Immer Besser – that’s the slogan of Miele, probably the world’s best-known and best-loved premium appliance manufacturer.
Harking clumsily back to my GCSE German, it translates as “Always Better” or “Forever Better”, either will do, because that’s the way German works. Hey, “Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz” means "law concerning the delegation of duties for the supervision of cattle marking and the labelling of beef”, so count yourself lucky.
Yes, the cream of the crop, Miele has been in the appliance business since 1899, and busily building superior washing machines since 1956 – two key points in a very potted history that, hurriedly bringing us bang up to date, led to the company generating some 5.04 billion Euros in revenue in its 2024 financial year.
So, what three words sum up Miele? Renowned. Revered. Really Expensive. Okay, so that last one is two words, granted, but premium products do carry premium price tags, which is why Miele machines are often viewed as being out of the financial reach of most, meaning only those with deep pockets can enjoy the endless innovation, flexibility and reliability of a washer that has been engineered for energy efficiency and to last for up to two decades.
Or does it? While some Miele machines may run into thousands, entry can actually cost less than a grand, and step-up options just marginally over that mark, for a washing machine that, to reiterate, boasts the best in German engineering and is good for 20 years of use!
If that brings the prospect of premium closer to your pocket, then stick with me because, at the behest of this fine, upstanding online organ, I have selected no fewer than four of Miele’s finest, mostly based on capacity, but also with an eager eye for affordability…
Best Miele washing machines at a glance:
- Best for small to medium capacity: Miele WDD 131 WPS - £1,049, Miele
- Best for medium to large capacity: Miele WQ 1000 WPS Nova Edition - £2,999, Miele
- Best for large capacity: Miele WWK360 WCS PWash - £1,399, Miele
- Best for premium performance at a low, low price: Miele WWA120 WCS - £799, Miele
Find out more below
Miele WDD 131 WPS
Best for: small to medium capacity
What’s £49 between friends, eh? Well, in this economic environment, potentially rather a lot, but if your budget for a brand-new washing machine loiters around the one-grand mark, you may want to consider coughing up a little more cash and upgrading your options to this: the WDD 131 WPS.
An 8kg capacity Miele machine that comes rated a solid ‘A’ for energy efficiency, this veritable laundry lover comes built like a tank, lending it a stability that means it runs at a relatively peace-respecting 70dB, and this despite revving at 1400rpm in full spin.
With Miele’s special honeycomb drum, clothes are kept cosseted to help keep them in perfect condition wash after wash, while CapDosing ensures the ideal blend of water and detergent is achieved for a wide range of fabrics and stains, while AutoClean sorts any slop from your detergent drawer after use to keep it clear for next time and you from having to get your hands dirty.
Featuring 13 programmes, all accessible via rotary dial and DirectSensor display, here your options are myriad: Cottons (coloureds), Minimum iron, Delicates, Shirts, Woollens (hand-washable), Express 20, Dark garments / Denim, Outerwear, Proofing, Cottons Arrow, Separate rinse/Starch, Drain / Spin, and ECO 40-60. So, options for all.
Finished in Miele’s Lotus White, the WDD 131 WPS has one more unique feature up its metaphorical sleeve that could well make it a must-have for many households: GuideLine, a brilliant bit of thinking which combines a tactile control panel with varying audible signals to lend accessibility to the blind and partially sighted. Now that’s intelligent engineering.
Finally, without wishing to repeat myself, the Miele WDD 131 WPS will do all of the above diligently for up to 20 years, the ‘A’ energy rating saving you money on the bills for that whole time, a reiteration worth making, as that £1049 figure should now seem less a heavy levy and more a steal of a deal.
Buy now £1049.00, Miele
Miele WQ 1000 WPS Nova Edition
Best for: medium to large capacity
Alright, because Miele is a premium brand, for our step-up in tub capacity, I’ve selected a model that sits at the upper echelons of the company’s current washing machine pantheon of cleaning power, the all-encompassing, the all-innovative, the all-well, all-everything WQ 1000 WPS Nova Edition.
At the very sharp end of £3,000, this is very clearly a machine for the monied, but if you happen to have the funds, then why wouldn’t you? For this ‘A’ class energy rated tub tumbler comes with a sizable 9kg capacity, a ferocious spin speed of 1600rpm, meaning your load will come out needing considerably less dry time, while an audible operation of 70dB means it won’t disturb your neighbours in the next mansion along.
But that’s just the tip of the tech, for this Miele marvel comes utterly jam-packed with ingenuity to go to town on any stain, namely ‘TwinDos’ for precision automatic detergent dosing based on load and soilage, and ‘SmartMatic’ which utilises the machine’s own intelligence to automatically tailor the cycle times, water levels and temperature to match the load, ensuring a perfect wash while cutting down on consumption.
Then there’s the programmes, some 23 in total, so deep breath: QuickPower Wash, Cottons (coloureds), Minimum iron, Delicates, Silk (hand-washable), Woollens (hand-washable), Express 20, Dark garments / Denim, Outerwear, Proofing, Sportswear, Trainers, Clean machine, Separate rinse, ECO 40-60, Shirts/Blouses, PowerFresh, Down filled items/Duvets, Curtains, New Clothes, SmartMatic (as mentioned), Pre-ironing only, and Clean drum to rid you of any domestic drudgery once the washing is all done. Pretty comprehensive, I think you’ll agree.
Wi-Fi-enabled to allow monitoring and control over the Miele@Home app on your smart device, a large, elegant, colour M Touch Pro display on the machine itself also lets you set cycles by touching and swiping the swish glass finish.
Good to go for up to 20 years, the Miele WQ 1000 WPS Nova Edition is the gleaming pinnacle of Miele’s remarkable washing machine range, an appliance packed to its 1600rpm rafters with pure laundry-laving innovation, all wrapped up in a world of cleaning control convenience.
Yes, three grand is a lot of lucre to lay down in one lump for a single appliance, but when you consider that this works out at just £150 per year for two decades’ worth of absolutely cutting-edge cleaning and money-saving efficiency, suddenly it not so much an expensive appliance as it is a smart investment.
Buy now £2999.00, Miele
Miele WWK360 WCS PWash
Best for: large capacity
For bigger families in need of a top bit of clothes tumbling tech to deal with their many and varied styles of strip and the equally myriad stains found on them, there’s the Miele WWK360 WCS PWash, a 10kg capacity model that comes loaded with wear washing convenience to give you up to 20-years of energy efficient load laundering.
Rated ‘A’ for electricity and water saving, this 1400rpm option spins your stuff to dryer-ready perfection, and does so at a 71dB volume, so while you’ll know it’s in the room with you, it won’t have to raise your voice to be heard.
Unlike the complex beast that is the WQ 1000 WPS, above, the WWK360 WCS PWash keeps things simple on the cycle-front, with just 11 programmes on offer, but it still comprehensively covers most requirements, letting you pick from QuickPowerWash, Cottons (coloureds), Minimum iron, Delicates, Shirts, Woollens (hand-washable), Express 20, Dark garments / Denim, Proofing, Drain / Spin, and ECO 40-60 to clean and revitalise stain sodden clothes.
Adding smart into the mix, you can connect the PWash to your home Wi-Fi network to keep a remote eye on events via the Miele@Home app, so you’ll always know where your togs are in the cycle and when it’s all done and ready to be removed.
With CapDosing to automatically dunk the right amount of detergent to suit the load type to a tee, a honeycomb drum to treat clothes with the gentle, coddled care they need, and a colour control panel with a DirectSensor display to quickly and easily get into the machine off on the spot-on spin, then go about your non-laundry business safe in the knowledge that the next time you see your stuff, it’ll be gloriously stain-free.
Like all models in Miele’s 18-strong washer range, the WWK360 WCS PWash comes in a Lotus White finish, but with a nicely contrasting Obsidian Black and Chrome door to add a subtle flash of style.
Again, tested to the point of torture to guarantee exceptional results for 20-years, the Miele WWK360 WCS may command quite the initial outlay of cash, but thinking ahead to years of savings on energy and repair bills, what price peace of mind, pounds in pockets and, of course, effortless clothes cleaning convenience?
Buy now £1399.00, Miele
Miele WWA120 WCS
Best for: Premium performance at a low, low price
Normally at this stage, if you’ve perused any of my other washing machine pieces for Beko, Bosch, Samsung, and Hotpoint, I’d offer up an integrated example of the specific manufacturer’s art, however Miele stopped building built-in options due to low demand. So, as much as the word “budget” barely applies to this premium brand, let's instead take a look at what Miele’s entry-level launderer can offer to those with £799 to spare; behold the WWA120 WCS.
Yep, not just sub-£1000 but sub £800, this mould-breaking Miele weighs in with a smaller 8kg drum capacity, but still deliver a spin speed of 1400rpm to help reduce drying time, a slightly noisier than average-for-Miele 72-decibels of operational noise when in that spin, and a dirt destroying dozen programmes, comprised of Cottons (coloureds), Cottons with pre-wash, Minimum iron, Delicates, Woollens (hand-washable), Express 20, Dark garments / Denim, Outerwear, Proofing, Separate rinse/Starch, Drain / Spin, and ECO 40-60, so no skimping on the cycles in sight.
Then there’s also CapDosing to automatically ensure detergent and water levels are fully in the Goldilocks Zone for any garment, the honeycomb drum to caress clothing clean, and AddLoad to let you add errant socks and stuff or remove something that doesn’t belong from a load during the cycle.
Add in a colour control panel, AutoClean for the detergent drawer, and an energy efficiency rating that’s actually ‘A-10 per cent’ for epic resource saving, and the WWA120 WCS may be Miele’s entry-level model, but it’s not been left lacking in any area of laundry innovation.
Buy now £799.00, Miele
