Have you ever left your laundry in the washing machine by accident, only to find it smelly and wrinkled when you finally remembered to put it in the dryer? Whirlpool brand has heard consumers' call, and in response, is arming consumers with the best defense -- a washer with the ability to keep clothes smelling fresh for up to 10 hours after the cycle ends with the industry-changing FanFresh™ option.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081218/WHIRLPOOLBRANDLOGO )

The Whirlpool® Duet® steam washer's FanFresh™ option intermittently tumbles clothes in the wash drum for up to 10 hours after the cycle ends. Meanwhile, a quiet fan draws out moisture through a vent to help keep clothes smelling fresh and prevents wrinkles from setting in. According to a 2007 online survey conducted by Whirlpool brand, 72 percent of respondents said it is important that their clothes never smell sour when left in the washer, yet only 47 percent are satisfied that their current washer completes this task.*

"Whirlpool brand is focused on offering consumers the flexibility to live their lives rather than plan around their laundry," said Brandon Buckingham, senior brand manager, Whirlpool laundry. "The FanFresh™ option provides consumers with the opportunity to load their washer, run errands and go to the movies, and not worry about getting back in time to switch the wash."

While the FanFresh™ option solves one of consumers' biggest laundry problems today, the new Duet® steam washer garners one of the most efficient energy ratings available from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) -Tier III - meaning the machine features advanced water and energy savings for the consumer. In addition, the new Duet® dryer is the first in the front-load category to offer an Eco cycle that uses 40 percent less energy than a conventional dryer's normal cycle when paired with a Duet® washer.**

According to Whirlpool Corporation research conducted by Harris Interactive in 2008, nearly three quarters (72 percent) of adults actively look for the ENERGY STAR® label when making purchasing decisions. With advanced water and energy savings for the consumer, the Whirlpool® Duet® steam washer is ENERGY STAR qualified and can save consumers more than $1,000 in lifetime water and energy costs when compared to a pre-2004 conventional washer, based on a 10-year life cycle. Couple this with the money saved in the dryer, and the savings of the Duet washer practically pays for the cost of the dryer. In fact, the new Duet® pair is the industry's most efficient laundry care system available based on time and energy usage.

The Whirlpool® Duet® steam washer has a capacity of 4.5 cu. ft., giving consumers the ability to wash up to 18 pairs of jeans in a single load. The Delay Wash setting can be used to set the washer to begin up to 18 hours later, perfect for timing during off-peak hours when utility rates may be lower or when unloading the washer is more convenient.

In addition, the Whirlpool® Duet® steam washer comes with the industry-first NightQuiet™ option, which further reduces operational sound and is great for those whose laundry rooms are close to living areas or bedrooms.

The Whirlpool® Duet® steam wash system adds the power of steam to select wash cycles to steam out tough stains, virtually eliminating the need to pretreat, and removes up to 95 percent of tested allergens, including dust mites and pet dander. The Whirlpool® Duet® steam wash system received the highest rating for water efficiency, cleaning and capacity from a leading consumer magazine.

And steam is not just for the washer. The Duet® steam dryer utilizes the power of steam to eliminate 99.9 percent of common household bacteria, ideal for those items that should not be washed such as backpacks, stuffed animals and pillows. And for those who want to avoid ironing and cut down on dry cleaning costs, the dryer offers a Quick Refresh steam cycle that tumbles small loads and uses steam technology to break down odors and smooth out wrinkles. In just 15 minutes, clothes are ready-to-wear.

The Whirlpool® Duet® steam washer (WFW9750W) will be available in White, Cranberry and Lunar Silver with an MSRP starting at $1,599, and the Whirlpool® Duet® steam dryer (electric WED9750W or gas WGD9750W) will be available in the same colors with an MSRP starting at $1,599 later this fall.

  *Whirlpool 2007 Fabric Care Consumer Needs Quantitative Study, 2007
  ** Electric dryer only

  Methodology

The 2008 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 Brand

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales in 2008 of approximately $19 billion, 70,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. Whirlpool brand recognizes that consumers lead busy, active lives and continues to create solutions that help consumers optimize productivity and efficiency in the home. In addition to designing appliance solutions based on consumer insight, Whirlpool brand is dedicated to creating ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances like the new Duet® washer which uses 74 percent less water and 80 percent less energy than a traditional top load washer manufactured before 2004. When used with the washer, the new Duet® Resource Saver® dryer improves dryer energy usage by 40 percent as compared to traditional top-load laundry pairs, average size load. Whirlpool is one of Habitat for Humanity's largest corporate partners, donating a refrigerator and range to every new Habitat for Humanity home built in North America. For more information on Whirlpool brand, please visit www.whirlpool.com. Additional information about Whirlpool Corporation can be found at 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

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081218/WHIRLPOOLBRANDLOGO

SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation