Just when you think equality of the sexes is just about achieved, just remember toilet seats. Up? Down? Wet? Dry? Can't we all just get along? New urinal takes aim
at right marketAnd so here's a bathroom product for the average guy, the kind of man who stands for what he believes, or at least stands to make shi-shi. The Mister Miser Urinal installs inside the wall and uses standard plumbing to achieve the housewife's dream -- a dry bathroom.
Mister Miser uses a recyclable plastic tank that mounts inside the wall, the lip flush with drywall material. Fitting over that is a pull-down porcelain-like lid that comes in 12 colors. All that's visible is the lid on the wall. The lid color can be changed to match changing decors.
The inside of the lid has splash-guard walls to channel the urine. Pushing the lid back up to close the unit triggers an internal sprinkler system that uses just 10 ounces of water to flush.
Since the average toilet uses 2 to 5 gallons of water to flush, this is a significant water savings. In a large office building or school or prison, this can translate to hundreds of gallons of water a day.
Mister Miser is distributed in Hawaii by Robert Ahsing of Innovative Products Industries. "It's just introduced, and it's made in Chicago," said Ahsing. "We can see it going into both businesses and homes, or in secluded areas outside where if you need to take a fast one, you can."
It's also quiet, Ahsing points out. The Mister Miser web site (http:// www.adams.net/~mwpatern/mrmiser.htm) suggests placing the unit behind doors in the laundry room and the bedroom. It can also be placed in boats and recreational vehicles.
While there are suggested heights for the unit, the distance from the floor is up to the homeowner. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Mister Miser is likely to be placed at a different height than Billy Barty's Mister Miser.
The price at the moment is $299. No matter what the cost, it will be standing-room only for customers -- by definition.
Information: Innovative Products is at 845-0837 and Mister Miser is at 1-888-228-6900.
By Burl Burlingame, Star-Bulletin