New housewares products at the national show

The creative ability of manufacturers to continue to present ncw and improved housewares products was very evident at the recently conciuded National Housewares Exposition in Chicago.

As expected there were a greater number of energy-saving and home safety devices, including an easily installed, automatic fuel saver clock therrnostat from one manufacturer who clairns fuel savings of up to 30% on heating and20% on cooling.

Another exhibitor is introducing a "take charge" smoke detector with self-charging batteries that fits into a ceiling-mount light fixture and has a built-in exit beam that works even in a power failure.

Aboard the ethnic cooking "bandwagon" are numerous electric woks ibr Oriental stir fry cooking, and an ever-growing number of electric pizza makers for baking frozen or o'from scratch" pizza and other frozen foods. Both of thesc housewares can double for rnulti-use purposes, the wok for stearning or stewing, the pizza baker as a griddle for frying eggs or sausages, among other uses.

One manufacturer is showing a three-in-one multi-purpose cooker that steams vegetables, deep fries and cooks one-pot meals with different dial settings. Another is introducing a twoquart capacity electric ice cream rnaker that can freeze two different flavors at the same tirre, in less than 30 minutes.

The widespread interest in food preparation machines goes on apace, with more food processors being shown and slicing and shredding food processor attachments being available for already established food preparation units. Other items coming on stronger than ever are food dehydrators and microwave oven accessories for cooking and baking that often can be used in conventional ovens.

But no new product round-up would be complete without a few "off beat" items from an industry whose countless thousands of home-use products are found in every room of the house, downstairs in the basement and outside in the yard or patio, as well.

Here are just a few from the January NHMA National Housewares Show:

Butterfly-shaped dimensionalvinyl screen patches that can be used to repair torn window screens or stuck onto glass doors to make them visible and orevent accidents.

Story at a Glance

New products at the National Housewares Show range from the sensible and needed to the ridiculous now, if you like to sing in the shower, have we got a deal for you.

. . . Rotating "carrousel" barbecue work stand with a center shaft tl.rat sticks into the lawn and has a revolving tray with lbur hooks to hold barbecue tools, food and condiments.

. . Three-in-one-cutlery set consists of three stainless steel klit-e blades for different purposes, which lock quickly into a single polished rosewood handle, and all can be stored together in a vinyl zipper case.

Pressure-sensitive roach tape is multilayered and impregnated with enough insecticide to provide a reservoir that keeps on killing roaches for many months.

. . "Shower songs" is a packet of eight waterproof song cards, which comes with a suction cup holder that sticks to the shower wall and holds the cards, so you have the words available to sing in the shower.

. . "Good egg" thermometer for cooking eggs takes out guesswork, automatically takes into consideration such variables as atmospheric conditions, altitude, size and number of eggs to be boiled at the same time, their temperature when placed in the water, and desired degree of doneness.

What will those housewares people think of next?