• The Miele Aerium dries, smooths and freshens up laundry without the need
  for washing

• New cordless Duoflex HX1 stick vacuum cleaner offers maximum convenience

• Further focus on AI in cooking and on service

The most spectacular new product at the IFA trade show is the Miele Aerium, a practical appliance for freshening up garments and other accessoires. Further top issues include a new cordless stick vacuum cleaner promising excellent user convenience, as well as clever details for greater sustainability in the home and pleasurable cooking. More precise details were unveiled by the Co-Proprietors and Executive Directors Dr. Markus Miele and Dr. Reinhard Zinkann as well as Dr. Axel Kniehl, Executive Director Marketing & Sales, at today's press conference at the Miele booth. Motto: 'A Miele Open House', for high-end, convenient and sustainable living.

An elegant dress is pretty creased after only a few hours of wearing, kitchen aromas from a meal at the local pizzeria linger on in a jacket, or you got caught in a downpour wearing an overcoat? Such moments, leaving garments not needing to be washed on the one hand but not able to be put back into the cupboard on the other, are familiar to all. For such cases, the world's leading supplier of premium domestic appliances is now offering the Miele Aerium – to freshen up, smooth and dry all types of textiles with air, steam and fine fragrances, but without detergent and without the use of copious amounts of water. 'In some countries in Asia, laundry care cabinets are already big sellers; in Europe, though, they are still virtually unknown', says Markus Miele.

Shoes, hats, cuddly toys and even rucksacks are returned to their former freshness in the Miele Aerium. Thanks to its elegant design in obsidian black or brilliant white, this unit blends in harmoniously with any style of interior architecture. Depending on individual needs, three programmes are available which, if required, can be combined with the 'Hygiene' option to kill bacteria and deactivate viruses. Tried-and-tested components such as a steam generator or a heat pump, familiar to customers from steam ovens and tumble dryers, ensure effective and reliable operation.

The second top new product at IFA, the equally powerful and convenient new cordless Duoflex HX1 stick vacuum cleaner, was presented by Reinhard Zinkann. With its SpeedLock system*, patents pending, and a matching wall bracket, the Duoflex HX1 is astonishingly simple to operate. A further benefit is the modern design concept with six attractive colour versions. 'This vacuum cleaner is far too attractive to be stowed away in a utility room', is Zinkann's verdict. The Duoflex HX1 has proven motor technology from Miele's Euskirchen plant to thank for its suction power.

Further improvements on the dishwashing front

Previously, Zinkann had drawn attention to the Miele dishwasher as a 'success story of the special kind', with over 940,000 units sold in a single year, five wins in a row with Germany's consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest, the Green Product Award 2023 – and with almost all models from the current G 7000 series sporting the top 'A' energy efficiency class. 'For this IFA, we have further perfected our dishwashers', Zinkann announced. By way of an example, he cited additional programmes for thorough, energy-efficient and gentle cleaning in equal measure. In addition to this, the dishwasher baskets have undergone further development to securely accommodate reusable bottles and drinking straws for thorough cleaning. At the end of the day, it is those small things and details which often make a difference – for greater sustainability in everyday life.

Artificial intelligence does away with service visits

Axel Kniehl referenced sustainability in everyday life, highlighting, in particular, the new features included in the Miele app**, from the Consumption Dashboard providing all key consumption data and additional tips on energy saving through to the new 'AI Diagnostics' service tool. Based on artificial intelligence, customers of Miele are provided, for example, with error messages relayed to their smartphone with self-help instructions thrown in for good measure where feasible. This is due to be launched in the first quarter of 2024. 'I am absolutely convinced that this will soon dispense with the need for hundreds of service visits which will be of equal benefit to both our customers and the environment'.

Artificial intelligence is also behind Smart Food ID, which uses a camera in the oven to recognise dishes as the basis for selection of the suitable automatic programme. 30 recipes already belong to the system's repertoire, and the number is growing steadily. Kniehl also described MealSync as 'extremely practical' – a further smart innovation from Miele at this year's IFA trade show. MealSync ensures that all the ingredients of a dish, whether cooked in a conventional or steam oven, are started to be finished and cooked to perfection at precisely the same time. 'Those who like to cook and cook a lot know that this digital service will contribute to reducing stress levels', says Kniehl, 'and, as far as I am aware, this useful detail is only available from Miele'.
 

*Patents pending, EP3854281
**The connectivity applications covered in the text are additional digital services provided by Miele & Cie. KG or by partner companies. All smart applications are made possible by the Miele@home system. The range of functions may vary depending on the model and the country.

Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. Their product portfolio also includes dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications. Founded in 1899, the company has eight production plants in Germany, one each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Romania and Poland as well as two production plants belonging to its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. Sales in the 2022 business year amounted to around € 5.43 bn. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries/regions. Throughout the world, the family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation, employs a workforce of around 23,300, of which approx. 11,900 employees work in Germany. The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh in Westphalia.