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Is yours the one with the "Y" cut out of the middle?

(I despise the subway, and venerate it at the same time. If it wouldn't have been for its proximity, I'd still be stuck out in the provinces, LOL!)

I've dragged more friends than I can count to the Transit Museum, so, yep, I'm a buff!

My best friend moved out to the Bay Area and never looked back!
 
Yes, it's a "Y" token. Hold on a second, I'll see if I can find it...

Yep, still have it. It's about the size of a quarter. Also have another one, same design, just smaller, about the size of a dime. I don't know which came first, do you?
 
Let's see if we can embed a picture of the control panel..

W-ControlPanel.jpg
 
D'uh!

Well, thanks Louis [again :)]

So, the question remains: where is the door opening button?

BTW: I really like the look of the drum - it seem so sturdy, esp. those SS paddles.

Alex
 
Thanks for the photos. Using the model number W4840, I was able to search the web for pricing. Think there are two models, the 4800 for around $1600, and the 4840 for around $1800. Pricing is more at sites that offer free shipping. I'll wait until my local Miele dealer starts stocking these washers.

:-)
 
Goes To Show!!!

Just how much beefing up the drum brace/support needs in order to give these large load machines durability...

I hope they sell well and are not dumbed down in any way, but having had to re-tool a factory and design these machines Miele couldnt afford bad publicity....

My opinion is that as these machines sell and are incorporated into desperate houswives laundry type studios, that laundry habits will be changing , i.e regular loads done often, I cant for the life of me imagining stashing up a weeks worth of damp shower/bath towels to fill a mega load machine,

I agree that large dums are useful every so often, small duvets, family/friends gatherings etc, but am convinced that these machines will need to work at no less than half full to gain the dop and flop wash action efficiency...
 
As I've often said, you younsters can have at these new fangled computer machines, I'll stick to my old W1070 for long as runs.

Just am not a huge fan of pre-set cycles, or having to go through major changes to change limited parameters.

For instance there are times I wish to use hot or even boiling water, but delicate cycle; such as when laundering/restoring old textiles that have yellowed and or old stains.

Below is a descripton of the cycle times someone posted over on THS. Said poster ordered the new Miele washer, and stated the max wash time is 2hrs 48mins if one choses "Sanitise".
Cycle--------Options--------Temp--------Spin--------Time

Normal-------none-----------warm--------max---------1:04
Normal-------none-----------cold--------max----------1:04
Normal-------none-----------hot---------max----------1:10
Normal-------sensitive-------warm--------max---------1:15
Normal-------extended------warm--------max---------1:34
Normal-------ext + sen------warm--------max---------1:45

Sanitize----Heavy Soil------sanitize--------max---------2:04
Sanitize--Heavy Soil + Sen--sanitize-------max---------2:48

Hand Wash----none--------cold---------max-----------0:41
Woolens-------none--------cold---------high-----------0:41
Silk-----------none---------cold----------slow----------0:36

MasterCare Cycles:
Extra White----------------hot-----------max-----------1:14
Delicates------------------cold----------med------------0:47
Denim/Jeans---------------warm---------high-----------1:01
Dress Shirts---------------warm----------med-----------0:55
Comforters----------------warm----------high-----------1:12
Outerwear----------------cold-----------med------------1:04
Table Linens--------------warm----------high-----------1:04
Beach Towels-------------no heat--------max-----------0:24
Express-------------------warm----------max-----------0:30
Drain/Spin-------------------------------max------------0:13
Quick Rinse------------------------------high-----------0:18

-------------------------------------------------------------

What is interesting is the new units run on 120v/15amp service but only have 1400 watts. My vintage W1070 can run on 120v/20 amp serivce but has two 1500 watt heaters (3000 watts total, one leg is disabled when the machine runs on 120v power). Guess Miele really is going for "plug and play" with this washer, with no more special power connections. Still 1500 watts would probably give a slighlty faster water heating. Then again this new larger unit probably uses less water, while doing larger loads than my 5kg washer.

L.
 
The longest cycle I can coax out of my Neptune 7500 is about 110 minutes, which works out to 1:40. I use that for whites, and because it incorporates the "stain cycle" it has the added bonus of using hot water (unboosted) for the first rinse. It gets the whites very clean indeed.

There's a limit to how much juice you can coax out of a 15 amp wall socket before the breaker blows. Remember, the electronics and motor use some of the allowable 15 amps, so 1500 watts is pushing it (although plenty of 110 volt space heaters are rated at 1500 watts). At 120 nominal volts, 1500 watts works out to 12.5 amps, which is under the limit, but doesn't leave much room for the motor and the fact that many laundry rooms don't have dedicated circuits just for the washer (the dryer may share the same outlet). Also a 20 amp appliance should require a special plug and outlet - with one of the prongs perpendicular to the other. They are available at home centers but most homes don't have those, either.

A 1300 watt heater will use 10.8 amps, which leaves more room for other loads.
 
The control panel is visible on the web site, though. And unless I'm mistaken, it's a bit of a disappointment. It looks quite dumbed down for mass American consumerism - it's all pre-selected cycles with only three options: Heavy Soil, Extended, and Sensitive. Perhaps there is some mysterious way to customize these selections, but I'm not seeing it. There's no clear way, for example, to change water temp or spin speed for various agitation times and levels. No extra rinse option either. Strange. I'm sure it washes well enough, it's just a bit puzzling. So much for "Advanced Touchtronic" ... less is more?
 
All the options are there

You press sensitive for an extra rinse, or raised water level depending on how its been programmed.

Extended gives you a long wash time, Extended off should equate to a cycle time of 40-50 minutes.

Heavy soil provides a prewash.

Soak option would be available from the LCD screen.

Temps can be set via the LCD screen, as can spin speeds.

The tumble speeds and interim spin speeds are set via the preset cycles.
 
Sudsmaster - Sensitive on the US Miele machines is equivalent to teh water plus options on worldwide machines, which is an extra rinse and higher water levels.

My machine has the soak option whilst these don't I believe, but mine is definitely the most flexible machine I've used and I have to say apart from water plus I rarely use the other options - they're just not needed even with heavily soiled whites. As Nathan said, temperature and spin speed is changed via the corresponding option underneath the display - no more complicated than a mobile phone interface. It definitely is more flexible than the Bosch Nexxt machines, which are the only other high capacity frontloader there is out there from a premium German brand. If you ask me, I think the Bosch machines are quite dumbed down and are no where near as flexible as these Miele's.

The Miele's I use actually have lots of additional cycles (Outerwear, Sportswear, Proofing, Dark Garments, Curtains etc) , and I have to say that the cycles I use mainly are Cottons, Minimum Iron and Denim- no more flexibility really is needed. BTW the Mastercare cycles option (labelled as Further programmes on the TOL Miele's here) brings up a further menu of 10 or 15 programmes - that doesn't shout out dumbed down to me.

Jon
 
BTW - I'm not sure if these machines come with programmable functions laid out in the menu, but on the digitla Miele's here pressing in both the temperature and the spin speed buttons brings up the programmable fucntions menu, where you can select the function of the water plus/sensitive option, turn gentle action on/off, alter the length of the prewash etc.

The W1200 series from what I've read still allow you to perform programmable functions, so no doubt the W4000 machines would too - plus it would be considerably easier selecting programmable functions through a visible menu rather than counting the flahses of certain indicator lights etc.

Jon
 
IMO

In terms of the cycles beign preset, any washing machine cycle is preset so I don't really see the big deal here... just you are pressing a button to select a cycle another to select the tempertaure rather than twisting a dial or two round. As I've said repeatedly before, the controlling system on these Miele's is very similar to my machine and I have found them to be the most flexible out of the machines I've used.

Every cycle is thoroughly tested, developed and perfected at Miele for the optimum results, so I'm not sure why anybody would want to mess too much with the "pre-set" cycles anyway.

Jon
 
It's just not all that clear...

Here's the control panel (from the miele web site).

I see that there are "adjust" buttons under the LCD display; I guess you press a button repeatedly to cycle through the possible selections...

As for why one would want to alter the preset cycles... I guess you just have to be a laundromaniac!

1-9-2007-20-37-18--sudsmaster.jpg
 
Awhile back posted a link to a Miele UK website which had the 2007 laundry brochure. You can check there to find the "cousin" for the American models, and read that unit's manual. Did so myself and while certian functions are different, you will get an idea of what these new models are like.

As pour moi, still say these new uber units are Miele's way to address the American market, but with some corner cutting. Several commercial laundry owner's I spoke to about these units flat out stated they had seen them, and wouldn't bother for even middle to light commercial use. Being as that may, suppose if one is doing on average one or two wash loads per day (if that), the units will be fine; however consider previous Miele washing machines were built to withstand Madame's three or four wash loads per day, every day for 15 or so years.

Finally am not a huge fan of LCD/computer controls, especially in the summer when power demand causes ConEd to cut power (brown outs). Some equipment acts funny under those conditions, and there is the fact hate scrolling through menus to find what am after. Still am eagar as the next to see one of these units in person.

L.
 
Miele washers are NEVER sold in outlet stores, much less K-Sears.

Miele keeps a very tight lead indeed on their dealers. Prices, and so forth are carefully controlled, and anyone caught violating their contractual obligations with Miele can be dumped. From what a Miele tech told me, machines returned from dealers often are sold off to Miele employees (who wants to pay to ship one or two appliances back to Germany?), at a decent enough discount.

Sudsmaster, keep your eyes peeled for any of the older Miele washers from the 1900 series onwards. They pop up more often than on thinks on fleaBay, CL and other places. Many people just consider Miele laundry appliances too small for them when buying a new home and have them taken out/sold. Great thing about Miele is they stock parts for decades after a model line ceases production. So even if you get a unit that needs work, it is a pretty safe bet Miele will have parts in stock. My unit hasn't been produced in almost 20 years, but parts are still available from Miele USA.

L.
 
Yes, I'm aware of Miele's dealer programme

But in its mad rush to appeal to the lowest common denominator in the American laundry marketplace, viz, 110 volts, plastic outer tubs, super large capacity, etc... Perhaps Miele will one day be pushing its American-market washers in the big chain stores like SEars, Best Buy. Who knows, maybe they would even show up at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Stranger things have happened.
 
Miele @ The Bay

I was at The Bay on Tuesday last week, and when I was browsing through the appliance section, I saw a Miele W&D set on display, plus a Advanta and Optima DW on display as well, but they are all so pricey!
 
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