The Cookup200 solar grill from the French company iD Cook is a portable solar cooker meant to be taken out on the open road! It can be assembled in minutes and folds up into a handy little carrying case. Made with 100% recyclable, optical polyester, 1 gram of aluminum per square meter, and sustainably-harvested Portuguese wood. Check out a video of the cooker below: More

The Fibertech ironing board from Household Essentials is the world's first ironing board with a biodegradable top that's made from natural plant fiber waste comprised of rice, wheat, bamboo and sugar cane. More

You hear that whooshing sound? That's the sound of apartment dwellers all over the country pumping their fists in the air. Brasa's portable, ventless fireplaces run on denatured alcohol, otherwise known as bioethanol. No vents or installation are required, and the flame is regulated and can be controlled or extinguished at any time. There are 7 styles available, but my favorite was the one you see above: a stainless steel slim burner insert with a ceramic surround. More

In 2010, the color was purple - ranging from pinkish brights to deep plums, there was no mistaking the trend. In 2009, I saw a shift toward deep and dark autumnal tones - dark pumpkins, golds and reds. This year the color that I'm seeing everywhere at the show is green, green, green. And it looks good! More

A few years ago we reviewed the UltraSilencer Green Canister Vacuum from Electrolux, the first of its eco vacuums. Electrolux has now launched a brand new line of energy-efficient and responsibly-manufactured vacuums made from 55-70% recycled plastic, low wattage motors, and biodegradable, corn-based vacuum bags. More

A big push that I noted at the Home & Housewares show yesterday was booth signs and materials that pointed out in a big, bold way that their products could help to deal with the problem no one wants to have to tackle: BEDBUGS! An interesting PR trend to be sure … More

Maintaining the proper humidity level is extremely important for the health of your home, but humidifiers aren't generally known for being aesthetically-pleasing. So the smooth curves and small footprint of the Humio caught my eye — not to mention the fact that it doubles as an LED night light. More

According to the rep that I spoke with at Bodum's booth at the Home & Housewares Show yesterday, they had such great success with their super colorful small BBQ that launched at the show last year (here is our post from our 2010 show coverage) that they've greatly expanded their line of grills… More

Two weeks ago I flew out to Chicago to see the gargantuan Home & Housewares Show for the first time. I love Chicago and the show was really interesting in that it wasn't furniture or design centered, but service centered. Everything was closer to hardware store than to home furnishings shop, and everything was PRACTICAL. After two days of trolling (I barely cracked the show), here are my top finds.

More

Throw in OBH Nordica's Radio Toaster in the "weird and wonderful" category of things we saw earlier this Monday at the Home+Housewares Show. Yes, it's a functional 2-sloce electric toaster that also has a built-in AM//FM radio, complete with settings for Jazz, Rock, Classical, Flat and Pop. What do you think? Cool or just a little off tune? More