Discover the Year's Best Household Items

Dec. 7, 2007 — -- Every year, the scientists, engineers, home economists and other experts at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute review thousands of new household products to find the few that truly deserve to get Good Housekeeping's annual "Good Buy Awards." These awards go to products that are innovative, solve common household problems, are affordable and perform well.

Today, Good Housekeeping Research Institute director Miriam Arond announced the year's eight winners of the magazine's 13th annual Good Buy Awards exclusively on "Good Morning America."

1. UVX and UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuums from Halo Technologies ($399 to $499)

With most vacuums, after you clean your carpets, bacteria, viruses and dust mites are still alive and clinging to the fibers. That can be a big problem for anyone in the home with asthma or allergies. But the UVX and UV-ST vacuums from Halo Technologies have an ultraviolet light that instantly kills them. You don't have to worry about exposing yourself or the kids to UV rays: If the Halo isn't standing upright, flush with the floor, the light won't work. The Halo received an excellent rating.

2. Kenmore and Kenmore Elite Electric Ranges with AirGuard from Sears (starting at $750)

You've probably had the problem: You set your oven to self-clean and it smells up the whole house. Or maybe you bake broccoli or fish in the oven and the aroma is extremely pungent. The new AirGuard feature on the Kenmore Elite electric ranges takes care of this problem. It removes nearly all the odors and smoke that self-cleaning generates and even when the testers scorched a pizza deliberately, there was virtually no smell. You don't have to worry about losing the smells you do want when you're cooking. You can turn the AirGuard off if you're making, say, chocolate chip cookies -- since everyone likes the way they smell.

3. Clear2O Home Water Filtration System from Applica ($20)

The problem with a lot of water pitchers is that the water moves so slowly making its way through the purifying filter. But the Clear2O pitcher only took testers 30 seconds to fill. In the institute's lab, the pressurized carbon filter sifted out impurities at nearly the same rate that the water flowed from the faucet. Testers also found this system very easy to use. You just connect the pop-out hose to the faucet's tap. The pitcher holds 50 percent more water than older pitchers. So your kids won't always be putting it back empty.

4. Rotating Duplex Outlet from 360 Electrical ($10)

You need to plug in two things into your outlet, but one of the chargers is so big it covers the other part of the outlet. This often happens if you're trying to charge a cell phone or an mp3 player. The Rotating Duplex Outlet basically creates swivel sockets to accommodate oversize plugs. To install them you need to replace your existing wall outlet; so, you may want to hire an electrician. But later in 2008, adapters with four outlets will let you rotate without having to replace your existing outlet.

5. Color Oops Hair Color Remover from DeveloPlus ($13)

Sometimes, when women color their hair at home they're not thrilled with the new color. The Color Oops solves that problem because it restores your dyed hair back to virtually the color it was originally -- in 20 minutes. And it doesn't use damaging ammonia or peroxide. The secret ingredient is hydrosulfite, which acts on the dye, not on your hair. The institute tested Color Oops on dozens of light brown and medium blond hair swatches in its laboratory with impressive results. But Color Oops works only if you've gone darker, not lighter.

6. Shout Advanced Gel from SC Johnson ($3.79)

It can be frustrating to take clothes out of the dryer and find they have a stain you didn't see before, and now it's set in. That kind of stain practically is impossible to get out. But the Shout Advanced Gel zaps those set-in stains. Testers used it on set-in stains of lipstick, tomato sauce and ink and those stains virtually vanished.

7. FireDefender Sleep System from Louisville Bedding ($120 to $200)

There are more than 20,000 mattress fires each year and they're the leading cause of death from fire in children younger than 5 years old. Once a mattress ignites, the entire room can be engulfed within three minutes. That's why U.S. law now requires all mattresses sold in the country to be flame-retardent. But instead of buying a whole new bed, you could buy the FireDefender mattress cover. It slows burning time to 30 minutes, which should be enough time for your family to escape a home fire.

8. CARES Child Aviation Restraint System from Kids Fly Safe ($75)

If you have a toddler, you want to be sure she's buckled in when you fly. But lugging her car seat onto a plane can be tough, and you can't even be sure it will fit in the airplane seat. The CARES Child Aviation Restraint System weighs less than a pound and lets you strap in a child age 1 to 4, weighing 22 to 44 pounds. It loops over the top of the child's plane seat and connects to the safety belt. One Good Housekeeping tester raved about it, saying it kept her 1-year-old in his seat during the flight.

For more information go to www.goodhousekeeping.com.