miele - washing machines and vacuums... overpriced ?

martin1959

We have a Miele washing machine and the benefit of having a 10 year warranty is that we do not have to worry about having an engineer visit on a regular basis.


We are moving in a few months and top of the list will be a Miele washing machine and a dishwasher we will leave the old one (or sell it) as having all new appliances

Thistle-down

We have a Miele washing machine - it was their lowest priced model. It's been used 4-6 times a week for the last 9 years and we've never had a problem. Before that we had a Hotpoint and a Bosch, neither one lasted more than two years. The Miele does a much better job washing, even on the short cycles.

We inherited a 20 yr old Miele dishwasher that is still going strong.

I also have a Miele Cat & Dog vacuum that I would not be without. It replaced a Dyson that fell to bits in less than three years - the motor was fine but the plastic bits on it were very fragile and seemed to snap off all the time. The Miele does a much better job, the only downside is having to buy bags but I'd still take a Miele over a Dyson any day.

I think Miele products are well worth their cost. they remind me of Volvo cars - they are solidly built, work extremely well, and with a little care, seem to run forever.

tyllwyd

We've got a Miele dishwasher which is two or three years old - I think it was one of the cheapest in the range, so not a huge jump from other brands. The on-off button is a bit sticky, which is annoying, but we get round that by avoiding turning it off completely. It does wash the dishes well, better than any other dishwasher I've had.

dianasnan

Unfortunately I only managed 7 years out of my Miele dishwasher before it gave up. the potential cost of repairing it was more than buying a new Bosch so it had to go.
also the filter broke after 4 years and was held together with plastic tags, a new one was £60 compared with £6 for a new one for my Bosch.
I must just have been unlucky.
Did consider a Miele washing machine at the same time but was told by John Lewis that they are very heavy and not suitable for suspended wooden floors.

EssexExile

dianasnan wrote: »

Did consider a Miele washing machine at the same time but was told by John Lewis that they are very heavy and not suitable for suspended wooden floors.

They're heavy yes, but they don't shake about like cheaper machines so they're fine on a suspended floor.

Seronera

I have had a Miele washing machine for about twelve years. It had a two year warranty, but after three years a weld failed on a bracket that is part of the heating element. My wife called Miele and they charged £270 to replace the heating element which I thought was scandalous.I found out our local electrical company would have charged about £120. It has been fine since.

About 40 years ago my father had an AEG Lavamat and I have never seen such a well made machine. These days I am not impressed by German white goods and AEG now look very average. I think the best made machines I see are LG.

I think the Germans trade on a past reputation for quality that is today by no means certain. Many white goods are now made outside Germany, but still come with the Inference they are made there.

Will we have another Miele? Well I expect the wife will insist, and I suppose I won't argue....... Again.

thescouselander

Yes, they're overpriced IMO. I agree with the previous poster in that a lot of German companies trade on a false perception of superior engineering. I have a lot of German made stuff and although it's good things can still go wrong and I don't think Miele is worth the premium as other brands can also produce to a similar quality. As already said some of the far eastern brands look very well made and aren't as expensive.

Gers

Got both a washing machine (10 year guarantee) and a Dog and Cat vacuum - never had an issue with either and they do a grand job. The only 'issue' I have (and it's not that big) is that the door to the washing machine opens left to right and not right to left. We cope!

My mother always said 'buy cheap, buy twice', no idea if it's true or not.

My previous washing machine was a Bendix which was just brilliant. Never broke down and only had to replace it because the door hinge 'dropped' and the door wouldn't stay closed enough to make the proper connection.

ryder72

Miele appliances are worth every extra penny.

This talk of them being made outside Germany so not being good is frankly nonsense. AFAIK, the only items they source outside Germany are some hoods (Italian), coffee makers (Swiss), one steam oven and their microwaves (Sharp). I dont think it amounts to more than 8-10 products in the range and they're still made to standards specified by Miele.

In my opinion the only products where spending more on Miele is questionable is refrigeration (Liebherr makes Miele products and costs a little bit less) and extraction (there are a lot of very good specialist products, not necessarily cheaper definitely better).

The nature of mechanical products is that some fail earlier than others and this is down to multiple factors including manufacturing defects, wear and tear, improper installation and use. This 'early' failure doesnt statistically prove anything. Just as an Indesit lasting 20 years is no evidence of superior quality, a Miele failed in 5 years is no evidence of inferior quality. On average Miele products last longer, perform better and will save money over the long term. Of this, there is little doubt.

thescouselander

ryder72 wrote: »

Miele appliances are worth every extra penny.

This talk of them being made outside Germany so not being good is frankly nonsense. AFAIK, the only items they source outside Germany are some hoods (Italian), coffee makers (Swiss), one steam oven and their microwaves (Sharp). I dont think it amounts to more than 8-10 products in the range and they're still made to standards specified by Miele.

In my opinion the only products where spending more on Miele is questionable is refrigeration (Liebherr makes Miele products and costs a little bit less) and extraction (there are a lot of very good specialist products, not necessarily cheaper definitely better).

The nature of mechanical products is that some fail earlier than others and this is down to multiple factors including manufacturing defects, wear and tear, improper installation and use. This 'early' failure doesnt statistically prove anything. Just as an Indesit lasting 20 years is no evidence of superior quality, a Miele failed in 5 years is no evidence of inferior quality. On average Miele products last longer, perform better and will save money over the long term. Of this, there is little doubt.

I doubt it. Where is your evidence?