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10 new home products you never thought you'd need

(MoneyWatch) Companies are debuting their home product offerings at the 2013 International Home a Housewares Show in Chicago this week. And the following new gadgets might just change how you plant, how you eat, even how you plunge the toilet.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

Tired of buying big bunches of herbs only to use just a sprig or two and watch the rest of it wilt? This herb box from Prepara will help you keep herbs fresh for three weeks. The company also offered other goodies, including a dressing spritzer to control how much of your homemade salad dressing goes on the salad and herb shears that slice a leaf into perfect slivers.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Click and Grow
The Click and Grow planting box automates the growing process, so all you have to do is find some batteries, fill the water tank and find a sunny spot for these plants. The box takes care of the rest.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

This cookware from BEKA is multi-functional in two wonderfully simple ways. First, the ceramic pots can go from cold to hot without cracking, making dinner prep a lot easier to pull off. Second, the lids double as trivets, so when the pot is hot, you can simply pull of the lid and have an instant trivet to protect your kitchen surfaces.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

A kitchen scale is essential for any home chef, particularly one with an eye on nutrition. This scale from DMD Products makes keeping track of the nutritional content of your food easier than ever. Simply weigh your food -- chicken, strawberries, nuts, chocolate, for instance -- and this scale will tell you the exact nutritional profile of the amount on the scale. For anyone trying to watch their weight, this product is a real breakthrough.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

This home scale, also by DMD, allows you to measure your body fat and muscle mass, and track your weight through a "weight guru" app on your phone. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, you can use the app to watch your weight change over time and track your progress.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

This simple garbage lid offers the ability to squish garbage down, without the complications and expense of a trash compactor. With the Trash Krusher, simply grab the handle and push the garbage down, then pull the handle back up and lock into place. For cleaning, the lid can simply be washed off in the sink. You'll save trips to the outside garbage bins and excess garbage bags.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Think Glink Inc

If you're squeamish about using a toilet plunger, then this device is for you. You take this big, blue triangle and put it on top of your toilet, close and open the lid and the pressure inside will remove the clog, without needing to put the product in water. Afterwards you fold it up and store it behind your toilet.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

The Mighty Mug

This one is for the accident-prone. The Mighty Mug is a coffee cup or travel cup that is guaranteed not to fall over, spilling your drink all over your desk, computer or yourself. It keeps your drink hot or cold and is dishwasher safe, while the travel version seals with the push of a button.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

T-fal

The T-Fal OptiGrill looks similar to the popular George Foreman grill, but features a cooking sensor that tells you when your meat has finished cooking. The built-in sensor automatically adapts to the thickness of the food and can be programmed to cook things like burgers, chicken, sausage, sandwiches, red meat and fish from rare to well-done.

10 new home products you never thought you'd need

Krups
The Krups Barista One-Touch Machine is for the coffee lover who wants to leave the coffee shop behind. With the touch of a button, this machine takes care of everything, from grinding the beans to the proper fineness and frothing the milk, to dispensing the brew and cleaning the steam nozzle. It also saves your drink selections, so you can keep the exact combination of ingredients you like.
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