CHICAGO – Running March 10-12 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, the Inspired Home Show is not only known for its wide display of housewares and tabletop; it has also become increasingly more known for its spotlight on new and innovative products in its Inventor’s Corner.
“The Inventors Corner is always a popular destination at the show,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the International Housewares Association. “Both buyers and media professionals are eager to connect with start-up entrepreneurs on their creative new ideas, personal stories and unique perspectives.”
This year, the section of the show promises to pique buyers’ interest with products like new light-up children’s plates that encourage a productive meal time and a spatula designed to help users with dexterity issues.
Mealtime Playtime with YumLit
YumLit, a parent-founded children’s tableware brand, will debut a patent-pending interactive light-up plate for kids at the Inspired Home. Featuring a gentle rim-light sequence that builds anticipation during the meal, followed by a celebratory light show when the plate is cleared, the new product encourages kids to eat their food in a less stressful environment.
The screen-free design supports positive mealtime routines and healthy habits without apps, noise or pressure. It features three illustrated plate designs, created in collaboration with artists from top animation studios.
“Mealtime can be a daily struggle for families,” said Janet Lawson, co-founder of YumLit and former US AID Foreign Service Officer specializing in food security. “We created YumLit to make dinner feel more fun and encouraging for kids, while also supporting broader food access for children.”
For every plate sold, the company donates $1 to organizations fighting child hunger and malnutrition
in the U.S. and globally. The company also operates the YumLit Community Luminaries Program, which enables individuals and organizations to mobilize their communities to raise funds for local food-access initiatives.
YumLit will be located in Booth IC7 in Inventors Corner at The Inspired Home Show.
Super Flipper Spatula Inspired by Cerebral Palsy
Designed by 13-year-old Nolan Kosciukiewicz, the Super Flipper is a lever-driven spatula that spins 180 degrees. The invention, inspired by Kosciukiewicz’s uncle with Cerebral Palsy, makes cooking easier for users with dexterity issues. Users simply press on the lever to spin the spatula.
Kosciukiewicz came up with the idea while attending John Wallace Middle School; he entered the prototype into the 2025 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Mich., in early June 2025. He won the category for Household Organization and Appliances.
“Nolan has an inventing table in the basement where he is always working,” Kosciukiewicz’s father, Steve, told Hartford Courant last June.
The Super Flipper will be on display at Booth IC21.
A Cup That Solves Weakened Grip Strength
Ergo-ware, an adaptive drinkware company, will debut its ErgoCup at the Inspired Home Show’s Inventors Corner. The breakthrough design eliminates grip strain for individuals with arthritis and limited hand mobility.
“The ErgoCup represents a paradigm shift in accessible drinkware design, offering a better drinking experience for individuals with hand mobility challenges, arthritis, and limited grip strength,” the company said in a release.
The ErgoCup features ergo-ware’s proprietary grip design, which curves over the back of the hand, allowing the cup to hang effortlessly without the need to grip or squeeze. Users simply slide their hand under the open handle with their palm facing the side of the vessel—similar to extending a handshake—and the cup naturally rests in the contour of the hand.
Find the ErgoCup in Booth IC3.
Remote-Control EZFeeder for Bird Lovers
Claiming that the invention will “change the way we feed birds,” the EZFeeder is a remote-control system that allows users to bring a bird feeder, hung on a line, inside the house to fill it and then send it back outside. Suspended on a cable, the bird feeder is also safer from squirrels and other critters looking to steal the seed.
The company, which states that more than 1 billion pounds of bird seed are sold annually in the U.S., says the invention makes feeding birds fun and safe, and is also a great gift for parents or grandparents.
The remote control works up to 100 yards and can be used for other purposes, too, like shuttling a small dog on a leash into the yard, sending snacks and supplies up to a tree fort, or even transporting a backpack or bucket of tools from the house to a boat dock.
The EZFeeder will be on display at Booth IC8.
Cold-Core Snack Board, a Smarter Way to Host
Snap will be showcasing its patented cold-core designed snack board at the show. The customizable snack board offers a smarter way to serve and display cold foods without ice, mess or bulky cooling equipment.
Invented by founder Natalie Rene Wilson, Snap features a concealed cold-core design that maintains chilled temperatures for hours while preserving a clean, elevated presentation. Its modular design allows users to customize layouts for charcuterie, desserts, fruit, seafood, and more.
“Retailers and consumers are looking for products that are both functional and beautiful,” said Wilson. “Snap delivers on both. It’s not just a serving board — it’s a solution.”
Find the board in Booth IC20.
Safer, Faster Auto-Load Utility Knife by Repetto
Repetto is unveiling its AutoLoad Utility Knife that changes blades in under one second, without users ever having to touch a blade. The patented technology was designed to improve speed, safety and reliability for professional users.
With a simple thumb movement, the Repetto utility knife automatically moves a dull blade into a protected used-blade compartment and positions a fresh blade — eliminating direct hand contact with sharp replacement blades. At the core of the platform is Repetto’s patented cartridge-based system is a 10-blade cartridge that separates new blades from used blades, enabling fast blade cycling. Once all blades are moved into the used-blade compartment, the cartridge can be rotated to access the second end of each blade — providing up to 20 usable blade edges per cartridge.
Preservation System to Extend Wine and Food Life
With the rising cost of food and other goods, consumers are paying more attention to ways they can cut expenses or reduce wasteful spending. Offering a way to extend the life of wine and food, Preservio will be debuting its precision-pressure wine and food preservation system at the show.
The system is designed to keep wine fresh for weeks and help food stay fresher for five times longer. Preservio’s flagship wine preservation system delivers a consistent seal through precision pressure control and a reusable silicone stopper engineered for long-lasting airtight performance. Its food preservation line features airtight, pressure-assisted storage designed for meal prep, leftovers, and pantry organization. Built for repeat use, the system supports freshness and helps reduce household food waste.
Find the food and wine systems in Booth IC13.
Versatile Great Plate for Hosting Anywhere
The Great Plate makes enjoying drinks, snacks and food easier by keeping everything organized in one consolidated plate. With compartments for food and a beverage, users can keep their drink and snacks all in one hand. The plate also floats for pool parties and can even be thrown like a Frisbee for picnics. The design even keeps sand out of drinks at the beach. See the Great Plate in Booth IC6.
Functional Art Frame for Small Spaces
The PicChair is a versatile design piece that reimagines how furniture and art can coexist in a small living space. Inspired by the inventor’s time living in a tiny apartment while studying Architecture and Urban Design, the picture frame can be removed from the wall and unfolded into a chair, providing both appealing design and needed function for small spaces.
What makes it even more unique is that when the chair is in use, the wall is not left bare. Instead, a thoughtfully designed coatrack remains behind, serving as a spot for guests’ coats or as a display for the removable acrylic artwork panel while the chair is in use.
See the unique art frame in Booth IC20.
“Inventors Corner exhibitors offer products not only new to the show, but often concepts and solutions that have never been seen before,” Miller said. “The Inventors Corner is yet another way the show shines a spotlight on innovation and helps buyers and sellers – no matter their company size or amount of time in the industry – to make valuable connections that will grow their business and help them succeed.”
