If you want a no nonsense washer and (fabulous) electric dryer, I highly recommend Miele. While they are not flawless, they have amazing build quality!

In terms of being quiet, the Miele electric dryer is VERY quiet. The Miele washing machine..not so much! The wash and rinse cycles are very quiet, but the spin cycles can be much louder (with some vibration and even shaking with large, bulky items). Miele does not have any of the fancy, vibration reduction systems like Samsung, Electrolux...but the Miele units are heavy and tank like!

Bosch is also very quiet, but I find many of the plastics used (especially the washer and dryer door latch) to be hideously cheap!

There are a lot of brands out there that are good washers and dryers. Some are very happy with theirs and have no problems no matter what they are made of. There are people here who have all different kinds other than miele. Just use the search on any model you might be intrested in and just read through them. Then go to you tube and you can see and hear a lot of them which will give you some idea of what they will look and sound like. My utility room is right off my kitchen, so i do not want a washer that is going to be so loud that i don't want to be in there, or that i can hear all over the house. I LOVE my Electrolux Wave Touch Washer and Dryer!!

roseark,

Did your new Electrolux wave touch set arrive??? If so...I am so happy you LOVE them! Here's wishing us and sherriz lots of happy, clean laundry (and well behaving units). LOVE my Miele units....but wow, the Electrolux washer is SO, SO much quieter than the Miele!!!

If you are looking for quiet, I would not buy the Miele. It vibrates too much, which makes it noisy. It may be built like a tank, but it does not perform like one, when it comes to vibration. I would probably look at the Electrolux, even though I have not tried them yet, but planning too.

Miele: Noisy? No way!

I have the W3033 and it's spooky how quiet it is when it's washing. The motor is SILENT.

The pump makes, well, I guess you'd call it a "pumping" sound when it's draining and spinning, and there is a "whirring" sound of the spin... but I would definitely *not* call it noisy.

I love mine and would buy it again in a heartbeat.

I try to buy for quality, ease of use, and longevity. And I think Miele is the way to go if those are your concerns too. It is expensive, but it does a great job getting clothes clean, and I'm hoping it'll last at least 15 years.

cryptandrus,

The Miele W3033 (and all standard/large capacity) Miele units have a better shock/vibration system than the Super Capacity W48xx washers.

Also, my new W4842 washer is VERY, VERY quiet during the wash cycles and even the rinses. The motor is virtually silent when washing...it's awesome.

High and Max Spin cycles are a different story. Sometimes the spin cycles are VERY loud (vibration, rattling and a little shaking). I think this depends on load size and weight, and that the W48xx series washers DO NOT have any anti-vibration shocks or advances silencing features. ALL four rubber feet and firmly adjusted and level to the floor (checked with 2 levelers).

Larsi, i did recieve my new Teal Wave Touch Washer and Dryer. The model i had bought that had a prob. was discontinued, and Lowes apparently hadn't called to see why it had not come in yet. I called them, and hung on while they called about the order, which they had to contact the vendor. It turns out that the non steam model i got first, was being discontinued, so i will have to get the one with steam, but Lowes said they would give it to me for the price of the non steam one. I called Electrolux to make sure lowes was right and told them that i am on my 3rd week waiting, so they offered to send me a $100.00 gift card!! Then lowes manager also offered a discount even after they were paying for the steam feature which was $100.00. SO, with getting the $200.00 i was able to get the teal that i wanted so badly instead of the white, plus got the steam feature for free!!!!! Electrolux also has a rebate of 10% of the price for the washer and also the dryer, so i will get the rebate also!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this set!! Everything works great, all options, cycles everything, so i am VERY HAPPY, and feel that Electrolux really stepped forward for me, and Lowes did their part also, even though i had to make them call on my order instead of them just "waiting" for it to arrive. Sometimes you have to think for them and suggest things. But it all worked out in my favor, so the wait was worth it with what i got!!!!

Sorry, I should have clarified that the Miele W4842 is noisy because of the bad vibration. So, unless you are putting it on a concrete floor in a basement, I would avoid that model. Obviously, it does not do this the whole time, only at high/max spin. So, if you are looking for quiet, the Miele W4842 is not it. Just trying to save you the time and trouble that we have had.

I have used GE (owned), Miele (currently own), Maytag neptune (on vacation) and Whirlpool Calypso (actually an HE toploader -- on vacation). Out of these I think Miele is far superior but wish I had a Bosch for comparison. After using the Miele I would not go back to my old GE set -- and I'm being unfair, but by extension I would not consider anything that doesn't have European heritage (Miele, Bosch, Asko, Electrolux...). I guess I feel like they've been using frontloaders a lot longer than we have here in the US and they know how to make them.

Things to consider... I would definitely opt for something with an internal heater. The sanitize cycle comes in handy even if you only use it every once in a while (I use mine for sheets and towels, so at least once a week -- also great for ridding comforters of dust mites). Also, it's nice to have hotter water for even your "cold", "warm" and "hot" cycles (with an internal heater, it should heat the water to specific temps for each temperature selection, and not just take it as it comes from the tap).

Other than that, I don't know enough about the overall washer market to give recommendations... just that I really love my Miele set which is a w1215 and the matching electric dryer. It's the last of the Euro-style 220v units, has a boil wash (sanitize cycle on most North American machines is 158F-170F... on this Miele it is a true boil wash at 203F), really high spin speeds, quiet, no vibration issues (I have them stacked and it's never moved an inch). It's definitely much higher-performing than my old GE set. Things are not just cleaner/more well-rinsed, but it's also so much more gentle on our clothing. It's got a smaller drum than what you see in frontloaders in stores, but IMHO it holds as much as my Kenmore toploader ever did because there's no agitator in the middle sucking up space. I have a family of four and have king-size bedding to wash, and it's plenty big enough for us. So with all that I hear about the larger capacity Miele's (w48xx series), along with how they only go up to 158F (lower temp than my GE!) that's why I went with the older model -- it was more what I was looking for.

Miele Miele Miele!!!

I'm soo happy since we got ours! I LOVE DOING LAUNDRY! I even fold and put away all the time! LOVE it!

Why?

We were living in an apt with top loading Maytags that ate our clothes and it was awful. I have always wanted a Miele. We just bought our house a month ago (first time homebuyers) and I am happier than anything with these machines!

I won't take delivery of my Electrolux IQ's until June, but they will be installed in a 4th floor condo. I chose them because the reviews are mostly good, and I needed something very quiet and large enough to do a queen size comforter. (I have a cat who has started urinating.) I am hoping I'll be pleased. I would have gotten a Miele or Bosch, but I was afraid of noise for my neighbors in the unit below mine.

I need to buy a new W/D set. I'm so sick of researching (ranges, refrigerators, wine storage, dishwasher, wood floors, stone/tile floors...).

I think my criteria are pretty much the same as the OP. But, I'll add, that I've probably eliminated Miele as they are more expesnsive than probably all the others, and I've read they have slightly small load size.

Of all the other brands, I've read so much negative and problem posts (poor build quality, maintenance issues, horrible support service...). (of course, each brand also has plenty of positive posts).

But, I haven't seen many bad posts about Electrolux. It also is somewhat more expensive than other brands, I think... but it's the only brand that doesn't have a ton of negative posts.

So, that's why I'm pretty sure I'm going with Electrolux.

(for other appliacnes I choose BS, Wolf, Sub, Kitchenaid and Miele, many on sale for previous years' models).

Wish I would have had my act together in time to buy the W/D when Sears had that great sale last month (did get my dishwasher though).

I tried different models of Samsung, and had problems with every one of them, but a lot of people have had good luck with them. But i have to say that getting Electrolux has me in laundry heaven!!! Mine are stacked, and depending on the load, i have some minor vibration at the beginning, but then it gets VERY smooth. I don't hear it spin in other rooms of my house and the only time i hear it washing is when i have towels or bath mats in it. Then it sounds like very faint popcorn popping. VERY FAINT!! I have used all of the options, and it has cleaned so well for me. I like the brightness of the interior light in washer and dryer. I am able to fit anything in it so far. I have had no problems with the doors. Just read the manuals as with anything and it will give you tips. I think you would be very happy with Electrolux especially if you want a large, quiet W/D.

Electroluxor,

Ask the vet about "crystals." If the cat (I'm betting "he") has started peeing on things randomly, it probably has crystals and need to be on a special diet. The special food will just make him want to drink more. Drinking lots of water will break down and flush out the crystals.

electroluxor: Try using Cat Attract to get your cat to stop urinating on your things. Our cat would go on laundry, but since I've gotten Cat Attract it's been great. They have Cat Attract at Pet Smart. I get the huge bag of it at a local place.

Precious Cat Cat Attract Problem Cat Training Litter reviews at amazon

Electroluxor,
I was going to smart mouth and suggest you put your cat in the electrolux, but that is a useless post. I think the advice you got from ghetterly is much more useful. I had a cat that peed on my pillow every time I scolded it for some misdeed. She evem did number 2 in my slippers one time. That's why I have less sympathy for cats that pee on a bed.

We too are pretty set on the Electrolux. As others have pointed out, mostly positive reviews and GREAT customer service from what I have read here and else where. I also like that one can reverse the washer door  something few machines can do. So, large loads, reverse tumble, reverse door, internal heater, quiet, good reviews, etc.  this is the one for us.

Aside: We had a cat that started peeing everywhere! Poor thing had an e-coli infection which antibiotics cleared up. Problem solved. Please get your kitty checked.

Problem cat person here. I have tried the vet visit, Cat Attract, four Fellaway diffusers, and Fellaway spray. None of it has permanently solved the problem; however, it has abated somewhat. The vet said the cat is in perfect health. I just want to be able to wash the larger comforter if and when the problem happens again. Thanks for all the advice...I'll try anything!

Often this is symptomatic of a dirty litter box. Cats like a CLEAN restroom. My female was very finicky when I brought a male into the house and he wasn't as "tidy" as she in the litter box. Although they had their own litter boxes, they would use each others. But it was very important to keep it very very clean and occasionally bleach it out and rinse it well. I can appreciate that. I don't like using public restrooms myself.

thread hijaking! :)

Back to topic, what other brands of washer have heater (so hot temp washes don't first use cold water until the hot water is piped over from the water heater)?

The "gold standard" is for the washer to extend the wash cycle, if necessary, to allow time for the water to heat to target temperature, and then tumble for some time at that temperature. Probably all machines do this on their sanitary cycle. Miele W4840 also does it on other cycles. I know for sure it does it on Custom and Extra White cycles, not sure about other cycles. W4842 is supposed to be similar. I've heard that Bosch machines also do it.

Next best thing would be a machine whose wash cycles are long enough so the water is likely to be heated before the wash cycle ends. Larsi has reported that the wash cycle on Electrolux can be extended to one hour, by using maximum soil level and steam option. Now, I've seen my Miele hold the timer on the wash cycle, on an extended wash, to allow time for the water to heat to 140F and then tumble at that temperature. Based on that, I'd say you couldn't be sure that the Electrolux would have time to heat to its Hot setting (also 140F) even with a one hour wash cycle, especially with a full load of absorbent items like towels. It also depends on the incoming water temperature. That wouldn't be your cold water temperature, rather it would be the ambient temperature where the hot water pipes run.

I have opened the door on my Electrolux at different times to see how warm or hot the water was. I didn't use a thermometer, but of course the water was HOT, very hot on the sanitize and it still had over an hour left. On the auto temp hot, the water was pretty hot. On the warm, it felt warm enough for me, but others may not think so. I feel very confident with the temps when washing. I have had clean clothes, and all stains were removed except for the very very old ones. I just always do my towels, kitchen cloths, socks, white t-shirts, any pet stuff on sanitize, and do use whites option when i don't have 2 hrs for san, and am happy with the results. We also had a cat that as it got bigger started going outside the box everywhere. We tried everything, even kitty prozac, but finally were backed against the wall and had to put him down. He also was feral for some reason even though i found him before he was weaned, and had him for 5 years. It was the worse thing i ever had to do, especially with him having no physical probs. The doc said it was behavioral prob, and the frralness was in his DNA. I help rescue and never had a prob like this. I have a moma cat right now with 3 kittens, and one of them was hours away from death, but we brought him back and he is now walking and playing some, just runs out of steam fast, but i would do anything for animals. Thats why i tried for over 2 years to help my cat, even after all my tables were peed on, my bar, my beds, my furniture, 2- 15ft carpet replacements, computer desks, clothes. i still feel guilt.

...I find the horror story internet reviews I had yet to find:

http://www.washingmachineadvisor.com/electrolux-washing-machine-reviews.html

Anyone else have an issue with the rubber boot rubbing against the drum during spin and cause the rubber to flake off and get left in the load?

what other brands of washer have heater (so hot temp washes don't first use cold water until the hot water is piped over from the water heater)?

To my knowledge, most (if not all) brands of FLs have models that have internal heaters. The home depot website lists "built in water heater (yes or no)" in the Specs tab if you want to look at multiple brands on one website. But in general I want to say that you can look at the higher-end of the prices in any brand and find internal heater as a feature.

I can feel how hot the water is through the glass porthole on my Miele. The boil wash is HOT! Even the warm wash feels pretty warm.