<PAGE>

                                                                  CONFORMED COPY


     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2000
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                   FORM S-8
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



                             WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                   Delaware                              38-1490038
       (State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)



                  2000 North M-63                          49022-2962
              Benton Harbor, Michigan                      (Zip Code)
     (Address of principal executive offices)


                             WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
                     2000 OMNIBUS STOCK AND INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)

                            Robert T. Kenagy, Esq.
                    Associate General Counsel and Secretary
                             Whirlpool Corporation
                        Law Department, Mail Drop 2200
                                2000 North M-63
                      Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022-2692
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 616-923-3910
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                       Proposed        Proposed
            Title of Securities to                Amount to be          Maximum         Maximum             Amount of
                be Registered                      Registered          Offering        Aggregate         Registration Fee
                                                                      Price Per      Offering Price
                                                                        Share
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                   <C>            <C>                 <C>
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share         3,500,000 shares      $42.969(1)     $150,391,500(1)      $39,703.00(1)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

Notes:
     1. Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h) based on an assumed price of $42.969
per share, which represents the average of the high and low prices of such
securities reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on July 25,
2000.
<PAGE>

                                    PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a)
prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule
428 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Note to Part
I of Form S-8.

                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
------    ---------------------------------------

          The documents listed below are hereby incorporated by reference into
this Registration Statement:

1.   The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Whirlpool Corporation (the "Company") for
     the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

2.   The description of the common stock of the Company which is contained in
     its Form 8-K dated April 23, 1996.

3.   All reports and other documents subsequently filed (since December 31,
     1999) by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing
     of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
     hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
     unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a
     part hereof from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.
------    -------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
------    --------------------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
------    -----------------------------------------
<PAGE>

          The Delaware General Corporation Law and the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company provide for the indemnification of any person who
was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in
any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of the fact that such individual is or
was a director or officer of the Company or serves or served another enterprise
(including the plan) at the request of the Company against all expense,
liability, and loss (including attorney's fees, judgments, fines, Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") excise taxes or penalties, and
amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered in
connection therewith, to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General
Corporation Law, and also generally provides for mandatory advancement by the
Company of defense-related expenses.

          Both the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company provide that the Company may maintain insurance to
cover losses incurred pursuant to liability of directors and officers of the
Company. The Company has obtained directors' and officers' insurance coverage,
which insurance covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the
Company arising under the Securities Act.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.
------    -----------------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 8.   Exhibits.
------    --------

     Exhibit No.
     -----------

         4(a)       Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whirlpool
                    Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3(i) to Whirlpool
                    Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                    ended December 31, 1993, Commission File No. 1-3932, and
                    incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(b)       By-laws of the Company, as amended and restated August 17,
                    1999 (filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to Whirlpool Corporation's
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1999, Commission File No. 1-3932, and
                    incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(c)       Whirlpool Corporation 2000 Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan
                    (filed as Exhibit A of Whirlpool Corporation's proxy
                    statement for the Annual Meeting of stockholders held on
                    April 18, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(d)       Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 1998, between Whirlpool
                    Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
                    (incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K
                    filed on April 27, 1998.

         5          Opinion of Robert J. LaForest Esq. Re: legality

         23(a)      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
<PAGE>

         23(c)      Consent of Robert J. LaForest (Included in Exhibit 5)

         24         Power of Attorney


Item 9.   Undertakings.
------    ------------

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes (1) to file, during
any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment
to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect
to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration
Statement; (2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-
effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
at the termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for the
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") (and, where applicable,
each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense or any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
<PAGE>

                                  SIGNATURES

The Registrant.
---------------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Benton Harbor, State of Michigan, on July 27, 2000.

                                   WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION




                                   By: /s/ Robert T. Kenagy
                                       ---------------------------
                                           Robert T. Kenagy
                                           Associate General Counsel and
                                           Secretary
<PAGE>

                                  SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature                                            Title                              Date
---------                                            -----                              ----
<S>                                <C>                                          <C>
David. R. Whitwam*                 Director, Chairman of the Board
                                   and Chief Executive Officer

Jeff M. Fettig*                    Director, President and Chief
                                   Operating Officer

Herman Cain*                       Director

Gary T. DiCamillo*                 Director

Allan D. Gilmour*                  Director

Kathleen J. Hempel*                Director

James M. Kilts*                    Director

Miles L. Marsh*                    Director

Philip L. Smith*                   Director

Paul G. Stern*                     Director

Janice D. Stoney*                  Director

Mark E. Brown*                     Executive Vice President
                                   and Chief Financial Officer
                                   (Principal Financial Officer)

Betty A. Beaty*                    Vice President and Controller
                                   (Principal Accounting Officer)


*By: /s/ Daniel F. Hopp     Attorney in Fact                                    July 27, 2000
     ----------------------------------------
         Daniel F. Hopp
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

Exhibit                             Description
Number                              of Document
------                              -----------

4(a)           Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whirlpool Corporation
               (filed as Exhibit 3(i) to Whirlpool Corporation's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(b)           By-laws of the Company, as amended and restated August 17, 1999
               (filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to Whirlpool Corporation's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(c)           Whirlpool Corporation 2000 Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan
               (filed as Exhibit A of Whirlpool Corporation's proxy Statement
               for the Annual Meeting of stockholders held on April 18, 2000,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(d)           Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 1998, between Whirlpool
               Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, (filed
               on the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on April 27, 1998, Commission
               File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by reference).

5              Opinion of Robert J. LaForest, Esq. Re: legality

23(a)          Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

23(b)          Consent of Robert J. LaForest (Included in Exhibit 5)

24             Power of Attorney
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15631}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "WHIRLPOOL CORP /DE/", "cik": "0000106640", "assigned-sic": "3630", "irs-number": "381490038", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-42322", "film-number": "679679"}, "business-address": {"street1": "WHIRLPOOL CNTR 2000 M 63", "street2": "C/O CORPORATE SECRETARY", "city": "BENTON HARBOR", "state": "MI", "zip": "49022-2692", "phone": "6169235000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "WHIRLPOOL CTR 2000 M 63", "street2": "C/O CORPORATE SECRETARY", "city": "BENTON HARBOR", "state": "MI", "zip": "49022-2692"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "WHIRLPOOL SEEGER CORP", "date-changed": "19710824"}}
CONFORMED COPY

     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2000
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM S-8
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   Delaware                              38-1490038
       (State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

                  2000 North M-63                          49022-2962
              Benton Harbor, Michigan                      (Zip Code)
     (Address of principal executive offices)

                             WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
                     2000 OMNIBUS STOCK AND INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)

                            Robert T. Kenagy, Esq.
                    Associate General Counsel and Secretary
                             Whirlpool Corporation
                        Law Department, Mail Drop 2200
                                2000 North M-63
                      Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022-2692
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 616-923-3910
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                       Proposed        Proposed
            Title of Securities to                Amount to be          Maximum         Maximum             Amount of
                be Registered                      Registered          Offering        Aggregate         Registration Fee
                                                                      Price Per      Offering Price
                                                                        Share
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share         3,500,000 shares      $42.969(1)     $150,391,500(1)      $39,703.00(1)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
     1. Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h) based on an assumed price of $42.969
per share, which represents the average of the high and low prices of such
securities reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on July 25,
2000.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a)
prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule
428 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Note to Part
I of Form S-8.

                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
------    ---------------------------------------

          The documents listed below are hereby incorporated by reference into
this Registration Statement:

1.   The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Whirlpool Corporation (the "Company") for
     the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

2.   The description of the common stock of the Company which is contained in
     its Form 8-K dated April 23, 1996.

3.   All reports and other documents subsequently filed (since December 31,
     1999) by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing
     of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
     hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
     unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a
     part hereof from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.
------    -------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
------    --------------------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
------    -----------------------------------------
The Delaware General Corporation Law and the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company provide for the indemnification of any person who
was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in
any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of the fact that such individual is or
was a director or officer of the Company or serves or served another enterprise
(including the plan) at the request of the Company against all expense,
liability, and loss (including attorney's fees, judgments, fines, Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") excise taxes or penalties, and
amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered in
connection therewith, to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General
Corporation Law, and also generally provides for mandatory advancement by the
Company of defense-related expenses.

          Both the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company provide that the Company may maintain insurance to
cover losses incurred pursuant to liability of directors and officers of the
Company. The Company has obtained directors' and officers' insurance coverage,
which insurance covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the
Company arising under the Securities Act.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.
------    -----------------------------------

     Not Applicable

Item 8.   Exhibits.
------    --------

     Exhibit No.
     -----------

         4(a)       Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whirlpool
                    Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3(i) to Whirlpool
                    Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                    ended December 31, 1993, Commission File No. 1-3932, and
                    incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(b)       By-laws of the Company, as amended and restated August 17,
                    1999 (filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to Whirlpool Corporation's
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                    December 31, 1999, Commission File No. 1-3932, and
                    incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(c)       Whirlpool Corporation 2000 Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan
                    (filed as Exhibit A of Whirlpool Corporation's proxy
                    statement for the Annual Meeting of stockholders held on
                    April 18, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.)

         4(d)       Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 1998, between Whirlpool
                    Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
                    (incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K
                    filed on April 27, 1998.

         5          Opinion of Robert J. LaForest Esq. Re: legality

         23(a)      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
23(c)      Consent of Robert J. LaForest (Included in Exhibit 5)

         24         Power of Attorney

Item 9.   Undertakings.
------    ------------

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes (1) to file, during
any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment
to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect
to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration
Statement; (2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-
effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
at the termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for the
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") (and, where applicable,
each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense or any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

The Registrant.
---------------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Benton Harbor, State of Michigan, on July 27, 2000.

                                   WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

                                   By: /s/ Robert T. Kenagy
                                       ---------------------------
                                           Robert T. Kenagy
                                           Associate General Counsel and
                                           Secretary
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature                                            Title                              Date
---------                                            -----                              ----
David. R. Whitwam*                 Director, Chairman of the Board
                                   and Chief Executive Officer

Jeff M. Fettig*                    Director, President and Chief
                                   Operating Officer

Herman Cain*                       Director

Gary T. DiCamillo*                 Director

Allan D. Gilmour*                  Director

Kathleen J. Hempel*                Director

James M. Kilts*                    Director

Miles L. Marsh*                    Director

Philip L. Smith*                   Director

Paul G. Stern*                     Director

Janice D. Stoney*                  Director

Mark E. Brown*                     Executive Vice President
                                   and Chief Financial Officer
                                   (Principal Financial Officer)

Betty A. Beaty*                    Vice President and Controller
                                   (Principal Accounting Officer)

*By: /s/ Daniel F. Hopp     Attorney in Fact                                    July 27, 2000
     ----------------------------------------
         Daniel F. Hopp
EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

Exhibit                             Description
Number                              of Document
------                              -----------

4(a)           Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whirlpool Corporation
               (filed as Exhibit 3(i) to Whirlpool Corporation's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(b)           By-laws of the Company, as amended and restated August 17, 1999
               (filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to Whirlpool Corporation's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(c)           Whirlpool Corporation 2000 Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan
               (filed as Exhibit A of Whirlpool Corporation's proxy Statement
               for the Annual Meeting of stockholders held on April 18, 2000,
               Commission File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by
               reference.)

4(d)           Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 1998, between Whirlpool
               Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, (filed
               on the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on April 27, 1998, Commission
               File No. 1-3932, and incorporated herein by reference).

5              Opinion of Robert J. LaForest, Esq. Re: legality

23(a)          Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

23(b)          Consent of Robert J. LaForest (Included in Exhibit 5)

24             Power of Attorney