The Gadget Show reviews the Miele G5720 SC Dishwasher

The Gadget Show has reviewed and compared three dishwashers, with Jon Bentley being ably assisted by multi award winning French chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli to put the appliances through their paces.

Among the line-up was the Miele G5720 SC Dishwasher which, when the cycles had run and the last drops of water dried, came out on top scoring four out of five Gadget Show Gs.

To see exactly what was involved in the test watch the video here and if you want to review the G5720 SC you can do so on The Gadget Show website.

Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Washing Machines

The washing machine is an essential device in millions of households around the world, but most of us know relatively little about how it works. If you fall into this category, then these 10 facts about washing machines may well prove to be surprising.

1. The washing machine is the second largest consumer of water in a house, behind the WC, which takes first place, accounting for a quarter of all domestic water usage.

2. The average drum size for washing machines is 6KG, but reports suggest that most people actually under fill or over fill their machines by up to a kilogram, which means that the machine is not able to operate at maximum efficiency. Miele washing machines, even at half load, can achieve Energy Efficiency A and 20% efficiency with a full load.

3. In Europe, front-loading washing machines account for about 90 per cent of the total market, with top-loading machines being bought by just 10 per cent of consumers. This is at odds with statistics gathered in the US, where 65 per cent of people choose top-loaders, while the remaining 35 per cent prefer front-loading machines.

4. In 2009, L’Ossovatore Romano, the newspaper of the Vatican, announced that the washing machine had more to do with women’s liberation than the birth control pill or their right to work. A University of Montreal study agreed, pointing out that home appliance, including the washing machine, freed women’s time, enabling them to enter the workforce.

5. Average households run around 274 washing cycles in their machines each year and the lifespan of a standard washing machine can be 10 years or more. Higher quality machines have been known to survive for several decades. To ensure that their machines are of the highest quality, Miele put their machines through high-endurance tests to replicate the following usage; 5 washes per week for 20 years, opening and closing the door everyday for 164 years, spinning a bathmat continuously for 25 days and switch tests to ensure that the buttons work as new after 20 years.

6. Consumers are most likely to choose a washing machine that offers a spin speed of 1000rpm. This means that over the average lifetime of a machine, it will spin well over two hundred million times.

7. Although a 1200rpm and a 1400rpm washing machine may differ in price and performance on paper, tests have shown that for drying clothes, the residual dampness levels are only improved by three per cent if you opt for the fastest spin cycle. The greatest difference in performance is observable between an 800rpm and a 1000rpm machine, with a 10 per cent improvement seen when using the faster spin cycle. Miele washing machines can spin at up to 1800rpm, which saves drying time and energy when tumble drying.

8. 96 per cent of households have washing machines whilst fewer than 60 per cent have tumble dryers. Dishwashers are even less common, with less than 40 per cent of people having a machine to do the washing up for them.

9. An average load of washing will be made up of 16 different items of clothing. Some Miele washing machines are cleverly able to work out the weight load so that it can inform users on how much detergent is needed.

10. The first recognised washing machine, designed for small-scale domestic use, was invented in the nineteenth century by an American for his busy wife as a birthday present. However, it was not until 1908 that a washing machine powered by electricity was developed.

Image Credit: Vizzzual.com

DustFluffGrit reviews the Miele Hybrid S4812 vacuum

Back in January we covered DustFluffGrit’s reaction to this cleaner after he saw it in action as an exclusive. Since then, he’s had one in his own home and has now posted his full review of the Miele Hybrid S4812 vacuum cleaner.

The Hybrid S4812 instantly appeals to DustFluffGrit’s love of ‘innovative new appliance designs and concepts’ and while it may look like a regular variant on the Miele S4 cylinder models it has the addition of their Hybrid technology,

“Although the name ‘Hybrid’ conjures up images of energy-saving petrol/electric vehicles, Miele’s technology is based around a set of lithium-ion batteries. Increasingly used in the floorcare industry, lithium-ion batteries offer fade-free, constant power output until the charge is depleted, and recharge more quickly than other batteries.”

This means the user can switch between corded and cordless modes seamlessly with a runtime of 20 mins when disconnected from the mains. As a cordless cylinder it has the advantage over conventional handhelds as you don’t have to support the weight of the whole thing when reaching into those awkward to get to spots.

In terms of overall impressions,

“As with all Miele products, the Hybrid exudes quality. Everything – the cleaner, the hose, the wand, the tools – feels made to the highest possible standards.”

And cleaning prowess,

“I have no complaints about performance on either corded or cordless mode. When running the cleaner from the mains with the filter-bag empty, I had to turn the power down to stop it from ripping the carpet off the floor!”

DustFluffGrit is nothing if not thorough, and his review of Hybrid S4812 covers everything you could possibly want to know. He covers the finer details of the battery indicator, changing the bags, the filters, performance on different surfaces and of course wheter or not it is value for money. It’s all there: and his conclusion,

“There is a clear value to the cleaning flexibility offered by the Hybrid, and the technology cannot be found on any other brand or model of vacuum cleaner. I feel there are other cleaners in Miele’s extensive range which perhaps offer greater value for money, but if you have £499.99 to spend on a vacuum cleaner, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one!”

Be sure to read the full Miele Hybrid S4812 review on the DustFluffGrit site.

UK Whitegoods talk kitchen refit…

Johelian is having a kitchen refit and has leapt onto the UK Whitegoods forum to ask for advice. Seeing as they intend to upgrade all their appliances the question is should they go with their first choice of Miele products despite the price?

Don, a UK Whitegoods moderater has responded with the following,

“Miele have a good reputation and track record for producing top quality appliances, hence why washing machines start around the £700 mark. Guarantees can range from five years to ten depending on appliance purchased.

The real issues are the extremely high price of spare parts and the lack of knowledge available to the service sector unless you are a Miele service agent of course.”

Do you agree with Don, would you recommend Miele? Leave your comments below. Or why not join in the UK Whitegoods thread.

In search of dishwasher advice?

Confused and in search of dishwasher advice is the state in which Coolusee finds themselves, and therefore has turned to the UK Whitegoods community for help.

The specifications, amongst other features they’re looking for, includes energy efficient, low water consumption and a programme for cleaning larger pots and pans. Moderator Penguin45 informs Coolusee that colleague Don is the person most likely to be able to help out.

And Don doesn’t disappoint, offering solid advice and answering a question on how different brands compare without bias. His assessment of Miele,

“Miele are well known for producing about the best quality appliances out there, service information is restricted to their own engineers and the price of parts is high.”

He also provides a useful link to how all the brands line up, which if you’re looking for a new appliance is certainly worth a look. You can find it all on the UK Whitegoods thread here.