Innovation
Bringing our best to the world
YOU INSPIRE OUR PRODUCT INNOVATIONS
Learn more about our newest products from around the world
Product of the North America Region
AWARD WINNING INNOVATION
Recognized with a Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award for outstanding design and engineering in consumer products
PANTRY-INSPIRED LAYOUT
Expansive layout features panoramic shelves and unique features to store more
STORERIGHT™ SYSTEM DUAL COOLING
Allows fresh and frozen foods to be maintained at perfect temperatures using sensor technology
Product of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region
AWARD WINNING DESIGN
The Red Dot jury honored the built-in oven for the contemporary aesthetic of clear linear design
GLASS AND STEEL IN ELEGANT HARMONY
High quality materials and elegant coordinating aesthetics through all appliances of the built-in suite
TECHNOLOGY FOR BEST RESULTS
Technology driven by consumer needs is integrated allowing for consumer creativity and for consistently brilliant results
Product of the Latin America Region
Product of the Asia Region
ADVANCED PERFORMANCE
Professional stain removal performance with low vibration and low noise for a peaceful environment
WESTERN STYLE DESIGN
Industry-leading door diameter for easy loading and unloading of large items
REMOVES COMPLEXITY
Auto detergent dispensing removes guesswork while touch technology makes it easy to use
FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS – MORE INSPIRED INNOVATIONS
Product of the North America Region
Product of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region
The Whirlpool brand laundry pair with customize care
PERFECT CYCLE FOR THE PERFECT CLEAN
Industry’s first Intuitive Touch Front Controls allow for unique cycles to care for clothing
FILL AND FORGET
Skip adding detergent to every load with the Load & Go™ bulk dispenser
INDUSTRY’S LARGEST CAPACITY AVAILABLE
Wash a week’s worth of your family’s clothes at once with the industry’s largest capacity available at 6.2 cu. ft.
Whirlpool Europe’s first fully connected suite gives consumers the flexibility they want.
IMPROVED EXPERIENCE
Assisting consumers with cycle selection, energy utilization and inventory management
FREEDOM & FLEXIBILITY
Providing remote control access, reminders, and tips on how to improve performance
PEACE OF MIND
Delivering automated performance and maintenance information
Product of the Latin America Region
Product of the Asia Region
Consul brand in Brazil makes cooking and cleaning easier than ever
EASY TO USE
Cook with confidence on high quality cast-iron burners that are modern, durable and easy to clean
EASY TO CLEAN
Wipe cooktop and oven messes away easier than ever before
EASY TO COOK
Deliver precise results using accurate touch timing controls
Whirlpool China’s new washer combines modern design and aesthetics with gentle care
TOUCH CONTROL
More convenient one-touch start control
DETERGENT DISPENSER
Automatic detergent dispensing can be used for one month before refilling
FABRIC PROTECTION
Innovative technology to help reduce wear on delicate fabric
Highlights from Whirlpool brand at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show
Whirlpool brand wins nine CES Innovation Awards
Whirlpool Corporation, IBM Collaborate on Cognitive Solutions for Connected Appliances
Whirlpool Brand Brings Smart with Heart to CES
For more information, visit the Whirlpool brand CES page.
Product of the North America Region
Product of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region
Whirlpool brand: Bringing together form and beauty in refrigeration
Award Winning Innovation
Recognized for cutting edge ingenuity driving the industry
Nine Distinct Storage Zones
Keeping foods organized, visible and ready to eat
Divide and Conquer
Customized settings to store a variety of items
Whirlpool brand: Elegant design and flawless performance
Award Winning Design
Winner of the prestigious European iF 2015 design award
Precision Cleaning
Powerful water jets deliver detergent deeply into fibers
Eco-Friendly Drying
Delivering outstanding energy efficiency and providing tips for optimal use
Product of the Latin America Region
Product of the Asia Region
Consul brand: Intuitive and flexible design delivering maximum storage potential
Height Adjustable Shelves
Simplified organization even when fully loaded
Folding Shelf
For flexibility with different item sizes
Organizers and Containers
Protect foods with multiple storage combinations
Whirlpool brand: Delivering exceptional food preservation with an award winning design
2015 Good Design Winner
Excellence in form, function, quality, safety, sustainability and innovation
Preserving Freshness
Retaining ideal moisture levels and natural freshness
Precise Cooling
Delivering the most efficient cooling of each compartment
INNOVATION STORIES
Our Innovation
Dave Szczupak on Innovation
Casey Tubman on Innovation
Greenville Color Innovation
National Manufacturing Day
LAUNDRY INNOVATION
INVESTED IN AMERICA
Learn more about our Investments in America
WHIRLPOOL BRAND EARNS NINE INNOVATION AWARDS AT CES 2016
INNOVATION NEWS
Whirlpool Partners With Silicon Valley Startup To Incorporate Digital Software Into Cooking Appliances
June 20, 2016
(“Whirlpool Partners With Innit For Its New Connected Ovens,” Consumer Affairs)
Whirlpool Integrates Innit Technology Into Wi-Fi Cooking Appliances
June 16, 2016
(“Whirlpool First To Integrate Innit Smart Kitchen Platform,” Forbes)
Expanding On Employee Case Contest, Whirlpool Crowdfunds Beer Product
May 31, 2016
(“Whirlpool Crowdfunds A Beer Maker,” TechCrunch)
Whirlpool Crowdfunds Brewing Product Through Indiegogo
May 31, 2016
(“Whirlpool Leans On Crowdfunding To Launch Home Brewing System,” Fortune)
MAKE YOUR PITCH TO US!
Here at Whirlpool Corporation, we value innovation. We want you to connect with us when you have ideas to improve our products or to explore new business ventures. This site is the only way to connect with Whirlpool Corporation about your idea and your innovation. We only accept patented ideas in order to protect your intellectual property. Once your idea is submitted, we will get it in front of the right people at Whirlpool Corporation to determine its viability in meeting our consumer needs.
OUR INDUSTRY FIRSTS COME FROM PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
We never let our passion for helping create today’s special moments distract us from empowering even more purposeful innovations. We understand that innovation takes its first step backward when it stops moving forward. That’s why we’ll never stop pursuing new products that resonate with the people who use them. We work tirelessly to create exceptional design and purposeful technology that blends into the home rather than stands out in a house. Some companies want you to concentrate on them. We’d rather you concentrate on what matters most.
For more than a century, we’ve been innovating and implementing designs that free up more time for what’s important. From the first washing machine to the first stand mixer to the first laundry pair with steam cycles, innovation is second nature to us and essential to our passion. We’re extremely proud of our history of innovation, but we believe our greatest accomplishments are yet to come.
MOMENTS OF INNOVATION
Browse through our innovation “firsts” and learn about our purposeful innovation
FIRST ELECTRIC WRINGER CLOTHES WASHER
LOUIS AND EMORY UPTON
With the help of their business partner Lowell Bassford, Louis Upton and his uncle Emory started the Upton Machine Company in Benton Harbor, MI. They pioneered electric motor-driven wringer washing machines in 1911, which laid the successful foundation of the Whirlpool Corporation.
FIRST ICON KITCHENAID® STAND MIXER
KITCHENAID BRAND
The idea started when Herbert Johnson set out to streamline the way bakers mixed dough. The stand mixers found their way on to all U.S. Navy ships before eventually being found everywhere from homes to professional kitchens. The technology and shape has transformed the way baking gets done since 1919.
FIRST BOTTOM-FREEZER REFRIGERATOR
AMANA BRAND
Amana brand wanted to modernize the way the world stored food. Their teams recognized many customers didn’t access frozen food as often as fresh food. Hence, the bottom-freezer was born in 1947, paving the way for a French door configuration.
FIRST SIDE-BY-SIDE REFRIGERATOR
AMANA BRAND
To appease households outgrowing the top-freezer model, Amana brand introduced the first side-by-side refrigerator in 1949. This revolutionary design made it possible for consumers to keep both fresh and frozen food at eye level. The innovation caught on rapidly and can still be found in homes all over the world.
FIRST SPACE KITCHEN DEVELOPED FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
With a contract from the U.S. government in 1960, Whirlpool Corporation engineers took on zero gravity living. The kitchen included a miniature thermoelectric refrigerator, freezer, three-cavity oven, self-heated water system, storage space for food and disposal units. It was used in all of NASA’s Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions.
FIRST SELF-VENTILATED COOKTOP
JENN-AIR BRAND
Kitchen cooktops always had to sit under a hood until Jenn-Air brand modernized the way cooktops were installed in 1961. By creating self-ventilation, the cooktop could be fitted anywhere and in any size space. This innovation liberated home chefs everywhere to design kitchens around their needs instead of the cooktop.
FIRST COUNTERTOP MICROWAVE OVEN
AMANA BRAND
Amana brand introduces the first countertop, domestic 150-volt microwave oven, which costs just under $500 and is smaller, safer and more reliable than previous models. The market expands, cooking becomes easier and the Amana Radarange becomes the dominant player in the home microwave oven business.
FIRST 24-HOUR TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT PROGRAM IN THE U.S.
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Our customers have always been at the center of what we do. In 1967, sales rose to a level that required us to design a customer service program to match. This decision set a trend within the industry and a benchmark for large corporations worldwide.
FIRST ENERGY/WATER-EFFICIENT TOP LOAD WASHER
WHIRLPOOL BRAND
Whirlpool brand has never shied away from consumer needs—even when it meant redesigning an entire product. In 1998, to get ahead of a market trending toward sustainability, Whirlpool brand designed the first washer to exceed expectations in performance and resource savings.
FIRST LARGE CAPACITY FRONT-LOAD WASHER IN THE U.S.
WHIRLPOOL BRAND
Consumers get better at multi-tasking every year. Whirlpool brand recognized customers’ needs to accomplish more in less time and innovated a solution in 1999. The large capacity washer design has permanently changed the industry and buyer expectations.
FIRST TOP LOAD LAUNDRY PAIR WITH A STEAM CYCLE
MAYTAG BRAND
Consumer trends revealed that not all laundry items needed a full wash cycle. In 2008, Maytag brand seized the opportunity to innovate a new way to enhance the laundry room experience by refreshing clothes with steam. This technology also relaxes wrinkles and reduces odors, and has become an industry staple.
FIRST INDUCTION DOUBLE OVEN FREESTANDING RANGE
WHIRLPOOL BRAND
With a market trending toward finishing meals more quickly, Whirlpool brand delivered yet another industry first in 2013. Two ovens cooking at two temperatures and an induction cooktop ensure meals get done more efficiently than ever before.