Poorly designed things that make using them difficult?

[Whatisthisfuckery]

Spice jars, who in hell has designed the dimensions of spice jars? What measurement of spices does one usually find in a recipe? Teaspoons. What can you not quite fit in a spice jar? A fucking teaspoon. Whose bloody bright idea was it to design a jar that makes it hard to dispense the most common measurement of the ingredient contained within?

Ahh, that’s better, I needed that rant.

Go on, rant away. What poorly designed thing makes you angry inside?

@lollipoprainbow

I've often thought why isn't there a button in the car that shuts all the windows ! As well as the buttons to open/shut all the individual ones? Maybe some cars have this ??

VWs have this function you just hold the lock button down and it's shuts the windows And in reverse to open them all... ideal on a hot day

I’m just noting that for very few of the things mentioned (one exception is button batteries, and yes, I’m aware that skincare in translucent bottles can degrade it but I still would like to know how much I have left of a product!) has there been any explanation whatsoever about why all these products, or their packaging, are so counterintuitively designed.

Properly resealable packaging exists because I’ve seen it in the US - WHY can’t it be applied to bacon, ham, cheese, cream etc?

WHY can’t consumers be given a choice about whether to buy prescription pills or laundry tablets in childproof containers?

WHO THE HELL thought it was a good idea to make you manually release a spray trigger before pumping the next one?

I’m just getting started...

Totally agree about the childproof washing pod containers. I struggle to open them and I’m perfectly able and dexterous. I usually resort to breaking the taps off in the end. I wrote to the manufacturer and says they were a problem and people with dexterity issues such as arthritis or older people with other hand issues such as finger deformity, poor grip would not be able to use them independently. I got a generic “thanks for your comment” type communication and that was it.

My vax vacuum cleaner

Works great, for 6.5 minutes. Then something gets stuck. There are many places this could be. Spend 30 mins dismantling it. Still stuck. Another 30 mins dismantling, and an Array of swear words. Find item, put vax back together
Works great for 6.5 mins, something's stuck

Why isn't the narrowest, most stuck type place at the beginning of the vax, rather than the innards??

Yes. Plastic jugs with the measurements in the same colour as the jug. I now have three jugs that I look down on to see the measurements and it is much better but they have their annoyances too.

@UhtredRagnarson

Vinegar bottles without the sprinkler top. What’s the point?

I agree unless they are cooking vinegars like balsamic or wine vinegar. Bog standard malt vinegar should always have a sprinkler. I can remember my dad punching a hole in the cap of a sprinklerless bottle of Sarsons.

Bosch Athlet rechargeable vacuum cleaner, the charge ran out, so I stuck it in on the charger, forgot about it for a few days and then noticed it was still on the 'on' setting, so it doesn't switch off automatically when the charge runs out!
It's stopped working, it's probably the fuse. The fuse can't be replaced easily because the plug can't be opened. I've just had it three years and it has only been used once a fortnight or less.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Not all Morrisons are the same though, we have proper belts where you can get a full shop on.

Very slightly off-topic, but am I the only one who, when using the 'bigger/trolley shop' self-service checkouts, doesn't bother unloading the trolley on to the conveyer belt? CBs make perfect sense if there's somebody waiting to scan it, but where's the actual benefit to me to unload it all on to the belt, scan it and then put it into a bag on the capricious scales?

Also on that topic, Asda SS checkouts that offer you the option to use your own bag and ask you to put your empty bags down to 'zero' the scales before you add your shopping - and then are astonished to find that bags weigh something. If they didn't, there would be no need to add them in the first place.

you can get handle covers. Aga do a nice fabric one but there are loads on Amazon either fabric or silicone

We have these silicone ones, but they're a faff, so I usually just use an oven glove or tea towel. Also they add extra weight to a small pan, thus exacerbating the risk of an empty 'handle-heavy' pan tipping over on to the handle. I never know what they're supposed to be called - I think they had a twee little name when we bought them (from Lakeland??) - we just refer to them as 'pandoms'

I don't load shopping on to the belt to then pick it up again to scan. It is a waste of time. The look on people's faces though when I suggest it saves time.

@PickAChew

Agree about spices. I don't mind small pots of turmeric - the waitrose own brand is pricey but amazing quality and a little goes a long way - but coriander and cumin run down so quickly since they're at the centre of pretty much everything and in no small amount.

Keep the jars and buy in bulk.

[quote CaveMum]A lot of things like this are due to the world being designed by and for men - the dimensions of things like smart phones are based on the size of the "average male" hand; supermarket shelves positioned based on "average male" height, etc.

Read "Invisible Women" By Caroline Criado Perez, it will blow your mind!

invisiblewomenbook.co.uk/[/quote]
Omg yes!

[quote HyggeTygge]@SunshineCake omg thank you! I have been meaning to see if there's such a thing as a ham storage box, as i keep open packs in sealable freezer bags but they're a pain to close all the time. Your lakeland link has prompted me to see if there are ham boxes - and there are!!

www.lakeland.co.uk/63100/4-Tatay-Cold-Cut-Food-Storage-Boxes---Coloured-Lids[/quote]
These are amazing!
Also buy some toaster tongs while you're there

Why in the fuck have they stopped putting the little plastic lids on top of pots of cream? Are we now only meant to use exactly 150ml or 300ml of cream?

"Thoroughly modern Miele" might be one of the best lines I've ever read here.

Dahlia the plastic lids have gone in order to save plastic but I agree it’s not great having an unsealed tub of half used cream. We ended up with it everywhere not long ago where it got knocked over.

@ChessieFL

Dahlia the plastic lids have gone in order to save plastic but I agree it’s not great having an unsealed tub of half used cream. We ended up with it everywhere not long ago where it got knocked over.

I can't resist a gadget, and a few years ago I ended up with a pack o of stretchy silicone jar covers from Ikea. They languished, un-needed and unused, in my Drawer of Doom until last week, when I bought a tub of cream for the first time in ages. Finally, I have a use for them!

[quote PickAChew]@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime I may just have to completely replace my useless jugs, then! The two I have are about 15 years old.[/quote]
I only worked out what was going on when my mum died and I inherited her ancient one; then I eventually noticed why hers with the lettering almost hidden because the Pyrex had gone white with age would pour properly, and my new shiny one wouldn't. My new one would have been about twenty years old at this point, I suppose.

@DahliaMacNamara

Why in the fuck have they stopped putting the little plastic lids on top of pots of cream? Are we now only meant to use exactly 150ml or 300ml of cream?

To save plastic? You can of course put a half used one in the fridge ready for a family member to knock it over spilling cream inside the fridge and on the floor.

For all of you looking for keyboards, just search for 'tenkeyless uk keyboard'.
There are hundreds of different models readily available.

@QueenPaw

Shampoo/conditioner bottles - I add a splash of v hot water to the bottle, shake it like mad and it makes it runny enough to get the last bits out, same with shower gel/bath foam

Genius

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

You wee into something else like a jug (don't tell anyone in the household that though!) or if you prefer an old ice cream tub or something you can put in the recycling after, then POUR a little in the tube.

At home yes, but in a dr's surgery or hospital there isn't usually a handy jug around!

I have an old plastic takeaway tub for this purpose. It lives in the bathroom cupboard. It's also useful for pouring water on skidmarks if they haven't dried

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

You wee into something else like a jug (don't tell anyone in the household that though!) or if you prefer an old ice cream tub or something you can put in the recycling after, then POUR a little in the tube.

At home yes, but in a dr's surgery or hospital there isn't usually a handy jug around!

Also, some hospitals have cardboard funnel thingys

Covent Garden soups

I cannot open them without finally pulling them part in extreme frustration and anger

* supermarket shelves positioned based on "average male" height,*

Come again?

The peel off cover part of my daily disposable contact lenses. Usually peel off part of the cover of the next lens in the pack.

The rather lovely alessi cItrus juicer my mother in law brought me that looks like a miniature spaceship. Every time I've tried to use it, the legs go out from under it, there's a huge crash followed by mangled lemons and juice everywhere. The design is just all wrong. Gorgeous but hopeless. A bit like my cat.