Do you have or have you had in the past any product that seemed poorly designed to you?

[Chris P Bacon]

I’m asking this because I feel that drip coffeemaker carafes are poorly designed. The problem I have is that when I fill the carafe with water, I like to see that I’m putting in the right amount. Me being right handed though, I have to awkwardly turn the now filled vessel to see how much water it contains because the number of cups is printed on the right-hand side of the carafe. Great for left-handed persons, not so great for me. I think that having the numbers printed on both sides would be a feasible solution. I could also hold it by the bottom, in my palm but that handle just seems so handy! It’s not a life or death matter but it is one that seems needlessly irksome.

How about you? Have you had any experience with a product that just seemed to be designed poorly or have you ever faced the same dilemma with your coffeemaker? I’ve noticed that all the various brands of coffeemakers I’ve used seem to have this same trait in common. Left handed people face many obstacles, I’m certain, many of which I’m unaware of, I’m fairly certain of that too, since I’m not left handed. But measuring water for coffee would seem to be one less that they might deal with.

 

[officerripley]

I've purchased many products, including every coffeemaker as you point out above; but the most poorly designed thing I've ever owned? My body.

 

[Gary O']

The problem I have is that when I fill the carafe with water, I like to see that I’m putting in the right amount. Me being right handed though, I have to awkwardly turn the now filled vessel to see how much water it contains because the number of cups is printed on the right-hand side of the carafe.

Our Mr Coffee has the printing on the left
Hold it up to look with right hand
$20
No fancy schmancy settings
Flip the switch
Coffee in 5 minutes

 

[helenbacque]

Electronics that do not have an "off" button.

 

[Gary O']

How about you? Have you had any experience with a product that just seemed to be designed poorly

Not really dissatisfied with 'design' as much as quality
Found, several years ago, that mid grade beats heck outa best price

On the other hand;
Top end tends to have too many options, of which I find needless, with more to go wrong

 

[win231]

I've purchased many products, including every coffeemaker as you point out above; but the most poorly designed thing I've ever owned? My body.

Yes, why can't everything work the same as it did from day one?

 

[bingo]

Vacuum cleaners....

 

[Jackie23]

Any electronics that have to be charged... the charging connections should be universal.

 

[Murrmurr]

I bought a water fountain for my cat that I had to practically rebuild due to poor design - had to glue down a false bottom to raise it up an eighth-inch, glue little suction cups to the pump so it would stay in place, and cut a bigger hole in the plastic bit you thread the cord through. Now it works ok.

With some products made in China, the producer sees the product elsewhere but they can't access the design details, so they just guess.

 

[Don M.]

It seems that most products, today, have a "planned obsolescence" that requires them to be replaced not long after the warranty expires. In the nearly 20 years here, we've replaced all of our major appliances at about the 8 to 10 yr. marks when they started to have problems. We had to buy our 3rd refrigerator last year, when the compressor quit working. On the flip side...we have an ancient Montgomery Wards chest freezer in the basement that is almost 50 years old, and still working good....try finding something that lasts that long today.....good luck.

 

[helenbacque]

The defect in many flat-box furniture items is the assembly instructions.

 

[oldpeculier]

The folks that manufacture motorcycles are notorious for using crappy parts, subject to fail prematurely. The cheap and poorly designed inner cam bearing with fewer rollers, for example, increases their profit to install.

 

[Murrmurr]

It seems that most products, today, have a "planned obsolescence" that requires them to be replaced not long after the warranty expires. In the nearly 20 years here, we've replaced all of our major appliances at about the 8 to 10 yr. marks when they started to have problems. We had to buy our 3rd refrigerator last year, when the compressor quit working. On the flip side...we have an ancient Montgomery Wards chest freezer in the basement that is almost 50 years old, and still working good....try finding something that lasts that long today.....good luck.

That's true. I believe it is planned.

My mom replaced her 30-yr-old Maytag washer and dryer when dad built her a new laundry room; she wanted a new set for the new room just because it would look nice. She got Kenmore. After 3 years they had nothing but problems with the new set and had to replace it after 8 years. She got General Electric.

 

[officerripley]

Yes, why can't everything work the same as it did from day one?

Oh if only my body had ever worked correctly at all.

 

[Jan14]

I try to research before buying these type items and read the reviews. I’d paying a little more for better quality.

 

[CinnamonSugar]

It’s a small thing but…

the blue-checked 1/2 circles on the interior seal on a (usually) pill bottle you are supposed to be able to pull up on it and pull the seal away from the mouth of the container. Works about 1:100 times. Arggg

 

[oldaunt]

My Phillips tv, with NO buttons on it so if you can't find the remote, you can't even turn it on.......

 

[oldaunt]

It seems that most products, today, have a "planned obsolescence" that requires them to be replaced not long after the warranty expires. In the nearly 20 years here, we've replaced all of our major appliances at about the 8 to 10 yr. marks when they started to have problems. We had to buy our 3rd refrigerator last year, when the compressor quit working. On the flip side...we have an ancient Montgomery Wards chest freezer in the basement that is almost 50 years old, and still working good....try finding something that lasts that long today.....good luck.

I just had to replace both my stove and refrigerator because they quit working. They were both 22 year old Sears Kenmore......dryer quit, but washer still going. ALSO 22 year old Sears....dryer just needs a new fuse.

 

[Colleen]

Vacuum cleaners....

YES!! A few years ago, we needed a new vacuum so I went to Sears and bought a $600 cleaner, thinking that it would last "forever" at that price. HA! It wasn't 3 years later and it died. Now, we only buy $100 sweepers and if they die in a year or two, we're not out that much money.

Nothing lasts like it use to. For example, my parents had their mattresses for over 20 years and they were still good when they passed. We bought new ones in 2014 and they were so terrible by 3 years, we had to take them to the dump and get new ones.

We get everything from China and it's all so cheaply made that we have to keep throwing everything away and buying new all the time. We live in a disposable world.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

My Iphone. When I got it, it was in a white box. PERIOD. Nothing, nada in how to work the damn thing. It was an expensive doorstop, which didn't stop doors. You shouldn't have to rely on YouTube to figure out how your product works.

 

[Jules]

@Chris P Bacon, I don’t understand your coffee maker problem. I’m right handed and the water fill line is on the right. I marked the 2 main levels I use with a nail polish dot so that it’s easier for me to see (vision problems).

Most things seem to be designed to fail just after the warranty period. Our Samsung TV gave out just after the expiry period. Researching it, this was very, very common.

 

[Nathan]

The defect in many flat-box furniture items is the assembly instructions.

Yes, as a long-long English speaker(and reader) I have difficulty reading (越南語).

 

[CarolfromTX]

I bought a rain gauge once and the first time it rained all the numbers washed off!

 

[caroln]

Any electronics with too short a power cord or charger cord. Sometimes in the customer booklet it states the short cord is for "safety" reasons, which I think is a bunch of bull doodoo. What would it hurt to have a cord 12 inches longer? I have to put my toaster on a box to plug it in. Like that's safe!

 

[Sunny]

My washer-dryer (stacked together) don't tell you how many more minutes you have to wait for the job to be done. You just have to wait. In fact, there's no timer at all. You ask for "Normal," "Delicate," etc. It's annoying. They are a Frigidaire, and I wouldn't get that brand again.