2 Hour washing in a Miele
I have a Miele washer about 6 1/2 years old, cold fill only - which suits me as I do not have an instant or gas water heater.
All the cotton cycles (5kg & 95c - 30c) have a default 1hr 46min time cycle, although the machine often reduces this when is senses a lighter load.
The minimum iron cycles (3kg 60c - 30c) all default to 1r 16 min cycle time, I dont think I have ever seen the machine reduce the cycle time but then, living on my own, 3kg is perhaps more achievable that 5kg
There is a quick wash cycle at 40c and 35 minutes, but I never use that - along with a "short" option button that I dont use either.
Like Matt I ofen run the machine at night and usually add the soak option which is supposed to be a more eco friendly version of a pre-wash - as it does not involve two fills and two lots of detergent. Basically the machine fills as normal and just tumbles every so often for two hours before the cycle starts as normal. I must confess that the main reason I use it is to delay the more expensive part of the programme (heating the water) until after my cheaper night tarrif electricity cuts in. I set the rinse hold to prevent the last spin until after I am wake so the clothes dont get too creased.
I really dont not see what all the fuss about these short cycles is about - I am definatly in the "its all marketing hype" camp. Surely the whole point about an AUTOMATIC machine is that you can walk away and leave it, coming back when it suits you - its not like the machine is going to nag you when you get back? Or is it?. I note my normal routine above, but last weekend I was not quite so well corganised and did not start my laundry until after I woke up Saturday morning. Sorted the laundry bin into whites & coloureds, got the sheets & duvet cover off the bed, and into the machine. Detergent in, started up, no soak. Grabbed a coffee and a danish (OK two danish, it was the weekend!) and then over to the computer to check emails, ebay, AW.org, vacuumland and a couple of others not for this forum - the machine was finished before I was! 1hr 46min to be precise.
So, to use a different bit of marketing hype "WASHDAY? JUST FORGET IT!"
Clothes are cheaper now than they ever were and even I, who am most definatly not a fashion victim, always has clean clothes in my wardrobe, drawers (including clean drawers!) and airing cupboard (hotpress!). I think it would take me about three weeks before I would actually run out of clothes, but I choose to do a weekly wash (I did consider 2 weekly when the "how much will a FL washer hold) as I dont care to have dirty laundry about for so long. So why the rush to do the washing, especially if tumble drying?
As I often line dry when I can the longer cycles are helpful as it gives time (on a good day) for somethings to be ironing dry which can then be removed to make space for others.
And for those who feel they must be tied to their washing machine, THROUGH 12 minute wash (or is that tangling - duck & run) cycles from start of end are nothing new at all, just needs a bit of 1957 technology as demonstrated on the link.
Al