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• Low consumption reduces electricity and water costs significantly

• With a 7 kg load capacity, perfect for dental practices

Laundry has a great contribution to make in dental practices in preventing the spread of bacteria and diseases. To protect patients and staff alike, Miele recommends washing and drying workwear in designated disinfection programmes – something that can only be done properly in commercial machines. Take, for instance, the new Little Giants from Miele with their special 'Hygiene' programmes which are due to hit the market in April. These compact laundry machines require only half a square metre of floor space, can be stacked on top of each other and have a load capacity of 7 kg.

Even at first glance, the high-quality stainless-steel fascia betrays the fact that these are not domestic machines. The technology behind the scenes, above all, is designed to cope with significantly higher levels of strain and use, as is the case in a dental surgery. The washing machines have on board 15 programmes for reliable disinfection catering for specific needs: Programmes without a pre-wash and with three rinse cycles at temperature of up to 85°C, for instance, meet the requirements of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) relevant to infection control and hospital hygiene in Germany and further cycles meet the remit of the disinfectant list published by the Association for Applied Hygiene (VAH). Programme parameters have also been adjusted to the requirements of standards valid in other countries.

Where necessary, the wash time can be extended at the outset of the main wash by pre-soaking, making even blood easy to remove. By programming a dispenser module, users can define when liquid products enter the machine – geared to the individual wash process in which liquid disinfectants are often only dispensed once a certain temperature has been reached. Drying programmes tailored to the applications in hand later prevent any recontamination of washed laundry. All washing and drying programmes can be selected fast using a new and particularly easily scanned text display.

Short washing and drying times

With their short cycle times, these machines are indispensable: The shortest cycle takes only 49 minutes, the vented dryer is through with its work in only 37 minutes and the heat-pump dryer still requires less than 60 minutes – all combined with significant reductions in consumption compared with the previous generations. The washing machines get by with up to 14% less water, and electricity savings can be a much as 22%.

This is the result of interaction between several components. Textiles are, for instance, more intensively wetted than previously thanks to additional perforations in the drum rear panel. This effect is further intensified by a special wash rhythm in which a slow rotational speed allows copious amounts of water to shower down onto the load. Once the drum revs up, water and soil is thoroughly rinsed out. This guarantees top-notch cleanliness combined with the gentlest care of fabrics.

Upping the drum speed – but still running smooth

Subsequent drying is curtailed through the particularly effective dewatering of textiles during spinning, now even reaching a g-factor of 704. That is one-third higher than on the previous generation – and sets a new benchmark in the marketplace. Despite a clear increase in spin speed, the machine runs just as smoothly, an aspect which, in combination with high-quality components such as heater elements made from corrosion-proof material, makes for product longevity: The new Little Giants successfully passed endurance tests equating to 30,000 hours of operation.

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. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Professional Business Unit). The Miele company, founded in 1899, has eight production plants in Germany as well as one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. These are joined by the two plants belonging to Miele's Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. 2017/18 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 4.1 bn, with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries. Throughout the world, the family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation, employs a workforce of around 20,100, whereof 11,200 are employed in Germany. The company headquarters are located in Gütersloh/Westphalia, Germany.