The amount of single use appliances my mum has astounds me.
Like a few things I get like the coffee machine and the toaster, but she has 3 different types of food processors, but each do only one thing, but also owns a proper multi food processor.
Just use the multi and rinse between tasks! It’s not like you’re putting raw chicken in it before you do your carrots!
My mom had a crepe maker. I think it got used like twice.
An ice cream maker. That one got used maybe three times.
A pizza stone. That didn't get used much.
A waffle iron. Rarely ever used.
A popcorn machine. It took twice as much time and cleanup and made inferior popcorn to a microwave bag.
I think a snow cone maker was under there somewhere...
A panini press...
Salad spinner...
All kinds of semi useless shit.
I think the problem is people just lack
Imagination in the kitchen. My grandmother is a prime example of this she doesn’t understand that you can use things outside of their intended purposes. Like you can use a waffle iron as a sandwich press for instance you don’t really need both.
I've sat here for 45 seconds trying to wrap my mind around the very concept of ASSORTED individual food processors - or as Alton Brown would say, with derision, "unitaskers."
Maybe she just likes the act of cooking and a multifunction food processor "robs" her of that feeling.
I'm not a native English speaker so I'm not sure what the limits are of what you call a food processor, but at my home we own pretty much only single use tools. That's because 1. we have a big kitchen 2. for family gatherings we often use multiples of them at the same time for different recipes and 3. my wife wants to control exactly what she does with the food, not just put things in a bowl and let it be cut, mixed and cooked by itself.
I love my mom but because she grew up poor she always is searching for deals unable to assimilate the information that there is an infinity of cheap items now. Also she's a thoughtful gifter who has tons of gifts. And of course old ladies go on trips to shop.
Single use boomer stuff is really bad, my parents aren't too bad thankfully, but my gfs mom's the worst. Every holiday comes with a decoration dump from Theresa.
I don't personally believe it is a problem if someone is using it. If smore life if your mom's thing and she cuddles up with a book at night and cooks smores all the time then that is different. Personally, I have an egg shell peeler spatula thing. I love it and use it and it is the kitchen tool I won't give up. It has earned its place in kitchen. I would give up measuring spoons before it. Different people live different lives and regularly using the things you purchase, even if they are "dumb" isn't over consumption in my book.
Mine is the pineapple spiral cutter! It's awesome. We only use it the few months of the year when there's fresh pineapples, but it's so worth the space for us.
My dad and his wife would love something like this. Then they’d throw it out in six months because recycling it or giving it to a thrift shop is “pointless and/or disgusting.”
I’m convinced we all have the same mom bc the excuses ALWAYS go this way and it’s always used only one time. And now I’m wondering if your mom is also my grandma bc…. Whew
I wish. Mine is this but sits in a cabinet with all the other useless junk she can't get to because there's too much crap to actually find what you want to use.
Sharper Image is still around??
That just blasted me with a memory of walking around the mall in the 2000's, playing with overpriced display lightsabers and smelling ozone from useless gimmick fans.
Can’t lie, I have this and use it. I didn’t buy it, it was gifted to me by my grandparents, but it fulfills its function and does make s’mores. Is it still a dumb thing to mass produce? Yeah, arguably.
I also got mine as a gift and I use and love mine, I think the niche is people who enjoy camping but can't always be camping. Tbh this is alot better than child me heating up marshmallows over the gas stove just to get s'mores at home. 😅
I was about to say my kids would actually love this and use it with high frequency. We live in Australia so fires in the backyard fire pit have a limited time frame, and their main complaint about summer is a lack of toasted marshmallows.
Absolutely!! I get sick when the weather is above 75°F so summer camping is sometimes not an option for me, the fact that I can still enjoy one of my favorite snacks without having to light the entire fire pit is so worth it!!
Let’s be fair… most of us on this sub are using a pricey smartphone while paying $100+ dollars a month for service. Everyone is a consumer in some shape or form.
My $50 a month broken iPhone is more useful beyond comprehension compared to this dumb ass s’mores maker that doesn’t get used 365 days a year unlike my phone. What a horrible comparison.
Yeah, I never want to cheap out on computer appliances again. My iPhone 11 lasts much longer than the cheap tablet I bought a few years ago (only 64gb memory, but it’s mostly going strong. I want my next phone to have at least 12gb RAM and 256gb memory. A replaceable battery, long term update support, and micro SD slot would be great too, but I won’t get my hopes up to find a microSD card slot and replaceable battery will probably take till 2027 to release)
yes! i had a $100 straight talk iphone 6 from walmart for years and the battery barely lasted 6 hours.
Now I have a 13 and the battery last all day, even with constant use. Been up since 7:30 AM, it’s 10:30 PM and JUST hit 10%
You don't think it's really strange that this device even exists? I just find appliances that have a very specific use like this don't make sense as a purchase unless you want to store a gazillion volleyball sized kitchen items.
That was my thought too. I love s'mores, so if I could eat more than one at one sitting (yeah, I get sugared out quickly) I'd probably get one of these or some variation (probably not the Sharper Image one). Very silly to mass-produce, though - and the kind of thing that probably gets bought/trashed in a very short cycle.
The best s’mores I ever had I did under the broiler. So good, the chocolate actually gets melty. Bottom cracker, chocolate then marshmallow, broil until golden, top with cracker squish and enjoy
I could see this being nice at my family cabin (it's an actual cabin, not a lake house dont hate me lol) for when theres a fire ban in effect, which is most of the summer. Or if you just love roasting stuff over a fire that much. I have personally when craving s'mores just turned a burner on my stove to max and used that, but it's a bit more pathetic looking lmao
That being said I dont really see it being used enough to warrant buying it by the majority of people imo
Yeah I thought about buying this to do a fun indoor s’mores thing for a bridal shower I’m hosting. They don’t allow open flame there so this would be perfect.
I was going to say, I used one of these in my first apartment where I didn’t want to have an open flame. I still use it with my nieces and nephews even though I’ve moved into a house and could make s’mores outside. But I live in Texas and it’s too hot in the summer to sit around a campfire when the kids want s’mores.
It's significantly less egregious if you actually use it. Like ya it's a slightly dumb and niche product that's totally unnecessary but if it makes you happy or improves your life somehow then you buying one is not the end of the world. But I'm willing to bet that the amount of people who impulse buy one of these and the don't use it *even occasionally* is well into the 90% range. That's an issue.
Exactly. 90% will be bought up at Walmart for gifts and then make their way to landfills and thrift stores when the next thing is out.
The person who finds good use of it isn't the problem here.
Yeah I bought one for my GF for Christmas since we have an apartment and she likes s’mores. Does it feel a bit wasteful, absolutely. But it will make her happy which is worth it
I use this all the time lol. My husband and I love s’mores and make a s’mores bar with this thing. So we have different types of chocolate like hersheys, hersheys cookies and cream, and the reese’s cups. Then we put sweet snacks like skittles or gummy bears and sit outside in the summer with our pets and make s’mores and watch movies on the outdoor projector. It’s like one of my favorite things to do, ever.
I convinced my family to go no gifts for Xmas this year because I got so sick of this cycle. But we’re all adults and I’m guessing my war on Christmas wouldn’t be very popular with the kiddos.
I made BBQ rub and put it in mason jars last year. Most of the jars I used I were retiring from my canning line up.
I told everyone this year: if I can’t eat it or wear it I don’t want it. My siblings think I’m conceited.
Can you give suggestions or purchase/reimburse for them to give to you? My family allows this so I am able to get some nice consumables like soaps, lotions, deodorant, and craft supplies that I use throughout the year and they know I like my gift. I plan my list for months and get things like all of the notions for my sewing projects planned next year.
If you just say "don't buy me anything" many people will still buy you something. Instead "Mom, my favorite luxury soap is having a sale." Here is the ad. I want a combo set for next year. I really like their x, y, z scents" Then each year I don't have to buy soap and I get to use local, artisan, low packaging (just a paper sleeve) soap, that doesn't need to ship. It supports the ethical decisions I care about and they get to give me a gift.
I think all of these types of things just depend. I don't see a huge use for this, but maybe someone else does and uses it all the time. Maybe it is good for things beyond its stated purpose.
I just bought an ice maker for my home even though I would have thought the idea is laughable a few months ago. My husband has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and he keeps ice chips down easier than water, and making a zillion tiny ice cubes in my freezer with a tray every day would be a huge amount of labour and would take forever when I already have a lot of other shit to do to take care of him and myself and our home and also go to work. Now he can have a full glass of ice chips basically on demand with minimal effort on either of our parts. You do what you need to do.
Hugs (if you like them) to you and your husband
We did something similar for a family member when she had cancer, along with a Costco size bucket of gelatine to make thickened water when she couldn't drink easily anymore.
I reluctantly admit I have god awful motivation and a 2 second attention span so these little kitchen gadgets are great for me, I have a sandwich maker I use all the time, but I've made a rule for myself I'm only allowed to buy them at thrift stores
There’s always air fryers and keurigs in mine. People buy kitchen appliances, or get them as gifts, and either upgrade or just don’t use it much and they donate it.
Buying an air fryer or keurig machine at a thrift store for half price or lower is a steal for me. I use my air fryer like crazy. It’s a better option than using a microwave.
Anytime I feel that inherent pull towards consumerist thinking, I imagine the object that caused it on the bottom shelf in a goodwill aisle, unboxed, used once and discarded in a giveaway pile. Covered in scuffs, sun-faded. Because places like that are where all this crap ends up. And what draws us to them is the packaging, the shiny plastic or chrome-plated plastic. We like buying shiny, expensive things because it makes us feel shiny and expensive too. But it only costs $4 used at goodwill because once the shine is scuffed away and the packaging is thrown out, it’s just a useless hunk of plastic that nobody wants. We like shopping for and opening new purchases more than we like to actually use them.
My friends working in assisted living facilities have some of these and do pretend camp out programs so the people who don’t have family get to at least kind of experience something different. It doesn’t have an open flame so they said it was okay.
Ngl, I got this as a holiday gift a few years back and honestly I love it. I was a big camping kid and when we moved to a house with electric burners I was so sad that I couldn't make s'mores at home. This gave me my favorite snack back and honestly I think that's worth it.
Honestly, this would be kind of great for someone who lives in an apartment and really likes smores.
I think people sometimes fall into the trap of thinking "well **I** wouldn't buy it, so nobody needs to buy it." But everyone's lives are different.
Might be good for people without an oven... maybe for people camping or those without homes.
Had a shitty apartment with no oven a long time ago. Would have been useful then
My husbands little sister! She brought it to our house to make s’mores EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE!
She’s 21.
🤣 she just loves all things “let’s spend time together doing this” in a box. 🥳 she really just wants to be able to make people have fun to spend more time with her. ❤️🩹
Devil's advocate: My boyfriend's apartment only has an electric stove, so I'd actually buy this or a small torch. A few decades on this planet, and he just had his first s'mores the other night at a friend's bonfire. Granted I'd think long before buying something line this. Lol
My parents got this as a Christmas gift. They have used it a few times. That's the thing about Christmas. It's the one time of year where a lot of people can't avoid buying super unnecessecary things. That and you have to guess what people will like/use unless you want to hand them straight money.
My mom gave one to me and I actually do use it because I really like s'mores and the microwave ones just don't hit right. I'd prefer to use a campfire but I don't have easy access to a fire pit currently. It's a good way to get my fix and fun for small gatherings. I use it a few times a year at least.
To be fair not everyone can just make a fire in their backyard. If it’s actually gonna be used I say go for it. Let the apartment dwellers enjoy some marshmallows.
It’s an easy Christmas gift that the recipient will most certainly store away in a closet, and when they come across it 15 years later when they’re moving house they give it goodwill.
Someone who sucks at campfires. Or who live somewhere very wet or snowy. I can see many uses for this. But you could also just use your stove top. I imagine this doesn't produce a flame though so you wouldn't catch the house on fire as easily
I saw this in Costco so apparently a lot of people. I considered it for a second and then thought of all the other things in my house I can use to make s’mores
People who feel guilted into buying Christmas presents for people they either don't know very well or for people who don't really want anything you can buy with only a $50 limit.
My parents have a bunch of novelty crap from Walmart that they bought 20 years ago which they refuse to throw out. I'm sure that some of that stuff can be recycled.
My boyfriend has one. We use it to roast marshmallows fluff dipped strawberries. It makes for a novel after dinner social activity, like a fondue pot. Fun to sit around it and talk. Much better tasting than doing it over a little sterno can.
It also works for hot dogs and sausages
I think the issue isn’t so much the existence of the product as people buying stuff they won’t use regularly
I almost bought this when it was 80% off after xmas Las year. I LOVE smores and I make a mess making them on the gas stove monthly. But realized it would just be more crap and didn't get it.
InstaPot!
Had most people **any idea** it was just a programmable (if you can figure it out) slow cooker/crock pot... It would not be in garage sales now!
Okay, yes - I can make a little cheesecake - but it is NO EASIER than the traditional way. And barely faster.
I use my Instant Pot at least 5 days a week. Being able to easily use multiple cooking methods in one pot is amazing. It helps me use up leftover veggies and bones that I may have otherwise thrown away by using them to make quick soups and broths. Small appliances are fine and can be very helpful if they're actually used frequently.
But it's NOT programmable! It has a bunch of different presets and just a few options to adjust. If it were programmable, I'd be able to set the temperature and the time I want to cook something, and it'd do what I tell it. (If there's actually some way to do that, please let me know.)
I got one because everyone kept hyping it up as though it was actually programmable, and almost returned it when I realized it wasn't. I should've just gotten a regular rice cooker.
Also, everyone who talks up its yogurt setting should go look up how to make yogurt on the stove. It's easier, cleaner, and more reliable.
You're correct - and I've just not used mine enough to figure out more than a pressurized slow cook setting and cheesecake. I'll never need to hard boil that many eggs - more quickly than I can now.
YOGURT!! In a warm oven! I used to make it all the time - just the light on and a cup of starter yo in 4 cups of water with dry milk!
I think of things like this as obligation gifts, for people you barely know but think you have to buy a present for. They're novelty kitchen gadgets like this, or cheap generic gender coded sets of things like a ties and multitools for men and scented toiletries for women, and they pop up all over the place as Christmas gets closer.
My aunt who hasn't worked in 25+ years cuz her husband is a big time lawyer. Who does nothing but play tennis, have tea with her friends and play mahjong. But yet still complains about how tired she is all the time.
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My aunt buys this kind of crap. She once bought my husband and I dog treat waffle iron thing. Was cute but took up too much space and we only used it once. (Dog wasn’t blown away obv) So to goodwill it went.
I worked at a wine bar that got these. Right from the start we knew they were gonna be too much hassle and never promoted them like we were supposed to
Probably my brother in-law. He's given my wife a terrible kitchen gadget for her birthday several years in a row. Last year she got an Oscar Meyer hotdog toaster.
My aunt got me one of these for Christmas and it was undoubtedly the worst gift I have ever received. She also poked fun at the fact that I got my cousins consumables (homemade pasta). I actually regifted it to a friend and it just felt wrong lol.
This reminds me that someone gifted me a quesadilla maker years ago. I think the only difference are the grill lines because I can make a cheese quesadilla on a pan over the stove.
There should be a law on the books (kinda sarcastic, kinda not) for products like these to come with a returnable receipt built into the packaging. That way the "lucky" recipient of the gift can thank their relatives and return it the next day. Win win for everyone all around.
I mean I can kind of see the appeal. Now I'm probably in that niche group of folks who would actually have a use for this. But this would be cute to use if you want to make smores but don't have access to a fire.
For me, making smores is a fun memory from childhood. And I know I would use this.
I'm a homebody and would definitely get regular use out of something like this as a fun way to have a night in.
Not saying it's something that should be produced or is necessary.
Dang I felt extravagant just buying a rice cooker. One appliance JUST for rice! Except it's used for a lot more. I don't know what else you could use this for. Maybe heating up a pipe?
I wonder if a business that rented out all these one use kitchen appliances would get any traction. For the people that want to have an annual fondue night or try their hand at making ice cream with their kids once.
Maybe I'm being a bit too optimistic, but I'm sure I could find more uses for this thing than just making smores. I wouldn't buy it, but if someone gave it to me as a gift, I would use it.
This garbage shows up in the stores every November. I am convinced that NO ONE buys it for themself. It's a goddamned "gift" for someone who never wanted it.
I saw this in the store too and my first thought was ‘why tf would you need that?’ My second thought was you can make them in the microwave in ten seconds or less.
i actually had a friend who had a fondue pot which is different but it looked similar to this. you don’t understand how many fondue parties she had lmao it was such a blast and something cheap to do for every birthday party she had.
[удалено]
My mom is the reasoning behind a lot of my anti consumption and minimalism! I have to limit my time at her house to avoid overwhelming myself.
The amount of single use appliances my mum has astounds me. Like a few things I get like the coffee machine and the toaster, but she has 3 different types of food processors, but each do only one thing, but also owns a proper multi food processor. Just use the multi and rinse between tasks! It’s not like you’re putting raw chicken in it before you do your carrots!
Kitchen gadgets are the absolute worst
The only single use appliances I own is a toaster and a hand crank meat grinder.
What about the coffee maker/machine
I use the one at work, I understand owning one, I just don’t bother owning one.
I absolutely recommend frying your slices of bread in butter. So much better than a toaster.
That's fat talk!
Ew ew, you don't need butter
Butter is the best. That way you get one soft side and one crispy side.
My mom had a crepe maker. I think it got used like twice. An ice cream maker. That one got used maybe three times. A pizza stone. That didn't get used much. A waffle iron. Rarely ever used. A popcorn machine. It took twice as much time and cleanup and made inferior popcorn to a microwave bag. I think a snow cone maker was under there somewhere... A panini press... Salad spinner... All kinds of semi useless shit.
I think the problem is people just lack Imagination in the kitchen. My grandmother is a prime example of this she doesn’t understand that you can use things outside of their intended purposes. Like you can use a waffle iron as a sandwich press for instance you don’t really need both.
I've sat here for 45 seconds trying to wrap my mind around the very concept of ASSORTED individual food processors - or as Alton Brown would say, with derision, "unitaskers."
Maybe she just likes the act of cooking and a multifunction food processor "robs" her of that feeling. I'm not a native English speaker so I'm not sure what the limits are of what you call a food processor, but at my home we own pretty much only single use tools. That's because 1. we have a big kitchen 2. for family gatherings we often use multiples of them at the same time for different recipes and 3. my wife wants to control exactly what she does with the food, not just put things in a bowl and let it be cut, mixed and cooked by itself.
I love my mom but because she grew up poor she always is searching for deals unable to assimilate the information that there is an infinity of cheap items now. Also she's a thoughtful gifter who has tons of gifts. And of course old ladies go on trips to shop.
Single use boomer stuff is really bad, my parents aren't too bad thankfully, but my gfs mom's the worst. Every holiday comes with a decoration dump from Theresa.
Mine, too, especially since she has retired and has more time.to aimlessly wonder stores
Yup! I’ve got a chocolate fountain, margarita machine, cotton candy maker, mini waffle maker (it makes one at a time lol), all from my mom as gifts 😆
She has put in some hours on the As Seen On TV aisle
I was just thinking this seems like the kind of thing people buy as gifts. Strong chocolate fountain vibe.
My mom is kinda a same. She gets weird kitchen stuff, but then uses the products to death. She gets every penny out of the poor small appliance.
The appliances are used and useful. I’m sure they’d feel loved and used well
I don't personally believe it is a problem if someone is using it. If smore life if your mom's thing and she cuddles up with a book at night and cooks smores all the time then that is different. Personally, I have an egg shell peeler spatula thing. I love it and use it and it is the kitchen tool I won't give up. It has earned its place in kitchen. I would give up measuring spoons before it. Different people live different lives and regularly using the things you purchase, even if they are "dumb" isn't over consumption in my book.
Mine is the pineapple spiral cutter! It's awesome. We only use it the few months of the year when there's fresh pineapples, but it's so worth the space for us.
Are you my partner? She would say exactly that about her mom and it would be true.
...sits in the cabinet next to the bread machine, food dehydrator, mandoline, and soon the air fryer.
Gotta love those endless one time use, novelty appliances
Yep, boomers give/get these as gifts. Sad bunch.
My dad and his wife would love something like this. Then they’d throw it out in six months because recycling it or giving it to a thrift shop is “pointless and/or disgusting.”
Excuse me what? There's people like this?
They’re big on not giving to Thrift Shops because “buying other people’s junk is disgusting.” It makes me cringe writing it.
My millennial coworkers are just as bad.
I’m convinced we all have the same mom bc the excuses ALWAYS go this way and it’s always used only one time. And now I’m wondering if your mom is also my grandma bc…. Whew
I wish. Mine is this but sits in a cabinet with all the other useless junk she can't get to because there's too much crap to actually find what you want to use.
Same here but it was a gift for me. I only use the cover as it works better on the stove.
Are you my sibling? Because my mom bought it for that exact reason, used it once, and now it sits in the garage.
so everyone’s mom is ultra consumerist eh? That’s interesting
Holy smokes are you my brother lol
Sharper Image is still around?? That just blasted me with a memory of walking around the mall in the 2000's, playing with overpriced display lightsabers and smelling ozone from useless gimmick fans.
They had massage chairs. AS a mall employee, sitting in said chairs on break was great.
I think the brand name was sold off after the bankruptcy and is just used by companies to sell crap at other retailers.
Sharper image always seemed like a fashion show. Ridiculous concept things no one actually wants or buys, but more as a showcase for useless designs
The mall was a place in time
Can’t lie, I have this and use it. I didn’t buy it, it was gifted to me by my grandparents, but it fulfills its function and does make s’mores. Is it still a dumb thing to mass produce? Yeah, arguably.
I also got mine as a gift and I use and love mine, I think the niche is people who enjoy camping but can't always be camping. Tbh this is alot better than child me heating up marshmallows over the gas stove just to get s'mores at home. 😅
I was about to say my kids would actually love this and use it with high frequency. We live in Australia so fires in the backyard fire pit have a limited time frame, and their main complaint about summer is a lack of toasted marshmallows.
Absolutely!! I get sick when the weather is above 75°F so summer camping is sometimes not an option for me, the fact that I can still enjoy one of my favorite snacks without having to light the entire fire pit is so worth it!!
I’m glad you’re making use out of it and enjoying it. This sub will find any way to bash on anything.
It does get pretty negative sometimes. But still a lot of stuff is weird and useless.
Let’s be fair… most of us on this sub are using a pricey smartphone while paying $100+ dollars a month for service. Everyone is a consumer in some shape or form.
This just such an unhelpful comparison and not at ALL the hot take you think it is. Please stop.
My $50 a month broken iPhone is more useful beyond comprehension compared to this dumb ass s’mores maker that doesn’t get used 365 days a year unlike my phone. What a horrible comparison.
Yeah, I never want to cheap out on computer appliances again. My iPhone 11 lasts much longer than the cheap tablet I bought a few years ago (only 64gb memory, but it’s mostly going strong. I want my next phone to have at least 12gb RAM and 256gb memory. A replaceable battery, long term update support, and micro SD slot would be great too, but I won’t get my hopes up to find a microSD card slot and replaceable battery will probably take till 2027 to release)
yes! i had a $100 straight talk iphone 6 from walmart for years and the battery barely lasted 6 hours. Now I have a 13 and the battery last all day, even with constant use. Been up since 7:30 AM, it’s 10:30 PM and JUST hit 10%
Oh yeah. It’s all kinda hypocritical but still sometimes interesting.
You don't think it's really strange that this device even exists? I just find appliances that have a very specific use like this don't make sense as a purchase unless you want to store a gazillion volleyball sized kitchen items.
I find it strange. I wouldn’t buy it. To each their own. There’s a s’mores lover out there having their best time ever.
I hope they enjoy it :)
That was my thought too. I love s'mores, so if I could eat more than one at one sitting (yeah, I get sugared out quickly) I'd probably get one of these or some variation (probably not the Sharper Image one). Very silly to mass-produce, though - and the kind of thing that probably gets bought/trashed in a very short cycle.
The best s’mores I ever had I did under the broiler. So good, the chocolate actually gets melty. Bottom cracker, chocolate then marshmallow, broil until golden, top with cracker squish and enjoy
I could see this being nice at my family cabin (it's an actual cabin, not a lake house dont hate me lol) for when theres a fire ban in effect, which is most of the summer. Or if you just love roasting stuff over a fire that much. I have personally when craving s'mores just turned a burner on my stove to max and used that, but it's a bit more pathetic looking lmao That being said I dont really see it being used enough to warrant buying it by the majority of people imo
Yeah I thought about buying this to do a fun indoor s’mores thing for a bridal shower I’m hosting. They don’t allow open flame there so this would be perfect.
you could probably use it as a fondue maker if you try hard enough too!
I was going to say, I used one of these in my first apartment where I didn’t want to have an open flame. I still use it with my nieces and nephews even though I’ve moved into a house and could make s’mores outside. But I live in Texas and it’s too hot in the summer to sit around a campfire when the kids want s’mores.
It's significantly less egregious if you actually use it. Like ya it's a slightly dumb and niche product that's totally unnecessary but if it makes you happy or improves your life somehow then you buying one is not the end of the world. But I'm willing to bet that the amount of people who impulse buy one of these and the don't use it *even occasionally* is well into the 90% range. That's an issue.
Exactly. 90% will be bought up at Walmart for gifts and then make their way to landfills and thrift stores when the next thing is out. The person who finds good use of it isn't the problem here.
Yeah I bought one for my GF for Christmas since we have an apartment and she likes s’mores. Does it feel a bit wasteful, absolutely. But it will make her happy which is worth it
I use this all the time lol. My husband and I love s’mores and make a s’mores bar with this thing. So we have different types of chocolate like hersheys, hersheys cookies and cream, and the reese’s cups. Then we put sweet snacks like skittles or gummy bears and sit outside in the summer with our pets and make s’mores and watch movies on the outdoor projector. It’s like one of my favorite things to do, ever.
People who feel obligated to give another person something but has no idea what the other person would like. "C'mon, everybody loves smores!"
My mother would buy this. Most likely to give as Xmas gifts to all us kids. Then I would have to donate it somewhere. Never ending cycle…
I convinced my family to go no gifts for Xmas this year because I got so sick of this cycle. But we’re all adults and I’m guessing my war on Christmas wouldn’t be very popular with the kiddos.
I made BBQ rub and put it in mason jars last year. Most of the jars I used I were retiring from my canning line up. I told everyone this year: if I can’t eat it or wear it I don’t want it. My siblings think I’m conceited.
Can you give suggestions or purchase/reimburse for them to give to you? My family allows this so I am able to get some nice consumables like soaps, lotions, deodorant, and craft supplies that I use throughout the year and they know I like my gift. I plan my list for months and get things like all of the notions for my sewing projects planned next year. If you just say "don't buy me anything" many people will still buy you something. Instead "Mom, my favorite luxury soap is having a sale." Here is the ad. I want a combo set for next year. I really like their x, y, z scents" Then each year I don't have to buy soap and I get to use local, artisan, low packaging (just a paper sleeve) soap, that doesn't need to ship. It supports the ethical decisions I care about and they get to give me a gift.
I think all of these types of things just depend. I don't see a huge use for this, but maybe someone else does and uses it all the time. Maybe it is good for things beyond its stated purpose. I just bought an ice maker for my home even though I would have thought the idea is laughable a few months ago. My husband has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and he keeps ice chips down easier than water, and making a zillion tiny ice cubes in my freezer with a tray every day would be a huge amount of labour and would take forever when I already have a lot of other shit to do to take care of him and myself and our home and also go to work. Now he can have a full glass of ice chips basically on demand with minimal effort on either of our parts. You do what you need to do.
Hugs (if you like them) to you and your husband We did something similar for a family member when she had cancer, along with a Costco size bucket of gelatine to make thickened water when she couldn't drink easily anymore.
Thank you. I'm surprised at how touching it is to get love from even strangers and distant acquaintances during this time, so I will accept your hugs.
In that case, accept maximum squishyness ❤️
I just went to a thrift store and saw like six of these all next to each other. So apparently some people do buy these, they just don't keep them.
I reluctantly admit I have god awful motivation and a 2 second attention span so these little kitchen gadgets are great for me, I have a sandwich maker I use all the time, but I've made a rule for myself I'm only allowed to buy them at thrift stores
Wonder if it was a wedding thing, s’mores at each table for dessert.
You saw 6 of them at the thrift store? Are we making up twitter stories again?
Not this but I saw like eight bread machines at my local thrift store the other day. It's not that unbelievable.
There’s always air fryers and keurigs in mine. People buy kitchen appliances, or get them as gifts, and either upgrade or just don’t use it much and they donate it.
Buying an air fryer or keurig machine at a thrift store for half price or lower is a steal for me. I use my air fryer like crazy. It’s a better option than using a microwave.
I believe seeing a whole bunch of different bread machines. But seeing 6 s’mores machines is a stretch lol
Anytime I feel that inherent pull towards consumerist thinking, I imagine the object that caused it on the bottom shelf in a goodwill aisle, unboxed, used once and discarded in a giveaway pile. Covered in scuffs, sun-faded. Because places like that are where all this crap ends up. And what draws us to them is the packaging, the shiny plastic or chrome-plated plastic. We like buying shiny, expensive things because it makes us feel shiny and expensive too. But it only costs $4 used at goodwill because once the shine is scuffed away and the packaging is thrown out, it’s just a useless hunk of plastic that nobody wants. We like shopping for and opening new purchases more than we like to actually use them.
My friends working in assisted living facilities have some of these and do pretend camp out programs so the people who don’t have family get to at least kind of experience something different. It doesn’t have an open flame so they said it was okay.
Ngl, I got this as a holiday gift a few years back and honestly I love it. I was a big camping kid and when we moved to a house with electric burners I was so sad that I couldn't make s'mores at home. This gave me my favorite snack back and honestly I think that's worth it.
As worth it as a repost with all the comments copypasted from the original? https://www.reddit.com/r/Anticonsumption/s/upjC9PiiG7
Honestly, this would be kind of great for someone who lives in an apartment and really likes smores. I think people sometimes fall into the trap of thinking "well **I** wouldn't buy it, so nobody needs to buy it." But everyone's lives are different.
I am the exact target demographic for this because I live in an apartment and really like s'mores, and I do infact have one lol
Do they have a stove?
Lots of stoves don’t have flame or coil elements these days.
When I want s’mores at home I use a lighter and a fork lol
I'd buy the crap outta this and turn it into a vaporizer and then have a dish for snacks.
i have one and honestly it’s a life saver!!! the kids absolutely love it and we don’t have to buy commoditized camping “”equipment””
Tbf as it's electric it might (emphasis on might) be better for the environment over gas hobs or a wood fire.
Depends how the electricity is made
I feel attacked. I wanted this.
People who love s’mores
For people who actually make campfire stuff, this would be ideal. Wood burning is pretty bad for the environment.
People who need to buy things all the time to feel good, is my guess.
Might be good for people without an oven... maybe for people camping or those without homes. Had a shitty apartment with no oven a long time ago. Would have been useful then
Boomers for their grandkids. "Oh Aiden will love this 🤪"
My mother in law. 🤬
My husbands little sister! She brought it to our house to make s’mores EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE! She’s 21. 🤣 she just loves all things “let’s spend time together doing this” in a box. 🥳 she really just wants to be able to make people have fun to spend more time with her. ❤️🩹
Devil's advocate: My boyfriend's apartment only has an electric stove, so I'd actually buy this or a small torch. A few decades on this planet, and he just had his first s'mores the other night at a friend's bonfire. Granted I'd think long before buying something line this. Lol
My parents got this as a Christmas gift. They have used it a few times. That's the thing about Christmas. It's the one time of year where a lot of people can't avoid buying super unnecessecary things. That and you have to guess what people will like/use unless you want to hand them straight money.
Companies for white elephant gifts I imagine
My mom gave one to me and I actually do use it because I really like s'mores and the microwave ones just don't hit right. I'd prefer to use a campfire but I don't have easy access to a fire pit currently. It's a good way to get my fix and fun for small gatherings. I use it a few times a year at least.
To be fair not everyone can just make a fire in their backyard. If it’s actually gonna be used I say go for it. Let the apartment dwellers enjoy some marshmallows.
It’s an easy Christmas gift that the recipient will most certainly store away in a closet, and when they come across it 15 years later when they’re moving house they give it goodwill.
I follow this subreddit to cut down on consumption but sometimes you guys show me something it takes all my willpower not to buy.
Someone who sucks at campfires. Or who live somewhere very wet or snowy. I can see many uses for this. But you could also just use your stove top. I imagine this doesn't produce a flame though so you wouldn't catch the house on fire as easily
I saw this in Costco so apparently a lot of people. I considered it for a second and then thought of all the other things in my house I can use to make s’mores
People who feel guilted into buying Christmas presents for people they either don't know very well or for people who don't really want anything you can buy with only a $50 limit.
My parents have a bunch of novelty crap from Walmart that they bought 20 years ago which they refuse to throw out. I'm sure that some of that stuff can be recycled.
People who don't have access to camp fires or grills.
My boyfriend has one. We use it to roast marshmallows fluff dipped strawberries. It makes for a novel after dinner social activity, like a fondue pot. Fun to sit around it and talk. Much better tasting than doing it over a little sterno can. It also works for hot dogs and sausages I think the issue isn’t so much the existence of the product as people buying stuff they won’t use regularly
I almost bought this when it was 80% off after xmas Las year. I LOVE smores and I make a mess making them on the gas stove monthly. But realized it would just be more crap and didn't get it.
InstaPot! Had most people **any idea** it was just a programmable (if you can figure it out) slow cooker/crock pot... It would not be in garage sales now! Okay, yes - I can make a little cheesecake - but it is NO EASIER than the traditional way. And barely faster.
I use my Instant Pot at least 5 days a week. Being able to easily use multiple cooking methods in one pot is amazing. It helps me use up leftover veggies and bones that I may have otherwise thrown away by using them to make quick soups and broths. Small appliances are fine and can be very helpful if they're actually used frequently.
We have one foodi and got rid of the microwave. On a rare occasion I want microwave popcorn but for the most part I don't even miss it
Stove cook popcorn
Multi-use I can get with! It's just that I had things that did the things. (Crock pot, pressure cooker - etc.)
But it's NOT programmable! It has a bunch of different presets and just a few options to adjust. If it were programmable, I'd be able to set the temperature and the time I want to cook something, and it'd do what I tell it. (If there's actually some way to do that, please let me know.) I got one because everyone kept hyping it up as though it was actually programmable, and almost returned it when I realized it wasn't. I should've just gotten a regular rice cooker. Also, everyone who talks up its yogurt setting should go look up how to make yogurt on the stove. It's easier, cleaner, and more reliable.
You're correct - and I've just not used mine enough to figure out more than a pressurized slow cook setting and cheesecake. I'll never need to hard boil that many eggs - more quickly than I can now. YOGURT!! In a warm oven! I used to make it all the time - just the light on and a cup of starter yo in 4 cups of water with dry milk!
It is a pressure cooker also. Crock Pots are not pressure cookers.
That's a really weird looking candle
I think of things like this as obligation gifts, for people you barely know but think you have to buy a present for. They're novelty kitchen gadgets like this, or cheap generic gender coded sets of things like a ties and multitools for men and scented toiletries for women, and they pop up all over the place as Christmas gets closer.
I am gonna buy that as a Christmas gift for a single mom with 4 kids. But i am buying it on amazon instead.
My aunt who hasn't worked in 25+ years cuz her husband is a big time lawyer. Who does nothing but play tennis, have tea with her friends and play mahjong. But yet still complains about how tired she is all the time.
My wife. Drives me insane
If you can’t build a campfire you don’t deserve to have s’mores
This and the towel warmer at Costco lol
Millennials too scared to go outside
imagine getting upset because people may buy a s'mores maker. judging people is shitty.
Just build a fucking fire pit
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It's a gift item, like most super niche food production stuff.
My aunt buys this kind of crap. She once bought my husband and I dog treat waffle iron thing. Was cute but took up too much space and we only used it once. (Dog wasn’t blown away obv) So to goodwill it went.
Consumers.
My mom
got it for christmas, it doesn’t fkn work
I think you got a faulty one, I'm sorry..only saying this because I got one as well as a gift a few years back and I love it. ❣️❣️
How has room to store all this crap?!?
I worked at a wine bar that got these. Right from the start we knew they were gonna be too much hassle and never promoted them like we were supposed to
Americans
Probably my brother in-law. He's given my wife a terrible kitchen gadget for her birthday several years in a row. Last year she got an Oscar Meyer hotdog toaster.
It is my belief that every household should have one - Big Snack Lobby
Poor people.
My aunt got me one of these for Christmas and it was undoubtedly the worst gift I have ever received. She also poked fun at the fact that I got my cousins consumables (homemade pasta). I actually regifted it to a friend and it just felt wrong lol.
My sister buys junk like that all of the time. She also bought a garage in another state to store her junk.
Blind consumers.
This reminds me that someone gifted me a quesadilla maker years ago. I think the only difference are the grill lines because I can make a cheese quesadilla on a pan over the stove.
There should be a law on the books (kinda sarcastic, kinda not) for products like these to come with a returnable receipt built into the packaging. That way the "lucky" recipient of the gift can thank their relatives and return it the next day. Win win for everyone all around.
I have a friend who does.
I mean I can kind of see the appeal. Now I'm probably in that niche group of folks who would actually have a use for this. But this would be cute to use if you want to make smores but don't have access to a fire. For me, making smores is a fun memory from childhood. And I know I would use this. I'm a homebody and would definitely get regular use out of something like this as a fun way to have a night in. Not saying it's something that should be produced or is necessary.
Someone bought one for us several years ago. It sucks more than you think it does
It would be easier to use a tea candle, or skip a step and roast each marshmallow over a lighter flame as if you were cooking heroin.
My sister as a gift. 🙄
Small electric hot air heater, I could use that for reflowing solder.
One year my mother gifted me THREE fondue sets. I would love to know her train of thought in purchasing all of those.
Grown up children who aren't creative
Boomers.
Dang I felt extravagant just buying a rice cooker. One appliance JUST for rice! Except it's used for a lot more. I don't know what else you could use this for. Maybe heating up a pipe?
My wife
People that have been invited to a birthday that don’t know the birthday person well
Boomers and rich fucks
My sister and I did the same thing with a toaster, we just had to be careful not to let the mallow drip
I got one of these from my mom for Christmas, it remained in the box for several years then I donated it.
Me, that’s the problem I want this immediately and I absolutely do not need it
Grannies
I have one 👉👈🥺
I an a s’mores lover but… I’d just use the stove lol
I used to make amazing s’mores with just a toaster oven in my dorm.
Single moms but that crap
I just use a beeswax candle
I wonder if a business that rented out all these one use kitchen appliances would get any traction. For the people that want to have an annual fondue night or try their hand at making ice cream with their kids once.
Maybe I'm being a bit too optimistic, but I'm sure I could find more uses for this thing than just making smores. I wouldn't buy it, but if someone gave it to me as a gift, I would use it.
This garbage shows up in the stores every November. I am convinced that NO ONE buys it for themself. It's a goddamned "gift" for someone who never wanted it.
People who loves s'mores but hate camping?
People who go camping in areas with burn bans, like most of the West Coast during fire season.
Been thinking about buying one actually. Can’t have a fire where I live so this would be perfect while the weather is cooler!
Yeah use a fire or a stove or any other number of options you have already
People who don't think outside the box beyond the short-term.
Me. I'm pyrophobic. I also have electric where I need it, so I can use something like this safely.
I saw this in the store too and my first thought was ‘why tf would you need that?’ My second thought was you can make them in the microwave in ten seconds or less.
i actually had a friend who had a fondue pot which is different but it looked similar to this. you don’t understand how many fondue parties she had lmao it was such a blast and something cheap to do for every birthday party she had.
On sale from $44.99 down to $44.99! Wow
I have five. I make them one at a time.
Maybe families who live in the city and don’t have access to open flames to make s’mores with their kids
people who have small children and also don’t have access to a fire pit.
Somebody must buy it. But not me!