As home-improvement enthusiasts, we always are in search of tools, materials and gadgets that can improve personal comfort and get a job done as quickly and easily as possible. Local home-and-garden shows, building-industry trade shows, television shows, books, magazines, catalogs and the Internet are all excellent sources for such information.

Lumber, most power tools and an array of hardware readily can be found using these resources. On the other hand, try finding a liquid propane tank-pressure gauge, a steel brick clip that can be used, among other things, to hang Christmas stockings, and a tile grout whitener with a built-in applicator. We found each of these products (and more) in a catalog.

While old habits are hard to break, an astonishing number of people are opting to trade trips to home centers and specialty stores for catalog and online shopping. The phone, a fax, the click of a mouse and a credit card are all that one needs for home delivery.

The benefits of this type of trade are many - no traffic to fight, no shoppers to tangle with and no long checkout lines. A possible disadvantage is that one might have to wait a day or so to receive an order. However, a wait might be well worth the convenience of shopping from home without the aggravation of an in-store purchase.

Brick-and-mortar stores and their shoppers will still be around, but growth in E-commerce (phone, fax, and computer shopping) is traveling at record speed. Consumers now have more buying choices than ever. And speaking of choice, E-commerce provides an inventory that most brick-and-mortar stores could not - and for some, would not - want to carry.

A sampling of some nifty gadgets that we found in a catalog and while shopping on-line:

Tile grout whitener

If you had enough of coffee-stained grout, this little device will be welcome. It consists of a 4-ounce bottle and applicator tip that is a bit larger than the average tube of lipstick. The bottle contains enough dye to whiten about 350 yards of grout. That's enough to do two average-sized bathrooms. What makes this particular product unusual is the applicator tip that consists of a small wheel. After 24 hours, the stuff is dry and you can begin staining your grout again. That is unless you seal the grout to prevent staining. Found that in the catalog too. One 4-ounce bottle sells for under $10.

Outdoor light timer.

Although we found this one in our local store, we felt is was worth mentioning. Trying to plug in a traditional analogue timer into an outdoor electrical box can be impossible, unless you're willing to tear the protective outlet cover off. That's a no-no that can cause an electrical shock or short especially in damp or wet weather. This particular gizmo has a traditional weatherproof grounded plug with a short cord attached to a timer that will turn Christmas lights or other outdoor lighting on and off after a preset number of hours. Or, it can be set to turn on at dusk and off at dawn. A holiday must-have for under $20.

LP tank pressure gauge

If you like to barbecue using liquid propane gas (LP), you'll love one of these. You'll never have to worry about running out of fuel during big holiday cookouts. There's an added bonus. A thermal fuse shuts off the gas if there's a fire, and an excess-flow limiting device activates in the event of hose, fitting or regulator failure. Added safety and convenience can be yours for less than $30.

Automatic door closer

Automatic door-closing devices have been around for quite a while. What makes this one worth mentioning is its size and ease of installation. Simply remove an existing hinge pin (the device that holds the two pieces of a hinge together) and replace it with this one a fraction of the size of a traditional door closer. Great for preventing pets and toddlers from getting into off-limit areas. Under $10.

Brick clips

Use one of these to hang almost anything on brick, without drilling. They snap easily onto a brick wall to support up to 25 pounds. No anchors to hang or holes to drill, no damage to brick or mortar. Great for Christmas stockings, wreaths, art or other decorative items. A set of four will set you back about ten bucks.

Hand cart

Question: What could be better than a hand cart to haul heavy objects around? Answer: A hand cart that folds away for easy storage. This product makes it easy to move up to 250 pounds of boxes, bags of dog food, file cabinets, folding chairs, large planters, even big trash cans. What makes this even better is its telescoping handle that slides down to under 29 inches high. Its lightweight aluminum frame and two large ball-bearing wheels weigh less than 15 pounds. Best of all, when you're not using it, you can store it. Under $60.

Peaked your interest? Begin combing through catalogs and clicking your way down the information superhighway. You just might find that long-desired thingamabob.