Thread Number: 88797
/ Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
Which Miele W1? |
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Post# 1133515   11/14/2021 at 12:22 (865 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I am researching compact washers and dryers to replace my unitized Frigidaire laundry center. I much prefer front loaders and unfortunately the way my closet is set up I need to go to a compact set. And I am limited to one 240 volt outlet in the closet. If it weren't for those limitations, I'd get the LG 4000 set or their wash tower but those are too big and won't work.
Originally, I was strongly considering the Miele WXR860 but read through Hippo's thread and that kind of scared me away. Plus, I don't really know how reliable the M Touch is in the long term. Part of me just wants to get their entry model (WXD160) but the lack of prewash and extra rinse options kind of turns me off. I 'think' one might have access to those options through the Miele app but I have read so many horror stories about their app too. I am also considering their second to the top model, the WXI860. I like the recirculation pump and QuickIntenseWash. I could do without TwinDos and would probably just try to refill the canisters with a different brand detergent...I hate they don't trust Americans enough to allow them to choose what they want and have refillable containers like they have available in Europe. Ugh... The T1 dryer seems pretty nice and I like you are able to access the condenser to clean it if necessary, unlike Bosch's heat pump dryer. So I'd love your opinions and advice. Is Miele the way to go or should I strongly consider something else like the Bosch 500 series pair or ??? |
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Post# 1133569 , Reply# 3   11/15/2021 at 00:48 (865 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Thanks for your replies.
Henrik, unfortunately the LG won't work because I don't have an extra power outlet in the closet. I was looking at Beko. They seem nice and have a powerful heater. And the Asko's are nice. For both the Beko and Asko I just wish there were more reviews and videos. There are so many for Miele! And thanks for advising me not to get the Bosch. Have you heard of any issues with the M Touch screen? I heard it's been around many years. Do they hold up against all the dust, heat and moisture you see in a laundry room? It just seems like that would be the first thing to break. Jerrod, thanks for letting me know you haven't had any issues with your WWH860. And it sounds like you're pretty happy with it. Did you ever have to call for service or get that water inlet error or have issues doing a prewash? I think I'm pretty set on buying a Miele, I just need to figure out which one. |
Post# 1133581 , Reply# 4   11/15/2021 at 02:36 (865 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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It's as if I wrote Jerrod's post. I agree with everything he said. I didn't think I would use the Twin Dos either but turns out I do use it quite a bit. I switch off between that and the dispenser with another favorite laundry detergent. I dated this last set of cartridges and it was 06/11 when I put them in. They are just about ready to change. I'd say I do about 50/50 maybe more Twin Dos vs. other detergents. I am disappointed in the new app but I'm hopeful it will get fixed. Good luck trying to fill the Twin Dos dispenser with another detergent. It's not too easy. I thought the same thing when I bought mine. :)
I had the inlet error once the day I got the machine and haven't had one since. Overall I'm very happy with the performance of this set. I bought the adapter that turns the one 220 volt into two plugs one for the washer and one for the dryer. I was a little concerned about the heat pump dryer but I have no issues with that either. I don't wait hours and hours for loads to dry but it's only two of us so the loads aren't huge either.
I stacked mine as well and have the drawer in between which is nice when you are taking clothes out of the dryer. Overall very happy with mine. They are about two years old. No service calls. |
Post# 1133611 , Reply# 5   11/15/2021 at 16:40 (864 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Ralph, thanks for the reply! It's great you like your set and they have been problem free. I would also be getting the outlet adapter for them to plug into. I would stack them and didn't consider the drawer. I'll have to look into that.
I'm glad you mentioned the dryer because that doesn't get talked about too much. I hear it's pretty fast, especially for a heat pump dryer. |
Post# 1133653 , Reply# 6   11/16/2021 at 05:03 (864 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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David, if you don't have a counter next to the Washer/Dryer the drawer is really nice to fold clothes as they come out. I have a counter in my laundry room so I didn't need it so much for that I wanted it to store the Miele detergent caps when I thought I would use them. But in reality I don't use them. We have soft water and one cap is way too much detergent for a load so instead I store the dryer flacons in there. What I really like the drawer for though is to catch the rogue dryer ball or socks or things that would fall to the floor as I am taking them out of the dryer.
If I remember correctly, I think they also make just a shelf that might save a few inches if you have a height restriction in your laundry closet. |
Post# 1133846 , Reply# 8   11/17/2021 at 23:47 (862 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Post# 1133893 , Reply# 10   11/18/2021 at 17:36 (861 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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You have been extremely helpful! I never would have thought to use the table linen program for sheets.
I was just looking at my down pillows today when I was changing my sheets and they could use a wash. Not sure if your pillows are down or not but I was wondering how long down pillows would take to dry in the T1. I have read through the manuals for both the washer and dryer several times. I am about ready to pull the trigger and order these and am much looking forward to having a good washer for a change! Thanks again! |
Post# 1134035 , Reply# 12   11/20/2021 at 10:39 (859 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Thanks everyone and especially Jerrod for your help! I am very excited to announce I ordered the WXR860/TXR860 set yesterday! They are scheduled to be installed on December 4th which can't come soon enough! Unfortunately I had to get the regular stacking kit as the others were out of stock. I also ordered the UltraPhase sensitive detergents since we don't like scents on our finished laundry.
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Post# 1134039 , Reply# 13   11/20/2021 at 12:24 (859 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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I did our down pillows and dried them in the T1 dryer. Honestly, I don't remember exactly how long it took to dry them completely but I know I was surprised at how quickly they dried. I want to say maybe two runs of about an hour each.
Most things dry fairly quickly and what I really like is they don't come out feeling like they have been baked. There have been many posts here about Heat Pump dryers and I think feelings are generally mixed across members. I happen to be one of them who is happy with the heat pump dryer. I have read posts here where some people say normal loads take hours to dry and that has never been my experience. |
Post# 1134044 , Reply# 14   11/20/2021 at 12:58 (859 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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That's great to know the T1 works so well for you! I'm sure I will like the dryer very much. Across the internet, it is mostly very well regarded.
My current dryer would take at least 4 or 5 hours to get my pillows dry. I previously washed and dried two king-sized pillows in one load and am not sure if you can fit two in the Mieles. |
Post# 1134265 , Reply# 16   11/23/2021 at 00:22 (857 days old) by Moon1234 (Wisconsin)   |   | |
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As for refilling the factory TwinDos cartridges with your own detergent or oxygen bleach (no chlorine bleach allowed) here are some pictures. Make sense? |
Post# 1134333 , Reply# 20   11/23/2021 at 17:21 (856 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 1134335 , Reply# 21   11/23/2021 at 17:42 (856 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I really appreciate all the responses and everyone's fantastic tips!
One of the main reasons why I got the WXR was the ability to save favorites and am looking forward to using that feature. I'll have to try the different default cycles/options and see what I like best for regular clothes like t-shirts and underwear. And thanks Matt for showing how you refill the TwinDos cartridges and describing how you do pillows. You have been very helpful here and on houzz (if you happen to be luna123456). The Mieles will be a very welcome addition to my home after living with a very crappy Frigidaire unitized set for much longer than I care to admit. |
Post# 1135370 , Reply# 23   12/5/2021 at 15:17 (844 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Post# 1135420 , Reply# 24   12/6/2021 at 03:04 (844 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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I don't remember that with mine but it seems I had to run an initial procedure for the washer and dryer. I have noticed the same with the dryer where they seem a little damp when you open the door and in no time they feel dry. I don't know why that happens but I've heard it before. Sometimes I close the dryer and let it run again for a few minutes then they don't feel damp like that.
I always run mine on delicate (press the delicate button not the delicate cycle) because I've always felt its easier on clothes. I don't like a really hot dryer. The one amazing thing I noticed was when I put sheets in the dryer they would roll into a ball and run forever to dry through that middle clump. Then I discovered the Bed Linens cycle. I have no idea what it does but the sheets don't ball up and come out real nice. |
Post# 1135437 , Reply# 25   12/6/2021 at 08:50 (843 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Thank you for responding! The "new" smell is still there but getting better.
I haven't tried the delicate option (it's listed as gentle on mine), so I'll try that. And I'm curious, when you dry your sheets, do you put the the whole set of sheets in the dryer? And do you use the delicate option for those too? Before I got my Miele, I would always dry the fitted sheet first by itself and then the flat sheet with the pillowcases. That would prevent them from balling up and would also decrease the amount of wrinkling. I tried drying the whole set in one cycle on the Miele and thought they were pretty wrinkled. I had better luck with drying them separately. And the bedding cycle does a lot of reverse tumbles which prevents everything from balling up. |
Post# 1135441 , Reply# 26   12/6/2021 at 09:57 (843 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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In my old dryer I did them separately because they balled up so badly. When I got the new one I tried the Flat and Fitted at the same time and they were balled up so I was doing them separately until I discovered the Bed Linens cycle. Now, I do the Flat and Fitted at the same time, then do all the pillow cases ( we have a number of them ) separately in the Bed Linens cycle. I do not use the Delicate on those. Ours are King size if that matters. I also have three wool dryer balls that I use in every load not sure those matter but I'm not a fan of Fabric Softener so I use those instead.
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Post# 1135503 , Reply# 27   12/7/2021 at 00:25 (843 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I washed sheets today and noticed you can't select the gentle option on the bed linens cycle. I tried the wrinkle free with gentle enabled and it worked really well. I did the fitted and top sheets separately and each took only about 20 minutes. I didn't tumble dry the pillowcases and instead hung up them up because I was worried about that "new" smell.
I was told by someone outside this site that condenser and heat pump dryers always leave the smell I am describing on finished laundry. Is that true? |
Post# 1135506 , Reply# 28   12/7/2021 at 01:48 (843 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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My AEG Lavatherm condenser dryer that was low use when "new to me" doesn't leave an objectionable smell on laundry. But there is sort of a scent, cannot describe it however.
One thing have noticed when using vented dryer things retain whatever scent from laundry products (detergent, fabric softener, etc...). Things dried in Lavatherm emerge with almost nil scent remaining. This is bothers one as certain scents one likes such as Ariel Alpine Fresh.... |
Post# 1135507 , Reply# 29   12/7/2021 at 02:05 (843 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Post# 1135508 , Reply# 30   12/7/2021 at 03:12 (843 days old) by Logixx (Germany)   |   | |
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I, too, can't confirm what Adam said on FB about all condensing dryers leaving a smell on clothes. Mine never did. You might have to experiment with softeners/scent beads to find the ones that will "survive" the dryer. Although, given the low temps on some of these cycles like Bed Linen, I suppose that shouldn't be much of a problem.
About that cycle: someone on YouTube tried it when it first came out. He had his T1 set to cool down to 104F and the cooling cycle never even had to come on. That's probably the reason you can't select Low Temp. |
Post# 1135516 , Reply# 32   12/7/2021 at 09:03 (842 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I'm really happy to learn the smell from the dryer isn't permanent. It does reverse tumble a lot on the bed linen cycle. It also reverses on the normal cycle, but not nearly as much. I didn't watch it during the wrinkle free to see if it reversed. I will say it's pretty fast and finishes before the next load is done in the washer.
There were a few hiccups (getting the wifi/app setup complete and the dryer off gassing) and one load I must have used too much detergent that resulted in me running a total of 9 rinses but overall I am very pleased with the set. |
Post# 1135571 , Reply# 33   12/7/2021 at 21:02 (842 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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May have things muddled, but seem to recall reading something ages ago that basically all laundry comes from condenser dryers slightly moist. Remaining moisture is carried off moments after things are taken from dryer, shaken out and folded.
May have stumbled across this from someplace explaining difference between vented and condenser dryers. From one's limited use of the Lavatherm things don't emerge bone dry as say from Whirlpool or any other vented dryer. Warmish yes, but still with a tinge of moisture. After taking things out they finish off rather quickly once out in air. |
Post# 1135577 , Reply# 36   12/7/2021 at 23:47 (842 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I entered the service menu where there were all kinds of settings including adjusting the water plus option, turning on an allergy setting, and an option to increase the temperature which I believe is to enable a warm rinse! Can anyone confirm that?
What does the allergy setting do? And yes, items out of the dryer have a bit of moistness but it's gone by the time the item is hung up or folded. Amazing! |
Post# 1135663 , Reply# 39   12/8/2021 at 17:49 (841 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I am going to enable the allergy setting to see what it does in my machine and report back.
I used the app today to select and start a load and tried water plus and was very satisfied with the water level in the main wash. It's tempting to enable it for all cycles. I also noticed American washers skip many intermediate spins and agree it's really important do an extraction between the wash and every rinse. So far I have been satisfied with the rinsing in the Miele, especially compared to my old Frigidaire. I tried the regular and max rinse levels and switched it back to the regular level as I felt it does just fine. |
Post# 1135686 , Reply# 44   12/8/2021 at 23:50 (841 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Post# 1135687 , Reply# 45   12/8/2021 at 23:56 (841 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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This is what it looks like in the programming menu on my machine.
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Post# 1135692 , Reply# 48   12/9/2021 at 00:39 (841 days old) by derrick352 (United States Of America)   |   | |
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Neat pictures! It appears your water plus setting is like the WWF060 functionally. I suspect it increases water level by increment for both wash and rinse by cycle. Normal menu access is nice I bet. |
Post# 1135699 , Reply# 49   12/9/2021 at 03:40 (841 days old) by Logixx (Germany)   |   | |
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I really wonder why Miele had to fuss with the menu in the first place. In Europe, Water Plus is in the same options menu like Soak, Extra Rinse etc. It's turned on and off like any other cycle option. The secondary menu is easily accessible by the user; it's where one selects how much water is added (20 to 50 mm).
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Post# 1135702 , Reply# 51   12/9/2021 at 05:07 (841 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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"I really wonder why Miele had to fuss with the menu in the first place. "
Have no way of being certain, but IIRC Miele USA ran into no end of problems when 30XX, 4XXX machines were introduced to North American market. These were machines with more options under the bonnet via menu selections than previous models. Largely thanks to internet word got out about said menu options and people began messing about with options that they shouldn't. When changes caused issues or didn't do what customers expected many often couldn't reverse changes. So calls to Miele tech support were made to "diagnose" issue. As one has frequently stated and many others agree MieleUSA tech support often has a rather interesting attitude that Americans don't understand German appliances. Thus whatever is "wrong" with washer cannot be happening unless owner has done something wrong or shouldn't. In this instance it was fiddling with menu options that perhaps meant for situations outside of USA or something. Subsequent washer and dryers at least from Miele often eliminated or buried many menu options that easily are found say on European machines. To be fair IIRC ever since Miele moved over to fully computer controlled washers and dryers (Novotronic?) there were ways to access service menu. Guess since internet was so wide spread then word didn't get out thus you needed a tech manual (or someone with access to same). www.automaticwasher.org/c... www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/... www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/... Consider also America is on average far more litigious society than many other countries. People here sue for any or every reason even when issues largely are their own fault. |
Post# 1135713 , Reply# 52   12/9/2021 at 09:10 (840 days old) by Logixx (Germany)   |   | |
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These are only numbers I've got to quote. They are from a WTH120 combo.
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Post# 1135720 , Reply# 53   12/9/2021 at 09:49 (840 days old) by Stephen (Palm Springs CA USA)   |   | |
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I have noticed that the app ALWAYS shows Water Plus as active even though I have confirmed I have that option set to Normal and not on. I don’t think you can trust the app.
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Post# 1135724 , Reply# 54   12/9/2021 at 10:34 (840 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Post# 1135732 , Reply# 55   12/9/2021 at 11:00 (840 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Post# 1135736 , Reply# 57   12/9/2021 at 11:30 (840 days old) by derrick352 (United States Of America)   |   | |
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Did you access hidden programming menu? It will be there!
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Post# 1135763 , Reply# 60   12/9/2021 at 16:52 (840 days old) by derrick352 (United States Of America)   |   | |
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Good point @Jerrod_Six. |
Post# 1135781 , Reply# 61   12/10/2021 at 01:01 (840 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I found a post over on Houzz where Luna was talking about the plastic/chemical smell from the new dryer. It's from the foam plinth filter! He said it takes about 100 hours of running before the smell goes away. Anyone know how to speed that up? I'm not looking forward to when I'll need to replace that filter and go through this whole ordeal again!
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Post# 1135783 , Reply# 62   12/10/2021 at 02:56 (840 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Dryer Smell - It makes sense that it could be the plinth filter but it's odd. I didn't have that issue when mine was new. You might try soaking it for a few minutes in a solution of dish soap and water. Then squeeze it out and let it dry. That's how I clean mine when it needs to be done. Maybe that will speed it up a little.
Water Plus - I am interested in knowing why so much chatter about the Water Plus. I guess my question is why do you think you need to use it? I get stellar results out of my machine without the Water Plus. I used it once to see how much water it would use but I really don't see where I have a situation where I need the extra water to get the clothes clean. I just let the machine do its thing with determining how much water it needs. This post was last edited 12/10/2021 at 06:11 |
Post# 1135799 , Reply# 63   12/10/2021 at 08:44 (839 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I wonder if adding a little baking soda to the soaking solution would help?
I'm VERY happy with the default water levels in the wash portion of the cycle. And I've found the default rinse levels to be good too. I have not made any adjustments to the water levels. I just thought it was interesting that the option was available in the programming menu. |
Post# 1135809 , Reply# 64   12/10/2021 at 12:34 (839 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Water plus/Maximum Water level, extra rinses, Sensitive, etc... in some form or another are offered by most European front loaders along with others.
Basically they are meant to allow certain modifications of water levels in wash and or rinse cycles, or adding extra rinse(s) to cope with various wants of a particular customer within limits. Since these machines are sold all over Europe, North America and elsewhere they must cope with water quality (hardness) that cannot always accurately be predicted. Water in many areas of USA (such as New York) tends to be far softer than what you'd see in many parts of EU. Soft water can complicate rinsing. Ditto if a home or wherever machine is used has a mechanical water softening system installed. Miele or others also cannot account for detergents and other products used on wash day. Some things rinse more easily than others. This and or consumer may be prone to using more than they should. Certain households may have one or more members prone to sensitivity regarding detergent or other laundry product residue, thus want things rinsed more. At least for Miele Water + seems to be for coping with loads that absorb lots of water. Modern computer controlled washers will only use water levels as programmed within certain parameters. Someone mentioned their washer having so little water during a cycle the recirculating pump was running "dry". Well if washer is programed to give "X" liters of water max for "Y" pounds or kilos of wash, that is what happens. Water Plus moves that needle for two more preset levels in aid of solving that problem. With machines of old one could simply pour a kettle or so of water down dispenser to raise water levels. Nearly all modern washers have various water protection systems. If levels in tub go above what is programmed machine senses this, believes something is very wrong, aborts cycle and drains water. You can still try that method, but there is no way of knowing where "sweet spot" lies before triggering WPS. Manual for my older Miele suggests washing less than full loads when doing very absorbent loads such as terry toweling. |
Post# 1135817 , Reply# 65   12/10/2021 at 14:27 (839 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Post# 1135825 , Reply# 68   12/10/2021 at 17:14 (839 days old) by Hippo (Oregon)   |   | |
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@Jerrod_Six, exactly which model do you have? Are you saying that you notice increased water levels with a drop added in the programming menu even if you have not selected the Water Plus option in the app? |
Post# 1135902 , Reply# 70   12/11/2021 at 15:02 (838 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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My WXR860 uses the recirculation pump all the time in every cycle and it has never been in a situation where it didn't have enough water to circulate water or pump dry, even with huge loads of towels. And that's without Water Plus enabled.
My new washer is amazing in every way and I'm absolutely 100% satisfied with its performance. This post was last edited 12/11/2021 at 17:20 |
Post# 1135964 , Reply# 71   12/11/2021 at 23:43 (838 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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@ littlegreeny
To hasten dissipation of that "new dryer whiff" you could try doing a few loads of rags or maybe things around house that want a wash and or would need drying. To save wear on your new Miele washer could just do things by hand or something. Don't think baking soda in a wash load would help with this new dryer scent. Most properties you're wanting from sodium bicarbonate would have been used in wash then gone by subsequent rinsing. |
Post# 1135968 , Reply# 72   12/12/2021 at 01:30 (838 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Post# 1136069 , Reply# 73   12/13/2021 at 08:53 (836 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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Has anyone downloaded version 4.2.0 of the app for iPhone? Did anyone have any issues? My current app is version 4.1.1 and the buggy things I see are the washer status always says the washer is in the main wash and the temperature is displaying the wrong units (i.e. when temp is set to 140F, the app says the temp is 140C).
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Post# 1136079 , Reply# 74   12/13/2021 at 10:04 (836 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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Post# 1136113 , Reply# 75   12/13/2021 at 15:30 (836 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I updated the app and now the appliance status is showing. I'm also seeing an actual twindos level which is nice. If I change the units from C to F, it will show the temp as 284F instead of 140F. I'm going to change the washer to display the temp as C instead of F and see if the app will show the correct temp.
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Post# 1136344 , Reply# 76   12/16/2021 at 16:06 (833 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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One thing I've noticed with my new washer is it seems to have a bit of a hard time balancing mixed loads of towels and low pile bath mats (more of a towel really but texture and density is different than the towels). Anyways, I was washing them on the towels cycle, 120F with an extra rinse. I haven't really watched it go through this cycle before. It was having trouble going into the intermediate spin after the wash was complete. It tried unsuccessfully to spin though I felt it was being a little picky as it seemed to be balanced several times. After about 10 minutes I heard a relay click and then the display said Rinse. To my horror, the Miele skipped the spin! I've watched many cycles of the W1 on youtube and don't recall them ever skipping a spin. And then to further add to my horror, it only rinsed twice even though I had extra rinse selected! It did manage to do an interim spin between the first and second rinse.
So what am I doing wrong here? Should I be washing towels on a different cycle other than towels? I know the wash is pretty short but these towels are just used to dry off clean bodies in my house, so they aren't dirty per se. |
Post# 1136348 , Reply# 78   12/16/2021 at 16:24 (833 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Towels, bath mats, bath robes, anything "thick and thirsty" especially made from but not limited to terry cloth can be a mine field for h-axis washers. Things like hoodies, sweat pants and other things made from fleece can fall into this are as well.
Watch drum movements as washer tries to balance load/rev up to spin speed. If drum seems to wobble more than it should, pull to one side, etc... those are signs (IMHO) load is slightly or very much OOB. How washer will cope and or deal with things varies by manufacture. My AEG front loader will slow down drum movements and or try to redistribute load until it senses things are within parameters. Then Whoaa Nellie! It's off to races. To machine's credit if it revs up to spin and things really are out of balance it will stop, then start whole redistribution process all over again. You may find it's best to use "towels" setting for those items alone with perhaps wash cloths or other small items. Then doing bath mats on their own, or maybe just with a smaller number of towels (like one or two). Personally one reason got the Maytag wringer was to cope with bulky and or heavy things like blankets, bath mats, heavy and thick bath robes.. It's either that machine or do them by hand using hand mangle to wring or bunged into spin dryer. |
Post# 1136351 , Reply# 79   12/16/2021 at 16:33 (833 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))   |   | |
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Depending on cycle times, you might wanna try the Whites or the Baby Clothes cycle. Both offer full spin speed and similar parameters. They might have different OOB settings. |
Post# 1136373 , Reply# 80   12/16/2021 at 18:25 (833 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I ran another but smaller load of towels with the same settings and watched the cycle. It managed to do all the interim spins but they were really short and slow. I haven't figured out the RPMs yet but I'm guessing the interim spins were only 600-800 and lasted less than a minute. The final spin was limited to maybe 800-1000 so the towels were pretty wet and I spun them again at 1600 and I believe it made it up to speed.
I forgot to mention I had the spin set to 1200. My towels haven't been feeling soft and fluffy and I thought maybe it was because of the 1600 spin speed so I've been spinning most loads at 1200. Now I think they felt that way because they haven't been getting properly rinsed. And I think there's a programming bug with the towels cycle. The manual says it has two rinses. But when you add an extra rinse, the cycle time doesn't increase like the other cycles and it still only does two rinses. I tried selecting extra rinse in the app and it didn't add any extra time either. Henrik, I'm very curious what table you were referring to? I'd love to see it if it shows interim spin speeds or other information that isn't available in the owners manual. I think I might need to try using the normal cycle for towels because I really want them rinsed three times like all my other loads. Thanks for suggesting the extra white and baby clothes cycles but they are too intensive for my lightly soiled towels. And the quick intense wash does a really short spin between the wash and first rinse but doesn't spin between the first and second rinse. And you can't select extra rinse either, so that's out. |
Post# 1136475 , Reply# 83   12/17/2021 at 17:54 (832 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I'll need to go back into the service menu. I believe mine had two things selected under the balance sensor. It does seem to be very sensitive to OOB loads.
I'm not going to use the towels cycle any longer for precisely the reason you mention Jerrod, the interim spins are way too short. I think I'll just start using the normal cycle instead. I've used baby clothes a few times and actually saved it under my favorites renaming it to "Cottons Intensive." Does anyone know what speed the interim spins are supposed to be? I assume they vary depending on the cycle selected, correct? |
Post# 1136489 , Reply# 85   12/17/2021 at 20:13 (832 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Pretty much all boil down to same thing with European front loaders one finds. A cycle of about 30 minutes (give or take) where major portion of time is spent washing (rather aggressively IMHO), followed by one or two rinses, then short (but fast) series of final spin cycles.
On my AEG Lavamat the "Refresh" cycle is meant for small loads (< 2 kilos) of things that are lightly soiled, such as being "only worn once". Find this cycle works well when doing a few jumpers made from microfiber. Machine washes the heck out of them (recirculation jet on entire time), then rinses and spins. If find things want a bit more rinsing reset to "Rinse" only but cancel spin. When cycle is over put set machine for "Short Spin". At only about thirty mins (give or take incoming water temp), this is one of fastest cycles on my Lavamat. Perfect for when one just has a few things but doesn't want to wait an hour or more for any of other cycles. |
Post# 1136490 , Reply# 86   12/17/2021 at 20:16 (832 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Could short and slow interim spins have anything to do with how machine copes with sudden rush of water? That is more water than pump can manage, so machine slows down extraction speed in order to cope.
Know with my AEG washer when doing very absorbent loads washer will slow down spinning. This and or just stop extraction and do a series of on/off with pump to get out excess water from sump. |
Post# 1136518 , Reply# 89   12/18/2021 at 07:17 (832 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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The default imbalance sensor settings are tacho + EZU which I think I'll just leave alone. I do feel like it's programmed to be more sensitive to OOB issues on certain cycles like towels. Speaking of which, the manual says to use that cycle "for linen or cotton towels used for personal hygiene."
It seems to run best and have the least issues with balancing when you run full loads, especially if it contains heavy or absorbent items. I also wish the quick intense wash was better at rinsing and extracting. I've been using that cycle set to 140F for my light, thin Ikea kitchen towels and it does a great job getting them clean. I just use less detergent to compensate for the poor rinsing. The drain hose is properly installed. I made sure to check that when I read about your issues with installation, Hippo. |
Post# 1136525 , Reply# 90   12/18/2021 at 10:02 (831 days old) by Logixx (Germany)   |   | |
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They don't call it that for nothing. Miele made a fairly big deal out of that cycle when it was first introduced here. We even had flyers in our store.
The idea is to have a cycle that achieves "A Class cleaning performance in under one hour". Previous quick cycles were usually just that - a quick cycle to more or less refresh clothes, without attaining that A Class cleaning rating. I suppose rinsing and spinning were never the primary focus. Basically every manufacturer has since followed and introduced their own 1hrs. cycle, sometimes with similar so-so rinsing and spinning performance. My "European-cycles" Duet also has a Daily Wash cycle that takes 60 minutes. Each rinse tumbles for three minutes once filled, there are interim spins and the final spin lasts 15 minutes. Washing only lasts for 30 minutes; especially when connected to cold water only, this is hardly enough time to heat to 104F when using the stated capacity of 6KG. It's also only meant to tackle lightly soiled clothes. |
Post# 1136542 , Reply# 93   12/18/2021 at 15:23 (831 days old) by Hippo (Oregon)   |   | |
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@henene4, I forgot to mention, there is no short option on any cycle on USA machines. It seems to be the default here due to the hot fill. |
Post# 1136561 , Reply# 94   12/18/2021 at 22:01 (831 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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"for linen or cotton towels used for personal hygiene."
One supposes to distingish between other sort of towels, such as microfiber used for various cleaning or other purposes. "It seems to run best and have the least issues with balancing when you run full loads.." On average H-axis washing machines have less issues washing, rinsing and spinning when loaded to full capacity. That of course would vary by cycle chosen, but for "normal" cottons or linens it seems to make a difference IMHO. My older Miele washer is certainly happy doing full loads. Far less problems with balancing and so forth. Modern AEG washers what one considers a "full" load versus machine's computers is another matter. Times when drum is barely one-half to three-quarters filled will give out load sensing reading of "100%". This is usually with very absorbent things like towels, etc.... |
Post# 1136572 , Reply# 95   12/18/2021 at 23:13 (831 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I ran a huge load of towels tonight on the normal cycle, 140F, 1600 spin with extra rinse and it had absolutely zero issues balancing or spinning and the towels turned out great. It took about twice as long but I had properly washed, rinsed and spun towels. And even with the normal cycle, the door got nice and hot.
The lesson is run full loads when washing towels. |
Post# 1136583 , Reply# 96   12/19/2021 at 13:36 (830 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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After a while of owning and using your new washer you'll sort out what cycles are best for what. This versus the others which may sound wonderful, but often either are rubbish or just surplus to requirements.
Modern computer controlled front loaders have a vast and bewildering array of cycles. But truth to tell most households find only a handful useful on consistent basis. |
Post# 1136640 , Reply# 97   12/20/2021 at 07:16 (830 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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The cycles I use:
Extra White – I use this for our T -Shirts and it does a great job.
Sanitary – I use this for hubby’s white socks and all and cleaning towels, dish towels, etc. and always get great results.
Sportswear – for our exercise clothes those that are spandex type clothes.
Dress Shirts – I use this for all of my casual shirts, think Hawaiian type shirts. The shirts come out with practically no wrinkles. I hang dry them.
Towels – I used to use this for towels but based on all the discussions here I have modified and am happy with the results. I have used the Baby Clothes with Extra Water and an Extra Rinse. My Rinse level is permanently set at the higher level. Very happy with the towels.
Baby Clothes – this has basically replaced my use of Normal which I was using for a number of things. I have never watched it for a complete cycle so I have no idea what it is doing but I will say given the same temp and same amount of detergent the clothes feel so much softer out of the Baby Clothes cycle. I don’t know if it uses more water, more rinses, who knows I just know it makes a real difference. They are very soft but not the kind of soft you get with a fabric softener which I never use just really very soft.
I do use the other cycles occasionally depending on what I am doing. If the washer has a cycle for that item, I will try it and adjust as necessary. The exceptions so far have been replacing the Towels cycle with the Baby Clothes cycle and replacing Normal with Baby Clothes pretty much. So, even after two years I am amazed at the versatility of my W1 machine thanks to all those here who have shared their experience and testing results. |
Post# 1136703 , Reply# 98   12/20/2021 at 18:49 (829 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI)   |   | |
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I appreciate everyone's responses and your suggestions. I've been experimenting with the cycles myself and am still deciding whether I like the baby clothes or extra white cycle better for my sheets. I have very oily skin and my sheets are dark gray so they show the oil and it's easy to tell if they're clean. The last few times I used the extra white cycle, 140F, prewash and the allergy setting with success. I have a feeling they'll get cleaner with each subsequent wash as hidden buildup is removed.
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