Grills & Grill Accessories
Cookware to Shine at IH+HS
By Lorrie Baumann
Among the cookware introductions that we’ll see this year at the International Home + Housewares Show is a new stovetop pressure cooker from All-Clad. The All-Clad PC8 Precision Stovetop Pressure Cooker takes the guess work out of pressure cooking to ensure the perfect cooking results. Each of the four cooking programs focus on specific types of cooking to ensure optimal culinary results in taste and texture. The All-Clad pressure cooker is user friendly and low effort – it cuts down on time in the kitchen while preserving flavors and nutrients.
To help make home cooks more comfortable with pressure cooking, the pot comes with a quick start guide and tips on how to get the best results for each food category, and four dedicated cooking programs and a smart timer give novice users a head start on learning how to produce great results from their new cooker. The All-Clad PC8 Precision Stovetop Pressure Cooker retails for $299.
Frieling Black Cube Stainless Nonstick Fry Pans and Wok were introduced at last year’s IH+HS, but this year, the line is expanding with the addition of saucepans and a chef pan/wok. The Black Cube line is high-performance pans that are safe to use with metal utensils. The textured surface features a raised stainless steel pattern over a recessed layer with a premium nonstick coating. The result is a perfect combination for frying and sauteing: a high-end stainless steel pan that rivals the best cookware on the market plus the benefits of a premium nonstick surface. Black Cube is compatible with all cooktops, including induction. Retail prices start at $59.95.
The pans introduced last spring just started shipping in October, but the Black Cube line is already a hit with specialty kitchenware retailers. Eighty percent of the specialty stores that sampled the product placed an initial order for it said Yung Lindenbeck, Frieling Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Eighty percent of those have reordered at least once, and 10 to 15 stores have reordered anywhere up to four times. “The Black Cube fry pan is not just another nonstick pan, not another stainless steel pan or ceramic pan, it is the first hybrid, and consumers understand the benefits of this pan, which combines stainless steel cooking and nonstick clean-up,” Lindenbeck said.
The pans’ distinctive appearance help them stand out in retailers’ displays, and then the pans win customers over when they’re handled, according to Lindenbeck. “The balance, the feel of the pan is one of the key decision factors of whether a consumer will buy the product or not. If it feels good in the hand, you are halfway there. With Black Cube, it is so well balanced and the handle is comfortable to both males and females, and it is overall a very attractive and pleasing design. It is beautiful.”
She noted that Black Cube has even more to offer. “The stainless steel pan checks off all the boxes you’d expect from a steel pan. It’s induction-ready, it’s tri-ply, you can put it in the oven. It meets all the standard expectations for the category and exceeds them. This is why retailers are successful with it,” she said.
Lindenbeck attributes part of the pan’s success to Frieling’s own sales representatives, who are doing a great job of explaining the pan’s attributes to retailers, so that they can then pass the information on to their customers. “A new concept has to be communicated, and cookware has to be demoed,” she said. “The product itself plus our infrastructure just accelerated its success.”
Customer service and support and fast responsiveness from Frieling were also key to Black Cube’s fast take-off, Lindenbeck said. “The Black Cube is a communication starter with the customer,” she added. “People look at Black Cube and wonder what it is, because they realize that they haven’t seen it before, and they ask questions, which provides the retailers the opportunity to display their expertise.”
Black Cube can be seen during IH+HS in Frieling’s booth in the South Hall of McCormick Place.
Lagostina is launching its Linea Patrimonio Specialty Range with pieces retailing upwards from $149.99. Linea Patrimonio is a series of items dedicated to classic, universally renowned Italian dishes. Handcrafted in Italy, each stainless steel piece is induction-ready and specially designed for a particular dish. The collection features a 4-quart Risottiera, 5-quart Minestrone and Polenta pot, 6-quart Pastaiola pot and an 11-inch Accademia Grill Pan.
Lagostina’s 10-piece Bianca Cookware Set is made with a Meteorite® PTFE- and PFOA-free ceramic nonstick coating that delivers effortless release and high heat resistance, making it ideal for searing and browning at high temperatures. The durable inside-and-out ceramic surface is easy to clean and provides long-lasting scratch and stain resistance. Bianca’s five-layer base construction combines two layers of heat-radiating aluminum with three layers of stainless steel for a pan that’s compatible with all ranges, including induction and that’s dishwasher-safe. Riveted stay-cool stainless steel handles are designed for comfort and stability without sacrificing style. The 10-piece set retails for $299.
The Axia Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set from Lagostina offers the ultimate combination of performance, design, and comfort for inspired cooking everyday. Lagostina’s signature polish shines on the satin finish 18/10 stainless steel interior, the brushed stainless exterior and elegant stainless steel lids. Premium three-layer construction combines stainless steel inside and out with a thick heat-radiating aluminum core for optimal heat distribution throughout the entire pan. Axia retails for $399 for a 13-piece set. See the Lagostina products in the Groupe SEB booths in the South Hall during IH+HS.
The Cookware Company Limited is launching a new GreenPan collection called the Wood-Be Collection at IH+HS this year, and the company says that this is the trendiest cookware available today. It comes in three colors: cream, gray and black, and each range has alternating two-ton bakelite handles. The pans are coated with GreenPan’s Thermolon Marathon ceramic nonstick coating. Thermolon is PFOA, lead and cadmium free, scratch resistant and requires less fats and oils to cook. Cleanup is easy with a damp cloth and soap. Retail prices for Wood-Be will range up from $29.99.
Along with this come significant expansions to other GreenPan collections. The GreenPan Paris collection is a high-end durable line with hard anodized aluminum bodies coated with a dishwasher-safe Thermolon Marathon ceramic nonstick coating. Stainless steel handles allow the pans to go into the oven or under the broiler. Retail prices for Paris range upwards from $39.99.
Lima 3D is a collection of pans fashioned to accommodate different foods: a pan for eggs has a flat surface, the pan designed for fish and vegetables has a dimpled surface, and there’s a meat and poultry pan with a ribbed surface. Bodies are hard anodized with a dishwasher-safe exterior coating and Thermolon Marathon ceramic nonstick interior in both gray and cream. Stainless steel handles allow for oven and broiler use. Lima 3D is available in open stock and sets. Retail prices range upwards from $29.99.
The Focus collection from GreenPan is available in black, burgundy or turquoise with a cream Thermolon nonstick ceramic interior. Handles are made of stay-cool bakelite in matching colors. The line is available in open stock and two-piece fry pan sets and is expanding to include a 10-piece set. Focus prices range upward from $19.99. GreenPan can be seen during IH+HS in the Cookware Company Limited booth in the South Hall.
Nordic Ware is launching its Slim Griddle and Slim Grill at IH+HS. Both are cast aluminum with elegant lines and a low profile that stores easily. The grill with its ridged surface stacks inside the smooth-surfaced griddle in the kitchen cabinet, but both pans will work in the oven, broiler or on the stovetop. Both feature a premium non-stick coating for easy cleanup on pans that offer consistent and even heating, as we would expect from cast aluminum, for optimal cooking results.
The Nordic Ware Waffle Dipper Pan makes four waffle sticks that will make breakfast extra-fun when they’re eaten as a finger food to be dunked into syrup. The pan is made of cast aluminum for excellent thermal conductivity, and a premium nonstick coating allows for easy release that preserves the detail of the waffle’s dimples. The Slim Griddle, Slim Grill and Waffle Dipper Pan are all made in the USA. Nordic Ware will be in the front of the South Hall.
Finally, be sure to stop by and see the Gourmet Grillware collection from Wilton Armetale. Made from a patented aluminum alloy originally developed for commercial use in restaurants, the Armetale cookware goes from stovetop or grill to table beautifully. The line includes more than 32 products, including a 17-inch Grill Pan that’s great for vegetables, fish or steaks, 2-quart and 6-quart Dutch ovens for stews and braises, the Pig Griller that celebrates the contribution of delectable porcines to backyard barbecues everywhere and a Square Bowl that will appeal to home cooks for a mac and cheese or who just want to roast a few mushrooms or Brussels sprouts without losing them through the grate on the barbecue grill.
Gourmet Grillware will not chip, crack, rust or tarnish and offers a lifetime guarantee against breakage. Hot foods will stay hot longer at the table. Cold foods in chilled Armetale metal stay colder, so salads stay crisp throughout the meal. See it in the Wilton Armetale booth in the South Hall.
Made in America Movement Thrives
Made in America Store in Elma, New York
By Amber Gallegos
Four years ago Mark Andol went from running four welding and fabricating plants with 70 employees to having to close two of the plants and reduce his workforce down to 31 people. He was losing the business he had spent decades building to overseas companies able to produce the same components at lower costs. He had to lay off family members, friends, and long-time workers. That’s when he decided to open a retail store selling 100 percent American-made products to do his part to bring jobs back to America and support American families.
“It was a tough, tough time in my life; I had laid off family members,” says Andol. “I wanted to stand for our country, American workers, people that work with their hands.”
Determined to turn the situation around for himself and his remaining employees, he opened the Made in America Store on April 3, 2010 to 600 customers waiting outside. He had a selection of 50 products he confirmed were 100 percent American-made from the packaging down to the ink and glue. The products are even backed by letters of authenticity. Local, national and then international media attention quickly found the store, with his business being featured in media outlets from countries like Japan, Korea, Germany, England and Russia.
Owner Mark Andol
“From there, the buses started coming to the store out of nowhere. We became a destination. I’m proud to say we had 375 buses visit the store in the last four years, and they come 80 percent from out of state,” says Andol. “They love to see the quality products, they love to see the store. A lot of the demographic is ages 50 to 70 on these buses, and they truly love America. They remember when and how it was.”
Since that time, Andol has opened three additional Made in America Stores, one of which is located at Niagara Falls and is the first souvenir shop to sell 100 percent American-made products. This past spring he introduced his own invention, the All-American Grill, at the 2014 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, where it won Best New Product in the All-American Awards. It is a compact, portable 20-pound grill with a 16-inch diameter, a rotating top to move food away from the fire or add wood and no loose parts; it is packed like a drum with a single T-nut to unwind for assembly.
Today his Made in America Stores sell over 6500 products, supporting 400 vendors from a range of categories spanning kitchenware, clothing, hardware, health and beauty, toys and even a grocery section. He still runs his General Welding and Fabricating business as well, where the All-American Grill is manufactured, and he has since been able to rehire some of the people he had to lay off.
The All-American Grill made in New York
Andol says that since he began his journey he has only seen the demand for products made in the United States increase along with the variety of products available. He credits this to a whole “Made in America” movement taking place in this country. Some companies have even adjusted products, changing out a foreign-made component for an American-made one to make the product entirely made in the USA.
“We’re tough on people, but a lot of people have changed to be in our store now, which is really neat. Some people adjust a couple of things that weren’t made here,” says Andol. “That’s all part of the movement; that’s pretty neat to see people change and come back to the States and try to build here. There are a lot of reasons that force them overseas.”
In a somewhat ironic twist, those overseas countries have consumers who also find great value in American made products. Andol, along with Sam Weiner, President of EdgeCraft Corporation, an American-based company that manufactures electric and manual knife sharpeners and high-end forged cutlery in Avondale, Pennsylvania, can attest to customer feedback that reflects this.
“Items that are manufactured in the U.S. resonate with the end customer in America and even overseas. The feedback we get from countries all over the world about the desirability of products that are made in the USA is incredible,” Weiner says. “There’s an inherent confidence in made in the USA products throughout the world. I was surprised when I travelled to France and was told by retailers, ‘Yes, by all means, we do want you to put the American flag on the products because the consumer in France thinks very highly of American-made products.’ So it’s true throughout the world. There’s a great desire for American-manufactured products throughout the world.”
Chef’sChoice Diamond Hone® AngleSelect® Model 1520, made in Pennsylvania
Responding to customer feedback, EdgeCraft introduced the Chef’sChoice Diamond Hone® AngleSelect® Model 1520 a few years ago. It was the first electric sharpener of its kind to sharpen Asian and European/American style knives all in one unit. The advanced technology electric sharpener was designed, engineered and built in the U.S. and uses 100 percent diamond abrasives and advanced flexible stropping polishing discs to restore and recreate both a 20 degree edge for conventional European and American style knives and a 15 degree edge for Asian and modern European/American style knives.
From beginnings in a Delaware basement to currently selling more than 100 models of Chef’sChoice electric and manual knife sharpeners all manufactured in America, EdgeCraft now employs about 150 workers and has remained dedicated to providing quality products for customers.
“There are certain advantages to producing product in the United States. First of all, we have control over the quality and cost of the products that we manufacture and therefore, we are better able to provide value to our customers, that’s number one,” says Weiner, who has been with EdgeCraft since 1988. “Additionally, we can be much more responsive to our retailers in their efforts to maintain proper inventory levels to meet customer demands and the unexpected shifts in the marketplace.”
According to Andol, the average American consumer is now becoming more educated about the vital role of American manufacturing in our economy. “I think people are getting more educated, people are realizing you know, if their neighbors don’t have a job that there’s a reason – or if they don’t have a job. We need more manufacturing back, and, to me, that’s how this country was built – with the manufacturing economy. I think it has to come back, but schools have to make it okay [for students] to work with their hands – parents and guidance counselors, too,” says Andol.
This story was originally published in the January 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
Wherever Grill: The Only Dual-Fuel Electric/Charcoal BBQ Grill
The new Americana Wherever Grill is an innovative dual-fuel portable cooker for here, there, and everywhere. Real BBQ grilling just got easier, wherever you live, wherever you go.
“We set out to design a BBQ grill people can take anywhere and delivers amazing BBQ flavor,” says Bob Hebner, Meco VP of Strategic Development. “Our new Wherever Grill is an honest solution to the millions of people who want both the ease and safety of outdoor electric grilling at their apartment or condo and the flexibility to grill wherever they go. And as an American BBQ Grill manufacturer for over 40 years, it’s critical all of our grills serve up great BBQ flavor. The new Wherever Grill delivers all of these grilling features by offering both electric and charcoal grilling in one portable BBQ grill.”
The Wherever Grill is perfect for condos, apartments, and RV campsites. The easy to use and variable temperature controller makes grilling veggies, fish, and poultry a breeze. The Wherever Grill also has a specially designed reflector pan and a 1,500-watt heat source to generate the higher temperatures needed to handle steaks and chops.
“You can even enhance your recipes with the extra flavor of hickory, apple, cherry, or mesquite wood by placing water-soaked wood chips on the reflector pan,” says Hebner. The grill also features a stylish stay-cool handle which keeps your hands safely away from hot surfaces. The UL and CUL listed heating element plugs into any standard outdoor household outlet.
The Wherever Grill supports two large hood vents, making temperature control easy. The lock and go feature makes it easy to transport the Wherever Grill to any event. The 176 square inch cooking grid makes it perfect for a cozy patio dinner of mesquite grilled chicken for two or tailgater of burgers for six.
The Wherever Dual-Fuel BBQ Grill will retail for $89.99 and is making its debut at Crate & Barrel and other select retailers in the spring of 2015. The product will make its trade debut at the 2015 International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago, March 7 -10. The company will be demonstrating the grill in booth N6652.
Meco, a division of Unaka Corporation, has been designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer products for more than 40 years. Meco’s Outdoor BBQ Grill Business has manufactured and sold over 60 million BBQ Grills through retailers nationwide.
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