Miele has launched the new flagship W2 washing machine at IFA 2024 – the first in the world without internal drum ribs.
At a press conference held in Berlin two days prior to the launch of IFA 2024, Miele co-proprietors, Dr Reinhard Zinkann and Dr Markus Miele took to the stage to introduce key innovations from the company including the new top of the line washing machines – the W2 Nova washing machine and T2 Nova tumble dryer.
The machines, due to be released in early 2025, feature a new design, shorter program times, as well as innovations such as MotionReact where the machine switches on automatically as someone approaches the machine and a reconfigured door that is 25% larger in diameter and also opens easily with the ComfortOpen feature.
The highlight of the W2 Nova washing machine is the new InfinityCare honeycomb drum that is the first product built without ribs inside the drum. After years of development, Miele has invested in the intellectual property of the innovation and protected it with numerous patents.
Dr Markus Miele holding a drum rib that has been removed from the new Miele W2 flagship washing machine.
According to Dr Markus Miele, these ribs were previously thought to be an essential part of the drum, as they guide and mix the laundry around when the drum rotates so that the items do not simply sit in the suds.
“Drum ribs are a standard feature of every washing machine on the market worldwide. The main purpose of the drum ribs is to ensure that the laundry is carried along as the drum rotates rather than simply sitting on the bottom of the drum. But that puts additional mechanical strain on the fabric which increases the wear and tear of your clothes,” he explained.
“In 2001, we revolutionised laundry care with the honeycomb drum, and today we are taking it to the next level and making washing clothes even more gentle. Developed with the help of Artificial Intelligence, the drum rhythm adjusts automatically and efficiently turns the laundry through a gentle pendulum motion.
“The large three dimensional and rounded elements that you see are also part of the new drum design and not just an eye-catching feature. We call them ‘queen cells’ due to their striking appearance and important role. The queen cells glide under the laundry giving it a massage effect.”
Miele InfinityCare honeycomb drum features 3D queen cells to massage clothes.
Other benefits of the new W2 washing machine are a newly redesigned front fascia with high quality ‘Black Effect’ glass, MTouch clean design language and AmbientLight lighting.
Also upgraded is new load detection software called FlexLoad to assist with saving water and electricity, reducing runtime by up to two hours.
“In our 125-year history Miele has stood for innovative, sustainable and gentle laundry care almost since our company’s foundation. Today, 123 years of the first Miele washing machine and 23 years after the launch of the Miele honeycomb drum, we have taken gentle washing to a whole new level and taking a step towards the next chapter of laundry care. After the launch of the W1 and T1 laundry range in 2013, there is a new vision embodied in our W2 and T2 generation,” Dr Markus Miele said.
The T2 Nova Edition tumble dryer features a new program for woollen garments – and can dry up to four kilograms of laundry in just 49 minutes with the QuickPowerDry feature that uses an additional ceramic heater to reduce the heating-up phase by up to 50% – which Markus Miele described as the equivalent of adding a turbo charger to a car – maintaining the same temperature inside the dryer but the temperature is reached much more quickly.
“Our new tumble dryer is another example of gentle care. In 1997, Miele became the first washing machine manufacturer to offer a program for wool, as until then wool could only be washed by hand,” he said.
“With the T2 Nova edition, we take another step forward with our new Wool Dry program with increased drum speed and particularly gentle drying process where the wool textiles lie close to the drum wall instead of being subjected to additional mechanical strain. This means that up to 1kg of the finest wools can be dried while remaining soft and fluffy – no matting and no shrinkage.
“Our new flagship washing machine and tumble dryer are true to our sustainable approach to longevity and are tested for a 20-year service life – a trademark of Miele quality. I am looking forward to the first quarter of next year when we launch the W2 and T2 laundry models.”