# stupid household inventions that should have been ditched long ago **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212 "2019-01-22T17:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/81 "2019-03-11T17:31:08Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > We will never buy a house with those ridiculous dual sinks. Now a bathroom with a toilet and urinal…yeah!!! 😃 When we renovated the main bathroom in 2010, we removed the two-sink counter (in 1981 faux blue marble, with the sinks shaped like seashells), put in a single sink and used the remaining plumbing installation to add a urinal. (We’re two guys, so there was little opposition.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/82 "2019-03-11T20:25:12Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > yep! This is the stupidest idea in human history. > Who suggested this to his sales department? > “hey, Let’s go back to a hundred years ago, when nobody had indoor plumbing, so they filled a basin with water and set it on top of a counter. But we’ll market it as a new fashion, and people will fall for it! The more inconvenient the better!!” > HUH? > If you splash water or drip toothpaste or whatever onto the countertop, you can’t just wipe it into the sink, quick rinse, and get on with your life. On “Ask This Old House,” there was a plumbing segment some years ago where a homeowner who put in one of these sinks was having Richard remove it because it was a PITA. 🙂 [Linky.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHGA7ivhPwU) [Another link, to the PITA part.](https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/ask-old-house-sink-installation-101) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/83 "2019-03-11T20:38:06Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Yes, there is. City Ordinance. It cannot be visible from the street. > > The backyard is impractical with 10" of snow and below zero temperatures. :rolleyes: If you sewed it a cute bin cozy, it wouldn’t be visible, right? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/84 "2019-03-11T20:42:03Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Wow, I am shocked by all the double sink downers. > > Does anyone else’s significant other spend more than 60 seconds doing things like washing face, putting on contacts, putting on makeup, working on hair? Do not all these things occur in the morning around the same time that you also need to do these things? > > We have a tiny bathroom with one sink and I am frequently waiting to do my bathroom stuff. > > ETA: Not to mention arguing over items taking up counter space! No kidding. We actually had a single sink in our master bathroom, and it was a PITA- at bed time we were constantly in each other’s way- I’d want to brush my teeth, and she’d be washing her face and dealing with makeup. Or in the morning, I’d be shaving, and she’d want to do something else with the sink. Or I’d be taking my contacts out, and she’d want to wash her hands after using the bathroom. Or whatever. When we renovated the bathroom, we deliberately had them put in two sinks- that way we can both use the sinks at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/85 "2019-03-11T22:03:59Z")
I grew up with five people using a single bathroom. Right now I primarily use the"guest" bathroom (unless we have a guest.) And I like it. I could see using a two-sink setup. We are on similar schedules and I could see us getting in each other’s way. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/86 "2019-03-12T00:09:20Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I don’t know if this is exactly what you’re looking for but I’d vote CARPET!.. I am in total and absolute agreement with you. > [@Hermitian](#): > > …My wife says she loves hardwood, but over the years we keep buying rugs to put everywhere because tile and hardwood is so dang unpleasant to stand on… Rugs are cheaper and much easier to replace than wall-to-wall carpeting. > [@CelticKnot](#): > > I do have a problem with placement. Who in the world decided that it’s a good idea to put the commode right next to the tub so you have to crawl across it to turn the faucet on or step on it to get into the shower?.. Personally I kinda like the idea of putting the toilet in it’s own water closet (at least if there’s a small hand sink in there) separate from the rest of the bathroom. It seems like a practice way of letting multiple people share the space; at least if the dwelling only has one bathroom. I’m aware that’s not the original purpose though. > [@TRC4941](#): > > I am always amazed when watching one of those HGTV shows and the deal-breaker for choosing a house is no double sink in the master bathroom. First of all, I’ve never lived in a house with a master bathroom. We’ve always had more than one bathroom, but they’re just bathrooms. And I too have NEVER, in the almost 37 years of marriage, needed to use a bathroom sink at the same time as my husband. The buyers on those shows aren’t actually choosing a new home; they’ve already purchased one before going on the show and the other two are decoys. Some people aren’t very good at coming up with convincing pros & cons. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What I dislike more than the double vanity sinks are the “[vessel sinks](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Bath-Bathroom-Sinks-Vessel-Sinks/N-5yc1vZbz9i)” that are trendy now. These are the ones that sit on top of the countertop, rather than having the rim at countertop level and the bowl below it. Yes, those are quite stupid. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/87 "2019-03-12T06:32:43Z")
> [@Brown Eyed Girl](#): > > Might try a [fence](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/7kfa9c/trash_trompel%C5%93il_neighbor_anonymously_reported_us/). > 😃 This is the [fence](https://www.reddit.com/r/MaliciousCompliance/comments/8654x0/xpost_rfunny_hoa_cites_homeowner_for_trash_cans/) I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/88 "2019-03-12T06:43:05Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Do you prefer old-fashioned radiators? Say what you will about radiators, they keep a place warm. When I was growing up we lived in a place that had them, and my sister has them in her house\*. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Ceiling fans. What a waste of a good idea. Hard to install, hard to use, hardest to clean. Hate 'em. No way I’d give up my ceiling fan. Couldn’t live without it. \*In her house, they have a kind of board over them, so they basically look like window seats. Her cats love to lay on them. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/89 "2019-03-12T07:36:39Z")
another vote for swamp coolers for all the reasons mentioned beforehand… in the desert there almost useless… ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/90 "2019-03-12T08:49:02Z")
Double sinks in a kids bathroom though, stops alot of fights. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/91 "2019-03-12T08:52:05Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > When we renovated the main bathroom in 2010, we removed the two-sink counter (in 1981 faux blue marble, with the sinks shaped like seashells), put in a single sink and used the remaining plumbing installation to add a urinal. (We’re two guys, so there was little opposition.) Word of caution. Urinals, since they run less water, can build up salts in the pipes and clog more. But then my experience is industrial where the urinals get more use. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/92 "2019-03-12T08:54:31Z")
Bread machines. They were/are kind of fad but I find most people quit using them after awhile and they end up at garage sales. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/93 "2019-03-12T13:06:32Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Bread machines. They were/are kind of fad but I find most people quit using them after awhile and they end up at garage sales. **Mrs. FtG** uses hers on a regular basis. Made a loaf of bread last week. I do strongly advise not giving a bread machine as a gift unless it has been asked for. Few people (but not zero) will actually use them. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/94 "2019-03-12T13:27:23Z")
Another vote in favor of hot-water baseboard heat. When I was house-shopping, there were a variety of heating systems in the stock I looked at – Hot water baseboards, steam and hot water standing radiators, forced hot air, electric baseboards. (No in-floor radiant heating.) I gave extra points to the ones with baseboard hot-water, (and with gas rather than oil as the fuel) and that is what I bought. And I’m very happy with the heat. Our heating system was installed in 1959. We’ve lived with it since 1997. We’ve had to replace a couple of pumps, and couple of thermostats, the overflow tank, and a valve somewhere in the main unit. All of those except the valve were cheap. The heat is extremely low maintenance, and all the rooms are evenly heated with no drafts or cold spots. > [@wguy123](#): > > We will never buy a house with those ridiculous dual sinks. Now a bathroom with a toilet and urinal…yeah!!! 😃 > > Seriously, dual-sinks are stupid. I have double sinks in the master bedroom. I certainly don’t think they are a necessity – we almost never use the sink at the same time – but it’s not like there’s any downside. If we didn’t have a sink there I suppose the linen closet would be larger, but it’s large enough. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/95 "2019-03-12T13:39:37Z")
Another problem with swamp coolers: Mildew. I have seen two collections ruined by years of swamp coolers. One was a paper memorabilia collection, mostly sports related. Old cereal boxes, cards, programs. It all was discovered to be covered with mildew when my friend went to move. Another friend had his father’s gigantic stamp collection. His dad collected stamps all his life, and passed them to the son. My friend was very peeved to find his father’s collection had mildewed and all of the gummed stamps were stuck to their pages. Ruined the entire thing. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/96 "2019-03-12T14:00:17Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > **Mrs. FtG** uses hers on a regular basis. Made a loaf of bread last week. > > I do strongly advise not giving a bread machine as a gift unless it has been asked for. Few people (but not zero) will actually use them. Yeah, I’ll make pizza dough and even spaghetti noodles in mine. Bread too of course. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/97 "2019-03-12T16:27:20Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I’m trying to picture this layout. I have actually seen set ups - usually in RV’s or boats, but sometimes very small apartments - where the showerhead is directly over the toilet. Or, conversely, the toilet is set in the bottom of the shower stall. So… yay, you have a built in shower chair? But you have a _toilet_ in your _shower_. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/98 "2019-03-13T10:12:56Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I have actually seen set ups - usually in RV’s or boats, but sometimes very small apartments - where the showerhead is directly over the toilet. Or, conversely, the toilet is set in the bottom of the shower stall. So… yay, you have a built in shower chair? But you have a _toilet_ in your _shower_. I stayed at a hotel recently that was $120 a night but the bathroom was basically a giant shower. Square room with a showerhead at both ends, but in the middle was the toilet and sink. If you turned on both showerheads at once and angled them at head height the stream could actually hit the opposite wall which meant both the sink and toilet both got soaked everytime you took a shower. I mean it was well-kept but having to wipe down the toilet everytime after a shower was a bit weird. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/99 "2019-03-13T12:59:21Z")
That’s actually a thing called a “[wetroom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shower#Wet_room)”. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212/100 "2019-03-13T14:21:34Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yeah, I’ll make pizza dough and even spaghetti noodles in mine. Bread too of course. I’ve been using mine for over 25 years - I make a couple of loaves every couple of months as a treat. Love warm bread! And there’s nothing like homemade bread for toast. I don’t want to go thru the hassle of kneading, etc. myself. I don’t think I’d have very good luck doing it on my own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-household-inventions-that-should-have-been-ditched-long-ago/828212.md?page=6)