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rachelfdaniels

Asko or Miele?

Rachel Daniels
11 years ago

Have an opportunity to purchase either an asko w6221/ t701 or Miele T1515 / W190. Same price, similar ages. Asko comes with 60 day warranty. Opinions?

Thanks!

Comments (22)

  • janiceme
    11 years ago

    I can't speak to Miele, but I am not happy with the my euro size Asko set purchased last year. The store we bought it from swore up and down it was the best of class, blah, blah, blah -- far better track record that Bosch -- much better value than Miele -- every question or concern I asked was answered with "no problem, based on our 20 years in business." And they sold us a floor sample unit at a very good price.

    Come to find out a year later, that was the last Asko set they sold and they no longer carry or recommend Asko. Bosch is now their darling in the euro size washers, because Asko has not been reliable. I can support that because I have had the repair man out three times in the past year -- all under warranty -- but still a nuisance. The leaking has been fixed for now, but there is an ominous squeaking sound with certain loads. And the noisy dryer makes a high pitched whistling sound which the tech assures me is normal. Asko dryers are noisy, he says.

    One of my frustrations is that we have very hard water (our condo association only softens the hot water). Our cold water has 21 grains of hardness and the Asko only fills with cold water. So I am forced to use softening products which are only somewhat effective. I had specifically asked about that and the answer was "no problem."

    I was not new to either FL washers or euro size -- I had happily owned a Bosch Axxis in another location -- as well as larger sized LG and Frigidaire units.

    And there are things I do enjoy about the Asko -- mostly the multiple rinses -- which if I had soft water, might be even greater. The dryer would not be stellar anywhere, but I would find it less annoying if it were more separate from my living area, which is not an option in my condo.

  • Rachel Daniels
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for sharing your experiences... we're coming from a set of Maytags that have done their duty well for 10 and 13 years, but have had a few hiccups along the way.

    Hmm..

  • sshrivastava
    11 years ago

    @ ukigumo,

    It seems that the majority of your frustrations are with your reseller, not with Asko or the machines. I know you don't want to hear this, but why did you simply accept the word of someone who makes money if they sell you a product? Shouldn't you have conducted your own independent investigation? To not know that the Asko was a cold fill only machine shows that you didn't know what you were buying. That should not be a shock, and certainly should not be something you discover after the fact.

    Buyer beware.

  • janiceme
    11 years ago

    @sshrivasta

    You misread my statement. In regards to the cold water only fill --please note the sentence "I had specifically asked about that and the answer was "no problem."

    You assume I did not do any independent investigation. Wrong again. I read many accounts on this forum, automatic washer.org, and independent research. At the time I was purchasing, Asko was getting lots of positive play here and on other sites. The general agreement at the time was that older Askos had been problematic but now since the company was (again) under new ownership/management, the problems had been solved. And I am sure there are Asko owners here who are more than happy with their machines.

    In terms of the seller, I visited several appliance dealers, looked at and studied other brands --my choice was limited, as are many now, by the closet configuration of my condo -- and finally chose the one independent who is the highest rated (via google and yelp) in our town -- only after several visits and several phone calls with my questions/concerns.

    In terms of the machines, I am frustrated that the Asko washer has been leaky and finally required a new seal -- which the repair man was embarrassed to say was back ordered for several weeks. When he installed the new seal, he said that Asko was very slow in their response and parts were hard to get. I wonder why a new washer, only one year old, required a new door seal, especially given modest, but competent use by me, the owner. I don't like the noisy dryer, hard to determine that from a showroom floor. But I have since found several posts, more recent than my time of purchase, which give the dryer a "meh' rating.

    Interesting, I have an LG FL set in my other condo which has been problem free. But the repairman who has worked on my Asko says he is always repairing LG and finds them troublesome. His washer of choice is Whirlpool.

    I fail to understand why your snarkiness is useful to this forum. You make a lot of assumptions about me -- apparently all based on your own misreading or misunderstanding of my post. Of course, "caveat emptor" is a basic principle, but the W&D world is not as black and white as you or that statement imply, especially given the numerous posts about frustrating experiences on this board alone -- but, maybe you don't want to really hear that ;-)

  • eleena
    11 years ago

    Interesting about what your tech said about LG.

    According to Consumer Reports (I was told), LG has the best record in terms of needed service - unless they are mistaken.

  • janiceme
    11 years ago

    I have moved several times in the past twelve years and each move has brought a new w/d set into my life. They included Bosch Axxis, Frigidaire Gallery, LG, and now Asko.
    Despite its bad rap, I found a lot to like about the Frigidaire. My favorites were the Bosch and the LG and both sets were problem free (5 years and 4 years, respectively) Not a single tech call for either. There are things I like about the Asko, too, but I wouldn't buy it again.
    And even though we are empty nesters, I really enjoy the flexibility provided by the larger FL units. It is really hard to wash mattress pads, bulky bedding, or large beach towels in the 24 inch units. My Axxis set was more flexible than my Asko in that regard. But I am looking at ways to remodel my space which would allow me to accommodate a full size FL machine.

  • sshrivastava
    11 years ago

    @ ukigumo,

    Perhaps I'm more cynical than most people, I don't believe anything a dealer says. When someone says "no problem", that is a red flag that they don't know what they are talking about. Before I purchase any product where I require additional information, I always download the users manual and read it first. That typically counters most things said by hungry salespeople.

    Part of the problem is also the way your apartment complex chooses to soften its water. To only soften the hot water line is silly. I know why they do it - because people drink from the cold water line - but anyone with softened water should also have an RO filter on the softened cold line to provide purified, filtered water for consumption purposes.

    I am in no way defending Asko here. If the machine is failing and needs so much work, that's inexcusable in my opinion for a product that is supposed to have such a high quality and should last at least a decade. We all need to be suspicious of what we are told by dealers and salespeople. It's unfortunate, but true, that many of the salespeople who sell these high end products cannot afford to themselves buy such products, so they have no practical experience with using these products.

  • sandy1616
    11 years ago

    I have 2 Asko sets. One manufactured in 2000 and the other 2008. I have had no real issues with either and love that it fills with cold only. We had hard water for about a year and it required playing around with the detergent but it certainly had no effect on the machine. My dishwasher is also cold fill.

    I prefer the older unit to the newer as the newer unit has been dumbed down. Less cycles and programmability. The capacity is fine for a family of 5. The dryer is a bit noisier than my old LG but dries just to the point of not being damp which is perfect. I don't keep the dryer in the family room so the noise isn't an issue.

    As for availability of parts I did replace the drain pump on the older unit. I didn't contact Asko but ordered the part from Appliance Guru. It took 10 minutes to take the cover off the washer and install the part. I really like how the Asko and Miele units are built. Very substantial and built to be easily repaired. A long lived appliance is not maintenance free one. A longer life span doesn't mean no repairs ever. The Askos and Mieles were not built to be disposable. My old LG fl was certainly not constructed for a long life. It rinsed horribly, had issues with smaller loads and no programmability whatsoever. I think of it like this, my BMW has required more costly repairs than my husband's Ford.
    however, the BMW performs better, is safer and in the long run will cost less as It's life expectancy is twice as long. It's all about how you choose to spend your $$.

  • janiceme
    11 years ago

    @sshrivastava

    Since the OP asked for help in deciding between Asko and Miele, and you have owned both, maybe it would be helpful if you responded to that. Your Asko set had multiple service calls, but you remained positive. At some point you switched to Miele which you felt was the very best. However, you also posted several complaints about Miele service and you were planning "to give Miele a piece of your mind."

    What are you using now and would you purchase the same again? Why did you switch from Asko to Miele? Have you regretted that decision? Are their any specifics about either you think would be useful to the OP?

  • janiceme
    11 years ago

    @racheldaniels

    Since today was laundry day, I paid close attention to my Asko set so I could give you a balanced review of my pros and cons.
    I have Asko washer w6424 and dryer T753, both purchased in December 2011 -- so just over a year old. They are both still current on the Asko web site.
    I have them both on pedestals -- and I really like this -- makes the loading/unloading so easy even for a shorty like me. And the pedestal was essential. The Asko washer manual requires that the water stand pipe be no higher than 36 inches for pumping, Mine was fixed at 48 inches. Far less expensive to buy the washer pedestal than move the plumbing.
    The thing I like about the cold water fill in the washer is it is effective in stain removal for protein stains, like blood, with no special pretreating or soaking. I find it slightly less effective for oily stains. I do like the option for up to 7 rinses. I like selecting the temperature, but rarely use higher than 105 degrees and have no need for the 205 degree choice. (I use 140 for dishtowels) I would like the cold water fill even better if I had soft water, but that is not an option for me.
    The cycles are very long even by small FL standards. The long cycles make wash day a long day. Asko suggests that owners use the quick cycle most of the time, but that is only about 20 minutes without the extra rinse options. I have only used that cycle for items that need a refresh and aren't really dirty. I don't think it would do much real cleaning and when I tested it on dirtier clothes, the results were unimpressive.
    The size is fine for our clothing. I find it very fussy over bath towels and can only wash a small number -- one facecloth, one hand towel, one bath towel -- or the machine complains by not spinning out very well and leaving the towels soggy. That means I can only wash one person's towels at a time, even though the double amount of above (my husband's and mine together) only fills the machine about 3/4 of available space.
    The dryer is adequate, but very noisy. The decibels are 64+, and mine makes a high pitched whistling sound the tech says is normal. Conversely, there is no sound like an end buzzer or chime to let you know when the dryer is done. I find that I work mentally to tune out the annoying dryer noises and then realize all of a sudden it is done. I always use the extra tumble option. In my other dryers, with the extra tumble option, as you removed the clothes for hanging one at a time and pushed the restart button, the dryer resumed tumbling in a cool-down setting. With the Asko dryer, pushing the button again sets it back to square one. The dryer starts to heat up and the timer starts over.
    The timers on both have no relationship to reality. Supposedly they self adjust to the circumstances. This may be the case, but it means you can't rely on the numbers displayed. Sometimes I walk past the washer and see 10 more minutes and then the door pops open because...

  • eleena
    11 years ago

    ukigamo,

    What LG set do you have in your other condo???

  • sshrivastava
    11 years ago

    @ Ukigumo,

    I was responding to you, not the OP. I believe that's allowed here. If I wanted to respond to the OP, I certainly would have. I don't believe anyone should buy a used washer/dryer under any circumstances.

    To answer your questions (since you asked them, not the OP):

    • What are you using now and would you purchase the same again? I am using a Miele W4842, unfortunately I cannot purchase it again because the model has been discontinued.
    • Why did you switch from Asko to Miele? I wanted a larger capacity. My previous Asko was a 5 kg machine, the Miele is an 8 kg machine.
    • Have you regretted that decision? No.
    • Are their any specifics about either you think would be useful to the OP? Not really, I have no experience using the models mentioned by the OP.
  • Rachel Daniels
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    used under no circumstances? Well... husband and I are students. If we can find a set cheap enough to run for a few years without major service, it's still going to cost us less right now than purchasing a brand-new set for the 13-year old monstrosities that are on their way out. I was hopeful that perhaps Miele or Askos would last longer than the Maytags we have.

    I think the major worry is parts availability for either of these brands, for those minor repairs that we can likely handle ourselves.

  • dilly_ny
    11 years ago

    OT - I have an Asko dish washer and I am not happy with it. I wouldn't buy another ASKO product.

  • sshrivastava
    11 years ago

    racheldaniels,

    I was simply expressing my own opinion. Of course I'm also not a student, so my situation is a slightly different. I tend not to like to buy used appliances because I don't know where they have been, what they have been through, and what kinds of nastiness the prior owner put into them. But that's just me. For instance, you could end up buying a washer that looks and smells perfectly fine, but has mold inside that will cause you misery for years to come.

  • Rachel Daniels
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    no worries. I was just wondering if there was something more I should be contemplating about purchasing a used appliance other than the same worries you'd have about any other used item like a car... though I'm suspecting that it's probably easier to get parts for most used cars than for used Askos..

    I'd much rather a new set and have the confidence that the manufacturer would stand behind a warranty. But... someday ;)

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

  • deke
    11 years ago

    I'm sorry, but sshrivastava's hard line response is bordering on the absurd as well as making this an unfriendly place. Who wants to post well meaning questions or replies when there are trolls waiting to pounce? Is there an ignore button? What is your purpose here sshrivastava? To help people or belittle them? What is your motivation? Arrogance? Since you offer nothing of any value, it sounds to me like you need a new hobby.

    If we can't trust a single word by any independent appliance dealer then they might as well all close up and let the big box minimum wage stores take over the town. It sounds like the OP did their research, but was taken by a dishonest scum bag.

    Meanwhile you could search around here and find an endless stream of people who both love and hate the same exact machines with endless contradicting opinions of every brand imaginable.

    This post was edited by deke on Mon, Feb 25, 13 at 23:22

  • sandy1616
    11 years ago

    Racheldaniels - I have purchased 2 used Asko sets from Craig's list. One, the dryer was fried, the other, the washer wasn't working. For $450 I had a set for my brother in law. As for replacement parts, go to repairclinic.com. I haven't looked for Miele parts but they have had everything I needed for my Askos. I purchased a dryer belt and pully for my 2000 dryer last week. If your budget dictates used then buy used. Just try to find out why the seller is getting rid of the units. With some patience you will likely find a good working set that someone is upgrading or swapping for a larger washer. Also, look around on RepairClinic. They have videos and live help for appliance repair questions. That will give you a better idea if what will be involved with DIY repairs. Best of luck to you with your decision!

  • Rachel Daniels
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks!

    I actually scored a brand new scratch and dent set of askos over the weekend for $1k. I *think* I got a good deal.. at least I've got a warranty now to make me feel a bit more comfortable with the whole adventure. Haven't tried a load yet.. feeling a bit intimidated.

    I love repairclinic. It's the only reason I've been able to keep my old maytag/frigidaire set limping along the past few years!

    Thanks all for the opinions and suggestions!

  • sandy1616
    11 years ago

    Congratulations! I too am in love with repair clinic. I called a few days,ago for programming advice on my dishwasher that the manufacturer wouldn't give me. Very knowledgeable.

  • fpmom
    11 years ago

    Sandy16 that sounds like a great deal! Which ones? I'm trying to choose between replacing mine with either Asko or Bosch but am now leading towards the Asko so any feedback from somebody who has a recent model would be great! I think I am going to go with the Washer W6884ECO and Dryer T784

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