CHICAGO — CONTRACTOR magazine, part of Penton Media Inc.’s Mechanical Systems Group, is showcasing the top 20 products from 19 manufacturers / suppliers to the plumbing, heating, cooling, piping and mechanical contracting industry that have generated the most buzz from readers.
CONTRACTOR presented the Top 10 Readers’ Choice Award winners and the Top 10 Editor’s Choice winners in its December 2011 issue & online at www.contractormag.com .
The winners run the gamut from work trucks, boilers and water heaters to valves and tools. Winners were determined by which products received the most reader inquiries over the preceding 12 months. CONTRACTOR publishes about 360 new product items a year.
CONTRACTOR Magazine’s Group Publisher, Dan Ashenden said, “We are proud to showcase this list of cutting edge, industry changing products. It’s exciting that even in a soft market, these manufacturers have worked hard and invested time, money and resources to bring products that contractors will be proud to install and stand behind – or products that will help them do a better job. This is a list every company would like to be on”.
And the winners are:
CONTRACTOR Magazine 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards
#1 General Pipe Cleaners for the JM-3080 Jet Set Drain Cleaning System. This jetting system delivers 3,000 psi at 8 GPM to break up and flush tough stoppages.
#2 Uponor for the Radiant Ready 30E. The product is a complete radiant system, including an electric boiler, that is pre-packaged, compact, and easy to install.
#3 IPS Corp.’s Test-Tite line of test plugs. The test valves are offered with a pressure release valve that reduces the risk of damage to plugs and DWV systems.
#4 Caleffi’s Geocal Geothermal Manifold. It’s a manifold designed specifically for ground-source geothermal heart pump loops.
#5 Cash Acme for the Multiflex Thermostatic Mixing Valve. The thermostatic mixing valve combines a flexible connector and water heater tee, all in a single package.
#6 Lochinvar for its Copper-Fin line of water heaters and boilers. The company’s flexible line of water heaters and boilers are available in models from 495,000 to 2,065,000 Btuh.
#7 Viega’s Stainless Steel Transition Fittings. Not a new product for the company but new to the U.S. market, the stainless steel fittings are designed for use with the company’s ProPress flameless pipe joining system.
#8 Rinnai for its Tankless Valve Kit. This kit helps speed and simplify the installation of the company’s tankless water heaters.
#9 Webstone’s E-X-P Complete Tankless Water Heater Installation Kit. This kit contains all the peripheral components needed to install a tankless water heater.
#10 GeoStar for the Aston Series Ground-Source Heat Pumps. The dual-speed heat pumps are designed to meet the high-volume demands of larger homes.
The winners for CONTRACTOR magazine’s 2012 Editors’ Choice Awards are:
Lochinvar, the Choice Awards only dual winner, for the Knight Wall-Mount Fire-Tube Boiler. The boiler is offered in seven different models with inputs from 55,000 to 399,000 Btuh.
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry for the Truefit Family of PVC DWV Solvent Weld Fittings. The fabricated fittings range in size from 1½ inches to 16 inches.
T&S Brass’ Axion MSR Emergency Eyewash. The eyewash system is antimicrobially treated using the natural protection of silver, which helps protect against the growth of mold and mildew on the treated components.
American Standard for JADO's Savina Collection of Bathroom Products. Savina is a faucet collection with a variety of tap and handle options, inspired by 19th century design.
Laars for the Neotherm Boiler Line. The fully-packaged hydronic boiler delivers 95% thermal efficiency.
Nissan’s 2012 model-year Nissan NV work truck. The NV is the company’s first entry into the commercial vehicle market and is offered in three models and two roof configurations.
Bosch’s Compress Electric Heat Pump Water Heater. The 50-gal. unit can, under ideal conditions, deliver an EF of 2.2 while producing zero emissions.
GPS Insight for its Web-based Fleet Tracking Solution. This tracking and scheduling software is able to provide in-depth reports and alerts.
Zoeller’s Pro Pak 53 Pre-Assembled Sump Pump System. This sump pump system can continue pumping during power outages for up to 7½ hours on a fully-charged battery.
Dodge for its 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Truck. This truck has a maximum towing capacity of 10,450 lb., and is offered in regular, quad and crew cab models with three bed sizes.