Worst inventions? - Page 38

**electrofreak** · September 5th, 2022, 03:54 AM

Years ago, I bought a hand-held vacuum cleaner from a catalogue shop, thinking that it would do for hoovering the furniture, when I couldn't be bothered to wheel out my full-sized vacuum (I live alone).

I tried it out as soon as I arrived home, and it seemed like a decent little machine. I got the job done quickly, and with a minimum of effort.

But, the second time I tried to use the device, it switched itself off, after just a few seconds of use. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it working again.

Puzzled, I consulted the manual supplied with the machine...only to read in the small print that these devices only work for a few minutes at a time, before automatically switching themselves off, 'for safety reasons' (the text did not elaborate on what these might be). To get this one working again, it was apparently necessary to connect the charger that came with it, and plug it in to the mains.

Here's the gobsmacking part, though. The cleaner would not work again until it had been charging continually - for seventeen hours!

That was seriously annoying, and inconvenient - but not necessarily terminal. However, several hours after I'd plugged in the charger and left the device to power up, my electricity suddenly went off. I initially thought there had been a power cut - which was strange, because I'd had plenty of credit, just a few hours before.

When I went outside, though, and saw from the lights in nearby windows that nobody else in the vicinity had lost their power, it crossed my mind that the only new demand on my electricity supply was the charger for the miniature vacuum cleaner.

When I topped up my electric meter (while the charger was still plugged in), I was astounded to see it visibly counting down the amount of credit available, even as I watched. Only then did it dawn on me that the charger was eating my electricity at a terrifying speed.

I only used the cleaner one more time after that, because charging it up was such a drain on my power supply that I resented the colossal damage being inflicted on my bank balance.

The device is currently gathering dust in an obscure corner of my flat, unused for over a decade, and unlikely ever to be taken out of its box again.

A few minutes of use, followed by seventeen hours of open-wallet surgery? No, thanks.

Total waste of money. It was quite expensive, too.

Worst invention ever.

Elec-trivia: According to his mother, 'vacuum' was the first word electrofreak ever said.

**jomama** · September 10th, 2022, 10:16 PM

Cleavage Covers
Bras for men
Undies for two

**hoss** · September 10th, 2022, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electrofreak

Years ago, I bought a hand-held vacuum cleaner from a catalogue shop, thinking that it would do for hoovering the furniture, when I couldn't be bothered to wheel out my full-sized vacuum (I live alone)...Here's the gobsmacking part, though. The cleaner would not work again until it had been charging continually - for seventeen hours!

Yay! Me too! I have a Black&Decker Dustbuster Extreme. Charges for a day to give ten seconds of the last breath of an asthmatic dying of pneumonia.

Homer · September 10th, 2022, 10:30 PM

Panty Hose! Because of panty hose, women no longer wear garter belts and stockings.

**jomama** · September 11th, 2022, 08:27 PM

Handerpants- underpants for our hands

Fish training kits

Lisa Lipgloss · September 20th, 2022, 02:57 PM

The comet 4-in-1 safety hair cutter. Two razor blades in a piece of plastic. Child cruelty 1970s style.

**hoss** · October 22nd, 2022, 07:44 PM

The Dremel compact saw. A hand-held circular saw intended to make precise plunging cuts. The device should have a soft start and a fine power control. In reality the device jumps into action. As the powerful electric motor is at right angles to the saw blade, the saw violently tries to wrench itself out of your hands and ruins the cut. Best of all, thi is not even a saw, it is a grinder. The "saw blade" is a grinder disc with an overly rough edge that causes masses of saw dust thrown in all directions. If you use one of the smoother discs on wood, the friction combined with the unnecessary speed and torque of the device causes the wood to burn immediately.
With some margin the worst tool I ever bought!

**seivad** · October 22nd, 2022, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homer

Panty Hose! Because of panty hose, women no longer wear garter belts and stockings.

I guess you mean Tights and Stockings suspenders.

For me Drum machines are the invention of the devil.

**wavingatmason** · October 22nd, 2022, 09:13 PM

The Conservative Party.

September 5th, 2022, 03:54 AM	#371
electrofreak Retro Geek Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Créatúr na hOíche (Birmingham, England) Posts: 12,544 Thanks: 714,737 Thanked 131,635 Times in 12,544 Posts	Hand-Held Vacuum Cleaners Years ago, I bought a hand-held vacuum cleaner from a catalogue shop, thinking that it would do for hoovering the furniture, when I couldn't be bothered to wheel out my full-sized vacuum (I live alone). I tried it out as soon as I arrived home, and it seemed like a decent little machine. I got the job done quickly, and with a minimum of effort. But, the second time I tried to use the device, it switched itself off, after just a few seconds of use. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it working again. Puzzled, I consulted the manual supplied with the machine...only to read in the small print that these devices only work for a few minutes at a time, before automatically switching themselves off, 'for safety reasons' (the text did not elaborate on what these might be). To get this one working again, it was apparently necessary to connect the charger that came with it, and plug it in to the mains. Here's the gobsmacking part, though. The cleaner would not work again until it had been charging continually - for seventeen hours! That was seriously annoying, and inconvenient - but not necessarily terminal. However, several hours after I'd plugged in the charger and left the device to power up, my electricity suddenly went off. I initially thought there had been a power cut - which was strange, because I'd had plenty of credit, just a few hours before. When I went outside, though, and saw from the lights in nearby windows that nobody else in the vicinity had lost their power, it crossed my mind that the only new demand on my electricity supply was the charger for the miniature vacuum cleaner. When I topped up my electric meter (while the charger was still plugged in), I was astounded to see it visibly counting down the amount of credit available, even as I watched. Only then did it dawn on me that the charger was eating my electricity at a terrifying speed. I only used the cleaner one more time after that, because charging it up was such a drain on my power supply that I resented the colossal damage being inflicted on my bank balance. The device is currently gathering dust in an obscure corner of my flat, unused for over a decade, and unlikely ever to be taken out of its box again. A few minutes of use, followed by seventeen hours of open-wallet surgery? No, thanks. Total waste of money. It was quite expensive, too. Worst invention ever. Elec-trivia: According to his mother, 'vacuum' was the first word electrofreak* ever said.* __________________ "I'd rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned."

September 10th, 2022, 10:16 PM	#372
jomama Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Living in Silliness Posts: 29,738 Thanks: 3,492,584 Thanked 344,102 Times in 29,852 Posts	Cleavage Covers Bras for men Undies for two __________________ all the credit goes to original posters Avatar is Smeagol My Precious with Toilet Paper

September 11th, 2022, 08:27 PM	#375
jomama Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Living in Silliness Posts: 29,738 Thanks: 3,492,584 Thanked 344,102 Times in 29,852 Posts	Handerpants- underpants for our hands Fish training kits __________________ all the credit goes to original posters Avatar is Smeagol My Precious with Toilet Paper

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September 10th, 2022, 10:30 PM	#374
Homer Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 264 Thanks: 7,344 Thanked 9,096 Times in 259 Posts	Panty Hose! Because of panty hose, women no longer wear garter belts and stockings.

September 20th, 2022, 02:57 PM	#376
Lisa Lipgloss Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 367 Thanks: 429 Thanked 4,311 Times in 436 Posts	The comet 4-in-1 safety hair cutter. Two razor blades in a piece of plastic. Child cruelty 1970s style.

October 22nd, 2022, 07:44 PM	#377
hoss Vintage Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: I have a farm in cloud cuckoo land Posts: 3,468 Thanks: 19,922 Thanked 26,479 Times in 3,456 Posts	The Dremel compact saw. A hand-held circular saw intended to make precise plunging cuts. The device should have a soft start and a fine power control. In reality the device jumps into action. As the powerful electric motor is at right angles to the saw blade, the saw violently tries to wrench itself out of your hands and ruins the cut. Best of all, thi is not even a saw, it is a grinder. The "saw blade" is a grinder disc with an overly rough edge that causes masses of saw dust thrown in all directions. If you use one of the smoother discs on wood, the friction combined with the unnecessary speed and torque of the device causes the wood to burn immediately. With some margin the worst tool I ever bought!

October 22nd, 2022, 09:13 PM	#379
wavingatmason Vintage Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: South West England Posts: 635 Thanks: 3,218 Thanked 6,612 Times in 630 Posts	The Conservative Party.