Whirlpool Upgrades to Laundry 2.0 With Insightful, Colorful Steam Laundry Pair

Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whirlpool brand, the global laundry leader and developer of the country's best-selling front- load pair, introduces the next level of technology and thought for laundry. The Whirlpool brand Aspen Green Duet Steam pair offers a dual steam solution, and even more insight and efficiency in a crisp new green package.

Steaming with Seven Insights
There are seven insights driving what Whirlpool brand leadership refers to as the brand's most ambitious laundry offering to date. The following laundry list of insights will be addressed (by number) throughout the release.

1. Steam powerfully cleans nature's toughest stains
2. OxiClean is the leading laundry stain remover brand; 52 percent of its users add OxiClean stain remover power directly to the wash*
3. Consumers desire additional, turnkey sanitization solutions
4. Steam gently removes odors and relaxes wrinkles
5. Busy consumers need an automatic system for supplying steam
6. Fifty-nine percent of consumers say water and energy savings are the top two factors in the purchase of a washing machine**
7. Whirlpool's Global Consumer Design Group finds color trends in the home are increasingly influenced by nature "

As an appliance innovator, Whirlpool brand is proud to introduce this new technology and help consumers use steam to get more done in the washer and dryer," said John Alexander, VP and GM Brand Management, Whirlpool Corporation. "When we launched the original Duet pair, we changed the way people thought and felt about their laundry room. Given the affordable new technology and design of this pair, the potential is there to do it all over again."

Next Generation Cleaning (Insights 1, 2, 3 and 6)
The new Duet Steam washer effortlessly removes stains from grass to grease, even sanitizing towels and sheets without the need for bleach. Furthermore, consumers believe in the power of OxiClean stain fighter, which now ranks as the No. 1 stain remover brand on the market***. A special timed-release dispenser option - a first for Whirlpool brand - optimizes the delivery of OxiClean stain fighters.

Addressing yet another consumer need, the Duet Steam washer continues the legacy of eco-efficiency. The brand's most energy efficient washer to date uses up to 73 percent less water and 77 percent less energy as compared to conventional top-loaders.

To showcase how the new pair efficiently tackles the dirtiest duds, Whirlpool brand is steam cleaning Mike Rowe, host and creator of Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs," as he commemorates his 150th dirty job.

"After 150 dirty jobs, I've begun to look at my clothes as disposable. For lack of a better solution, I often burn or bury them," said Rowe. "It'll be interesting to see if Whirlpool can actually get them clean."

The answer to Mike Rowe's question will soon be heard via audio file on Whirlpool.com.

Like Rowe, there are consumers who may require a more thorough cleaning. For that audience, the washer has a sanitization cycle designed to eliminate 99.9 percent of infectious bacteria.

Next Generation Drying (Insight 3 and 4)
The advent of the Duet Steam pair continues the cadence of innovation that began with the steam-enabled Fabric Freshener in 2005. Like its predecessor, the pair eases the laundry burden with immersive steam - a combination of mist and heat in the dryer - naturally steaming away tough odors and wrinkles without chemicals. With its Quick Refresh and Wrinkle Shield cycles, the Duet Steam dryer offers a short-cut to ironing and odor removal, ensuring clothing comes out refreshed and dry. With 75 percent of clothes being dry-cleaned to remove wrinkles and odors - not stains, steam technology can reduce dry cleaning and save consumers time and money.

In addition, consumers can now sanitize items such as stuffed animals, towels, bedding, and sleeping bags, an added benefit with the Sanitize cycle which is designed to eliminate 99.9 percent of infectious bacteria. Next Generation Color (Insight 7) In an industry bursting with color, Whirlpool brand's crisp Aspen green will be the first of a vibrant color palette rolled out over the laundry family. With 55 percent of laundry rooms on the first floor and 12 percent on the second floor****, laundry rooms continue to migrate out of the basement into the living areas of the home. Design trends continue to evolve and customization in homes including paints, fabrics, furniture, flooring and more calls for stylish and functional appliances that make a bold statement. Whirlpool color experts say a nature-inspired palette is exactly what consumers are looking for.

Next Generation Convenience (Insight 5)
And unlike other steam appliances that require manual filling, the dryer uses the washer's water line to spray a fine mist on clothes, and the pair's steam technology can be activated at the touch of a button. In addition, the washer is equipped with a six-point suspension system to reduce vibration and noise, allowing consumers to install the pair closer to the living space or on an upper floor.

The Duet Steam pair will be available at national retailers this fall in Aspen green and white with an MSRP of $1499-1599 for the washer and $1199- 1299 for the dryer. Visit www.whirlpool.com for more information.

* Based on latest 52 week Nielsen data ending Sept. 2007.
** According to a survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation which surveyed a random sample of 1021 American consumers on behalf of Whirlpool brand.
*** According to an OxiClean 2006 Attitude & Usage Study.
****According to Whirlpool brand's consumer laundry habits and practices 2004 research. OxiClean is a registered trademark of Church & Dwight, Co., Inc.

SOURCE Whirlpool