Each year at the National Hardware Show, retailers, manufacturers and inventors come together to preview the latest trends and innovations in the hardware industry. Products exhibited range from basic tools and lawn and garden equipment to paint and décor items and plumbing accessories. Here’s a look at a trio of new products displayed at the National Hardware Show this past May that are now available for purchase in stores or on line.
Sudden water temperature changes can be more than just an inconvenience – at times, they can be downright dangerous. Tap water scalds are the second most common cause of severe burn injuries. The HotStop Anti-Scald Shower Head (pictured) helps prevent such injuries. When a person is showering and the water temperature suddenly rises to an unsafe temperature, the HotStop quickly drops the water flow to a trickle to avoid scalding. Once the water in the line cools, the usual flow is automatically restored. HotStop installs just like a standard shower head and requires no special tools or plumbing expertise. The HotStop Shower head is currently available for purchase from retailers like Lowes for $24.99.
The Big Slider Utility Mover was invented by a woman looking for a way to move large items around her house when her husband wasn’t around. The resulting product is a flexible plastic sheet that can move up to 500 pounds on concrete. Best of all, no lifting is required – a person simply tilts, loads and slides the piece where it needs to go. The possible uses are endless; the Big Slider Web site even notes over 100. Among them, moving furniture, transporting machinery in a work area, and hauling bags of grass, mulch and fertilizer around the yard. The product has an easy-to-grip handle on one side and comes with a rope for items that need to be secured. Along with saving time, the Big Slider also could save people a lot of back aches and trips to the chiropractor. The Big Slider (available in three different models priced from $54.95 to $134.95) can currently be purchased through the inventor’s Web site.
Designed specifically for firefighters, police officers and first responders, the 6-N-1 Rescue Tool from Channellock® is a handy item to have in the event of an emergency. This tool pretty much offers up everything a professional needs to multitask during car accidents, fires or other calamities. According to Channellock, the tool’s “aggressive cross-hatch teeth twist and pull anything that gets in your way”. The cutting edges of the pliers have been laser heat-treated to make cutting through wires and battery cables a breeze. A pry bar on the end of one handle enables individuals to pull open doors and windows, while the other handle is equipped with a slot for shutting off standard gas safety valves and a spanner wrench to tighten and loosen hose couplings. The tool also features a steel punch that can be used to shatter glass. Cargo-pocket size and lightweight enough to carry around, this is the tool to have when disaster strikes. The Rescue Tool can be purchased online at the Channellock Web site for $69.89.
Next year’s National Hardware Show will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 5-7, 2009.
