# Stupidest product design you’ve experienced **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621 "2023-03-25T02:57:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 55
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1081 "2024-02-05T00:26:24Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I was in the habit of diluting the last of the shampoo with a bit of water and using more of it to compensate. I used to say that by the time I threw away a shampoo bottle you could drink from it. Ah… homeopathic shampoo. Gets your hair 20x cleaner! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1082 "2024-02-05T05:59:01Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Good luck with that. I’ve had to replace a number of LED bulbs already. True enough… though it’ll likely be a lot less frequent. I don’t think we’ve had to replace any of those, anyway. Not directy related to the topic, but: Our garage door opener remotes began functioning very sporadically. We had the company out to check the problem, and their solution was to suggest we spend 300 bucks on a replacement opener motor. We decided to live with it. Not sure what twigged us to check, but it turns out the problem was the LED bulb my husband had put in a little before this behavior began. Apparently it was interfering with the radio waves from the remotes. He replaced it with an incandescent. 5.00 solution to a 300 dollar solution that likely would not have worked. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1083 "2024-02-05T07:33:01Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I have to figure that Amazon’s search results are deliberately broken for some reason. And of course Every. Single. Item. is “#1 in…” some category or other. Now, if you’re looking at, say, a power bank, “#1 in power banks” might be useful info. But you’re more likely to see something like “#1 in 11000 ma power banks from ScamCo that retail for 11.99” or similarly weirdly-specific. But this one took the cake: I was searching for phone dry bags (as we were considering going tubing), and one item proudly proclaimed “#1 in Automotive Replacement Wheel Cylinder Brake Parts”. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1084 "2024-02-05T10:03:19Z")
I like how your brain works ---
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1085 "2024-02-05T15:53:11Z")
About 25 years ago I bought a set of two pots (large and small) that had lids that locked with a strainer thing so you could drain cooked noodles/pasta right from the pot without using a colander. They were As Seen on TV items. I used those pots for the next 25 years. Finally the non-stick coating started wearing off of them and I put them in a rummage sale. I bought myself 2 new pots with the same straining feature BUT the lids don’t lock (found that out after purchase). So I have to hold the lid down while the boiling water is being poured out of the strainer with the hot steam hitting my hand that’s holding the lid. I’ve been holding the lid against the inner sink edge which works except that I can’t tip it all the way to get all of the water out. BLAH ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1086 "2024-02-05T16:02:07Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > So I have to hold the lid down while the boiling water is being poured out of the strainer with the hot steam hitting my hand that’s holding the lid. This is also an As Seen on TV item, it’s the one they use in the first part of the commercial. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1087 "2024-02-05T16:32:03Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > So I have to hold the lid down while the boiling water is being poured out of the strainer with the hot steam hitting my hand that’s holding the lid. Wood stove gloves. If you pour reasonably fast the steam won’t get through them fast enough to burn you (though it would eventually.) [ETA: That’s still a stupid design, though.] ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1088 "2024-02-05T16:47:36Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > 5.00 solution to a 300 dollar solution that likely would not have worked. For you, maybe. For them it was mission accomplished. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1089 "2024-02-05T18:25:04Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > For them it was mission accomplished. Hah - we actually decided to forego the new motor, so not entirely! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1090 "2024-02-05T18:39:33Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > So I have to hold the lid down while the boiling water is being poured out of the strainer with the hot steam hitting my hand that’s holding the lid. I’ve been holding the lid against the inner sink edge which works except that I can’t tip it all the way to get all of the water out. BLAH I just use a pair of pot holders. Grab the handles with my hands and hold the lid down with my thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1091 "2024-02-06T01:18:04Z")
I’ve been meaning to add this little annoyance. The pre-made salads at the local convenience store come packed fairly tightly in their plastic bowls. For whatever reason, the package of salad dressing is at the bottom, invisible under everything else and is impossible to get out without spilling half the salad. The first time I got one I didn’t even know it was there until after I paid for another package of dressing, used it and ate most of the salad. Really, WTF? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1092 "2024-02-06T02:26:40Z")
Ease of assembly at the factory and pretty presentation in the store are maximized; ease of eating is not an important design criteria because by then they’ve already got your money. It’s evil, but it’s logical evil, not chaotic evil. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1093 "2024-02-06T03:15:43Z")
Well, now you have the salad dressing for your next salad, until you get ti the bottom of that one and find its dressing packet for the salad after that. You could continue this forever! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1094 "2024-02-06T16:01:40Z")
Open the container upside down. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1095 "2024-02-06T17:59:35Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > I’ve been meaning to add this little annoyance. The pre-made salads at the local convenience store come packed fairly tightly in their plastic bowls. For whatever reason, the package of salad dressing is at the bottom, invisible under everything else and is impossible to get out without spilling half the salad. The first time I got one I didn’t even know it was there until after I paid for another package of dressing, used it and ate most of the salad. Really, WTF? I think I already mentioned this but with Trader Joe’s salads. It’s such a poor design! ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1096 "2024-02-06T22:42:14Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Wood stove gloves. I’d use silicone oven mitts. They’re completely waterproof and you can immerse your hand in a pot of boiling water while wearing them. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1097 "2024-02-06T22:57:36Z")
That makes sense. I didn’t think of those, probably because I’ve never owned or used a pair, but I do have wood stove gloves; so use those in similar situations. But it does seem from your post that if going to buy something for the purpose the silicone would be better. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2024, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1098 "2024-02-13T01:42:01Z")
It used to be that, when you put a computer to Sleep (Suspend), an orange LED would light up or blink to signal that it was sleeping. But now everybody has to imitate Apple and only have one or two white LEDs that behave elegantly. So when I put my new (HP) laptop to Sleep, the little white LED starts blinking sloowwwly, as if it were breathing. I have to look at that light for 4 seconds to check that the thing is actually in Sleep. Reminds me of the 1980s, when high-end cassette decks introduced slow-mo eject, where the cassette door would open gently and silently. Within 2 years, all the cheapest brands like Lloyds and Jutan and Sanyo had slow-mo eject, and when we were shopping for radios or ghetto blasters we’d press the Eject button and somehow believe that the slowest was the best. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2024, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1099 "2024-02-13T07:12:45Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > the 1980s, when high-end cassette decks introduced slow-mo eject, Back then I knew somebody with a really high-end stereo system, including a cassette deck. It had a remote control, with one really stupid button: eject. Sure, using the remote was cool and useful when you were sitting on the couch and wanted to adjust the volume; no need to inconvenience yourself by getting up. But when the tape ended, why would you want to eject it while still sitting on the couch? You still had to get your ass up off the couch, walk over to the shelf, and physically remove the cassette. Hitting the eject button was actually the opposite of convenience…it was dangerous, leaving the door open to collect dust or get damaged by the cat jumping on it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1100 "2024-02-13T11:47:59Z")
I’ve seen plenty of disc players (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray) that have eject buttons on their remotes. Also VCRs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621.md?page=54) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621.md?page=56)