Top 10 As Seen On TV Inventions That Caused MASSIVE Backlash

#10: Hair in a Can

If your hair is thinning and you don’t like it, these days you have a lot of options. Back in the 80s and 90s, you had hair in a can. There were a couple different versions of this product, and neither looked good. One type was literally just a spray paint, and the other was a powder that supposedly created a hair-like texture. Here’s the thing – on a low-resolution 80s TV, this probably didn’t look that bad. But in person – that was a different story. Besides looking obviously fake, the substance had a tendency to flake off, smear, and stain. Anyone caught using it was subject to severe mockery.

#9: Copper-Infused Braces

These things really took off in the 2010s. Copper-infused compression garments, braces, and wraps promise to eliminate swelling and inflammation and relieve pain. Except that they don’t do anything that regular, non-copper braces and wraps don’t do. There’s no scientific evidence to support the idea that putting copper in your compression socks will make any difference. The nice thing is, if you make a bunch of fake health claims about a product that doesn’t actually work, at least in America, eventually you’re going to get sued. A class action lawsuit was filed against Copper Fit claiming its knee and elbow sleeves didn’t actually do anything. And Tommie Copper had to pay $1.3 million to settle a suit from the FTC over similar false claims.

#8: Power Pressure Cooker XL

Any pressure cooker can be dangerous if it’s not used correctly. But if you follow the instructions, it’s supposed to be a safe way to cook the food. That apparently cannot be said about the Power Pressure Cooker XL. There have been numerous reports of this thing exploding and sending boiling hot liquids shooting out in all directions. Many users suffered second- and third-degree burns, and some even had permanent scars to show for it. One man had to spend a month in a wound care center after his Power Pressure Cooker exploded while he was defrosting a chicken. Unsurprisingly, multiple class action lawsuits have been filed against the makers of this kitchen gadget.

#7: Ab Lounge

Imagine buying exercise equipment meant to tone your abs and winding up with a few less fingers. The Ab Lounge launched in 2003, right in the middle of peak 90s and 2000s diet culture. To be fair, it does look more fun than regular situps … until you try to put it away and slice off a digit. In 2004, the distributor had to recall 460,000 Ab Lounges, Ab Lounge 2’s, and Ab Lounge Ultimates. The products were safe to exercise with, but a defect in the hinges supposedly caused people’s fingers to get caught when folding it up to stow it. Customers reported that they’d cut, crushed, and even amputated their fingers. That’s one way to lose weight!

#6: NutriBullet

Before you hop onto your finger-slicing Ab Lounger, you might want to fuel up with a green smoothie. But if you make one with a NutriBullet, you might want to be extra careful. In 2022, the company paid $10 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by customers who said they had been cut, punctured, and scalded by the high-powered blender. Apparently, when it heats up, it tends to explode, sending metal shards and liquid flying. There have been 140 lawsuits filed against the company just since 2014. It’s kind of amazing that the NutriBullet is still on the market.

#5: H2O Mop Steam Cleaners

You might think that household products can’t get much more dangerous than an exploding blender, but you’d be wrong. How about a gadget that’s been said to expose you to water and live wires simultaneously? Maker Thane International had to recall 580,000 H2O Mop Steam Cleaners in 2009 after customers learned the hard way that the cord tended to fray and expose the wires inside. Multiple users plugged in the steamer, fired it up, and reportedly got electrocuted when the cord touched their wet floor. We didn’t find any reports of anyone dying, but you’re probably not shocked to hear that the company is now out of business.

#4: Shake Weight

Come on, we all know what this looks like, right? The Shake Weight dropped in 2009, and it immediately became the butt of every joke. It was parodied and mocked all over TV, from “The Daily Show” to “South Park” to “SNL.” We don’t know whether Shake Weight intentionally created a product and a commercial that were so … suggestive. But either way, it turned out to be marketing genius. Shake Weight moved 2 million units in a year, and soon released a heavier version for men. Hilariously, in 2011 a Consumer Reports study found that exercising with a Shake Weight was worse for target muscle groups than conventional routines and burned fewer calories than walking.

#3: Hoodia Gordonii

Another gift to us from 2000s diet culture, this South African cactus is supposed to suppress appetite. Starting around 2003, the market was flooded with hoodia pills, patches, gels, and creams that promised miraculous weight loss. In reality, there’s little to no scientific evidence that it works, and it comes with a lot of negative side effects. On top of that, half the products being sold were ripoffs that didn’t contain any actual hoodia. The FTC cracked down in 2009. It charged multiple companies with deceptive advertising for their over-the-top claims and for selling supplements fraudulently labeled as hoodia.

#2: Ionic Breeze Quadra Air Purifier

An air purifier can reduce dust and pollen in your house and help people with allergies breathe easier. But imagine if, instead of removing harmful substances, your air purifier was actually emitting them. That’s what Sharper Image’s $350 Ionic Breeze was accused of doing. Consumer Reports found that not only was it terrible at removing particles from the air, it also emitted potentially dangerous amounts of toxic ozone. In response, Sharper Image foolishly sued for libel. A judge immediately tossed out the case and ordered the company to pay Consumer Reports over half a million dollars in legal fees. Meanwhile, Sharper Image faced multiple class action lawsuits from customers over its terrible air purifier. It marked the beginning of the end for the company.

#1: UroClub

Do we even need to explain why this gadget made the list? It’s a golf club that you pee into when you’re on the course, there’s no restroom nearby, and you can’t wait any longer. As many reviewers have pointed out, it’s not quite as inconspicuous as the commercials claim. The hollow tube also isn’t very deep – a big man who’s been holding it a while is at risk of overflowing it. Not to mention the fact that you now have to carry around a club full of urine, sloshing around in your bag with your other clubs, for the rest of your game. But believe it or not, this undeniably gross product is still on the market.

Do you think these products deserved the backlash? Would you buy any of them? Let us know in the comments below.