It’s About Time! 9 Handy Products for Busy Parents
Getty
As every mom and dad knows, it’s hard to get things done when you have a baby at home.
Luckily, there are plenty of new (and updated) gadgets that make things a lot easier.
Because all parents really want is more time to spend cuddling with their little ones. Right?
From space-age vacuum cleaners to programmable coffee makers, check out our roundup of items built for busy parents with a need for speed below.
Courtesy Baby Brezza
FORMULA ONE (STEP)
Mustering up the energy for those late night feedings just got so much easier. The Baby Brezza Formula Pro formula maker ($150) mixes formula for you at the press of a button — completely eliminating the danger of formula powder ending up in your morning coffee. (Not that this has ever happened to us!)
Courtesy GE
HEAT IS ON
Ice dispenser? Check. Water Dispenser? Check! Hot water dispenser? Heck, yeah!
The GE Café Series Refrigerator ($3,100) is everything you ever needed in a fridge and more, including a nifty odor filtration system (kiss baking soda boxes goodbye!) and colored LED lights that indicate specific temperatures for different compartments.
Courtesy Kalorik
CAFFEINE ON DEMAND
You can always count on your baby to wake you up at 5:30am, and now there’s a way to have your brew in hand by 5:31!
Kalorik’s programmable coffee maker ($60) serves up to 12 cups of coffee that stays warm all day thanks to a warming plate. With a super-convenient automatic shut-off, you can drink your cup ‘o joe and go.
Courtesy Dyson
DOUBLE DUTY
Dyson married two of our most reviled cleaning instruments: the mop and the vacuum — and, honestly, we’re still on our honeymoon.
The Hard DC56 ($330) sucks up dirt and wipes away grime in one action, and has a wall-mounted docking station that keeps it charged (without draining the battery) and out of the way. Try “boost mode” for messes of nuclear proportions.
Courtesy LG
WASH ‘N GO
Saving you an extra 20 minutes per load, LG’s Front Load Washer — and it’s TurboWash technology — ($1,500) cleans clothes but doesn’t cut corners. And with 5.2 cubic feet of “mega capacity” space, you’ll wash so much at a time that laundry days can be family fun days, too.
Bonus: The twin dryer comes with a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that drying rack that’s perfect for drying sneakers, sweaters or soiled stuffed animals.
Getty
LATHER UP
Pump. Wash. Repeat. Eliminate one of those steps with this stylish battery-operated liquid soap dispenser ($35.50) from Umbra that doles out the same amount each time — conserving one of your most valuable resources as a parent: soap!
Courtesy OXO
FLIP FOR IT
Hands full? No problem! Thanks to a unique lid that flexes down when clothes are placed (or thrown!) in it, you no longer need a hand to open OXO’s double-sided hamper ($60). High-five!
Courtesy Belkin
IN CHARGE
Did you turn off your curling iron?
Kiss appliance panic goodbye with this energy-saving outlet timer ($9.05) from Belkin that you can program to automatically shut off anything, like space-heaters, irons or coffee makers.
Courtesy Brother
NAME GAME
Print out labels in an instant with Brother’s P-Touch electronic labeling system ($35) that features laminated split-back labels which are a snap to peel and a favorites function so re-printing is as easy-as-pie.
— Amy Jamieson