InSinkErator Evolution Excel

In consumer tests, people thought the Evolution's whisper-quiet motor meant it was not up to the job. So designers clothed the unit in rugged stainless steel to exude power. "This shows how to bring anthropological studies and realistic usability tests into design," judge Marissa Mayer says.

• product Evolution Excel
• manufacturer InSinkErator
• designer Continuum
• bottom line Too soon to tell, but the $300 Evolution commands a premium--the average garbage disposal costs about $125.