miele - washing machines and vacuums... overpriced ?

jackyann

martin1959 wrote: »

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

Martin - you may already know this, but you can go to the showroom and have a cookery demonstration with lunch. The advisors there are very good indeed.

Seronera

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.

You may be right and you may be wrong. But either way charging £270 to replace a heating element (at prices of 9 years ago) is taking the mickey. Our previous Zanussi did twelve years and when it needed new brushes in the motor the man who fixed it apologised for the high price of the brush kit........£25 for the parts and £75 for his time. Miele charged £75 for the squiddy little heating element when £30 would have been generous.

EssexExile

Seronera wrote: »

price of the brush kit........£25 for the parts and £75 for his time.

Should've bought a Hotpoint, brushes only a tenner.

ryder72

scouselander -

I run a kitchen design and installation business and work with Miele and BSH. We do far more business with BSH products and there is nothing wrong with them. But having dealt with both companies (and AEG/Electrolux, Whirlpool etc in a much smaller way), I know where I would put my own money. Actually I know where I HAVE put my money. Into Miele - and testament is a microwave thats lasted 23 years, a washing machine thats lasted over 12 years and still going strong and others that are much younger.

I also know just how many products we supply have service callouts post installation and the evidence shows a significantly lower service callout rate.

Also, when you handle these products, the weight of what we lift doesnt lie. Unless Miele stuff them with lead, which they dont, the quality of materials used reflect in the weight of the products.

Did you know Miele is the only mainstream washing machine manufacturer that uses cast iron bases. Everyone else has gone overn to concrete blocks for cost savings. This very effectively damps vibrations and ensure better service life of other moving components. Its what you pay for.

Miele is still the only manufacturer that build products with a 20 year service life, tests and prices them accordingly. That is quite
different to building an appliance to meet a price point and reverse engineering components to suit.

There is no doubt Miele is a premium product and its fine to buy whatever you can afford but slating is without basis is quite unnecessary.

Seronera -

I am not going to defend Miele service pricing. It is expensive but there is no shortage of independent service technicians who can do a brilliant job for a lot less. Miele employ all their technicians and is only one of 2 companies doing this. It may have something to do with what they charge - I dont know.

CKdesigner

Completely agree with ryder72.

I have a very similar business to ryder72 and have been involved with Miele in various ways for the best part of 25 years now. Miele are the only brand of appliances we have at home ourselves, and even though we sell probably twice as much Miele than BSH we have less service issues with Miele products.

Mrs_Imp

We have a miele vacuum. It wasn't cheap, but it was definitely worth it. I have long hair and our old vacuum, that just sucked, left most of my hair on the carpet. Our miele has brushes, and does a great job of vacuuming up anything.