New Frigidaire Professional® Suite of Appliances Makes Dream Professional Kitchens an Affordable Reality

R&D, design and consumer testing conducted in Charlotte

News provided by

Electrolux

Apr 27, 2015, 08:30 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest collection of appliances unveiled by Frigidaire Professional® aims to deliver on what consumers are looking for: the sharp look and high-caliber performance of professional appliances, designed to fit consumers' kitchens, and budgets. 

Electrolux, whose North American business is headquartered in Charlotte and who owns the Frigidaire Professional® brand, is the only appliance manufacturer to design and develop appliances for both professional kitchens and consumers' homes -- experience that proved crucial when designing the Frigidaire Professional® collection.

"Our goal is to deliver on unmet consumer needs in the mass market," said John Weinstock, senior vice president of Marketing, Electrolux. "The innovation process for the new suite of appliances was spearheaded right here in Charlotte. In fact, our R&D and design teams worked closely with numerous local consumers during the 18-month development and design process. These handpicked Charlotteans provided valuable insight into their needs and wants for a professional suite of appliances, specifically about size, capability and look.

"Having access to local consumers allowed our Charlotte-based designers to be more responsive to consumer needs during the development of the new Frigidaire Professional® suite," Weinstock said. "The resulting suite is not only stylish, functional and well-priced, but is also an exciting example of the consumer-driven innovation being developed right here in the city."

Local R&D, Design

At its heart, the new Frigidaire Professional® collection is designed around two consumer findings:

  • One in five U.S. consumers would like to have professional-looking appliances but don't currently own them1,
  • 96 percent of consumers desired appliances that could fit within existing cabinet cutouts in their kitchens, eliminating the time and expense of a remodel2. 

For Electrolux designers in Charlotte, this data posed a unique and challenging opportunity to design a professional-looking line that could fit seamlessly into traditional appliance cutouts.  As a result, the new collection is set to bring professional-inspired appliances to more consumers than ever.

The next step was to define how this stated preference for "professional style" translated to tangible design elements and performance features. Considering design, consumers seek out symmetrical lines, heavy-duty knobs and handles, and easy-to-use, straightforward control panels. Feature-wise, consumers expect professional-inspired, yet simple features that deliver powerful, precise performance and efficient cleanup.

The suite, which starts at an MSRP of $6,696.00, offers powerful features that deliver consistency, precision and freshness:

  • The new suite features standard size appliances, making it accessible to a wide variety of consumers who are interested in upgrading their kitchen without having to remodel.
  • The free-standing range offers even roasting and baking.  A PowerPlus® 2-in-1 Griddle & Burner offers the versatility of simmering sauces and cooking meals.
  • The French Door Refrigerator offers organization, and preserves freshness and taste with an innovative PureAir® Ultra Filtration System.
  • The dishwasher has a 30-minute wash setting which gets a full load of dishes clean in a quarter of the time3, and features wash zones for hard-to-reach areas of bottles and delicate stemware.
  • The suite comes in Smudge-Proof™ Stainless Steel that resists fingerprints and cleans easily.

The complete suite includes seven new appliances:   

Frigidaire Professional® Free-Standing Range (with Front Control or Back Control)

  • PowerPlus® Convection delivers consistent results with powerful performance and evenly cooks dishes every time.
  • A PowerPlus® Temperature Probe lets you set and monitor dish temperature to ensure great results the first time.
  • The PowerPlus® 2-in-1 Griddle & Burner offers the ultimate cooking versatility for endless meal options. Use the simmer burner to prepare sauces or the griddle burner to evenly cook French toast (select models).
  • With PowerPlus® Preheat, the oven is ready in a few minutes for a powerful start to every delicious meal.
  • Both the front control and back control free-standing ranges are available in gas or electric to fit individual lifestyle needs.
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $1,599 - $2,699. (Free-standing Back Control only)

Frigidaire Professional® Over-The-Range Microwave

  • The 2-in-1 Convection Oven or Microwave allows you to bake more evenly with PowerPlus® Convection or cook at microwave speed, all-in-one.
  • PowerBright™ Cooktop LED Light offers a clear, bright view of your cooktop workspace for seamless meal preparation.
  • PowerSense™ Cooking Technology automatically senses ideal timing and power levels for trustworthy results.
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $799.

Frigidaire Professional® French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator

  • PureAir® Ultra Filtration System removes up to 7 times more odor than baking soda by eliminating odor particles with fast-acting, highly absorbent carbon technology4.
  • The SpacePro™ Shelving System offers quick access to fresh ingredients with organizational solutions designed for space optimization like SpacePro™ Slide-Under & Flip-Up Shelves and SpacePro™ Adjustable Crisper Bins.
  • Get the built-in look without the remodel. Counter-depth design gives back more than four inches of floor space5 (select models).
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $3,199 – $3,499.

Frigidaire Professional® Dishwasher

  • PowerPlus™ 30-Minute Wash cleans dishes in a quarter of the time with a powerful and fast clean3.
  • The PrecisionPro Wash Zones™ target clean hard-to-reach areas of bottles and delicate stemware.
  • Get four times better wash coverage with OrbitPower™ Wash Technology6.
  • PowerPlus™ Dry flawlessly finishes dishes so they are cabinet-ready.
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $1,099.

Frigidaire Professional® All Refrigerator

  • PureAir® Filtration System removes up to 7 times more odor than baking soda by eliminating odor particles with fast-acting, highly absorbent carbon technology4.
  • The SpacePro™ Shelving System offers quick access to fresh ingredients with organizational solutions designed for space optimization including SpacePro™ Door Bins, SpacePro™ Crisper Bins, and SpacePro™ Full-Width Drawer.
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $2,099.

Frigidaire Professional® All Freezer

  • PureAir® Filtration System removes up to 7 times more odor than baking soda by eliminating odor particles with fast-acting, highly absorbent carbon technology4.
  • The SpacePro™ Shelving System offers quick access to fresh ingredients with organizational solutions designed for space optimization including SpacePro™ Door Bins, SpacePro™ Storage Baskets, and SpacePro™ Shelving.
  • Available for purchase in April 2015; $2,099.

The new Frigidaire Professional® line will be available at retailers nationwide. For more information, visit www.frigidaire.com.

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1Mindseye Research, 2012 Study
2Solutions Partners Research, 2013 Study
3Compared to the normal cycle on 2014 Frigidaire® dishwasher models.
4Based on a six-hour closed door test of certain common odors in the fresh food compartment of a 21 cu. ft. refrigerator.
5Compared to a standard-depth Frigidaire French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator.
6Than a traditional lower spray arm.

About Electrolux
Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances, based on deep consumer insight and developed in close collaboration with professional users. We offer thoughtfully designed, innovative solutions for households and businesses, with products such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, cookers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and small domestic appliances. Under esteemed brands including Electrolux, Frigidaire, AEG, Zanussi and Electrolux Grand Cuisine, the Group sells more than 50 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. In 2014, Electrolux had sales of $16.3 billion ($5.6 billion in North America) and 61,000 employees. The Electrolux North American headquarters is located at 10200 David Taylor Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262 in the University Research Park. For more information, go to http://newsroom.electrolux.com/us/.

Contact:
Eloise Hale
980.236.2929
[email protected]

SOURCE Electrolux

Related Links

http://www.frigidaire.com