What’s the biggest gimmick product you’ve seen blow up?
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I’m talking about the stuff that looks amazing on Instagram or TikTok but turns out to be a total letdown once you actually use it. Could be beauty gadgets, trendy kitchen tools, or even those “miracle” supplements everyone swears by. Which ones are all hype and zero substance, and what made you realize it wasn’t worth the money?
For me it was the frother-style “whipped coffee” gadget that blew up during lockdowns. It looked so dreamy online—velvety coffee clouds in glass mugs—but in reality it’s just a messy countertop nightmare. The little whisk is underpowered, takes forever to whip, and half the time the foam collapses before you even get to drink it. I ended up going back to my trusty French press for cold foam, which works a hundred times better.
I'm guilty of falling for the Youtube shorts ad but was pleasantly surprised by it.
I bought the Slap Chop as kind of a joke — like one of those “As Seen on TV” impulse buys you fully expect to regret. But no lie, I actually use it all the time now. I thought it would be a flimsy gadget that would break after one onion, but it’s surprisingly solid.
It’s perfect for when you don’t want to dirty the knife for little things — garlic, nuts, herbs, onions (especially when you don’t want to cry over dicing). You just toss it in, give it a few satisfying slaps, and boom — evenly chopped. Is it gimmicky? 100%. But it’s also become a weirdly indispensable kitchen tool in my house.
What’s the biggest gimmick product you’ve seen blow up?
I’m talking about the stuff that looks amazing on Instagram or TikTok but turns out to be a total letdown once you actually use it. Could be beauty gadgets, trendy kitchen tools, or even those “miracle” supplements everyone swears by. Which ones are all hype and zero substance, and what made you realize it wasn’t worth the money?
For me it was the frother-style “whipped coffee” gadget that blew up during lockdowns. It looked so dreamy online—velvety coffee clouds in glass mugs—but in reality it’s just a messy countertop nightmare. The little whisk is underpowered, takes forever to whip, and half the time the foam collapses before you even get to drink it. I ended up going back to my trusty French press for cold foam, which works a hundred times better.
Slap chop.
I'm guilty of falling for the Youtube shorts ad but was pleasantly surprised by it.
I bought the Slap Chop as kind of a joke — like one of those “As Seen on TV” impulse buys you fully expect to regret. But no lie, I actually use it all the time now. I thought it would be a flimsy gadget that would break after one onion, but it’s surprisingly solid.
It’s perfect for when you don’t want to dirty the knife for little things — garlic, nuts, herbs, onions (especially when you don’t want to cry over dicing). You just toss it in, give it a few satisfying slaps, and boom — evenly chopped. Is it gimmicky? 100%. But it’s also become a weirdly indispensable kitchen tool in my house.