Small Electrics to Shine at IH+HS

By Lorrie Baumann

The 2016 International Home + Housewares Show sold out in late December, more than 10 weeks before opening day, according to the International Housewares Association, the show’s owner and operator, and all indications are that its four-day run is just not going to be enough time to see all of the new product introductions that will be on display March 5 through March 8 in Chicago’s McCormick Place. More than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world are expected to exhibit their wares at the show, including 400 new companies exhibiting for the first time.“To date we have exceeded last year’s exhibit space square footage, a sign of how important this world-class marketplace is to IHA member suppliers,” said Phil Brandl, IHA President and CEO. “We look forward to bringing the industry together at the premier housewares trade event.”

The 2016 show will feature new branding focusing on the “It’s smART” theme, which combines smart business decisions directly with the art used to design, create and market products. Show signage and visuals will reflect the melding of smart thinking and smart design. Also new this year, the Discover Design category has been expanded to an expo and moved to a new location in the North Building. The Discover Design Expo will feature nearly 200 companies and brands from all show categories and Design Debut, which allows 10 new-to-the-show exhibitors whose product demonstrates high-design and innovation to come and experience the International Home + Housewares Show without having to create an entire display.

Keurig Green Mountain has anticipated the show with its introduction last fall of the Keurig KOLD, the latest in a stream of carbonated beverage makers aimed at taking some of the fizz out of Sodastream’s market niche. The Keurig KOLD boasts its partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group that will allow Keurig KOLD users to recreate their favorite beverages from those companies at home with the push of a button. According to Brian Kelley, President and CEO of Keurig, “The disruptive countertop-size innovation in KOLD is like nothing consumers have ever experienced – from the rapid chilling that turns room temperature water to a perfectly chilled drink at the push of a button; to the dispensing technology that produces consistently great tasting beverages; to the pod technology which enables fully carbonated beverages. KOLD delivers game changing, on-demand variety of sparkling or non-carbonated beverages all made fresh with Keurig simplicity.”

The Keurig KOLD drink maker comes in white and black and retails for $369.99. KOLD pods retail for $4.49 to $4.99 for a four-count box.

Jarden Consumer Solutions has another countertop appliance that will be welcomed by those who enjoy entertaining crowds in their home: the Swing & Serve Slow Cooker from Crock-Pot. This dandy item includes two 1.5-quart crocks that sit on swivel arms over a 3.5-quart crock. Each can be independently operated to cook on either high or low heat or to keep food warm. Imagine pulled pork in the large crock, baked beans in one of the smaller ones and a special barbecue sauce in the third – there’s a dinner that’s ready to be served at halftime. The Swing & Serve Slow Cooker cuts down on the counter space that’s required for storing all these various crocks – the swivel arms that hold the smaller crocks fold in for easy storage and rotate out for serving. Not everyone will need this, but for those who like to entertain, whether that means the friends who come over for a buffet or a barbecue or the extended family that has returned home for the holidays, the Swing & Serve Slow Cooker is a solution they’ll consider.

For the dorm room that allows small electric appliances or the healthy eater with a low-fat diet, the Oster 7 Minute Grill takes its cue from the waffle makers we see in hotel breakfast buffets. It’ll cook burgers, steak, chicken, hot dogs and more in seven minutes or less. The food is loaded onto the Oil Infused DuraCeramic™ cooking plates, the cover is closed and then the grill is flipped into a vertical position that allows grease to drip down into a catch tray on the base. An integrated timer has an indicator signal when the cooking is done. The Oil Infused DuraCeramic nonstick ceramic coating on the cooking plates won’t flake or peel and it’s PFOA and PTFE free. See both the Swing & Serve Slow Cooker and the Oster 7 Minute Grill at the Jarden Consumer Solutions booth at IH+HS.

WESTON is appealing to the outdoorsy slow cookers who like to put their beans and beef on to cook in the morning before a long day in the duck blind with the Realtree Outfitters® 8 Quart Slow Cooker by WESTON. This slow cooker is great for large gatherings. The 8 quart stoneware can fit a 7-pound roast or an 8-pound bird. A Lid Latch™ strap to hold the lid in place makes it easy to transport. It has a suggested retail price of $44.99 and is available to ship immediately.

Finally, JURA will be making its new Z6 Coffee Center the focal point of its booth at IH+HS, says Tom McMahon, the company’s Vice President of Sales. “This machine will really take our offering of fully automatic coffee centers up to the next level,” he said.

The Z6 includes several new features, including an option for making the trendy flat white. An intelligent water system reads an RFID chip integrated into the filter to adjust for the hardness of the water and indicate to the user when the filter should be replaced. The Z6 can be loaded from the front, the bean container has been moved forward for better access and there’s even a self-cleaning feature!

The Z6 has a suggested retail price of $3,499. It’ll be released exclusively to Sur Le Table in February but available to other retailers on May 1.