Is Whirlpool An American-Made Appliance Brand? Here's What To Know

If you're searching for where your favorite brand manufactures a product, it can sometimes feel like a treasure hunt to narrow down its origin. Click this link, message this chatbot, open another link, scroll to the bottom tab, then open a PDF, and so on and so forth. Whirlpool, the appliance brand that's present in roughly three-quarters of American households, on the other hand, is proud of its American-made roots and visibly showcases this on its website.

Since its creation in 1911, the Whirlpool brand has been manufactured and researched here in the United States of America. On its website, the company claims to be the "only major manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances based and owned in the U.S.," with 35 manufacturing and technology research centers across the country. The brand also touts 10 production plants on U.S. soil, in states such as Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Ohio. Each plant specializes in a different appliance, such as the Iowa plant that focuses on refrigeration operations, which may be what renders Whirlpool as one of the seven best refrigerator brands. Whirlpool's website also confirms that 80% of its appliances come from U.S. factories, including some domestically manufactured components. Researching further, you'll find that 96% of the steel used in Whirlpool products comes from the U.S., too, which could explain the lengthy lifespan of those Whirlpool refrigerators.

Before founder Louis "Lou" Upton was associated with the Whirlpool name, he and his brother Frederick worked with their uncle, Emory, in Michigan to start the Upton Machine Company in 1911, making electric washing machines. With Lou's patent for a wringer washing machine and Emory's patents involving motors and other mechanics in hand, the Uptons began evolving their electric washing machines. It took several failures and several more years of tinkering before the mechanics were perfected. Surviving multiple wars, the Great Depression, and other roadblocks in its way, the company eventually became known as Whirlpool in 1950 and expanded into a household name, never relocating its operation or manufacturing sites beyond the U.S., even when competitors did.

Whirlpool owns many other big-name brands that you might be familiar with, such as JennAir, Maytag, or InSinkErator. It also owns KitchenAid, the most popular kitchen appliance brand in the U.S. Some of these brands acquired by Whirlpool also make use (fully or partially) of the company's manufacturing and production plants in the United States, with the exception of certain international brands like Brastemp. Even with a long American history behind it, Whirlpool is still investing in the future of U.S. manufacturing, including a $60 million investment to build a new production plant in Perrysburg, Ohio.