Appliance Innovations from KBIS

To learn what's new on the kitchen and bath front, we spent two April days at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Chicago. Some of the most interesting new product launches came from appliance companies. It's not too surprising — the products are complex, and the manufacturers have to be innovative to keep up with the competition.

Here are some of the best new appliances at the show. Some are so new the prices haven't been determined yet.

Impatient Cooks Rejoice
Blowing 500°F of hot air at 60 miles an hour is what gives the TurboChef Speed Cook wall oven its name. Assisted by microwave technology, it allows the oven to cook food 15 times faster than a regular oven. It can cook a frozen turkey in 45 minutes and a rack of lamb in 3-1/2 minutes. Frozen pizza is ready in 90 seconds. Despite the cooking speed, food comes out moist and succulent, as demonstrated by expert chef Charlie Trotter, whose creations were served throughout the show. The 30-inch-wide oven comes paired with a traditional convection heat oven for cooking things the old-fashioned way.
Suggested price: $7,500
www.turbochef.com

When a Precise Flame Counts
If cooking control is a selling point, consider the Arrow Touch Control Gastop from Caldera. The Arrow's digital controls permit 21 different but precise settings that deliver anywhere from 210 to 10,000 BTUs an hour. A microcontroller does the work so the cook doesn't have to bend over and guess the right flame height for simmering grandma's spaghetti-sauce recipe. The Arrow Series is available with a stainless steel or black ceramic glass top in 36-inch and 30-inch models. Suggested price: $2,995
www.calderacorp.com

Kitchen to Go
With outdoor kitchens all the rage, it's not surprising that someone has introduced one you can take to the beach. The Whirlpool Gladiator Gearpack is a rolling kitchen that can be mounted on a trailer hitch for transport to any tailgate occasion. (An internal scissors jack lifts it to hitch height.) It includes a mini-keg refrigerator, pullout cook top, drawer refrigerator and storage space for accessories.
Pricing not yet determined.
www.gladiatorgw.com

Cleanable Oven Racks
Were you aware that oven racks are supposed to be removed during the self-cleaning process to keep them from warping and discoloring? We weren't either, and the folks at GE told us that few people know. That's why they introduced self-cleaning oven racks. Displayed in their Monogram series ovens, the gray porcelain-coated oven racks are less likely to tarnish or discolor. And the coated surface makes them easier to slide in and out of the oven. The racks are for use in free-standing gas units and 30-inch. wall ovens.
Pricing not yet determined.
www.geappliances.com

Fridge or Freezer: Your Choice Samsung introduced a four-section refrigerator and freezer that allows each section to be used as a refrigerator or freezer depending on the homeowners' needs. With a total of 25 cubic feet of storage space, the four-door fridge can be used in a variety of configurations based on settings controlled from an LCD touch panel. The two lower sections are drawers to provide easier access.
Suggested price: $2,800
www.samsung.com

Low-Priced, Feature-Rich Dishwasher
You expect a high-end dishwasher to feature sensors that restart if there is dirt in the water at the end of a cycle. You may also expect a top-of-the-line model to have a deep upper rack and a cycle that washes just that upper rack. But you don't usually expect this for $799, which is why Haier's ESD402 dishwasher with stainless-steel interior caught our eye. Featuring a hard food disposer, seven wash cycles, a cancel-and-drain option and dual-pump, multidirectional wash system, the unit offers a lot of wash for its price.
Suggested price: $799
www.haieramerica.com

Smallest Microwave Drawer
Sharp released a 24-inch drawer microwave to complement its 30-inch unit. The smaller-sized, top-accessed microwave is intended to match a wider range of cabinet configurations. The added flexibility allows designers and home builders the ability to include cooking convenience in new places
— such as next to the children's snack refrigerator.
Suggested price: $850
www.sharpsec.com

Movable Dryer Control
LG has put a new twist on the stackable washer and dryer with an electronic dryer control panel that detaches and reattaches in two locations. When the units are installed stacked, the control panel can be plugged in at the bottom of the dryer where it's closer to eye level. When installed side-to-side, the control panel can be mounted at the top of the unit. Buyers who want extra closet space could opt to stack the units, while other buyers may want side-by-side convenience. The builder can offer both layouts with the same set.
Suggested price: $1,400 - $1,800 per set, depending on size
www.lgusa.com

Steam Clean Your Clothes
LG's new Tromm steam washer doubles as a standard clothes washer or a steam cleaner. The company claims that the machine's steam-only cycle "reduces wrinkles and refreshes clothing without use of water or detergent." It won't replace the dry cleaner but could save the homeowner a few trips. The unit also includes a remote monitoring device that tells users when a steam load has finished, so they can grab their clothes before wrinkles start setting in. With a four-cubic-foot drum that spins at 1,320 rpm, the unit is big and fast.
Suggested price: $1,500 to $1,600
www.lgusa.com

Sanitize Clothes with Cold Water
Some new appliances have a price tag that makes you think they're made of gold, but with Samsung's Silver Care washer, you actually get silver. The machine shaves small particles from a silver plate and releases silver ions into the water. According to Samsung, the ions kill bacteria without the need for bleach or hot water, though you still need to use soap. The company is positioning the machine as a way to sanitize extra-delicate items such as blouses, shirts or even lingerie without the harsh effects of hot water. American cowboys used to throw silver dollars into a bucket of cold water to get the same effect. This energy- and water-conserving washer could be a big hit in sustainable developments. The silver plates carry a warranty of 10 years or 3,000 cycles.
Suggested price: $1,100 to $1,400
www.samsung.com