Whirlpool Corporation today announced that its Maytag and KitchenAid brands are recipients of two Excellence in Design (EID) Awards in Appliance Design Magazine's Excellence in Design competition 2009. The two winning products are the Maytag Bravos® top-loading washer and the KitchenAid Architect Series Gas Cooktop Model.

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Entrants were evaluated by an independent panel of three experts in the field of design. The products were judged by four criteria: aesthetics, human factors, innovation, and technical merits. The Awards will be published in the June edition of the Appliance Design Magazine.

The Maytag® Bravos® washer is characterized by high performance and dependability, instantly evident through its new visual brand language that emphasizes solid construction and reliability. Its high capacity and CEE Tier III Energy Rating, ensures high efficiency while its impeller wash system, NSF-certified Sanitary cycle and integrated OxiClean® dispenser round out the Bravos® innovation portfolio. Its surface is smooth and rounded transitions with touch-points that are crafted out of sure-feeling materials to communicate a sense of dependability complemented by a striking red color scheme to underline its strength and quality.

Inspired by, and created for, those who love to cook and entertain, the new KitchenAid® Architect® Series II Gas Cooktop meets the highest culinary standards of quality, performance, and design. The product features a 20,000 BTU dual-tier burner that easily handles searing and stir-fry. The low-profile edge-to-edge grates integrate well with the countertop surface and communicate a sense of precise craftsmanship. Usability has been enhanced with a responsive glass-touch display including a control safety lockout and hot-surface indicators. Keeping the cooktop clean and fingerprint-free over the years is made simple by a super-hard ceramic clear-coat system on the stainless steel surfaces.

"We are extremely proud to receive recognition from Appliance Design Magazine for our Maytag and KitchenAid brands. The Excellence in Design Awards are proof that our continuing investment in design is delivering winning products, ensuring that our brands go from strength to strength," said Tania Aldous, director, Global Consumer Design, North America, Whirlpool Corporation.

For further details, please visit the Appliance Design Magazine website at: www.appliancedesign.com/EID.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion, 70,000 employees, and 68 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: angela_m_hersil@whirlpool.com

SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation