KitchenAid Unplugged

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Nov 22, 2010, 08:32 ET

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- KitchenAid may be best known for its line of major and countertop appliances, including its iconic Stand Mixer, but for every KitchenAid product with an electrical plug, many thousands more without one are sold every day. So how did an appliance maker become a leader in such "unplugged" categories as gadgets, cookware, cutlery and kitchen linens?

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"Today's home cooks want kitchen products that last, that perform beautifully, and enhance the look and function of the kitchen," says Deb O'Connor, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid. "Just as every appliance KitchenAid makes is designed to share those characteristics, so are the non-electric products created in collaboration with our manufacturing and publishing licensees."

These include Brownstone Gallery, Ltd. for kitchen textiles; Lifetime Brands for gadgets and cutlery; Meyer Corporation for cookware; and Publications International, Ltd for cookbooks. Each works closely with KitchenAid to create products that are "true to the KitchenAid brand in terms of durability, performance, ease of use and timeless design," adds O'Connor.

So when it comes to pizza, this means KitchenAid offers not only Stand Mixers for making the dough and powerful convection ovens for creating crispy crusts, but pizza cutting wheels with hefty, comfortable handles that echo the curves and eye-catching colors of the mixer itself. It means that ice cream made using the Stand Mixer's ice cream attachment can be frozen to perfection in a KitchenAid refrigerator and served using ice cream scoops that look and feel like they were made to work with these other products.

Looking outside the kitchen, KitchenAid offers not only powerful stainless steel grills, refrigerators and other outdoor kitchen appliances, but also a new collection of stylish barbecue tools. The collection includes grilling tools, grill baskets with detachable handles, a vertical chicken roaster, multi-function grill brushes, thermometers, a smoke box, grill toppers and kabob racks, all with suggested retail prices from $9.99 to $29.99. Features include soft silicone handles for a secure, comfortable grip, and durable construction of either stainless steel or carbon steel with a premium nonstick finish.

For the charity-minded cook, KitchenAid offers a collection of pink culinary tools that generate donations to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the fight against breast cancer each time a product is purchased and registered. This initiative, called Cook for the Cure, has raised over $7 million for the cause since 2001, with $1 million representing the sale of pink spatulas, timers, trivets and other items created for KitchenAid by Lifetime Brands.

To accommodate different cooking techniques, preferences and kitchen styles, KitchenAid cookware is available in a range of materials and colors. Choices include polished and brushed stainless steel, hard anodized and traditional aluminum, and cookware clad in layers of copper, steel and aluminum. For easy clean-up, the collection includes nonstick cookware and rugged yet beautiful cast iron cookware crafted with a smooth, porcelain enamel finish.

The KitchenAid cutlery line offers cooks three different handle types, each with a distinctly different feel. The Cooks Series features traditional composite handles; the Professional Series is available with either brushed stainless steel handles or colorful, easy to grip silicone handles.

To help keep the kitchen clean as well as stylish, KitchenAid offers cooks a wide variety of extra large and durable kitchen towels, oven mitts and pot holders, many with textured silicone for extra gripping power. The color palette includes Aqua, Chocolate, Empire Red and Sunshine.

And finally, KitchenAid offers a new line of cookbooks created to inspire cooks and help them get the most from their appliances and other kitchen tools. Special emphasis is given to preparing everything from appetizers to desserts using KitchenAid countertop appliances.

"For a product to carry the KitchenAid name, it has to deliver something extra," notes O'Connor. "Ultimately, we want home cooks to ask themselves, 'I wonder if KitchenAid makes that?' when shopping for the kitchen."

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2009, the KitchenAid brand now offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand*, visit www.KitchenAid.com.

* Based on a 2010 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

SOURCE KitchenAid