March 2023 ertonline.co.uk


REVIEW


Innovation and inspiration back with a bang!


The Inspired Home Show in Chicago was back for its second out- ing since COVID, with a strong increase in exhibitors and visitors. Innovation, as ever, was at the forefront… as Sarah Selzer reports.


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here were just under 30,000 visitors to this year’s Inspired Home Show in Chicago, many more than last year’s initial return since the pandemic. Those looking for SDA and smart


home tech won’t have been disappointed! But the Show is a great example of how these events can be hugely valuable for networking too – making connections with distributors, brands and buyers from your own country as well as overseas. There are opportunities too to visit supplementary exhibits like ‘new exhibitors’ and ‘trending today’ on the first morning before the Show opens – plus a full programme of talks and a chance to visit US retail in and around Chicago.


Principally though, the Show is all about the product. Spread across three large halls, product highlights covered a range of international brands including: Laifen haircare (from China, super-sleek hairdryers, $180- $220. Has sold over three million units in Asia since starting in 2019); Canadian Smartmi portable air con, around $300 and voltage adaptable; Bru tea maker from Switzerland (classic white or black with rose gold trim); Milton Smart Casserole from Indian manufacturer, Hamilton Housewares, which includes geotagged and scheduled heating. Definitely one to watch – robot vacuums from Roborock, founded in 2014 in China by a former Microsoft Product Manager. They could be a game-changer!


Product highlights – available to the UK The Funky Appliance Co was attending its first Inspired Home Show and Co-Founder and CEO, Joe Sillett, described the experience


as “up onto a level that even I have been surprised by!” He recorded his thoughts on LinkedIn – worth a view! New Funky Microwaves joined the Toasters and Kettles already in the UK market. UK designer, Gavin Reay, was another first- timer at the Show with


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showcasing his USB rechargeable one-


handed stirrer Stirr in the Discover Design area. “The initial launch in the US was a sell-out success as I think consumers recognise the value of a more environmentally-friendly power source,” he said. “They’re still the original Stirr as well as this latest version.”


The Cleanstation from Simplehuman uses 30 UV-C LEDs to eliminate 99.9 per cent of bacteria from a mobile phone, in just 30 seconds. The light from the lamps reflects off the walls of the omni-luxTM chamber, cleaning the entire surface. Insertion and removal is touch-free.


FinaMill is the


world’s first electronic spice grinder with i nt er c ha n ge ab l e pods, which double as storage for all your spices and can be swapped out with just


a couple of clicks. One-handed operation makes them perfect for multitasking cooks and people with limited mobility – and the grind size is adjustable. Trova is a suite of smart safes that have the added benefit of looking just like a box if they’re placed on a shelf or in sight – the large black model could pass for a home scanner or printer, for instance. The US brand is selling into the UK through a few outlets but is keen on getting a wider presence.


Inventor Revue brings together small brands hoping to get picked up by major retailers as well as take advantage o f


adv i c e


from visiting speakers on the ‘Pitch to the


Pros’ panel. This year one of the slots featured several former contestants on Shark Tank (the US equivalent to the UK’s Dragons’ Den). One business in the line-up of hopefuls included a former NFL player and coach, Terry Robiskie (pictured) who, with coffee maker manufacturer EHB, has created the patented Helmet Coffee Maker “offering sports fans a unique way to support their team year-round, one cup of coffee at a time”. With NFL increasingly popular in the UK, who knows?! The product is already being licensed to racing teams and even the military!


Next year’s The Inspired Home Show 16-19 March 2024 www.theinspiredhomeshow.com


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