How Tariffs Are Affecting an Inventor Selling a Kitchen Gadget

In today's NY Times, Yair Reiner, founder of Gowanus Kitchen Lab and inventor of the Frywall splatter guard, shares how new U.S. tariffs on imports from China and Taiwan are threatening his small, family-run business.

His product, made of silicone, is manufactured in Asia because domestic production would be prohibitively expensive — up to $20 per unit, forcing a retail price of $80, which is unsellable. Overseas, he can produce it for about $5 and sell it for $25.

But that $5 import cost isn’t just going overseas — Reiner emphasizes that it fuels about $20 of economic activity in the United States. That value supports American workers and services: Amazon warehouses, USPS delivery, legal teams, software platforms, freelance designers, advertising partners, and local and federal taxes. In his view, torpedoing $20 of domestic benefit just to squeeze $5 more from tariffs makes no economic sense.

Now, due to tariffs, his costs have jumped to $7.50 per unit, and to maintain viable margins, he must raise his product’s price to $30 — a 20% increase that could deter consumers, especially in an inflationary environment. Reiner also notes that supply chain alternatives in the U.S. are not realistically feasible anytime soon due to the lack of infrastructure, specialized knowledge, and massive investment needed.

He criticizes the instability of U.S. trade policy, which changes faster than he can update his retail pricing, making it nearly impossible to plan. The tariffs are also forcing him to pause a new product launch, stalling work with U.S.-based designers, PR firms, and lawyers.

Ultimately, Reiner argues that while he shares the dream of revitalizing American manufacturing, punishing small businesses like his shouldn’t be the first step.