International Builders' Show Product Preview: Blade Runner Drywall Cutter

Measuring, marking, and cutting drywall can be messy and labor intensive, but a new tool promises faster and cleaner results.

The Blade Runner consists of a two oval-shaped pieces held together by powerful magnets. According to the manufacturer, you insert the edge of a 1/2- or 5/8-inch-thick piece of drywall into the gap between the halves and then draw the tool along the desired cut line. A small tempered-steel blade extends from each half of the Blade Runner to score the paper covering of the drywall. Your precise tap then yields a clean break along the scored line. The Blade Runner can also handle moisture-resistant drywall but can't cut cement board (typically used in bathrooms and other damp environments) or some of the thicker sheets of drywall used to soundproof home theaters and other rooms.

If the tool works as designed, you should be able to avoid common drywall missteps, including torn paper and wandering cutlines, not to mention injuries. It should also eliminate the time wasted scoring both sides of a sheet of drywall and smoothing rough edges. The Blade Runner accepts the end of a tape measure (shown) so you can make straight cuts without marking them in advance.

The tool, made by Goldblatt Tools and CertainTeed, is expected to sell for $70, including a pair of blades rated to cut 3,700 linear feet before replacement. A three-pack of replacement blades cost $10.—Gian Trotta

Essential Information: If you're planning a project that requires hanging drywall, read our reports on cordless drills and tool kits and circular saws (handy for cutting the framing on which you'll hang drywall).

Low-flow bathroom faucets on the rise

The Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense label appeared on a number of bathroom faucets on display at last month’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago. (Many other WaterSense-labeled products were at the show, including the Caroma Sydney Smart 305 toilet.) Dozens of lower-flow bathroom faucets are now being marketed by companies like Delta, Gerber, Moen, and Price Pfister (whose Ashfield faucet is shown), and they have a maximum flow rate that’s about 30 percent lower than standard models. Interestingly, as part of the WaterSense program, an independent laboratory assesses compliance with existing faucet-construction and -performance standards as well as the additional WaterSense requirements.

WaterSense-qualified faucets provide a maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute at 60 pounds per square inch. To keep manufacturers from introducing trickling faucets that could conceivably satisfy the WaterSense criteria but not consumers—echoes of the first generation of low-flow toilets—the EPA also mandated a minimum flow of 0.8 gpm at 20 psi.

Even if you’re not in the market for a new bathroom faucet, you can still save water by replacing the current aerators on your faucets with new ones ($3 and up) that limit water flow. If you’ve already installed WaterSense faucets, keep them flowing smoothly by clearing or replacing their aerators when they clogs.

The EPA is planning to add showerheads to the list of WaterSense products. I wonder how the agency expects to lower water consumption in showers at a time when multihead, multimedia-equipped spa-style showers seem omnipresent at the trade shows I attend. Think about it: If someone’s in a shower fitted with eight 2-gpm showerheads and a music player or TV, aren’t they likely to spend more time with the water running?—Ed Perratore

Essential information: Visit our Bed & Bath page for more details, including ideas for bathroom makeovers, reviews of toilets, and buying advice for countertops.

Kitchen/Bath Industry Show Product Preview: Hansgrohe Croma showerheads

Showering and bathing use lots of water. Indeed, Americans consume more than 1.2 trillion gallons a year to get clean, estimates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

So in this Age of Green, Hansgrohe has introduced adjustable spray showerheads to its lineup. The manufacturer claims the Croma C 100 (shown) and Croma E 100 showerheads give the full, drenching coverage of standard high-end models yet use nearly 30 percent less water than the government-mandated maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute. (Note that there isn’t a WaterSense label for showerheads, indicating that a product uses much less water than a conventional model, but the EPA is aiming to have one for qualified products in spring 2009.)

Both Croma showerheads offer normal, massage, and intense turbo spray settings. The Croma C 100 offers a traditional style is available in those finishes and polished nickel and oil-rubbed bronze. The Croma E 100 has a contemporary look and comes in chrome, brushed nickel, and polished brass. They’re available at bath and kitchen showrooms nationwide and cost $60 to $94.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Before you shop, learn about the different types of showerheads and the factors that affect performance. And watch our video from the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show on the latest trends in the bathroom.

Turn your bathroom into at-home retreat

Given the current depressed housing market, Americans are more likely to stay in their current homes than to move. But they’ll continue to pump money into their condos, town homes, and houses: U.S. consumers are expected to spend in excess of $170 billion on remodeling projects in 2008, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

The bathroom remains one of the most commonly fixed-up rooms. One trend in recent years has seen bathrooms converted into getaway spaces as consumers bling out their baths with whirlpool tubs, steam and multihead showers, high-style sinks, faucets, counters, and flooring, and other fixtures and surfaces once found only in high-end hotels and resorts. And, of course, the bathroom has become a multimedia center just like the kitchen, as manufacturers add music and video to their bathroom gear.

At last week's 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show, we saw of the latest bathroom offerings, including the Hansgrohe Pharo Showerpanel SkyLine,  the Brondell Swash Ecoseat toilet seat, and the SonicSplash audio option from Lasco. Learn about these and other products in our video (right), featuring Bob Markovich, Home editor of Consumer Reports.—Steven H. Saltzman

Essential information: Use our expert advice when you’re shopping for a new toilet and refer to our Ratings (available to subscribers) to find the right model for your home. Also learn how to remodel a bathroom for less and avoid common project mistakes.

Bamboo is growing in the home

Consumer Reports has tested bamboo towels, bamboo flooring, and even bamboo plates, many touting the claimed green aspects of these products. And last week we saw all kinds of bamboo offerings at the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show, including Rio Grande Imports' Zoom bamboo bath sink, Totally Bamboo's bamboo countertop panels for kitchens and baths, and Teragren's Studio bamboo flooring.

Learn about the latest green-themed bamboo products in the video (right) featuring Bob Markovich, Home editor of Consumer Reports.

Kitchen/Bath Industry Show Product Preview: Vinotemp Eco-Series wine chillers

Refrigerators rely on a compressor to operate, but the Vinotemp Eco-Series wine chillers use thermoelectric technology. This approach, claims the manufacturer, is better for the wine and for the environment.

The main advantage of this technology, says Vinotemp, is that no chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons are used. These gases, commonly referred to as freons, can damage the ozone layer. (Note that the types of gas used in today’s refrigerator compressors, hydrofluorocarbons, do not affect the ozone layer.) Other claimed benefits of this technology include less vibration—a “merciless killer” of wine, says Vinotemp—and better temperature accuracy, +/- 0.1°C.

The Eco-Series lineup includes 18- or 28-bottle single-zone units, $229 to $314, and a 21-bottle dual-zone model and 32- and 48-bottle dual-zone units, $314 to $599. (The 32-bottle unit is shown. Smaller countertop models are available, too.) These freestanding wine chillers come in black with stainless-steel doors, trim, and handles and double-pane glass. You’ll find them online and in stores, including Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Read our advice on choosing a wine chiller and see the Ratings of wine-storage units (available to subscribers). Also, find out which wines to buy to fill up your chiller, and discover the proper serving temperatures for reds and whites.

Kitchen/Bath Industry Show Product Preview: Diva 365 induction range

In our tests, induction cooktops have proved themselves, having broken our speed record for boiling water and simmered sauce flawlessly. What’s more, the magnetic field, which does the cooking on these cooktops, sends nearly all of its heat to the pot or pan, so the cooking surface remains relatively cool, a safety plus.

The new Diva 365 induction range, among the first on the market, is a 36-inch stainless-steel appliance with five induction elements—one large, 4,000-watt “Super Burner”; two 3,000-watt side burners; and two 2,000-watt versions for small pots and lower-heat simmering. (Watch our video, right.)

The 365 comes with a premium price tag: $8,950. Note that the range also requires two 220-volt circuits.—Bob Markovich

Essential information: See our Cooktops and Wall Ovens product page for detailed information on gas and electric cooktops, and learn more about induction models. If you’re in the market for a cooktop, use our buying advice to find the best model, including detailed information on important cooktop features. Before you shop, refer to our Ratings of gas and electric models, available to subscribers.

Kitchen/Bath Industry Show Product Preview: Thomas’ Liquid Stainless Steel

Suppose you love your refrigerator, range, or dishwasher but really hate the bisque color you loved when you bought the appliance. Instead of replacing the appliance you can give it a makeover. Thomas' Kitchen Art Liquid Stainless Steel is designed to cover up an old finish with a stainless-steel look.

You can apply this brush-on finish yourself in a weekend, claims Thomas’. This two-part, water-based paint includes a base coat with micron-size flakes of real stainless steel and a clear-urethane topcoat for toughness, says the manufacturer. You can even use your refrigerator magnets once the paint has cured, according to Thomas’. (An after shot of a range is shown below left; the before of the same range is below right.)

The steps are straightforward:
• Prep the appliance surface by removing or masking handles and trim. Lightly rough-sand and clean the surface with window cleaner.
• Apply three light coats of the paint with a roller and smooth it with a foam brush, letting each coat dry about an hour before you apply the next one.

Liquid Stainless Steel works on painted and stainless finishes and can withstand heat up to 300°F on range tops, according to the manufacturer. The Fridge Kit, $40, is supposed to have enough paint for an average-size refrigerator, while the Range and Dishwasher Kit, $20, should handle both appliances. The kits are sold at hardware stores and some Home Depots. A spray-on version for faucets and other small items is on the way, says Thomas’.—Bob Markovich

Kitchen/Bath Industry Show Product Preview: Fisher & Paykel CookSurface gas cooktop

First there were electric smoothtop cooktops, which eliminated food-trapping coils. Next came gas-on-glass versions, which did away with the grime-trapping wells typically found around the burners.

The latest easier-to-clean cooktop is the 36-inch-wide, three-burner CookSurface gas model from the Fisher & Paykel. After you’re done cooking, says the manufacturer, you push a large knob on the cooktop to lower the burners so they’re flush with the ceramic glass cooktop, facilitating cleanup. Next time you need to boil water, sauté a steak, or stir-fry some vegetables, you push the knob to raise the burners. (The photo shows the cooktop with a burner recessed, left, and elevated.)

To lower or raise the flame level when cooking, you twist that same knob, says the manufacturer. The CookSurface cooktop provides smooth heat control by using the patented AeroBurner system, which adds oxygen as the flame setting goes up, according to Fisher & Paykel.

The three burners can go from a low simmer to a robust 15,000 Btu. Other features include digital displays, quiet igniters, and pan supports that rise and lower with the burners and replace the usual grates. The 21-inch-deep and 161⁄2-inch-deep versions of this cooktop should arrive at Fisher & Paykel dealers and select Lowe’s stores nationwide this fall.—Bob Markovich

Essential information: If you’re in the market for a cooktop, use our buying advice to find the best model, including detailed information on important cooktop features. Before you shop, refer to our Ratings of gas and electric models, available to subscribers.

 

Live From the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show!

The Consumer Reports Home & Garden team has been in Chicago this week to cover the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS), the biggest annual event for kitchen- and bath-industry professionals. Our editors and market analysts have been scoping out the latest trends and the hottest products from more than 1,000 exhibitors.

Learn more about K/BIS at the official show site, and be sure to visit the Home & Garden blog over the next several days to read show coverage (you'll find the posts below), watch our exclusive product-preview videos, and stay abreast of what’s headed your way for the kitchen and bathroom.