Need Some Help in the Kitchen this Holiday Season?

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday entertaining can be stressful, often leaving many consumers wishing for more hands in the kitchen to help prepare, more hours in the day to finish, and even another oven to help perfect each element of the meal. While Whirlpool brand can't necessarily help with the first two, the brand is giving away a new double oven range to please even the greatest multi-taskers, so you can roast a turkey, bake cookies, or heat a side dish – all at the same time.

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In a Whirlpool Corporation/Harris Interactive survey conducted in 2009, more than 80 percent of consumers said they cook for their guests when entertaining, but many still struggle to reduce time, energy and the overall mess in the kitchen. Of the respondents who cook for the holidays, 52 percent said they do the most cooking for Thanksgiving and 35 percent said they mostly cook what they know, but might try a new recipe when entertaining. With so many recipes, it can be difficult to perfectly time every part of the meal. Experts from Whirlpool's Institute of Kitchen Science are also on hand to help, offering tips to help make that meal memorable and ease the stress of holiday entertaining.

"Consumers are always looking to save time and energy in the kitchen – especially during the holiday season," said Steven Swayne, chef and cooking expert at the Institute of Kitchen Science. "Whether it's about roasting the perfect turkey or eliminating the mess in the kitchen, consumers need to choose the right cooking appliance for their lifestyle, and we're here to help make the process a little less stressful."

If you've ever sat down to a holiday feast, basking in the success of a perfectly roasted turkey, only to be disrupted by the smell of burnt cookies forgotten in the oven, you're not alone. The task of creating a perfect and memorable holiday meal from start to finish doesn't have to be so daunting. From October 21 to November 30, the Institute of Kitchen Science will be posting tips each week relating to holiday entertaining. Consumers will also have a chance to enter to win the new double oven range. A winner will be chosen at random from eligible participants.

Consumers can enter to win in one of two ways. They can log onto the new Institute Facebook page and enter to win on our Contest Tab. Consumers can also follow @kitchensci on Twitter to enter the contest.  

The winner will receive a new Whirlpool brand double oven range, which is the brand's most energy efficient model – and easiest to clean – to date (1).  The upper oven uses 39 percent less energy compared to cooking in a full size 5.3 cu. ft. oven, while the Energy Save Mode uses 62% less energy over a 24 hour period when activated. 6th Sense™ technology monitors oven temperature, controlling the cooking elements to deliver consistent baking, even on multiple racks. Achieve uniform baking every time with a unique temperature management system that takes the guesswork out of baking.

Visit Facebook or www.instituteofkitchenscience.com for more information.

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 Resource Saver side-by-side refrigerator which recently was rated the #1 brand for side-by-side refrigerators (2). 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.

(1) Based on the combination of Schott Ceran cooktop and availability of hidden bake element, SteamClean and self-clean in both ovens.

(2) Based on rating of Whirlpool Gold model GS5VHAXW by a leading consumer magazine.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation