Good Housekeeping, like many magazines, gets inundated with new products that manufacturers hope they will review favorably. Some they do and, of course, some they don't. Each year, however, some of those products stand out from the rest. Now, Good Housekeeping has put together their first ever Very Innovative Products awards, recognizing products that solve problems, perform well, and are innovative.

The list of winners consists of some very nifty products. The Bissell vacuum with a V-shaped head makes a lot of sense and, at only $80, is a good deal for cleaning up after kids tracking mud in from the yard and spilling rice everywhere. The SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker is something I've been considering adding to our backcountry gear; this device could prevent a tragedy like the one that befell the family of James Kim two years ago.

Now, while the internet access for Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles doesn't seem all that innovative to me (having had wireless internet access in my '59 Land Rover more than a dozen years ago), it is almost certainly more robust and much more widespread than what I had back then. And as for the Hall of Fame award for Spanx footless pantyhose, well, I have to admit I've never worn pantyhose, footless or otherwise. Still, if that's your cup of tea and you want the hosiery without having to sacrifice wearing sandals, then this does seem like it would be a winner.

Lastly, I hadn't heard about Dole's impressive innovation in fungal fortitude; I think I'm going to have to serve up some portobello burgers one of these days soon. The kids may get plenty of Vitamin D in their milk and at recess, but I suspect I might need a bit more than I'm getting. All in all, this is a list of nifty products well worth checking out.