NEW PRODUCTS

Contest to take bite out of scary utility bills

It's getting to be that time of year again. You've got three coats on already to save costs by keeping your thermostat down. Your utility bill arrives. You throw on another couple of coats.

However, one lucky homeowner will be able to avoid those extra coats and high bills in the future by winning the JELD-WEN Scariest Utility Bill contest.

"Large energy bills can signal the need for home fixes that will help save energy this season and beyond," said Brian Hedlund, JELD-WEN product marketing manager.

"New energy-efficient windows and doors can make a dramatic difference. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, a typical homeowner installing Energy Star-qualified windows can expect to realize savings ranging from $125 to $450 a year, depending on the region," he said.

To help with this, JELD-WEN offers a wide variety of energy products to help provide long-term savings on bills, including wood and vinyl windows, and fiberglass exterior doors.

And the winner of the JELD-WEN Scariest Utility Bill contest will win as much as $5,000 of these products and as much as $2,000 for installation.

The contest runs through Dec. 1. Any 2007 utility bill is eligible, but only one entry per household.

For complete contest rules, along with information on how to save energy, call 800-877-9482 or visit www.jeld-wen.com.

Mr. Coffee marks 35th anniversary

It's hard to believe, but Mr. Coffee was invented in 1972 and was the first-ever automatic drip coffee maker.

In recognition of the 35th anniversary, Altitude Inc. was commissioned to design the 12-cup Mr. Coffee MRX35 Classic Edition Automatic Drip Coffeemaker.

The new edition offers features such as brew performance programming, silicone warming mat/cup rack, bright LCD analog clock, a warm coffee-colored satin finish, a perforated backsplash, stainless steel wrapped casings, wood logo inlays, ambient backlighting, brew strength control, a cleaning cycle and water temperature control.

"Our goal was to incorporate contemporary product features in a retrospective package," said Brian Matt, Altitude founder and chief executive officer. "We wanted to capture the nostalgia of the original 1970s model, yet add modern details that are important to today's consumer."

The end result is a functional, superior coffee maker that still captures the key design elements of the classic Mr. Coffee. The Mr. Coffee 35th Anniversary Edition Coffeemaker retails for $80 and can be purchased at Target stores or online at www.mrcoffee.com.

-- Compiled by Hali Bernstein Saylor