New Whirlpool Brand Cabrio(R) Pair Brings Sixth Sense(TM) Technology to the Laundry Room

Intuitive Features Improve Performance, Save Energy

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Apr 16, 2010, 09:00 ET

CHICAGO, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Helping consumers reach new heights when it comes to energy efficiency and fabric care, laundry leader Whirlpool brand launches the newest Cabrio® high efficiency (HE) top-load washer and dryer. Featuring a variety of intelligent 6th Sense technologies, the Cabrio laundry pair senses laundry loads and adjusts cycles accordingly, helping consumers achieve improved cleaning and superior efficiency, all while washing three baskets of laundry in a single load.

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"The intuitive features on the Cabrio washer and dryer help consumers maximize fabric care and resource efficiency from start to finish," said Brandon Buckingham, senior marketing manager, Whirlpool brand laundry. "New tools such as the Eco Monitor also display to consumers how their actual cycle choices affect the environmental efficiency of their laundry, helping them to be more 'green' on a day-to-day basis."

According to a Whirlpool Corporation survey conducted online in November by Harris Interactive®, 68 percent of adults indicated they want to live "green" but only if it is convenient to their lifestyle. To help consumers effortlessly save water, the H2Low™ wash system on the Cabrio washer automatically senses the size of each load and delivers better cleaning performance and gentleness than a traditional top-load washer. In fact, the Cabrio® HE washers with the H2Low wash system use 76 percent less water and 76 percent less energy, saving up to 80 gallons of water per week and more than $1,300 in lifetime water and energy costs*.

Both the Cabrio® HE washer and dryer include an Eco Monitor that provides consumers with an instant rating – from good to best – describing how eco-friendly their cycle choices are based on cycle selection. Consumers also can activate the washer's EcoBoost™ option to further enhance resource efficiency by adjusting water temperatures and mechanical energy to thoroughly clean garments in the most efficient way. The dryer also includes an Eco Normal Cycle, which uses less energy than a conventional dryer's normal cycle when paired with a Cabrio washer.

The ENERGY STAR® qualified Cabrio pair exceeds current CEE Tier III specifications and is expected to meet 2011 Tier III requirements. The CEE tier system is based on the Consortium for Energy Efficiency qualified product listings.

The Cabrio® HE laundry pair achieves superior energy efficiency with improved cleaning and fabric care performance. The Precision Dispense Plus system dispenses the precise amount of detergent and additives at exactly the right time to deliver advanced fabric care. Additionally, the washer's temperature management system utilizes sensors to optimize and control the water temperature, adapting to each load and ensuring the detergent and additives are working at optimal levels.

The Cabrio dryer also features advanced software and electronic controls, which allow the machine to sense how fast the load is drying, adjust the temperature to optimize performance and automatically stop the cycle when the clothes are dry.

The Cabrio® HE washer (WTW7800X) will be available in lunar silver, black and white with an MSRP starting at $1,099 this spring. The Cabrio steam dryer (electric WED7800X or gas WGD7800X) will be available in the same colors with an MSRP starting at $1,099 this spring.

For more information on Whirlpool brand laundry, visit www.whirlpool.com.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation from November 20-24, 2009 among 2,089 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

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.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation