Staffers at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the product-testing laboratory of Good Housekeeping, slaved over hot ovens, cleaned carpets and even played with fire to uncover the best new household products of the past year. These are the eight winners, which just received the magazine's annual Good Buy Awards:

Kenmore & Kenmore Elite Electric Ranges with Airguard feature from Sears (price: starts at $750; sold at Sears) Sure, you can set your oven to self-clean -- but you almost never do because the smell is so bad. Now, the AirGuard feature of these Kenmore ranges removes nearly all the odors and smoke that self-cleaning generates.

Even when the Good Housekeeping Research Institute testers deliberately scorched a pizza, there was virtually no stink. During everyday baking, the AirGuard can be on (to mask strong odors such as, say, tuna casserole) or off (to enjoy aromas like fresh chocolate-chip cookies).

Clear2O HOME Water Filtration System from Applica ($20) This pitcher's carbon filter sifts out impurities at nearly the same rate that the water flows from the faucet. In fact, it took Good Housekeeping testers only 30 seconds to fill.

The system is easy to use -- connect the pop-out hose directly to the tap. And with no top compartment, it holds 50 percent more water than older pitchers. So kids in your home won't always be putting it back empty.

FireDefender Sleep System from Louisville Bedding ($120 to $200) There are more than 20,000 mattress fires annually, and they are the leading cause of death from fire in children under 5. Once a mattress ignites, the entire room can be engulfed within three minutes, which is why U.S. law now requires that all mattresses sold be flame-retardant.

You could get new beds -- or just the FireDefender mattress cover, which slows burning time to 30 minutes, creating a window for escape.

CARES Child Aviation Restraint System from Kids Fly Safe ($75; sold at kidsflysafe.com) You want to have your toddler buckled in securely when you fly, but her car seat is heavy to lug around and you can't even be sure it will fit in the airplane seat.

This FAA-certified child restraint, which weighs less than a pound, offers a way to strap her in safely without increasing your carry-on load. The harness (for kids ages 1 to 4 who are 22 to 44 pounds) loops over the top of the child's plane seat and connects to the safety belt.

One Good Housekeeping tester raved that it was easy to use and kept her 1-year-old in his seat, which also gave her lap a rest.

Rotating Duplex Outlet from 360 Electrical ($10) An annoyance of modern life: fitting two big, clunky chargers (for, say, a cell phone and an iPod) into the same outlet. Solution: these sockets, which swivel to accommodate oversize plugs. To install, replace the existing wall outlet. If you haven't done it before, hire an electrician. Later this year, adapters with four outlets will let you skip that step.

Other Good Buy Award winners

These are the other products that won this year's Good Housekeeping Good Buy Awards

UVX and UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuums from Halo Company ($399 to $499) An ultraviolet light in these two models kills bacteria, viruses and dust mites on carpets.

Color Oops Hair Color Remover from DeveloPlus ($13) In 20 minutes, it takes out the hair dye you put in but don't like, without using damaging ammonia or peroxide.

Shout Advanced Gel ($3.79) This spray eliminates set-in stains on your clothes when you do the laundry.

On another matter ...

When choosing a tablecloth, Good Housekeeping says that bigger isn't necessarily better: Look for a 10- to 12-inch drop for casual settings and 15 inches for formal dining. Always buy two extra napkins to have as replacements if one becomes stained. To check the draping, place a napkin or the corner of the tablecloth over your hand -- the fabric should fall into even curves instead of hanging limply. Fold a napkin to check for a smooth, rounded edge. Finally, make sure the fabric is truly opaque, that hems and stitches are even and that the coloration is solid.

Recalls alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC's toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772.

Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

Collins International Oscillating Heat-Wave Ceramic Heaters (1500 watt; model EB38005), sold for about $25 at Menards stores from September 2006 through March 2007. The heaters can overheat, smoke or ignite, which poses a fire hazard. Consumers should stop using the heaters and return them to the nearest Menards for a refund. For more information, contact Collins International at (866) 877-1889 or www.collinsinternational.com.

1997-2003 Ford E-series; Excursion; F-250 SD; F-350 SD; F-450 Superduty and F-550 Superduty On certain trucks with 7.3L diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor might function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall, which could cause a crash. Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved sensor free of charge. For more information, call Ford at (866) 436-7332.