I’m not really sure what detergent is, but I guess it’s a big deal that the new WasH2O washing machine from Haier doesn’t use any of it. Instead, it uses dihydrogen monoxide, a dangerous chemical that corrodes metal and can be deadly if inhaled. The dihydrogen monoxide is separated into two ions (OH- and H+) which can apparently remove stains and sterilize fabrics. Whether or not you decide to call that “clean” is up to you, since there are lots of totally gross things that are technically sterile. Ew. The WasH2O can handle a soiled 6kg of unmentionables in about 29 minutes and comes in 6 different stains for a smudge under a grand; currently available in France.
If you’re concerned about the potential dangers of dihydrogen monoxide, you can learn more about it here.
Not by any stretch of the imagination do I need a toaster with a built-in LCD display but that probably won’t stop me from upgrading for the simple reason that this toaster has a built-in LCD display. So not only will it provide you with an actual countdown to let you know when your bread or bagel is ready but the brushed stainless steel finish will also serve as an excellent fingerprint magnet.
The 800-watt toaster also has 8 different browning settings, defrost and bagel functions as well as cool touch side walls to keep those morning burns to a minimum. But at $59.99 from Cooking.com I’ll probably just stick with my current toaster which is actually just a space heater with a digital watch taped to the side.
If you’ve ever taken a shower, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of having to wait for the water to warm itself up to a tolerable temperature. Perhaps you get so frustrated that you go and brush your teeth in the interim, smugly returning a few minutes later to a toasty warm shower. But what about all that wasted water, huh? And the wasted energy heating that water? And the wasted money? Not feeling so smug now, are we? The ShowerStart hot water saver claims to save (over the course of one year) 2,500 gallons of water and $75 in heating costs for an average family of 3, by automatically turning your shower off as soon as the water warms up. Flick the switch on the ShowerStart when you’re ready to go, and you’ll get hot water instantly. It mounts just behind your shower head, so you won’t even notice it’s there.
Essentially, the ShowerStart works like a flourescent lightbulb as opposed to an incandescent light bulb. For a small up front cost and a little bit of inconvenience, you save money and energy in the long run. Does it make sense? Absolutely. Am I going to buy one? Probably not, because I’m just that lazy.
While clever door innovations are nothing new high-end appliance manufacturer Gaggenau feels that the best way to improve upon the door is to simply get rid of it. Their new BL 253 Lift Oven has a unique ‘LiftMatic’ function that will lower the oven’s glass ceramic base directly to your countertop allowing food and dishes to be easily loaded. Another push of the button will then cause the food to be automatically raised into the cooking cavity.
Besides just looking cool the Lift Oven also has several practical advantages over a traditional stove. Since heat rises the hot air remains in the oven cavity when the base is lowered resulting in minimal heat loss if you need to check on the food. Another obvious advantage is that you don’t need to risk a nasty burn by touching or reaching into a hot oven to remove cooked items. In addition to the lift function the BL 253 also has a sleek stainless steel finish and a stainless steel tinted glass window that’s illuminated via halogen lighting.
But while the Gaggenau Lift Oven might look like just a concept the company will actually be producing and selling them come October of this year for around $3,300.
The Tefal Quick Cup (or T-Fal for those in North America and Japan) is another shot at improving the kettle by only heating as much water as is actually needed. You simply fill the reservoir with cold tap water and then any time you need hot water for coffee or tea you just push the red button and it will be automatically dispensed. The water is only heated as it travels from the reservoir to the spout and it only takes 3 seconds to bring the temperature to just below the boiling point using Tefal’s patented Opti-Quick system. And if you only need cold water just push the black button and you’ll get clean, filtered water from the spout instead.
Since the Quick Cup only heats the water as it’s being dispensed it dramatically cuts down on wasted energy. In fact Tefal claims the kettle can reduce energy consumption by 65% compared to a standard kettle. Not only is using less energy better for the environment but it’s also great for your monthly energy bill.
The Quick Cup will be released in early July (in Europe at least) and will retail for about $120. While it’s not cheap it’s probably one of those ‘better in the long run’ kind of things.
Here’s yet another product that makes you wonder why no one has ever thought of it before. In this case it’s a South American appliance company called Consul that has made a simple improvement to a couple of refrigerator models they sell. The outside of the fridges are made to work like a dry-erase board allowing you to jot down notes, make a shopping list or just doodle with the included red and purple dry erase markers.
If you’re like most people your fridge’s compatibility with magnets has made it a depository of take-out restaurant flyers, emergency contact reminders and tacky souvenirs. Now you can take back your fridge and turn it into an original piece of art that reflects your own tastes and drawing skills.
Unfortunately it seems the Aqualera fridges are only available in Brazil at the moment and run about $760 for the model with freezer and about $630 for the model without.
Also if you check out the Aqualera website there’s a section where you can make your own fridge doodles online. Just click on the ‘COMECAR A DESENHAR’ link.
When it comes to cooking in a small space I don’t think you can get much more functionality crammed into a small appliance than with the Russell Hobbs Mini Oven. Well, I guess they probably could stick an MP3 player in there too if they really wanted.
On the bottom you’ll find a thermostatically controlled oven which has a respectable 26L capacity and is also self-cleaning. On top of the oven you’ll find a large (1kW) and medium (0.7kw) hotplate which can be used at the same time as the oven for grilling, roasting, boiling or frying. You’re not gonna be cooking up any Thanksgiving feasts with this thing but you can do far more than just noodles.
Of course if you live in an apartment small enough to need the Mini Oven its $200 price tag from John Lewis might not fit your budget. But if you’re equipping that new half-million dollar motorhome it could be the perfect addition.
I’m somewhat of a warbird enthusiast, so I find this P-40 Warhawk ceiling fan to be particularly cool. And cooling. Get it? Right. Like the actual P-40, the fan features 3 blades and a fairly powerful engine, as well as the familiar Flying Tigers sharkmouth design (stolen, incidentally, from the German Luftwaffe Zerstörer Bf 110 squadron). The prop spans 48″ and there’s even an integrated light in the nosecone, but no nose mounted .50 caliber machine guns, which is too bad. I guess it’s an E version or later. You’re looking at just under $250 shipped to your door for the whole kit.
While the P-40 is a classic American fighter plane, I might rather buy something a little sexier to hang on my ceiling, like a Supermarine Spitfire fan. No, they don’t have one, but mentioning it in this context gives me an excuse to post this video (which may contain understandably NSFW audio at the end, so mute it):
If the thought of installing a full sized fridge in your perfectly maintained garage seems tacky or out of place then you’ll like this alternative. The Toolbox Refrigerator from Craftworks is designed to look exactly like a rolling tool chest complete with rugged red exterior and faux drawer pulls.
But the whole front opens up to reveal a fairly decent sized interior (4.4 cubic feet) where you can store snacks and drinks. It even has interior lighting for those late nights and a locking mechanism to keep the kids away from your grown-up beverages. The top of the fridge also functions as an easy to clean counter for making sandwiches or other more ‘elaborate’ meals. Now all they need to do is release a Toolbox Toilet and you’ll never have to go back in the house again!
The Toolbox Refrigerator is available from After 5 for $349.99.
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By Andrew Liszewski
By Andrew Liszewski
