30 Most Innovative Kitchen & Bath Products

By Debra Steilen

January 30, 2020

User-friendly technology, unexpected materials, and sophisticated design make these award-winning products worthy of your kitchen and bath wish list.

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No-Fuss Floor

Thanks to a proprietary protective coating and ultra-dense structure, this 100-percent hardwood floor is fully waterproof up to 36 hours. Install it anywhere, including kitchens and baths. Hydropel by Bruce ($4–$5 per square foot, uninstalled). AHF Products; bruce.com

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Range of Options

Modern cooking technology meets classic style in a range with early-1900s-inspired aesthetics, the largest oven in its class, and a 19,000 BTU burner that boils a half-gallon of water in less than six minutes. Heritage Series Range (from $6,799). Bertazzoni; us.bertazzoni.com

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Backlit Beauty

Walls become dynamic visual accents when clad in this artisanal wood paneling. That’s because each tile is affixed to acrylic backing that accommodates multicolor LED lighting. Celestio Wallcoverings (pricing upon request). Duchateau; duchateau.com

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Dual Personality

This 36-inch eco-friendly bamboo sink displays a basket-weave illusion on one side and a plain apron front on the other. Four coats of polyurethane offer long-lasting durability. Lydra Fluted Double Bowl Bamboo Farmer Sink ($1,645). Barclay Products; barclayproducts.com

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Laundry Care

The first of its kind, this clothing care system utilizes the power of steam to refresh clothes, bedding, and more in minutes. By reducing wrinkles and eliminating odors, the deep penetrating steam extends clothing’s freshness between dry cleanings. This system is certified asthma- and allergy-friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America for its performance in removing allergens. LG Styler ($2,200). LG Electronics; lg.com

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Healthier Hydration

Drink your fill of cleaner, healthier water with a compact filtered-water dispenser that can be installed anywhere with access to a water line—saving time, money, and storage space for plastic bottles. ezH2O Liv (from $1,440). Elkay Manufacturing Co.; elkay.com

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Hide 'N' Seek

There’s no need to reposition the plumbing when you replace a narrow tub with this 60x36-inch cast-acrylic shower base. Why? The clever drain cover, when removed, reveals an offset drain. MTSB-6036 OHD Shower Base. ($1,460). MTI Baths; mtibaths.com

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Personalized Color

Personalize the exterior of any Victoria + Albert freestanding tub or basin by selecting from 194 RAL colors in addition to six standard paint finishes. With a choice of gloss or matte finishes, there are more than 33,000 variants of tubs and basins. A World of Color (prices vary). Victoria + Albert; vandabaths.com

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Tropical Trades

Raindance showerheads featuring this new spray technology deliver thousands of microdroplets that mimic the delicate rain of a tropical forest—and reduce noise to whisper-quiet levels. PowderRain (from $160). hansgrohe; hansgrohe-usa.com

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Velvet Look-Alikes

Upgrade any surface with a beautiful handcrafted mosaic of volcanic basalto glazed in luminous color. Sparkling geode inclusions and a mix of finishes create a textured look reminiscent of dyed velvets. Glazed Basalto (from $90 per square foot, uninstalled). New Ravenna; newravenna.com

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Farmhouse Character

Warm up a neutral room with easy-to- install stone veneer that delivers the patina of authentic whitewashed barnwood. Dawnwood Vintage Ranch ($7–$9 per square foot, uninstalled). Eldorado Stone; eldoradostone.com

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Hooked on Light

One chandelier, countless looks—because this expressive lighting fixture boasts either three or six pendants (each with its own hook) that can be arranged below the base as desired. Choose from steel, brass, or smoked bronze finishes for the fixture and graphite or stone powder coating for the coordinating rolled-steel shades. Hooked 3.0 (from $690); Hooked 6.0 (from $1,110). Buster + Punch; busterandpunch.us

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Flexible Freezer

ActiveSmart Foodcare technology in this 24-inch-wide freezer uses temperature sensors to create and maintain the optimum environment for different kinds of foods; it also reduces energy consumption. Integrated Column Freezer (from $5,599). Fisher & Paykel; fisherpaykel.com

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Smart Companion

Only 20 inches wide, this do-it-all appliance works as a convection oven, air fryer, dehydrator, slow cooker, broiler, toaster, and warming drawer. With more than 200 cook programs and 500 recipes, it helps you rock any meal. June Oven ($499). June; juneoven.com

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Controlled Environment

Designed for today’s pro-installed smart homes, Control4 Smart Home OS 3 unifies and connects thousands of devices on a single platform so users can keep favorites at their fingertips. Enjoy at-a-glance views for security and lighting, one-touch music, and more. Control4 Smart Home OS 3 (free to download). SnapAV; control4.com/os3

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Privacy, Please

Made specifically for barn-style doors, this DIY-friendly surface-mount lock easily installs right onto the jamb instead of the door itself. Five designer finishes include Graphite Black. Surface Mount Barn Door Lock ($118–$188). INOX; inoxproducts.com

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Cook Like a Pro

High-end design and functional wizardry make this dual-fuel range a home chef’s best friend. The main electric/convection oven alone boasts 10 cooking modes, while Thermoseal oven cavities promise superior energy efficiency. Plus, it comes in eight vibrant colors. Portofino 48-inch Pro-Style Dual Fuel Range (from $6,999). SMEG; smegusa.com

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Coffee Break

Better than a barista, this fully plumbed coffee machine lets you store personalized drinks by name and make multiple cups of coffee consecutively—thanks to the Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect. You can even control this machine with your voice when you pair the app with select smart devices like Amazon Alexa. Built-In Plumbed Fully Automatic Coffee Machine ($3,999). Thermador; thermador.com

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Water Sense

Get three types of filtered, chilled water—still, medium sparkling, or full sparkling—at the push of a button from this smart kitchen faucet. With one waterway reserved for tap water and the other for purified drinking water (to preserve the great filtered taste), this convenient hydration source eliminates the need for plastic water bottles. Blue Chilled & Sparkling 2.0 ($2,799–$2,999). GROHE; grohe.us

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Color Splash

Perfect for dual sinks, this 34-inch-long faucet frames the mirror before angling out from the wall to stream water into the sink. With 20 bold colors and a 1.2 GPM flow rate, it offers style plus eco-friendly function. Infinity Faucet ($2,000). Isenberg; isenbergfaucets.com

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Mirror Image

Enjoy the look of dramatic black Sahara Noir Marble without the maintenance—this gorgeous quartz is a shoe-in for the real thing. Silestone Et Noir ($49–$110 per square foot, uninstalled). Cosentino; cosentino.com

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Deck the Walls

Bridge the gap between vintage and modern styles with 24x48-inch porcelain tiles that can be used like wallpaper to flaunt tropical foliage (Tahiti, above) or whimsical flowers (Blush Peony). These on-trend, large-scale patterns stimulate spaces with their lively energy. Botanicals ($36 per square foot, uninstalled). Walker Zanger; walkerzanger.com

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Mix and Match

Slake your thirst for personal style with a low-profile faucet that features 11 finish options and a cover plate that can be customized in unexpected materials, including leather, wood, marble, and mirror glass. (You can even change the look later on!) AXOR MYEdition (from $800). AXOR; axor-design.com

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Sleek Ventilation

Slim but powerful, this discreet downdraft ventilation system rises to 18 inches high when needed. Once its work is done, the system retracts out of sight behind the burners. Lift Downdraft (30 inches, $1,799; 36 inches, $1,899). Zephyr; zephyronline.com

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Beneath the Surface

Store up to 200 bottles of wine in ideal conditions with an underground stainless-steel wine cellar featuring a push-button, motorized elevation function that raises the wine collection above the surface. No coolants are required as consistent soil temperatures properly cellar the wine. VinCave Wine Cellar 200 ($20,000). Vinotemp; vinotemp.com

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High-Tech Toilet

Use a remote or an app to adjust this bidet-toilet’s nozzle position and jet strength—as well as its water, air, and seat-surface temperature. A motion sensor opens the lid upon approach. SensoWash i Lite ($6,700) or i Plus($8,300). Duravit; duravit.us

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Universal Appeal

Not a fan of institutional design? This concrete trough-style sink is a stylish complement to contemporary or ADAcompliant baths. Zaca Wall Mount ($645–$775). Native Trails; nativetrailshome.com

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Crystal Clear

Say hello to sparkling-clean dishes when you choose an always-quiet Bosch dishwasher with CrystalDry. This innovative technology transforms moisture into heat utilizing a natural mineral that sits at the appliance base, ensuring dishes get perfectly clean and dry every time—even plastics! Bosch Dishwashers with CrystalDry ($1,149 to $1,849). Bosch; bosch-home.com/us

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Shower Chic

Durable as well as dramatic, Infinity Drain’s Matte Black Finish can now be specified for the company’s linear drain, above, and center drain grate styles. Count on the nano-ceramic coating to deliver a consistent finish tone on stainless steel. Matte Black Linear and Center Drains (prices vary). Infinity Drain; infinitydrain.com

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30 Most Innovative Kitchen & Bath Products

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No-Fuss Floor

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Range of Options

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Backlit Beauty

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Dual Personality

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Laundry Care

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Healthier Hydration

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Hide 'N' Seek

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Personalized Color

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Tropical Trades

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Velvet Look-Alikes

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Farmhouse Character

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Hooked on Light

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Flexible Freezer

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Smart Companion

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Controlled Environment

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Privacy, Please

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Cook Like a Pro

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Coffee Break

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Water Sense

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Color Splash

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Mirror Image

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Deck the Walls

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Mix and Match

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Sleek Ventilation

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Beneath the Surface

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High-Tech Toilet