If you’re someone who loves to stay ahead of the tech curve, constantly seeking out the latest and greatest gadgets, it’s just as important to know which products to skip. In this article, we’ll explore 16 tech gadgets that many consider to be a waste of money, helping you avoid unnecessary expenses. Understanding what to steer clear of can save you time, frustration, and cash.
Dyson Air-Purifying Headphones
The Dyson Zone combines noise-canceling headphones with an air-purifying mouthpiece—think of it like a high-tech face mask. As shared by The Independent, “Let’s not beat around the bush, the Dyson Zone headphones are a weird-looking piece of kit. It wouldn’t look out of place in a David Cronenberg film.” With a steep price, the gadget is generally seen as over-engineered and lacking practicality.
Sonic Automatic Toothbrush
The Sonic Brush is an innovative device that brushes all teeth simultaneously, aiming for maximum efficiency. According to Live Science, however, the downsides of the toothbrush include the fact that it has no tongue brushing, the required toothpaste is expensive, and it’s a tricky shape to get used to. Traditional electric toothbrushes offer similar benefits at lower costs.
Smart Fridges
Smart fridges may be cool, but they’re very expensive and typically have unnecessary features like music and recipe suggestions. These fridges can also lead to major cybersecurity issues due to outdated software over time, and the cost is incredibly high for features that do not greatly enhance the primary function of a fridge.
The Mutalk
This innovative VR accessory is designed to muffle sound and act as a microphone, though it features an unappealing look and can harbor bacteria due to moisture from your breath. It’s also said to add discomfort to the VR experience, and, as shared by Wired, “When loved ones and complete strangers point and laugh in unison, you know something fundamentally isn’t right.”
The Amazon Astro
The Amazon Astro acts as a mobile Alexa with cameras and microphones, which could pose privacy risks. The device also has limited functionality, serving mainly as a rolling camera and notification device. It cannot interact directly with objects and lacks practical use for household tasks.
Clock Cufflinks
Clock cufflinks are tiny little gadgets to attach to your shirt sleeves with built-in quartz clocks, but they are largely seen as an impractical accessory. The cufflinks are also pretty redundant, as most people wear watches or use smartphones to check the time. They have a limited use and appeal, especially in less formal dressing contexts.
Plug-in Alarm Clocks
Once extremely popular, plug-in alarm clocks have become quite obsolete due to the alarm functions available on smartphones and home assistants. They’re also less reliable than phone alarms during power outages, are not portable, and must be placed near an electrical outlet, unlike mobile devices.
Egg-Shaped Smart Toilet
Various brands now sell these oddly shaped toilets, featuring an innovative design with remote controls and motion activation. They typically cost a few thousand, making them a luxury item with limited additional utility. The basic toilet function hasn’t changed, so you have to question the need for such advancements.
Banana Phone Handset
The banana phone handset is a novelty item rather than a technological innovation, used only to connect to smartphones for calls but having little practical use at all. Unless you’re looking for a gag gift for someone or a conversation-starting piece, don’t waste your money.
Smart Water Bottle
Quite a few companies now sell smart water bottles that do things like track users’ water intake and light up, aiming to encourage hydration. While this may seem useful for some people, it is largely considered overpriced (or simply not worth the price at all) for the functionality offered.
Levitating Bluetooth Speaker
We can’t deny that levitating speakers are visually intriguing, but they’re said to be extremely impractical. Users have reported issues with the sound quality and construction. The devices also require precise positioning to work as advertised. Aside from looking cool, they offer nothing more than a typical speaker.
USB Clock Fan
This little gadget combines a fan with a time display. Though it may appeal to some, it’s thought to be quite redundant considering that most people already have both clocks and fans—and given that the USB will likely be plugged into a computer that displays the time, the feature isn’t necessary.
Screen Magnifier for Phones
These gadgets were created to enlarge smartphone screens for better viewing and to reduce eyestrain, though users often report poor image clarity and distortion. Screen magnifiers also have questionable effectiveness compared to other viewing options. And while these gadgets might help when watching videos, most smartphones also now have options to enlarge the size of apps and texts.
Electric Wine Bottle Opener
Electric wine bottle openers merely simplify a task that is easily done with a traditional corkscrew, therefore making it unnecessary for most people, aside from those with mobility issues or other specific needs. The gadget is said to add to kitchen clutter without providing significant advantages.
Countertop Pizza Oven
Countertop pizza ovens are smaller, cheaper versions of traditional wood-burning outdoor pizza ovens. Forno Piombo says, “The quality of your pizza from electric home-use pizza ovens will suffer, which will cause disappointment—ultimately souring you and the family off the idea of making home-cooked pizza altogether. That’s a waste of money right there.” It’d be more efficient to use a standard oven or eat out for authentic pizza.
Fat-Burning Ab Belt
These belts supposedly increase core strength through electrical stimulation, toning the skin of the stomach. In reality, they have a minimal effect on appearance, and exercise is far more effective. The belt was even included in Time Magazine’s list of the 50 worst inventions, so save your money!
