Whirlpool’s premium suite of flagship appliances – the W Collection – is created for the most demanding modern lifestyles. The W Collection reflects an aspirational world of effortless high performance, smart connected living and timeless style that’s too good not to share. Bringing together Whirlpool’s leading edge design and the most advanced technology, the new suite of beautifully coordinated appliances includes the built-in oven, microwave oven, compact steam oven, speed oven, coffee machine, sous-vide drawer, cooktops and hoods, as well as a washing machine, dishwasher and both large-capacity and 60cm fridge freezers.
“The W Collection is an inspirational range of products that is inspired by how we live today,” explains Sander Brouwer, Design Manager Global Brands, Global Consumer Design, Whirlpool. “As societies globally become more connected, more informed and more aware, consumers wish to determine their own style, and create home environments that let them enjoy time with friends, partners and family. Just as the embrace of connectivity has encouraged us to share more online, we also want our homes to be both personal and ‘ready to share’. The W Collection has been created around this insight, and seeks to create a definitive interpretation of modern living through design that fuses technological innovation with effortless user experience and eye-catching, contemporary looks. They realize a vision of a modernity that never overwhelms, but liberates.”
The new W Collection forges an iconic visual identity, with the entire product suite created from the ground up around a common set of design principles. This represents a new global design process for Whirlpool, with the creation of all appliances driven by a single philosophy and uncompromising vision of excellence, rather than as regionally-focused products that meet the selected needs of specific markets.
Visually, they offer a pure appearance with clean, modern aesthetics that beautifully bring together visual and tactile elements, appealing equally to the eye as to the hand to make every interaction more intuitive and satisfying. Touchpoints are made immediately apparent by premium, subtly textured materials such as brushed stainless steel, or through imaginative interfaces such as the powerful MySmartDisplay placed directly into the flush surface of the appliance – including the W Collection washing machine, the built-in oven, microwave, speed oven, compact steam oven, coffee machine, cooktop and dishwasher.
Despite a wealth of performance and features, the appliances have been made to perfectly balance minimalist design with effective ergonomics, so the user is never confronted by technology, so much as presented with clarity. Commenting on such decisions, Giuseppe Netti, Global Design Director, Whirlpool notes the example of the handle design: “The appearance of the handles is more like a refined piece of furniture than a kitchen appliance: fine, elegant and seamlessly integrating into the room.” The appliances are also built around the principle of ‘sensitive integration’. Wherever possible, surfaces are flat and flush to align crisply into even the most stylishly contemporary kitchen interiors for a more integrated and ‘curated’ look.
With contemporary looks comes a futuristic experience
Whirlpool’s single-minded focus on great design and an elegant user experience runs deep under the surface, and out into the connected digital ecosystem. Every W Collection appliance is powered by advanced technology that ensures brilliant performance with minimal user effort. At the heart of this is Whirlpool’s advanced 6TH SENSE technology, advanced sensor technologies that allow appliances to monitor and optimize their performance, for improved results and efficiency. In several products, assisted programs help fully remove the effort from making the correct choices when choosing the best settings or features to use. Elsewhere, intuitive and practical connected user experiences via Whirlpool’s pioneering 6TH SENSE Live app seamlessly bring the world of household tasks into the digital realm in a way that’s intuitive and emotionally satisfying.