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  3. Are there any common household items or products that you think are designed incredibly poorly?

Are there any common household items or products that you think are designed incredibly poorly?

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asklemmy
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  • A [email protected]

    I always thought this was super on purpose. Is it not intentional design for “child protection?”

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    [email protected]
    wrote on last edited by
    #128

    I think it's for anti-tampering purposes. Imagine the consequences if some bad actor tainted those pills with something or replaced the pills with another.

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    • M [email protected]

      Reusable water bottles, especially their lids. They build up microorganisms faster than a petri dish and the more complex the bottles are, the worse it is.

      Worst offender are the ones with integrated straws. Sure, they look nice and are a good idea, but cleaning them thoroughly is a nightmare. Also, I don't know how people tolerate the ones with exposed straws or mouthpieces. Isn't that incredibly unsanitary?

      More generally, why doesn't anyone except for Nalgene make reusable bottles without rubber gaskets? Gaskets get stinky, then you have to peel them out, scrub like mad, and then awkwardly stretch them back in. I've been looking for a metal water bottle without a gasket for ages. They literally just need to shove the Nalgene-type screw-on top into a metal body.

      Bonus points if someone designs a gasket-less bottle that opens in the middle so I don't have to fiddle with a bottle brush every time I wash it.

      K This user is from outside of this forum
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      [email protected]
      wrote on last edited by
      #129

      About ten years ago I found and ordered a glass bottle with a fitted silicone lid. It's not tight enough that the bottle can be tipped upside down without the water slowly dripping out, but it's great for keeping stuff out.

      I always wanted to see a company make a glass bottle with silicone top that was completely leak-proof.

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      • C [email protected]

        I'll mention you can get detergent sheets and they work fine. No more messing with powders of liquids for me.

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        K This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote on last edited by
        #130

        Sheets? For the washing machine? Wouldn't those require a plastic shell or base like the laundry pods do?

        hamid@vegantheoryclub.orgH 1 Reply Last reply
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        • R [email protected]

          Countertops should be just a couple of inches higher, they are calibrated for a 1930s housewife but most of us aren't 5'2" and it's easier to stand on a stool if it's too high than to stoop because it's too low.

          OP I hate those low ziploc bag openings too, they are so stupid.

          bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB This user is from outside of this forum
          bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote on last edited by
          #131

          I have beef with counter tops too, especially where I'm at right now. I'm around 6 foot so and on top of that I live in a handicap accessible apartment (although i am not handicapped, i think they just gave it to me because it was the one that was available i guess), so they're lowered even more. Anytime I'm in the kitchen cooking or doing dishes i always leave with back pain

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          • C [email protected]

            Toilets seem to be getting smaller and I’m having trouble sitting on it without my penis touching the front.

            Z This user is from outside of this forum
            Z This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote on last edited by
            #132

            Hey everyone get a load of this guy with his massive hog

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            • R [email protected]

              The issue you're highlighting is due to the different between metal and plastic. I have an Orca bottle that has a plastic lid that screws on without any rubber gasket and I end up with shreds of plastic in the bottle.

              Plastic rubbing on metal leads to the plastic degrading and metal on metal does not make a good seal, so I think a rubber gasket is your only option.

              M This user is from outside of this forum
              M This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote on last edited by
              #133

              Perhaps a design where both mating surfaces are plastic with metal for the rest of the body? A lot of vacuum insulated bottles have plastic bonded to metal in the cap, they just have to repeat that with the bottle itself

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              • bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB [email protected]

                For example, I'm incredibly confused about how you're supposedly to measure liquid laundry detergent with the cap. At least the kind that I have sits on it's side, so if you measure it with the cap it just leaks everywhere and makes a mess.

                Or at my parents house they have a bag of captain crunch berries that has a new design, where instead of zipping along the top of the bag like normal, it has a zipper in the front slightly beneath the top. That way when you poor it you can't see what you're doing cuz the bag is in the way. Like what the heck who's idea was that?

                Z This user is from outside of this forum
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                [email protected]
                wrote on last edited by
                #134

                I just replaced my windshield wipers last night and it was a nightmare. The wipers I got are supposed to be universal, which means the little plastic bit that connects to the wiper arms has a bunch of little sub parts that you're supposed to remove based on what wiper arm connection your car uses. Well, considering I'm not well versed in modern wiper arm connection standards, and I'm also stubborn and don't think you should need to dig out your car manual just to change your fucking wipers, coupled with the fact that the instructions that came with the wipers are just 6 wordless diagrams vaguely showing you what bits to remove based on which esoteric wiper style your car uses, I struggled with those sons of bitches for like 20 minutes in below freezing weather.

                B R P bigdaddyslim@lemmy.worldB J 5 Replies Last reply
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                • bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB [email protected]

                  For example, I'm incredibly confused about how you're supposedly to measure liquid laundry detergent with the cap. At least the kind that I have sits on it's side, so if you measure it with the cap it just leaks everywhere and makes a mess.

                  Or at my parents house they have a bag of captain crunch berries that has a new design, where instead of zipping along the top of the bag like normal, it has a zipper in the front slightly beneath the top. That way when you poor it you can't see what you're doing cuz the bag is in the way. Like what the heck who's idea was that?

                  E This user is from outside of this forum
                  E This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #135

                  Any mug that has a really hemispherical, smooth handle. You put a hot beverage in there, and the weight is enough to make your fingers slide down the handle, and then you burn yourself on the main body of the mug unless you really squeeze.

                  Any faucet that just barely sticks out over the sink, so you have to touch the back of the sink to wash your hands (british sinks are even worse, though).

                  D K N 3 Replies Last reply
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                  • O [email protected]

                    Anyone got good knife recommendations I'm in the market right now??

                    General purpose for meats and veggie cutting.

                    I'm currently using a victorinox fibrox. It's great but loses edge rather quickly requiring honing each meal and sometimes during cutting of ingredients.

                    Z This user is from outside of this forum
                    Z This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #136

                    Does victorinox offer sharpening services? Some knife manufacturers have programs where you can either send your knife in or take it in to a store and have it professionally sharpened.

                    If your blade is losing its edge quickly, it probably needs to have a new edge put on it with an actual sharpening, v rather than just the touch up it gets from a honing rod.

                    O 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • carighan@lemmy.worldC [email protected]

                      I'm curious about how you propose this would be done...

                      wesker@lemmy.sdf.orgW This user is from outside of this forum
                      wesker@lemmy.sdf.orgW This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #137

                      I don't know,I'm not a cocksmith.

                      akasazh@feddit.nlA 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB [email protected]

                        For example, I'm incredibly confused about how you're supposedly to measure liquid laundry detergent with the cap. At least the kind that I have sits on it's side, so if you measure it with the cap it just leaks everywhere and makes a mess.

                        Or at my parents house they have a bag of captain crunch berries that has a new design, where instead of zipping along the top of the bag like normal, it has a zipper in the front slightly beneath the top. That way when you poor it you can't see what you're doing cuz the bag is in the way. Like what the heck who's idea was that?

                        M This user is from outside of this forum
                        M This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #138

                        In general, I wish more things would have a common design that manufacturers get to reuse and incrementally improve upon. Take, for example, plastic chairs and office chairs. There's probably million variations in existence and someone had to model, prototype, and make tooling for each and every one of them. Sure, there's varying price points, design languages, and use cases. But even for the same price point there's at least several thousand chairs with the same overall look and feel. All of that duplicated work and effort, only to make several thousand variations, none of which have a distinct advantage, and each with their own completely solvable problems. Why don't they just pool their efforts and design one example with as few flaws as possible for that overall design and price?

                        N 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • E [email protected]

                          Any mug that has a really hemispherical, smooth handle. You put a hot beverage in there, and the weight is enough to make your fingers slide down the handle, and then you burn yourself on the main body of the mug unless you really squeeze.

                          Any faucet that just barely sticks out over the sink, so you have to touch the back of the sink to wash your hands (british sinks are even worse, though).

                          D This user is from outside of this forum
                          D This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #139

                          I bought a set of mugs like that recently. It's a shame because they are pretty nice looking, and comfortable to hold when empty. But when full of hot liquid, the handle just is totally inadequate.

                          They are from IKEA, so at least they didn't cost too much, but I am a little surprised because their stuff is generally pretty well thought out from an ergonomics and usability perspective--it's only really the sturdiness/durability I ever worry about.

                          The best mugs I have are still a pair of the stereotypical featureless cylinder type I got from a giveaway 10 or 15 years ago--they are utterly boring, but the handle fits 3 fingers for a perfectly stable grip!

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                          • C [email protected]

                            Toilets seem to be getting smaller and I’m having trouble sitting on it without my penis touching the front.

                            D This user is from outside of this forum
                            D This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #140

                            Given your instance, I'm guessing you're not from the US... but here there are two generally standard shapes for residential toilets--round and oblong. The round ones fit better in small bathrooms, but man when you are used to the oblong shape it feels like sitting on a child-size toilet or something.

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                            • C [email protected]

                              Toilets seem to be getting smaller and I’m having trouble sitting on it without my penis touching the front.

                              wahots@pawb.socialW This user is from outside of this forum
                              wahots@pawb.socialW This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #141

                              Rounded toilets are the worst for this. Elongated is the way to go.

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                              • Z [email protected]

                                Does victorinox offer sharpening services? Some knife manufacturers have programs where you can either send your knife in or take it in to a store and have it professionally sharpened.

                                If your blade is losing its edge quickly, it probably needs to have a new edge put on it with an actual sharpening, v rather than just the touch up it gets from a honing rod.

                                O This user is from outside of this forum
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                                wrote on last edited by
                                #142

                                I actually do sharpen it with a kitchen sharpener and when it's needed sharpening blocks. It's an excellent knife large useful handle and thin slimmer blade it's a major improvement from any stores chef knife. I considered shopping their other knives as well. But I wanted to branch out a bit too.

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                                • corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksC [email protected]

                                  Everyone seems to have a cup plunger for sinksnext to their toilet instead of a toilet plunger near their toilet.

                                  A toilet plunger has flanges:

                                  I have seen this plunger close to zero times when visiting people and using their bathroom.

                                  N This user is from outside of this forum
                                  N This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #143

                                  I have one of those...in my bathroom and I really don't care for it. It turns itself inside out when you use it.

                                  corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksC 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • M [email protected]

                                    To be fair, most are. At the end of the day, today's economy makes it far more profitable to choose either extremely cheap or extremely expensive, making good, lasting, but not perfect products is just not what consumers seem to want. People eother want something cheap that works okay, or something really well made that justifies the price.

                                    I feel like 99% of products I interact with get me frustrated with their simple-to-fix design flaws.

                                    But as for your question: fucking toothpaste containers! Could you make a more frustrating and intentionally bad design?? Why is it that if I cut them open I can get like another few days to a week of brushing? Why not put tooth paste in a jar with a little spoon? Or an opening that is small so that the amount that is left after squeezing your best, is truly insignificant? Why. Must. I. Suffer?

                                    mrsdoyle@sh.itjust.worksM This user is from outside of this forum
                                    mrsdoyle@sh.itjust.worksM This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #144

                                    You can get tooth powder in jars.

                                    M 1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • bpt11@sh.itjust.worksB [email protected]

                                      For example, I'm incredibly confused about how you're supposedly to measure liquid laundry detergent with the cap. At least the kind that I have sits on it's side, so if you measure it with the cap it just leaks everywhere and makes a mess.

                                      Or at my parents house they have a bag of captain crunch berries that has a new design, where instead of zipping along the top of the bag like normal, it has a zipper in the front slightly beneath the top. That way when you poor it you can't see what you're doing cuz the bag is in the way. Like what the heck who's idea was that?

                                      P This user is from outside of this forum
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                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #145

                                      Humidifiers.

                                      It's just a pool of water with a little nebulizer and a fan to blow the mist out a chimney.

                                      Trouble is, they're all made by the fucking plague demon Nurgle with the sole purpose of aerosolizing mold and bacteria by having the tiniest nooks and crannies than cannot be reached to be physically cleaned.

                                      And before I get the "you gotta clean it with vinegar every week" comment, two points:

                                      1. You don't soak your hands in soap and rinse them off and call them clean. You gotta scrub them.
                                      2. Am I supposed to fill a 5 gallon bucket with vinegar to soak the whole water tank every week? Because the chimney goes right through that bitch.
                                      E M S S quarterswede@lemmy.worldQ 5 Replies Last reply
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                                      • corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksC [email protected]

                                        Everyone seems to have a cup plunger for sinksnext to their toilet instead of a toilet plunger near their toilet.

                                        A toilet plunger has flanges:

                                        I have seen this plunger close to zero times when visiting people and using their bathroom.

                                        wahots@pawb.socialW This user is from outside of this forum
                                        wahots@pawb.socialW This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #146

                                        Every toilet should have these next to them. They are cheap and useful, so there's no excuse to not have one. Especially if you plan on having guests over! 😛

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • E [email protected]

                                          Any mug that has a really hemispherical, smooth handle. You put a hot beverage in there, and the weight is enough to make your fingers slide down the handle, and then you burn yourself on the main body of the mug unless you really squeeze.

                                          Any faucet that just barely sticks out over the sink, so you have to touch the back of the sink to wash your hands (british sinks are even worse, though).

                                          K This user is from outside of this forum
                                          K This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #147

                                          If you only put distilled water in it it really doesn't seem like an issue

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