# 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:** 56
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1101 "2024-02-13T17:14:10Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > … This reminds me of this stove top tea kettle design, which is almost ubiquitous these days: [![](https://cb.scene7.com/is/image/Crate/ChantalClsscKettleOnyxSHF16/$web_pdp_main_carousel_med$/240201164010/chantal-classic-onyx-whistling-tea-kettle.jpg) ](https://cb.scene7.com/is/image/Crate/ChantalClsscKettleOnyxSHF16/$web_pdp_main_carousel_med$/240201164010/chantal-classic-onyx-whistling-tea-kettle.jpg) When you go to pour your boiling water into a tea cup or mug or whatever, the angle required to pour places the handle, and of course your hand, directly in the big column of steam coming from the recently-boiled water. I used one of these type of kettles once. And only once. ---
**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 13, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1102 "2024-02-13T17:45:18Z")
But it looks cool. What’s a little scalding compared to that? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1103 "2024-02-13T17:55:06Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > But it looks cool. And there’s the iconic whistle! ---
**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 13, 2024, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1104 "2024-02-13T18:42:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > And there’s the iconic whistle! I hate teakettle whistles. I do not want my kettle screaming at me. Even when it’s not sitting on the woodstove steaming all day. ---
**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 14, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1105 "2024-02-14T02:06:48Z")
I have never seen a teakettle that did not place your hand directly above the hot water spout as you are pouring. Nor a coffeepot. ---
**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 14, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1106 "2024-02-14T02:17:13Z")
Interesting. None of mine do. The coffeepot’s got the handle on the side opposite the spout. The teakettles have handles coming all the way across the top with a handgrip on the top portion and a longish curved spout on one side in line with the handle; when I hold them on the handgrip I don’t get my hand in the steam. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1107 "2024-02-14T12:26:24Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > 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. don’t get me started on that $hit!!! when did it become fashionable to put “status LEDs” on a notebook into place that you can NOT see??? (e.g. the side-rim where the USB etc… plugs go) I know that is a cost-saving measure (50 cents saved!) … but that is saving muscle and not saving fat! ---
**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 14, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1108 "2024-02-14T15:00:19Z")
Totally backwards! ---
**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 22, 2024, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1109 "2024-02-22T22:53:14Z")
I know this is an older post, but yeah: that sort is designed for use when camping etc. I’d never heard of them, but my husband used them when our son was in Boy Scouts. As far as a SILICONE lid for a Dutch Oven… I’m assuming that @markn_1 was talking about one designed for home use, with a rounded lid. And WTF with making that out of silicone. I’ve never heard of that, and it’s pretty damn boneheaded. My own contribution: Le Creuset is the high-end product in enameled cast iron dutch ovens. But their lids came with a PLASTIC knob. Fine for cooking on the stovetop - no hot pad needed to lift it. IF you wanted to put it in the oven, though: not recommended. They actually offered a separate metal replacement knob if you wanted. Interestingly, they appear to have corrected this: I looked just now and the ones I saw now have metal knobs. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1110 "2024-02-22T23:00:47Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > When you go to pour your boiling water into a tea cup or mug or whatever, the angle required to pour places the handle, and of course your hand, directly in the big column of steam coming from the recently-boiled water. I use a similar tea kettle on almost a daily basis. After seeing this post I started paying attention to how I grab the handle, because that’s not a problem I have. I realized I’ve gotten into the habit of grabbing the back part of the handle, not the top. Grabbing the handle farther back keeps your hand out of the steam. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I hate teakettle whistles. I do not want my kettle screaming at me. I like the whistle, because often when I’m working from home I’ll put on some water for tea and then go back to my desk while waiting for it to boil. And too often I would get distracted and forget about the water until it’s nearly boiled dry. The whistle solves that problem. ---
**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 24, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1111 "2024-02-24T01:02:51Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > My own contribution: Le Creuset is the high-end product in enameled cast iron dutch ovens. But their lids came with a PLASTIC knob. Fine for cooking on the stovetop - no hot pad needed to lift it. IF you wanted to put it in the oven, though: not recommended. They actually offered a separate metal replacement knob if you wanted. In the 1980s, my parents had acquired a Le Creuset dutch oven. It had a plastic knob “glove” that slid and locked into place on top of the metal knob; we were supposed to use the plastic attachment on the cooktop and remove it when intending to use the thing in the oven. I guess they gave up on that concept later on. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1112 "2024-02-24T06:25:46Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > My own contribution: Le Creuset is the high-end product in enameled cast iron dutch ovens. But their lids came with a PLASTIC knob. Fine for cooking on the stovetop - no hot pad needed to lift it. IF you wanted to put it in the oven, though: not recommended. They actually offered a separate metal replacement knob if you wanted. Those black “plastic” knobs are phenolic resin, like Bakelite, and oven-safe to 390°. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1113 "2024-02-24T10:24:09Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Those black “plastic” knobs are phenolic resin, like Bakelite, and oven-safe to 390°. In other words, of restricted utility in the home kitchen. What were they thinking? ---
**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 25, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1114 "2024-02-25T16:34:18Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Those black “plastic” knobs are phenolic resin, like Bakelite, and oven-safe to 390°. True - I think the description said “not for use above xx tempurature”, and a temp that we usually don’t exceed in typical oven usage for such a pot, but close enough that it would be relatively easy to mess up. I never bought a Le Creuset anyway. Housemate bought a pair of pots from another brand, and their knobs are the same material as the rest of the pot, so it hasn’t been an issue. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1115 "2024-02-26T13:24:01Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I never bought a Le Creuset anyway. There’s a factory outlet store that my gf went to years ago. She came home with _many_ Le Creuset items, all marked down due to minor cosmetic blemishes, or just odd colors. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1116 "2024-02-26T14:18:12Z")
Spectrum Cable now includes Disney+ as a free option, so we’re using it. We’ve been used to Netflix, and Disney’s interface is lacking. Most annoying is the fact that you are forced to read or zip through the credits. If you close Netflix once the credits roll, and come back to see the next episode of the show, it will show the next episode. Disney takes you back to the credits you skipped before. This is especially annoying with the _Star Wars_ shows, which have five minutes or more of credits. Also, you can’t find out how much time is left in the movie. Netflix and Tubi display it when you pause. Disney does not. Also the list of shows you’re currently watching is not easy to find. It’s clearly poorly designed. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1117 "2024-02-26T14:56:31Z")
Yeah, I’ve commented before that it would be nice if it were possible to watch every streaming channel with one’s own customized UI: rewind and fast forward at the speeds you prefer, no searching around for the captions button, etc., etc. One of the things I hate about most streaming services is the info overlay they put up over the picture when you hit pause, especially if there’s no way to make it go away. We often pause to take a closer look at something in the picture, and the overlay often covers or partially obscures the thing we’re trying to see. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1118 "2024-02-26T15:09:29Z")
Speaking of streaming services, I always experience a significant delay when first loading the Max (HBO/Cinemax) app. It doesn’t matter on what device, it inevitably loads very slowly, and sometimes it times out, which necessitates starting all over. My son and daughter have the same experiences. I rarely have issues loading Netflix, Prime, or Hulu. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1119 "2024-02-26T15:11:11Z")
My cable company remote control has a thirty-second skip forward button and another to go back fifteen seconds. Both are useful, especially the one to go back, which is useful if I miss a bit of dialogue or some action. And then I’m streaming something and hit those buttons, even though they’re not going to work. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621/1120 "2024-02-26T15:20:15Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > One of the things I hate about most streaming services is the info overlay they put up over the picture when you hit pause, especially if there’s no way to make it go away. Usually I can hit the “back” button once on the Roku to remove the overlay. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621.md?page=55) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-product-design-you-ve-experienced/981621.md?page=57)