These jars are one of my favorites from this year's Housewares show. I actually saw them online a few weeks ago, and I was hoping to see them in person. These are going to be just lovely in the right kitchen. More

Here's one of the more beautiful things I've seen so far at the 2011 Housewares Show: A stovetop set of tools for making hot tea and espresso. The photos don't do them justice; they just stopped me in my tracks. More

FRED & Friends makes quirky, playful, family-friendly products for the table and the kitchen, and they are always one of the first places I visit at the Housewares Show. They are a friendly bunch of people, too, with well-developed senses of humor. Here are a few new things from this year — all playful and a little silly, and awfully fun for the kitchen. More

I'm pacing the miles (literally miles!) of aisles in Chicago's McCormick Place today and tomorrow, scanning the thousands of products on display at the Home & Housewares Show. Nearly everyone who makes or sells something for the kitchen and the home is here this week, and while there is a lot of useless stuff on display, it's also a pleasure to check out quality products in person. Here's one great product: An update to Chicago Metallic's high-quality toaster oven bakeware line. More

Two weeks ago I flew out to Chicago to see the gargantuan Home & Housewares Show for the first time. I love Chicago and the show was really interesting in that it wasn't furniture or design centered, but service centered. Everything was closer to hardware store than to home furnishings shop, and everything was PRACTICAL. After two days of trolling (I barely cracked the show), here are my top finds. More

The color news from KitchenAid at the Home and Housewares show in Chicago this week is bright and bold. There are two big stories - the "new" color which was there in prototype form, and another look at the 90th anniversary model of the now-iconic stand mixer. Plus — exciting news about that retro glass bowl! More

Microwaves and silicone - these two things and certainly the combination of both were hardly likely to win our attention at the Housewares show. We've predicted that home cooks are past the honeymoon phase with silicone and until recently we really only used our microwave for defrosting chicken and melting butter.

But things have changed. Yesterday two illustrious kitchen figures - Mark Bittman and Harold McGee - sang the microwave's praises. We're wondering if we have overlooked our microwave's good qualities. Enter this Orka silicone steamer, which really impressed us at the show. More

Here's an interesting and practical product that we saw at the Housewares show - stackable pots and pans with removable handles. You only need one set of handles and they snap off and on one-handed. Take a look! More info about these Cristel pots below... More

Cast iron, ceramic, and steel - we saw mini and personal-sized dishes and cookware in all of those materials at the Housewares show. Mini cookware is popular and has been for a long time, of course. But we were impressed by how many companies' newest offerings were in wee sizes. Like the tiny spice skillet in our kitchen tour through Devesh and Tara's Spice Pantry, small cookware can have some very practical uses, too; it's not just for cuteness.

Take a trip with us through some of our favorites, below. Staub, Le Creuset, All-Clad, and more...

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Bamboo has been used in sheets and other home textiles for a while now, but it's just making its way into the kitchen mainstream. We found these towels, above, in the Green Showcase at the Home and Housewares 2008 Show, and this was just the tip of bamboo textile iceberg at the show.

For our thoughts and reactions to bamboo in the kitchen, as well as some other bamboo towels, read on... More