HomePage News presents InSight+, an exclusive curator’s perspective on the creation and presentation of the HomePage News InSight Trend Index 2023/24.

The InSight Trend Index is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive digital report examining emerging and enduring home and housewares trends through products and innovations that embody them. The InSight team explored influential industry trade shows in the U.S. and abroad to identify global trends driving growth and expansion across home and housewares categories.

The trend index features nine portfolios ranging from at-home entertaining and outdoor living to trends in material and color, culminating with a look at the encompassing wellness trend. The portfolios represent how consumers are living, the evolution of their lives and homes, and what we found to be the roots of ongoing consumer lifestyles that drive trends. 

This special video presentation features InSight report curator author and industry trend analyst Tom Mirabile, founder of Springboard Futures, and report designer Dawn Evans, director of marketing for the International Housewares Association. Mirabile and Evans will take you behind the curtain to show how each of the nine InSight trend portfolios came into view. They explain why now a pivotal time for such a vivid exploration of trends in lifestyle, design, function and materials that drive today’s innovations; and how the HomePage News InSight Trend Index can be used as a practical tool for manufacturers and retailers cultivating the next growth opportunities for home and housewares.

The pandemic, like few periods in the history of the home and housewares business, illuminated the importance of trend — and what matters most to consumers. Post-pandemic, amid new market challenges, the business can’t be simply transactional. Success requires distinguishing from competitors and communicating in the clearest terms about your products, your brands and your relevance. In tighter market conditions, what now might be about taking market share will soon need to be about driving growth across an industry. How supplier and retailer brands tell their stories will depend on how they read their markets. The perspective will be different from business. But these are the new rules of engagement.

The HomePage News Trend Index applies years of expertise and analysis to understand where the consumer hot spots are… and where they’re headed.

It connects and synchronizes teams that run a business. It illustrates how they can think, create and execute as a team. Product development, marketing and merchandising can’t occur in a tunnel leading to so-called magic price points. Consider the InSight Trend Index a model for how intuitive, informed and industrious lifestyle product creation and selection can build a sustainable lifestyle business. And how that requires a collaborative team effort. 

The HomePage New InSight Trend Index is a collaborative team effort by Mirabile of Springboard Futures, Evans of IHA and the entire HomePage News team. It is also a collaboration with and for the home and housewares industry. In a way, our roles in bringing this unprecedented trend report to the market stand as a metaphor for how retailers should shop trade shows… to look for more than products… to look for consumer-driven experiences and solutions.

With help from today’s deeper perspective on why trends matter more than ever and how that fueled the InSight Trend Index, we encourage you to take another look at each of the report’s trend portfolios. See how it all adds up to provide what we hope is a truly inspiring view on how to curate home and housewares success.

The HomePage News Insight Trend Index will evolve in 2024 to support the next wave of trend-activating home and housewares products. Future installments of the report showcasing evolving and new trend portfolios will showcase added marketplace intelligence and data to provide greater depth to the trends discovered and explored by InSight and the forces that drive and sustain them.

InSight, is, indeed, a powerful tool. 

— Peter Giannetti, Editor-in-Chief

View All InSight Portfolios

Roborock has launched the Dyad Air, a handheld vacuum that cleans wet and dry messes simultaneously.

“A wet-dry vacuum remains a relatively new product concept in the home cleaning category. We understand customers’ dire need of finding new ways to hack their cleaning routines to save time and effort,” said Richard Chang, founder and CEO of Roborock. “With the ability to vacuum and mop in one go, Dyad Air aims to bring the core benefits of a simple yet powerful one-stop cleaning solution to the mass consumer. Equipped with Roborock’s most innovative wet-dry cleaning technology at a mid-tier price point that resonates with the market, Dyad Air serves as the perfect entry point for someone looking to simplify cleaning.”

The Dyad Air features:

• Powerful Cleaning Performance: The Dyad Air vacuums and mops at the same time with 17,000Pa of suction power and the ability to clean as close as 3mm away from edges and corners.
• Enhanced Intelligence: The vacuum features DirTect Smart Sensors that adapt cleaning power and water flow based on floor conditions. It is supported by the Roborock App, allowing consumers to receive real-time alerts and maintain full control.
• Ease of Use: The Dyad Air’s RevoBrush self-cleaning and drying system automatically cleans the roller brush and dries it with hot air. It has up to 50 minutes of run time and is designed for prolonged use, both short- and long-term.

The Dyad Air is now available for purchase in the United States on Amazon and the Roborock official online store for an MSRP of $429.99.

Wahl has introduced the Pro Series High Visibility Trimmer, partnering with actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan to promote the launch.

The trimmer is designed to provide precision and visibility to deliver superior lines and the flexibility to trim, shave and detail.

“There’s a brotherhood of men who take honor in their craft, be it refurbishing a car, developing a rye whiskey — or sculpting a beard,” said Morgan (pictured above), best known for his role as the neatly bearded Negan in AMC’s “The Walking Dead” franchise. “Whatever your passion, if you want to level up, you’ll need the right tools to get you there. And when I first held this trimmer, I thought, ‘Woah, this is a serious piece of kit.'”

The Wahl Pro Series High Visibility Trimmer includes:

• Visibility: The trimmer is engineered to provide a five-times clearer line of sight (compared to Wahl’s standard trimmers and several competing trimmers) from every angle for sharper and straighter beard lines, said the company.
• No-Slip Grip: Built with zinc-alloy metal, the no-slip rubber grip offers comfort and control.
• Precision: The diamond-hard-coated “Forever Blade” is made to cut closer and smoother than a standard blade for less skin irritation.
• Multi-Purpose Grooming: The trimmer’s all-in-one design includes three easy-change heads: a trimmer, a foil shaver and a detailer.
• Long Run-Time: The grooming tool can last months between charges with a powerful lithium-ion battery, said Wahl, and if needed, there is a three-minute quick charge feature.

The Wahl Pro Series High Visibility Trimmer has an MSRP of $149.99 and is currently available on Amazon.

HomePage News presents RapidFire with Circana, an exclusive video series spotlighting data-driven insights on key home + housewares trends and topics from Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for Circana.

In this episode of Rapid Fire, Derochowski will share his forecast on the 2023 holiday season for housewares, as well as some insights to get the industry thinking early about next year’s holiday.

Sunbrella, a manufacturer of fabrics for outdoor and indoor furnishings, launched ReMade, a line of one-of-a-kind home goods made from upcycled Sunbrella fabrics. The ReMade offering includes tabletop accessories, home textiles, wall hangings and tote bags. 

“While we have long prioritized sustainable practices, Sunbrella ReMade represents a new extension of our commitment to sustainability as we look to further connect our design team’s expertise to the circular economy,” said Allen Gant III, general manager of lifestyle products at Sunbrella. “Finished home goods made from repurposed industry-leading performance fabrics were missing in the marketplace and we’re glad to give consumers another option where performance, sustainability and elevated design can coexist without compromise.”

Sunbrella ReMade utilizes the excess fabrics from the brand’s design and manufacturing process, including sample sets, design trials, short rolls and other sources. The fabric is upcycled into coasters, placemats, table runners, aprons, tote bags and wall hangings that double as picnic blankets.

The line was developed in partnership with sustainability leader Recircled for the company’s ability to embrace complexity and produce bespoke products, said Sunbrella. Like all Sunbrella fabrics, each product features the brand’s Color to the Core technology, designed to keep each fiber of yarn saturated to the core with UV-stable pigments for products that are weather- and stain-resistant.

The ReMade line is the latest step in Sunbrella’s commitment to sustainability which includes the Recycle Me Sunbrella program that provides manufacturing partners and consumers with an alternative outlet for disposal and has recycled more than one million pounds of fabric. The brand, in conjunction with parent company Glen Raven is on track to be 100% powered by certified renewable electricity by 2025 and carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

All ReMade products will be available for purchase on remade.sunbrella.com allowing consumers to view the design, fabrics and colors of each unique piece. New pieces will be added frequently, according to Sunbrella.

Generation Z continues its emergence as a primary consumer segment, and, as the group approaches the holidays, it is demonstrating some distinct preferences that can translate to opportunity.

Although sources differ slightly, Gen Z consumers range from 11 to 26 today. Because many are minors, market research often focuses on those 18 to 26, which is likely to reflect most of the younger echelon’s preferences.

At the same time, because they are in a similar life stage, some market research focuses on older Gen Zers and younger Millennials ages 18 to 34. As such, some ambiguity exists in market research derived from Gen Zers, but in general, the numbers suggest Gen Z has been heavily influenced by certain specific events that mark its development on the consumer front.

Gen Z has grown into an essential group of housewares consumers. In the HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Survey published early this year, young adults aged 18 to 34 were the most enthusiastic about purchasing from almost every housewares category examined. The group, comprising older Gen Zers and younger Millennials, consists of consumers starting out and setting themselves up to live independently. That makes them natural home product shoppers.

However, when divided strictly by generation, the Gen Z group tied and exceeded Millennials in their expectation to purchase housewares across multiple categories. In the study, Gen Z tied or edged out Millennials in anticipation of buying drinkware, flatware, kitchen electrics, home storage and organization, home environment, cleaning tools, floor care electrics, luggage and travel accessories, pet accessories, and, by several points, personal care. Whether this suggests a greater affinity for home cooking or entertaining, the result at least provides evidence that Gen Zers are home-conscious and willing to spend on products they can use in the domestic space.

The 2023 IHA Occasions Report published by HomePage News in late 2022 looks at life events and potential housewares purchases associated with them. Millennials tended to be the group looking forward to the most life events in 2023, from leaving for college through to retirement, including marrying and new home ownership. However, Gen Zers were usually close behind and ahead of older echelons. Gen Zers and Millennials anticipated life events upcoming for themselves and their immediate circle of family and friends. In both cases, Millennials tended to have more happenings lined up except where age might make Gen Z more prominent, as in the case of purchasing for their own moves to college.

When it came to purchasing housewares gifts for occasions, Gen Z was a solid second to Millennials throughout the study. Gen Zers edged out Millennials in the likelihood of purchasing a housewarming gift, although Millennials beat Gen Zers when it came to gifts for those leaving for college.

Shopping for major life events is different than doing so for holidays, but one thing that comes out of the two HomePage News reports is that Gen Z is the consumer demographic looking ahead to making housewares purchases throughout this year, certainly more so than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. Retailers and vendors should be taking Gen Zers seriously in the holiday sales period in terms of products provided and outreach.

Millennial youths were rocked by the Great Recession. That made them somewhat wary of economic institutions and caused them in many cases to enter life stages such as marriage and first home purchases later than might have been expected originally. Gen Z also has grown up under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and a more acute concern about environmental change as well as such social issues as equity.

Gen Z also is the first truly digital generation. Unlike Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and even some Millennials, online shopping was never a new revelation for Gen Zers.

As Gen Zers have emerged as consumers, the holiday shopping season has been evolving from its traditional timing. Amazon and then its rivals began launching major October sales events, accelerating an expansion of the holiday shopping season from the traditional Thanksgiving Weekend to Christmas period.

Marsha Everton, principal and founder at the Aimsights Group, a market research company that focuses on Millennials and Gen Zers, told HomePage News that, when it comes to shopping, Gen Zers like the experience of shopping in physical stores.

“It’s all about the experience,” Everton said. “And they are very discriminating and demanding about that experience. They want ‘unique” more than brand.”

In outreach to Gen Z consumers, Everton pointed out, TikTok is “huge. It’s the search engine of choice, displacing Google as the number one search engine in that age cohort.”

Still, although TikTok has become a pervasive influence, social media doesn’t dictate Gen Zer choices.

“Family and friends are still the most important influence on buying a product or brand, actually an even greater influence than we see in other generations/age groups,” Everton said. “For all of the media hype about their online habits, they are very relationship-driven and trust advice from people they know more than general online information.”

Research from Morning Consult indicated far more Gen Zers began their holiday shopping early compared to last year: 34% started late August 2023 versus 21% in 2022, a swing that contributed to shifts in fulfillment channel usage for early orders. Across the early shopping period, Gen Zers edged out Millennials as the top group of early shoppers, with 33% getting a jump on the season versus 28% a year earlier, according to Morning Consult. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers fell back concerning early shopping, with only 21% of each shopping by late August. Although many analysts hypothesize earlier shopping follows the desire to take advantage of retail sales and spread out holiday expenses, Morning Consult asserted its data indicates the opposite: Early shoppers are splurging, not trying to save.

In the Morning Consult research, only Gen Zers, at 6%, plan to spend more on decor for the 2023 holiday season.

Whether Gen Z consumers can sustain the early shopping pace through the holidays is an open question, the Morning Consult opined, but Gen Zers are out in front early and just might stay there.

The disruption and lengthening of traditional holiday shopping seems to be taking particular hold with Gen Z, which may also be true of Millennials. According to market research from shopping rewards app ShopKick, 40% of Gen Xers and 38% of Baby Boomers planned to shop on Black Friday, while only 18% of Millennials and 3% of Gen Zers expressed an intention to do so. The results in this year’s study contrasted sharply with the study conducted by ShopKick a year earlier. Then, 56% of Gen Z and half of Millennials planned to shop on Black Friday, a more significant proportion than the 44% of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers and 36% of the Silent Generation.

Bargain hunting isn’t the only factor driving Gen Z holiday shopping. In a recent study by market researcher Mintel, 48% of winter holiday shoppers said they might consider looking for pre-owned gifts. However, the proportion increased to 68% with GenZ consumers ages 18-24. The number of consumers planning to shop for the holidays in secondhand retailers grew eight percentage points in the study year-over-year, with 23% of Gen Z and Millennials planning on doing so.

In the fight for Gen Z dollars, as Everton of Aimsights pointed out, it’s critical to understand the importance of TikTok. According to Tinuiti Research, 35% of Gen Z consumers point to TikTok as the social media where they discover new products, followed by 18% on Instagram and 10% on Facebook. In contrast, Baby Boomers’ discovery is 3% TikTok, 5% Instagram and 25% Facebook.

When considering which major retailer Gen Zers prefer to start consumer product searches, in a bit of a surprise, 27% say Walmart, followed by Amazon (26%) and Target (12%). That contrasts with Baby Boomer search-beginning preferences of 29% for Amazon, 26% for Walmart and 4% for Target.

In other research, ICSC stated that 47% of Gen Zers will support brands that show concern about sustainability and an equal proportion on equity progress.

Gen Z might be pulling other generations along in their consideration of sustainability and social issues. In a First Insight study, Gen Zers were most likely to say they would spend more for sustainable products in 2019, at 73%. However, in 2021, Gen Z had slipped marginally in its willingness, down two points. Millennial willingness advanced to 72% from 68%, and Gen X willingness advanced to 78% from 55%. First Insight credited much of the change in the older generations’ purchasing to the influence of Gen Z.

Retail Development

Many retailers are introducing or touting AI-supported shopping initiatives ahead of the holiday season. For example, Newegg Commerce, a retailer heavily focused on younger consumers, has updated its consumer-facing AI use by launching summarized customer reviews generated via artificial intelligence, it announced in August. A month earlier, Newegg introduced an AI-based approach to housewares and home furnishing that organized shopping around a virtual home with rooms linked to product assortments. This summer, Wayfair introduced Decorify, which employs AI-enhanced technology to help consumers virtually remodel their home spaces before purchasing the products.

In those cases, the retailers are adding experiential elements that research has deemed important to Gen Zers. That points to an engagement trend, making functional elements more attractive to consumers who have grown up with video games and social media.

The gamification of shopping is an emerging, if not yet a thoroughly embraced, retail trend that also has ramifications for vendors working both with retailers and as part of the direct-to-consumer development. According to market research and advisory firm Mordor Intelligence, the gamification of retail has created a service market including players such as Microsoft and SAP, reaching $57.99 billion, which it suggests will grow slowly through 2028 to 58.7 billion in 2028. Although the compound annual growth rate is just .25%, as the market research and advisory firm sees it, artificial intelligence and machine learning are critical elements in gamification. Since the marketplace is only beginning to work through the opportunities those technologies offer, gamification could gain faster, particularly among consumers who grew up with video games. It also might help solve some of the navigational shortcomings of mobile device navigation and search originally adopted from algorithms developed for PCs.

Talon One, a promotion and loyalty software provider, pointed out that elements making shopping more of an experience through gaming and game-like features are already in use by a range of companies. For example, food delivery company Wolt includes a simple mini-game in its app: If Wolt users tap the app’s delivery timer, they receive a hidden game challenging them to tap as many times as they can within five seconds. If they beat the Wolt team’s score, they win a Wolt coupon.

It’s noteworthy that this approach has been gaining in physical retail environments. As long as four years ago, T.J. Maxx launched and awareness campaign featuring gamified pop-ups in six different locations in New York and Los Angeles. Each featured a selection of products curated by a group of six celebrities and influencers. Consumers could win the contents of each installation by correctly guessing the combined value of the products on display, posting their guesses under Instagram videos from T.J. Maxx or tagging them using the #maxximizing hashtag.

Ghost Retail, which works with companies on livestreaming, personal shopping and shoppable video, has pointed out that loyalty programs are among the areas where retailers explore basic forms of gamification, including point and badge systems, that reward consumers for specific behaviors. The company noted how Sephora awards customers points for their purchases, which can be redeemed for rewards like free products or exclusive experiences. The program incentivizes customers to make more purchases and creates a sense of exclusivity and community among Sephora’s loyal customers, the company stated.

Gen Z shoppers are known for being tech-savvy, social media-adept and highly competitive. They value experiences over possessions, and they also are more likely to make a purchase if they feel like they are getting a good deal. Any game offered should be easy to access, enjoyable in use and provide value to the Gen Z shopper, Ghost Retail said.

As the generation that grew up with the Internet and online shopping, Gen Zers aren’t shy about embracing new technological approaches to shopping.

According to recent consumer research by e-commerce technology company Rokt and the Harris Poll, 89% of Gen Zers globally think AI can improve online shopping. In the research, 55% of Gen Z respondents said they were interested in an AI assistant that would make online shopping more convenient by simplifying product discovery and anticipating their needs and preferences. Moreover, 51% of Gen Zers say they are interested in augmented reality and virtual reality shopping experiences. Walmart and West Elm have recognized that in its work with Roblox. Amazon has a Prime Video initiative linked to its superhero high school series with the evocative title “Gen V.”

Gen Zers identified the top five areas in which they expect AI will improve online shopping: help with comparing prices, cited by 47%; finding deals, at 45%;  receiving relevant offers and product suggestions, at 41%;  receiving personalized assistance, at 37%; and finding reviews at 28%.

Timing

A poll conducted at the beginning of this expanded holiday shopping season from e-commerce platform runner Shopify and Gallup identified consumers 18 to 29, mostly Gen Zers with a few younger Millennials included, as having the most robust spending intentions among generations studied and the greatest willingness to spend early for discounts.

Gen Z has grown up with the expansion of the holiday shopping season. Although Baby Boomers and even older consumers might still see shopping for Christmas in August as odd, Gen Zers see it as more natural.

In the survey, Gen Z consumers were most enthusiastic about holiday deals, saying they would probably or definitely start shopping back in the calendar if retailers rolled out seasonal deals and promotions before the traditional November to December shopping period. Shopify and Gallup called on retailers to make better use of earlier holiday deals specifically to cater to younger consumers. In the survey, 48% of the 18-to-29-year-olds said they could be attracted to earlier holiday discounts, well over the 28% average across all age groups. Shopify and Gallup affirmed younger consumers are ready to shop, with 37% saying they would spend more this year, almost double the average sentiment among all groups polled.

Gourmia has introduced the Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer, an air fryer that nests within itself to take up less space and fit inside a cabinet when not in use.

The Fry ‘N Fold features a square 7-quart glass basket and ten one-touch cooking presets, including air fry, roast, broil and dehydrate, among others. The glass basket is shatterproof and has a built-in light that allows user to keep an eye on their food as it cooks, according to Gourmet. In three steps, the lid can be stored within the glass basket for storage.

The air fryer uses the company’s FryForce 360° Technology designed to ensure food comes out juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with up to 80% less fat. The technology rapidly distributes even and consistent heated air around the air fryer basket with no oil required, according to the company.

Gourmia founder Heshy Biegeleisen said the Fry ‘N Fold Air Fryer is “designed with various popular cooking features that deliver a high standard of innovation, performance, and value. The Gourmia Fry ‘N Fold Air Fryer is perfect for everyday meal cooking and preparing goodies for entertaining family and friends.”

The Fry ‘N Fold Digital Air Fryer is available now at Target stores nationwide and online with an MSRP of $79.99.

Joelle Mertzel, president of Kitchen Concepts Unlimited, is on a mission to educate consumers about butter.

Mertzel came up with the idea for her flagship product, Butterie (pictured above), after discovering butter didn’t need to be refrigerated. “I grew up with butter in the fridge,” Mertzel said. “My parents did, too. It’s dairy. It says to keep refrigerated, right? And so your whole life you’re slicing off little things of butter and trying to get it on the toast for it to melt so you can spread it… and I’m like, wait a second. We don’t have to do that?”

However, upon starting to keep her butter on the counter, she found that she had issues with her traditional butter dish. The lid was too slippery. How do you set it down so that it doesn’t leave a ring of butter on the counter? That is when she had the idea for Butterie, a flip-top butter dish that would solve all of her issues. Shocked that it didn’t exist yet, Mertzel, then a stay-at-home mom, started the process of figuring out how to make her dream product a reality.

Mertzel started with product research. “Am I making a product that the marketplace really needs? How many people are keeping their butter on the counter? That was my big question. I hadn’t been doing it. If nobody else is doing it, then is this really a necessary product? How many knew they could keep better on the counter?”

She discovered one in four people keep their butter on the counter all the time, and about half of America knew they could. “For a basic everyday item that people are using for meal prep in the morning, lunch, dinner… I mean, butter is such a part of everything,” Mertzel said. “So to have that misinformation about it, I just thought it was really fascinating,” she said. But with at least 25% of people keeping butter on the counter, Mertzel knew that she had a demand for her product.

She started selling the Butterie at Bed Bath & Beyond before moving into Walmart with the lower-priced version, Better Dish, as she felt the $12.99 pricepoint for Butterie was going to be too expensive for Walmart. Within a year, Better Dish went from a 1,400-store test at Walmart to nationwide. Her goal is also to expand into the global market. The Butterie is currently made with plastic, but Mertzel has plans to make it in ceramic, stainless steel, copper and sustainable bamboo.

Earlier this year, Mertzel and Kitchen Concepts petitioned the FDA to update their recommendations for butter storage. Since July 2019, the FDA has stated on the USDA website, “Butter and margarine are safe at room temperature,” she said. “However, if butter is left out at room temperature for several days, the flavor can turn rancid, so it’s best to leave out whatever you can use within a day or two.” Yet, when Mertzel pressed for supplemental data regarding their recommendations, she said no information could be obtained from FDA representatives.

Kitchen Concepts worked with Michelson Laboratories, Inc., an FDA-approved food safety lab, to test butter at room temperature. Various butter brands were analyzed every three to seven days and tested for spoilage organisms such as general bacteria, coliform bacteria, yeast and mold that could limit shelf life. The samples were also tested for oxidation and rancidity. They found that the butter samples had a good microbial quality for 21 days when stored at room temperature. “It’s our mission to talk about keeping butter on the counter. I say it wherever I can, and I try to get as many large-scale platforms as I can to get the word out,” Mertzel said.

Among the education efforts Mertzel has made to dispel consumer confusion is a children’s book every new customer gets for free, “Change Your Life for the Butter.” The short read essentially serves as a creative press kit. “The whole point is you’re trying to communicate information, right? And you want to do it in a way that’s fun and receptive and exciting,” she said. “And I have a fun story to tell. I thought, why don’t I tell the story as a story? Because I have three kids, I was so used to reading children’s books every night as I was tucking everybody into bed.

“It was just the voice that came to me so naturally,” Mertzel continued. “I just feel so blessed to have built this business, which I just love. I get to be so creative and get to just the way I market, the way I develop products, the way I do packaging, the way I run the business with my employees,” she continued, “I feel like I won the lottery getting to know this business.”

Looking to the future, Mertzel asked herself, “How do I keep my original concept while expanding?” Along with making the Butterie in different materials, Kitchen Concepts is working to expand with products such as the Better Drizzle, a drip-free, flip-top oil dispenser; the Z Bottle, an oil dispenser with a larger capacity and different internal structure for the flip-top than the Better Drizzle; and a four-piece breakfast set that they are hoping to sell to Costco. The company also currently sells the SnapAway, a collapsible knife that attaches to the rim of a tub of butter, storing the knife inside.

Homedics has announced the launch of the Drift 11″, a smaller, more versatile version of the brand’s popular meditative kinetic sand table.

The Drift 11″ by Homedics, part of FKA Brands, is designed to provide a new, accessible size and price with enhanced lighting, Wi-Fi capabilities and a redesigned app, according to the company. The app can be accessed from any smartphone and allows users to choose from hundreds of sand patterns. The device is also equipped with smart LED light programs made to evoke time of day and environment color patterns, including sunrises, sunsets, thunderstorms and more. The metal sphere of the device rolls through the brand’s WhisperLite microbeads to carve silent patterns that inspire thought and creativity, increase relaxation, boost mood and enhance focus.

The Drift 11″ is named for its eleven-inch size, which the company describes as a more convenient size than previous models and a size that can accommodate a wide range of surfaces including workplace desktops, side tables, vanities and more. It is available in cream and midnight colors.

A portion of each purchase of Drift 11″ will be donated to Homedics’ partnership with Bring Change to Mind, an organization dedicated to ending the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.

“Homedics has always been committed to delivering new and unique ways to benefit everyone’s health and wellness journey,” said Daniel Kaufman, head of corporate strategy at FKA Brands. “Our new Drift 11″ continues our goal of bringing well-being to all by making the drift that so many consumers love more accessible and attainable. This smaller, more compact version allows size to not be a constraint in bringing the benefits and beauty of drift into your home.”

The Drift 11″ is available for $249.99 on HoMedics.com now and soon on Amazon.

Chefman has introduced the Home Slice Indoor Electric Pizza Oven, a lightweight, compact electric pizza oven.

The Home Slice was designed to be an affordable, high-performance indoor pizza oven at a retail price of $399.99. 

• The oven temperature goes up to 800°F, which the company describes as the ideal temperature for pizzas according to pizza chefs; the Home Slice can cook Neapolitan pizza in 2 minutes or less.
• The compact design (18 inches by 19 inches by 11 inches) was designed to fit easily into kitchens of all sizes.
• The dual-pane window allows for easy viewing of the pizza cooking process and heat retention for making back-to-back pizzas at a consistent temperature.
• The oven includes a digital user interface and user-friendly presets for Neapolitan, New York, Thin Crust, Pan Pizza and Frozen Pizza.
• Accessories include a pizza peel and a pizza stone.

The Home Slice is offered in stainless steel and black models that can make pizzas up to 12 inches. The Chessman pizza oven is available now exclusively through Costco retail locations and the Costco e-commerce site.