Miele - how can I avoid giving them a penny money?!

[MayBridge1]

I used to be a Miele fan (excuse the pun) & always justified buying their appliances because of the quality. Our first washing machine did indeed last over 20 years. It proved cost- effective. But that was then….

When we updated our kitchen a few years ago it was a no-brainer to go to a famous Knightsbridge store, take a deep breath & focus - not on the price - but the longevity.

I purchased a Miele built-in coffee machine, combination oven, warming drawer, dishwasher, twin dos washing machine, tumble dryer & a blackboard fridge- freezer. My kitchen could be an advert…… for stupidity!

Like many have reported, the quality has deteriorated dramatically. The £3.8k oven failed repeatedly from the start. I’m trying to stay calm recalling the endless calls, waits in for servicemen, rescheduling for parts to arrive etc. All hard work, frustrating & a complete waste of time & personal cost. Miele have a cynical approach which involves blaming the customer rather than acknowledging their own failings. Eventually the ‘engineer’ said he couldn't fix the microwave as it had been overheating?! Somehow that was my fault. (Wasn’t I aware of the maximum wattage for liquids?) So, after 3.5 years the oven is unusable.

Oblivious to their inability to fix their own appliances after charging us to let them try ( no refund for their failure) or their misguided ‘green’ claims, Miele offered to sell us a new oven for 50% off. That’s roughly £2k for a machine for their engineers to presumably practice on for another three years before declaring dead.

They can’t fix their own machines. So my issue is I have a kitchen full of Miele but when something else inevitably goes wrong I do not want to see that red van in my drive!

Does anyone know a way round using their engineers? I really don’t want to give Miele another penny.

Oh yes- and be careful everyone. A built in popcorn function is merely the promise before the disappointment.

If they are out of warranty then just go with an independent appliance engineer

I’ll try. But I don’t think many engineers like dealing with their less popular machines like the built in coffee maker, Even the Miele engineer told me they don’t have sufficient experience/practice on them. Unless others have found differently?

Not to be brutal but it sounds like you fell for a bunch of overspecced nonsense. Who needs an inbuilt popcorn function and an integrated coffee machine.

Just a basic functional oven and microwave next time and then if they don't work at least they will be easy to fix.

No one needs the popcorn function. It was the integrated bread making facility that actually got me. And before you say it- No one needs that either. Really just warning others because Miele used to last for many years ( I am no spring chick so have had a few machines). An oven lasting 3.5 years is not cost -effective whatever functions it has. I have to laugh at myself because otherwise…….

Thanks for the warning, OP.

A good independent repair firm is a great thing, We found one last year and it’s been a big relief.

FWIW, we bought a Miele dishwasher about 5 years ago because so many people have raved about them. It hasn’t broken, but the installers took 3 tries to get it fitted properly, and we aren’t particularly impressed by its performance. I thought maybe the problem was that it isn’t high end (which would speak annoyingly to the Miele values) but you suggest otherwise.

The best DW I’ve ever had was a mid range Bosch. Interestingly, DSis just did a big renovation. She went for many high end features but her architect and builder both suggested Bosch for the induction hob, various ovens and DW.

Our wonderful repair guy recommended a Bosch washing machine when our John Lewis died. It’s much sturdier than the JL. I wondered if we were missing out on the Miele washing machines with the steam function but you are making me feel better!

BTW I promise I have no connection with Bosch. It just seems to hit the sweet spot for us more than other brands

Miele aren’t universally good. I rate their combination microwave, vacuum cleaner, washing machine and dryer. Freestanding fridge is okay.

I will no longer purchase anything from Miele. I’ve had two vacuum cleaners where the motor has burnt out after just over 2 years, such a disappointment. I’ve never had this happen to me with other brands. No more Miele for me from now on!

I have a Siemens dishwasher and it’s ace. About 9 years old.

It’s this one, although it was half that price when I bought it.

Poetrysndwine: do not feel bad about the dishwasher. I didn’t post about this originally because my blood pressure is still recovering from the combination oven saga.
We have the dishwasher as part of our collection (!). Washes ok. Not perfectly. But drying is terrible & when we empty the machine we have to put all the cups, mugs & glasses on a tea towel to dry their bases before putting them away.

I will look at Bosch to replace the Miele combi oven. Also thank you everyone about advice on finding an independent. I will try ( & hope they don’t still have to go to Miele for the parts?).

Apologies poetryandwine. I misread your comment about the washing machine. We have the twin-dos washing machine. It washes ok but is very temperamental when it comes to the onboard computer accepting the liquid & conditioner containers have been refilled. Takes a few goes involving fiddling with dials, opening & shutting doors etc, all an illogical faff.

Come to think of it none of my 8 Miele large appliances work perfectly. It’s just Miele’s inability & refusal to fix the oven after 3.5 years that frustrates me the most.

Frankly I buy the basic functional model - so no automatic dosing on my new Miele washing machine (bought after possible pump death on the 26 year old one, wasn't immediately obvious exactly what it was on dismantling so we ditched it).

Less to go wrong, and likely why I'm still on 14 year old fridge/freezer and 26 year old dishwasher.

Thanks! We have exactly the same Miele dishwasher experience you describe. Best wishes sorting everything.

They do have a factory outlet with stock changing daily and the prices are good, plus they all still have the 2yr warranty. We did get a few appliances from the list and all the rest bought new. 3yrs on, everything works. I will say that I can't tell that it washes 100x better than my old bosch machines though, but I'm hoping they last longer.

The entire ordering/delivery/customer service was a farce. I had to phone them to order, but they got my name and address completely wrong. It took forever to get through to speak to someone. They said they couldn't change the delivery address, but if the driver can't find you, he 'might' call and that I could then direct him to my house!!! Yes, the driver called, but could barely speak a word of English. When they arrived, they slammed the washing machine down so hard that it cracked the top. Initially, he refused to take it back because it was his first day! I was then without a washing machine for another 2 weeks. When I finally got through to customer non services they offered to send me a single scent pod thing for the inconvenience!!!

OP, I see no point in paying for a Miele fridge, when most of it is made by Liebherr. I have a Liebherr fridge that I’m v happy with. I think you might have been unlucky, in that my DSis, who does a great deal of cooking, has two Miele ovens that she purrs over. And I have thus far been pleased with my Miele washing machine and dishwasher (both of which I have had for a considerable time - over ten years).

I have the Miele fridge-freezer with the blackboard front. Jolly useful when you have a piece of chalk handy (I’m just getting that in before everyone rolls their eyes and shouts ‘you gimmick fool’). Funnily enough that’s probs the machine that works best; keeps food cold & I can draw on it! It is also the machine with the fewest computerised functions.
For those who’ve had Miele for 10 years plus, that used to be me. Aside from being a sucker for new functions the real reason I purchased all Miele again was exactly because we’d had a very good experience with previous machines. I believe that’s changed with their newer models.
Also it seems the rarer the machine (i.e the fewer of them they sell, like my Combi microwave oven with that vital popcorn function) the less able they are to repair them. The ‘engineer’ told me that he doesn’t mind repairing washing machines, of which they sell quite a few, but dreads our built-in coffee maker because he doesn’t have enough experience on them. That’s why it’s so useful to hear others suggest I find an independent engineer. If you watch Miele ‘engineers’ fixing your machines, they rely on a computer to diagnose what’s wrong and systematically try to isolate a problem. Often returning repeatedly with parts. ( repeated appointments. Time wasted). If they can’t fix things then it’s someone else’s fault because the computer can’t be wrong.
That’s why I’m irritated to be offered a new machine for £2k (50% off) to replace the one that they can’t fix after 3.5 years (and they started trying to fix it in year one so don’t be fooled by warranties.) That works out at renting the machine for approximately £1,420 per year before it died.

Our appliances are higher spec Bosch fitted with our kitchen in 2018 and not a single fault with the exception of replacing one oven bulb in that time which cost about £2 on Amazon. We put the old Bosch dishwasher back in as it has been that reliable and that is now over 20
years old.

Do you not have any legal rights? Surely a cooker that price would be expected to last longer. What does Martin Mewis say?!

I fell into the same trap a couple of years ago OP. Id had a fantastic Miele dishwasher for many years, and decided to get another one. It started breaking within months, the screws popped off the side so the metal panels stuck out - was told it was cosmetic and therefore not covered. Its drains constantly got blocked and wouldn't work until I performed a complicated process to clear it.

After about 18 months it completely died, no local tradesmen could fix it and suggested it needed a whole new board which would have costs hundreds. It went to the bin, was replaced a Bosch which cleans much better and has never skipped a beat. Miele are dead to me now! And if I were you Id just start replacing all their crappy products as you can, leaving terrible reviews so everyone knows what a con they are.

Also if you paid with your credit card you might be able to claim your money back through them - section 75. Evidence that it's been going on for years. Products are supposed to be fit for purpose.

Sorry to hear @MayBridge1 can’t speak for popcorn makers and built in coffee machines but can confirm my Miele tumble dryer and vacuum cleaner are amazing!

This happened to me with Hotpoint
their most expensive cooker broke down after 7 months of very minimal use (I rarely cook). Then they broke something else trying to fix it and they tell me they don’t know what’s wrong with it or how to fix it.

Thank you all. You are right: I could pursue ( although they don’t make it easy as don’t go to arbitration). I did of course complain. Including to the well known central London retailer. Repeatedly. That resulted in the £2k offer for a new unfixable machine ( bitter, moi?).
That’s why my OP is headed ( badly apologies) ‘how can I avoid giving them a penny more’ ( to repair the rest of our machines).
I also have a life, family & work to get on with. Dealing with Miele puts my BP up ( seriously) So rather than spend even more days & weeks fighting a cynical company that really does not care, I’d rather share experiences ( very cathartic doing so here) to make others more aware & also find alternatives to their engineer plus his mobile computer. I’m not completely healed- I still turn off Miele’s equally over engineered ads when they come on!

The engineer that came out to fix my £1k+ Hotpoint cooker admitted that the cookers always get issues and they need someone to come out and fix them usually within a year or so for something or other
so must be the same for other brands and this is deliberate

Another Miele-hater here. My mum had a washing machine that lasted 20 years with only one call out, and I have a hoover of theirs that is still going after 21. BUT - the recent quality is hopeless. I moved house and got a dishwasher, heat pump dryer and washing machine. My 3k dishwasher died within 18 months after about 4 call outs and a new pump. The dryer has needed a new master board (luckily done under warranty) and the washing machine floods intermittently. I have to tip up its 90kg bulk and drain it, which is fun. Never again. A shame as the dishwasher's interior was really well designed compared to its Bosch replacement. At least the Bosch works, though.