With all the innovative gadgetry that has showed up in kitchens the past few years, you'd think manufacturers might have run out of ideas. Somehow, though, they keep dreaming up equipment that's faster, flashier and easier-to-use.

Several new products are making their debut at the 29th annual Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show, which runs through Sunday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. They range from the ultra high-tech to the downright indulgent. You really have to have one of everything to need a countertop humidor to hold loose cigars, don't you think?

Spanking brand new is the dual-fuel AGA PRO+ range. The high-performance appliance is so new, in fact, that its appearance in the Don's Appliances exhibit (booths 2624/2625) is its first in the U.S.

"They literally called the day before setup and asked us if they could send it," says sales manager Matt Hillebrand.

Known for its iconic cookers, AGA in recent years has started offering modern ranges that only look like they're old. This 36-inch British-made range is billed as the "world's most versatile 36-inch self-clean range." Here's why: A patented energy-saving panel allows users to divide the electric oven cavity in two.

When it's in full mode, the 4.9-cubic-foot oven is among the largest on the market; in compact mode, you get a 2.4-cubic-foot oven with six cooking functions, including "thaw and serve," plus an adjoining warming oven fueled by residual heat. By using only half the oven for everyday cooking, homeowners cut energy consumption by about 30 percent.

The AGA PRO+ is equally high-performing on top. Five gas burners equipped with electronic ignition provide up to 15,000 Btu of cooking power. Or you can turn it down to 5,000 Btu for a true simmer for melting chocolate or cooking delicate sauces. It comes, with full- and half-width oven racks and a triple-glazed door, in four colors, plus stainless steel. Cost: $4,399.

Less high-tech but still bound to turn heads is Miele's new Tepan Yaki grill ($1,700), a home-sized version of the stainless-steel hibachi cooktops you find in Japanese restaurants. It's just 15 inches wide, so cooking on it for a large number of people is a bit of a challenge. (I'll be stir-frying on one from Hillmon Appliance today at 2 p.m. in the Dream Home kitchen.) But it's fun pretending to be an Iron Chef, and a variable heat control doubles your cooking options. You can crank up the heat on one half for searing and keep it low on the other for warming vegetables. Clean-up is as easy as scrubbing the surface with a wet paper towel. The CombiSet option pairs the grill with an induction cooktop and deep fryer.

Also new from Miele is a 24-inch wine cooler ($8,100). Wine aficionados love to show off their collection so this storage unit -- on view at Don's Appliances, as well as the Dream Home kitchen -- is bound to please. It features a halogen-based lighting system that tastefully displays up to 120 bottles without affecting the temperature inside. Speaking of which, the cooler has three unique cooling zones with independent controls that allow you to store white wines and champagnes separately from reds.

If you'd rather take the guesswork out of cooking, Jenn Air's V2 wall oven can't miss. It has one of the most powerful convection systems on the market (two 3,400-watt elements), as well as the industry's only vertical dual fans (they rotate in opposite directions to balance heat distribution evenly throughout the 4.5-cubic-foot oven cavity). What really sets the V2 apart is its touch-screen culinary center -- a feature so all-encompassing that you almost expect it to also do the grocery shopping for you.

The 7-inch LCD display screen shows full-color pictures for dozens of dishes: What they should look like, what pan to use, where to place the temperature probe. The oven, which doesn't need to be preheated, also automatically selects the power level based on the cooking mode (bake, broil, convection bake) and desired doneness.

The V2 also has a touch slider that eliminates the need for punching in temperatures or turning dials. It comes in stainless steel, oiled bronze and black glass finishes. You can see it in action at the Hillmon Appliance booth (2819).

Advances also have been made in the service call, as evidenced by Miele's new RemoteVision system. Available on its Independence series of refrigerators, freezers and wine storage units, as well as super large capacity laundry units, the WiFi technology monitors appliances 24/7 and reports any service problems or fault codes to Miele's service center.

Say, for instance, someone leaves his or her Miele freezer open and then goes away for the vacation. Or, a homeowner uses too much detergent in the washer. Miele will know and dispatch a repairman if necessary. It costs $349 and includes a 10-year service plan.

Now, back to that countertop humidor. Because it's made by Liebherr, a company known for its expertise in food and wine storage, perhaps it's not so crazy in the kitchen after all.

Temperature and humidity are critical to the storage of fine cigars, and the XS 200 ($2,599) comes with a unique MagicEye control system that monitors the moisture created by an integrated water tank filled with distilled water; a visual display tells you when it needs to be refilled. An integrated temperature control and fans keep the temperature constant without changing the humidity.

Other features include an activated charcoal filter that ensures a flow of fresh, clean air and LED lighting with a dimmer function that emits negligible heat. So you can display your smokes without fear of at the same time damaging them. And if some chucklehead inadvertently leaves the door open? No worries. An alarm will sound.

AGAS Ranges -- www.aga-ranges.com; 1-877-650-5775

Don's Appliances -- www.donsappliances.com; 724-916-0100

Hillmon Appliance -- www.hillmonappliance.com; 724-779-9393

Jenn-Air -- www.jennair.com; 1-800-536-6247

Liebherr -- www.liebherr-appliances.com; 1-905-319-8835.

Miele -- www.miele.com; 1-800-640-2613

Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.