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Quick…lol…I need a new washing machine


Scarlett
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2 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Virtually no one uses Normal/Eco (which I was told was cold water only).

SQ admits that. This mode is a pure cheat to evade Department of Energy regulations. Sorry.

Bill

Again with the switching directions....she didn't say most people use it....she said it is usable.  Because you said it was unusable. 

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4 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Virtually no one uses Normal/Eco (which I was told was cold water only).

SQ admits that. This mode is a pure cheat to evade Department of Energy regulations. Sorry.

Bill

I use cold water wash very often.  Don’t you?

It’s not a cheat to meet rules in an unusual way.  If you are following the rules, you are not cheating.  That just basic dictionary definition type logic.  Sorry.  

There needs to be innovation to keep the rules and maintain function, which is exactly what is needed from designers of fridges and dishwashers and most washing machines, furnaces, and other appliances.  Do I want a fridge that saves energy by running too warm to keep food healthy?  Nope, I do not.  Some smart designer should be working on how to keep the rules will maintaining healthy temperatures.  Do I want a toilet that requires 3 flushes and some physical assistance to clear?  No, I do not.  Some smart designers did work out how to get low flush toilets to actually flush and still be reliable.  Right now the appliance industry is trading off actual effectiveness and reliability for the newish rules.  I want the smart designers to figure out how to give us all of these together.  So far SQ has done that, and I’m grateful.  

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1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

You just changed direction....you were calling the company unethical.  I don't avoid companies in general because of how they do business.  As far as wasting water, it is not a concern here.  At all.

As I said, if I lived where you live I would make different choices.    

I think SQ producing a fake mode in order to evade efficiency standards is highly unethical.

Instead of innovating and engineering machines that are durable and efficient, they are stuck in the 1950s. 

Normal/Eco exists only as a way to get around efficiency mandates. At least SQ is quite open about what they have done.

An ideal washer should be gentle on clothes, clean excellently, minimize water and power consumption, be durable (lasting 20+ years), spin clothes dry and be quiet in operation. SQs check 1 (or maybe 2) boxes).  

Bill

 

 

 

 

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59 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Consumer Reports gave my POS Samsung washer very high marks. It did a poor job cleaning the clothes and died 5 years later. 🤷‍♀️

They have really fallen off the rails, haven’t they?  Their fridge recs are completely useless now.  Not credible anymore.  It’s a shame.

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2 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

They have really fallen off the rails, haven’t they?  Their fridge recs are completely useless now.  Not credible anymore.  It’s a shame.

Yes, I'm not sure what happened with them.  When we were appliance shopping, so many of their recommendations talked about flashy features and high-tech design.  I don't want a fridge that talks to my phone and makes a decor statement.  I want it to keep my food cold and not die a premature death.

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Still watching this thread…someone asked how high efficiency washers work (more than Miele brands, all HE)….

Remember when HE laundry detergents came out and we could all just use one tablespoon to wash rather than the big laundry cup? The HE soaps don’t suds much nor do they leave much residue.

Your clothes are washed in a shallow bit of water, then rinsed with high pressure sprayers. 


https://tide.com/en-us/how-to-wash-clothes/washing-machine-101/how-to-use-an-he-washer/high-efficiency-washer

 

 

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1 minute ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I use cold water wash very often.  Don’t you?

It’s not a cheat to meet rules in an unusual way.  If you are following the rules, you are not cheating.  That just basic dictionary definition type logic.  Sorry.  

There needs to be innovation to keep the rules and maintain function, which is exactly what is needed from designers of fridges and dishwashers and most washing machines, furnaces, and other appliances.  Do I want a fridge that saves energy by running too warm to keep food healthy?  Nope, I do not.  Some smart designer should be working on how to keep the rules will maintaining healthy temperatures.  Do I want a toilet that requires 3 flushes and some physical assistance to clear?  No, I do not.  Some smart designers did work out how to get low flush toilets to actually flush and still be reliable.  Right now the appliance industry is trading off actual effectiveness and reliability for the newish rules.  I want the smart designers to figure out how to give us all of these together.  So far SQ has done that, and I’m grateful.  

The cheat occurred  when SQ called a very specialized cold-water-only mode their "Normal" mode, when it is clearly not the case. They cheated and did so with clear intent. It is unethical behavior by a large corporation.

Cold water wash cycles are not normal anywhere in the laundry industry.

Nor is using a "spray" rise cycle that don't really rinse the clothes. I wonder how Scarlett would feel about a spray rinse? Gross. It is also a cheat. 

In contrast, Miele isn't trading effectiveness for earth-friendliness. One can have both if companies have the will to innovate and improve products instead of cheating in order to keep producing machines with 1950s style technology that is grossly inefficient (in addition to all the other downsides).

Bill

 

 

 

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28 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Again with the switching directions....she didn't say most people use it....she said it is usable.  Because you said it was unusable. 

I said that Normal/Eco mode is virtually unusable, which is precisely the case. No one buys SQs to run in so-called Normal mode. It is a cheat mode and SQ and their dealers are very upfront about not using Normal/Eco as the wash cycle of choice.

Even this cheat mode uses 5 times as much water as a typical Miele mode. And Mieles are awesome. I wish you could test one. They are great. Really.

Bill

 

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1 minute ago, Spy Car said:

I said that Normal/Eco mode is virtually unusable, which is precisely the case. No one buys SQs to run in so-called Normal mode. It is a cheat mode and SQ and their dealers are very upfront about not using Normal/Eco as the wash cycle of choice.

Even this cheat mode uses 5 times as much water as a typical Miele mode. And Mieles are awesome. I wish you could test one. They are great. Really.

Bill

 

Well with my HE Whirlpool I use the deep water setting for every single load.  And many loads I have to re wash.  So there.

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2 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Horse is still dead. 
 

If I lived in a water scarce area I would be interested. Thankfully I do not because  the thought of washing a load of clothes in so little water makes me ill. I did read it was 5 gallons for a Miele not 3 but either way gross.  

I feel the same. That's definitely part of the appeal of the SQ. I do not want my nasty, stinky yard work clothes swishing around in a few gallons of warm water. And the thought of cloth diapers...just no. Sounds like a Petri dish.

 

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21 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Yes, I'm not sure what happened with them.  When we were appliance shopping, so many of their recommendations talked about flashy features and high-tech design.  I don't want a fridge that talks to my phone and makes a decor statement.  I want it to keep my food cold and not die a premature death.

Hoping a refrigerator will do a great job keeping food cold, while being durable/reliable and at the same time being energy efficient is a reasonable goal.

Who would want a fridge that uses 10 times the resources while doing a poorer job that an alternative at the same price point? Not me.

But that's the situation with SQs. They are resource hogs.

I wish I knew of a refrigerator brand that checked all the boxes and was a great value. I don't.

Power consumption in fridges has come a long way across models since the bad-old-days, but long term reliability seems very iffy. 

Bill  

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4 minutes ago, popmom said:

I feel the same. That's definitely part of the appeal of the SQ. I do not want my nasty, stinky yard work clothes swishing around in a few gallons of warm water. And the thought of cloth diapers...just no. Sounds like a Petri dish.

 

Wrong-headed thinking as Miele cleans better than SQs while using fewer resources in the process (in addition to other aforementioned advantages).

Mieles are a serious upgrade at the same price point.

Bill

 

 

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18 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Cold water wash cycles are not normal anywhere in the laundry industry.

I’m coming in late, but I don’t understand this statement. I can see that would be true in an industrial laundry setting, but at home, the vast majority of what we wash is on cold water. Most of our clothes call for it, and I’ve seen data indicating that a warm water wash versus a cold water wash doesn’t make a difference in cleanliness because the warm water isn’t warm enough to actually kill anything. I do have a washing machine with a sanitary cycle, and I do use that for things like cloth diapers, wipes and menstrual products, where getting them sanitary matters. Otherwise, it’s cold water. 

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15 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Well with my HE Whirlpool I use the deep water setting for every single load.  And many loads I have to re wash.  So there.

Who mentioned Whirlpools? Not me.

We have never needed to re-wash clothes in the 17 years we've run our Miele and these machines offer industry-leading cleaning and fabric care.

It isn't like I earn a commission from Miele. I'm just sharing information on a truly great product with you. Mieles (assuming you are in an areas with a authorized service network) are astonishing great devices and I'm giving it to you straight.

Bill

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4 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Who mentioned Whirlpools? Not me.

We have never needed to re-wash clothes in the 17 years we've run our Miele and these machines offer industry-leading cleaning and fabric care.

It isn't like I earn a commission from Miele. I'm just sharing information on a truly great product with you. Mieles (assuming you are in an areas with a authorized service network) are astonishing great devices and I'm giving it to you straight.

Bill

I'm gonna need you to prove you don't work for Mieles. 

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5 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Who mentioned Whirlpools? Not me.

 

Bill

I mentioned  Whirlpool in connection with industry standards and cheating.  I never use the regular water level...the one that passed gov standards.  So I guess Whirlpool cheated too by your measure.

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1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

I mentioned  Whirlpool in connection with industry standards and cheating.  I never use the regular water level...the one that passed gov standards.  So I guess Whirlpool cheated too by your measure.

If manufactures come up with "normal" modes that they know full well won't get the job done, I'd say that's cheating. Clearly cheating in SQs case. They are quite open about their Normal/Eco mode not being up to snuff. 

Not sure about Whirlpool.

Bill

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16 minutes ago, KSera said:

I’m coming in late, but I don’t understand this statement. I can see that would be true in an industrial laundry setting, but at home, the vast majority of what we wash is on cold water. Most of our clothes call for it, and I’ve seen data indicating that a warm water wash versus a cold water wash doesn’t make a difference in cleanliness because the warm water isn’t warm enough to actually kill anything. I do have a washing machine with a sanitary cycle, and I do use that for things like cloth diapers, wipes and menstrual products, where getting them sanitary matters. Otherwise, it’s cold water. 

Cold water wash cycles are a speciality use in the laundry industry. The effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness) of cold water vs warm isn't the germain issue. SQ designed a mode they do not recommend  customers use and called it their "normal" mode to cheat the system.

Likewise, that so-called normal mode doesn't do an actual rinse cycle and instead uses a so-called "spray" rinse that these machine are not designed to use effectively. Talk about gross.

It is a marvelous thing to have a real sanitize mode in a washer when it is necessary. To that end, Mieles incorporate a built-in hot water heater that raises the incoming hot water to sanitizing (germ killing) temperatures. it is a specialty mode and a very nice feature to have.

SQ machines from my understanding lack internal water heaters, so they will not sanitize clothes as they don't get hotter than the incoming line provides. Also gross.

Bill

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14 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

If manufactures come up with "normal" modes that they know full well won't get the job done, I'd say that's cheating. Clearly cheating in SQs case. They are quite open about their Normal/Eco mode not being up to snuff. 

Not sure about Whirlpool.

Bill

I like how they are honest about it not being the cycle that most people buy washing machines for.  I wish that Maytag had been honest about not having a machine for sale that actually cleaned clothes.  That’s the real cheat.  

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1 minute ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I like how they are honest about it not being the cycle that most people buy washing machines for.  I wish that Maytag had been honest about not having a machine for sale that actually cleaned clothes.  That’s the real cheat.  

Yes, they make no effort to pretend like Normal/Eco mode is anything they would recommend their customers use. No pretenses there. They openly admit that Normal/Eco exists only to evade Dept. of Energy regulations for efficiency.

Is openly cheating better than covertly cheating (like Volkswagen and the diesel debacle)? I dunno.

Bill

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56 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

The cheat occurred  when SQ called a very specialized cold-water-only mode their "Normal" mode, when it is clearly not the case. They cheated and did so with clear intent. It is unethical behavior by a large corporation.

Cold water wash cycles are not normal anywhere in the laundry industry.

Nor is using a "spray" rise cycle that don't really rinse the clothes. I wonder how Scarlett would feel about a spray rinse? Gross. It is also a cheat. 

In contrast, Miele isn't trading effectiveness for earth-friendliness. One can have both if companies have the will to innovate and improve products instead of cheating in order to keep producing machines with 1950s style technology that is grossly inefficient (in addition to all the other downsides).

Bill

 

 

 

Pretty sure my machine's normal mode is cold. Or cool, or some such thing. It has like 4 different cool settings and I still don't understand the difference. 

AND it uses a spray rinse. 

And pretty sure I saw in Miele's website bragging about their own spray rinse tech. Spray rinse is the norm now....one reason I want a Speed Queen is not having to use a spray rinse without tricking my machine or rerunning cycles. 

26 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I'm gonna need you to prove you don't work for Mieles. 

And that he does the laundry, not Mrs. Spy Car. Who for all I know does all the laundry and would say she does rewash stuff, lol. 

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Can I tip toe in here and say that I have a Speed Queen? Y’all might think I’m crazy, but until this thread, I didn’t know Miele washers existed. Also, I’m pretty sure my SQ is one of the ones that was made just after the cutoff of when they changed their design, so it’s not even the original one. 

Honestly, I would consider a Miele if I were in the market right now (based on Bill’s strong arguments and after my own research) IF I had access to a repairperson. 

Having said that, we’ve been through much frustration with crappy appliances. I’ve had enough, and I’m at the point where I just need it to turn on when I need it to and clean dirty work clothes. We live rural, so it’s a giant pain to have to utilize a laundromat. 

The appliance industry has backed us all into a corner with their craptastic machines, scrounging and scrambling for something…anything…decent to wash our clothes that will be a good value and be reliable. That has all but gone out the window with few exceptions.

I care about water conservation. It’s important. But I would need to take everything into consideration in order to make a choice. 

Having said all this, I do like my SQ. Compared to the pieces of junk I’ve owned, I’m glad to just have something reliable. It may not check all the boxes that Miele does, but it’s better than everything else at Lowe’s right now. It washes well, and does a good job. I have to agree that it isn’t the best on water conservation, but it’s a great washing machine…at least in my personal experience.

But, again, if I were choosing one today, I’d consider the Miele. But if you get the SQ @Scarlett, I don’t think you’d be disappointed. If Miele is ruled out for some reason, there is nothing else to consider but SQ.

I hope Miele makes dishwashers. I’d consider that. We have a Bosch that we’re happy with, but there isn’t anyone near us that can repair it. I took a chance on it because I didn’t want yet another 3-year dishwasher. So far, so good. 

Our appliance guy told us everything is junk. He, too, doesn’t work on Bosch. 

We went through a nightmare replacing a two year old fridge (unrepairable), and ended up with Whirlpool as a replacement. I cringe every day. There are just no other choices.

Ok, so these are just my honest thoughts and opinions. 

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35 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

HAHAHAH!

No. 

If you send a Miele to my house on your dime, I'd be happy to run side by side comparisons. 

I'd never get my machines back. They are too good. No way you'd want to let go.

And the new ones are supposedly even better. Miele is an innovative company when it comes to advancing practical technology.

Bill

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1 hour ago, Carol in Cal. said:

They have really fallen off the rails, haven’t they?  Their fridge recs are completely useless now.  Not credible anymore.  It’s a shame.

Same for their used car reliability predictions. I totally agree. It's a shame.

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1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

Pretty sure my machine's normal mode is cold. Or cool, or some such thing. It has like 4 different cool settings and I still don't understand the difference. 

AND it uses a spray rinse. 

And pretty sure I saw in Miele's website bragging about their own spray rinse tech. Spray rinse is the norm now....one reason I want a Speed Queen is not having to use a spray rinse without tricking my machine or rerunning cycles. 

And that he does the laundry, not Mrs. Spy Car. Who for all I know does all the laundry and would say she does rewash stuff, lol. 

Spray rinses work well in machines that are engineered to optimize spay rinses. That's not the case with SQ. They need to entirely fill the drum with a full load of water to do a proper rinse cycle and the rep told me that customers commonly need to do two rinses to get the suds out. I dunno. In Heavy Duty/Deep Fill mode it require 60 gallons of water to pull that off. Super wasteful.

Trust me, if Mrs Spy Car had to re-wash laundry, we'd be looking at getting new machines.

Washing clothes and ironing are practically hobbies for her. Many of us have certain areas of idiosyncratically high interests (I guess) and I have mine. My wife happens to be a laundry and ironing maven. It is "her thing," which she would freely admit. 

It is definitely in my interest to have a high quality washer/dryer set around here. Happy wife, happy life. Miele adds to domestic bliss in this home.

Bill 

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14 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

Can I tip toe in here and say that I have a Speed Queen? Y’all might think I’m crazy, but until this thread, I didn’t know Miele washers existed. Also, I’m pretty sure my SQ is one of the ones that was made just after the cutoff of when they changed their design, so it’s not even the original one. 

Honestly, I would consider a Miele if I were in the market right now (based on Bill’s strong arguments and after my own research) IF I had access to a repairperson. 

Having said that, we’ve been through much frustration with crappy appliances. I’ve had enough, and I’m at the point where I just need it to turn on when I need it to and clean dirty work clothes. We live rural, so it’s a giant pain to have to utilize a laundromat. 

The appliance industry has backed us all into a corner with their craptastic machines, scrounging and scrambling for something…anything…decent to wash our clothes that will be a good value and be reliable. That has all but gone out the window with few exceptions.

I care about water conservation. It’s important. But I would need to take everything into consideration in order to make a choice. 

Having said all this, I do like my SQ. Compared to the pieces of junk I’ve owned, I’m glad to just have something reliable. It may not check all the boxes that Miele does, but it’s better than everything else at Lowe’s right now. It washes well, and does a good job. I have to agree that it isn’t the best on water conservation, but it’s a great washing machine…at least in my personal experience.

But, again, if I were choosing one today, I’d consider the Miele. But if you get the SQ @Scarlett, I don’t think you’d be disappointed. If Miele is ruled out for some reason, there is nothing else to consider but SQ.

I hope Miele makes dishwashers. I’d consider that. We have a Bosch that we’re happy with, but there isn’t anyone near us that can repair it. I took a chance on it because I didn’t want yet another 3-year dishwasher. So far, so good. 

Our appliance guy told us everything is junk. He, too, doesn’t work on Bosch. 

We went through a nightmare replacing a two year old fridge (unrepairable), and ended up with Whirlpool as a replacement. I cringe every day. There are just no other choices.

Ok, so these are just my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Here is a link to Miele's authorized service centers just for grins.

I would not purchase a Miele washer/dryer if they were not easily serviceable in my area.

https://www.service-center-locator.com/miele/miele-service-center.htm

Miele does make dishwashers. I have no idea how they stack up against the competition.

If it makes you feel better, it seems like the TR line of SQs (like the one I'm guessing you have) that inspired the internet meltdown in 2018, seemed to have steadily rebounded in reputation from the strong hate they received initially. They are recognized as not beating up clothes as badly as the traditional old school agitators in the TC line up.

Bill

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10 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

So, Bill, you don't actually do the laundry? 

Enough to judge the quality of the washing machines.

And I'm the one who would head to a laundromat during any down times.

But overall my "job" is to make sure that there are outstanding laundry tools at the ready for Mrs Spy Car to enjoy at all times.

Having "down time" is a huge drawback. I don't like being in the dog house, and I'm the party who is considered responsible for making sure we have uptime. KWIM?

Mrs Spy Car is a lovey, kind, and generous woman, but one does not mess with her ability to do laundry and think that will go over well. LOL. 

Mieles have been good to me. 17 years. Knock wood.

Bill

 

 

 

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Re: cloth diapers and high efficiency machines…that’s actually what pushed us to a HE machine. At the time, we had four in cloth diapers and we were generating a ton of laundry. 
 

Our HE Whirlpool washed both our microfiber and organic cotton diapers beautifully. (We had kids with different allergies and skin issues so different diapers.)  I used the certified sanitary cycles on them, so everything was coming out beautifully clean. The machine never smelled stale like it sometimes did with our previous top loader. 
 

I think it’s a misconception to state that only machines that use lots of water can get clothes clean. It’s more complicated than that.

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As I side note, I purchased Mrs Spy Car a Miele vacuum back in the day as sort of an engagement present.

We each have our own idea of "romantic gifts," but that purchase was one of the best ever.

The vac was so great (still runs perfectly) that Miele had a leg up when I needed a set of washer/dryers as a "baby bauble."

Those were very sound moves in this household. Thank you Miele!

Bill

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28 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Here is a link to Miele's authorized service centers just for grins.

I would not purchase a Miele washer/dryer if they were not easily serviceable in my area.

https://www.service-center-locator.com/miele/miele-service-center.htm

Miele does make dishwashers. I have no idea how they stack up against the competition.

If it makes you feel better, it seems like the TR line of SQs (like the one I'm guessing you have) that inspired the internet meltdown in 2018, seemed to have steadily rebounded in reputation from the strong hate they received initially. They are recognized as not beating up clothes as badly as the traditional old school agitators in the TC line up.

Bill

The link to Tulsa gives 2 dealers.  One won't respond to me at all.  Hahn is the dealer who gave me the big run around about who does their Miele service work.

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4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Re: cloth diapers and high efficiency machines…that’s actually what pushed us to a HE machine. At the time, we had four in cloth diapers and we were generating a ton of laundry. 
 

Our HE Whirlpool washed both our microfiber and organic cotton diapers beautifully. (We had kids with different allergies and skin issues so different diapers.)  I used the certified sanitary cycles on them, so everything was coming out beautifully clean. The machine never smelled stale like it sometimes did with our previous top loader. 
 

I think it’s a misconception to state that only machines that use lots of water can get clothes clean. It’s more complicated than that.

I took care of my mother during her last year of life. She'd had uterine cancer earlier, which she survived, but the radiation did a number on her colon. At times there were accidents.

Having a sanitize mode on the Miele was an absolute godsend, as doing that laundry job was mine alone.

Not a pleasant topic to discuss, but I'd have really struggled if not for Miele's fantastic sanitize mode feature, which is stupendously excellent.

A sanitize cycle will also eliminate any mildew that might try to take hold. My favorite specialty feature, for sure.

Bill

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3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Re: cloth diapers and high efficiency machines…that’s actually what pushed us to a HE machine. At the time, we had four in cloth diapers and we were generating a ton of laundry. 
 

Our HE Whirlpool washed both our microfiber and organic cotton diapers beautifully. (We had kids with different allergies and skin issues so different diapers.)  I used the certified sanitary cycles on them, so everything was coming out beautifully clean. The machine never smelled stale like it sometimes did with our previous top loader. 
 

I think it’s a misconception to state that only machines that use lots of water can get clothes clean. It’s more complicated than that.

 

3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

I took care of my mother during her last year of life. She'd had uterine cancer earlier, which she survived, but the radiation did a number on her colon. At times there were accidents.

Having a sanitize mode on the Miele was an absolute godsend, as doing that laundry job was mine alone.

Not a pleasant topic to discuss, but I'd have really struggled if not for Miele's fantastic sanitize mode feature, which is stupendously excellent.

A sanitize cycle will also eliminate any mildew that might try to take hold. My favorite specialty feature, for sure.

Bill

This is good to know. I realize that this is somewhat a psychological issue for me. lol 

I’m going to pour a glass of wine and catch up on Lorain Furniture videos tonight. I’ve got some research to do before my 22 year old Whirlpool gives out on me. 

As I mentioned up thread, I’m actually leaning toward an LG front loader because of its capacity. (And I’ve used them in vacation rentals with good results. I go back and forth on this. 

@Spy Car so does your Miele stay damp or get mold? That is the one thing about the LGs I’ve used. They always have a little water in the door. Gets a little grungy. 

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5 hours ago, Indigo Blue said:

Can I tip toe in here and say that I have a Speed Queen? Y’all might think I’m crazy, but until this thread, I didn’t know Miele washers existed. Also, I’m pretty sure my SQ is one of the ones that was made just after the cutoff of when they changed their design, so it’s not even the original one. 

Honestly, I would consider a Miele if I were in the market right now (based on Bill’s strong arguments and after my own research) IF I had access to a repairperson. 

Having said that, we’ve been through much frustration with crappy appliances. I’ve had enough, and I’m at the point where I just need it to turn on when I need it to and clean dirty work clothes. We live rural, so it’s a giant pain to have to utilize a laundromat. 

The appliance industry has backed us all into a corner with their craptastic machines, scrounging and scrambling for something…anything…decent to wash our clothes that will be a good value and be reliable. That has all but gone out the window with few exceptions.

I care about water conservation. It’s important. But I would need to take everything into consideration in order to make a choice. 

Having said all this, I do like my SQ. Compared to the pieces of junk I’ve owned, I’m glad to just have something reliable. It may not check all the boxes that Miele does, but it’s better than everything else at Lowe’s right now. It washes well, and does a good job. I have to agree that it isn’t the best on water conservation, but it’s a great washing machine…at least in my personal experience.

But, again, if I were choosing one today, I’d consider the Miele. But if you get the SQ @Scarlett, I don’t think you’d be disappointed. If Miele is ruled out for some reason, there is nothing else to consider but SQ.

I hope Miele makes dishwashers. I’d consider that. We have a Bosch that we’re happy with, but there isn’t anyone near us that can repair it. I took a chance on it because I didn’t want yet another 3-year dishwasher. So far, so good. 

Our appliance guy told us everything is junk. He, too, doesn’t work on Bosch. 

We went through a nightmare replacing a two year old fridge (unrepairable), and ended up with Whirlpool as a replacement. I cringe every day. There are just no other choices.

Ok, so these are just my honest thoughts and opinions. 

We recently bought a Fisher & Paykel refrigerator with a free 5 year warranty. We mainly bought it because it had the layout we wanted, but the five year warranty was a nice bonus. We also bought a Bosch dishwasher. I was a bit skeptical, but the guy at the local (not chain) appliance store said they were phasing out selling the Miele dishwashers due to higher repair problems than the Bosch. The Miele also did not have the layout I wanted. I’ll be interested to see what they have to say about the Miele washing machine when we go soon to look. I’ve pretty much decided to purchase the lowest level one. Now I just need to find a very basic, reliable dryer. We’re also planning on purchasing a Miele vacuum soon.

Edited to add that it probably sounds like we are on some sort of spending spree, but except for our washing machine, all of our current appliances are 22+ years old and we are finishing up the very long process of slowly remodeling our home, mainly DIY.

Edited by Frances
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31 minutes ago, popmom said:

 

This is good to know. I realize that this is somewhat a psychological issue for me. lol 

I’m going to pour a glass of wine and catch up on Lorain Furniture videos tonight. I’ve got some research to do before my 22 year old Whirlpool gives out on me. 

As I mentioned up thread, I’m actually leaning toward an LG front loader because of its capacity. (And I’ve used them in vacation rentals with good results. I go back and forth on this. 

@Spy Car so does your Miele stay damp or get mold? That is the one thing about the LGs I’ve used. They always have a little water in the door. Gets a little grungy. 

My son says he hasn’t had any of the mildew smell issues with his Miele, but he does leave the door slightly ajar when not in use.

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I have questions!

1. Why would I consider it state-of-the-art for my clothes to take longer to wash? I can get a load from dirty to clean and dry in one hour.  I got burned on that deal with my “efficient” dishwasher. 

2. Do people who live in the desert have nice, not-swampy laundry that isn’t weighed down with gallons of sweat? (Nothing to do with machines; just curious)

3. HOW do people get holes in their clothes from a washing machine? I’ve used several brands of toploaders throughout my life and I’ve never had holes from them. 

4. Can we admit the water doesn’t vanish from the earth when it leaves the machine? 

5. To me, “50s technology” means no planned obsolescence and no electronic controls. My house came with the original toilets and thermostat. They’ve been working  continuously for 50 years. I replaced two toilets before I realized my mistake. I still have one. It never clogs. 

6. Soft water cleans remarkably well. Do they test machines with both?

7. Do sanitize setting in a washer do anything that the dryer/sun won’t do?

Full disclosure: I have the older AWsomething Speed Queen and I won’t let Bill have it no matter how much he begs. 
 

 

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57 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

7. Do sanitize setting in a washer do anything that the dryer/sun won’t do?

I think the dryer on hot would do similar, but the sun would only kill bacteria on the surface. I felt like it was better to get diapers super clean in the washer first, so I wasn’t “cooking” in any smells in the dryer. If I had soft water, I don’t think I would’ve needed the sanitary setting. And I survived cloth diapering without it for my first kid and it was fine. 

I’m still stuck on the “laundry industry” thing. Is anyone on this thread in the laundry industry? 

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On 7/23/2021 at 2:47 PM, popmom said:

I feel the same. That's definitely part of the appeal of the SQ. I do not want my nasty, stinky yard work clothes swishing around in a few gallons of warm water. And the thought of cloth diapers...just no. Sounds like a Petri dish.

 

That's so funny, because my German friends thought of American washers as nasty because they didn't heat the water separately from the house. My German buddies actually BOILED their towels before sticking them in American washers to get them properly cleaned. And they hated that the top-loader spin cycles didn't spin well enough to get much of the water out.

They loved their Mieles and Bosches and went out of their way to buy them. The detergent is less because less water is needed. It isn't the amount of water, but how it is used. They used sanitize cycle for things like diapers, which internally heats the water beyond what the hot water heater in the house does.

To each her own, LOL.

Emily

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2 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

That's so funny, because my German friends thought of American washers as nasty because they didn't heat the water separately from the house. My German buddies actually BOILED their towels before sticking them in American washers to get them properly cleaned. And they hated that the top-loader spin cycles didn't spin well enough to get much of the water out.

They loved their Mieles and Bosches and went out of their way to buy them. The detergent is less because less water is needed. It isn't the amount of water, but how it is used. They used sanitize cycle for things like diapers, which internally heats the water beyond what the hot water heater in the house does.

To each her own, LOL.

Emily

I remember when my mom washed cloth diapers….in a wringer washer.  The water was so hot it would burn your skin.  Plus she used bleach.  I only use white cloths in the kitchen so they can be bleached.  Dh prefers white towels for himself so his can be bleached.   

Edited by Scarlett
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5 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

That's so funny, because my German friends thought of American washers as nasty because they didn't heat the water separately from the house. My German buddies actually BOILED their towels before sticking them in American washers to get them properly cleaned. And they hated that the top-loader spin cycles didn't spin well enough to get much of the water out.

They loved their Mieles and Bosches and went out of their way to buy them. The detergent is less because less water is needed. It isn't the amount of water, but how it is used. They used sanitize cycle for things like diapers, which internally heats the water beyond what the hot water heater in the house does.

To each her own, LOL.

Emily

Well, I think German engineering is generally better than the cap w buy at Lowes. 

That said, heat sterilized poop bits are still gross, lol. I want to know that it is all washed out/rinsed out. I'm just not sure how that happens with so little water - I am picturing yucky clothes just stewing in filth for an hour, lol. 

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6 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

That's so funny, because my German friends thought of American washers as nasty because they didn't heat the water separately from the house. My German buddies actually BOILED their towels before sticking them in American washers to get them properly cleaned. And they hated that the top-loader spin cycles didn't spin well enough to get much of the water out.

They loved their Mieles and Bosches and went out of their way to buy them. The detergent is less because less water is needed. It isn't the amount of water, but how it is used. They used sanitize cycle for things like diapers, which internally heats the water beyond what the hot water heater in the house does.

To each her own, LOL.

Emily

My very old (20+) Kenmore mixed the incoming water to custom temps, which my 2018 SQ does not.  I’ve never had a water heater set low enough that I didn’t think its hot water would sanitize everything.  

My SQ brings in pure hot on the hot water setting, pure cold on the cold water setting, and half and half on the warm water wetting.  In the winter when the incoming water is so cold that it hurts to wash your hands in it, I use the warm setting for most cold water wash items.  It’s lukewarm and it’s fine.  This time of the year I use the cold water setting.  No problem.  The hot setting is hot no matter what time of the year it is, because that is governed by my hot water heater.

Edited by Carol in Cal.
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I don’t know how the heck I got holes in my clothes from the POJunk Maytag.  It didn’t have an agitator, so in theory it was gentler but without question it tore things up.  Clothing, heavy cotton tablecloths, whatever.  It was unprecedented IME, and it took me a while to actually believe it.  I can only assume that the relatively small amounts of water increased whatever friction was present.  The stuff did not get clean either.  Heck, it wasn’t even always wetted.

Those who feel that SQ cheated by satisfying the rules while delivering a machine that actually protects and cleans clothes seem fairly hypocritical to me for not railing even more so against the manufacturers who sell appliances that don’t work at all.

I looked at a Miele for our dishwasher, and there are no service people in the area for it.  They would not sell it without reducing the warranty severely because of that.  That being so, and given the complexity of their washing machines and the consequent likelihood of needing outside rather than in home service relative to simpler machines, takes them completely out of consideration for me.  

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On 7/23/2021 at 2:01 PM, Spy Car said:

Virtually no one uses Normal/Eco (which I was told was cold water only).

 

I use that setting all the time! (My machine was used from a military base so it is governed to this as default)-- my repair person said she would come over and reset it if I wanted--NOPE-- It is great the way it is!  My clothes are clean, they are spun 'dry' (very dry actually). 

I'm happy!  I've been happily doing laundry this morning.

--

I drive a Mazda 9.  DH drives a BMW... I suppose the BMW is a 'superior' car... BUT I LOVE my Mazda 9.  It is just what I needed at much less cost!! 

It is just FINE that I drive a Mazda.  I'm happy-- it is a great reliable vehicle.

It is just fine that DH drives a BMW.  He found a great deal on a used one-- and it also doubles as a 'race car' and he loves that hobby!

I'm not going to beat anyone over the head about my car choices.  We are happy.

No regrets.

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