OK let me try and explain what has happened in
the Miele line up of Vacuum cleaners and how that impacts the kinds
of features that consumers are interested in. Let's assume that
if you are in the market for a new vacuum cleaner you are interested
primarily in 4 things.
1.Power, which is related to performance. How effectively
does this vacuum cleaner remove dirt from carpets and floors?
2.Ease of use. This includes maneuverability, ease of attachment
changes
3.Filtration Efficiency
4.Reliability
Features Common to All Miele Vacuum Cleaner Models
1. Power
The Miele vacuum cleaners all use a 1100 watt 2 fan
suction motor system. The fact that these vacuum cleaners use 2
fans in series, creates more suction than vacuum cleaners using
a one fan system.
2. Ease of Use
- All Miele vacuum cleaners carry their tools on board
for convenient access.
- Depending on whether they have a direct connect
wand or not can increase the ease in which the tools can be changed.
- The tools provided with Miele vacuum cleaners are
always top-notch quality and fit nicely together.
- All Miele machines swivel nicely for easy cleaning
in all directions however improvements have been made in recent
models to give complete 360° maneuverability.
- All Miele machines have an auto cord rewinder but
recent models also will automatically monitor the length of cord
you are using and adjust on an ongoing basis.
- All Miele vacuum cleaners have a nice "parking"
feature that means when the machine is not in use the wand does
not tip over and stores neatly in your closet.
- All Miele machines have a hygienic and allergy friendly
way of removing the bags when they are full. When the bag is removed,
it automatically closes itself.
3. Filtration Efficiency
- At AllergyBuyersClub we ONLY package machines with
a Miele certified S class of hepa filter. These hepa filters will
filter out 99.97% of allergens down to the 3 micron level. The hepa
filter also has a thin layer of charcoal for additional odor control.
- Miele vacuum cleaners position their hepa filter
"post motor", a design feature not commonly found in vacuum
cleaners. This means that they capture very fine particles that
are generated from the motor of the vacuum cleaner and hence increase
the filtration effectiveness of the machine.
- The Miele vacuum cleaner is also a completely sealed
unit. There is no use in having a hepa filter if particulates escape
through the sides of the vacuum cleaner as is common with other
machines.
4. Reliability
- The two fan motor design means that it extends the
life of the motor by reducing the wear on the ball bearings and
motor brushes.
- The amount of testing that Miele does before they
release their machines from the factory is without peer in the industry.
As a consequence we can say that we have enjoyed 0% return on these
machines for repair or defect during the warranty period. The standard
warranty period is 1 years for Miele machines but can be extended
to 5 years. We are very impressed with the reliability of the Miele
vacuum cleaners.
- There is a heat sensor which comes on when there
is a clog and therefore prevents the vacuum cleaner from overheating.
Alterations to existing Miele Vacuum Cleaner midsize
models: Miele did not want to lose the equity they have in the brand
recognition of their midsize canisters "White Star" *
* * * a turbo head vacuum cleaner and "Red Star"* * *
* a power head model. In order to bring the price down about $130
on each vacuum cleaner, they kept most things the same but made
some cost cutting adjustments. The most important of which is they
eliminated the telescopic wand and substituted a two-piece wand.
Because of this change alone, we have down graded our rating of
these two vacuum cleaner models to 4 stars. There is also a small
change in the design of the control panel, but not one which would
bother anyone, in fact most would prefer. However, for anybody who
saw a demonstration of the previous models with a telescopic wand
they would be in for a surprise. The good news is the telescopic
wand is available as an inexpensive optional accessory, so even
if you pay extra for it you still come out ahead.
THE NEW MIELE SOLARIS VACUUM CLEANERS
- Very Good Plus
Miele
are now offering the Solaris for the same price as they used to
charge for the White and Red Star vacuum cleaners with some subtle
but significant improvements in the new Solaris vacuum cleaner series.
1. Power and Performance
- The new Miele Solaris vacuum cleaner is about 10%
more powerful in CFM ratings. It has increased from 131 to over
140 CFM. It also has an 8% wider hose.
- There is new internal ribbing to increase air flow
These three changes increase airflow and performance.
2. Ease of Use
- The metallic telescopic wand is included in the
Miele Solaris making it easy to adjust the length of the wand to
suit the cleaning task at hand.
- The wider bumper and increased floor clearance makes
for easier maneuverability and your furniture is better protected.
- The Miele Solaris hose has also been designed to
swivel in 360 degrees, which makes cleaning in any direction a breeze.
- The Miele Solaris vacuum cleaner series are also
"direct connect ready" which means as an optional extra
you can add a direct connect power brush. This means you do not
manually plug the cord into the wand but can change the attachments
one to the other remarkably easily. We recommend this option highly.
- Miele has improved the canister latch so it is easier
to operate as it now has a lift lever no a recessed push button.
- Miele has improved the process by which you no longer
have to disconnect the hose in order to open the canister to change
the bags.They accomplish this by a direct connect a the canister
level.
- The Miele Solaris has a 2 position parking feature
which allows you to keep the machine running in "park"
without turning off the machine while you briefly do something else.
- Improved dusting and wood floor brush attachments.
3. Filtration Efficiency
- The primary filters on the Miele Solaris are larger,
which together with the improved performance features adds to filtration
efficiency. Miele are also offering certified hepa filters- the
first time available on a vacuum cleaner.This feature is what enables
this model to increase its CFM from 133 found on prior models to
over 140cfm.
- While this is not a standard feature of any of these
machines except the Silver Moon, Allergybuyersclub.com ships all
of its machines with a certified hepa filter.
THE NEW MIELE SILVER MOON
- 
Excellent
We predict this is the vacuum cleaner that most people
will want to buy if they can afford it. The Silver Moon has the
same power, performance and filtration efficiency as the rest of
the Solaris vacuum cleaner series. It does have some unique features.
Ease of Use
- Both the Blue and Silver Moon vacuum cleaners also
have a filter change alert light visible when the machine has been
used for 50 hours or more.You can then a reset button to start a
new filter life.
- The Miele Silver Moon and Blue Moon also come with
variable speed control available at your fingertips [these controls
are found at floor level on the White and Red Star machines.]
- In addition, the Miele Silver Moon vacuum cleaner
comes with a black telescopic direct connect wand which means that
you can both alter the length of the wand at a touch of the button
and change attachments easily without the inconvenience of manually
unplugging and replugging, as is the case in the standard Miele
Solaris.
- The Miele Silver Moon comes with an ergonomic handle
for much more comfortable handling.
Power
The Miele Silver Moon vacuum cleaner comes with a
choice of power heads. The larger of the two is more powerful and
will clean deeper and dirtier carpets but is noisier and heavier.
However, we think people who want power heads, will also want the
smaller one because it is much lighter and quieter.
THE NEW MIELE BLUE MOON
- Excellent
All the above vacuum cleaners are known as "mid
size" machines.
- The Blue Moon is a "full size vacuum cleaner".
This means it is 3 lbs heavier and is 3 inches longer, 1 inch higher
and 2 inches wider.
- The chief advantage is it can hold larger dust bags:
6.2 quarts instead of 4.5 quarts, so you change the bags less often.
Most people prefer a slightly smaller mid size vacuum cleaner except
if they have an exceptionally large house.
- The Blue Moon vacuum like the Silver Moon, has a
direct connect wand making for easy attachment changes and comes
with a choice of size of power heads. We recommend the larger power
head for this model. The
New accessories include a telescopic crevice tool,
upholstery nozzle, crevice nozzle and dusting brush.
Our Conclusions
Miele vacuum cleaners have built a reputation on three
things- superior filtration, ease of use, and reliability. Much
to our amazement we have never had a Miele vacuum cleaner returned
to us, except when someone wanted an exchange for a larger model.
No-one has complained about machines breaking down early in their
life cycle. The Miele level of filtration is legendary and Miele
have managed yet again, to up the bar on themselves. The alterations
that Miele has made to its lineup this year, while seeming rather
subtle at first, all add up to an increased level of consumer usability
which is unmatched in the industry. The Miele vacuum cleaners are
"friendly" - you do not have to fight with them to get
the job done. The top of the line Miele vacuum cleaners show that
Miele are paying attention to the way consumers use vacuum cleaners.
If you wanted my personal pick out of the Miele line,
it would be the Silver Moon. I have been complaining to Miele for
ages about the awkwardness of the cord on my Red Star. I have got
used to it over time but I have to say the Silver Moon with the
direct connect wand, is the ultimate in user friendliness.
Some useful links for vacuum cleaners:
Vacuum Buyers Guide (a long list of points to consider)
A comparison chart of all vacuum cleaners on
our site.
Common Features in Miele Vacuums
A Miele technical features comparison chart
All the Miele vacuum cleaners in our store
First Published: early March 2001
Updated: April 2007
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