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In case you missed it, here's a roundup of our full coverage of this year's International Home + Housewares Show. Bright colors and automotive finishes complement new functionality and silicone applications in the kitchenware market. Stackable and compact storage solutions are appearing with nesting options. From Denmark to Japan, the United States to the United Kingdom, design leads the way for brands with a century of history as they look forward to their next 100 years. Video exclusives, design insights and 100 images of our favorite products in our roundup of this year's housewares innovations.
At this year's Home and Housewares show, we were impressed with the number of brands that had over a 100 years of manufacturing experience—Eva Solo, Lodge and SodaStream to name a few. Design leads the way for each of these companies as they continue to innovate into the next century. Two Japanese brands that caught our attention showcased a rich design heritage that looks towards the future: Marna (established in 1872) and OIGEN (since 1852). These two brands are household staples in Japan but look to expand into a globalized market in the 21st century.
Marna products are ubiquitous in Japan. Founded in 1872 with the manufacturing and distribution of the first Western-style brushes in Japan, in 1950 the company began expanding into products beyond household and industrial brushes. Today, this fourth-generation family-run company produces delightfully designed, award-winning products for kitchen, bath and home. We loved their display of silicone pig steamers and hanging collapsible cups.
Their product range featured a number of GOOD Design award winners for the kitchen: a Spoon Whisk, Standing Rice Scoop, Stacking Soy Sauce Pots, Combined Tongs, and Masher. Their fish-shaped dish sponges bring a bit of joy in mundane household tasks.
Since 1896, Lodge has been making cast iron cookware and today it is the sole domestic manufacturer of cast iron cookware. Not only has Lodge been manufacturing cookware for over 100 years, it is also the oldest family-owned and operated cookware foundry in the United States. Based in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (population 3,300), Lodge has seen a recent revival—the versatility and even heating properties of cast iron cookware have made their signature skillets an essential in home and professional kitchens around the country.
In the video below, Mark Kelly shares some insight on the history and more recent innovations from this historic company. Introduced in 2007, the Lodge Signature Series line showcases a pioneering method of riveting the stainless steel handles onto the cast iron skillet bodies. Although they look beautiful and maintain the high performing qualities of their signature cast iron skillets, I still prefer my traditional model.
BONUS: Don't miss the awesome Foundry Tour video after the jump. Lodge walks viewers through the whole process from materials, slagging, sand molding, polishing, seasoning and packaging.
As our International Home + Housewares 2012 coverage winds down, we're pleased to present a full photo gallery of some of notable objects and items from that whirlwind weekend in Chicago. From promising upstarts such as Rush3 LLC to DCI's investment in jumpstarting design students' careers, McCormick Place saw thousands of products over the course of the show, from March 10–13, which was extended an extra day by popular demand. Although we could have attempted to present the overwhelming abundance of products, we've opted to stick to an even hundred of our favorite images from the show.
Our gallery, of course, features everything from award-winning student projects to major players in the housewares category and everything in between, so check it out for yourself:
We get an exclusive look at Dash, a bright and beautiful new kitchenware line that debuted at the International Home + Housewares Show. Learn more about some of the innovative finishes and design considerations taken with Dash (we love the combination mini fryer and fondue pot) from Evan Dash, CEO of Dash and the larger distribution and design company Storebound. We also get a closer look at the engineering innovations in the newest Maytag Iron, which brought Storebound a Global Innovation Award for Product Design, complete with a removable water tank.
With a century of design history, Danish company Eva Solo continues to innovate across the kitchenware category with beautiful and functional tools. We had the opportunity to talk with Lars Pihl, Product Development Director, about Eva Solo's transition from design for cooking indoors to design for the people's outdoor "second kitchen." Here's a tour of the Eva Solo gas grill (that stylishly hides the gas cylinder inside the grill) and a simple outdoor oil lamp, perfect for summer garden parties.
We were hangin' with Mr. Clean at this year's International Home + Housewares Show to check out the launch of their new line of household reusable and disposable cleaning gloves. Learn more about the innovations introduced in this collection which include "the softest lining in the industry" made of electrostatic flocking in the "bliss" gloves and a foamed latex dip for their work glove that reduces hand fatigue. According to Mr. Clean, his new line of gloves, "will make you want to do the dishes." See for yourself in our exclusive video below.
Launched in 2007, Prepara is a relatively new entrant in the kitchenware world but their products have garnered industry awards and a dedicated following of home chefs including Oprah!
Prepara is the brainchild of Dean Chapman and Ed Kilduff of Pollen Design; their industrial design firm has worked on everything from treadmills to cleaning tools. When discussing the development of some kitchen tool ideas and concepts, "We initially thought to license them, however we were also aware that licensing was fraught with risk and the payout could be very limited." explained Chapman. "So that, and the fact we were looking to challenge ourselves—became the guiding factors to launch our own brand." An interesting lesson for design firms, Pollen took on the challenge and launched their first product, a one-handed kitchen tool for crushing multiple cloves of garlic. The design of the garlic crusher drew inspiration from the high transfer force mechanisms seen in plastic pipe cutting tools. Prepara's Herb Savor was selected as one of Oprah's "Ultimate Favorite Things" in 2010 catapulting the brand into the national spotlight.
Herb Savor
Today, Prepara continues to innovate in the category—as we saw at the International Home + Housewares Show—with functional and beautiful kitchen tools that encourage home cooks to say goodbye to preservatives and hello to fresh food prepared with local ingredients.
The truth about salad dressings is that they're actually pretty easy to make with a little bit of know-how. Prepara introduced their Dressing Whiz, a "prep-serve-and-store" tool that functions like a tableside saucier with an aerating propeller that emulsifies vinaigrettes and dressings with the push of a button. I especially like the clear measurement markings and the compact size and shape of the bottle design. Their signature drip-free spout makes everything clean and easy to serve, and the air-tight cap keeps the dressings fresher for longer.
The 2012 International Home + Housewares Show saw the IHA's 19th Annual Student Design Competition, which remains as competitive ever: the 10 jury members reviewed over 200 entries from 21 design schools, selecting a total of six winners and awarding a total of $10,000 in prize money.
First place winners Samuel Chen and Mariel Z. Piña received $2,500 each, as well as all-expenses paid trips to Chicago for the IHHS2012, for the "Cyclone" fire extinguisher and Ambros" colander/grater, respectively. Both designers were happy to share their stories with us:
Get a tour of Bodum's new line of electronic kitchen appliances with Thomas Perez, President of Bodum USA. We get a closer look at the eBodum collection including the new Bistro pour-over drip coffee maker and vacuum jug, Bistro blender and a preview of the Bodum stand mixer that is small enough to tuck away on your countertop. All of the appliances in the eBodum line come in four standard colors: black, red, lime green and off white.
Like Core faves Kikkerland, Fred & Friends and Suck UK, housewares purveyor DCI offers a whole range of clever products, from humorous housewares to stylish stationery and plenty of 'things-that-look-like-other-things.' Founder Roni Kabessa wasn't sure what to expect when he first relocated from New York City to Providence, Rhode Island, but he's been pleasantly surprised by the local talent pool (thanks largely to perennial top school RISD). In fact, DCI was pleased to partner with student-run conference A Better World By Design on a design challenge, and we were pleased to see the inaugural results of the collaboration at IHHS2012. (This year's challenge is currently open for submissions.)
The three items in the ABWBD designer collection included René Woo-Ram Lee's "Plug Out," a wall-mounted cord organizer intended to facilitate energy conservation; McKenzie Powers' "I Am a To Go Box," a microwave- and dishwasher-safe silicone container; and the "Eco Tray" by Queenie Fan & Angie Lee, a conscientious take on a picnic plate.
We hope that a couple of augmented scissors transcend their novelty appeal: the "Straight Edge" laser-guided scissors feature a built-in laser pointer to ensure straight cuts, while the "Scissortape," designed by Lou Henry (A2), is a combination of exactly what it sounds like.
A brand-new collapsible water bottle design (by Wei Young of Mydesign Group) fit both the trend of silicone kitchenwares and portable drinking vessels. The bottle comes apart in the center, such that each half can be extended, as in seen in the bottles in the foreground and center above.
These Peleg-designed magnetic vases appear to stand on their own: the magnetic plate (as seen in the bottom right) can be concealed beneath the tablecloth for the gravity-defying effect. They come in a set of five.
After enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal, there's always the question of what to do with leftovers. If you're like me, usually this means wrestling with a roll of saran wrap and a Jenga-level stacking job inside my fridge. At this year's International Home + Housewares Show, we saw a new category of food-saving solutions coming from two small entrepreneurs in the marketplace. Using a silicone sealing ring and a BPA-free plastic lid, these stacking food-savers both create a vacuum seal to help keep food safer, for longer.
Michael Tseng recently completed his studies to be a medical doctor after earning a degree in electrical engineering at Princeton, but even these impressive academic accolades didn't stop him from pursuing his entrepreneurial passions. It seems like the real problem he's been trying to solve in the world is what to do with leftovers. Launching his PlateTopper just two weeks ago, we were intoduced to his product in the Home + Housewares Going Green display. Microwave and dishwasher-safe, Plate Topper is a simple solution using an air-tight vacuum seal to get leftovers from table to fridge, fridge to the microwave without hassle or messy cleanup. Check out Michael's quick demo for us below.
As hipstomp often reminds us, there is never a simple or universal solution fpr all your storage needs. The International Home and Housewares Show is a testament to this problem with their annual showcase of hundreds of product hopefuls each year. Below are two of our favorite new products for home storage and organization. Although they address wildly different storage needs (and were on opposite sides of the actual show floor), both products represent a continuation of the nesting/stacking trends we've tracked over the past year.
Lasko Products recently introduced their Power Toolbox—a combination toolbox, step stool and power cord reel. For those who have actually used their toolbox for a step-up, it might come as a relief that the form of Lasko's Power Toolbox was designed for that expressed purpose supporting up to 300 pounds. The cover features a non-skid surface that flips open to reveal snap-in storage for drillbits and marking tools on the underside and three stacking and removable caddies of different depths nested in the body of the toolbox. A side caddy holds a small assortment of screwdrivers for easy access to those frequently used tools.
Although the combo toolbox and step stool isn't a new idea, the detachable power cord reel is a nice innovation in this category. The reel houses a "20 foot three wire 16 gauge 3 wire extension cord and four 120 volt grounded outlets with re-settable circuit breaker for plugging in power tools or other electrical items." My only feedback is that for a product called a Power Toolbox, it doesnt really seem large enough to hold many power tools. That being said, it is a nice, compact solution for toting, storing and accessing tools.
We last heard from Alessi President Alessio Alessi (say that three times fast) a couple months back, when he was in Miami with his son Giovanni, a designer for the Italian design mainstay. While the previous three-part interview saw the two reflect on the challenges and joys of running a family company, here Alessio explains a few of Alessi's new offerings at the International Home + Housewares Show.
From instructional knives to a set of serving dishes for appetizers by Giulio Iacchetti, Alessi never fails to deliver clever, beautiful design objects.
You couldn't make it up: a father and son who discovered a vintage bottle opener (left at the daughter's house by an ex, no less), who—possibly inspired by the freewheeling tailgate culture of their native South Carolina—decided to update the concept for modern times. The tale ends (and the company begins) with the "Kebo," an elegant one-handed bottle opener:
Inspired by the Theodore Low bottle opener from the 1930s, this modern interpretation offers better seamless function and classic styling that will last for generations. Cast of stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish, this device exudes quality, artistry and timelessness.
Guess which is which...
Company founder Rush Dixon—the son and brains behind the brand—improved on the existing design by incorporating a magnet to catch the cap. Where most bottle openers (one- or two-handed) actually 'pop' the cap, bending it and releasing it towards the ground, the "Kebo" is a bit more refined: not only does it hold the cap in place but it keeps it intact, such that the cap can be reused (albeit not forming an airtight seal) if necessary. It's perfect for pranking an unsuspecting friend with an 'unopened' bottle... or, for those of you who are more interested in creating beer as opposed to destroying it, bottling homebrew (just be sure to sterilize the caps before you reuse them!).
The packaging ain't bad either...
As for the name? It's a twist on the term "bottle key," chopped and screwed (so to speak) to form the distinctive neologism. The name has caught on: Dixon noted that his friends and acquaintances often thanked him for the "Kebo" as opposed to the "bottle opener"—more evidence that it's more than just the latter. Even the IHA themselves saw fit to award Rush3 LLC with a first-ever Innovation Award in the Hand Tools & Cutlery category.
Sparkling or tap? Gas or no gas? Fizzy or flat? It's one of those broadly European trends that ’muricans might regard as a bit too, well, posh for their tastes: the option of sparkling water at just about every Trattoria and Rathskeller on a certain side of the Chunnel. (Which is not to say that it hasn't caught on here in New York City; all else equal, a friend once picked a restaurant because they had free sparkling water.)
Meanwhile, sugary-sweet sodas are a uniquely American phenomenon, and if I come from the last generation of kids whose parents condoned the occasional jolt of HFCS —even my most health-conscious friends admit to craving a can of Coke every now and then—there's no denying that the magic of carbonation works wonders for otherwise unremarkable beverages.
Whatever your taste, those of you who can't get enough of that tingly sensation have several new options to choose from.
SodaStream's household carbonators date back to the turn of the century, but they've experienced a recent resurgence as of the late aughts with their tap-like, non-electrical countertop appliance that carbonates run-of-the-mill tap water with the push of a button (or three). It's another take on the Gillette model: the CO2 cartridges can be refilled at various locations, but the money is in their flavor offerings.
Indeed, the past few years have seen strong growth in the home carbonation market: the company had one of the more elaborate booths in the show, featuring a 3D in a custom viewing station, as well as a 're-cyclist' circling McCormick place in a pedicab retrofitted with a cage full of recycled bottles, a smaller scale version of the one at their booth. SodaStream's latest offering is their first fully automated (electric) soda machine, boasting three levels of carbonation.
OBH Nordica has entered the carbonation game with a pair of curvier home soda makers, boasting "elegant Scandinavian design." For now, the devices are expressly meant to make soda water—no flavor syrup to speak of—but given its European appeal, the lack of extraneous offerings is entirely in keeping with OBH Nordica's roots.
The SodaMaster Freestyle (above right) joins the Gazelle (above left) in their 2012 product lineup.
If the tap-like form factor of Sodastream and OBH Nordica's offerings doesn't float your boat (or root beer), ISI's wand-like carbonator is a worthy new contendor in the home soda category. Don't be fooled by its potentially cringeworthy (albeit accurate) name: the "Twist 'n Sparkle" uses an entirely different carbonation mechanism, where the handheld device is attached ('twist') to the top of a special bottle; once it forms an airtight seal, the wand carbonate ('sparkle') to the liquid within. In addition to its versatility in terms of size and storage, the "Twist 'n Sparkle" can be used with any liquid—not just plain ol' H2O—from orange juice and coffee (yes, it's a real thing) in the morning to wine and spirits at night, transforming a mundane potable into a fizzy potion.
Believe it or not, 2012 marks Dyson's very first IHHS... and Chicago is the home of their US headquarters. In addition to exhibiting their impressive lineup of air multipliers, Dyson Hot and their existing vacuum offerings, Dyson is pleased to unveil the DC39, their first canister vacuum with Ball technology.
Canister cleaners are often awkward to steer and can topple. They lurch into furniture, veer off at tangents and may be difficult to pull. Like an errant shopping cart, their crude casters drift across hard floors and get buried in carpets—more force is needed to keep them on track. And reliant on bags—they can lose suction, too.
Sitting on a ball, DC39 has a lower center of gravity and is easier to pull without snagging on corners or the carpet pile. Coupled with a unique central steering system, it uses an articulating chassis and central pivot point for negotiating tight turns and circumnavigating sofas. And equipped with Dyson's Radial Root Cyclone™ technology, it captures more microscopic dust than any other.
Design Engineer Robert Green obliged us with a rundown of the specs and a quick demo of the DC39 in action:
Solofill reusable filter cup slips into the Keurig machine
Last year, over 3 billion K-Cups were sold for Green Mountain Coffee's Keurig system and it's pretty reasonable to assume that the majority of these plastic and tinfoil single-use coffee pods have ended up in a landfill. It's clear that the ease of use and convenience of these single-use systems has created a booming industry—in fact, at this week's International Home + Housewares Show we counted at least four systems that were dishing up single-serving caffinated treats for bleary-eyed attendees. So what's a single-serve, coffee-loving person to do?
Although Keurig has created a similar product for their brewers called the My K-Cup, two new solutions for this coffee conundrum were presented by independent companies at this year's Home + Housewares Show. These reusable filters for the Keurig brewers both function in a similar way—fill your choice of coffee into the self-tamping pods, insert them into your Keurig machine and throw them into the dishwasher when you're done. Users are estimated to save over 50% on their coffee pod costs by filling their own pods.
Ekobrew, was recognized as part of the Going Green Display, and the founders proudly shared that their current batch of pods are made in the USA. The cone-shaped water disperser in the cap allows for a more even water flow throughout the pod. Ekobrew claims that the deep chamber provides 17% more volume for your coffee grounds. An innovation that the company introduced is the flat-bottom design for easy fill.
Although Norwalk, CT-based Teroforma has come out with at least a dozen products since they developed their famous "Whisky Stones" back in 2008, soapstone was the focus of their booth at the IHHS2012. (Discussion board member Spizzy joked that "'Whiskey stones' sounds like a medical condition I don't want to have," duly acknowledging that they'd make a worthy replacement for ice cubes.) Their new offerings include new larger Whisky Stones, a soapstone sake set and soapstone tealight holders, as well as a couple new vessels from their Avva Collection (not pictured).
They've also produced a beautiful video about Vermont Soapstone, the wellspring of the stones. Owner Glen Bowman touches on the production process—spoiler alert: a cement mixer has been repurposed to serve as an industrial-grade rock-tumbler—but the craftsman himself is so endearingly avuncular that I couldn't help but hang on to his every word:
Our editorial team landed in Chicago yesterday and hit the ground running at McCormick Place. While the showroom floor was still a work in progress, IHA's Design Programs Coordinator Vicki Matranga was happy to present a quick introduction to this year's offerings.
We're counting down to this Saturday, March 10, when we'll be LIVE from the floor of the International Home + Housewares Show. The annual event presents the most exciting product innovations from the industry with categories dedicated to cleaning, dining, electronics/appliances and international pavilions. With over 2,000 exhibitors from 34 countries, we're excited to bring you trends, design news and exhibition design direct from the floor. Stay tuned as we're eagerly preparing to connect you with celebrity chefs, industry leaders, independent designers and winners of this year's Student Design Competition through carefully curated video content, product profiles and a complete photo gallery!
Here's a teaser of our IHHS coverage from last year—check back in a week for the scoop on 2012:
Not only has this year's show expanded from three to four days, but the International Housewares Association (sponsors of the show) recently released their first ever app. Attendees can use the app to search for exhibitor booths, pre-plan and customize a showplan, access essential information about educational events and stay on top of the show through social media feeds. Download the app today and get ready for this year's show!
The 2012 International Home + Housewares Show (IHHS) is a four-day event held annually by the International Housewares Association (IHA) to feature the newest product innovations and trends for all areas of the home. Exhibitors, industry leaders, buyers, and professionals from all over the globe attend this world-class trade show to see what's new and discuss the future of the industry.
In its 19th year, the Student Design Competition sponsored by the International Home and Housewares Show announced this year's winning product designs from students representing institutions from around the country. The design competition's annual challenge to students is to redesign a current housewares product to meet the needs of the future or to create a concept for a new product. Winning projects are selected for their innovation, understanding of production and marketing principles and quality of entry materials.
Winning first place in this year's competition is Samuel Chen (Junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) for his "Cyclone" kitchen fire extinguisher and Mariel Piña (Senior at the University of Houston) for her "Ambos" grater/colander.
Chen's "Cyclone" is a first response product that helps put out kitchen fires utilizing a homemade solution of vinegar and baking soda. The design is stainless steel—elegant enough to sit in a tool tub on the kitchen counter or hang from a hook. Twisting the utensil's valve mixes the solution to spray a carbon dioxide foam. Because common kitchen ingredients are used, the tool can be used repeatedly unlike typical single-use products filled with hazardous propellants. "My product was sparked from the personal experience of a fire in my kitchen," Chen said. "Recognizing the panic and stress involved, I researched fires and designed an extinguisher to eliminate them in the most time and cost efficient way, keeping in mind an aesthetic and pragmatic design."
Piña's "Ambos" merges the function of a cheese/food grater and a colander into one product. Safe and ergonomic, her design is convenient for storage and reduces kitchen clutter. The lower center of gravity for the grater makes the "Ambos" more comfortable and stable. "My goal is to reconnect the user with the pleasures of simple living," Piña said. "Making an experience like grating cheese easy and enjoyable brings us back to basics. I also want to reduce the clutter in the home that prevents us from encountering life fully and wholeheartedly, so we can focus on simple tasks like cooking our own food."
Wrapping up our whirlwind, three-day tour of the 2011 International Home + Housewares Show, we loved seeing less packaging and more stackable, squashable and sustainable goods. A brief history of the AMAC plastic box reminded us of the beauty in this ubiquitous object. We talked to an Iron Chef, fell back in love with ceramics, discovered non-magnetic "magnets", and found more and more reasons to drink water from the tap.
Jan van der Lande, owner of Kikkerland, describes his belief in a key element of their business: designers. They're always looking for great ideas, but, as Jan generously points out, "even if it's a bad idea, we'll always give it good consideration."
Morgan O'Hara introduces us to the latest Casabella project: a partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation to feature the art of the late graffiti artist on their products.
Marna Collapsible Travel Cup, GOOD Design Winner
Roasting Laurel and Trivet
Herb Savor
DomePress, a vacuum-sealed solution for leftovers
Setting up the booth...
Guess which is which...
The packaging ain't bad either...
It's no 
Images courtesy of Dyson
Solofill reusable filter cup slips into the Keurig machine
