mySimon Home and Garden Shopping Picks

How many tennis balls has your dog lost in the park, now that it's dark outside by the time you get home to walk him/her? Avoid having to look around for a loose stick; get one of these balls with LED lights. They're battery-powered and rugged enough to withstand a dog's jaws, and bright enough so your dog won't have trouble finding them. Added bonus: You won't have to risk stepping in something as you help Fido look for his tennis ball.

No fireplace at home? You've got several options: 1) make a bonfire in a bucket, 2) watch a DVD of a burning log, or 3) get an electric fireplace. Since the first option is dangerous and the second is just embarrassing, take a look at some of these electric fireplaces. They're not as expensive as we thought they would be (the one shown here is under $300). Their fires look convincing; they emit heat (and are a lot more fun to look at than a boring space heater); and there's no messing with logs or ashes. Next step: Sheepskin rug.

We're not sure what to make of the EasyBloom plant sensor. It's a gadget that somehow reads and records all the environmental data - sunlight, shade, soil moisture levels - in a place where you either already have a plant or want to put one in the future. When you plug the gadget into your computer, it tells you what kind of plant would work best in that spot and how to help any ailing plants you already have there. Plus it gives you access to an online database with info on 5,000 plants (or help creating your own online database to track your garden). On the one hand, we can see how the EasyBloom might appeal to gadget lovers who weren't born with green thumbs, but isn't half the fun learning by trial and error? And can't you get all the gardening info you need for free online anyway? Do you know anyone who might actually use this product?

What's even better than a clean, durable dog bed that resists stains, moisture, and odors? A dog bed with all those features plus a removable, machine-washable cover designed by William Wegman (the Weimaraner photographer guy). Introducing Crypton's Doodle Dog pet beds, available in 2 sizes and many colors. Finally, a dog bed you won't want to hide when you have company. More dog beds.

Ants usually aren't welcome at the dinner table, unless they're part of the decor. Use these ant napkin rings by notNeutral for Halloween parties, picnics, and any other occasion where you want to add a few "pieces of flair" to your table. Each set includes 4 painted metal napkin rings. Choose white or black. (Pity they didn't also make red ones.) More napkin rings. More fun housewares by notNeutral.

PC Magazine mentions the Webble Active Footrest in its "10 Futuristic Technologies for Your Office" feature. The Webble is essentially an ergonomic footrest - on wheels - that wobbles, so your legs move around under your desk, thus giving you the physiological benefits of increased leg activity while seated. Because when you sit at a computer for 8+ hours a day like we do, there's not a whole lot you can do (without distracting your colleagues) to get your blood circulating. Coffee doesn't count. We just wonder if having our feet "surf" under our desks would distract us from actually working, and if we should use it while watching TV instead. Speaking of footrests, has anyone tried these roller ball ones?

Need some help cooking the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Electrolux has a whole line of ovens with a "Perfect Turkey" button. According to Electrolux, the button "uses a temperature probe to precisely control cooking, along with a convection system that gently browns the turkey while sealing in the juices," ensuring that "every turkey you roast in an Electrolux wall oven or range comes out perfect, every time." Kelly Ripa, the current Electrolux celebrity spokeswoman, says the Perfect Turkey button "has done for the wall oven what the popcorn button has done for the microwave." You can enter to win one of these ovens here, where you'll be asked to share your favorite turkey preparation nightmare.

Got yard work to do this weekend? Black & Decker's cordless mulching mower might help. It's got a 19" mower deck, starts with the flip of a switch, and (thankfully) requires no gas, oil, tuneups, or trips to the service station. (And it recharges to 100% in 10 hours.) The company says the mower is ideal for lawns up to 1/3 of an acre. Best of all there is no assembly required. Suddenly mowing the lawn sounds a lot less daunting, doesn't it? More lawn mowers.

If you liked that "Oh No! Not You Again" doormat, you'll probably get a kick out of this one, which reads "Come back with a warrant." It'll crack up your guests and make the cops wonder what you're hiding inside. The mat measures 18" x 27" and can be used inside or outdoors. $17.99 from Target online (not in stores).

We only buy small amounts of fresh produce at a time, because we hate spending all that money at Whole Foods and then having our fruits and veggies go bad before we can eat them. Enter the Frisper Freshkeeper, which just made Oprah's "O List" ("a few things she thinks are just just great"). Unlike other big, bulky vacuum sealers, the Frisper is fairly small and does all the work for you. Put your produce or leftovers in a microwave-safe Vac-Snap bag (it comes with 10 resusable bags), close the bag, place the Frisper's mouth over the bag, and push the button. The Frisper makes a tiny hole in the bag, sucks out all the air, and then reseals the hole. We think "Frisper" is a silly-sounding name, but if it keeps our food fresh longer, we don't care what they call it.

Shopping for rugs? Check out Pottery Barn sooner rather than later. Their "Concentric Squares" rugs are all on sale. Available in red, orange, chocolate, and ivory, the hand-tufted wool rugs are simple without being boring; the concentric square pattern gives them some visual texture. The 9' x 12' one is marked down from $749 to $599, which is more affordable than some West Elm rugs of the same size. (West Elm is Pottery Barn's younger, cheaper store.) See all Pottery Barn rugs.

Instead of tossing your guests a 6-pack of Budweiser, why not serve them a decent pilsner in a proper glass? Designed for beer aficionados, Mikasa's "Brewmaster's Collection" consists of 4 different 4-piece sets: Wheat glasses, pilsner glasses, varietal glasses, and a flight set (6-ounce glasses), shown here with the accompanying dark wood caddy. All glasses are dishwasher-safe and make great wedding/housewarming/holiday gifts. Especially if you wrap them up with some good beer.

How many times has your happy, lovable dog wagged his or her tail so hard near the coffee table that a glass of wine went flying onto your why-did-I-ever-choose-such-a-light-color carpet? Luckily you don't have to put Fido in the basement during your next cocktail party, thanks to Orvis' wag-proof furniture. Both the coffee table and the end table have recessed areas where you can keep your wine glasses and other breakable items safe from dogs' tails. The coffee table even has a sliding tray, so you can protect that cheese plate from your dog's mouth, should you need to leave the room.

Remember those Kohler WaterTiles from a couple years ago? They're panels for the sides of your shower, so water sprays at you from all directions like a human car wash. Kohler has taken showering to the next level with SoundTiles, matching speakers that stream your favorite music and Internet radio right into your shower. Kohler worked with Polk Audio to create these waterproof, coaxial, 4" x 4" speakers, which are controlled by the Kohler DTV II or any stand-alone home audio system. We hope for your spouse's/roommate's sake you have a good singing voice.

Bed Bath & Beyond should have had us on the payroll the other night. We spent more than an hour vacuuming their floors as we tried out various uprights to replace our old Dirt Devil, which finally gave up the ghost (and stank up our apartment as it burned through yet another rubber belt thing). Now, we'd been hearing multiple people at the office rave about their Dy$on vacuums, but the full-size ones are just ginormous, and the new compact DC24 couldn't seem to pick up a simple ball of hair on the carpet. So when we heard this Miele Powerhouse eagerly sucking up all the nasty stuff BB&B customers had left on the floors; saw its $100-cheaper-than-the-little-Dyson price tag; and learned about its lifetime warranty (we can take it back if we decide it - pardon the pun - sucks), we brought it home. Yay for clean carpets!

As seen in the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens: Photo wall clocks from Target. Instead of numbers, there are circles where you can insert your own photos. A perfect gift for grandmothers or people with large families. Plus it's probably fun to say things like "It's Mike after Mark." Preorder now for delivery in a few weeks. See also: Target's "splat" wall clocks.

The worst thing about cooking is cleaning the pots and pans afterwards. Not anymore (at least, not if you have a dishwasher), because Calphalon's new Infinite Circulon collection of hard-anodized, non-stick pots, pans, and skillets is completely dishwasher-safe! Plus the bottoms are made from stainless steel and aluminum (safe for glass and induction cooktops) and the stainless steel handles are oven-safe to 500 degrees. But if $300 for the 10-piece set is a little out of your price range, the good news is you can buy individual items separately. See all Calphalon cookware.

One day - we hope - all our portable gadgets won't need cords; they'll recharge magically without wires. Until then, we're stuck with a drawer full of chargers and a tangled mess of cords coming out of various outlets around the house. Which is why we want this lacquer docking station from West Elm (the hipper, cheaper, little sister of Pottery Barn). Available in white, mushroom, or espresso, this attractive, space-saving box is a centralized place for charging your phone, camera, iPod, etc. while simultaneously hiding their cords. There's a surge protector on the back and a big drawer for storing other desktop clutter.

Help your dog stay cool outside with a Coolaroo dog bed. Designed for the outdoors, Coolaroo is a knit fabric with millions of tiny spaces that let air flow freely through it. When the fabric is stretched over an aluminum frame, like on these dog beds, the result is a cool and comfortable (and clean!) place for your pooch to lie down. The fabric resists mold and mildew, and can be cleaned with a basic garden hose. Choose from three sizes.