Kitchen and bath show: Chewable ice like Sonic’s, a mirror with a built-in TV
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The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, in Las Vegas this week, is full of such functional items as hardware, cabinets and sinks. But there are also some grownup toys.
At left is the Electric Mirror, shown at the event. What’s so special is that it’s not only a medicine cabinet but also a TV. An ultra-thin 15-inch HDTV is inside -- and it operates with a waterproof remote.
I had to wonder if it might be really easy to cut oneself shaving when a distracting scene is on the screen.
Then there were the ice makers. And among people who like to chew on ice, the Sonic fast-food eateries have a certain reputation. Their drinks come with comparatively soft ice, which lends itself to chomping. Scotsman Ice Systems is making a machine that produces similar ice for homes.
OK, this is definitely a discretionary item, but it’s fun. All over the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show on Tuesday, people carried plastic cups of ice, and Scotsman’s booth was often crowded.
The Vernon Hills, Ill., company’s Brilliance ice maker looks like a narrow, slightly taller version of a dorm-room refrigerator. The ice, which it calls nugget ice, has been available since the 1980s in restaurants. ‘Soft’ ice? The company says the ice is made of bits of compacted ice.
But, for about $2,900, a home version will be available in June that Scotsman says can be placed indoors or out. It makes about 80 pounds of ice a day.
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First impressions from the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
-- Mary MacVean in Las Vegas
