Useless Items
It turns out laser guided scissors are only as steady as the hand holding them.
Have you ever purchased something that seemed like a good idea at the time, but now collects dust at the back of a storage closet? You should probably get rid of it - Goodwill, garage sale, re-gift for your brother-in-law - but guilt gets the best of you, so back in the closet it goes until spring cleaning next year.
A British company that ranks consumer satisfaction conducted a survey on this very topic. Here’s their Top 10 list:
1. Electric nail file
2. Laser guided scissors
3. Electric candles
4. Make your own soda pop machine
5. Foot spa
6. Fondue set
7. Hair crimper
8. Egg boiler
9. Electric fluff remover
10. Electric carving knife
I must disagree with the fondue set and foot spa. I use both - not frequently, but often enough that I don’t regret purchasing them. My fondue pot is electric, so no need to worry about oil or alcohol, and it’s great for a leisurely dinner. The foot bath is fantastic in the winter if your feet get cold or wet, and excellent in the summer if your tootsies are calloused from walking barefoot. I don’t own a hair crimper, but I did buyer a hair dryer that has a roller brush on the end. It’s supposed to dry and volumize your hair at the same time. All I ever did with it is get it stuck in my hair. Still, I’m no good with a hair dryer and roller brush separately (I didn’t get that particular girl gene), so I keep hoping one day I’ll have some kind of epiphany and the appliance will miraculously become useful.
Have you ever owned anything on this list? What pointless gadgets have you succumbed to? How much did you pay for them and how did you get rid of them? Share your pain by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link at the bottom. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is USELESS. But the code isn’t useless - it’s worth valuable points until May 2nd.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I actually bought one of those electronic belts that are supposed to decrease the size of your belly, used it for a while and then a few months later, a report came out saying that the belts didn’t actually work at decreasing ab size. Now it’s somewhere in a box in my basement.
Carly’s Note: One word for you, Louie - eBay!
April 30th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
My parents had an electric carving knife, as did my aunt and uncle. I think that they were a required purchase in the 70’s
I had a foot spa, and loved it. Mom and I used it for well over 10 years, until the wiring got fried. I think that I will look around for another one, since it feels really good!
Carly’s Note: Yeah, those knives were a required purchase. It was like “how can we make a sharp knife even more unsafe? - let’s make it vibrate!”.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Hmmm.
Exercise equipment.
I since vowed never to buy any ab or exercise equipment. My clothes weren’t getting hung in the closet anymore. Just threw them over the hand rails.
I found that walking works just as well and it’s free too
The bread maker…I borrowed my mom’s and haven’t used it yet.
Carly’s Note: I own a treadmill and typically use it twice a week, but nothing beats a walk on a beautiful day when the Toronto air is semi-fresh.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Hi Carly
I have one of those carving knives use it all the time.Also have an object called the rotato Which is supposed to rotate and peel your potatoes or apples -Big waste of space it’s hidden underneath
the sink somewhere could probably sell it in a garage sale if there was another sucker like myself
around.
Have a good one
Bob
Carly’s Note: A Rotato? Sounds like a Ron Po-”peel” invention. Okay, I’ll stop now.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I bought a top of the line programable remote that would marry all your remotes by simply aiming your current remote into this new, twice the size, lights flashing, new remote. It was quite impressive , guy thing.I paid around $200 back in the mid 90’s. The only problem was that when the batteries died so did the remote and you had to reprogram the THING all over again. Needless to say that lasted a couple of times .Now it is in my useless collection. I still have it along with my 8 track recorder and other…
Carly’s Note: I’ve seen those remotes and they have way too many buttons, as do most remotes that just control one device. I need on/off, volume and channel - that’s it. Heaven forbid I hit the wrong button because then I can’t undo what I’ve just done and I’m listening to Metallica in “cathedral sound” or something like that.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Hi Carly: Yeah I had to have one of those steamers that getting the wrinkles out of your clothes. You can even use it on your curtains and it is suppose to get rid of the dust and deodorize. Well it only managed to discolour my curtains and toooo much work for my clothes. So back to the good old iron for his gal.
Carly’s Note: I also own a steamer and have been disappointed with the results. I even made sure to use bottled water to fill it, so there wouldn’t be any deposits. I dream of winning the lottery so I can just get everything dry cleaned (or pay someone to iron).
April 30th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Useless Items: Do Ex-Husbands qualify ?
Carly’s Note: You might have problems getting rid of that one at a garage sale.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Hello Carly,
I have a fondue set but have never used it, but won’t throw it out as I used to have a older one and used it a lot, so MAYBE someday I will use this one too!
Also bought myself (through Publishers Clearing House) a electric fluff remover and reommend them to anyone as they sure work well and it renews your clothes, BUT don’t use them on your socks as I did once and ended up with holes in all the socks I used it on.
My sweetie actually chose an electric carving knife for an attendance reward at work and uses it all the time.
Does anyone remember the “patty stacker” for hamburgers that have discs in between them as you stack them to make perfect hamburgers. Well, I strill have mine, minus the lid (lost over the years, but it doesn’t matter) and it still works great.
How about Suzanne Sommers (forget the right name for it) but it was a contraption you put between your thighs… Thighmaster, that’s it, well, mine’s still in the box too!!
I could think of a lot more but won’t take up anymore space now.
Thanks Carly,
April
Carly’s Note: Your patty stacker reminded me of the Perogy Pogy. I never owned one, but my grandmother did (she’s Ukrainian and makes the best perogies). I think she used it once, then went back to making them by hand.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
The only one, pointless, useless gadget I ever mistakingly aquired Carly, was my ex husband…..ZING!!!
Carly’s Note: That’s an expensive mistake!
May 1st, 2008 at 6:07 am
Hi Carly,
I remember back in the 70’s when i was a kid i bought my family an ice cube crusher that would smash ice cubes into slush. We loved slushies back then but the machine was so noisy that we bacame afraid to use it after awhile.
Also a number of years ago my ex-wife and i bought an exercise video about 6 months before our wedding to tone up our bodies. Well we used it maybe once and then went back to just going to the gym, running and lifting weights on our own. What a waste of money but the ads on TV were convincing enough i guess.
Really enjoy your show. Have a nice day.
Carly’s Note: Don’t you love those appliances that are so loud, they have the family pets running for cover? As for the video, I thought you were going to say it was a waste of money because the marriage didn’t last.
May 1st, 2008 at 7:07 am
I bought the soda making machine, it wasn’t bad if you could get the supplies, but if you could get the supplies why not just get a standard fountain dispenser. Luckily I did not win it in the divorce.
What is wrong with the electric carving knives, they are great at turning a 20lb turkey into 18lbs of bone shredded turkey patee.
How about anything made by K-Tel?
Wombat
m^*^m
Carly’s Note: K-Tel had some great records! “Superladies of the 80’s” was the last one I bought. (I think that was K-Tel.)
May 1st, 2008 at 7:11 am
I actually bot a chair bicycle. It sits on the floor, you sit in your chair and peddle your little hiny off. Bought it thinking I can get a work out in at my desk. Try answering the phone while peddling and out of breath. My clients thought I was having sex at my desk…. how embarassing, however it is still in peices under my desk!!!
Carly’s Note: Funny story! I wouldn’t mind that chair in front of the television.
May 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am
Sorry I have to disagree with the electric carving knife. We have one and use it all the time. It stopped working once and it was a huge panic to get a new one fast. I also have a foot spa and use it all the time…love it. As for fondue sets…I have 8 of them and have ‘fondue’ parties. I even take them to the cottage and have fondue on the patio/deck with all my sisters, great fun!!
Carly’s Note: Sounds like you make sound purchases. Don’t you love it when you buy some gadget that actually turns out to be useful and a time-saver?
May 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am
Hey Carly,
My brother-in-law gave me a hot dog cooker for Christmas. It has 2 spots for weiners and 2 spots for buns. You push the button down like a toaster and the dogs and buns cook. I thought it was the most ridiculous gift ever but now that I’ve used it a few times, I love it. Go figure.
I also have an egg cooker and it does a good job. And I have some electric tealights…they’re ok, not really bright but not bad.
I have an electric knife that got passed to me from my grandma. Never used it. I’ve just decided, it’s going in the yardsale!
Carly’s Note: I’ve often wondered about those hotdog cookers. Good to know that they work.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
I received a chocolate fondue set as a Christmas gift one year & I do believe that it’s still in its box somewhere in the basement. At the time, I thought it was a great idea as I LOVE chocolate, & the thought of chocolate covered strawberries seemed delicious. Sadly however, it was never used & it’s one of those things that should probably be recovered from my basement & brought to a new home!!
Carly’s Note: You have to try it! It’s so simple - just melt some chocolate with milk or cream on the stove or in the microwave, then transfer it to the fondue warmer. In addition to strawberries, bananas and shortbread make good “dippers”, too. I also melt butterscotch chips and dip apples in that. Yum!