Tis the Season for a Little Bathroom Tech

By Billy Aldridge

Believe it or not, the average American spends anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour in the bathroom on a daily basis.  As a result, there are a number of companies that are capitalizing on this trend by developing bathroom technology that is designed to make better use of the time spent there.  With the holiday shopping season upon us, this could also be the perfect time to add a touch of tech to your bathroom.

1.      Bath TV – We all knew that sooner or later the TV would find its way into the bathroom.  The only thing stopping it was the fact that electricity and water don’t mix.  But there are now manufacturers offering waterproof flat screens and even mirrors with built-in TV sets.  What will they think of next?  

2.      Shower Power – If you love singing in the shower, Kohler has developed its Moxie Showerhead with you in mind.  Combining a showerhead with a magnetic wireless speaker that is Bluetooth enabled, the system is fully rechargeable and is literally a snap to remove.  

3.      Digital Bathroom Scales – If you think that bathroomscales are only good for bragging or nagging rights, guess again.  Digital scales can now do much more than just weigh an individual.  They can now be programmed to track the vital statistics on multiple members of a household.  Some can also measure everything from weight to body fat to body water.  

4.      Touchless Faucets – If you go gaga over germs you can find a range of touch-free faucets for the home from most manufacturers.  These units are designed to also save water and they stay cleaner than traditional faucets since you won’t ever have to turn off the tap with wet hands.  

5.      Bathroom Cleaning Robots – The bad news is that nobody enjoys cleaning the bathroom.   The good news is that technology makes it possible to turn the chore over to a robot.  Most consumers have heard of the robotic vacuum cleaner named Roomba.  Well the makers of Roomba, iRobot have recently unveiled a line of wetbots designed to clean the bathroom floor.  Called Scooba, this robot is designed to clean hard to reach places, including around the toilet and under the cabinets with a three-stage cleaning process that  neutralizes up to 97% of bacteria. 

6.      On a Budget?  - If you are a little more cost conscious there are also a number bathroom gadgets from waterproof notepads to hands-free soap and toothpaste dispensers that can add a touch of tech without breaking the bank.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.  For more helpful hints and how-t videos, visit their website at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com