By Lorrie Baumann

If you’ve seen “Project Runway” or any of those other television programs that show viewers the last-minute stitches, garment twitches and general titivating that goes on to get a collection of designer dresses ready for the runway, you’ll have a sense of what housewares manufacturers are doing right now as they race against time to get the packaging and marketing and merchandising materials ready for a host of new products that they’ll be launching at this year’s International Home + Housewares Show. Judging by the quantity and quality of new items that manufacturers are already revealing for press previews, this year’s show will be an outstanding exposition of products created specifically to meet the needs of specialty kitchenware retailers and their customers.

Small Electrics

We can expect to see a variety of coffee brewers with a wide range of price points, each promising to brew superior coffee with technology that’s either very new, extremely traditional or some blend of both. For instance, there’s Caffe Cagliari, which is making its debut appearance at IH+HS this year with the Carina Home Espresso Capsule Machine. The Italian family-owned company is offering five flavors of Italian-blended coffee in Nespresso-compatible capsules. For each flavor, arabica and robusto beans are roasted separately and then blended to make a terrific coffee in the Italian style. The Carina Home Espresso Capsule Machine designed to use the coffees is now available in the U.S. for a retail price of $199.99 for a set that includes the espresso machine, frother and an espresso cup and saucer. With the initial purchase, the buyer receives 12 free capsules of the coffee to get started. The machine is simple to operate and will make cappuccinos, macchiatos and lattes. “It’s a real Italian espresso experience, and people who like coffee love this,” says Vince Canori, the company’s managing partner.

Chefman, an emerging brand that entered the housewares industry three years ago with sandwich makers, is launching its My Barista K-cup coffee brewer this year at the housewares show. This brewer takes just six seconds from when you press the button to when coffee starts streaming into the cup, saving energy that can add up to the energy equivalent of five trees over three years over the amount of energy that it would take to operate a competing brewer for the same three years, according to Pinny Kahn, Chefman’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

He says that the coffee from the My Barista brewer comes out hotter and with better flavor extraction than that produced by other pod brewers. Its 30-ounce water reservoir doesn’t need to be refilled for each individual cup of coffee. My Barista is already being sold in major U.S. retailers as well as several smaller regional chains at a retail price of $79.99.

Chefman is also offering its Precision Electric Kettle, which allows for control of the water temperature to the degree, so the user can customize water temperature to the varying requirements of different teas. While comparable kettles retail for about $149, this one will retail for $59.99. The kettle will be launched at the housewares show and will be available to ship in March.

IMUSA is launching a collection of small electrics with a line that includes a 10-quart Stainless Steel Rice Cooker with Steam Tray, Stainless Steel Double Burner and 4-cup Gourmet Electric Espresso Maker. Details are scarce at press time for this story, but IMUSA will have them to show in Chicago this year.

Oliso, Inc. is offering a sous vide machine for home cooks who’d love to try the trendy technique but simply don’t have the kitchen space for an appliance that might be used only occasionally. The Oliso Smart Hub combines a sous vide machine with an induction base. The Smart Hub sits on top of the induction base, and the two components “talk” to each other for very precise temperature control within the Smart Hub’s sous vide vessel. Because the induction heater is heating water in the vessel, no circulator is required, so there’s that much more space in the cavity for the actual food that’s being cooked. The induction base can also be used separately as a regular induction burner with nine settings, 1800 watts and temperature control that’s precise to within a degree. Beautiful enough to be left on the countertop all the time, the induction base can be an everyday solution for the home cook while the Smart Hub can come out when it’s time to sous vide. The Oliso Smart Hub retails for $499 and will be launched at IH+HS in March. It’s already available online and will be available to ship in March. Recipes will be available online.

Juicepresso from Coway is a quiet slow juicer with a small footprint on the counter that produces cold-pressed juices. Juicepresso uniquely merges the auger, strainer and rotating brush into a single, dishwasher-safe, BPA-free unit resembling a large screw. There is no need to wash multiple internal parts by hand, scrub to get the nooks and crannies clean, or put the pieces back together like a jigsaw puzzle. The Platinum edition adds the ability to easily separate the extraction system assembly into two pieces to ensure thorough cleaning.

The 40 RPM motor, slower than standard 80 RPM cold press juicers and 10,000 RPM centrifugal models,makes it possible to gently squeeze the last drop of juice, enzymes and nutrients out of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and even almonds and soybeans for almond and soy milk without generating heat that destroys some of the potency and shortening juice life. This slower process delays oxidation and helps juice last up to 72 hours so users can juice less often.

The Platinum’s wide, slanted chute minimizes prep time by accommodating larger fruit and vegetable pieces and making quick work of feeding produce into the machine, while the capped juice spout keeps juice in the cylinder without drips and dribbles until juicing is complete.  Juicepresso and Juicepresso Platinum both retail for $499.

Bonne O is a new home carbonation system coming to market this spring. CO2 is produced with a solid tablet rather than a gas cartridge. Adding water to the tablet produces gas that’s infused into a sealed bottle. For retailers, what this means is there’s no handling of refill cartridges, but there’s still flavoring syrups, carbonating tablets and extra bottles to bring customers coming back for refills.

The user can add fruit and herbs to the water before the beverage is carbonated, producing a pressure-infused beverage with fuller flavors. Bonne O is aimed at the health-conscious consumer who’s avoiding sugar in favor of a healthier sparkling beverage. The system retails for $149.99, which includes the appliance, the bottle and three carbonators to start with. The carbonators retail for $4.99 for a box of 10. Extra bottles retail for $19.99. Flavor syrups retail for $1.49. For retailers, the Bonne O system means no more handling of refill cartridges while still offering the syrup and tablet refills that will keep customers coming back for more. The system will be available to ship in spring, well in time for Mothers Day, when the company is expecting that the item will be in high demand for the gift occasion.

The Hamilton Beach Party Crock set is a 1.5-quart fondue set with an electric base and a cast iron pot that’s safe to use either in the oven or on the stovetop as well as on its base. For service, a separate warming base holds a tea light to keep dips or fondues warm on the buffet table. Retail price is $59.99, and it’s available to ship in the spring.

Hamilton Beach has licensed the Jamba name for a pair of professional-quality items: a citrus juicer and the Jamba Professional Blender. At a $449 price point, the Jamba Professional Blender is aimed squarely at the niche occupied by Vitamix and Blendtec, and it features an all-metal drive for a 2.4 peak horsepower motor that can propel its blades at 210 miles per hour. It’s powerful enough to make a pureed soup from scratch and serve it up hot, and it comes with an eight-year warranty. It will launch at the housewares show and be available to ship in March.

Hamilton Beach recently purchased Weston and is using that brand’s popularity with home preservation enthusiasts to springboard its launch of a number of products of interest to food traditionalists, including a tomato press, pasta maker, meat grinder, vacuum sealer and dehydrator that are already launching onto the market.

Tools and Gadgets

Cole & Mason is branching out into color with a line of salt and pepper grinders in glossy white, red and black that will work beautifully in contemporary kitchens and dining rooms. They’re made with the same best-in-class grinding mechanisms that we expect from Cole & Mason and will retail for $39.99 each.

T-Fal’s Ingenio 5-Second Chopper Plus is a 900 ml plastic bowl with a blade attachment that’s spun by a handle and pull cord to chop fruits, vegetables or nuts, quickly, quietly and with very little clean-up afterwards. The user chops the vegetables into rough chunks, pops those into the bowl, snaps down the lid and pulls the handle a few times for the makings of a soup, a soffritto or a salsa. Additional attachments sold separately will whip cream, chop ice or puree. The combination of the chopper, which retails initially for $39.99 and the optional extra attachments make a great retail story for bricks and clicks stores that can sell the chopper on the retail floor and then extend the sale with online attachment sales, says Steve Burgoon, Bradshaw International Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

The PL8 line from Progressive is an upscale line of farm-to-table vegetable prep tools that debuted this year and is being extended this year. Look for a new Salad Spinner made of premium materials, a Professional Chopper that minces, dices and chops and a Fresh Butter Maker for home cooks eager to try the Pioneer Woman’s Berry Butter for French Toast or perhaps make Ina Garten’s Smoked Salmon and Herb Butter.

Cork Pops is launching Wine Preserver, a can of nitrogen gas that is used to replace the air in an opened bottle of wine so that the wine stays fresh. Just pop the lid off the can, turn it over the open neck of the bottle and pump three times to dispense the nitrogen into the bottle, displacing the air above the wine, then cork the bottle right away. The product is also great for preserving those expensive finishing oils or premium vinegars. The Wine Preserver retails for $10 for a can that can be used 120 times. Set it on the bar display with a few of the trendy At Your Service bar towels also offered by Cork Pops. Those retail for $7.

Cuisipro is taking its patented Surface Glide Technology one step further with the V Grater collection. These are precision tools with the proper balance of a good kitchen knife and a V pattern design that dramatically reduces resistance, increases cutting area for more grated product with fewer swipes across the grater and better control. Handles are knurled for comfort and a firm grip during wet prep work, and a non-slip band at the head end of the grater lends stability when it’s perched against the cutting board. These graters are retail priced at $28 and $36.

New from Charles Viancin this year is the Sea Range collection, a line of covers that includes four sizes of reusable silicone lids and two sets of drink covers. Each lid is designed with an ocean creature, including Coral, Shell, Starfish and Anemone. The retail prices range from $8.99 to $14.99.

Robinson Home Products has more than 100 new products to introduce at this year’s show. The Squish line of collapsible bowls, colanders and gadgets is being extended with 10 new products that include a cutting board with a collapsible side that acts as a pour spout for transferring food and the Over the Arm Colander that hooks over the center divider of a double kitchen sink. The cutting board measures 9.5 inches by 14 inches and retails for $14.99. The colander also retails for $14.99.

Reo is a colorful and innovative new kitchenware line from Lifetime Brands, Inc. that incorporates intuitive designs, on-trend colors and inviting forms into everyday tools that will appeal to the design-conscious cook. One outstanding example is the Hand-Box Grater, which disassembles into individual hand graters that stack for convenient storage. Etched blades are available with coarse, medium and zesting grater patters. Additional blades are on the drawing board that will allow home cooks to assemble their box graters with the blades they use the most. The Bottle & Can Opener in the line is designed to open, not just cans, but also beer, soda and juice bottles. Soft-grip handles are comfortable to hold.

Bakeware

Bradshaw International’s Good Cook line is designed for the home baker who likes to bake treats for friends and then give them away. High-quality baking pans are made of heavy steel and have a channeled surface that directs air under the batter for exceptionally even baking. Mini Alphabet & Number Cutters are a 38-piece set of cookie cutters that would be terrific for baking birthday treats or even wedding favors. A proprietary recipe for a sugar cookie dough that doesn’t spread during baking is included with the set, so that home bakers can cut out a cookie and know that the effect won’t be destroyed during the baking. The retail price for Mini Alphabet & Number Cutters is $8.49 and it’s available to ship now.

If bakeware is a big category for you, you’ll want to take special note of the Prizm bakeware line from Nordic Ware, which was designed specifically for independent kitchenware retailers, who will appreciate the way the unique chevron pattern molded into the heavy-duty aluminum pans will stand out on the bakeware shelves. The design offers no particular functional advantage, but it’s an outstanding upscale look for bakeware that has proven itself over the course of time. And it’s made in the USA.

Nordic Ware’s Platinum Collection is a collection of 22 cast aluminum pans with a premium nonstick coating for quick release and easy cleanup. Four new Bundt cake designs are being added to the line this year. All four of these pans will produce a cake that will be noticed on the buffet table, and they’re sure to appeal to the home baker who always springs for the dessert when the potluck assignments are made because they’ll provide a lot of cachet for absolutely no extra effort. The Bundt Squared Pan, available in May, is a case in point. With a square base and a square center cavity, the design is elegant without being fussy, and the cake that results would be an attractive end to any meal from a backyard barbecue to a formal retirement party.

Finally, the Chef’n Cakewalk cake decorating kit includes tips, pastry bags and a turntable for the cake – everything the home baker needs to get started decorating cakes or cupcakes at home. It retails for $29.99 and is available now.

Takealongs

Contigo has taken a very thoughtful approach to this year’s evolution of the water bottle with the Contigo AUTOSEAL Cortland Water Bottle. Its AUTOSEAL technology closes the bottle between sips to eliminate spills and leaks. It’s easy to use with one hand, fits into most car cup holders, has an easy-to-clean lid, is top rack dishwasher safe, and the bottle is made of Eastman Tritan, so it’s BPA-free and virtually indestructible. It’s also beautiful and comfortable in the hand and it’s designed to clip easily onto a bag strap. The 24-ounce bottle retails for $11.99. A 32-ounce bottle will be available later this year to retail for $14.99.

The Stainless Steel Vacuum Mug from Aladdin is leakproof, will fit into a car’s cupholder and will keep drinks hot for four hours or cold for 24. It holds 16 ounces and is compatible with single-serve coffee brewers, so the user can brew coffee right into the mug, close the lid and go. It will be available this summer in gorgeous colors to retail for $19.99.

Aladdin is appealing to the Paleo dieters, the urban picnickers and the Mason Jar enthusiasts among us with its Classic Mason Salad Jar that holds 34 ounces in a jar with a mouth wide enough to fill easily and then to fork the salad right out of it. A salad dressing container fits under the lid, and it’s made of Eastman Tritan, so it’s not going to crack, stain or break, and it will retail for $12.99 when it’s available to ship in April.

The urban picnickers among us will be just as enthusiastic about this year’s offerings from Pack-It, which is going extra-fashionable this year with the Freezable Uptown Lunch Bag and Freezable Carryall Lunch Bag. The Uptown Lunch Bag is a messenger-style bag with a wide base that will fit larger salad containers, great style and plenty of room for utensils and personal items in its zip pocket and storage pouch. It retails for $24.99.

Pack-It Carryall in the Gingham pattern

Pack-It Uptown in the Bloom pattern

Retailing for $19.99, the Carryall Lunch Bag offers good looks in a shoulder bag and includes a storage pouch for utensils and personal items. Both include the Pack-It built-in cooling pack that helps keep lunches chilled and safe to eat without requiring bulky extra ice packs.

The Built NY Uptown Lunch Tote from Lifetime Brands is a fresh and fashionable take on a speedy silhouette handbag. Its neoprene construction is sturdy, durable, water-resistant, hand-washable and stretches to hold a little more on a hungry day. It retails for $29.99. The Built NY Lunchpack Union Square Backpack has a detachable lunch compartment with a heavy-duty insulating lining and is a great option for students. The backpack has air mesh straps for comfort and a padded compartment for electronic devices. It retails for $49.99.

Finally, Bento Boxes from Takenaka are an economical alternative to standard lunch boxes. These rectangular boxes and inner dividers come in a wide range of trendy colors and four different sizes for the perfect match of capacity to lunch-time appetite. They’re BPA-free and microwave and dishwasher safe.