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Ki t c h e n wa re N e ws & H o u s e wa re s Re vi e w S h o w D a i l y 3 9 M o n d a y, M a rc h 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 AMERICAN MAID PLASTIC PRODUCTS American Maid Plastics is a manufactur- ing company specializing in houseware products that are proudly manufactured in California and sold at retail locations across the country. The company's mission for the past 15 years has been to manufacture quality products, with pricing to compete with imported products. By blending style, design and fashion-forward colors, American Maid offers some of the most innovative and distinctive products on the market today. Its wide range of products includes chairs, food storage, party tubs, hangers, water bottles and household con- tainers in different shapes, sizes and colors. American Maid Plastics takes pride in designing programs to exceed their customers' expectations for sale through performance, profitability, quali- ty, variety and display options. Since it is the manufacturer, the company has the unique ability to develop customized pro- grams, including product design, color and packaging. Its flexibility gives each customer a way to tailor a program to meet their indi- vidual needs. Customers also have the ability to design a private label pro- gram to promote their name and to com- pliment their national brand product mix. Visit American Maid at booth N7331. For more information, call 877-864-2201 or email sales@vmi-am.com. ESCALI USES SMARTCONNECT APP TO ADD VALUE Recently, Escali Scales announced the launch of their SmartConnect Kitchen and Body Scales. With Escali's SmartConnect mobile app, these scales are the first to communicate directly with a kitchen and bathroom scale for enhanced functionality. However, what many do not know is how the Escali SmartConnect mobile app is adding value to the entire Escali product line. From the beginning of the develop- mental process, Escali made it a priority for their mobile app to be fully function- al for anyone, even those without a SmartConnect scale, by including a man- ual entry mode. This way, anyone who may already have an Escali scale can take full advantage of the app based on meas- urements taken from their own scale. Finally, to keep the app useful while trav- eling or just out to eat, Escali included common portion sizes as units in manual entry mode (e.g. one medium serving of french fries.) "Not only did we want to develop the next evolution in digital scales, but we want to add value to the entire Escali product line," said Theo Prins, President of Escali. "The development of SmartConnect represents our commit- ment to keeping Escali products fresh, relevant and attractive to today's consumers." Another focus for Escali while developing SmartConnect was keeping the connection between the scales and the app very user friendly, which was a huge factor when selecting Bluetooth ® LE as the method of wireless communication. Prins points out, "There are no complicated wireless home net- works to deal with. All you need is your phone or tablet and the scales. Pairing your mobile device to the scales is as simple as tapping one button and you're done." In fact, the capability and simplicity of the SmartConnect scales seems to be drawing early praise. The SmartConnect Kitchen Scale and Body Scale were finalists in the 2014 Housewares Design Awards, with the SmartConnect Body Scale selected Best in Category. The SmartConnect scales are also competing in the annual IH+HS Innovation Awards, but judging has yet to conclude. Escali will be demonstrating their SmartConnect technology in booth 443 of the south building. The Escali SmartConnect Kitchen Scale and SmartConnect Body Scale will also be featured in the New Product Showcase, located in the Lakeside Buyer's Club. Visit Escali at booth 443. Download the SmartConnect app at www.escali.com/app. NEW STONE SERIES KNIVES: GROUNDBREAKING DESIGN BY CURTIS STONE, HANDCRAFTED BY YAXELL JAPAN Curtis Stone, the Australian chef known for his appearances on shows such as The Take Home Chef, Around the World in 80 Plates and The Taste, and designer/developer of the CURTIS STONE kitchen solutions line, has part- nered with reputable Yaxell to produce a new line of kitchen cutlery that he believes will help home cooks wield their knives like professional chefs. STONE SERIES has been a six year project. The line's patent-pending design has a signature bolster molded into the actual steel that encourages the user to comfortably and properly hold the knife with a pinch grip. The smooth and unique contour design of the bolster is designed for use by both right and left-handed chefs. "I wanted to create a knife range that wasn't just aesthetically beautiful, but would be of the best quality and serve the purpose in any kitchen. Truth is, you only need a handful of good knives to do the job and do it well," said Stone. During his time on The Take Home Chef, Stone received his design inspira- tion as he witnessed so many home cooks struggling to hold knives proper- ly and comfortably. Aside from the pinch-grip bolster design, STONE SERIES knives feature a VG-10 cobalt-molybdenum-vanadium core, clad with high quality stainless steel, making them extra strong with an HRC61, corrosion-resistant and long-last- ing. The blade holds an exceedingly sharp 15-degree edge and stands up to daily abuse that occurs in the kitchen. The blade transitions seamlessly into the bol- ster and won't rub fingers uncomfortably. The blade follows an arc, allowing users of varying height to comfortably work at the counter, while the seamless handle, made of Canvas-Micarta, curves gently into the palm, reducing wrist fatigue. The handle is fastened securely to the full tang with stainless steel rivets, not common aluminum. FDA-approved Canvas-Micarta is resistant to heat and moisture, and more durable than wood or other common handle materials. The hammered finish and Katana sword line at the edge of the blade are reminiscent of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, yet functionally serve in modern food preparation. Both features allow the blade to easily slide through foods, reducing drag while cutting. The quality of STONE SERIES is achieved by combining Stone's innova- tive yet functional design with the knowl- edge and expertise of Japanese crafts- men. One of the premier knife producers in Japan, Yaxell, has created samurai- sharp blades for over 700 years, and their skills have been honed by traditional Japanese sword-making techniques, handed down from generations over seven centuries in Seki, Japan. The STONE SERIES knife line, which consists of seven knives and one three-piece set, can be found at the Roland Products booth. For more information, visit booth S3010, go to www.rolandinc.com, call 800-321- 2226 or email sales@rolandinc.com. COOKIE CUTTERS: FINALLY AN AMERICAN CHOICE Storeowners nationwide are identifying that their customers want more prod- ucts made in America. So many of our products now come from China that U.S. retailers assume that's their only choice, especially for something like cookie cutters. But for cookie cutters, there is a choice. It's The American Cookie Cutter Co. which makes millions of cookie cut- ters each year. Three years ago, The American Cookie Cutter Co. was purchased and moved from Philadelphia to a manufac- turing facility in Vermont. New equipment was pur- chased, and the company improved the process to rebuild the brand and make a quality product at a competitive price. It stocks more than 400 shapes and offers everything from basic cookie cutters to premium packaged gift sets. The cutters are made from tinplated steel manufactured by United States Steel and further processed to specifica- tions by Indiana-based Berlin Metal. The company chose Vermont because of its moti- vated and skilled workforce and high quality of life. The company promotes a healthy and satisfy- ing workplace with employees that work together as a team. American Cookie Cutter Co. is Made in America and proud of it! For more information, visit booth S2370. AIRCARE OFFERS NEW ESPRESSO HUMIDIFIER The new EA1208 Whole House Digital Humidifier from the AIRCARE Décor Series exhibits a pleasurable look that is sure to compliment the style of your home. The AIRCARE design team has done a fantastic job creating a product line that maintains the high performance standards of the Essick Air legacy. In addition to its sleek new design and powerful output, the Digital Touch Screen Control Panel automati- cally maintains your desired humidity level. The front fill pour-in design allows easy filling of the humidifier's 3.5-gallon reservoir, and the nine speed variable fan offers convenient and flexible operation. The Espresso EA1208 humidifies up to 3,000 square feet (tight construction)/ 2,500 square feet (average con- struction). This humidifier also features Essick's high perform- ance evaporative wick which retains minerals and delivers clean and natural moisture into the air. For more information, visit booth L12112.