Appliances

Farberware Corporate Office

Russian immigrant Simon Farber began S.W.Farber company in 1897 when he began making gift racks and trays. The company became official in 1900. Farber began selling matchsticks, later moving to Brooklyn and manufactured a clamp-on light.

Everything changed in 1944 when the company moved to the Bronx and began manufacturing stainless steel pots and pans they called Farberware. During WWII the company made small arms for the government. Simon’s nephew, Sam Farber, joined the company after serving his time in the war.

By 1995, Farberware was one of the largest producers of stainless steel cookware in the US.

Today, the company makes and sells a variety of kitchen and cookware. The Neat Nest Stacking Nonstick Frying Pan was labeled as excellent by Consumer Reports in January 2020.

Online site Bustle listed Farberware’s dishwasher safe saucepan with strainer non-stick saucepan as one of the best choices for those who use their dishwashers frequently.

Farberware’s corporate office is located in Needham, Massachusetts.

Whirlpool Corporate Office

Whirlpool history begins in 1911, in a machine shop owned by Emory Upton. When Emory’s nephew Louis purchased a patent for a manual washing machine, the pair worked on creating a motor that would make the machine operate on its own. Soon, the company was selling their motorized wringer-type washing machines to Commonwealth Edison and Sears Roebuck.

To avoid becoming dependent on Sears sales only, the Upton’s began to sell under their own label of Whirlpool. Sales increased dramatically, causing the company to merge with the 1900 Corporation in 1929. The company was virtually unaffected by the Great Depression and during WWII, the factory was used to make ammunition.

In response to the post-war consumer demand for convenience products, the company launched a range of home laundry products including wringer and automatic washers, dryers, and irons. In 1950, The Nineteen Hundred Corporation was renamed as the Whirlpool Corporation.

The company acquired Kitchenaid in 1986 and in 1988, purchased a majority share in the Philips brand. By 2004, annual revenue for the company exceeded $13 billion.

In 2006, the company acquired Maytag and all of its brands, including Jenn-Air, Amana, Magic Chef, Admiral, and Hoover.

In October of 2017, Sears and Whirlpool announced that they were ending their 101-year-old agreement which allowed Whirlpool appliances to be sold at Sears and Kmart stores.

Whirlpool is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: WHR. In 2017, the company reported annual revenue of $21.25 billion. Company headquarters remain in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with manufacturing facilities located in Iowa, Oklahoma, Ohio, Tennessee, and Massachusetts.

Bissell Corporate Office

Bissell was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Melville Bissell, who invented a carpet sweeping device for the crockery shop that he and his wife Anna owned. Bissell got a patent for his machine in 1876. By 1883, Bissell had a manufacturing plant and by 1890, the company was making and selling approximately 100 carpet sweepers each day, both in the US and internationally.

Melville passed away in 1889 and his wife Anna took over the company, actively working as CEO and chairwoman of the board until 1934. Anna was the first female CEO in the US.

Over the years the company has continued to expand and grow, as well as develop new technology. In 1956 the company invented the first manual carpet and rug shampoo machine, removing the chore of washing these by hand.

In 1979, the company introduced the first deep cleaning carpet shampoo machine.

In 2001, the SpotBot was introduced by the company, making it the first portable deep cleaner specially designed for pet messes.

In 2004 the company acquired a license for the Woolite trademark for all carpet and upholstery cleaning formulas for $62 million.

The company’s main focus today is on pet clean up machines, including vacuums, wet/dry floor mops, and specialized carpet cleaning, as well as hardwood floor cleaning machines.

While other companies have seen their sales decline over the years, Bissell has seen steady revenue, with annual revenue in 2017 of $800 million.

In December 2020, Bissell offered $25 pet adoptions in hopes of emptying animal shelters by Christmas.

In 2009, the company surpassed Hoover to take the #1 position in floor care products in North America, with a 20% market share. Company headquarters remain in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Cuisinart Corporate Office

Cuisinart was founded in 1971 by Carl Sontheimer in Chicago, Illinois. After a trip to France where Sontheimer and his wife saw an early version of a food processor, Carl decided that he could make something similar which would drastically reduce the preparation time for cooks.

A graduate of MIT, Sontheimer took apart the prototype that he brought from France, he streamlined some items and refined others. In 1973, Sontheimer introduced “The Food Processor” at the National Housewares Expedition in Chicago, Illinois.

It didn’t catch on right away. Most people thought of the food processor as nothing more than a high priced blender. By 1975, however, his product was being used by Julia Childs and James Beard, as well as being featured in Gourmet magazine.

In 1977, the market suddenly turned for Cuisinart, with orders going from a few units each month to hundreds of units each month. By the end of 1977, sales had hit the $50 million mark.

Cuisinart began making several different models of food processors before branching out in 1986.

Today, the company makes toaster ovens, blenders, coffee makers, cookware, slow cookers, stand mixers, and much more. The company sells its products in almost every brick and mortar store, as well as online stores and their own online site, in the US, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Canada, and Hong Kong. The company has a manufacturing facility in Rantoul, Illinois and headquarters are located in Stamford, Connecticut.

In 2016, the company put out a recall due to cutting blades which were held on by faulty rivets. Consumers reported that the blades were coming part and putting metal particles into their food.

In September 2020, the company introduced a new unit that processes then cooks the food called the CompleteChef.

Conair Corporation acquired the company in 1989 for $60 million.

Jenn-Air Corporate Office

Jenn-Air was founded in 1947 by Louis Jenn in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company originally began making industrial, then consumer fans, but today is one of the largest manufacturers of household appliances in the world.

The company invented a cook top range with a fan that brought hot air and grease fumes up into an outside flu in 1961. After this, the company expanded its product line to include many other kitchen appliances including microwave ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves and stove tops, as well as small appliances, such as blenders and mixers, even outdoor grills.

Kitchen remodeling and home shows often feature Jenn Air appliances.

As of 2006, the company operates as a subsidiary of Whirlpool. Headquarters are located in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with manufacturing plants located in several US states.