KitchenAid serial number lookup: how old is the appliance?
The serial number is on a tag inside the appliance: on the wall of the fresh-food compartment of a refrigerator, or on the tub frame of a dishwasher. KitchenAid appliances are built by Whirlpool: the second character of the serial is the year and the two digits after it are the week.
Decode a KitchenAid serial number
How to read a KitchenAid serial number
Plant letter, year code, then week
The first letter is the plant. The second character is the year, as a letter or a digit. The two digits after it are the week.
Shape: a letter, a letter or digit, then seven or eight digits.
C60842986 reads as week 8 of 2016 (around February).
Year code
- 0 2010
- 1 2011
- 2 2012
- 3 2013
- 4 2014
- 5 2015
- 6 2016
- 7 2017
- 8 2018
- 9 2019
- X 1990, 2020
- A 1991, 2021
- B 1992, 2022
- C 1993, 2023
- D 1994, 2024
- E 1995, 2025
- F 1996, 2026
- G 1997
- H 1998
- J 1999
- K 2000
- L 2001
- M 2002
- P 2003
- R 2004
- S 2005
- T 2006
- U 2007
- W 2008
- Y 2009
The letters X and A to J are reused after 30 years, so they fit the 1990s and the 2020s. Digits stand for 2010 to 2019. Several websites print this table shifted by one year. Recall notices settle it: serials with R were sold in 2004 and serials with W and Y in 2008 and 2009.
Where to find the serial number
KitchenAid uses the same tag positions as Whirlpool.
| Appliance | Where the serial tag is |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Inside the fresh-food compartment: on the left wall of top-freezer, bottom-freezer and French-door models, on the right wall of side-by-side models |
| Freezer | Upright: right-hand side near the top. Chest: left interior side wall |
| Dishwasher | On the left side of the tub frame, visible with the door open |
| Range | On the oven frame or on the frame of the storage drawer |
| Built-in oven | At the top of the oven cavity |
| Microwave | Over-the-range: on the front frame, visible with the door open. Built-in: under the control panel on the right |
| Ice maker | On the right side of the bin |
If the serial number does not decode
- KitchenAid major appliances have been built by Whirlpool since 1986 and use the Whirlpool serial system. Recall notices list KitchenAid and Whirlpool ovens with the same serial ranges. KitchenAid units built by Hobart before 1986 are not covered, and stand mixers and other small appliances use different markings.
- The print date in the owner’s manual or on the installation sheet shows which decade a repeating code belongs to.
- The manufacturer can confirm the date from the serial: KitchenAid registration, warranty or serial lookup.
What the age tells you
| Equipment | Typical service life |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 12 to 14 years |
| Clothes washer | 10 to 13 years |
| Clothes dryer | 13 to 14 years |
| Dishwasher | 9 to 15 years |
| Range or oven | 13 to 17 years |
About KitchenAid
KitchenAid major appliances began as a division of Hobart, which made dishwashers under the name from 1949. Whirlpool bought KitchenAid in 1986 and has built its refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers and microwaves since then.
Brands that share this serial system: Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana.
Questions and answers
Which characters in a KitchenAid serial number show the date?
The first letter is the plant. The second character is the year, as a letter or a digit. The two digits after it are the week. This applies to units built since 1990.
The decoder shows more than one possible year. Which one is right?
Part of the KitchenAid date code repeats, so the serial alone fits more than one year. A manufacture date printed on the rating plate, the print date of the owner’s manual or the installation record settles it. For equipment that is still running, the more recent year is usually the right one.
Who makes KitchenAid appliances?
KitchenAid major appliances have been built by Whirlpool since 1986 and use the Whirlpool serial system. Recall notices list KitchenAid and Whirlpool ovens with the same serial ranges. KitchenAid units built by Hobart before 1986 are not covered, and stand mixers and other small appliances use different markings.
Sources
- Electrical Forensics (Ray Franco, forensic engineer): Whirlpool date codes (independent reference): https://www.electrical-forensics.com/MajorAppliances/WhirlpoolDateCodes.html
- CPSC recall: Whirlpool and Kenmore dishwashers sold June 2004 to January 2005, serials from FR22 (US Consumer Product Safety Commission): https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2005/CPSC-Whirlpool-Corporation-Announce-Recall-of-Dishwashers
- CPSC recall: Whirlpool and Kenmore washers and dryers sold January 2000 to May 2002, serials starting MK, ML or MM (US Consumer Product Safety Commission): https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2002/cpsc-whirlpool-announce-recall-of-washer-and-gas-dryer-units
- CPSC recall: Maytag, Amana and Jenn-Air dishwashers sold 2006 to 2010, serial codes by build date (US Consumer Product Safety Commission): https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2010/Maytag-Recalls-Dishwashers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard
- Building Intelligence Center: Whirlpool appliance age (independent reference): https://www.building-center.org/whirlpool-appliances/
- KitchenAid: where is my model and serial number located? (manufacturer): https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/FAQ/Where_is_my_Model_and_Serial_Number_Located%3F
- CPSC recall: Whirlpool and KitchenAid ovens and ranges sold April to July 2004, serials R15 to R25 (US Consumer Product Safety Commission): https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2004/CPSC-Whirlpool-Announce-Recall-of-Cooking-Products
Formats last checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Found a serial that does not fit? Send a correction. How formats are verified: method and sources.