Re Miele washers in the USA
Matt; Re "Aside from Miele, they were the only full sized machines on the U.S. market that I would have even considered buying."
The price of a Miele machine in the USA is rather high.
A W4802 27" Front Load Washer with 4.0 cu. ft. Capacity is about 1750 dollars
A Miele 24" W3033 2.5 Cu ft Front Load Washer is about 2050 dollars.
A Miele 24" W3035 2.5 Cu ft Front Load Washer is about 2350 dollars.
Here when I bought a new washer last November, the lowest cost TL washer was 239 dollars, an Amana unit made by Maytag/Whirlpool. The lowest cost FL washers were 349 then. I bought an LG WM2501HVA on sale for 599, today internet prices of this unit are 795 for the lowest seller.
About the only Miele buyers I know of are large yacht owners, where a 24" machine is placed on a boat. They are used in other high end boats that service the oil industry here. where there is a crew that lives on board.
If there was a Miele unit at any local store *here* where I live that sells washers, it would sit there a long time since this area still is in a deep double dip recession.
Thus many of us here buy what is on sale and what is affordable; and the spider and unit might die in 5 years. One could buy a washer, dryer, stove, small refrigerator, dishwasher on sale for what a Miele washer costs if one works the super sales.
Many folks will not buy giant items on line sight unseen too. Thus to actually look at a Miele might take a road trip to a giant city like Chicago, Atlanta, NY or LA.