In 1979, TV viewers were exposed to a new commercial that littered the airwaves. Two boys in a convertible cruised the streets and accosted a young woman: “Hey, good-lookin’ — we’ll be back to pick you up later!”
It was Ronco’s Mr. Microphone, and teenagers everywhere wanted one.
Though Mr. Microphone is long gone (thank goodness), Americans’ desire to buy the newest, must-have gadgets is as strong as ever.
HGTV spotlights such products for the home in its series, “I Want That!” Last Sunday’s premiere (which repeats today at noon) gave a sampling of the latest wares: an all-weather outdoor TV for use on patios, stone-like countertops made of recycled fibers and 3-D wall tiles. And a designer for Ferrari, inspired by auto-body exteriors, created metallic high-gloss paint for kitchen cabinets.
“It’s just like a car finish,” says Joan Zimmerman of Snaidero Automotive Finish Cabinetry. “It’s hard to damage, and it’s really easy to clean.”
Some segments wade into infomercial terrain. A woman holding a piece of toast laments, “It’s not evenly browned. It’s kind of scorched and burned in parts … I’d throw it away.”
But wait, there’s hope. “Now there’s a toaster that will serve up bread just the way you like it every time,” comforts co-host Aileen Avery.
Says the testy toastist, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Can the episode return to its regularly scheduled programming now?
Apparently, it can’t, not before presenting the personal street sweeper for sidewalks and driveways. “From plastic bags to cans, this machine gobbles it all up,” Avery says.
Avery and co-host Kendis Gibson would be better off focusing on the more interesting inventions, such as a the solar-powered WeatherHawk Personal Weather Station, which checks conditions outside the house. A radio signal is transmitted to receivers in the house, reporting humidity, rain and wind speed, among other details.
Tonight’s show (7:30 p.m.) will cover faux metal finish, a high-speed dishwasher and flat wire that can be hung on the wall and covered with putty to hide it.
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– Don’t overlook duplexes in the search for your dream home, says the latest issue of This Old House.
If you’re willing to live in a two-family home, the magazine says, renting out the other unit can help pay the mortgage.
The April issue also visits four cities (including Hoboken, N.J.) where preservation can serve as inspiration.
– Atomic Ranch focuses on — you guessed it — ranch houses. The magazine’s spring issue offers snapshots of homes in Bloomington, Ill., and Santa Rosa, Calif.
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Carmel Carrillo is assistant editor of Real Estate. You may contact her at [email protected], or write to her at baiduhai, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.