Maytag Provides Innovative Solutions to Make Everyday Tasks Easier

New Product Introductions at Kitchen/Bath Trade Show Aim for Simplicity, Solving Real Consumer Problems and Making Life Easier

CHICAGO, April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Homeowners just aren't wowed by glitzy bells and whistles, anymore. Today, the secret to piquing the interest of consumers is: make it simple.

In keeping with that premise, Maytag Corporation (NYSE: MYG) is introducing a host of new products at the 2004 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) that seek to make life easier for consumers. The trade show runs April 2-4 at Chicago's McCormick Place. The innovations range from a breakthrough laundry product that deodorizes clothes without washing them to a cooking product that increases cooking capacity and performance without taking up extra space. All told, the products paint a clear picture of Maytag Corporation's dedication to creating the everyday innovations consumers want.

"People have enough frustration and confusion in their lives," said Bill Beer, president of Maytag Appliances. "They aren't necessarily looking for the latest gizmo or some cutting-edge technology. They want appliances that cut down work time, eliminate effort and make life easier. With products like our Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Drying Center and our Jenn-Air(R) French Door Refrigerator, Maytag is responding to that consumer demand in a way no other manufacturer can match."

Here is an overview of the key Maytag appliance introductions at K/BIS.

Jenn-Air(R) Brand French Door Refrigerator

Maytag has introduced its first cabinet depth Jenn-Air(R) French Door refrigerator. The refrigerator contains a pullout bottom-freezer drawer and side-by-side doors for the fresh food compartment. This unique configuration not only provides wide storage spaces for both fresh food and frozen items, but also dramatically reduces the amount of space needed for the swing of the door. This allows it to fit into small kitchens and island installations.

Dual Fuel, Double Oven Range

The Jenn-Air(R) Dual Fuel, Double Oven Range gives home cooks the tools that professional chefs have been using for years - separate fuel sources and multiple ovens - in the 30-inch range configuration that is a fixture in American homes. This allows passionate cooks to enjoy the performance and convenience of a dual-fuel, double oven product, without the need for remodeling. The Dual Fuel, Double Oven Range is a 30-inch free-standing range that features a high-performance gas cooktop and two electronic ovens, allowing people to cook two dishes at different temperatures simultaneously.

Maytag(R) Brand

Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Drying Center

The Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Drying Center pairs a tumble dryer with the convenience of an upper drying cabinet that minimizes shrinkage, speeds up the drying process, reduces wrinkles, eliminates odors and refreshes clothes - saving time and money. The multipurpose design, which fits in about the same space as a standard dryer, responds to consumers' desire for better garment care from their dryers. Clothes that consumers normally hang or lay flat to dry can now be dried or refreshed in the Maytag Neptune Drying Center.

Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Top-Load

The Maytag(R) Neptune(R) Top-Load, a top-loading high-efficiency washing machine, provides the cleaning power, fabric care and conservation benefits of a front-load washer but in a convenient top-loading configuration that most consumers prefer. Its design completely does away with the traditional agitator that sits in the center of the washtub and instead uses revolutionary wash technology to combine powerful cleaning with gentle fabric care.

Maytag(R) Under-Counter Laundry

Whether they live in a four-bedroom home or a cramped studio downtown, more consumers are looking for laundry appliances that don't take up valuable space in their home. Measuring 24 inches wide and 33.5 inches high, the new Maytag compact front-load washer and dryer slides snugly under any standard- height kitchen counter or tight laundry workspaces where regular-sized front- load washers just won't fit. The pair also can be stacked one on top of the other in small apartments and condos where floor space may be a challenge.

While it's small in size, the compact front-load washer and dryer is big on features. The new washer model, with 2.54 cubic feet of capacity, offers a clean, white exterior finish and electronic touch-button operation of four individual spin speeds (500, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 rpm). Other features include a premium stainless steel wash basket plus 20 wash cycles designed for all types of load and fabrics from extra dirty to extra delicate. The compact dryer offers 4.0 cubic feet of capacity - making it capable of handling a variety of load sizes. The under-counter laundry products will be available this fall.

Amana(R) Brand

French Door Refrigerator

Amana, which helped create the bottom-freezer refrigerator category, is also introducing a French Door Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator. K/BIS attendees will be the first to see the new bottom-freezer model featuring side-by-side doors that make access to the fresh food compartment easier than ever before. With convenient features such as the Easy Fill(TM) internal water dispenser system, touch-pad controls to set the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer, and EasyGlide(TM) shelves, the Amana(R) French Door Bottom-Freezer provides consumers with the conveniences they want in the popular format they love.

About Maytag Corporation

Maytag Corporation is a leading producer of home and commercial appliances with 12 manufacturing facilities in the United States. Its products are sold to customers in the United States and in international markets. The corporation's principal brands include Maytag(R), Amana(R), Jenn-Air(R), Jade(R), Hoover(R) and Dixie-Narco(R).

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