10 Sneak Peeks at What's Hot for the Kitchen

CHICAGO (TheStreet) -- The big news in retail this week was the massive International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago, which offered sneak peeks of the latest home products, from vacuum cleaners to potato peelers. While such major brands as Cuisinart and Kitchenaid were well represented, the show has also been a launching pad for hundreds of small businesses over the years.

With consumer confidence trending upward, exhibitors were cautiously optimistic about their prospects. But getting price-conscious Americans to spend is still a challenge.

What convinces a potential consumer to make a purchase? According to a recent survey by market research firm NPD Group, about one-third of shoppers said they were replacing a broken product. But the remaining two-thirds fell into five different consumer categories, each with their own reasons for buying. Using those five consumer types as a guideline, we scouted out new products from small businesses that fit the bill: