How to attract consumers? By showing them the future. In 1956, Whirlpool Corporation’s Miracle Kitchen toured the U.S. giving consumers a personal look at the appliances of tomorrow. Automated communications, mobile dishwashing and closed-circuit video monitoring all made appearances. A free-standing planning center featured touch controls for audio and visual communication, food selection, recipe selection, a mobile floor cleaner and an automatic meal maker. As a media darling, it gained popularity and garnered a significant number of newspaper articles. This led to attention in Europe and eventually an appearance at the World’s Fair. One thing was certain: Whirlpool was a household name.