Miele

Miele (pronounced 'MEE-luh - rhymes with Sheila) is a manufacturer of high-end domestic and kitchen appliances, commercial equipment and fitted kitchens, based in Gütersloh, Germany. Miele has always been a family-owned and run company, founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann.



Miele currently produces domestic appliances including laundry appliances; vacuum cleaners; dishwashers; rotary irons; built-in convection, steam, and speed ovens; hobs; cooker hoods; freestanding and built-in refrigerators, freezers, and wine coolers; and coffee systems. The company also produces commercial laundry equipment including wet cleaning machines, lab glassware washers, dental disinfectors, and medical equipment washers.

Miele's testing of their products is unbeatable in this market and equipment is built to last for at least 20 years.[citation needed]

Miele was presented with an award in Munich on February 7, for being the most successful company in Germany in 2007. In the Best Company category, Miele beat last year's winner Google, which placed second, and also Porsche, which came in third.

Rankings for this Best Brands prize are the result of representative market research covering such key criteria as current economic market success and brand recognition and popularity among consumers. Miele was recognized as Best Company and also achieved a top-five place in the category Best Product Brand. Miele also was honored as Best Domestic Appliance Brand in the UK by Which? in 2007 and again in 2008, being only one of two brands to win twice in a row. They have since won again in 2010.

In North America, Miele is marketed as a high end major appliance brand. They compete against brands such as Kuppersbusch, Gaggenau, Fagor, Viking Range, and Thermador.

The Best Company winner is determined based on the GfK Corporate Reputation measuring method. GfK is the leading market-research institute in Germany.

Miele positions itself at the upper end of the market for domestic appliances.