LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 100 years young, Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR), the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, has introduced many of the country's household firsts including the automatic washing machine. Today, the convergence of technology with everyday household appliances is leading to greater resource efficiency, superior performance and making daily chores easier. The company's flagship Whirlpool brand, will showcase how 99 years of history have inspired new innovation at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Jan. 6-9, 2011.

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"The integration of advanced technology into appliances indicates how pervasive technology, and in particular, the use of consumer electronics has become," said Wes Pringle, vice president brand business teams, Whirlpool Corporation. "From intuitive technology that senses and adapts to USB ports and touch screen-enabled apps that take the chore out of chores, the latest innovations in the laundry rooms are on the leading edge of appliance design."

The Future of Front-load Laundry

A decade after introducing front-load technology to the United States, Whirlpool brand has mastered efficiency and innovation with the industry's most resource efficient laundry pair(1) - the new premium front-load Duet® washer and dryer. Through exclusive 6th Sense™ technology, intelligent tools that sense and manage what was once beyond a user's control, the laundry pair provides ultimate cleaning, gentleness and efficiency. For example, the pair's built-in suite of Laundry Apps, accessed by an easy-to-use LCD screen, includes features like Stain Assist and Hints & Tips that give practical advice on stains and other everyday laundry questions.

With new energy and water efficiency requirements for household appliances on the horizon, Whirlpool brand – in conjunction with its Institute of Fabric Science – created a laundry pair that not only meets, but exceeds government standards to help consumers conserve natural resources and save money.  To do so, the washer uses as little as 11.5 gallons of water per load and exceeds the minimum federal standard for energy selling requirements by more than 160 percent, on average. For every household that uses the new Whirlpool® Duet® laundry pair, 12,857 gallons of water could be saved every year.(2) If all households in the United States – 114.8 million according to the U.S. Census – used the new laundry pair for a year, the country could save 1.47 trillion gallons of water per year.

The new premium front-load Duet® washer and dryer is available at national retailers with an MSRP starting at $1,099.

Better on Top

Whirlpool brand continues to lead the fabric care evolution with the top-load Vantage™ laundry pair, which is stylish enough to walk the runway yet technologically-advanced enough to marvel a tech genius. The new Vantage™ top-load washer and dryer meld high-end design and high-tech features to offer an intuitive LCD touch screen interface and the industry's first USB port, which will give consumers access to future upgrades and evolved laundry cycles.  With built-in Cycle-Logic™ intelligence, consumers can not only select cycles, but also can create their own – from Mom's laundry cycle to Joey's cycle to school uniform cycle, and everything in between. In addition to the Stain Assist laundry app, the Vantage™ pair comes with 33 special cycles including athletic wear, baby items, stuffed animals, jeans, bath mats, shower curtains, shoes and swimwear.

But is it efficient? Advanced technology, style and eco-efficiency can now be found in the same package with this high-efficiency laundry pair. The washer uses an impeller with a low water wash system to save water and energy using 76 percent less water and 75 percent less energy when compared to pre-2004 conventional washers. The Whirlpool® Vantage™ washer and dryer pair is available in cosmetallic at retailers nationwide with an MSRP starting at $1,999 each.

In addition to product demonstrations, Institute of Fabric Science expert, Tremitchell Wright will be on hand to offer tips and Whirlpool brand's Monica Teague will participate in the MommyTech Summit on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 4:00pm during a session called Mom as CTO.

With nearly 100 years of practice, Whirlpool Corporation knows a thing or two about household chores. This expertise led to the creation of the Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science, an informational hub for everything laundry. Additionally, the institute offers daily tips, tricks and advice to consumers via Twitter and Facebook. For more information on Whirlpool brand please visit www.whirlpool.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whirlpool.

About Whirlpool Brand

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 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 the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

About Whirlpool Corporation's 100th Anniversary

Founded on November 11, 1911, Whirlpool Corporation has influenced home and family life during the last century.  The company is driven by the belief that everyone needs a comfortable place to call home and has a 100 year history of creating better ways of cooking, cleaning, refrigerating and storing.  Whirlpool Corporation is focused on improving lives one person, one family, one home, one community at a time.

(1) Among leading brands, based on equal weighting of energy and water usage, electric dryers only.

(2) Compared to a pre-2004 top load washer using the normal cycle.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation