Everyone's got that one pen that they bought at 6 p.m. from Dollar Tree because they had to do homework and didn't have a pen. But it's now a year later and you still have that pen and it's the best pen you've ever used. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have similar stories of buying something that is cheap and mass-produced, and realizing that it's actually pretty handy.
1. BIC Products
Someone described BIC products as being “robust” despite being “cheap, mass-produced plastic items.” Another person admitted that they had never made the connection between BIC lighters, pens, and razor blades. They didn't realize it was all the same company, but said they were impressed that BIC could produce a “variety of incredibly cheap but still reasonably quality items.”
2. Zip Ties
As someone stated, zip ties are “such a simple piece of plastic but so versatile.” They're durable, long-lasting, and easy to hide. Someone else admitted that they use zip ties on their car when they need a quick bumper fix.
3. Soda/Beer Cans
As someone pointed out, soda and beer cans use a “relatively small amount of cheap metal to withstand the pressure of carbonated beverages with a reliable opening mechanism.” Another person added that every few years, minute details are changed for the purpose of reducing the use of aluminum.
4. Toilets
“They use nothing more than gravity to flush,” marveled one person. “Doesn't use power at all.” Then came the comparisons between the good quality toilets and the ones that leave skid marks every time you flush. The general consensus seemed to be that the commercial toilets at people's jobs were lower quality, while the ones people had in their homes never left so much as a crumb.
5. Cardboard Boxes
Someone described cardboard boxes as “humble” and “corrugated.” “It's lightweight, strong, splash-resistant, somewhat padded, doesn't break down in heat/cold, scratch resistant, recyclable, biodegradable, and able to be assembled cheaply into any size.”
6. Metal Pencil Sharpeners
“Don't buy the plastic ones in the school supply section. Go to the art section. Those metal sharpeners are CHOICE,” one person claimed. Others chimed in that their pencils were sharpened to “near perfection” by this seemingly insignificant device.
7. Zipper
As one person described, a zipper is a “very cheap mechanism that secures objects in a very neat fashion.” However, not all zippers are created equal. The cheapest zippers are glaringly obvious and are prone to becoming jammed.
8. Screws
Someone asked what would happen if all of the screws in the world disappeared, to which someone else replied, “we would be screwed.” Screws are simple yet vital tools. It would be incredibly difficult to build anything today without screws, and you can get them pretty cheap at any hardware store.
9. Tarps
“Tarps. A million tasks for them; they're incredibly versatile. Make a shelter, make a floor, make a carriage vessel, make a weather-proof housing for firewood or anything outdoors you want protected. Use it at a picnic; it's better than a blanket on the ground. Because of the threading they're still mostly effective even when a tear develops. And because of that same threading they can distribute weight and hold up against snow and rain buildup. Then you can just take it down, spray it with a hose if needed; it's good as new. Fold it up to a compact form, and toss it in a corner until you need it next. You are never far from a store or gas station that sells them for cheap. Always keep one in your trun.,” This person put it perfectly.
Tarps are multi-purpose and great for camping and survival as well as everyday use.
10. Post-It Notes
“We had some chemical engineers from the Post-It division of R&D at 3M come in to my high school chemistry class, the amount of work in creating a layer of adhesive that is effective and stays on the note so it can be reused without leaving residue behind is insane. There's actually four different compounds that are layered into the back of a Post-It with the final adhesive being microscopic droplets spaced a precise distance apart so that there's no excess,” one person shared.
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Post-Its fit the theme of this article perfectly. Pretty much everyone can afford them, and they're incredibly durable and well-engineered.
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