HOME WORK: 8 HOT HOUSEHOLD HELPERS
Other Columnists
What makes a product a hit?
Home improvement expert Danny Lipford, a contributing editor to CBS' "Early
Show," says it's savings.
As in saving time, money or even energy.
"What makes a product work is when it helps the user save something,"
Lipford says. In the building trade, a tool that reduces installation time
often takes off. For the homeowner, it might be a gadget that simplifies a
grungy chore.
"The products that make the most sense generally stick around," Lipford
says.
With that in mind, here are eight hot household products for 2007. They
combine convenience, technology and, of course, some element of savings.
Some - like SmartHome technology and FlatWire Ready Products - made big
splashes at the International Builders' Show in Orlando last month.
Sooner or later, SmartHome technology, which allows users to control
electrical devices and home systems with a remote control device, is going to
make its way to the every-day home, Lipford says. Right now, it's a bit
high-end, a bit expensive, for the average homeowner.
But consider how SmartHome products could aid the elderly or disabled.
Imagine not having to walk all the way upstairs to see if someone had
remembered to switch off the bedroom lights. Simply press a button on a keypad,
and the lights switch off.
The technology places an Insteon chip in devices such as range-top fans and
even furnaces so homeowners can control them with the push of a button.
Lipford thinks FlatWire, which allows do-it-yourselfers to add electrical
outlets and light fixtures without snaking wires through walls, is a
no-brainer. "It really solves a very common household problem," he says. "A
homeowner can add an outlet or fixture, and it doesn't have to be messy or
complicated.
"I think it appeals to a lot of people."
Speaking of appeal, my personal favorite is the Executive Screen, a
retractable screen system by a Canadian manufacturer that turns outdoor porches
and patios into insect-free living space. The screen system is more about
extending leisure time than savings. But, in my book, that's a home run, too.
Imagine staying out a little later on a warm Friday night this spring,
while the screen system keeps those pesky mosquitoes and moths outside, where
they belong.
GRANITE TILE SYSTEM
Here's a low-cost alternative to messy rewiring projects. FlatWire is a
paper-thin wire that mounts on walls or ceilings and can be painted or covered
with wallpaper for "invisible" installation. It's a simple job for the novice
handyman, and the UL-certified FlatWire Ready product line includes lighting
fixtures and audio systems. A twin-sconce lighting system runs $199. A
surround sound kit with five speakers is $249. Wire components come in several
gauges and lengths and range from $38 for 25 feet of 18 AWG to $995 for 500
feet of 12 AWG.
Link: www.flatwiretv.com
RETRACTABLE SCREEN SYSTEMS
A simple feature - especially to outdoor lovers - of the Renewed American Home
on display at the International Builders' Show was a patio with a plasma TV and
a fireplace. What made the patio special was its motorized retractable screen
system by Phantom Screens of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. A housing
and small motor fit into the columns on the porch, and when insects come out
the screens come down. When Phantom's Executive Screens are in use, the porch
or patio becomes an extension of a home's indoor living area.
Paul Lang of SeaSide Retractable Screens in Center Moriches carries the Phantom
line. He says it's about $2,500 for a 10-foot-by-10-foot screen, installed.
Link: phantomscreens.com
TURBOCHEF WALL OVEN
Other than dining at your favorite restaurant, what's more convenient than
having an oven that cooks 15 times faster than a conventional oven? Using its
own restaurant technology, TurboChef's 30-inch Double Wall Speedcook Oven blows
heated air through the oven cavity at speeds of up to 60 mph, allowing food to
cook faster yet retain its moisture. The end results mean more flavorful
dishes - faster. The Speedcook Oven can bake a potato in six minutes or roast a
12-pound turkey in 42 minutes. The oven, which runs about $7,895, hints at a
retro design, with curved edges, hearth-shaped sculpted doors and a stainless
steel chassis. The upper door comes in stainless steel or any one of six colors
- Orange Hearth, Thermal Red, Evening Blue, Charcoal, White and Ivory.
Link: turbochef.com
FLATWIRE
Here's how to get granite countertops - and, for that matter, fireplace
surrounds, tub and shower walls, and stairways, too - for about half the price.
Bennissimo Systems Granite Solutions of Seattle makes precut granite tiles for
covering kitchen and bathroom countertops. The tiles come with a 4-centimeter
bullnose for elegant edging. Trims can be made with a wet saw, just like
ceramic tile installations. All components have an eased edge for fitting tight
joints with no spacers. Specialty mosaics and trims allow for custom
backsplashes. The tiles are available in 12 colors.
Link: bennissimosystems.com
BIOMETRIC DOOR LOCK
Forget your house keys? Why worry when you can open the front entry door with
the swipe of a finger? Kwikset's SmartScan technology stores the fingerprints
of up to 50 users so doors can conveniently open. Temporary access for repair
technicians and house cleaners also can be programmed. The SmartScan lock
operates on four double-A batteries, and if the batteries die out, then simply
use the lockset's keyed entry. SmartScan will be available in June for about
$200. Select Home Depot stores in New York, Florida and California are already
stocking them.
Link: kwikset.com
CUSTOM SHOWERS
If Kohler has its way, the simple morning shower will become a "shower
experience. " The DTV Custom Showering Experience enables users to personalize
their shower with a control panel mounted on the bathroom wall. The control
device adjusts nozzle angles and temperature settings and then stores them for
future use. A digital interface for shower systems runs from about $1,050. A
thermostatic valve starts at about $1,000.
Link: us.kohler.com/online
catalog/category.jsp?category=11
SMARTHOME TECHNOLOGY
Low-band wireless home networking technology is within the reach of the average
homeowner. Products with Insteon chips and devices from Lifeware that allow
managing digital media, locking entry doors and controlling thermostats via
remote control are making their way into more and more homes. The Insteon
technology is popular in lighting applications. About $1,000 of equipment is
all that's needed to bring high-tech illumination to any room, says Chris
Wyllie, owner of S.E.A.L. Solutions of Sound Beach. Lifeware has a package for
new construction and remodeled homes that retails for about $15,000 through
Best Buy. The Connected Life package allows homeowners to use touch-screen
panels to control video and audio systems, computer software, wireless access,
digital thermostats and heating controls, surveillance cameras and lighting
dimmers and switches.
Links: bestbuybusiness.com (click on the home automation link at the left),
smartlabsinc.com
WRAP N' SNAP COLUMNS
Wood columns on porches and decks can dent, peel, splinter and rot because of
the elements. With Royal Wood's Wrap N' Snap column, wood posts are protected
by a smooth layer of cellular PVC (polyvinylchloride). The treated post becomes
a finished column, complete with molding, in a matter of minutes. The PVC
material can be painted to match any style deck or porch. Wrap N' Snap has
premitered corners and a patent-pending locking system that guarantees a
perfect fit with no exposed fasteners (nails or screws). The wrap is available
in five common post dimensions - 4-x-4, 4-x-6, 6-x-6, 8-x-8 and 10-x-10 - in
lengths of 8 1/2 feet and 10 feet. Prices range from $65 for a 4-x-4-x-8 1/2 to
$190 for a 10-x-10-x-10. Available accessories include crown, bead and base
molding.
Link: royalwood.com
WRITE TO: Gary Dymski, 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, NY 11747-4250 or e-mail
Gary.Dymski@newsday.com
