Guest blog by Elaine.
Well, what can you say about Miele? World-renowned for their exceptional manufacturing beautiful design, appliance durability and reliability, they were a top contender for the brand to choose when my washing machine recently broke down. Running a busy household AND ensuring our finances were taken into account, I wanted to thoroughly research before committing to spending. In my top 5 was Miele’s WKB120 washing machine. In this blog, I reveal why I chose the Miele WKB120 – a decision I’m delighted I made!
In 1899, with 11 employees, four lathes and one drilling machine, the engineer Carl Miele and the businessman Reinhard Zinkann founded a company for the manufacture of kitchen appliances. Their guiding principle became the business philosophy, ‘Immer Besser’, which translates as ‘Always Better’. Based in Germany, Miele has been a family-owned and run company ever since.
Miele were proud to be awarded with the Which? Best Home Appliance Brand, 2016. This highlighted that they continue to make high quality, reliable products, which are built to last.
After my old machine packed up after just 5 years, I wanted a machine that would stand the test of time and the rigours of multiple loads each week. That was why I had started to research Miele washing machines. All their machines are tested for the equivalent of 20 years use and Miele carry out intensive endurance tests in order to meet the highest quality standards. I found out that during these tests these appliances have to wash for 10 thousand hours, which equates to 500 wash programmes, in terms of daily wash this is 5 programmes per week with a run time of 2 hours for 20 years. That would definitely equate to more than the washes I do each week, I thought. Suddenly, spending a little extra started to make financial sense in the long run. Next, it was time to make sure it had enough features to deal with our needs.
So, why did I buy the WKB120? The WKB120 is a prime example of both style AND substance. Finished in a beautiful enamel paint, it’s rust, stain and corrosion-proof and needs little more than a damp cloth wiped over it to keep it looking pristine. It’s not just looks, however; this machine offers an 8kg capacity drum alongside a powerful 1600rpm spin speed. This size drum is more than ample to deal with our larger family and it also comes with a 10 year Miele warranty – music to my ears when considering any large outlay.
Thanks to the SoftSteam Honeycomb Drum, we now have perfectly cared for laundry in less time and the pre-ironing or steam smoothing option smoothes clothing in the drum, meaning there’s less ironing, while also ensuring it takes care of special items of clothing. The Water Controlled System monitors the water intake. With Miele’s water level sensor, water intake is stopped automatically if the normal water level is naturally reached. If water leaks inside the drum, the inlet valve inside the machine closes on the suds container and is pumped away. Better water control = cheaper bills.
Found a sock escapee after you’ve put the wash on? Discovered a tea towel that would easily fit in? The Add Laundry function allows you to add small forgotten items of clothing to the wash, even after it’s been started. Just press the start / stop button and scroll down to Add Laundry on the clear display. The programme will stop and the door will unlock, provided the temperate has not reached 55°C, or has entered the spin phase of the programme. The Unbreakable Cast Iron Weights are clever stuff, yet so simple. In many ‘conventional’ (and cheaper) washing machines, concrete blocks are used for stability. As the machine ages, the machine loses stability as the concrete erodes. Miele uses cast iron, ensuring it will not crumble, rust or corrode.
With CapDosing you can simply pop in a pre-measured and packaged capsule, choosing from special detergents, fabric conditioners and additives – and you can be sure that you’re caring for your most delicate items in the best way. The direct-enamelled front has a lifetime guarantee against yellowing or corrosion, so it’ll look as good 20 years from now, as it does today. Most machines have two suspension springs but Miele has one in every corner to increase longevity, add stability and increase quietness of the wash and spin cycles. This model has 3 High Strength Shock Absorbers, the same shock absorbers as a top of the range car, giving complete stability to the life of the machine.
The Miele Stainless Steel Suds Container is made from one piece of metal making it 100% unbreakable. It will not expand in high temperature like cheaper plastic ones and helps to eliminate corrosion over the life of the product. Economical washing is ensured with the durable powerful ProfiEco motor and this works particularly well with automatic load recognition, intelligently optimising the cycle for perfect results.
The Delay Start, is a great function that allows you to organise your day so that the load is ready and waiting for you when you get home. You can also use this to start a wash overnight – if you have cheaper night tariffs – safe in the knowledge that the programme is so quiet that it won’t wake the household.
Child Lock is a must for any home with young children (or inquisitive pets), the child lock keeps your programme safe from little fingers (and paws)! Like most people, I like to save money where I can and Miele’s clever Flow Meter ensures that not a drop of water is wasted; the load is measured with great precision and only the right amount of water is added.
As you’d expect, you’ll find a huge range of programmes, from a 90°C cotton wash right through to a cold delicates wash, but this machine also features programmes to deal with black denim, woollens and even a quick wash that can deal with more than 3kg of lightly soiled cottons in a fraction of the time.
I am so impressed with the WKB120, that I am recommending it to friends and family who’re weighing up what washing machine they should get. I can wholeheartedly say “Go ahead and invest in a machine that will serve you well for years to come.”
Find out more or buy online today, rent for as little as £8.08 per week or ask you local store about a viewing.
