FR-Newsday Article

NEWSDAY - January 21, 2003

Product Parade / at the annual housewares show, the lineup nods to the past and flashes to the future

By Lisbeth Levine. Lisbeth Levine is a freelance writer.

Excerpt:

Greens of every hue garnered the spotlight as the next big color in the home. Fiesta from Homer Laughlin added Shamrock to its lineup, while KitchenAid tested buyers' reaction to its classic stand mixer in wasabi. A Fiesta placesetting sells for $40. For stores, call 800-452-4462.

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Chicago

Blasts from the past and flashes of the future amicably cohabited at the 2003 International Housewares Show last week in the Windy City.

Retro ruled in a reissued 1930s-era electric coffee mill from KitchenAid. And then there was a combination - how's this for an anachronism? - record player, radio, cassette player and CD player from Crosley Radio.

On the modern side was a kitchen entertainment center from Icebox, with many tricks up its chips - a touch screen, Internet access, TV, DVD player, video monitoring capability and a wireless, waterproof keyboard. It fits under a cabinet, has a drop-down screen and seemed like it must be a futuristic prototype. But it's in stores, waiting for you and your $2,299.

The hunger for vintage styles, a trend already well established in the fashion world, and the quest for modern convenience in the world of the home were among the many dichotomies in evidence at the trade show. It featured nearly 1,800 exhibitors showing items targeted at every room of the house, as well as the back yard and garage. Buyers from stores around the world attended the show in search of new products to sell to the rest of us.

The dichotomies were most apparent in the kitchen. "Consumers seem to have a split personality," said Lisa Casey Weiss, a Hicksville-based lifestyle consultant for the International Housewares Association, which sponsors the annual show. "They want to have a healthy lifestyle, but, at the same time, they want foods that satisfy cravings for indulgences. They say they love to cook, but the same consumer says cooking is a chore." Fact is, time- challenged people want quick and convenient food on weeknights, but may enjoy gourmet cooking as a creative outlet or a form of relaxation on weekends. And for both, they want new tools.

Attention-grabbers at the show included anything multifunctional, such as microwave-oven-and-toaster combos from LG Electronics and Samsung. Cordless (as in Maytag's new iron), rechargeable (as in Vector's battery-powered patio lanterns) and retractable (as in cords on small appliances) were the features touted with regularity. There was a proliferation of small appliances devoted to panini, smoothies and froth (for cappuccino and chai) and a multitude of ways to extend the life of food. Products that make the most of small living spaces were hot, from Avanti's mini-washing machine for delicates to a round-cavity microwave from Samsung that minimizes its countertop footprint.

Anything to do with chilling beverages in record time or maximizing the taste of wine, water, coffee, tea or spices received prominent placement in the booths.

Manufacturers apparently gave a lot of thought to the gadgets that fill kitchen drawers. One trend was interchangeable utensils with one master handle to cut down on kitchen clutter, seen in KitchenArt's Elos tools and in a spatula set by Nestlings from Hatch Housewares.

Color also played a major role at the show. In a down economy, people tend to retreat to neutrals for major purchases, noted Leatrice Eiseman, director of the New Jersey-based Pantone Color Institute, but they will opt for color in small luxuries. "They might not buy a red chair, but they would buy a red blender," she said. Green is the up-and-coming color running the spectrum from almost yellow to nearly blue. Other colors sparking interest on the show floor were orange, soft rose, ice blue and aqua.

Whether via color or design, there was room for whimsy. A sinuous silver toaster from Nuvo designed by Luca Trazzi took its cue from the Italian Vespa motorscooter, and a pizza wheel from Koziol depicted a dog (the handle) catching a Frisbee (the wheel). Just think how good they will look on the counter next to the coffee mill.

The past meets the present in Crosley Radio's entertainment center, $250, which features a three-speed record player, CD player, cassette player and AM/FM radio, all housed in an Arts and Crafts style wooden box. While similar products have been hot for the past couple of years, this version adds the 78-speed to the record player and includes an AM-FM radio and a remote control. It can morph into a piece of furniture with the optional matching stand. It comes in oak, cherry or paprika finishes. For stores, call 800-926-7801.

One of the most technologically savvy devices at the show was from Icebox, a division of Salton. This kitchen entertainment center features a drop- down touch screen that pivots 180 degrees, a TV, DVD and CD player, and broadband Internet access, along with a wireless, waterproof keyboard. In addition, it can be used as a home video monitor if you hook up a camera in another room of the house. Available in slate gray or black for $2,299. For information, visit www.esalton.com or call 206-448-0354.

Tired of a drawerful of gadgets? Nestlings by Hatch Housewares features a handle with interchangeable spatula heads that stack neatly in a container when not in use, $20. It will be in stores in June, call 330-425-3633 for locations. KitchenArt is offering handles with interchangeable heads from a melon baller to a wire cheese slicer to an ice-cream scoop.

The Fruit Saver from Select Brands, $70, gets around the dilemma of where to store fruit. Put fruit on the counter and it ripens too quickly; store it in the refrigerator, and people forget it's there. The Fruit Saver chills fruits and vegetables to 52-56 degrees, purportedly doubling their time of peak ripeness. Available in May; for stores, call 913-663-4500 or visit www.selectbrands.com.

Whimsical acrylic salt and pepper shakers from Koziol in colors such as translucent blue, green and orange will spice up any table. The dancing blue Step 'n Pep shakers, $20 a set, feature magnetic hands to keep them together. For stores, call 800-673-2543.

Chilling beverages on the fly was a popular concept at the show. Fill the cavity with ice and water and the Cooper Cooler, $90, chills a can of soda from room temperature to 43 degrees in one minute, a bottle of beer in three and a half minutes, and a bottle of wine in six minutes.

Fill it with hot water and it will warm a baby bottle in less than four minutes. It will hit stores in March; for retailers, call 612-929- 9000 or visit www.coopercooler.com.

Salt and pepper grinders, mills and shakers were given star treatment at the show. The Pivot Grinder, made by Chef'n, $39, offers pepper lovers five settings to control coarseness within a sleek aluminum diecast design. It will hit stores in March; for retailers, call 866-642-4336.

Coffee products ranging from roasters to grinders abounded at the show. With the Brew Station by Hamilton Beach, $40 to $60, coffee won't burn in the bottom of the carafe. Brewed coffee remains in an insulated well, surrounded by heat, and can be dispensed into mugs by pushing a button. It keeps coffee warm for two hours. Available in May; for stores, call 800-851-8900 or visit www.hamiltonbeach.com.

To add a touch of whimsy to summer entertaining while keeping bugs at bay, Patio Companion introduced citronella sets shaped like frozen treats popping out of an ice bucket, $17, and a croquet set, $20. Available in spring; for stores, call 800-521-0505 or visit www.companion-group .com.

The sinuous lines of the Tix toaster from Nuvo, the U.S. distributor for the Italian retailer Viceversa, evoke a Vespa Italian motorscooter. It' s not for those who cherish their morning quiet: The toaster, $130-$150, makes a ticking sound while it works. For stores, visit www.nuvo stuff.com.

The silicone Orka Oven Mitt from iSi, $20, protects hands from temperatures of up to 500 degrees, making it safe to grab that lobster or egg out of the boiling water. Another plus: It can be put in the dishwasher to be washed. Available at Fortunoff; for other stores, call 800-447-2426.

This egg-shaped washing machine from Avanti, $79 to $99, hooks up to a sink for washing up to two pounds of laundry. Its small agitator and lack of a spin cycle make it best suited to washing lingerie. Available in March; for stores, call 800-323-5029 or visit www.avantiproducts.com.

Rechargeable battery-powered lanterns by Vector will keep your patio lit for up to eight hours. They sell for $40-$50 and are available at Target, Home Depot and at www.vectormfg.com.

Lisbeth Levine, Product Parade / at the annual housewares show, the lineup nods to the past and flashes to the future. , Newsday, 01-21-2003, pp B17.