Cool products from International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago

The 2016 International Home + Housewares Show wrapped up last month after visitors by the tens of thousands spent four days trooping through Chicago's sprawling McCormick Place convention center, logging enough collective steps to make Fitbit's computer server whimper from overuse. More than 2,200 exhibitors were there, showing off their products to buyers from around the world.

For a home writer like me, it was Disneyland.

I got to check out everything from room fresheners to robotic floor cleaners. Never have I had so many trash cans nod at me with their motion-sensing lids as I passed.

It's hard to choose favorites, but here are some of the products that caught my eye. Some are available now, while others won't reach stores until later in the year.

Pancakebot: This 3-D pancake printer was clearly the star of the show. The tricked-out griddle turns out hotcakes in pretty much any design you can think up, from the Eiffel Tower to Donald Trump's face.

The computerized gadget has a bridge that travels above the cooking surface, squirting out batter to "draw" the pre-programmed design. It builds the pancake in layers, allowing some parts to get browner and creating the contrast that makes certain features stand out.

You can create your own design if you want, or you can use one shared by an online community of pancake designers, said Slim Geransar of Storebound, the company that's producing the device. You can also program it to make multiple pancakes at once.

At $299, it's a pricey novelty. It's available at Pancakebot.com.

Coravin: Imagine pouring wine without opening the bottle. Coravin makes it possible.

The device pierces the cork with a hollow needle to allow wine to be poured out and then lets the cork reseal when it's removed, keeping the remaining wine fresh. Coravin's makers were showing an improved version of the wine-pouring device at the show, with upgrades including a needle that pours faster and locks into place to prevent leaks.

At $300 for the original model and $350 for the never version, it's not exactly the kind of gadget that will appeal to the Two Buck Chuck crowd. It can be ordered at Coravin.com.

Gourmia GKB9000: I can't afford a cook, but I might have to invest in Gourmia's new multifunctional cooker, the GKM9000.

The Wi-Fi enabled appliance not only lets you download recipes and displays step-by-step instructions on its screen, but it also does a lot of the food-preparation work for you. It can chop, blend, grate, whip and knead, and it even stirs the food while it's cooking -- while you monitor the progress from your easy chair via an app.

The device can even be used to order ingredients online and have them delivered to your home.

The GKM9000 is expected to be in stores this summer and retail for around $600.

Nugeni Steva: The Nugeni Steva is four cleaning tools in one -- perfect if you're short on storage space or just like the idea of simplifying your cleaning supplies.

The Steva's interchangeable parts allow it to be used as either a steamer and or a cordless vacuum cleaner, and in either upright or handheld form.

The steamer heats to 248 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to sanitize surfaces, said Josh Levitt, a vice president with the family-run company. The bagless vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filtration system and a turbo mode to suck up the heaviest debris.

The steamer operates with an electrical cord. The vacuum has a battery that lasts 30 to 40 minutes at constant use and recharges in about 2 ½ hours, Levitt said.

The Steva is expected to be in stores in the fall. Suggested retail price is $399, or $499 for a model that comes with additional accessories.

Vintage Charm Pyrex: Pyrex is going back in time, but with a twist.

World Kitchen, the company that makes the cookware brand, has reimagined some of the classic Pyrex designs for a new line of bowls called Vintage Charm Inspired by Pyrex. The designs are contemporized versions of six patterns that were used on opal glass pieces in the 1950s and '60s, including the popular farm-themed Butterprint.

The bowls are available individually and in sets. Suggested retail prices for single bowls range from $7 to $15.

Bruno Smartcan: I didn't think it was possible to improve on the wastebasket. Then I saw the Bruno SmartCan.

Bruno's handiest feature is its floor-level vacuum inlet, which sucks in all the crumbs and dirt you sweep up to it and dumps it right into the trash bag lining the can. You don't even have to turn it on. The suction starts when it senses a broom in front of the inlet. Its lid opens when it senses motion, too.

Bruno comes in five colors and is currently available for preorder for $179 at www.brunosmartcan.com. Orders are expected to ship in June.

Swing & Serve Cooker: Slow cooker manufacturers have caught on that people like using their products to keep food hot at parties, but the crocks take up a lot of room and hog the power outlets.

Not the Crock-Pot Swing & Serve Slow Cooker.

The appliance combines three slow cookers into one device. It's like a two-story system, with one 3.5-quart cooker on the first floor and two 1.5-quart cookers on the second. The upper units are attached to movable arms, so they can swing out for serving or fold in for storage.

The Swing & Serve Cooker is expected to be available in the fall. Suggested retail prices are $79 for black and $99 for stainless steel.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Cool products from International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago ."