From Closets To Cooktops, Tech Aims To Bring Efficiency Home

Closets that freshen clothes, cooktops that won’t let pots boil over, faucets told to dispense just enough water to fill the coffee maker.

Wherever one looked at the annual Design and Construction Week, there was a new way to make our lives more efficient.

“We can make appliances work harder for you,” said Cara Acker, a senior brand manager for Bosch Home Appliances.

So while homeowners list security cameras, video doorbells and programmable thermostats as the technology they’re most interested in, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders, the future is offering that and much, much more.

More than 2,000 exhibitors participated in the annual trade show, which brings the NAHB and the National Kitchen and Bath Association together. Some highlights:

DRESS REFRESH

Two companies, LG and Samsung, demonstrated self-contained clothing lockers that use a combination of air and steam to remove dust and odors from clothes and other items, like stuffed animals and pillows.

Samsung Electronics says a 25-minute cycle in its AirDresser removes 99 percent of the germs and bacteria in clothes ranging from cotton to cashmere.

LG Electronics, meanwhile, says its LG Styler with SmartThinQ eliminates so many allergens during a 20-minute cycle that it’s certified by the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America.

Both units can hold three items and a pair of pants, and both are Wi-Fi-enabled to send alerts when the cycle is finished. The Styler can also recognize simple voice commands through Google Assistant.

One difference between the two is that the AirDresser has hangers that send jets of air over and through the garments, while the Styler vibrates the hangers back and forth about 220 times per minute.

“It extends the life of clothing in between trips to cleaners, saving users money and keeping them looking their best,” said LG Styler spokeswoman Taryn Brucia. Price tag: about $2,000.