Miele wins multiple iF gold awards
Independence™ Series refrigeration, Honeycomb Care™ laundry capture iF gold

Miele, Inc. has been awarded the highly coveted ‘iF gold award’ for their Independence™ Series refrigeration, Honeycomb Care™ laundry system and an ‘iF product design award’ for the DA 5000 D ventilation hood. Miele and Apple® dominated this year’s awards -- Miele taking home four total international golds and 12 product design awards.

iF gold is awarded by the International Forum Design in Hanover, one of the world’s leading design centers. Out of a total of 2,771 products from 35 countries, 821 received the iF product design award. Of these, 50 were awarded gold.

“This year, authentic entries were clearly top choice,” said Fritz Frenkler, jury chairman, summarizing the criteria. “No fusion, no retro, no ‘lets pretend’: simplicity and ease of operation must be obvious characteristics for products to be successful in the long run and have an impact on the New Modern.”

“iF design awards are an enduring symbol of outstanding design and commitment to innovation, and we are proud to be recognized by the International Forum Design,” stated George Tjoumakaris, communications specialist for Miele, Inc. “It’s confirmation of Miele’s unmatched vision of Immer Besser, a German phrase meaning Forever Better.”

Independence™ Series – iF Gold:
Independence™ was recognized as a “truly innovative solution” for its outstanding lighting, high-grade materials, humidity-controlled drawers and height adjustable shelves. Independence™ embodies Miele’s legendary quality and innovation…from its high performance dual-compressor system and intuitive MasterCool™ touch controls to its patented Wi-Fi RemoteVision™ technology that delivers total peace of mind as it protects valuable food and wine investments. Estimated retail price for a 36” bottom mount combination refrigerator/freezer with stainless steel door panels is $7,200. Independence™ also recently won a Red Dot award.

Honeycomb Care™ Collection – iF Gold:
The Miele Honeycomb Care™ Laundry Collection (W 4800/W 4840 washing machines) was recognized for its sturdy door, patented Honeycomb Drum™ and simple navigation controls. Honeycomb Care™ easily and safely launders a wide range of clothing including woolens, silks and other delicate fabrics once washed by hand or sent to a dry cleaner. Intuitive MasterCare™ technology, available on the top-of-the-line W 4840 model, adds enhanced program selection to optimize the care and cleaning of outerwear, comforters, dress shirts and much more. Consumers no longer have to know the temperature or spin speed -- Miele’s Honeycomb Care™ laundry is programmed by clothing type -- so a user selects the type and the machine already knows how to effectively clean them. The Honeycomb Drum™ has been proven to extend the life of clothing by a factor of four.

Retail prices are:

• W 4800 Washing Machine, $1,699
• W 4840 Washing Machine, $1,899 Equipped with Miele’s revolutionary MasterCare™ controls
• T 9800 Electric Tumble Dryer, $1,299
• T 9820 Gas Tumble Dryer, $1,349

DA 5000 D Ventilation Hood – iF Product Design Award:
Miele will take ventilation to new heights with the launch of the innovative new DA 5000 D designer island hood. The sleek 48” hood offers a motorized expansion mechanism that smoothly opens the moment it’s turned on and then quietly closes when turned off. Its silver metallic glass inset panels and halogen dimmer lights make it look more like a sophisticated modern light fixture than a powerful 1,250 CFM ventilation hood packing dual blowers. The unique motorized expansion not only sleekly conceals the hood’s impressive ventilation capabilities -- it also gives chefs a bit more headroom. The hood’s actual opening expands and contracts from 5” to 12”. The DA 5000 D is due to launch third quarter 2008, and will retail for an estimated $4,999.

For more information, consumers and design professionals can call 1-800-843-7231, log on at miele.com or visit one of Miele’s modern product showrooms in Beverly Hills, CA; Boca Raton, FL; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Princeton, NJ; New York, NY; Wellesley, MA; San Francisco, CA; and Seattle, WA.

About Miele
There are only a few brands in the world that have sustained their vision, traditions and quality for more than a century. Fewer still that can claim consistent family ownership and international brand name integrity. And only one that is recognized for creating the world’s most innovative appliances. Founded in 1899 with a single promise of Immer Besser, a German phrase meaning Forever Better, Miele has dynamically grown to become the world’s largest family-owned and operated appliance company with over 16,000 employees in over 40 countries.

As a premium appliance brand represented on all five continents, Miele is steadfastly committed to the highest quality, performance and environmental standards. The company’s innovative heritage, state-of-the-art design and engineering aesthetic have inspired comparison to other German brands synonymous with innovation: Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Miele’s range of exceptional consumer appliances includes: vacuum cleaners; laundry systems; rotary irons; dishwashers; built-in convection, speed and steam ovens; cooktops; ventilation hoods; and coffee systems. The domestic appliance product assortment will expand in the second quarter of 2008 to include refrigeration and wine storage units specifically designed to exceed the performance, design and durability expectations of the American consumer. In addition, Miele Professional offers commercial cleaning equipment such as laboratory glassware washers, industrial parts cleaning systems, dental disinfectors and commercial wet cleaning systems.

Reprinted from Floor Care Professional, June 2008