Celebrity chef Alton Brown is a fan of the Aeropress coffee maker because of the brewing control it provides. It has the "right volumetric balance and grind size ... to make a cup that is light and smooth by using a coffee ground with a medium grain size and a longer steeping time ... [or, for] the strength and robustness of espresso, you can use finer ground and a quicker [with] firmer extraction," reviewer Matthew Lee writes.

Several kitchen and housewares items are tucked in this list of potential Mother's Day gifts, including the Ullo Open Wine Purifier. A few of the other treats: the Bartesian cocktail maker, Balmuda gooseneck electric kettle and BruMate Era 40-ounce tumbler.

Novice cooks whose skills now put them in the home chef category might want to upgrade from hand-me-downs and thrift store kitchen items to those that will last. Food & Wine recommends a handful, such as the John Boos Chop-N-Slice maple cutting board, Kuhn Rikon's original Swiss peeler three-piece set and Nordic Ware Naturals' baker's half sheet two-piece set.

When Stanley cup lovers need to go hands-free despite the handles, Stanley now has them covered with its All Day collection of soft goods, including the All Day Quencher Carryall, which snugs up your drink and offers a long strap and room for a phone and earbuds. The All Day Julienne mini cooler is one of the other two products in the line.

Retail sales climbed more than expected in March, rising 0.7%, according to the Commerce Department. An increase in February has been revised upward to 0.9% from 0.6%, marking the largest gain in over a year. A 2.7% increase in online sales aided March spending, while sales at gas stations increased 2.1%.

Walmart Canada has partnered with TerraCycle on a program that will allow shoppers to mail in and recycle their damaged or extra Walmart reusable blue shopping bags on Earth Day -- April 22 -- using a prepaid TerraCycle shipping label. TerraCycle will then clean and donate the usable bags to charity partners such as Food Banks Canada and will recycle damaged bags into raw materials that can be used to make new products.

Outlet stores and malls are the fastest-growing channel in the personal luxury goods market, with sales increasing 35% since 2021, according to Bain, as deal-seeking customers turn to off-price channels to help offset price increases. Tanger Outlets is attracting customers with experiences and amenities at its open-air shopping centers, which often serve as customers' "initial touchpoint" with luxury brands, says Tanger CEO Stephen Yalof. "It makes loyal brand fans."

First-quarter earnings reports from six of the top US banks have equaled or surpassed analysts' expectations, with their profit totaling $35.63 billion and revenue increasing 4% year over year, to $139.07 billion. While the profit figure dropped slightly year over year, executives cite the ongoing strength of consumer spending and bright performance of investment banking units as drivers of Q1's positive results.

Editors are beginning to plan for their holiday gift guides. IHA members can promote their new products for the all-important holiday/4th-quarter gift-giving season to consumer and trade media, bloggers and influencers at the Housewares for the Holidays press event on June 6 in New York City. Open to IHA members, this exclusive event is limited to 35 participating companies. No booth set-up required. Sign up today.

Did you miss a Keynote or Inspiration Theater session during The Inspired Home Show 2024? Audio and video recordings of the sessions, including Beyond Inc.'s discussion of its plans for the future, are posted on the education page on the Show website. Watch or listen again or share the sessions with colleagues. View the sessions.