The Complete List Of 50 Worst Inventions Ever

A new invention is a gamble—either it will change the world for the better or accidentally unleash chaos. Regardless of the outcome, inventions are necessary for the world to evolve and progress. While some breakthroughs may revolutionize the world and change lives, others might just cause more harm than good. Are there inventions that we can consider as bad inventions, you ask? Absolutely! We have prepared a list of the worst inventions that might have been better left on the drawing board.

Just like a coin has two sides, so do inventions. If you think cars were a great invention, think of the damage they’ve caused to the environment. Similarly, while the internet has revolutionized the world, it’s also impacting our physical and mental well-being. These inventions, while necessary, present a complex balance of benefits and drawbacks that might make you reconsider their true impact.

From unnecessary gadgets to cigarettes, let’s have a look at 50 of the worst inventions throughout history. 

1. Segway

Inventor: Dean Kamen

Every now and then you’ll come across a product that nobody needs. While harmless, Segway is an invention that nobody asked for and does not have any impact on the world. While the inventor thought that the invention of the segway would revolutionize transport the reality is far from that. The Segway was designed to change the way people move through cities while standing upright on a two-wheeled device. 

Despite its innovative design, the Segway failed to gain widespread adoption due to its high price, bulky size, and limited practicality. Sure, it’s fun when you are on a vacation and the technology is cool, but are they really practical, especially for the price they come at?

2. Baby Cage

Inventor: Emma Read

In the 1930s, mothers and nannies in London thought that it would be a great idea for babies to get fresh air and sunlight while still indoors. Their solution? Suspend a wired cage hanging outside the window and leave your babies in there. They thought it was a great idea and a very “efficient” use of space allowing babies to experience the outdoors while technically remaining indoors.

What could possibly go wrong with that? These cages were often hung above busy streets, exposing the children inside to the risks of accidents or falls. What seemed like an innovative idea quickly turned into a dangerous one, making it one of the worst inventions ever.

3. Pop-up Ads

Inventor: Ethan Zuckerman

Imagine an invention so bad that even the inventor apologized for it. That’s exactly what happened with the annoying pop-ups that just ruin the browsing experiences.

However, this was supposed to be a seemingly harmless invention. You see, the idea behind the pop-up boxes was to display ads without creating a direct association between the advertiser and the website. 

But like many inventions with unintended consequences, it spiraled out of control. Instead of harmless advertisements, pop-ups became a tool for viruses and malware. Thankfully, the rise of pop-up blockers saved the day and our sanity.

4. Cigarettes

Inventor: James Bonsack

Cigarettes are unarguably the most destructive invention in human history. Can you think of anything good that can come out of them? 

These vicious little killers were originally made for religious rituals and incense-burning ceremonies. However, as it often happens, they quickly became a recreational tool in social settings. 

Cigarettes are considered a bad invention due to their severe negative impact on health. They contain toxic chemicals that cause many diseases like lung cancer. These highly addictive cigarettes are filled with tobacco and chemicals that are responsible for killing over 8 million people a year around the world according to WHO.

5. Vapes

Inventor: Hon Lik

Because cigarettes were just not enough, modern inventors thought it would be great to make a bad invention even worse. Humans are known for their self-destruction habits, but silently killing yourself with these chemical filled sticks is just another level of destroying one’s body.

6. The Car Headlight That Blinds 

Inventor: Unknown

Now we know that headlights are necessary and not at all a part of this worst inventions list, but hear us out. Headlights are supposed to make us see better on the road, right? But the nearly blinding modern day headlight bulb is just an unnecessary hazard if you ask us. 

If they blind you, what’s the purpose of them making you see better on the road? 

7. Crocs

Inventor: Scott Seamans, George Boedecker Jr., and Lyndon Hanson

Crocs! You either love them or hate them—there’s no middle ground. For those who love it, swear by it but our fashion loving readers, these plastic clogs are a style nightmare they’d never wish on their worst enemies. 

Introduced in 2002, Crocs quickly took the world by storm, with even celebrities sporting them.

They are primarily made of a non biodegradable material called Croslite meaning their potential impact on the environment could impose sustainability challenges. 

They’re popular and they’re ugly making these plastic clogs one of the most polarizing inventions of the 21st century.

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8. Microwave

Inventor: Percy Spencer

What might seem like a good invention is actually one of the worst technology inventions. Besides heating your food unevenly, microwaves emit radiation in your food and your home. 

Although recent studies have seen a debate on whether microwaving your food is actually unsafe or not, we would still say “better safe than sorry”.

9. Single-Use Coffee Pods

Inventor: John Sylvan

Anything single-use has to be one of the worst inventions of all time. In a time when we need to focus on living a waste-free life, billions of non-recyclable pods are filling landfills worldwide. Though it may seem like the single greatest invention in the morning before your first cup of coffee, in reality they are pretty wasteful. 

According to studies, these coffee pods leave an annual global footprint of over half a million tonnes. 

10. Smartphones

Inventor: IBM

Smartphones, while revolutionary, have also been called one of the worst inventions due to their unintended negative impacts. It is one of those bad inventions that changed the world in both positive and negative ways.

Besides the constant stimulation, lack of attention span that comes with it and blue light it emits, smartphones also lead to mental health issues. 

Not to mention, the privacy concerns and data breach issues that come with these devices that have changed the way we browse. 

11. Social Media

Inventor: Multiple inventors of different platforms

We cannot talk about smartphones without mentioning social media—an outcome of the former. Yes, it is a good tool to connect people globally, but it’s still considered one of the worst inventions due to its harmful societal impacts.

The need for young adults to constantly check their feeds and compare their lives with those on social media has been a cause of several mental health issues such as low self-esteem and depression. 

These platforms are often addictive and provide more harm than good. They amplify misinformation, cyberbullying and expose kids to toxic environments. 

Related Reading: Digital Detox: Meaning, Benefits, and Why You Need It

12. Plastic Bags

Inventor: Sten Gustaf Thulin

Plastic bags were invented in 1964 with the intention of being a reusable item. However, due to its cheap and disposable nature, they quickly became a single-use item. Subsequently, they have become one of the biggest contributors to pollution.

The situation is so bad that some studies even predicted that the weight of plastic will be more than that of fish in the ocean by 2050. 

In an attempt to live a sustainable life, we should avoid plastic bags as much as we can. 

13. The Pet Rock

Inventor: Gary Dahl

The least useful invention in the world is the pet rock! Literally. It’s a rock that you buy that is of no use. Gary Dahl has to be one of the greatest inventors of all time if we can manage to sell rocks as pets and make a multi-million dollar business of it.

He sold these pet rocks in small boxes, with holes of course for the pets to breathe. They even came with instructions on how to take care of these pets. 

Although short lived, this shows what the right marketing can do for a simple rock.

14. The Parachute Coat

Inventor: Franz Reichelt 

Designed in 1912, German tailor Franz Reichelt thought that a flying suit that could be used as parachutes by pilots would be a groundbreaking invention. Unfortunately, Franz plunged to his death while testing his parachute suit from the lower level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. 

Needless to say, his design failed making this one of the worst inventions in history. Luckily pilots now have parachutes that rely on modern technology that are far more reliable and backed by science.

15. Chewing Gum

Inventor: John Curtis

In 1848, a local entrepreneur named John Curtis accidentally created the first commercial chewing gum. This was an accidental invention that he stumbled upon while attempting to create a substitute for rubber products.

It instantly became popular and soon became a commercial success with new flavors and colors introduced. 

By the 20th century, chewed remains of these gums were everywhere– stuck under school desks and spat over roads. It became such a menace that Singapore also banned chewing gum. Due to its sticky nature, it’s very difficult to remove and clean spaces making it one of the worst inventions of the 19th century.

16. The Banana Slicer

Inventor: Inventor unknown

The Banana slicer is exactly what it sounds–a gadget designed to slice a banana into equal pieces in just one go. Though it may seem like a convenient tool, the real question is: do you actually need it? It is one of those pointless inventions that nobody really asked for. 

Bananas are one of the most ergonomic fruits that are easy to peel, eat and discard. But in the name of invention, us humans found a way to complicate a simple process of eating bananas. 

17. Diet Water

Inventor: A Japanese company, Sapporo

In 2004, a Japanese company Sapporo thought of creating the dumbest invention ever. They came up with the concept of “Diet Water” that had everything that normal water had with added weight loss properties. Which is funny because water already has zero calories.

They claimed that they added extra “peptides” that helped with weight reduction. Such products that claim to help lose weight are not common.

18. The Ionic Ear

Inventor: Darrin Johnson

From all the great inventions and unique products that Shark Tank has brought to us, this one didn’t stand out so much. It was so bizarre that it got laughed off the show and even the sharks admitted that it was the worst pitch brought to them.

Darring Johnson created a Bluetooth device that required to be surgically implanted in your ears. It even required a charger to be inserted every night. 

Sounds like something straight out of a Black Mirror episode. We are glad this invention did not catch on.

19. Pet Spa 

Inventor: Unknown

Who doesn’t like to pamper their furry friends with a nice spa and a grooming session? But this Pet Spa was unlike your regular grooming pet sessions.

This invention was such that it quickly became a nightwear for our beloved pets. It was a washer-dryer system for your dogs. You literally put your dogs in a capsule, like a washing machine that washes them– a handsfree way to wash them. 

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20. The Smell-o-Vision

Inventor: Hans Laube

The Smell-o-Vision was a short-lived invention that tried (and failed) to bring smells into your movie experience. The Smell-o-Vision was only used in one movie till now– Scent of Mystery. It was written specifically with the gimmick in mind and was an epic failure.

That was the first and last time that Smell-o-Vision was used.

21. The Sinclair C5

Inventor: Sir Clive Sinclair

The Sinclair C5 was a battery-powered vehicle that couldn’t handle hills. It was an invention of the 80s that was ahead of its time. The inventor, Sir Clive Sinclair was a successful inventor who revolutionized the realm of home computing with his ZX Spectrum. However, his tricycle, which had a battery life of 20 miles, didn’t catch the public’s interest. 

Maybe today when EV market is growing, The Sinclair C5 would have a chance. 

22. New Coke

Inventor: Roberto Goizueta

Back in 1985, when Coca-Cola was at the top of their games, they changed the recipe of their most famous drink–the coke. This “newer, sweeter” version of the coke didn’t get the public reaction that company hoped for.

Instead, they were bombarded with letters from loyal customers demanding to give them their beloved drink. It only took Coca-Cola three months to remove the new Coke from the market and return back to their original classic drink. 

23. Farmville

Inventor: Mark Pincus for the company Zynga

Farmville was unarguably one of the most addictive games on Facebook and also one of the worst inventions in the digital world. It involved doing a bunch of mindless activities on a digital farm. The required constant engagement and clicking, making it very stimulating and unhealthy.  

Its design encouraged addictive behavior, with players often compelled to check in multiple times a day to avoid losing progress. This led to excessive screen time, causing distractions from real-life activities and reducing productivity.

24. Shoe Umbrella

Inventor: Kenji Kawakami

Shoe Umbrellas are one of the silliest and funniest inventions that nobody asked for. It was an umbrella designed to protect your footwear from rain. These mini umbrellas attach on your shoes that keep your shoes dry and away from splashes.

Their practicality is a huge question as they didn’t even cover the entire shoe, completely defeating the purpose of their existence. However they may make fun gag gifts to give to your friend. 

This is surely one of those things you can only find in Japan. 

25. Tanning Beds

Inventor: Friedrich Wolff

Going to a tanning bed means voluntarily exposing yourself to harmful UV rays. Overexposure to these artificial rays can have severe consequences, with research showing that approximately 90% of skin cancer cases are directly linked to UV radiation.

Whatever happened to the good old days of sunbathing?

26. Atomic Bomb

Inventor: J. Robert Oppenheimer

We don’t need to explain why this is on the list. The atomic bomb is one of the most destructive inventions in human history. Its use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the deaths of thousands of people and also caused long-term radiation effects.

Beyond the immediate devastation, the bomb has been a part of an arms race between world superpowers, posing an existential threat to humanity.

27. The Hula Chair

Inventor: Unknown

One of the worst medical inventions in history are the ones that promise people quick-fixes, mostly for weight loss. The Hula Chair is just that—a chair that promises exercise by wiggling you around as you sit. It was invented to provide an ab-workout session, equivalent to using a hula hoop ring to exercise. If that still didn’t convince you, wait till you hear the price of the chair. It costs a whopping $250. 

The idea of getting an exercise done without moving or standing up sounds just what qualifies for one of the worst inventions. 

28. Vibrating Ab Belt

Inventor: Gustav Zander

If the Hula Chair was not good enough, meet its distant cousin. The vibrating ab belt helps in muscle contractions and sends mild electric charges. This is supposed to help tone your muscles without moving a muscle. 

29. Spam Emails

Inventor: Gary Thuerk

Nobody likes these irrelevant messages that end up in your junk folder everyday. They clog inboxes, waste time and may even be parts of bigger scams that can steal your data or spread viruses. Spam emails are often seen as unsolicited, irrelevant and in some cases security concerns making them an invention that nobody really asked for.

30. Phone Fingers

Inventor: An Austrian company

One invention often leads to another unwanted invention as a result of consumerism and that’s exactly what happened with phone fingers. If you are one of the neat freaks who hates smudges then this product is for you.

Phone fingers are silicone fingertips that are designed to prevent fingerprints and smudges on touchscreens. While the intention may not be all that bad, they were still unnecessary and impractical as cleaning the screen would be easier than putting these fingertips on every time. 

The product added an extra step to a process that didn’t need complicating, making it one of the many pointless inventions in the digital age. 

31. Food Cooler Fork

Inventor: Ameliya Liddle

The Food Cooler Fork was designed to cool down hot food as you ate it. A small fan is attached to the handle to do this. This rather odd gadget was invented to solve a minor inconvenience but was too impractical in reality. Let’s just say that blowing on your food or waiting for it to cool would give better results. 

32. Hydrogen Blimps

Inventor: Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin

When transportation took over the skies, many companies like Zeppelin tried to grab the opportunity to be the pioneers in creating airships. Great idea but wrong execution.

Due to hydrogen’s lightweight they decided to fill these balloons driven vehicles with the highly explosive gas and needless to say, the result was catastrophic.

The Hindenburg disaster of 1937 was one of the most disastrous accidents surrounding these hydrogen blimps that took the lives of 36 people. This thankfully brought an end to what was supposedly one of the most dangerous transportation inventions in history.

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33. Spray-On Hair

Inventor: Ron Popeil

Going bald? Fear not, just spray on some hair from a can! Yes, you read that right. Spray-On Hair was marketed as an instant fix for thinning hair in the 80s. When sprayed, a hair-like powdered substance instantly covered the bald spots, offering a temporary cosmetic solution.

However, due to its artificial appearance, the product was ridiculed and eventually disappeared. You may still be able to find contemporary versions of it somewhere deep on Amazon. 

34. Fake Ponytails

Inventor: Unknown

Not sure if you like short hair or long? We got you. These fake ponytails were designed to add length to your hair instantly. Why is it one of the worst inventions? Because it was evidently fake in appearance, looked unnatural and failed to blend well with real hair.

Albeit popular, these fake ponytails are often ridiculed and termed unnecessary. 

35. Honegar

Inventor: D. C. Jarvis 

Honegar– a blend of honey and apple cider vinegar– was a drink popularized in 1959 by Dr. DeForest C. Jarvis. He created this as a cure-all for various ailments inspired by the drinking habits of rural farmers. Honey and vinegar both have individual health benefits.

So it’s obvious right that mixing them would create a super solution? It was meant to cure everything from arthritis to weight loss. Although due to lack of substantial scientific backing, the drink is now part of history. 

36. Child Beauty Pageants

Inventor: the owner of an Atlantic City hotel

Child beauty pageants have long been criticized for their emphasis on physical appearance at a young age. These pageants often have children dressed in adult-like costumes and makeup and are made to compete with a lot of pressure on children. Imagine the toll it would take on the child’s mental health while promoting unhealthy beauty standards. 

Though still popular in some regions, child beauty pageants are widely regarded as a problematic invention. 

37. Cryptocurrency

Inventor: Satoshi Nakamoto

This might be a little controversial but cryptocurrency definitely deserves a place on this list. Designed to be a decentralized digital currency that was free from government control, quickly became a means to fuel illegal activities.

Not only that, crypto mining, one of the most complicated inventions, was under the microscope for causing environmental damage due to high energy consumption.  

Despite its potential for revolutionizing finance, the risks and exploitation that followed made cryptocurrency a problem for many making this the most complicated human invention. 

38. Selfie Sticks

Inventor: Hiroshi Ueda

Selfie sticks took social media by storm when they gained tremendous popularity in the 2010s. Everyone was taking selfies everywhere and these sticks allowed people to take these selfies from a distance. 

They have caused a lot of nuisance in public places and tourist areas. What started as a fun, innovative accessory became a ridiculed symbol of social media obsession.

Although invented for a practical purpose, they became a safety concern very quickly. They have played a role in causing numerous accidents in dangerous settings like cliffs or moving vehicles. According to reports, selfies have caused hundreds of deaths worldwide.

39. Mother’s Day

Inventor: Anna Jarvis

Mother’s Day is a widely celebrated holiday. However, its commercialization has overshadowed its original intent. Anna Jarvis created this day to honor mothers, but the holiday quickly became associated with buying gifts and cards.

Jarvis even spent much of her later life protesting its commercialization. While it remains a meaningful day for many, Mother’s Day is criticized for encouraging consumerism, turning a day of appreciation into a corporate-driven event.

40. Corn Syrup

Inventor: Gottlieb Kirchhoff 

Corn syrup, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, has become a staple in processed foods due to its low cost and long shelf life. However, its widespread use has been linked to obesity and various health issues, including diabetes and heart disease. 

Corn syrup is mostly present in all sugary snacks and beverages providing an increased calorie consumption without nutritional value. A great invention for the food industry to cut costs turned into a catalyst to promote unhealthy eating habits making it one of the worst food-related inventions.

41. Agent Orange

Inventor: Arthur Galston

Agent Orange was a potent herbicide created by the plant biologist Arthur Galston during the Vietnam War. It was intended to destroy Vietnam’s thick forests and to reveal hidden enemy forces. However it ended up causing devastating consequences.

It not only caused severe environmental damage but also took the lives of around 400,000 people. Millions of other people were exposed to toxic chemicals that caused cancer, birth defects and other health issues. 

This is undoubtedly one of the worst inventions in human history. 

42. Bumpit

Inventor: Kelley Fitzpatrick

Bumpit is a small plastic hair accessory that helps in volumizing hair. It was designed to create voluminous hairstyles to give an illusion of a fuller crown, kind of like a bump. The bumpit often slipped out of the hair making it the butt of a lot of jokes.

It was a rather short-lived trend that died down for good. 

43. Clippy the Microsoft Office Assistant

Inventor: Kevan Atteberry

Clippy, the animated paperclip assistant introduced by Microsoft in the late 1990s, was designed to help users with tasks in Microsoft Office. However, it quickly became infamous for being intrusive, annoying, and unhelpful.

Clippy would often pop up at inappropriate times, offering irrelevant advice and interrupting workflow. Instead of simplifying the user experience, Clippy frustrated users to the point that Microsoft eventually retired the feature. 

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44. Crinoline

Inventor: R.C. Milliet

Crinoline was a stiff structured petticoat that women in the Victorian era wore with their corsets. It was designed to make their skirts look more voluminous and fashionable. Crinoline was fashion at its most uncomfortable as it made daily tasks, like moving or walking through doors difficult.

It was also a safety hazard as women often tripped wearing the crinolines. 

45. Leaded Gasoline

Inventor: Thomas Midgley Jr.

Leaded gasoline, introduced in the 1920s, was initially seen as a breakthrough for reducing engine knocking in cars. However, it was later discovered to be extremely harmful to human health and the environment.

The lead released from vehicle emissions caused widespread air and soil pollution, contributing to neurological and developmental damage, particularly in children. Despite these dangers, leaded gasoline remained in use for decades due to its cheap nature.

Next time you visit a gas station, notice that the pump will mention “unleaded”. 

46. Tamagotchis

Inventor: Aki Maita and Akihiro Yokoi

Before social media took over, the tamagotchis were digital nightmares for parents. If you’re a 90s kid then you know what we are talking about. You see, these toys were digital pets that needed no feeding, no walking and no cleaning up after. 

Tamagotchis were digital pets that 90s kids took care of via buttons. But these pets did require actual care or they would die.

47. Hoverboards

Inventor: Shane Chen

Hoverboards were the new age must have gadgets that became popular amongst the cool kids. However, they quickly became a bad invention due to safety hazards and poor functionality.

Some hoverboards even caught on fire and exploded due to lithium batteries. Despite being marketed as a futuristic mode of transport, the risks outweigh the benefits, causing hoverboards to be banned in many public spaces and considered a problematic invention.

48. Theranos 

Inventor: Elizabeth Holmes

Theranos is considered a bad invention because it promised revolutionary blood-testing technology that could perform hundreds of tests with just a few drops of blood, but ultimately, it failed to deliver.

The company, led by Elizabeth Holmes, misled investors, doctors, and patients by providing inaccurate and unreliable test results, which put many lives at risk. It is known as one of the biggest frauds in history.

49. Smile Checks

Inventor: Keihin Electric Express Railway

In 2009, a Japanese company called the Keihin Electric Express Railway thought it would be a good idea to make sure that all their employees were happy in the morning. They started monitoring their smiles in the morning through softwares.

These softwares analyzed their smiles, eye movement and lip curves to rate their expressions on a scale of 0 to 100. Way to boost employee morale. 

50. Olestra

Inventor: Procter & Gamble researchers F. Mattson and R. Volpenhein 

Olestra is a fat substitute developed by Procter & Gamble that was approved by the FDA in 1996. It is considered a bad invention due to its adverse health effects. It was marketed as a way to enjoy fatty foods without the calories and Frito-Lay was among the first companies to use it in their popular chips WOW! 

However, it was unable to be absorbed by the body, leading to unpleasant digestive side effects, including cramps, diarrhea, and “anal leakage.” Despite being approved by the FDA, the negative side effects outweighed the benefits, and Olestra quickly became unpopular. However it is still legal today. 

Inventions Gone Wrong: Conclusion

And there you have it— a list of 50 of the worst inventions. We get that inventions are the heart of progress but this list proves that not all ideas hit the mark. Some inventions are so absurd that they introduce a whole new genre of useless inventions jokes.

Now some of these might be bad inventions that turned out good and some of them are downright inventions that should not exist. Whether they’re ahead of their time, victims of poor design, or simply misguided, these inventions remind us that innovation is never without risk. However, without these missteps, we wouldn’t have the world-changing inventions that do work.

All it takes is an idea (and sometimes common sense), to create something that might change the course of history. Go ahead, look around you and identify some inventions that you think have had an impact on the world.

What are some of the worst inventions you know? Tell us in the comments below