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Miele WKG120 review

 Review: May 2016  
 

Rating: 5 stars

In a nutshell: Priced at £1,099 the Miele WKG120 TDos W1 front-loading washing machine is significantly more expensive than the German company's basic models. Can it be worth it? We think it can. With a choice of CapDosing and TDos liquid detergent dispensers, premium wash performance, total reliability, and phenomenally quiet operation, the WKG 120 is very close to perfection!



 

Design

There's no such thing as a cheap Miele washing machine, but the WKG120 is eye-wateringly expensive, even compared with other Miele models. But it's an advanced piece of precision-engineering that's built to do things other washing machines just can't.

Weighing a whopping 94kg thanks to its cast-iron counterweights, this is a very solidly-built appliance. The enamelled front is scratch, acid and corrosion resistant. The machine perhaps isn't the most modern-looking available, but it has a premium finish, thanks to its cleanly-styled control panel, LED display and Chrome door rim. The control fascia is flat, which is ideal for a built-under installation, and also allows the machine to be slotted into a niche, or stacked with a tumble dryer. The machine is quite deep, measuring 63.6cm, so be sure to check that you have sufficient space for installation.

The WKG 120 is very easy to use. There are more programmes and options available than in the step-down WKB 120 model, but the control panel is just as simple, with a rotary dial to choose a wash programme, and push buttons to select other settings - pre-ironing, short wash and water plus (which adds an additional rinse), soak and stains treatment.

The LED display shows wash information, and the status of CapDosing and TDos detergents (see Washing and performance section below.) Buttons below the display let you start and stop the wash, modify the temperature and spin speed, and set a delayed start.

A child safety lock is fitted, and you can also set up a PIN code to restrict access to the machine.

At the bottom front section of the machine are hatches to access the CapDosing and TwinDos dispensers.

Washing and performance

The WKG120 has a family-sized 8kg wash load, which will be plenty big enough for most owners. The machine automatically senses the weight of the load and adjusts the wash appropriately.

The choice of programmes is greater than on the lower-end Miele models:

In addition, you can select a short wash, extra soak, water plus, additional rinse and pre-ironing. Separate rinse and spin-only options are available, as well as a pre-wash for cottons. The pre-ironing option uses the soft honeycomb drum and steam to smooth garments prior to finishing. The stain option lets you choose from 23 different types of stain.

The maximum spin speed of this machine is a very fast 1600rpm, giving it an A rating for spin performance, and helping to reduce time drying significantly. The spin speed is easily adjustable via the control panel.

As well as conventional detergents, this model is compatible with both CapDosing and TDos. The CapDosing system adds special detergents, fabric conditioners and additives using single-use capsules. The machine comes with 3 free capsules.

The CapDosing system automatically dispenses 2-phase liquid detergents, with up to 3 months worth of detergent stored at a time. You can choose from Miele's Ultraphase 1 and UltraPhase 2 detergents, or your preferred brand of liquid detergents. The machine comes with one year's worth of free detergent.

The machine is rated A+++ for energy efficiency, but actually uses around 10% less water than the cheaper Miele models. Its ProfiEco motor is incredibly quiet - barely noticeable while washing, and pretty quiet while spinning too. It's one of the quietest washing machines ever built - as quiet as some of the fridge-freezers we've reviewed!

Reliability

Reliability is probably the attribute most people think of first when you mention "Miele". All Miele machines are tested for 10,000 operating hours - the equivalent of 20 years of use, and the WKG120 currently comes with a full 5 year warranty on all parts and labour.

Conclusion - extremely expensive but worth it

The Miele WKG120 has a recommended retail price of £1,099, making it almost twice as expensive as the entry-level Miele WDA101. If you shop around carefully and watch for sales, you should be able to shave £100 - £200 off this price. But that's still a lot of money for a washing machine!

Despite that, we've decided to give the WKG120 an "outstanding" rating. The machine simply excels in every regard, giving top washing performance, a choice of detergent types, A+++ energy efficiency, and a fast spin. There are a lot of extras here, like the anti-stain options, pre-ironing, extra rinse settings, and so on. But perhaps the two outstanding features are the machine's undoubted reliability, and its quietness. At S21, we are sceptical about spending money on features that don't offer value-for-money, but in this case, we're confident that you're buying genuinely worthwhile benefits.


Miele WKG120 features include:

User questions

Sorry - questions and comments on this page are now closed.

Does this machine WKG 120 have an internal door or drum illumination LED light?

Asked by william from UK on 3rd Feb 2018

Service Department Liverpool Area?

Asked by Alma Griffiths from U K. on 17th Jan 2017

Is 63.6 cm the overall depth of the machine, or is that just the top?

Asked by John from UK on 18th Jul 2016



Miele WKG120 user reviews

Sorry - reviews and comments on this page are now closed.