Selecting the Best of the Best

Now in its 57th year, the Retailers’ Choice Awards honors innovative and cutting-edge products from the National Hardware Show. The awards are hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) and selected by a panel of independently owned retailers from hardware, paint and lumber operations. Out of the thousands of products on the Show floor, only around 30 products are given the Retailers’ Choice Awards honor each year. 

Dan Tratensek, NHPA COO and publisher, says NHPA purposefully asks retailers to choose the products rather than editorial staff because retailers can provide real-life input on what would work in their stores with their customers. 

“Our livelihoods don't depend on finding the right products, but our retailers’ livelihoods and businesses do, so it’s neat to have them pick the award-winning products. It means a lot coming from them,” he says.

One of the judges, Alexandria Lavaroni, manager of Treat’s General Store in San Andreas, California, said she walked the Show floor with her mom and brother looking for products to nominate. 

“They are big shoppers, so it was great to have their input when picking Retailers’ Choice Award nominees,” Lavaroni says. 

Another judge, Tiffany Baum, senior director of retail management for City Mill Co., Ltd. in Hawaii, says she enjoyed walking the Show floor with her team. 

“We walked the floor as a team and approached finding items based on products we need and where our company wants to go,” she says. “Items in storage and organization, eco-friendly and sustainability caught my eye.” 

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony on the NHS Backyard stage. Winners receive a plaque recognizing their product’s distinction and the Retailers’ Choice Logo to use in all their advertising or promotions for the winning product. Each winning product will also be featured in a special Retailers’ Choice Awards product section in the April 2023 issues of Hardware Retailing and Paint & Decorating Retailer magazines. 

Check out this year’s winners:

• Miter Saw Protractor, 109 Tools

• Quick Dam Flood Bags, Absorbent Specialty Products LLC

• Telescopic Bucket System, Allway Tools

• Seal It, Clean Can Solutions

• Pacifica Collapsible Cooler, CleverMade

• EZ No Slip, Engineered Protective Coatings

• GoMist Misting and Drinking Bottle, ExtremeMist

• Coil-Flex, Gardien

• LevrUp Canopy, GCI Outdoor

• Plant-Based Lubricant, Gear Hugger

• Travel Bar, Gerstner

• The Pink Stuff, GSD Distribution LLC

• Ladder-Aide Pro, Ideal Security

• LED Shop Light, KMS, LLC / Cool Living / Warm Living

• Lawn Edger, Merry Products Corp.

• Climb-N-Go, MetalTech

• Rhino Cart, Midwest Innovative Products

• Hip Eco Line, Mr. Bar-B-Q Products LLC

• Collapsible Plant Tent, NuVue

• Airscape Bucket Lid, Planetary Design

• Rite-Grip Roller Brush, Rite-Grip

• Perfect Wall Patch, SD Home Products

• Dustless Saws, Sirocco

• Robotic Mower, Sunseeker US, Inc.

• Lil Timber/Big Timber, Timber Stoves

• Twist Ties, Twisted GOAT

• The Smarter Hook, VinYvet Enterprises Inc.

• Portable Dog Run, Westfield Outdoor Inc.

• The Pet Gazebo, Win World International Trade

• Wine Grasp, Wine Grasp Company

• TapCap, Zone Industry Corporation