Chicago—The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show kicked off yesterday, and the mood among attendees and manufacturers was guarded but optimistic.
The show floor seemed abuzz early, but the booths with the most traffic tended to be the manufacturer’s with more cool products to show, such as Kohler, Moen, Hafele, and others.
If there’s a theme this year among many manufacturers, it’s that consumers aren’t satisfied, so companies have to work harder than ever for home buyers’ business. “They just want more,” says Ali McKinney, a product manager at Delta Faucet Co. The demanding consumer is one reason Delta is offering more finishes, easier installation, and more customization with color.
It’s not enough to provide innovative features and affordable pricing; consumers also want a wider variety of finishes, durable performance, and ways they can add their own flair to the products they buy.
The first day brought such refreshing offerings as a modular cooktop from Bertazzoni, a motion-sensing faucet from Moen, and a new dual-flush toilet from Toto USA.
Here are 10 products that caught our eye on Day 1.