If They Build It...The Smart and Cool From the 2011 Builders' Show

We want to save money and time, while helping the environment but we can't help but want to also feel pampered at the same time! Those were some of the themes I discovered at the International Builders' Show in Orlando ( IBS) with my friend, Eric Stromer, of HGTV, TLC and AOl.

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Best and Worst Products of the Year

Before you go and buy anything else for your home this year, you must check out ShopSmart Magazine's Best and Worst list!

I had the chance to talk with one of their editors who tested more than 60 products from from coffee makers and crock pots, to vacuums, treadmills, even chocolate! And now that I have your attention - CHOCOLATE - you may be surprised to discover, at least I was, that one of the least expensive generic brands on the planet Kirkland  (Costco) Signature  Belgian Chocolate was rated as every bit as yummy as those fancy high end chocolates, like Godiva and the like.

Here's the list of stand outs - and below you can listen to my interview with ShopSmart Magazine.

Coffee Grinder - Cuisinart Supreme Grind - $50 -Best-priced and really crushes coffee beans like the barristas at your favorite coffee joint.

Coffeemakers -  Kalorik CM25282 $80 One of the best brewers in testing and easy to use.

Black & Decker DLX10508 $20 - Great deal and brewed almost as well as the Kalorik in testing.

Iron - T-Fal Ultraglide FV4370 $50 - Flattens stubborn creases and plastic cord extender to keep cord from dragging across your clothes.Washer - Electrolux WaveTouch EWFLW65H(W) $1600 - Pricey yes, but ShopSmart found it scored high in genetleness and overall performance. Plus it's a frontloader making it more efficient and saving you around $125 a year on your energy and hot-water costs.

Vacuums - Dirt Devil Feather Bagless M0855845 $60 -- Great on pet hair, light and easy to use.

Hoover Platinum Bagged UH30010COM $400- Top scores for cleaning and has a canister mini vac.

Sewing Machine - Brother Innov-is 40 Project Runway Limited Edition $400 - Can't see Heidi Klum using this but who knows! And ShopSmart found it's ease to use stick selector and preprogrammed options great.

Cook pan - EarthPan with Sand Flow - 10 Piece Set $190-  Coated with special sand anti scratch and eco friendly coating, beat all the other sets they tested. 

Paint - Behr Premium Plus Interior Satin Enamel $24 - Half the price of many brands and is ShopSmart's top choice in stain and eggshell. Best at hiding darker colors in just one coat.

Rival Crock-Pot SCVC604H-SS $60 - IT can be programmed so dinner will be ready when you get home~ IT's also oven safe!

Treadmill - Bowflex Series 7 - $1500 - You've seen the infomercial, and ShopSmart says they tried it and found it sturdy and solid unlike other fold-up treadmills they tested.

Chocolate-Kirkland (Costco)Signature Belgian Chocolates - 1 lb box $12 - A third the price of other fancy schmancy chocolates and according to tests, just a yummy in the tummy~!

See the entire list at www.shopsmarmag.org.

And now for the duds or "L" Loser List - - ShopSmart found these to be not so much.

The Snuggie $14.99 - It may have a cult-like following but when you wash it, the blanket with sleeves gets bald spots.

ShamWow $19.95 - Spokesman Vince Shlomi may be laughing all the way to the bank, but in testing, it dieesn't absort better than a sponge and is far more expensive!

Hercules Hook $15- Go with a plain old regular hook instead for those heavy items!

Get a Grip handle $12.99 - It yanked tile off walls!

Ikea Sparsam CFL bulb E26 GSU111 $13  Five of 10 they tested fizzled before claimed lifetimes.

Listen to my interview here!

Good luck and happy shopping!

Cindy

Cindy@cindydole.com

New Finds at International Builders' Show

Energy efficient, Smart Technology, Organization, but also Affordable Luxury because we still want it. Those were the key themes at the recent International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

Here are some of the cool things that I especially liked:

Whirlpool Smart Dryer that “talks” to your utility company, so you know when it’s the best time to do laundry, based on power demand. Here's a preview of their smart grid clothes dryer that will be launched in a year. By connecting household appliances, homes and communities to a smart grid, smart appliances can easily and conveniently shift a portion of household energy use to “off peak” hours, drastically reducing peak energy consumption without compromising core product performance.

Whirlpool’s Resource Saver Side by Side Refrigerator – It catches spills, and Whirlpool calls it the most energy efficient side-by-side fridge on the market.  It’s due out later this year.  If a bottle or can of something spills over inside, the fridge catches it for you, and stop it in its tracks.

Verve Lighting Control System –Remote control lighting system that is affordable and flexible to the homeowner. Estimated installation 1-2 dollars a square foot!

Kohler Flip side Shower head - For $108 dollars you get 4 different kinds of shower sprays, including one the Kohler demonstration guy calls “Sugar water” that is very soft and smooth! They're officially water settings described as: 

• -Koverage™-a full-face spray for a superb performance for everyday use
• -Kotton™- releases a uniquely dense, soft, enveloping downpour of luxury spa spray
• -Komotion™- a full-face spray that delivers a drenching spray in an exhilarating, circular pattern that both relaxes and refreshes the senses for a deep sense of well being
• -Kurrent™- delivers a targeted massage spray to ease away aches and pains and revitalize your body

 Kohler  Home Stand-By Generator. If the power goes out, you are ready to be your own utility with generator power for up to three days! This generator can be fuled by propane or natural gas and is 20 kw.The higher power range of these new generators permit homeowners to run powerful household items such as heating and cooling systems, sump pumps, sophisticated electronics, major appliances, and other lifestyle-sustaining equipment.

Honeywell Solar Speaker –Enjoy music or outdoor theater experience while generating sound power from the sun. Up to 8 hours without a charge – allows speaker to run on sun during the day and then holds charge thru night. Plug in any audio source -iPhone, stereo, radio, you name it. About $200.

Behr 100% Acrylic Paint – You don’t want the paint on your home’s exterior to shred into pieces. But that’s what happens in this test of lesser quality paint, compared to the Behr 100% acrylic paint, which stays in tact, with the expansion and contraction of your home. Watch the balloon test!

Gladiator Garage Organization. We never have enough garage space, and here is a way to keep yours organized without buying it all at once. It’s available at Lowe’s. Start at a couple hundred bucks and build up to a few thousand – build it and organize it as you go to transform your garage with wall, shelving storage, even the Chillerator an energy star refrigerator on wheels, designed for the garage . If you want the whole garage organization system, estimated cost $5,000.

Andersen Windows A-Series - Their new line of windows and patio doors that come in a wide variety of colors and design options, while exceeding energy-efficiency standards. The trim comes in 11 exterior colors available in windows and doors to match or contrast with a home’s color scheme. They are made out of a wood fiber and vinyl material developed by Anderson and it won't material that never needs painting and won’t flake, rot, blister or peel. And they are easy as a snap to put on.

Schlage Re-keyable Deadbolt “Secure Key”- No more need to have a locksmith come re-key your door – you can do it yourself! The magic is in the new Schlage blue key. Unlike traditional pin-and-tumbler locks, which must be removed from the door and disassembled for rekeying, SecureKey locks and deadbolts have a new high-security design that enables them to be rekeyed in seconds—without removal from the door and without compromising security. Security is actually enhanced through the use of a pick-resistant Grade 1* cylinder and a special locking sidebar that protects against lock bumping. The SecureKey design is 10 times more secure from key duplication than other rekeyable systems on the market.

Schlage LiNK™- If you forget to lock the door when you are gone, or you want to check on who is coming and going out of the house - this is it! A a home management security system that allows wireless keypad locks to be integrated throughout your home security system. It is built around Z-Wave^® technology, enabling homeowners to lock and unlock doors, monitor live camera feeds, and control temperature, lighting and other Z-Wave-enabled devices from any computer and most Web-enabled mobile phones, including Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones.

Dow Chemical Insulated Sheathing -How to stop energy loss in your home? Watch the comparison with the heat sensor cam of energy lost and energy saved!

 What do you like?

Cindy

cindy@homewizards.tv