It sounds too good to be true but a Wisconsin-based tiny house builder is conducting an odd experiment in American commerce by giving away its rugged tiny homes for free to partners willing to use them as Airbnb rentals.
There are a few catches, which we’ll cover below, but the company — Escape, based in Rice Lake, Wisconsin — produced a line of well-designed and nearly self-sufficient tiny homes inspired by the prairie-style cottages that dot the wintery landscape there, as well as by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s renowned appreciation of nature. Those who simply want to purchase an Escape tiny home is looking at a cost ranging from $40,000 to $80,000, plus any utilities and the cost of a license plate, since these tiny homes on wheels are legally designated as recreational vehicles.
However, the rental program that offers “free” tiny vacation homes is rather elegant as well. Here’s how it works. The “partner” deemed well-suited to receive an Escape tiny home undergoes a credit check and drops a security deposit of up to $2,000. Escape will deliver its free rentals to any location within 100 miles of the top 50 metropolitan areas in the U.S. (delivery and setup costs will be deducted from future rental fees). The partner is also responsible for maintaining the unit, including housekeeping, as well as carrying adequate liability insurance.
The partner must also set up utilities, including water and septic, but the Escape tiny homes designed by Sala architects are surprisingly robust and adaptable. In addition to solar power, the units can be outfitted with water or gas tanks as well as composting or dry flush toilets and even a washer/dryer upon request. Heat can come from a variety of sources including baseboard heat, a furnace, split system or a fireplace.
Once everything is in working order, the unit is free to the partner to use for a year with the option of yearly renewals and the opportunity to purchase the unit at any time. Escape will promote the rental unit on its website as well as a variety of PR channels, at no cost to the partner, although it’s obvious that partners should advertise the unit on Airbnb’s website as well. Once rental commences, the partner’s share of the rental income is 40 percent, minus any booking, credit card or other fees associated with the direct rental of the tiny home, with checks sent to partners on a monthly basis.
With the ability to adapt the Escape homes for off-grid use as well as wheels to make transport or moving nearly effortless, these mobile wonders can operate almost anywhere. The handcraftsmanship is clearly a feature, as are modern accents like panoramic windows, plenty of storage, climate control and LED lighting. The company also affirms that design is key through architectural models that use windows, light, long sight lines and maximized space to make them feel bigger on the inside.
The Escape homes are sold factory-direct but aspiring entrepreneurs with the resources to outfit them could be looking at a business opportunity.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.