What highly recommended purchases have you bought that turned out to be underwhelming, if not totally shit?

[JustinianTheThird]

For me:
> Wool duvet:
No warmer than an Asda synthetic job. Heavy as fuck so hard to change the bed. Stiff so it doesn't mould around your body. Thin so looks shit on the bed.

> Heater clothes airer
Massive monstrosity. Takes forever to dry clothes. Makes clothes smell musty and fusty.

> Spa day
Just boring. And damp.

> Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Poorly written to the extent it felt like YA fiction. Unlikable and unrealistic characters. Couldn't find the deep emotional aspects that people go on about.

> Modibodi period pants
The tightest waistband I've ever experienced in my life. Are Modibodi selling these to failed third world states as torture devices? They fucking should.

What about you?

Another place - Marrakesh.

I was so excited to visit but it is the seventh circle of hell. The souk is a special circle of hell within hell. Aggressive men who have no compunction about harassing tourists out of money ripping it from you hand or harassing women sexually. armies of kids trailing after you begging. The same stalls on repeat selling the same stuff and aggressive salesmen. It's a terrible place and I'd never go again.

They are not as good as a washing line in summer, or a big US-style separate tumble dryer.

They are significantly better than a washing line in December in the pouring rain, or putting everything over a radiator, or a tiny rubbishy UK washer-dryer than leaves everything still damp and full of creases.

They are probably pretty similar to a non-heated airer if you stand it near a radiator, but if you have the option of heating it up, why not?

And yes, they do fold away. We use ours constantly in winter and practically never in summer. When we lived in a flat with no outside space, we used it all the time.

I like spa days...

I will agree with the dyson but take it one further and say bagless vacuum cleaners. No matter how you just get dust all over when they are emptied.

Yorkshite/Tetley & PG tips. Tastes like dirt IMO

Cars. Dont get me wrong I have one. Its handy to get yourself around
But the obsession of a particular car brand or speed or horsepower I just dont get it.. I just want a car that takes me around feels fairly comfortable and isnt too costly in fuel.

Ours also has a name. It's a he😂

Yo be fair to him, he is mid range. Good on keeping main areas clean-ish and helps with dust though.

Any mop which is not classic style mop is lost on me. I tried few, really. Nope

(Heated airer is for all the things I don’t want ruined/crispy in the tumble dryer - socks, pants, woollens, fancy trousers etc)

Elemis midnight facial cream. Total waste of money, No difference to my skin and each time I use it I end up picking bits of it off my face due to it pilling.

Shit. That's in one of my drawers to use!

You're not wrong re mortadella. Its exactly like thin posh spam!

Yes, I agree and found the same, it was unspreadable - except I relegated it to use as hand cream and now find it to be the best of any overnight hand treatment I have tried.

Dyson hairdryer. I swear to God my £35 Revlon dryer is superior.

Also agree re the (expensive) wool duvet, but have successfully repurposed as a warm padded underblanket instead.

I’m not sure if we’re talking about the same thing. Mine is like a traditional rail dryer that folds away when not using it. The advantage of it being heated is that clothes dry more quickly and evenly. That’s definitely a plus. They dry overnight. I don’t use the heat in the summer but at other times it’s invaluable.

Dry robe, it doesn’t keep you dry unless it’s not raining which is never the case in South Wales.

I now feel terrible that I bought my manager the Hamnet book AND a NEOM product for secret santa 2 years ago. Whoops 🤣

Uniqlo heattec baselayers - no warmer than my cheap H&M ones but a lot more see through!
Dyson airwrap - I have to use so much product to get the curls to stay I need to rewash my hair
Olaplex shampoo and conditioner - like coating my hair in vinyl
White Company bedding/towels - all fall apart in the tumble dryer
Another vote for heated airers, all they do is dry the strip of fabric directly in contact with the metal bar while the rest of the item stays soaking

oooh yes Snag tights. Constantly raved about on here and by someone I know as finally fitting. Nope. They don't. No better than any other tights – by the time they go over my big bum they are waaay too long in the leg.

(I don't know why someone doesn't actually make tights that fit short-legged people who are size 14).
Also they went at the toes after about three wears. Some of the colours are nice tho. But very expensive for the quality IMHO.

I did better with an M&S three-pack for £9.

I LOVE Hamnet tho, the book and the film.

(reads on) I also like the Jones Road balm but I know many don't tbf. Love spa breaks too.

Our airfryer gets used every day. Oven...maybe once a week?

Agree with the slow cooker, it's only used a few times a year. Does a lovely roast beef though.

@Motnight the Weleda skin food light version is much better a much softer cream , the original one is very thick and sticky but I use the light one a lot

So glad me & my sister went to Bloomingdale’s instead, while the others did this.

Oh no I was recommended this by my therapist at (ahem) a spa overnight last week (yes really ) – I thought it looked nice and smelled great. She did say you need to use a tiny amount…

I used Weleda skin food as a hand cream tbh

But could you not just use the radiator for that? I’ve contemplated a heated airer but I currently just put the airer infront of the radiator and I’m not sure how the heated airer would be any more effective than that.

I agree. It's just a very narrow park. Ditto Central Park. Just a park.

Vivobarefoot walking boots.

They're a lot of money for a boot where the edge of the sole starts coming away from the upper after a few wears. And the so called waterproof ones only stayed waterproof for a season.

They are really comfortable though.

I think the same. I have loads of nice face, body stuff but it’s all just goo in a pot at the end of the day… ALDI cleansing balm is a good dupe for Emma Hardie Moringa. Revolution balm pots instead of Jones Road.

I thought this too 🤣 like it's just grass and train track?!