Buying a 220V Miele washing machine in Europe??

10 years ago

We are returning to the US from a long sojourn in Europe. We are complete converts to front loading machines (and European diesel cars, but that is another story).

I am very tempted to bring back a 220V Miele washer with us. They are under US$1000, so much cheaper than in the US. We anyway need to have a 220V circuit installed in our house to feed all the other appliances we have.

Actually we have a perfectly fine Bosch washer which is 10 years old and never missed a beat, but it seems like a good time to buy a new machine.

Am I totally mad? I'm sure the Miele models are quite different in Europe, so we wouldn't have support. We can however buy parts on line from the UK if needed.

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cookanera
Original Author

10 years ago

Thanks a lot. Actually shipping will be free as it will go with all the other household goods. I'll check with Miele about the frequency difference but 50 Hz motors generally work fine at 60 Hz, it is more a problem the other way around.

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Comments (9)

whirlpool_trainee
10 years ago
These work on 50Hertz, not 60 like in the US.

Alex

This post was edited by whirlpool_trainee on Mon, Apr 29, 13 at 12:32
richard_f
10 years ago
It's also going to cost you a fortune to ship. That's one reason they're more expensive here.
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akrogirl
10 years ago
When I moved to the US many years ago, my ex and I brought our Philips washing machine with us. We checked with Philips ahead of time and were assured that there would be no problems running the machine off 220V/60Hz - the cycles would just run little faster. Philips even supplied us with a repair manual.

Sure, shipping will be expensive but, if you are shipping other items back anyway, it might still be feasible.
cimberlie_desade
10 years ago
Miele's North American offices (Canada, Mexico, and USA) are all separate in a sense that neither will ship or sell appliances cross border. If somehow you do manage to get an appliance "where it shouldn't be" while local Miele service *may* provide repair information and or provide that service, the latter is not covered by any warranty.

The above goes for Miele appliances brought from Europe or elsewhere outside of the United States (or North America, etc..) to those shores. Depending upon where one lives and the model of appliance there may be difficulty in finding a local Miele repair person or tech that even knows that particular model.

We know this because about a year or so ago someone was selling a Miele W918 (German version of W1918) in Conn. Was considering purchasing the unit but contacted Miele USA's customer service about parts, potential repair, etc...

Miele USA informed us that at one point in time they did provide conversion kits for European units brought to these shores, and or supply service under standard Miele polices, but no longer. If a non-USA Miele appliance requires service they *may* provide (If parts can be found), but the work is not covered by any sort of warranty. So even if Miele does the work and the appliance either breaks down again a few weeks later or some such, you are out of luck.

We were also told running Miele laundry appliances with 50hz requirements on USA's 60hz system is "hard" on them and Miele USA does not advise. This is important because if something happens to the motor or any parts of such an appliance Miele USA *may* claim "customer abuse" because the machine is not hooked up correctly.

To bring all this palaver to an end, anyone considering bringing a Miele appliance from the EU or elsewhere to the United States should contact Miele USA directly to seek advice. If approval is given be sure to write down the name and other information of whomever provided for future reference. Miele USA has allot of new/younger customer service persons/techs that quite frankly will say almost anything to get one off the phone. When you go back someone else will say "no, that is not correct" or "Miele USA would never say that".
danifere
10 years ago
Hi, please take with you the Miele. The machine can work at 60Hz. Maybe in the future (10 years) you'll need to change the water pump, and that is because at 60Hz works a little faster . Not a big deal and in the US the washers have a 220V pump, also the w3033 at the moment in the market; plug for a 110V but inside everything works at 220V with a transformer. It is worth it. Enjoy.
fabbric
10 years ago
You could maybe look at Asko as they still have a 220v machine in NA. I have the 6903 and really love it.
sshrivastava
10 years ago
I have a 240v/50Hz induction cooktop which I imported in 2006 that is working just fine on US 220v/60Hz. Not an issue. The bigger issue is service.
Mitzi123
10 years ago
Our 220V Miele is almost 19 years old. No problem ever. A friend of mine used hers for 25 years. Not that anything was wrong with her old machine. She simply wanted a new one. After the purchase she regretted having gotten rid of her old machine.
No mold/stinky issues with this type of machine. Cleans beautifully. I never take my silks to the cleaner, nor wool sweaters. White fabrics remain white after years of use. In short, this Miele is a gem.
Now only available in the American market is the 110 Volt model. My question, if/when the time comes, does this model perform as well as my trusted Novotronic 1986? If not, has anyhad had experience with the "Little Gem" Miele professional washer? Now just the 15kg model is available.