I received my shipment of Miele detergent (for whites, colors, delicates, and fabric softener) in mid December and compared it against PERSIL MEGAPERLS (for whites and colors. I have used PERSIL since 2003 when I first purchased my machine, but have tried other brands during this time. As I mentioned in my previous post I looked up the Kreussler Company on the web, which is the maker of this detergent. Kreussler is the private company Miele uses to manufacture their commercial detergents which are sold to laundries under the brand name of Trebon. Powder Detergent Product Consistency: Persil consists of small beads. The Miele detergent is similar to fine grain sugar. Fragrance: Persil is scented when you sniff the product in the container but does not leave a scent on clothes. The Miele product is described as the smell of flowers and there is a scent when in the container. No scent is left in the clothes and since my washer drains into the sink I have to say that there is no trace of a scent in the discharged water. If anything it smells rather acrid. Dosage: I purchased my current boxes of PERSIL in the early spring of 2007. I compared those boxes to my previous box from 2006 and found that the recommended dosage had been increased by 1 ML. This doesnt matter since I ignore recommended dosages, and use amounts I have found to be right for my soil levels and water conditions. The Miele detergent comes with a cup which does not match the dosage lines on the PERSIL cup and does not match a standard USA cup either. I compared the recommended amounts by following the PERSIL dosage using the PERSIL cup, then pouring that amount into the Miele cup. The Miele recommended amounts for each soil level are slightly less than the PERSIL amounts. The Miele box contains recommended amounts for small and larger washers. Even though I dont use recommended amounts I found that I could decrease the dosage amount when using the Miele detergent, so I can use slightly less of it for each soil level. Cleaning in temps of 85F, 104F, and 120F: I did not do any scientific-like comparisons or do any strip tests. I have the same type of typical or heavy (ground in, body, oily) soil in most loads. I got very good results in warm watereverything was cleaned. I did do a load of white cleaning clothes in warm water instead of hot(190F) and got very good results. Oily dirt was handled well in warm water. Rinsing: One reason I use PERSIL MEGAPERLS is because it rinses well in my water. The Miele detergent rinses a bit better. The wash discharge water is milky and contains no suds. During the first rinse water will be clear with slight bubbles on the top. As the spins and rinses continue these dissipate. Liquid detergent for Delicates: Persil for Delicates is a creamy thick liquid. The Miele Delicates is like a creamy water. I understand there may be an issue with the W11XX or W12XX dispenser and I guess it is different than the dispenser on my W1986 because it will hold back water. This consistency is good for me because I have trouble with the thicker products in the winter. I think this is because my incoming cold water is about 40 degrees and it cannot flush thick products as well. With the dispenser I had to add hot water to it to get it to flush. I dont even use the dispenser anymore even with the Miele product. If I am not going to do a prewash I just move the clothes away from one of the fins in the tub, pour the product onto and into the fin, close the door and start the machine - works fine. Delicates come out clean. Fabric Softener: The Consistency is like water and it easily flushes from the dispenser leaving nothing behind. Clothes are left soft. There is no scent that I recognize and I dont smell anything in the clothes hours or days later, although clothes smell clean, fresh and good.

you will like the dryer - I agree with Cal. I use the regulate detergent and an extra rinse. I don't really smell anything on the clothes after the dryer - I like that . Not a fan of the dryer scent cartridges just because of the smell - just me. I have used the ultra dark caps and like them. It seems to do a good job on pure black clothes. The down caps would be a good purchase as well. The cap system is more expensive, but if you don't do that type of way regularly it is better than but a jug of detergent just for occasional use I won't say that you have to relearn laundry, but if you buy decent clothes, a good laundry system will make then look better longer. Some treat a front loader as a civil war cannon muzzle loader and cram everything in there at once.