CHICAGO, March 12 (UPI) -- Hi-tech may be the darling of every industry these days but low-tech was the showstopper at the International Housewares Show in Chicago.
From a garlic press that uses a twisting action to crush the cloves to a simple pulley system to lift a toilet seat, inventors showed the future isn't necessarily dependent on computers.
The Nextrend Garlic Twist is an ingenious two-piece device that crushes garlic without the need to use brute force. The two-piece device uses a simple twisting action.
Inventor Haion Won got tired of having to lift and put down the toilet seat, so he invented the Flipper, which uses a board, string and hook to put the toilet seat up sans hands.
Love french press coffee wherever you go? Planetary Design has just the ticket: a travel mug with a plunger on top and a storage unit at the bottom for more coffee.
On the hi-tech side AeroGrow is bringing NASA-developed hydroponics technology to a small unit that will grow everything from petunias to tomatoes on a tabletop.
The units will sell for $150 and seed pods come in $15 seven-plant kits. Consumers can even grow their own lettuce, in addition to gourmet herbs, chili peppers and strawberries.
The trade show at McCormick Place continues through Tuesday.
