new-and-exciting-products

Happy Hot Dog Man Turns Your Frankfurter Into An Edible Stick Figure
By Laura Northrup on June 16, 2011 10:30 AM   56 Comments
Infomercial products are all about solving problems that you didn't realize you had. Did you know, for example, that the hot dogs you and your family eat are incredibly boring? It's true. That's why someone created the Happy Hot Dog Man. For only $10.99, you can create the unholy spawn of a frankfurter and a gingerbread man in your very own home. More »

Slobstopper: Your Coffee And Donut-Blocking Poncho
By Laura Northrup on April 12, 2011 10:00 AM   33 Comments
Have you ever sipped coffee while driving, and spilled it down the front of your shirt? Man, we've all been there. What if there were a product that could prevent such mishaps? Perhaps a massive synthetic backless poncho of an adult bib, with a handy homemade-looking infomercial, and with a gross name. Yes! That's perfect! More »

Crayola's Colorful Bubbles Delight Children, Stain Everything
By Laura Northrup on April 5, 2011 3:00 PM   63 Comments
How would you like to blow bubbles in bright colors? Sounds awesome, right? Crayola's new washable Colorful Bubbles seem like an amazing idea, especially if their bright colors don't stain. Except some parents are complaining online that they kind of, um, do. More »

"Forever Lazy" Describes Either A Product Or Its Target Market
By Laura Northrup on January 13, 2011 11:30 AM   39 Comments
Do you long for the warmth and comfort of a Snuggie, but would rather look like an overgrown infant than a demented cultist? Perhaps the Forever Lazy is what you've been looking for. It's a fleece onesie that comes in toddler through adult sizes. While it doesn't come with attached feet, it does have zippered flaps so you can go to the bathroom without getting cold. More »

Holy Crap, The Electric Heated Snuggie Really Exists
By Laura Northrup on January 6, 2011 8:00 AM   28 Comments
I've never found the Snuggie all that appealing. "Call me when they make an electric, heated version," I've always said. Yesterday, our man on the ground at the Consumer Electronics Show called. The Coz-E, an electric blanket with sleeves, debuted this past fall, and somehow nobody gave me one for Christmas. Or even told me. More »

The Fuel Doctor FD-47 Is More Of A Fuel-Savings Quack
By Laura Northrup on December 8, 2010 9:30 AM   101 Comments

A basic understanding of physics should tell you that the Fuel Doctor—a small device that you plug into the 12-volt power outlet in your car—will not work. The gadget claims that by "conditioning" your car's electrical systems, it increases power and gas mileage. But...why have none of the major automakers thought of this? Is it all a plot between the car and gas companies... or is the Fuel Doctor just automotive snake oil?  

To find out, Consumer Reports plugged the device in to cars set up with sensitive fuel mileage meters, and also tested the vehicles' power with and without the Fuel Doctor. Their verdict? Well, there are some pretty lights on the Fuel Doctor, so it makes a nice decoration.  More »

Babycakes Makes Baking Cupcakes More Convenient, More Stupid
By Laura Northrup on November 12, 2010 9:30 AM   82 Comments
This isn't really a "new" product—it's been around since at least this past spring, but it just recently came to our attention. Yes, if you are too impatient to wait the fifteen minutes or so that it takes to bake cupcakes and other small baked goods in a regular old oven, this monotasking, space-hogging glorified George Foreman grill is here to help you expand your waistline. More »

It's Sort Of Like A Flowbee For Dogs, Except Not
By Laura Northrup on November 4, 2010 9:30 AM   36 Comments
My dog thinks that I'm always looking for new and innovative ways to torture her, such as toothbrushes, ear drops, and baths. She should be grateful that I don't have a Dyson vacuum, since the company is launching a carefully designed pet-vacuuming attachment, which will go on sale in the U.S. in January 2011. More »

Start Your Child's Beer Pong Training Early
By Laura Northrup on July 16, 2010 10:30 AM   21 Comments
Rounding out our trilogy of beer pong posts this week, here's an exciting product that commenter Nic715 pointed out: Hasbro's game Cuponk. Throw the ball into the cup, and lights go off and electronic noises sound. It's a way to have some family fun and hone your kids' skills long before they leave for college. More »

Beware The Sleeping Bag That Finds You
By Meg Marco on May 11, 2010 11:42 AM   34 Comments
Too lazy to dig through your closet to find your sleeping bag? Just cut yourself shaving and lie down and this bad-boy will find you. More »

Better Marriage Blanket Protects Your Partner From Noxious Farts
By Laura Northrup on May 5, 2010 2:00 PM   55 Comments
If you are emitting such noxious gas that you require a carbon filter blanket in order to prevent divorce, you may have some kind of underlying medical condition that you should get checked out. But if you don't have health insurance, maybe you should try the Better Marriage Blanket instead. More »

It's Never Too Early To Get Your Child Her First Cubicle
By Laura Northrup on April 14, 2010 10:00 AM   38 Comments
If you have a child, you want him or her to be prepared for the future. So why not begin their dreary cubicle farm confinement before they even learn how to read? That's what the Little Tykes Young Explorer does, combining a home cubicle and child-sized seating with a computer loaded with kid-friendly software, all at a rather inflated price. Which is a lot like real office furniture, come to think of it. More »

This Infomercial Uses A Familiar Voice To Get Your Attention
By Laura Northrup on March 27, 2010 10:00 AM   41 Comments
If you hear a vaguely familiar voice screeching from your television set during a commercial break, fear not. It's only actor, comedian, and ex-parrot Gilbert Gottfried's voiceover for the Shoedini commercial. It's hard to get across in mere words how much I wish I were kidding right now. More »

Consumer Reports Tests 3D Televisions, Goofy Glasses
By Laura Northrup on March 12, 2010 11:00 AM   63 Comments
We might have all of the cat pictures here at Consumerist, but our sibling publication, Consumer Reports, gets to play with very cool toys. Right now, the folks in the TV-testing lab have some of the exciting new 3D televisions from Panasonic and Samsung, and they made a preliminary video to show them off and weigh the pros and cons of being an early 3D TV adopter. Sorry, the video is only in 2D. More »

If You Have Difficulty Operating Eggs, Try An EZ Cracker
By Laura Northrup on March 7, 2010 2:00 PM   92 Comments
You know what piece of technology confuses a lot of people? Eggs. At least that's the impression I get from the existence of the EZ Cracker, a device which cracks and separates eggs for people who are probably too helpless to be allowed near a stove. Oh, and their commercial has—why not—Wendy from the old Snapple commercials. More »

The iMaxi Is A Disturbingly Appropriate iPad Case
By Laura Northrup on February 26, 2010 3:31 PM   55 Comments
There are a lot of people who don't like the name of the iPad, Apple's upcoming device that will save the news industry, destroy the nettop market, cure cancer, and save the princess. This is because the name makes them think of feminine hygiene products. An Etsy seller took the product's name as inspiration, and has produced the iMaxi: a handmade, utilitarian case designed to protect your iPad and look exactly like a gigantic menstrual pad. More »

Snob Snuggie Combines Style, Warmth And Smug Self-Satisfaction
By Laura Northrup on February 25, 2010 5:00 PM   12 Comments
There is the Snuggie that you wear while watching American Idol and eating Cheetos. That's the regular, plebeian fleece Snuggie. Then there is the Snuggie that you wear while reading continental philosophy and eating havarti with dill on organic rice crisps. That is the "happiness in bed" sleeved blanket. Or, as Buzzfeed calls it, the Snob Snuggie. [Sleeved Blanket] (via Buzzfeed)
Edward Cullen Man Pillow: Eternally Yours For Just $45
By Laura Northrup on February 17, 2010 12:37 PM   21 Comments
"For all the twilight crazed lonely women in the world, Edward Cullen is finally here to be with you and only you," the product description of the Edward Cullen mannlow begins. Is that a promise, or a threat? Yes, mortals who pine after a fictional and emotionally abusive but sparkly vampire have their own answer to the Girlfriend Pillow. More »

Sorry We Missed The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Snuggie
By Laura Northrup on January 21, 2010 11:09 AM   19 Comments
We work hard to bring our readers all Snuggie-related news, and were remiss in not reporting on an exciting product from Hot Topic before it finally disappeared from the market. Shortly before the holidays, Hot Topic introduced the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Snuggie Funky Cozy. They sold out. For obvious reasons. More »

Never Chill Your Hands With Beer Or Soda Again
By Laura Northrup on January 18, 2010 5:46 PM   59 Comments
Do you ever find yourself holding on to a soda or beer can, regretting how your hand feels cold and your body heat warms up the drink? Me either. But now there's a product that has come to the rescue, saving you from having to hold on to beverage cans with your hands. Like an animal. More »

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