Pros: Easy to use reliability more than worth the price.
Cons: No pause after 6-7 mins; smallish bleach dispenser (that you actually do not need)
The Bottom Line: If you upsell yourself on lesser brands that will require replacement every five years, buy Miele once and get it over with. This machine is an excellent value.
lookingforwd's Full Review: Miele W4840 Front Load Washer
After five years of Maytag Stack (MLG2000AWW; circuit board & door interlock failure) and 90 days (!) of LG Steam (WM2688HNM; circuit board failure; leaking pump; collapsed casing in stacked configuration), I was dispirited by the trends in large appliance quality. Then I bought Miele.
I selected the largest available model because, frankly, I am lazy--better to do it all at once. Or maybe a more flattering way to look at it is that I was buying capacity. More capacity means more choice and flexibility; or, as one poet called it, "the dignity of room."
Whatever the case, quality was and remains my primary focus. If, alternatively, you view these purchases strictly from a financial angle, consider this: Miele's outstanding, 20-year craftsmanship is available for roughly one-third more than other brands pretending to sell better versions of their core machines. This means that, however many bells and whistles get added to, say, an LG Washer, it is the same washer as their cheapest machine with delicate electronics residing on a whack-a-doo chassis. They rely on gullible consumers. I know: I was fooled, too.
So if you analyze this purchase, understand that every other manufacturer, possibly including Bosch, has built in obsolescence that will calendar you for ~$1,500 replacement roughly every 5 years. In dollars and cents, no other choice pans out--and the sheer waste of it offends the soul. Go with Miele first, or (as I did) go with Miele last.
OPERATION
Have you ever noticed that the doors on your machines flex when pulled open? Neither did I until I got Miele. Miele doors are rock-solid, with glass both inside and out. On other brands, only the interior of the door is glass. This will be the first thing that tells you no one "value engineered" your machines to squeeze every last cent out of manufacturing costs.
The controls are simple, one-button affairs arrayed next to an LCD display. Commonly-used cycles are a press away. Or you can choose to set each parameter of the wash, including: Sanitize (super hot water), Sensitive (extra rinse), spin speed (up to 1400 RPM's), water temp, heavy soil, extended wash, buzzer on/off (actually a beep), and delay start (up to 19 hours). The buttons press with an affirmative detent and the corresponding action is displayed on the LCD.
The display shows three items: water temp, spin speed, and estimated total cycle time. There is a start/pause button, and a button to further adjust any one-touch setting as desired. Pausing is permitted during the first 6-7 minutes of any cycle; thereafter, you must cancel the operation altogether and start anew.
Loading the detergent, bleach and liquid softener uses a pull-out tray that is somewhat sturdier and friendlier than other manufacturer's. Even so, I found the bleach dispenser to be a bit small and difficult, particularly with Costco-sized bottles. But here is the really good news: This machine is so effective, bleach is not required. I know this is hard to believe. Bleach is my friend, too. But whites come out spiffy-clean without this harsh chemical.
The liquid softener dispenser does work and it is easy to access, residing at the front edge of the tray. But I have noticed build-up and water retention in that area even though my use of softener is judicious. To clean it out (if you are persnickety about these things), remove the tray and rinse.
I have not been using Miele-produced cleaning products yet, but will give them a try once I run out of my current stock. Perhaps they will perform better. Given the overall Miele experience, this would not surprise me at all.
CLEANING ACTION
I do not have heavily soiled clothes in the regular course of life. Even so, I have no doubt that the washing action will handle anything I throw at it. I have noticed that things like grungy socks come out far cleaner than with the Maytag or LG, both so recently deceased. Some aging white bedsheets also have been somewhat renewed.
The extra rinse ("Sensitive") function performs thoroughly. If you are keen to remove any hint of any scent or any molecule of soap or whatever else, this will do the job. This option, of course, adds time to the cycle. Conversely, if speed is your bag, a quick-wash function gets the job done in a more customary timeframe.
The stainless-steel drum is remarkable for its honeycomb design. Miele is quite focused on the benefits of this. I believe that water may, in fact, channel more effectively during spin given the honeycomb pattern. But such things are for engineers to judge.
One thing that is documented by Miele: drum holes for water removal during spin can ruin your clothing, particularly towels. Thus Miele keeps drainage holes small and to a minimum. Go to their corporate site to see pictorial evidence of towel loops poking through to the outside of other drum designs like quills on a porcupine. It is intuitively obvious: stretching individual fibres of any article just cannot be good for wear.
SPIN SPEED & VIBRATION
All front-loading machines will vibrate to one degree or another. And no amount of engineering will prevent transfer of operating motion through a weak floor and into the building, itself.
But Miele is demonstrably better at controlling vibration than, in my experience, Maytag and certainly LG. By comparison, I believe that the LG literally shook itself apart--even bending the casing. I did not notice this until it was removed at circuit-board failure. But the top of the washer casing was actually collapsing on the LG.
Of note, this Miele washer and corresponding dryer are not stackable. They are simply too heavy and too large. If you somehow choose to stack them, the controls will be at an unmanageable height. If stacking is needed due to space considerations, I recommend the next model-size down. You will give up some capacity, but not one ounce of engineering.
As describe above, the LG shook like a hurricane. Sure, manufacturers can ramp up the RPM's on their drum. But if the underlying chassis engineering is no different than their base model, it just will not work out. Bit like cramming a Ferrari engine into a Yugo: It'll go fast, sure. But you'll soon be enjoying an invigorating breeze from where the windshield used to be.
So, Yes, Miele will vibrate, but it does so without transferring a hellacious racket to the rest of the room or house. I have noticed that Miele spin cycles are much more intelligent in sensing these unwanted behaviors, tumbling the load around as many times as needed to rearrange it for best-possible performance.
Some enterprising person suggested elsewhere to use a "stall matt" (available at farming goods stores). This very heavy matt must be sawed with handtools, but it is a useful suggestion to damp things down.
THE RUBBER DOOR SEAL
If you are looking around at front loaders, you will find many instances of mold complaints and water retention problems. I have never experienced the mold issue. There are some indications that too much detergent can contribute to this in some machines.
What I have never seen is a mold complaint on a Miele. Ever. I don't know why, other than they are made to avoid this problem. Or perhaps it is a materials issue, and the quality or content of the rubber.
I do leave the door ajar on this machine since it is easy to do. If you have a washer closet, this may not be as convenient. It is good that the light will go off after a while, even though the door is ajar.
Since I have never had a mold issue on any machine from any manufacturer, my experience here is limited. But given the myriad other ways Miele demonstrates its competence, and as no mold complaints for Miele have been found by me, I presume that Miele has engineered such issues out of their machines.
MISCELLANEOUS
All front-loads I considered or owned have drainage points to release water in the event of failure. Only Miele considers that this drainage point should be a few inches off the floor for ease of use. In all likelihood, I will never use this as I expect this machine to last two decades. When the LG went belly up, it was no joy to drain thimblefulls of water 1/2 inch above the floor. Just an inconsiderate pain by others; Miele is the opposite: Considerate of every possibility.
Most manufacturers use a cement product to weight their washers--cement that is subject to crumbling as the years (months?) go by. Not Miele. Cast iron weights always and every time.
Suspension in Miele is designed to transfer load weight into the floor, versus side-to-side or elsewhere. Most manufactturers are doing similar, but not all. If your current washer "walks," this is why.
The machine has a "PC" feature that permits authorized service technicians to hook up their computers to diagnose problems, or even update the software. Not unlike late-model cars, and a foward-thinking service utility that anticipates years of use.
The drum uses an LED light that is bright and useful, though it cannot be illuminated after the cycle is locked (> 6-7 minutes).
INSTALLATION
I strongly recommend authorized installation of Miele products. This will extend the warranty by one year, and you will rest assured that your search for reliability is over.
Super large capacity 4.00 ft. capacity (IEC equivalent) Stainless steel Honeycomb? washing drum Angled control panel Touchtronic controls Display func...More at US Appliance
Buy the Miele W4840 and soon youll be singing a song fit for commercial audiences. Go on, start dreaming up rhymes for Stainless Steel Honeycomb Wash ...More at Vanns.com
W4840 Super Large Capacity Washing MachineAngled Control Panel - The 23.5° angle makes the controls very easy to read without bending over: aMore at irawoods.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.