March 13, 2024

During our Editor’s Eye at the recent KBIS 2024, Kitchen & Bath Business had a chance to hear about Whirlpool Corp.’s SlimTech insulation that just launched this year in the North American market. Chelsey Whitehead, the brand’s director of product and brand marketing, gave a demonstration of the new technology on JennAir’s 30-inch Column Refrigeration, which won the Game-Changing Innovation Gold in this year’s Best of KBIS awards.

New Innovation

SlimTech insulation is vacuum sealed within the refrigerator or sides, which can reduce wall thickness up to 66%, allowing for more capacity inside the appliance. It is designed to be used in place of bulky polyurethane foam for insulation.

According to Whitehead, Whirlpool Corp. has spent several years creating a proprietary powder-like material that allows for 25% more capacity inside the refrigerator. She also touched on SlimTech’s preservation benefits, including more stable temperatures.

SlimTech insulation has been introduced on the doors of select JennAir units and will be available across KitchenAid refrigerators later this year. The material used to make SlimTech has the potential to be recycled, and as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Whirlpool is looking at ways to reclaim the material when a refrigerator is no longer in use.

KBIS Introductions

Whirlpool Corp. had all its brands’ products on display at KBIS, including Maytag, JennAir, KitchenAid and Whirlpool. Also featured were the Whirlpool 1.1-cubic-foot Flush-Mount Microwave with Turntable-Free Design, which blends in with the cabinetry, and KitchenAid’s 3-inch, Four-Element Induction Slide-in Convection Range with Air Fry, which features Even-Heat True Convection and an air fry mode.

Maytag highlighted its Pet Pro System, with the industry’s first pet hair filter in the washer, which provides more water and a deep rise for activation. JennAir also featured its RISE 24-inch Built-In Dishwasher, offering 38 dba and a third-level rack with the capacity for a service of 15.

Click here to learn more about Whirlpool Corp. at KBIS.