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                                                      Exhibit 10.18
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                     FIRST AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
                          AND NON-COMPETITION AGREEMENT

         Reference is made to an Executive Employment and Non-Competition
Agreement dated as of November 25, 1997 by and between Holmes Products Corp., a
Massachusetts corporation (the "Company") and Jordan A. Kahn, a resident of
Wellesley, Massachusetts (the "Executive") (the "Employment Agreement").

         WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee desire to amend the Employment
Agreement to increase the amount of the base compensation payable thereunder and
to extend the term thereof, all in conjunction with the acquisition this date by
the Company of The Rival Company;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premise and for one
dollar and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Executive hereby agree as
follows:

         1.       Section 2 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended,
                  effective as of the date hereof, to delete the first sentence
                  thereof and insert the following in lieu thereof:

                  "Unless sooner terminated as provided in Section 7, the term
                  of employment of this Agreement shall begin on the date of the
                  Employment Agreement and shall conclude on January 31, 2002
                  (the "Term")."

         2.       Section 4 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended,
                  effective as of the date hereof, to change the amount of the
                  Base Salary payable to the Executive thereunder from $400,000
                  to $500,000 per calendar year, payable at the times and in the
                  manner set forth in the Employment Agreement.

         3.       As amended hereby, the Employment Agreement is hereby ratified
                  and confirmed in all respects.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this
amendment as a sealed instrument on this 5th day of February, 1999.

                                     HOLMES PRODUCTS CORP.


                                     By: /s/ Ira B. Morgenstern
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                                         Name: Ira B. Morgenstern
                                         Title:  Senior Vice President - Finance
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                                     /s/ Jordan A. Kahn
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                                     Jordan A. Kahn