AllWater washing machine

Environmentally friendly washing

With a view to climate change, the signs of which are becoming increasingly apparent, good husbandry of natural resources is a matter of prime importance. As long as 14 years ago, Miele's launch of the AllWater washing machine represented a major initial step in the right direction. Since its introduction, this machine, designed to run on various types of water, has been constantly updated to incorporate changes to current model ranges. The current W 3841 WPS Allwater is not only characterised by its low water consumption but also by intelligent wash programmes.

The main difference on the outside are the two water inlet hoses at the rear of the unit. These hoses can be connected to hot and cold tap water or, optionally, cold water and an alternative water supply. But that is not where the differences stop: more important still is the modern appliance technology and electronic intelligence behind the scenes, together with two separate water inlet systems offering users numerous options.

On a hot-water fill, oil, gas or solar energy can be used to preheat the water supply to the machine - whatever is cheapest! If the water heating system is in the direct vicinity of the machine, electricity costs can be cut noticeably. In the 'Cottons' programme, electricity consumption can be cut by 40%. This equates to a reduction in primary energy consumption of around 21% and energy cost savings of 28%. A further reduction to 43 l in the 60°C standard 'Cottons' programme is possible by selecting the 'Warm Rinse' option as residual detergent is more reliably removed by warmer water.

Other machine control options allow the use of alternative water supplies such as rain or well water. For reasons of hygiene, however, tap water is always used for the last rinse cycle. The use of rain or well water results in considerable savings in expensive drinking water. If, for example, rain water is softer than water from the tap, reduced detergent consumption can be an added benefit.

But the environment is not the only beneficiary: the patented honeycomb drum also goes gentle on laundry, perfectly uniting gentle laundry care with protection of the environment. The special honeycomb structure protects garments by creating a thin film of water between the drum and the laundry, allowing the load to slide effortlessly and thereby reducing friction. During spinning, hole penetration and therefore laddering is greatly reduced, thanks to the reduced diameter of the drum perforations. And Miele even has an official endorsement to prove it – issued by Germany's leading 'wfk' laundry-research institute.

Miele's W 3841 WPS Allwater with its 6 kg load capacity boasts a wide range of programmes and additional functions. Special programmes include 'Automatic', 'Cottons', 'Minimum iron', 'Synthetics', 'Shirts', 'Jeans', 'Outdoor', 'Express', a programme for dark laundry and Miele's tried-and-tested hand-wash programmes for woollens and silks. These programmes are all selected via the main rotary selector switch.

Like all Miele machines, the W 3841 WPS Allwater is tested to last a minimum of 20 years. Longevity and build quality, in itself, represents a much underestimated contribution towards an appliance's environmental credentials. And to ensure that a long-lasting machine can participate in technological progress, Miele's has equipped this model with the Update function, allowing new programmes and programme versions to be downloaded at a later date.