IFA 2024

[henene4]

I usually am pretty early on this yearly tradition post, but I wasn't abled to find much this year - until now.

I'll make thise general post and the make responses for each manufacturer as I get to it.

I thought this year was going to be boring, but it sure as hell isn't!

 

[henene4]

Miele W2/T2

I was used to be abled to find some reminants of upcomming models on Mieles website - either in the parts catalouge or in the manuals - but nothing this year.

I just got home from work, checked their press site, and they just dropped this bomb:
https://www.miele.de/en/m/even-gent...achines-and-tumble-dryers-from-miele-7406.htm

I mean, the W1 is something like 10 or 12 years old now? So, they just redid some MAJOR stuff.

The washer:
NO DRUM PADDLES. Uh huh. OK. If it wasn't Miele I would have written that off in the first sentence.
But it's Miele and they usually only launch if things at least work somewhat.
They use 6 lifted honeycomb shapes and special drum motion to get similar lifting effects without the lifter bars. LG has reduced their drum paddles to basicly nothing aswell, and it kinda works pretty OK. So I have my doubts, but we'll see.

They further claim to have improved wash times, usage and sensing on partial loads. Was about time - having 2 or 3 load levels on a 2k€ washer was just laughable.
That comes with a new automatic cycle that claims to have linear usage per kg regardless of load size (up to 4kg). Wanna wash your sports clothing directly after each work out? Sure, go ahead, no wastage.
That sounds amazing actually. Load sensing was ok, but now, they appear to be on par with the competion, and with the generaly more reasonable wash times of Miele, that's a huge thing.

Some things haven't change: PowerWash, TwinDos, up to 1600rpm, AllWater in the top model.
Given the dimensions and naming of the announced models (WQ1000 and WQ1200) I would assume the latter is a larger 12kg version.
Design has changed. Bigger touch screen, push to open door, MotionReact (machine switches on upon getting closer to it).

The T2 dryer:

That's underwhelming in certain ways while being impressive at the same time.
All they did, literally, is take things other manufacturers do and add it. A heater to kick-start drying, enabling 4kg in 49min - done by Arcelik with its 5kg/1h cycle.
WoolDry drying is just the same drying method ELux launched with the Protex like 15 years ago.

The TQ1000 thus is everything other dryers did better than Miele, combined with what Miele did better.
I don't think it's a return to the TwinPower design, but I would guess it is an inverter heatpump.

Both are said to launch early 2025.

 

[henene4]

New Miele vacuum cleaners

Miele overhauled their vacuum cleaners.

A lot appears to just be a bit of packaging and UI changes.
They changed the bags to some new ones. Some have fully digital controls and connectivity now.
Some are quieter.

But from the motor wattages listed, I don't think much about performance has actually been done.
Not that they needed to.

https://www.miele.de/en/m/miele-gua...-generation-is-redefining-floor-care-7435.htm

 

[henene4]

LG washers, dryers, DWs and fridges

Unfourtunately, I was only abled to find this in german, but google translate should help:
https://www.lg.com/de/newsroom/lg-z...neue-waschmaschine-mit-ai-dd-2-0-technologie/
https://www.lg.com/de/newsroom/ifa-...-haushaltsgeraete-mit-hoher-energieeffizienz/

They now claim up to 16kg in a 24" washer (they say 25" class, but that seems odd).
A-55% efficency.
They dryers now claim up to A+++-26% - which means I think LG has the first soon-to-be A-classed dryer in any annoucement.
Even their fridges now go down to A-25%. DWs to A-20%.

And they annouced their InstaView ovens - similar tech to the InstaView fridges.

How much of that ends up actually getting to the german market we'll see. But it certainly shows that LG has a lot of knowledge regarding high efficency compressors systems.

 

[logixx]

Very interesting - I just wish Berlin wasn't that far away.

Given how much more efficient appliances are becoming, the new label needs an overhaul already.

I see AEG also promoting washers that are 60% more efficient and dryers that are 25% more efficient.

https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/...e-plus-neuen-goldstandard-fur-waschetrockner/

 

[henene4]

Totally skipped over the A+++ -25% AEG dryer.

Given how well the 9000 series dryers have just been rated by our consumer magazine, that's gonna be one hell of a dryer to beat.

 

[hoover1100]

Very interesting

I am also skeptical of the lack of full drum paddles in the W2, but until I see one in action I will reserve judgement.

 

[stevefromsydney]

More Miele Info

Found this. Not sure if pictures are correct... Interesting all the same

https://www.galaxus.ch/en/page/miel...with-a-honeycomb-shape-like-this-before-34585

 

[combo52]

Miele New baffled less washer drum

This may be their gentle answer to the Speed Queen top loader TR series where the agitator doesn’t move independently, I’m sure if they make the cycle long enough it would probably still work with most loads,time will tell. I just don’t see this cleaning very well when you put 10 pairs of work pants in it, etc.

I think it’s funny that they’re making so much hay about the great looks of this new pair at first glance It looks like a washer and dryer still.

I wonder if they’re gonna make a dryer without baffles, lol

John

 

[henene4]

These pictures are correct - you can barely see one of these bumps in the official press release.

 

[henene4]

AEG dryers

They just showed up on the german website. MSRP is 1800€, so given the typical price cuts and AEGs sales network size, I would guess these could retail just shy of 1000€.

And, well, as expected. Certainly an inverter compressor. Surprisingly fast: 8kg in under 200min with just 1.11kWh of energy at 94% condensation efficency. Keep in mind that time is the Eco-cycle. The machine could be MUCH faster if you select a speed cycle, though that would increase usage.
They use the new ELux heatpump base design: Belt driven fan in the back middle, heat exchanger basically centered in the base, with the motor back right and compressor back left.

That compressor has to have a VERY wide speed range. The half load Eco cycle by coincidence uses the exat same amount of energy as the half load cottons irondry one, but the latter is almost 40% shorter.
The new wool cycle is much faster (just north of an hour) and uses MORE energy than the half load Eco cycle.

I was really thinking that just like with fridges, it would take a few months to a year to reach the new A-class. But I've been proofen wrong.

And honestly blown away. Heatpump tumble dryers aren't even 30 years old and we cut energy usage of clothes drying by 75%, with an arguably better result. I don't think that has been done before in appliances.

 

[launderess]

IIRC domestic h-axis washing machines without drum baffles isn't a new thing in Europe. A few manufacturers had such similar things on market years ago if one recalls correctly. Am sure it's in AW archives somewhere.

Since front and top loading washers are two different beasts, don't believe Miele's latest innovation has anything to do with Speed Queen. Indeed top loading washers with central beaters are largely unheard of in Europe and have been so for ages.

Miele apparently has been working on this development for some time.

https://dday.it/redazione/50361/mie...ova-edition-la-prima-al-mondo-senza-nervature

https://www.applianceretailer.com.au/ifa-2024-miele-launches-world-first-ribless-washing-machine/

https://www.miele.de/media/ex/ce/presseartikel/2024/2024-098a--at-a-glance.pdf

Ever since Miele launched honeycomb drum they've been on a tear promoting how their washing machines were more gentle and so on. This latest innovation seems more of same to one's eyes. Miele doing what they've done in past, innovating and seeking to get themselves out ahead of the pack.

Remember Miele is a small family owned shop competing in a world increasingly dominated by behemoths such as Whirlpool, Haier, LG and perhaps a few others. They've got to give people reasons to purchase their often quite expensive laundry appliances.

 

[launderess]

Patents filed by Miele of late:

https://patents.justia.com/patent/11932985

https://patents.justia.com/patent/11655578

 

[logixx]

I didn't even know this existed here.

https://www.samsung.com/de/washers-...per-speed-18kg-plus-11kg-gray-wd18db8995bzt2/

 

[henene4]

It didn't

Until today. Cause I checked Samsung's website yesterday (their press release regarding IT security in IOT devices showed this exakt machine) and it wasn't there.

First of: For the EU, the machine is HUGE. The website states a width below 70cm, the official documents say 75cm. Either way, with the height and depth it's massive.

But even further: It's damn efficient.
A 5kg load is dryed with less than a kWh, which is mediocre for a normal heat pump dryer, but great for a combination.
Further, it's "fast". Don't get me wrong, it still 8:45h to wash and dry 11kg (or just over 6h for 5.5kg). But that's FASTER than all other heat pump combos on the EU market - for more clothing with less energy.
Or, put it that way: it dries 11kg in just around 5h in a combo!

It somehow does all of that with a max spin of 1050 rpm, actually having to throttle down full speed for full loads by 100rpm.

And it's heavy and huge (150kg almost).
But if you can fit it and adapt to it a bit, the ability to toss in a load in the evening, go to sleep, switch loads in the morning, come back from work and then fold 2 loads of ready to wear laundry could be a game changer for families. It's very efficient, large enough to wash and dry most typical loads without issue and not all that slow.

No guess on prices yet. But if it does go at like 2k€, it really wouldn't be that far out there.

 

[brisnat81]

Henrik, LG has just started to heavily promote their 14kg in a 600x660 footprint machines after discontinuing the large format units just before I could buy one to replace my duet.

I ended up buying the 16/9kg combo instead and as a washer it does an amazing job, as a dryer it gets hotter than the sun and takes almost 7 hours to wash and dry a 9kg load. I hadn’t wanted a combo, so I’m very happy with it as just a washer.

I’ll be heading in with a measuring tape to see how big the drum is on these new small footprint 14kg machines because it seems hard to reconcile how they make it fit, both in the cabinet and then in fitting that much laundry.

I’d really wanted the 16kg wash tower, but with the deals on the combo at $1699 vs $4k for the wash tower, I just couldn’t justify it.

 

[henene4]

The drums on the AIDD 13/14kg models should be about 80 odd litres.
The "normal depth" machines have drums just shy of 70l rated up to 11kg.

Given some manufacturers go as low as 1:5 filling ratios, I don't even think they'd have done much to get that extra load size.

 

[suburbanmd]

Drum bumps instead of paddles

I guess delicate loads will be coddled purely through drum action, not high water levels, since standing water would cause items to float on top and not get moved.

 

[richnz]

One way to avoid floating clothes

is to have a dry-wash but with a spray action.
Looking forward to seeing it in action.

The current delicates cycle has clothes floating.

Hopefully they have the spinning sorted.

I remember some initial users not being happy with the spin of the W1.
Hope that's sorted.

The heatpump washer/dryer looks interesting too. How many will end up with clogged HP units and rotted spiders after 2 years?

Hope the built in AI tells users to hot wash and to leave doors ajar.

Of the videos seen so far, Asko gets my tick in terms of looks. Very stylish.
Loved that laundry stack in the forest.