Do not want

I once encountered a kitchen gadget so ludicrous I thought it had to be a prank—an avocado-shaped device meant to remove pits from fruits I’ve never heard of. That’s when I realized the do not want phenomenon is alive and well in consumer culture. From borderline creepy inventions to novelty trinkets that serve zero purpose, some items were seemingly made to make us collectively recoil.

This showcase compiles 14 eerie, puzzling objects that straddle the boundary between questionable novelty and downright regrets. Each image heightens that visceral response: the kind where you whisper a firm “no” under your breath just looking at it. The pictures range from eccentric conceptual art pieces that spark secondhand embarrassment to random contraptions that presumably solve non-existent problems. Yet, these questionable items manage to exist, presumably because a few daring souls out there are drawn to the bizarre. The mood shifts with each photo, from mild amusement when faced with a puzzling invention to sheer disbelief at how certain designs ever made it off the drawing board. Peeking at these offbeat examples reveals how marketing can push almost anything, especially if it aligns with a niche sense of humor or a misunderstood marketplace. Overall, it’s an unnerving, somewhat comedic exploration of how the world is loaded with ideas we do not want, but can’t resist peeking at anyway.

By the time you finished sifting through this lineup, you likely felt smug relief that you hadn’t fallen victim to any of these bizarre items. Each entry provided a mini jolt of alarm, showcasing exactly why some concepts truly deserve to be banished from your shopping list.

If these vexing creations had you questioning humanity’s motives, you might also appreciate meme collections centering on pointless gadgets, outlandish home décor fails, or weird online shopping finds. Because it seems the internet never stops unleashing questionable wonders for us to collectively reject.