By David Gill
Home-comfort products is another category that continually ratchets up new features and technology, and the launches slated for this week’s International Home & Housewares Show are no exception. Vendors of air purifiers, room heaters, air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers are attempting to set the bar in product innovations at a new height. Products for both indoors and outdoors will be on display.
Blueair
The company is showcasing and demonstrating its full line of HEPASilent trademarked indoor air purifiers this week. Included are the ECO series, E-Series, MD Professional and a new line of Blueair air purifiers that raise the bar on performance, filtration and filter-change indicators, according to a Blueair statement. The ECO10 is the newest member of the company’s line of air purifiers, and offers increased energy efficiency (running on 10 watts at its highest speed and seven watts at its lowest speed) and significantly reduced carbon emissions.
Also new is the Blueair Electronic Series, which includes the 450E, the 550E and the 650E, all digital air purifiers that complement the 250E introduced last year. The Electronic Series manages indoor air with a remote control and digital display that continuously monitors and purifies the air using integrated electronic sensors and automatic fan control. It also features the high-efficiency, patented HEPA Silent filter technology, a change-filter indicator, electronic gas and particle sensors, automatic mode and an on-off timer.
The Blueair MD Professional series of air purifiers are specially designed for commercial use in health-care facilities, hotels, apartments and condominiums, retirement homes and schools. The units provide maximum control of airborne contaminants and complement existing ventilation systems.
De’Longhi USA
Among the new home-comfort products from the company are a compact ceramic heater and two tower ceramic heaters. For the latter, consumers can chose from 10 different colors for the frame and base. Two new oil-filled radiators join De’Longhi’s ComforTemp line. The first is a new version of the model EW7707CM, now available in black. The second features a step-up fin design.
ECO-heater
The company comes to the Housewares Show with its signature product, an electric wall panel heater. The ECO-heater can be mounted onto a wall and heats a 12-by-12-foot room using just 400 watts. The panel measures 23.25-by-23.25-by-0.375 inches, and can be painted with water-based latex paint to match any room decor.
Electrolux
The brand’s new Oxygen Ultra with PlasmaWave air cleaner builds upon its expertise in filtration, while providing a stylish design. The product features three-stage filtration; an odor sensor that automatically detects odors; and PlasmaWave technology, which neutralizes viruses, bacteria, chemical vapors and gases in the air. It also boasts nearly silent operation; an automatic mode of operation; and indicator lights that tell the user exactly how the cleaner is operating, when the filter needs to be changed and at which of the five speeds the air cleaner is running.
Swizz Style
The company says the OTTO is the first wood-formed fan. It features a sleek wood frame and three settings for circulating room air. The wood frame is made of quartered sapele wood and is oiled twice to produce a high-quality matte finish. It’s also designed with height-adjustable feet, enabling it to fit into any space. Swizz Style is also displaying the OTTO at the Pantone ColorWatch exhibit, which is in level three of the Lakeside Center and which focuses on eight color palettes that represent the strongest home furnishings trends for 2010.
Vornado
One of the company’s highlighted products this week is the V101, which, according to a Vornado statement, is the company’s most powerful air-circulator model. The V101 quietly moves air up to 100 feet, and comes in a design-forward style with a chrome steel band, and a midsize appearance compared with the company’s larger models. It also allows the user full control of the direction of the air flow, adjusting to 90 degrees. The new model incorporates Vornado’s Signature Vortex Circulation technology, which creates swirling, deep-penetrating currents of air throughout the room.
Vornado is also spotlighting its Under Cabinet Circulator. This unit is attached to the underside of a kitchen cabinet and pivots 360 degrees to provide circulation for cooking areas. It features low and high speeds, and pushes a beam of air up to 25 feet. It is also designed with a slim profile so that it’s almost entirely out of sight when it’s flipped up to the underside of the cabinet. The Under Cabinet Circulator incorporates Signature Vortex Circulation, and comes with a five-year limited warranty.
The V102 Whole Room Air Circulator has a squared shape and a high gloss finish on a beveled frame, which, combined with a matte textured front, creates a dramatic look. It moves air up to 80 feet and features silver push-button controls that are top-mounted and offer three speeds. It also uses Signature Vortex Circulation and is backed by a five-year limited warranty.
WindChaser
The company’s Portable Air Conditioner is a 12,000-BTU model which encompasses four functions—air conditioner, fan, heater and dehumidifier—in one unit. Its technology includes a self-evaporative system that enhances cooling efficiency. It features touch-screen key padlock, three fan speeds, a 24-hour adjustable timer, an automatic popup air outlet, anti-bacterial filters and an automatic restart function.
Also new is WindChaser’s Electric Outdoor Halogen Patio Heater, which attaches to the underside of a table umbrella. This 1,500-watt unit includes three heat settings—500-watt, 1,000-watt and 1,500-watt—and emits infrared heat directly on a person or object. It is energy-efficient, provides whisper-quiet operation and is collapsible for easy storage.