Skip to content
Corporate Responsibility
Resource Center

Products & Innovation

Our legacy of product leadership is driven by intellectual curiosity, innovation and the desire to deliver an exceptional experience for consumers. We also seize every opportunity to build sustainability into our products without sacrificing performance.

By designing products with the needs of consumers and the planet in mind, we work to reduce reliance on nonrenewable resources, lower our carbon and water footprint and maintain standards of excellence for quality and performance.

Learn more about our game-changing products and award-winning innovations on our Innovation page.

Our Legacy of Innovation

Whirlpool Corporation has long been an innovator in laundry technology, meeting the needs of consumers in new ways while improving both energy and water efficiency. Our leadership in laundry includes the following industry firsts.

  • 1911
    First electric wringer clothes washer
  • 1938
    First washer with motorized agitation
  • 1940
    First automatic washer
  • 1957
    First dryer that sensed when clothes were dry enough
  • 1961
    First combination washer/dryer
  • 1998
    First energy- and water-efficient top-load washer
  • 1999
    First large-capacity front-load washer in the U.S.
  • 2014
    First ENERGY STAR®-certified dryers
  • 2021
    Industry-first 2 in 1 removable agitator washing machine
  • TODAY
    we continue to embrace this spirit of innovation in each of our product categories, developing products that deliver on our mission to improve life at home and advance sustainability.

Laundry

We continue to increase investments in high-efficiency washer and dryer innovation. Our laundry products include environmentally sustainable features on select models such as:

Delayed Start: This functionality allows consumers to set washers or dryers to start at a later time, potentially allowing them to take advantage of off-peak electricity rates.

Auto Sensing: This feature automatically adjusts water levels in washers and temperature levels on dryers based on load size to help save water and energy.

Eco Mode: Using this feature can save up to 15% of water and 40% of electricity by adjusting resource consumption based on what is ideal for the specific load.

Water Reuse: Through water reuse capabilities, consumers can reuse water for other purposes in their homes.

Manual Resource Guidance:
Features like water level indicators and measured dosage guides help consumers use the ideal amount of water and laundry powder for each wash.

In addition, our ENERGY STAR-certified clothes washers are in the GetWaterSmart Product Directory, North America's first single-location listing of certified water-efficient products.

Cooking

Through investments in cooktop and freestanding range technology, we offer electric, gas and induction cooking solutions that meet consumers’ needs. We reduce material use and energy use through product integration, including:

Induction Cooktops: With better heat transfer performance than gas or electric cooking, induction cooktops support more efficient energy usage.

Induction Downdraft Cooktop Technology: Available in North America, this revolutionary technology eliminates the need for a separate overhead ventilation unit.

Microwave-hood Combinations: As a unique, single product solution, select microwaves deliver the benefits of multiple standalone products, such as microwaves, grills, air fryers and ventilation hoods.

Refrigeration

In refrigeration, we have introduced multiple innovative product solutions that help increase energy efficiency, improve food preservation, increase capacity and support circular economy principles. Recent innovations include:

Low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) Blowing Agents: In the late 1990s, Whirlpool began transitioning to climate-friendly, low-GWP blowing agents used in appliance manufacturing. As of 2023, we have transitioned over 97% of all globally manufactured refrigerators to climate-friendly, low-GWP refrigerants.

97% of Whirlpool Corporation manufactured refrigerators use climate-friendly, low-GWP refrigerants

Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Resins: Beginning in 2023 in Latin America, PCR materials were integrated in the manufacturing of refrigeration components that don’t have direct contact with food in selected applications.

New Energy Standard: Starting in 2025, all the refrigeration models sold in Brazil follow the country’s new standard requiring new models to have minimum energy efficiency levels. These new models can provide up to 38% energy savings to consumers.

See the Second Life section to learn more about how Whirlpool Corporation refrigerators help fight food insecurity across the U.S. through refurbished product usage.

Small Appliances

The KitchenAid stand mixer, first launched in 1919, remains a powerful tool in the kitchen and has some of the best environmental impact ratings in its category (based on an internal Life Cycle Assessment). We strive to deliver small appliances from the KitchenAid brand with the same high standards, including:

Repairability and Refurbishment: The KitchenAid brand strives to reduce waste through the repairability of products, recycling of high-quality parts and by offering certified refurbished stand mixers.

Category Leadership: A 2024 LCA found the KitchenAid stand mixer leads its category in areas like materials choices, electricity consumption and climate impact during product life.

Sustainable Packaging: KitchenAid is also working to transition to expanded polystyrene (EPS)-free packaging for small appliances.

Dishwashers

We have achieved significant sustainability progress in the dishwasher category through innovation in product efficiency, manufacturing and inclusive design, including:

Water Use: Whirlpool dishwashers use significantly less water and energy than washing dishes by hand, saving an average of 2,500+ gallons of water per year.

Eco Series Designation: In addition to a wide variety of ENERGY STAR-certified dishwashers, we offer dishwashers with an Eco Series designation. These dishwashers use 10% less energy and save more water compared to dishwashers meeting the minimum 2023 Department of Energy efficiency standards.

GetWaterSmart: Our ENERGY STAR-certified dishwashers are also included in the GetWaterSmart Product Directory, which features certified water-efficient products to help customers minimize water use.

Door Opening System: In 2024, we introduced a system on select models that uses fresh air for drying, reducing energy consumption and improving drying performance.

Delayed Start: This feature allows consumers to run their dishwasher during off-peak hours to reduce strain on the grid and potentially save money.

Spin&Load Accessory: In addition to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant dishwasher models, we now offer a Spin&Load Rack, which rotates from a center point, making the dishwasher more accessible for consumers.

Our Findlay, Ohio, plant is the largest dishwasher-producing plant in the Americas and the first Whirlpool Corporation manufacturing facility to utilize wind energy.

Using a dishwasher can be up to
5x more water-efficient than hand washing.

Hand washing one load of dishes can use 20 gallons of water, whereas water- and energy-efficient dishwashers use as little as four gallons. Whirlpool Corporation dishwashers have been donated to Habitat for Humanity's BuildBetter with Whirlpool homes to help homeowners reduce water usage.

Garbage Disposals

Following our acquisition of InSinkErator in 2022, Whirlpool Corporation has supported sustainable innovation in the garbage disposal category. Benefits and sustainability features include:

  • Grind2Energy: This non-sewer-based system helps universities, sports venues and businesses meet their sustainability goals by transforming inedible food waste into energy. The system grinds food waste into a slurry, which is then transported to an anaerobic digestion facility. Grind2Energy System maintains a network of trusted haulers and anaerobic digestion facilities across the U.S. where food waste slurry is converted into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer. The Grind2Energy System and program together take food waste recycling to the next level by recovering more resources than traditional disposal methods, such as landfilling and composting.
  • Recyclability: Because garbage disposals are predominantly made of metal, they are easy to recycle at end-of-life.

Grind2Energy System is helping food waste generators transform inedible food scraps into energy. Here’s how it works.

  1. Organic food waste is collected and placed into the grind chamber.
  2. Grind2Energy System grinds food waste quickly and efficiently.
  3. The resulting slurry goes into a holding tank.
  4. A liquid waste hauler transports the slurry to a local anaerobic digestion (AD) facility.
  5. The AD facility recycles the food slurry by recovering water and converting captured methane into renewable energy including electricity and compressed natural gas.
  6. The remaining nutrient-rich organic material can be used as a beneficial natural fertilizer.
  7. The natural nutrient-rich fertilizer is utilized to grow more food.

InSinkErator Down With Food Waste: This consumer education campaign shows consumers how using a garbage disposal in conjunction with their green bin helps divert the maximum amount of food waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions that can affect climate change.

Learn more about the environmental benefits of our garbage disposal technology here.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf. Certain statements contained in this and other written and oral statements made from time to time by us or on our behalf do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and may contain forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. As such, they are considered “forwardlooking statements” that provide current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “should,” “possible,” “plan,” “predict,” “forecast,” “potential,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “commit,” “believe,” “may impact,” “on track,” “guarantee,” “seek,” “would,” “committed,” “undertake,” “target” and the negative of these words and words and terms of similar substance. Our forwardlooking statements generally relate to our strategic and transactional objectives, operational planning and implementation, financial projections, goals, and assumptions, external and macroeconomic conditions, and legal, regulatory and sustainability matters. These forward-looking statements should be considered with the understanding that such statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, and may be affected by inaccurate assumptions. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may vary materially.

This document contains forward-looking statements about Whirlpool Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries (“Whirlpool”) that speak only as of this date. Whirlpool disclaims any obligation to update these statements. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future financial results, environmental, social, and governance efforts, longterm sustainability and Net Zero goals, including emissions reduction targets, risk management and resilience, product innovation, durability and resource efficiency, product safety and quality, second life and end-of-life initiatives, responsible sourcing and supply chain management, sustainable operations and investments in renewable energy, and efforts related to workplace health and safety, employee engagement, and community impact. Many risks, contingencies and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from Whirlpool’s forward-looking statements. Among these factors are: (1) intense competition in the home appliance industry, and the impact of the changing retail environment, including direct-toconsumer sales; (2) Whirlpool’s ability to maintain or increase sales to significant trade customers and builders; (3) Whirlpool’s ability to maintain its reputation and brand image; (4) Whirlpool’s ability to achieve its business objectives and successfully manage its strategic portfolio transformation and outsourced business unit service model; (5) Whirlpool’s ability to understand consumer preferences and successfully develop new products; (6) Whirlpool’s ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights; (7) acquisition, divestiture, and investment-related risks, including risks associated with our past transactions; (8) the ability of suppliers of critical parts, components and manufacturing equipment to deliver sufficient quantities to Whirlpool in a timely and cost-effective manner; (9) risks related to Whirlpool’s international operations; (10) Whirlpool’s ability to respond to unanticipated social, political and/or economic events, including epidemics/ pandemics; (11) information technology system and cloud failures, data security breaches, data privacy compliance, network disruptions, and cybersecurity attacks; (12) product liability and product recall costs; (13) Whirlpool’s ability to attract, develop and retain executives and other qualified employees; (14) the impact of labor relations; (15) fluctuations in the cost of key materials (including steel, resins, and base metals) and components and the ability of Whirlpool to offset cost increases; (16) Whirlpool’s ability to manage foreign currency fluctuations; (17) impacts from goodwill, intangible asset and/or inventory impairment charges; (18) health care cost trends, regulatory changes and variations between results and estimates that could increase future funding obligations for pension and postretirement benefit plans; (19) impacts from credit rating agency downgrades; (20) litigation, tax, and legal compliance risk and costs; (21) the effects and costs of governmental investigations or related actions by third parties; (22) changes in the legal and regulatory environment including environmental, health and safety regulations, data privacy, taxes and generative AI; (23) the impacts of changes in foreign trade policies, including tariffs; (24) Whirlpool’s ability to respond to the impact of climate change and climate change or other environmental regulation; and (25) the uncertain global economy and changes in economic conditions.

Other Important Notes & Disclaimers

Various of the disclosures in this report are informed by the expectations of various stakeholders and/or third-party frameworks. Such information may not necessarily be material for purposes of our filings under U.S. federal securities laws, even if we use “material” or similar language in discussing such matters. Particularly in the ESG context, there are various approaches to materiality that differ from, and in many cases are more expansive than, the definition under U.S. federal securities laws. Furthermore, much of this information is subject to methodologies and data that continue to evolve. Over time, our approach to such matters has also evolved and is expected to continue evolving, and we cannot guarantee that our approach will align with the expectations or preferences of any particular stakeholder. For example, the processes for measuring and accounting for ESG metrics can involve substantial discretion, include assumptions or other methodological considerations that involve inherent uncertainty and may change due to evolving understanding or perception of certain matters by us or society at large. This can make it difficult to anticipate the ultimate outcomes of certain decisions in advance, as well as complicate the comparison of information presented at different times or under different circumstances or standards. Moreover, while we aim to align various disclosures set forth or referred to in this report with the recommendations of various third-party frameworks, such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, we cannot guarantee strict adherence to these frameworks’ recommendations. Our disclosures, as well as relevant internal controls, also may change due to revisions in framework requirements, availability or quality of information, changes in our business or applicable government policies, or other factors, some of which may be beyond our control.