Please Share!

While we at K+BB combed the K/BIS show floor to find the latest and greatest items to tell you about, with 900-plus exhibitors we had to narrow it down and only post some highlights here. We'd love to hear from you about what you found most useful, fascinating, innovative or even downright awful at this year's  show.

Please use the "comments" feature at the end of this post, or any post that sparks your memory, and tell us about the products and trends you saw at K/BIS 2008.

Thanks!

—Ellen Sturm Niz

P.S. While the most recent posts about K/BIS are right here on the "Live from K/BIS" homepage, you can see all the posts from show beginning to end by scrolling down and choosing "April 2008" from the Archives section in the right-hand column.

Showers and Bathtubs and Sinks, Oh My!

After returning back to New York with visions of every kitchen and bath product known to man dancing in my head, I still haven't quite digested all that I saw at the show. But as I was reviewing all the literature I picked up, there were a few bathroom products that continued to stand out to me:

ShowHouse by Moen's Vivid Selection faucet for the powder room features a two-handle bathroom sink and comes in a chrome finish for $1,030.

The Werner bathtub from O Design is a combination of stainless steel and glass.

The S5070 SkyLine Showerpanel from Hansgrohe features a fold-out shoulder shower and flip-out foot rest for easy leg shaving.

This mod-looking pedestal sink from i.FORMZ by Design Studio is made with Corian.

—Ellen Sturm Niz

The show is over but there is more to read...

I know that KBIS 2008 is over but I didn't get to finish telling you about all the other great products I saw and thought you would be interested in. So, below are the last few I think you should look into, visit their site, contact 'em, or just read up on the product...

The PermaFLOW: I feel like I'm about to do an infomercial but I really did love this product. What I loved about its ingenuity is that it's a drain system that you don't ever have to worry about clogging up on you. Not that I think Drano will ever go out of business but this little gadget looked like it really works.

Audience: "So how does it work Phil?"

Phil: I'm glad you asked that. Well folks, the way it basically works is that once you replace the P-trap (the U shaped drainpipe in your sink) with their patented product, its paddle churns and breaks apart any debris and depositions as the water flows through it. It sorta has a little drain cleaner basically built right into in. Also, if and when a clog does happen, all you have to do is turn the external knob, which is attached to a spindle inside, to clear away the clog. Just don't drop your ring down the drain.

Warm Up: I always thought floor heating is expensive but after listening to these guys, I must admit, I will be considering this if I redo a bathroom or kitchen in my home. Floor Heating Systems are not intended to be the sole source of heat in a home but it is a great comfort feature and does add value to the home.

One great point these guys made is that we often waste so much money heating up a home early in the morning before we head to work. I know that on those slightly chilly days, I still crank up the heat in the morning so that my feet don't get cold when I step into the bathroom or kitchen. (I can't be the only one doing this, right?) All this for the few moments I spent before hurrying to work. Though I do set the thermostat back down when I leave, I know that I wasted so much money heating the house up. This little simple solution can help save on that heating bill. It uses as little energy as three or four 100 watt light bulbs or we can even compare it to using a hairdryer. Why should we warm up the entire house just for the few minutes in the morning?

Noritz: Sticking with the subject of heating, I loved Noritz Tankless Water Heaters. I guess this is another great product I will consider for future home improvement projects. Noritz recently introduced their N-0841MC hybrid condensing unit, as part of their "Next Generation" Series. According to their representatives, its 93% energy efficient compared to 60% of a typical tank water heater.

The words that stuck out to me in our conversation were, "Endless hot Water." Wow, no more worrying about my family using up all the hot water when I'm last in line or when I use the second shower. The other great feature is that it saves on your energy bills since it doesn't need to re-heat water constantly as with other traditional water heaters. Also, unlike tank-type heaters, you don't ever have to worry about rust building up inside the tank.

Their representative also told me that they are real popular in Europe and that they are just catching on here in the states. Why are we always so behind? Why?

— Philip Mathew, Trade Show Editor

What does Ty have to Say?

Check out our exclusive interview with Ty Pennington

Watch more interviews, booth visits, and other videos at K+BB TV.

Cook Like Kelly Ripa

I won't name names, but my culinary skills have recently been called into question. Let me set the record straight: I can cook, I just generally choose not to. Electrolux's new line of 130 SKUs, the largest launch in company history, has products for both the accomplished chef and the neophyte like me. Boasting uniform functionality, ease of use, style and innovation, the Electrolux appliances include a wall over with "wave touch control," fully extendable slide-out racks, ramp-up lighting and the "perfect turkey button," which will figure out the correct cooking temperature and time when you enter the size of the bird. Other highlights of the line include a hybrid induction cooktop, which can boil a cup of ice in 90 seconds, and an enormous dishwasher, which holds 16 place settings.

Kelly Ripa is the new Electrolux spokesperson; the new campaign launches tomorrow. Ripa and Electrolux are also partnering to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund to raise $500,000 over the next two years.—Ellen Sturm Niz

Germ Warfare

I consider myself something of a clean freak, and nothing annoys me more than trying to get into all the cracks and crevices while cleaning my toilet. I long for a wall-mounted model to install in my small bath so I don't have to contort myself to get behind the pedestal where all the ick collects. But until I do a major bath remodel, there is not much I can do about that.

The toilet seat, however, is easy to replace. And Bemis Manufacturing Company has launched its new XCITE! toilet seat hinge with a sleek, edge-free design that covers the space between the hinges, eliminating the area where dirt and germs collect. "Germs" (pictured below) are already on the offensive, picketing Bemis' K/BIS booth.—Ellen Sturm Niz

What's all the fuss about Dual Flush?

Everywhere I walked along the show floor, I would overhear someone talking about dual flush toilets. That was the big news from every manufacturer. Upon first hearing that every toilet company is now offering this, I was a little apprehensive that this might be worse than the introduction of low flush toilets out onto the market. Do you remember how unreceptive the average consumer was when that concept was first introduced? Well, this time, I don't think there will be any worry about this new toilet feature.

As long as it is properly introduced to the consumer, I strongly believe it will be in every home within a few years. The best way to explain it is that most (nine out of 10 according to one study) bathroom visits don't require a full flush so why not have two buttons for the two toilet purposes. One button for no. 1 and the second button... for well, no.2.

We waste so much water using the toilet and the dual flush toilet will improve water efficiency by nearly 50%. According to manufacturers, approximately 40% of household water is used for the toilet. I find that a little hard to believe when comparing it to the usage of showers, washing machines, and dishwashers, but every manufacturer was preaching this message. I guess they are right since, washing machines and dishwashers are only used once or twice a week and each toilet flush does use a few gallons. Shower usage on the other hand... well that might be true for some people.

Before we all go out and invest in a brand new dual flush toilet, the folks over at Brondell have a better solution. Their Ecoflow system enables you to install the dual flush functionality into practically any existing tank. It fits over 90% of existing toilet fixtures. It takes approximately 30 minutes or so to install but the savings start right away. After this, the only thing greener to do is redo some plumbing so that you can use grey-water (waste water) from your sink and shower to be recycled for your toilet water.    

— Philip Mathew, Trade Show Editor

Note to Noah: Cancel the Ark

Gadgets for the kitchen and bath abound, some useful, some not. One that is actually functional and could prevent headaches for a lot of homeowners is Flowban. This easy-to-install mechanical device can sense the water level in a bath, shutting off the flow to automatically prevent a flood. Utilizing magnets for power, there is no need for any electrical supply or batteries. "Hello, Noah? Cancel the ark." —Ellen Sturm Niz

This Product Sucks!

Well, actually it Twists 'N' Locks. That is what the full line of decorative suction cup fixtures by Croydex USA does. It is not only innovative but the full range of products is beautifully designed. The ingenuity behind the products is that unlike other suction products, the Twist 'N' Lock creates a vacuum around the cup as you twist the cap, sealing it tight against the wall. The twisting also pulls the tension away from the center of the cup, enabling the fixture to stay up and hold up to ten pounds of weight.

So even if you buy the family size shampoo and conditioner, this product can hold it. I gave the three tier shelf (pic. on the left) a good tug and it really is sturdy. There is a full range of products from Twist 'N' Lock, from storage baskets, to towel racks, and even shower mirrors. Their Everloc line of products can be mounted to smooth walls, painted surfaces, and of course grouted bathroom tiles. Best of all, you can remove it without having to worry about it leaving marks or rings on the wall.   

— Philip Mathew, Trade Show Editor

Good Vibrations

Walking the show floor for hours on end day after day, trying to digest all there is to see, can be both stressful and exhausting. After a while, all the functioning displays of relaxing showerheads with gentle rain or pulsing massage sprays and pleasantly bubbling whirlpool tubs start to look pretty inviting—except for the fact that the water is likely cold and you've have to be a serious exhibitionist to strip down and take a bath in front of 40,000 other people.

Kohler's massive booth, however, features a VibrAcoustic chamber where you can experience the triple-whammy of music, vibrations and chromotherapy featured in the company's Fountainhead Bath with VibrAcoustic technology. I stepped into the chamber (see photo below for my 15 minutes of fame) to try it out, and I have to say it was pretty relaxing. The music surrounds you and the vibrations slowly shake the tension out of your body. It was hard to get the full effect of the chromotherapy lights, but I suppose they couldn't hurt.

The Fountainhead Bath with VibrAcoustic  technology as seen on the show floor (photo below)—with faucet shown, iPod dock and all the bells and whistles—is $13,000. Do you think they'll take a check?

Another highlight of the Kohler booth was the Crevasse prep sink with Cynchronous Rising Technology (photo below). One short cycle flushes the sloped and narrow sink with water, possibly washing away red wine you may have had to pour out (blasphemous!), while a longer cycle rinses more substantial waste, such as vegetable peelings, towards the drain and automatically turns on and off the garbage disposal. Designed to be a secondary sink, Crevasse's minimalistic design makes it a pretty sexy kitchen addition.

—Ellen Sturm Niz