We have a couple of good threads about tips and products that work really well; I thought a good companion might be a thread to warn people about products or methods that you’ve found to be crap so that the rest of us can avoid them and not waste our time or money.
We recently bought a $25 drum stool from Target that was a wobbly piece of garbage. We already returned it or I’d tell you the brand. Hopefully other people’s contributions will be more helpful…
Wilkinson safety razor blades. I bought some when I first started using a safety razor because I didn’t know any better, and they were terrible. I’ve had better shaves from week-old Feathers than I got off a brand new Wilkinson.
Actually, the same goes for the Wilkinson shaving soap I bought at the same time, but that could be because I never got the hang of making lather with soap.
Psychoanalysis, the strictly Freudian type. Recently the Dutch government stopped insuring it under Medicare. That decision was based on lots of comittees and lots of research and consensus on it not being effective enough. There was surprisingly little protests at this decision.
I’m not saying psychotherapy isn’t effective, just the Freudian type.
Oh, and expensive skincreams.
“Method” cleaning products.
I have no idea if there stuff is environmentally friendly or not - I do know that it doesn’t get stuff clean. Windex and Pine Sol and Swiffer and Clorox and Tide might all be destroying the oceans, but in the meantime, my stuff is getting clean. Method? water alone would be more effective. And cheaper.
What are “method” cleaning products?
Method is a fancy-schmancy brand with pretty bottles. I know they sell it at Target. I use diluted vinegar mostly and baking soda in lieu of cleanser. Cheap, eco-friendly, effective, and cheap.
…laser rulers.
It’s a little device that is supposed to replace tape measures. I bought one when I was remodeling our house. Problem is, every time I pointed it to the opposing wall and clicked, it gave me a different reading. Piece of junk.
Huh? I use Method stuff all the time, and it works just as good as anything else IMO. Pretty sure it’s cheaper, too - up until this thread, I thought it was the Target store brand. Not fancy-schmancy at all.
Any “refurbished” product from woot.com. The site is fantastic – I have a ton of purchases there – but anything that has been listed as “refurbished” has crapped out on me far, far too soon:
Toshiba DVD Recorder – Door jammed within two weeks (although I was able to semi-fix it – it now opens, but you have to close it by hand).
Kodak EasyShare Z1275 12MP/720p Digital Camera – Bricked within six weeks.
Compaq DX2000 Business Desktop – Power supply fried afer a month.
No coincidence that the three failures in 22 purchases were all refurbs.
Its the sonic boom alarm clock. Had two break on me within 4 months. Its loud alright…that part and the vibrating disc work… what happens is is that the clock gives out… just stops telling the correct time… which should be the FIRST key to the process… Sent first one back… threw second one away… gave up
Food choppers that are basically a clear plastic bell. Press the big button on the top and blades with come down then rotate. A couple of slaps on the button and you’ve got minced garlic. Or one big clove of garlic that has to be unstuck from the blades.
Similarly, two clear plastic cups with plastic teeth on the inside. Put a clove of garlic in one, fit the other one over it, give it a twist, and presto change-o… give it a twist… try twisting harder… crap, it just came apart… twiiiiist! Arrrgghhh! Ah, there! Crushed garlic that has to be meticulously picked out from between the teeth.
Stick with a chef’s knife.
Yes, I can attest to this one as well. Bought one at Target for ~$10 thinking it would be handy, tried to use it once, and threw it away.
My original countribution is the MightyVac Brake Bleeder. Bought it in anticipation of doing a one-man brake bleeding job. Stupid thing couldn’t maintain a seal on the bleed nipple or at the reservoir cap. Did three wheels the old fashioned way in the time it took me to do one with that stupid thing.
The Axbo Sleep Phase Alarm Clock. I only bought this overpriced pseudoscientific POS because I was desperate, and for a week it seemed to work (perhaps because of the novelty?), but since then it’s been wholly ineffective.
Monster brand cables
Extended warranties for electronics
Magnet therapy
Anything homeopathic
I’m not sure this really qualifies, as it’s not a “service” I’ve used.
I see ads on TV for some website that’s supposed to speed up your computer. I think it’s called maxmyspeed.com, but I can’t be bothered to look it up. The ad goes “is your computer slow? Thinking about buying a new one? Don’t waste your money!”
And the first thing that goes through my mind is “speaking of not wasting your money…”
IMO this is a company that preys upon people who are computer-ignorant. If only I had my own advertising budget, I’d purchase time to air my own ad directly after this commercial that says “don’t listen to these sleazebags. Do a simple Google search and download a FREE anti-virus program and a FREE anti-malware program.”
Now that I think about it, I suppose this “service” does actually work, but it’s not something that money should be wasted on!
Years ago my niece wanted one for Christmas. She really really really wanted to become a chef, and she was convinced that this gadget would catapult her a to Julia Child/Jaques Pepin level of greatness. It was the only gift she really wanted. For get about a new bike, jewelry, or anything else. She wanted the chopper.
When it came time to make dinner, we gave her the task of chopping things. The results were less than stellar.
Sea Monkeys.
In a way they’re kind of cool, but if you’re expecting 4" tall little fish people who juggle and live in a castle, you might be disappointed.
I have to disagree with you on this one - I’ve got one of these gadgets (the Garlic Twist on Amazon) and love it. (The one in the link is the exact one I have; I’m pretty sure mine was cheaper. There’s also a third generation available that’s cheaper as well.) Love it. I don’t think it’s so hard to get the garlic out - you can line it up in the chopper first, or use a spoon - and I think that I get better results than with a press.
It’s not so dishwasher safe, though - after three + years, the lid has cracked and I’ll need to replace it soonish.
Not that a knife doesn’t work just as well, really, but to each their own. I like mine.
You must not have any computer-illiterate in-laws. I have no idea if that service is any good, but there are times I would willingly pay for a service to help them so they would stop calling me.
Get your computer illiterate in-laws to get a Mac. Then download a good antivirus software and firewall for 'em.
That way every few months you can simply clean off all the .exe files that would have otherwise caused you much grief from their desktops 
99% of as shown on TV stuff is garbage. Read reviews of it if you’re gonna try it out first.
My contribution is plastic cookware. It’s garbage. Stick with silicone or wooden stuff.