Coast to coast, women are raising their dish towels and men are wielding their mops and brooms in a classic battle of the sexes. A recent survey commissioned by Whirlpool Corporation reveals that men and women have varying thoughts on taking care of their home, right down to their appliances.

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Prior research and public opinion show that men and women are wired differently and nowhere is that more evident than in the home. For example, when given the chance to make a new appliance purchase, men and women chose different appliances. When asked if they could replace one appliance in the home, 26 percent of males aged 35-44 said they would replace the refrigerator while 24 percent of their female counterparts said they would replace the dishwasher.

"Loads of laundry are being refolded and dishwashers reloaded because of differing opinions between spouses," said Dr. Pepper Schwartz, chief relationship expert for Perfectmatch.com and co-creator of the Duet Compatibility System. "However, men are definitely starting to pay more attention. When it comes to new technology, especially things that are modern, cost-effective and ecologically friendly, men are tuned in - the Whirlpool survey results revealed that 71 percent of males aged 35-44 know what high efficiency (HE) means in terms of laundry appliances as compared to 54 percent of females in the same age group."

The survey also found that 23 percent of males aged 18-34 said residue on glasses was their biggest dishwasher performance issue, and 18 percent of females in the same age group say unclean dishes after the cycle finishes are their biggest gripe. One thing men and women can agree on - energy efficiency. When asked what is most important with regard to appliance efficiency, the majority of men and women (83 percent and 85 percent respectively) listed energy over water or time as their top choice.

Based on the Duet Compatibility System, a proprietary system used on Perfectmatch.com, men who seek variety and are high energy may find themselves bored with routine chores, while women who like predictability and are risk averse are most likely set in their folding ways. Duet analyzes key personality elements which create highly compatible, long-term matches for people who share complementary traits and values - which can be extremely helpful when it comes to defining household roles.

While it's impossible to solve every household battle, appliance options from the Maytag, Amana and Whirlpool brands include features that address common gripes.

  --  Resi-don't - Maytag® dishwashers with SteamClean option use
      high-heat steam and temperature to reduce spots. In July, Maytag®
      Jetclean® Plus dishwashers will offer an exclusive Silverware
      Blast™ feature that ensures silverware and utensils come out clean
      the first time, every time.
  --  Technicolor Kitchen - Gone are refrigerators in shades of black and
      white. Amana® brand combines design and affordability with new
      models in a variety of colors, textures and patterns including
      Midnight Blue (reminiscent of a starry night), Green Tea (a minty
      green etched with leaf pattern) and Red (a rich burgundy tone).

  --  Wrinkles begone - the Whirlpool brand Fabric Freshener takes the ire
      out of ironing by steaming out wrinkles and odors in just over 30
      minutes. The portable product also saves time and money by reducing
      the need for trips to the dry cleaner.

To learn more about Whirlpool Corporation's portfolio of brands, please visit www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive via its QuickQuery(SM) online omnibus service on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation between December 29 and 31, 2008, among 2,042 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. Results were weighted as needed for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to be invited to participate in the Harris Interactive online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

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/.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research that is powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

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

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SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation