Whirlpool scores first iF Gold Award given to an appliance

March 15th, 2012

Whirlpool has received a Gold Award at the iF Design Awards in Germany.

The iXelium cooktop has been honoured in the product design category and it marks the first Gold Award to ever be given to an appliance.

The slimline hob combines technology and a crisp, sophisticated design, with a “delicate expression”, according to the judges at iF.

The appliance’s most noteworthy feature is the nanotechnology which has been applied to all the steel parts (platform, burner caps and grids): it prevents yellowing, corrosion and scratches on the stainless steel.

This cooker will keep it’s brand new shine over time.

It also makes it easy to clean with natural cleaners.

The five-burner technology features some impressive energy savings, up to 20 per cent in boil time and 15 per cent on gas consumption.

Whirlpool guarantees a reduction over over 50 per cent on CO2 emissions compared to traditional cooktops.

“Winning the first iF Gold Design Award for home appliances is an outstanding achievement and demonstrates Whirlpool Corporation’s commitment to innovative solutions that simplify the lives of our consumers,” said Patrick Schiavone, from the Whirlpool Corporation.

Other Gold Award winners this year at the Munich show included a Sony TV, a Samsung X-Ray, and a Cafe Chair.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.