The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) has opened applications for the premier awards program, Best of KBIS, that will spotlight industry excellence in 2026. Sponsored by LUXE Interiors + Design, this long-standing program has recently expanded in step with the design landscape to recognize the achievements of those pushing the kitchen and bath space forward.
Best of KBIS 2025 winners were harbingers of industry trends: Effe Perfect Wellness, Kohler, and Empava were praised for their residential spa-like amenities that highlight an increasing desire for wellness-centered homes; Cosentino, James Martin Vanities, and FreePower impressed judges with a collaboration merging beauty and tech in the bath; TopZero wowed with a pivotal product in work-zoned kitchen design; and LifeValet entered the scene with innovative ADA fixtures that elevate universal design (see here for a full press kit of last year’s winners). Each year, the competition raises the bar and inspires new trends that define the industry.
The submission portal is open with purchase and the deadline to submit is November 21, 2025. Finalists will be announced in early 2026, while winners will be announced live at the show during an awards ceremony on NEXTStage on February 18, 2026, from 4-5 pm.
Best of KBIS 2026 Categories
Seven award categories reflect the innovation, diversity, and design advancements of the kitchen and bath industry.
1. Style Statement: Kitchen
Products submitted to this category should focus on aesthetic value, favoring new finishes/colors, artistic collaborations, and other key style features in the kitchen – both indoor and outdoor.
2. Style Statement: Bathroom
Products submitted to this category should focus on aesthetic value, favoring new finishes/colors, artistic collaborations, and other key style features in the bath – both indoor and out.
3. Sustainable Standout
This category will be judged for eco-friendly properties, i.e. energy or water conservation, carbon neutral manufacturing processes, or recycled components.
4. Wellness Trailblazer
Standouts for wellness should deliver benefits to mental or physical well-being, including stress relief or connection to nature.
5. Game-Changing Innovation
Game-changing innovators should show new-to-market technology, new ways to manufacture materials, new-to-category advancements, or any take on “new.”
6. Most Functional Find
This category will look for functional benefits (particularly multi-functional use-cases), longevity, and value relative to price point.
7. Best in Show
Put simply, this award will honor the best all-around product.
Entry Information
To be eligible for consideration, all products must have been introduced after January 31, 2025. To enter, exhibiting manufacturers must complete a Best of KBIS submission form and submit at least two high-res (300 dpi) images. Products may be entered in multiple categories; however, they require an individual entry form and submission fee for each category.
Judging
A judging committee of design professionals, thought leaders, and industry experts will narrow the entries to approximately 50 finalists, who will be announced in January 2026.
The finalists will then be judged on site by the same group of experts to determine the winning products. Each finalist will have five minutes to present their submitted item during an in-booth visit. Six categories award a Gold and Silver winner, while the Best in Show is awarded to one standout. Best of KBIS winners will be announced on site on February 18, 2026.
LUXE Interiors + Design is the proud media sponsor of Best of KBIS, and is neither involved in, nor influences, the judging process.
