10 Super Fun Kitchen Products We Saw at the International Housewares Show
Every March, thousands of manufacturers, retailers, and editors (like us!) travel to Chicago for the International Home + Housewares Show. It’s at this massive show that we get to see the coolest upcoming products from giant brands like KitchenAid, Oxo, Vitamix, and more. The show takes us at least three days to walk through. It’s fun, but it’s brutal on our feet and backs!
You can stay seated, though: We now present you with the 10 finds we’re most excited to see hit stores.
1. A hand mixer that’ll save your wrists.
Designed to minimize arm and wrist stress, the Hamilton Beach ErgoMix Hand Mixer has a comfy ergonomic handle. We were able to hold it and mix up cookie dough without unintentionally putting our elbow way up in the air (don’t pretend like it’s never happened to you!). The motor also has a slow start feature (it builds up to the desired speed), so you don’t splatter your ingredients all over the place.
Available: August
Look for it: Hamilton Beach
2. A Dutch oven that’s also a grill pan.
We love a Dutch oven. We also love a cast iron grill pan. So you can be sure we were seeing stars when we learned that Le Creuset combined the two with their new Multi-Function 4.75 Qt. Oval Oven with Reversible Grill Pan. You see, the lid doubles as a grill pan. It will come in Cerise, Marseille, Flame, Caribbean, Marine, and Oyster and retail for $300.
Available: Late March
Look for it: Le Creuset
3. The cutest French press we’ve ever seen.
We’ve seen cork trivets, cork flooring, and even cork shoes, but we’ve never seen a cork French press before. This little accent of cork is so adorable. And you can even thumbtack reminders to it if you tend to be extra forgetful in the mornings.
Available: TBD
Look for it: Bodum
4. Whiskey glasses that clumsy people can’t break.
Govino made a splash in the home bar space when they came out with shatterproof wine glasses and champagne flutes. Now they’re launching whiskey glasses, and the cups are complete with the brand’s signature thumb indentation, which makes them extra easy to hold.
Available: May
Look for it: Govino
5. The world’s most on-trend kitchen appliance.
There’s no question: Slow cookers are hotter now than they were when our parents first started using them. And this little 1.5-quart option is covered in cacti, which are even trendier. Can’t you just see this set up for a taco party, filled with melted cheese? (There was also an option with little fox faces!)
Available: TBD
Look for it: Bella Housewares
6. Cast iron that can go in the dishwasher.
A lot of love goes into seasoning and caring for a cast iron pan. For those of us who don’t have the time to give the necessary TLC, this new cookware line from Sabatier comes pre-seasoned and can go in the dishwasher.
Available: Now
Look for it: Amazon
7. A blender that’s also kind of a juicer.
If you’re curious about getting into juicing, but aren’t ready to commit to a full-blown machine just yet, you might appreciate the Powercrush Digital Blending System from Black + Decker. That tube you see in the middle of the blender’s pitcher is actually an infuser, which lets juice out but holds onto pulp, rinds, and seeds.
Available: Fall
Look for it: Black + Decker
8. A trash compacter that’s easy (and oddly satisfying) to use.
See that little handle near the opening of this trash can? It flips up and then gets pushed down to compact trash to take up way less space. Thanks to this handy handle (hehe), the 30-liter bin can actually hold up to 90 liters of squished garbage.
Available: September
Look for it: Joseph Joseph
9. A machine that speeds up the cold brew process.
Cuisinart’s new Cold Brew Coffeemaker makes cold brew in as little as 25 minutes — instead of 25 hours. It’s electric, which means it does most of the work for you. And it includes a seven-cup glass carafe that can store the brew in the fridge for up to two weeks at a time.
Available: July
Look for it: Cuisinart
10. A juicer worthy of sitting next to a SMEG fridge.
The retro-looking SMEG fridge has been getting more and more popular in American kitchens. To help people complete their kitchens, the company also has stand mixers, toasters, and a few other small electrics. The latest one to hit the U.S. markets? A juicer.
Available: Now
Look for it: SMEG