Miele is a German company; this thing was amazingly expensive. Our almost antique Maytag had finally given up the ghost and needed to be replaced. This beast and its dryer partner were at half price because the person that had bought them returned them after a week "because they were too noisy." Hubby can't resist a bargain, even if it means spending way more than he at first intended. When it is just washing, you hardly know it's running, but the 'spin' cycle sounds like a rocket taking off.