• Generation 7000: Four design lines and three colour worlds to match all interior design styles
   

• Chief designer Enslin: 'No customer wants to read operating instructions any more'.

Clear forms, high-quality materials, excellent workmanship and an intuitive interface: These are the assets of Generation 7000 design, as demonstrated in four new design lines and three colour worlds as well as one version with stainless steel. Miele offers a matching solution for each home interior style, unobtrusively integrated or making a bold statement. User interfaces have been carefully reappraised and are more in line with each other than ever before, for the most intuitive handling and matching combination options.

For Miele's chief designer Andreas Enslin, ease in using the machines and commonality of user interfaces top the agenda: Ease because cooking in itself is a highly creative but also complex process which should not be burdened with avoidable steps or having to check with operating instructions. And thanks to consistency in design, these machines blend to give a high-end ensemble in keeping with the values of the Miele brand.

'The user only needs to become accustomed to a single interface design which avoids exceptions. From the arrangement of controls to the displays, colours and symbols through to the structure of the menus – all these elements form the unique design of the Miele brand', says Enslin. At the same time, the reduced Generation 7000 design, now with even more glass and noticeably less stainless steel, supports the timelessly contemporary elegance which is so typical of Miele.

Combinations from the same mould

The new design of Generation 7000 products comes into its own where an oven is not alone in the kitchen: Whether one above the other or arranged horizontally in a cubic or T-shaped array, appliance combinations always appear to come from the same mould. This is not least attributable to the standardised structure of control panels, stringent lines and a high-class display with white graphics which is always centred. One finer detail in this respect: On models with M Touch controls, the colour in the display can be switched to black letters on a white background.

A further standardising feature is the exclusive use of sensor controls which are positioned in the same places on all types of appliances. Apart from isolated entry-line models, rotary selectors and pushbutton switches are a thing of the past. 'Omitting even more details involved a lot of work', says Enslin. The consistent design of Generation 7000 appliances also offers the benefit of ensuring that many different versions harmonise well.

Individual solutions for contemporary interior design styles

With its Generation 7000, Miele not only does justice to growing calls for less complexity but also caters for a broad range of preferences. With this in mind, the Miele Design Centre has created scenarios revolving around customers' future living worlds. The final outcome was the four very individualistic PureLine, VitroLine, ArtLine and ContourLine design lines:

• With its consistent focus on horizontal lines and a large proportion of glass, PureLine lends itself to a clear and modern furnishing style. Characteristic traits include the unobtrusive stainless-steel trim and a high-quality metal handle worked from a solid metal block. The glass front is in obsidian black. The well-conceived geometry and the lines allow virtually any combination of PureLine units.
   
• By contrast, VitroLine dispenses with any form of stainless steel and is available in obsidian black, brilliant white and graphite grey glass. In this case the solid metal handle incorporates a precisely finished glass insert in the colour of the machine. With their high-quality surfaces and extremely retiring design elements, VitroLine blends harmoniously into modern kitchen worlds.
   
• Even more consistently, ArtLine stands for the integration of units in a minimalistic environment and represents the style of choice in open-plan kitchens. These appliances come in obsidian black, brilliant white and graphite grey. The smooth, handleless glass fronts blend in seamlessly with the concept of modern, urban worlds. Doors open and close electrically at the touch of a fingertip.
   
• In stark contrast, ContourLine design underlines the technical character of Miele machines, showcasing their sophisticated technology. Details such as a one-piece metal handle with contours reflected in the metal frame below dominates the design. The incisive stainless-steel frame trains the eyes on the machine and its technology. The glass fascia panel is in obsidian black.

Also new on Generation 7000: On an increasing number of models, Miele places its trust in long-lasting and resource-saving LED lighting which ensures good illumination of the cavities. 

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.