Miele

What they do

Miele makes washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, ovens, coffee machines and vacuum cleaners for homes, along with commercial laundry, dishwashing and medical cleaning equipment. Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann founded the company on 1 July 1899 in Herzebrock; its headquarters are now in Gütersloh, Westphalia. Washing machines are still built in Gütersloh, and dishwashers and vacuum cleaners in nearby Bielefeld.

Why it matters

Miele built its reputation on a simple promise: appliances should last much longer than the market norm and be repairable. The early range included cream separators, butter churns and a tub washing machine. Vacuum cleaners followed in 1927 and, in 1929, Europe's first electric dishwasher. Today the brand stands for a premium segment that competes on durability and engineering quality rather than price, and it supplies hospitals and laboratories with cleaning and disinfection machines.

Products to know

• Washing machines and dryers: the core domestic range, built in Gütersloh.
• Dishwashers: domestic and commercial machines.
• Built-in kitchen appliances: ovens, steam ovens and coffee machines.
• Professional: laundry and disinfection systems for hotels, care homes and clinics.

The German angle

Miele is one of the purest examples of the German family company at scale: two founding families still share ownership, in a split of 51.1 to 48.9 per cent, and alternate in its leadership. Its history also includes armaments production with forced labour during the Second World War. Today it operates production sites worldwide, including an oven plant in Alabama opened in 2024, while keeping its core manufacturing in Westphalia.