How to Find the Model Number on Any Whirlpool Appliance — Location Guide for All 7 Types

Why You Need Your Whirlpool Model Number Right Now

Whirlpool Corporation is the largest appliance manufacturer in the United States by market share — its appliances appear in roughly one in three American homes. That reach also means that when Whirlpool issues a recall, the affected population is enormous. The CPSC recall database lists more than 60 Whirlpool-brand recall notices over the past 15 years, spanning refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, and ranges. Every one of those notices specifies affected model number ranges — the brand name alone is never sufficient to determine whether a specific unit is covered.

The same model number is required for every downstream action: ordering the correct replacement part, checking warranty status, downloading the service manual, or completing an insurance or home-warranty claim. Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, and JennAir are all Whirlpool Corporation brands — they share some engineering platforms, but their parts catalogs are not interchangeable. Knowing whether your refrigerator is a WRF535SWHZ (Whirlpool) or a MFI2570FEZ (Maytag) changes which ice-maker assembly you order and which warranty terms apply.

The practical frustration: Whirlpool consistently places its model/serial label inside or behind the appliance, not on the exterior. There is no model number on the control panel, no sticker on the front, and in most cases nothing visible from standing position. This guide gives you the exact label location for each of Whirlpool's seven major appliance categories, verified against Whirlpool's support documentation and service manuals.

All 7 Types at a Glance

Whirlpool Refrigerators

Whirlpool produces more refrigerator configurations than any other appliance category in its lineup: French-door, side-by-side, top-freezer, and bottom-freezer. Label placement is consistent within configuration type, but differs significantly between types — the detail most often missed by repair techs who specialize in one configuration.

French-door models (WRF, WRX series — e.g., WRF535SWHZ, WRX735SDHZ)

Open the left-hand door of a French-door Whirlpool. On the upper-left interior wall of the fresh food compartment — the wall immediately visible when the door swings open, near the top and just below the first shelf track — you will find a white or silver adhesive rating plate. This is the standard location on WRF535, WRF555, WRX735, and WRF767 series models.

If the upper-left wall label is absent or unreadable, check the upper-right interior wall — some model variants flip placement — then the door jamb on the hinge side of the left door. On counter-depth French-door models (WRF540), the interior walls are narrower and the label occasionally migrates to the door jamb as the primary location when wall space is insufficient for the full rating plate.

Side-by-side models (WRS series — e.g., WRS325SDHZ, WRS571CIHZ, WRS312SNHB)

Side-by-side Whirlpool refrigerators have a distinct placement. Open the refrigerator (right) door. The label is on the upper-right interior wall of the fresh food (refrigerator) section — specifically the upper-right side wall near the front, just above the top shelf level. On WRS312, WRS325, and WRS571 series, this is the primary location per Whirlpool's official support documentation and authorized service data.

If the upper-right wall label is missing, check the ceiling of the fresh food section toward the front as a secondary location, or the door jamb on the hinge side. Unlike GE side-by-sides (which favor the floor under the crisper drawers), Whirlpool side-by-sides consistently use the upper interior side wall — checking under the crispers is rarely productive on current WRS models.

Top-freezer models (WRT series — e.g., WRT518SZFM, WRT541SZDZ)

Open the main refrigerator door. The label is on the left interior side wall of the fresh food compartment, near the top — visible immediately when the door opens on WRT518 and WRT541 series. On some WRT models built before 2015, the label was placed behind the crisper drawers at the front-lower portion of the fresh food section; pull both drawers out to check if the upper wall is blank.

A third location common on older top-freezer models and Roper-badged appliances: the door jamb on the left (hinge) side of the refrigerator door — the vertical strip of cabinet frame that becomes visible when the door swings open fully. This is the least obvious but most durable location, since the jamb surface is less exposed to food spills and humidity than interior walls.

Bottom-freezer models (WRB series — e.g., WRB322DMBM)

Open the upper refrigerator door. The label is on the upper-left interior wall of the fresh food compartment — same convention as French-door models. If absent, check the door jamb on the hinge side, or open the bottom freezer drawer completely and look at the ceiling of the freezer cavity, which is occasionally used as a secondary label location on WRB series models.

Whirlpool Dishwashers

Whirlpool dishwasher model number placement has a specific quirk that distinguishes it from many other brands: the label is on the top edge of the inner door panel, not on the tub side wall.

Open the dishwasher door completely (pull it all the way down to fully horizontal). With the door flat, look at the top horizontal strip of the inner door panel — the narrow edge that faces upward toward the tub interior when the door is in the open-flat position. The rating plate is affixed to this top edge on WDT730, WDT750, WDF520, WDTA50SAKZ, and similar current-model WDT and WDF series dishwashers, per Whirlpool's official model-locator guidance.

If the top inner door edge label is absent or the printing has faded from steam exposure, check the left side wall inside the tub as a secondary location (some WDT models that transitioned to a new inner-door design between 2018–2022 use both locations). On older Whirlpool dishwashers (pre-2012), the label was on the lower portion of the inner door face — the broad interior surface of the door, near the lower edge, rather than on the thin top strip. If your dishwasher dates from before 2012 and the top edge is blank, check the interior door face below the latch mechanism.

Whirlpool Washers

Whirlpool's front-load and top-load washers use different label locations — a common trip point for techs who work across both types.

Front-load washers (WFW series — e.g., WFW5000HW, WFW8620HC, WFW9620HC)

Open the washer door. Whirlpool places the label on the door opening rim — the circular frame of metal or rubber-trimmed plastic that surrounds the drum opening inside the machine cabinet. Look specifically at the upper portion of this rim, at approximately the 11-to-12 o'clock position as you face the machine. On WFW5000, WFW8620, WFW9620, and WFW5605 series, the white or silver label is affixed at the top of this circular rim and contains both the model number and serial number, per Whirlpool's official model-locator guidance and authorized service documentation.

If the door rim label is worn or missing, check the inner door panel (the broad inner face of the door when it swings open) as a secondary location on some WFW variants. The door ring environment (heat, humidity, repeated flexing) degrades adhesive faster than almost any other appliance location; if the label appears blank or partially printed, photograph it and increase contrast in a photo editor before concluding it's unreadable.

Top-load washers (WTW series — e.g., WTW4816FW, WTW5000DW, WTW8127LC)

Open the lid. On most WTW series top-load washers, the label is on the back rim of the tub opening — the narrow metal or plastic ledge at the very back of the drum opening, visible when you look down into the machine with the lid fully raised. On WTW6120, WTW8127, and WTW5000 series, this back-rim placement is the standard location per Whirlpool's official support documentation and authorized service guidance.

Two secondary locations worth checking: the underside of the lid itself (inner face of the lid panel, visible when raised), and the front rim of the tub opening — the ledge facing you when you stand at the machine with the lid up. Open the lid fully and scan the rim in a U-shape (back → left → front); the label will be on one of these three segments. On older WTW models (pre-2015) and some Amana-branded equivalents, the front rim and lid underside are more common than the back rim.

One important WTW quirk: if the top-load washer has an agitator (older WTW models), confirm you're looking at the cabinet rim, not the agitator base — some owners mistake the agitator's base plate for a label area. The model number sticker will be white or silver foil with a barcode, not a plastic molding.

Whirlpool Dryers

Whirlpool dryer model number location is among the most consistent of any Whirlpool appliance category. The rule: open the dryer door and check inside the door frame.

On electric dryers (WED series) and gas dryers (WGD series): open the dryer door fully. Look at the drum opening rim — the circular frame that surrounds the drum opening inside the cabinet, which the door presses against when closed. The label is affixed to the upper portion of this rim, typically at approximately the 11-to-1 o'clock position, on WED4815EW, WED5000DW, WED8500DC, WGD5000DW, and similar current-production models. This is the same structural location as the drum-opening rim on the washers — look at the top area of the circular opening rim, facing you when the door is open.

If the drum rim label is absent, the most common secondary location is the rear exterior panel of the machine — accessible by pulling the dryer away from the wall slightly. On older models (pre-2010) and Roper/Estate dryers (which shared Whirlpool engineering), the rear panel was sometimes the primary location. The rear-panel location is uncommon on post-2010 Whirlpool dryers.

A note on laundry pairs: Whirlpool frequently sells matching washer-dryer pairs (e.g., WFW9620HC + WED9620HC). Each machine carries its own label at its own standard location — the dryer's door jamb location is independent of the washer's door ring location. Don't look for both on the dryer's door frame.

Whirlpool Ranges and Wall Ovens

Ranges are where Whirlpool has a distinctive and frequently missed label placement: the storage drawer.

Freestanding electric ranges (WEE, WFE series — e.g., WFE505W0JZ, WEE745H0FS)

Open the oven door fully. The primary label location on Whirlpool freestanding electric ranges is the left inner rim of the oven door opening — the metal strip on the left side of the oven cavity opening, the surface the oven door presses against when closed. Look at this left edge at approximately mid-height to upper-height of the oven opening on WFE505, WFE515, WEE745, and similar freestanding electric models, per authorized Whirlpool service documentation.

Secondary locations if the oven door frame is blank: locate the storage or warming drawer at the base of the range and pull it out completely. Look at the front face of the frame inside the drawer cavity — the metal wall that the drawer front was concealing. On WFE models with a lift-up cooktop (coil burners), hinge the cooktop upward and check the underside of the cooktop near the front left corner — a third label location used on some older WEE models with removable burner coils.

Freestanding gas ranges (WFG, WEG series — e.g., WFG505M0BS, WEG745H0FS)

Same primary location as electric freestanding ranges: open the oven door and check the left inner rim of the oven door opening — the metal strip on the left side of the oven cavity that the door presses against when closed. WFG505, WFG320, and WEG745 series all use this as the primary label location.

On gas ranges, a commonly cited secondary location is inside the storage drawer cavity at the base: pull the storage drawer out completely and check the front face of the frame inside the cavity. If the drawer has no visible label there, the fallback is the rear panel of the range — accessible by pulling the range slightly away from the wall. On WFG and WEG slide-in models (no storage drawer), the oven door frame is the sole location.

Slide-in and front-control ranges

Whirlpool slide-in ranges (no storage drawer, flush front installation) place the label on the oven door frame — open the oven door fully and look at the left or right interior trim strips of the oven opening. On some slide-in models, the label is also accessible on the left exterior side panel of the range cabinet when the unit is pulled slightly away from the cabinet cutout.

Wall ovens (WOS, WOD series)

For built-in Whirlpool wall ovens (WOS51EC0HS, WOD51EC0HS series), open the oven door. The label is on the front frame at the lower-left or lower-right edge of the oven cavity opening — the painted metal border visible when the door swings open fully. Crouch down to check the lower portion of the oven frame on single wall ovens, where the label tends to be placed at a lower position than eye level when installed at standard height. For double wall ovens (WOD series), check the lower oven's front frame first, as it's more accessible.

Whirlpool Microwaves

Whirlpool microwave label location depends on whether the unit is installed over a range or sits on a countertop.

Over-the-range microwaves (WMH, WML series — e.g., WMH31017HZ, WML55011HZ)

Open the microwave door. The label is on the left interior cavity wall — the left side surface inside the microwave compartment, facing you when the door is open. On WMH31017, WMH53520, WML75011, and similar over-range models, this is the standard label position. The label is typically at eye level when the microwave is installed above a 36-inch range at standard counter height.

If the left cavity wall label is absent (rare on current models but possible if a label was replaced or the unit has a factory defect), the secondary location is the bottom underside of the unit — accessible from below with a phone camera or mirror without removing the microwave from its mounting hardware.

Countertop microwaves (WMC series — e.g., WMC30516HZ, WMC50522HZ)

For countertop models, the label is on the bottom underside of the unit — tilt the microwave slightly or slide it forward on the counter to read it. Some WMC models carry a secondary label on the rear exterior panel (back surface facing the wall) — use a phone camera or mirror to capture this without moving the unit. If neither location yields a readable label, check the inner door frame (same as the over-range location) as a third fallback on some WMC variants.

Reading the Whirlpool Model Number

Whirlpool model numbers are structured codes that encode the appliance type, brand tier, configuration, capacity, finish, and generation. Once you have the full model number, you can extract significant information without accessing any database.

The finish code at the end of most Whirlpool model numbers is practically important for parts ordering: HZ or Z = Stainless Steel, HV = Fingerprint-Resistant Stainless, W = White, B or BK = Black, S = Black Stainless, M = Metallic. Different finish variants of the same core model (e.g., WFW5000HW vs. WFW5000HZ) share all internal mechanical and electronic components — only exterior doors, control panels, and handles differ. Knowing the finish code prevents ordering a white door panel for a stainless-steel unit.

The serial number appears on the same label as the model number. Whirlpool serial numbers encode the manufacture year and week: the second character (a letter) identifies the year, and the third and fourth characters (digits) identify the week within that year. The year-letter cycle runs from 1985 through the present, with certain letters excluded (I, O, Q, U) to avoid confusion with digits. For the complete Whirlpool serial number date-decode method, including the full year-letter chart and examples, see our Whirlpool Serial Number Decoder guide.

Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, and JennAir: Same Locations, Different Prefixes

Whirlpool Corporation manufactures appliances under five major US brands in addition to the Whirlpool name: Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, JennAir, and the now-discontinued Roper and Estate lines. These brands share engineering platforms with their Whirlpool counterparts within the same appliance category, which means label locations are consistent — but model number prefixes are brand-specific.

The label location rules above apply equally across all these brands within each appliance category. A Maytag MFI2570FEZ French-door refrigerator has its model/serial label on the upper-left interior wall of the fresh food compartment — same position as the Whirlpool WRF535SWHZ. A KitchenAid KDTM354DSS dishwasher has its label on the top inner door edge — same position as the Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ. Know the appliance type and the label location rule applies regardless of which Whirlpool Corporation brand is on the door.

What to Do Once You Have the Model Number

With the model number in hand, four actions become immediately possible:

• Check for open recalls: Whirlpool has issued significant recalls in recent years — including notices covering certain Whirlpool and Maytag front-load washers (fire risk from drain pump), Whirlpool and KitchenAid dishwashers (heating element fire risk), and various refrigerator models. Recall eligibility is always model-number-specific. Use ApplianceIQ's recall check or search directly on CPSC.gov — a neighbor with the "same" Whirlpool washer may be outside the recall window while yours is inside it, based on a single letter difference in the model number suffix.
• Order the correct parts: Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, and JennAir appliances look similar but do not share all parts. Even within a single brand, model number variants (WFW8620HC vs. WFW8620HW) may differ in door gasket profile, control board firmware version, or drum bearing specification. Parts sites (PartSelect, RepairClinic, Whirlpool Parts Direct) route to the correct catalog based on the full model number — one character off sends you the wrong part.
• Verify warranty coverage: Whirlpool appliances carry a standard 1-year parts-and-labor warranty, with a 10-year limited warranty on the direct-drive motor (washers) and a 5-year limited warranty on sealed refrigeration systems. Coverage terms differ by brand tier — KitchenAid sometimes carries extended coverage compared to base-level Amana. Verifying warranty status requires both model and serial number at Whirlpool's warranty portal.
• Document for inspections and insurance: Home inspectors, real estate agents, and insurance adjusters all need the model number for appliance documentation. Photograph the label — most Whirlpool labels since 2019 include a barcode or QR code that links directly to the product support page. That scan makes future lookups instant from a phone without repositioning the appliance.

ApplianceIQ delivers 25 free lookups per month — enter your Whirlpool model and serial number to get manufacture date, recall status, estimated remaining lifespan, and linked manual in a single result. See pricing for team plans used by inspection firms, repair companies, and property managers who need bulk access.