LINCOLN, Nebraska — August 27, 2025 — The fourth annual Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition has officially unveiled its Top 16 products. From farm equipment to iconic foods, Nebraskans now have the chance to decide which product will claim the 2025 title.
For the second time, HandleBend in O’Neill has made the Top 16 finalists. This year, their “Hideaway Copper Mugs” are in the voting competition. This is how they describe the “Hideaway” mug on their website “It’s smaller in volume but delivers just as big an impression. Our Hideaway takes less room on the shelf, and yields the dialed-back volume of a net-8 oz cocktail. We’ve geared the design to be more compatible with a restaurant or establishment’s current cocktail program.” The Hideaway Mug holds 14oz of your favorite beverage or 8oz with ice.
Voting is open for the first round of the bracket-style competition and will continue through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 7. Advanced rounds will follow throughout September. Manufacturers, students and all Nebraskans are invited to cast their votes for their favorite product each week at www.nemanufacturingalliance.com.
The competition, hosted by the NE Chamber and NE Manufacturing Alliance, and presented by Pinnacle Bank, celebrates Nebraska’s dynamic manufacturing industry, home to more than 100,000 Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.
Top 16 Finalists:
- Allmand Light Towers– Allmand, Holdrege
• Double Wide Badass Workbench– Badass Workbench, Kearney
• World’s Largest Folding Corn Head – Bish Enterprises, Giltner
• Basketball Hoops – Bison Inc., Lincoln
• High School Elite Aluminum Hurdle – Blazer Athletic Equipment, Columbus
• Wool Yarn – Brown Sheep Company, Scottsbluff
• AF Series Combine Harvester – CASE IH, Grand Island
• Hideaway Copper Mugs – Handlebend, O’Neill
• A-Tip Match Bullets – Hornady Manufacturing, Grand Island
• Teryx4 H2 / Teryx5 H2 – Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., Lincoln
• Tapered Tube Transmission Line Poles – Klute Inc., York
• Custom Artificial Limbs – Limb Lab, Lincoln
• Digital Scorer’s Table – Fourth Wall, a Lincoln Industries brand, Lincoln
• Big M Commercial Smoker – M Grills, Beatrice
• Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing – Tasty Toppings Inc., Duncan
• Valentino’s Authentic Pizza Sauce – Valentino’s of America, Lincoln
“Manufacturing is a pillar of Nebraska’s economy, and this competition is a chance to celebrate the companies and people making a difference every day,” said Todd Bingham, NE Chamber President. “These 16 products represent just a fraction of the innovation happening across our state, and we’re excited to showcase them as we discover the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska.”
The tournament will help launch NE Manufacturing Month this October. The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska will be announced October 6 at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where finalists will also be invited to display their products. Registration is open to the public and available here.
