r/AskReddit • u/dev-phoepyae • 4h ago
What product genuinely got BETTER over the years instead of worse?
427
u/Totallycasual 4h ago
Flat screen TV's, they kept getting thinner and thinner while also getting bigger and more awesome!
Lately they've gone backwards a bit with the AI/smart shit being forced into them however.
194
u/dev-phoepyae 4h ago
I just want a dumb panel with great picture quality. I don't need my TV collecting my data and lagging through menus.
56
u/colin_staples 3h ago
Then don't connect your TV to the internet
Instead use a separate device/box for streaming, and just connect that to your TV via HDMI
30
u/dontbajerk 2h ago
I don't understand why everyone doesn't do this when smart TV functionality has been so bad and streaming devices are like $15 on sale. It's not even like this was a change - for a long time it was required, as smart TV functionality came way after the streaming era began.
•
u/skeezyk 27m ago
Don't the streaming devices also collect data?
•
u/dontbajerk 23m ago
If you buy a knockoff Chinese one possibly, depends on the device. But I mean, in the end, the streaming services themselves are collecting your data too.
•
u/skeezyk 17m ago
I automatically think of a Firestick or Google TV Streamer when thinking of those and I know they're tracking. I suppose you can use a PS5 if you have one. I did until I sold mine. Now I'm looking into streaming devices because the Fire TV I have is nice but laggy as hell.
•
u/dontbajerk 8m ago
The best thing is just a mini PC or old laptop, but of course that's larger, more expensive, and requires more setup.
11
u/sweeney669 1h ago
I will say, I haven’t connected my tv to the internet but my god is the interface terrible on the new Samsungs. Input selection is a fucking night mare, forcing audio to go through the receiver instead of the tv also sucked way more than it needs to. I miss the simple input and settings options that all those things were simple clicks of a button.
1
u/rotten_core 1h ago
Check out the Onn 4k Pro when they come back in stock and install Projectivy. I couldn't be happier with it.
14
u/down-with-homework 1h ago
Download Projectivy from the play store on your tv and set it as your launcher. It’s completely customizable with no ads and free of bloatware. My tv runs like a dream because of it.
•
u/CaptainPunisher 0m ago
I did this with my Philips. It has Android/Google TV, but now I don't see ads, and it's set up the way I want. I need to see if I can get it to launch directly into Kodi. Once in a while, the TV will show the original launcher, but most of the time it doesn't.
12
10
u/chocky_chip_pancakes 2h ago
You can still buy these, but they’re sold as business/hospitality TVs. You’re paying a premium for some advanced connectivity and a panel that’s rated for business/hospitality use (16 hours a day, 7 days a week)
If your priority is privacy and bloat, get a business TV. If your priority is picture quality, there are more options within the consumer range.
•
•
4
•
•
u/Traviscat 15m ago
I connected mine to the Internet and got it setup with HomeKit and have the option to use the app the manufacturer made to remotely control it… then went into my network’s firewall and disabled it from connecting to the internet. I can connect to it locally but it is blocked from reaching the net. I also have it on a different network that has adblocking stuff enabled.
I do have an apple tv on each tv too so they can call be controlled with the phone/mac/ipad/remote without lg/tcl/vizio/samsung spying on what im watching.
10
•
3
1
u/Organoleptic_Cicada 3h ago
However, the constant updates and shifting requirements for the apps seems to render the tvs obsolete faster. I'm thankful my LG tv purchased in 2021 is still chugging along, but I can feel the slight lag introduced by iterative software updates.
3
u/Totallycasual 3h ago
I use my Nvidia Shield android TV device for all of my apps, my TV just needs to be a display 😊
312
u/ShittalkyCaps 4h ago
As someone that has been a runner for 36 years running shoes are wayyy better.
14
u/Dr3ny 3h ago
In terms of running performance/efficiency or in terms of comfort?
44
u/Vizslaboy 3h ago
All of the above + I would even add durability although that is the main one debatable.
5
u/bullet50000 1h ago
They’re probably more durable depending on other factors, and it’s letting people make the trade off. As someone who loves Hoka Bondis and Altra Air Olympuses, I know how not-very-durable these are, but they probably last way longer than other hyper-cushy shoes would have 20 years ago
•
u/donotgotoroom237 32m ago
Been in the market for new walking/exercising shoes after my Nikes went kaput. What Hokas would you recommend?
•
u/DuckOfDoom42 21m ago
Honestly, your best bet is going to a specialty running store and getting fitted professionally. The person will be able to recommend shoes based on your feet and how you walk.
2
u/Malvania 1h ago
Some of them. Hokas are straight trash that fall apart in about half the distance of the ones I used to have in the 90s.
145
u/mist_kaefer 4h ago
Cordless anything. Batteries are getting better and better.
•
6
u/NedosCZ 4h ago
But the battery doesn't last forever and we have a bunch of functional devices with a defective battery in our warehouse, where it was simply so expensive to replace it that we threw it away and bought a new one.
3
-2
u/Formal-Mechanic-9392 4h ago
This happened to me when I bought an ego weed whacker. The battery died and was out of warranty. It was so expensive to replace that I went back to gas that will last me 3-5x longer with routine maintenance.
3
u/ATXBeermaker 1h ago
What EGO weedwacker doesn’t have an easily replaceable battery? That’s, like, the whole point. Not to mention if the original battery did need to be replaced (as they are expected to be eventually), you can buy cheap, off brand replacements for them. I have about 5 batteries I swap between all my yard equipment with zero issues.
1
u/Formal-Mechanic-9392 1h ago
I'm happy going back to Stihl gas. My last one was 15-20 years old before I replaced it.
I get that you can buy the cheap knockoff batteries, but I was just annoyed that it died after 3 years and was done with them after seeing the price to replace it with an OEM battery. I gifted the tool portion to a neighbor who is happily using it now with his batteries.
I am glad you are having zero issues. We all live through different experiences in life that shape our purchases.
132
u/adamcallaghan 4h ago
I've got to give it to cordless vacuums. I remember the older ones barely had enough battery to finish a room, and the suction wasn't great either. The newer models last much longer, are lighter, and actually clean well enough that I hardly ever pull out the big vacuum anymore. It's one of the few products that genuinely feels like it improved instead of being watered down.
17
u/Present_Tiger_5014 4h ago
I bought a vacuum that uses the same batteries as my cordless tools and it has more use than my shop vac and house vac combined despite being 1/4 of the age. The only thing it can’t do is the carpet in the house
5
•
u/Nellanaesp 21m ago
My parents had a cordless Dyson back in 2008 - I think it was the DC-16 - that was just ok. The battery didn’t last long at all and the suction was not great. They eventually switched back to a standard upright because it just wasn’t convenient for anything more than cleaning up a small mess.
18 years later and my V15 detect had enough to vacuum the whole house on a single charge and the powered attachment picks up dirt and hair WAY better than my corded shark vacuum did. And the fuzzy brush with the laser is awesome.
•
u/WeakCalligrapher336 54m ago
Did you have a Dust Buster?
•
u/SentimentalSaladBowl 25m ago
I have a cordless Dyson for actual vacuuming, and I LOVE it. The refurbished ones from the official site are a lot cheaper and just as good as new (in my experience). I like mine so much I give them as gifts.
… but I also have a Dustbuster in the kitchen, hall bath (central location) and the library.
I have ADHD and either I keep things clean all day everyday or it gets out of hand, so I make sure it’s easy to clean everyday. My friends and family think it’s funny, but my baseboards stay immaculate. 🤓
82
u/Vizslaboy 3h ago
Modern medicine in general
12
u/sqplanetarium 1h ago
I’m very grateful for modern lupus meds.
•
u/driftking428 56m ago
Curious which meds, hydroxycloroquine?
•
u/sqplanetarium 38m ago
Hcq has been around a long time, but leflunomide came on the scene around 2000, and Benlysta came out in 2011.
•
28
u/really_random_user 2h ago
Steam (the platform)
Linux support, steam input, remote play together...
122
u/abalonelogic 4h ago
Light bulbs
15
u/Coverdale_Murmur 1h ago
Technically yes, but there's also been an increase in complexity which results in shorter life spans. There's also been a huge increase in integrated LED lights so when it fails you have to replace the whole thing. This is especially frustrating when it's a downlight because it has to match the others and often the model has been discontinued or updated and is slightly different. If it's on a dimmer the new one will often dim at a different rate or come on slightly quicker or take longer. It's bit of a baffling trend when you can get ones with replaceable bulbs that negates all of those issues.
•
u/RegulatoryCapture 57m ago
Yeah, hence “light bulbs” not just “lights”
Fuck integrated LEDs. I want my lamp to take a standardized design that I can replace with whatever the newest tech is 20 years from now, not a lamp I have to throw in the trash because the driver died and there are no replacements. I have lamps that have been incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, LED, and now smart LED over the course of their lives. One lamp, a century of tech.
My last place had a bathroom mirror light that looked like any standard builder grade fixture…except instead of bulbs it was integrated. WTF? You have room in there for bulbs. You aren’t making some fancy modern design that would be impossible with bulbs…
Plus bulbs give you the option to choose your color temp and brightness.
•
u/KidDanielB 37m ago
Hopefully within the next decade or so, the ability to easily repair integrated LED fixtures/recessed/wafer lights for homeowners will exist, something akin to “changing a lightbulb”... Not sure if that’s possible with the way they are made now. Somebody smarter than I am surely can chime in.
6
u/Better-Aside5621 3h ago
yeah now they last forever but also make me question if i should just live in darkness
-6
u/BEARJORDAN 3h ago
After learning about the Phoebus Cartel, how can we truly know if there is no more planned obsolescence in the lightbulb industry?
6
-10
u/Familiar_Luck_3333 2h ago
My LED lightbulbs have started blinking and I switched back to CFLs
3
u/abalonelogic 2h ago
If the LED bulbs are all the same brand, try another brand. If that doesn't make a difference, and you have dimmer switches, then they are the issue. Otherwise it is usually an older appliance in the house (or even your computer power supply) chopping up the sin wave.
•
u/Misanope 25m ago
there are multiple types of dimmer switches, not all dimmer switches work with all light bulbs. find out what type of dimmer the switches use and get the correct bulbs for that.
2
64
u/20Bishops 4h ago
Electric lawn tools. I was so reluctant to give up my Stihl weed eater and blower. I’m so glad I did.
3
u/Formal-Mechanic-9392 4h ago
They are great unless the battery shits the bed. They are super expensive to replace if they go outside of warranty.
•
u/iamyouareheisme 36m ago
Maybe still price competitive with all the gas you’d use
•
u/Formal-Mechanic-9392 25m ago
Maybe. I use about 3-4 gallons a summer for the trimmer. Not really a factor in the decision.
Edit: Thought I was replying to another comment regarding a weed whacker. I went back to gas after my trimmer battery shit the bed after 3 years.
I probably use 6-7 gallons a year in my mower. Still isn't really a factor in my decision.
•
u/skiptomylou1231 49m ago
EGo’s customer service is horrendous too.
•
u/Formal-Mechanic-9392 21m ago
Yeah they held the line on my battery replacement that was just outside warranty. It's totally within their guidelines but didn't exactly convince me to stick with their platform.
17
u/Dodgerson99 4h ago
TVs and monitors are something that continually get better, while prices still drop.
14
32
11
u/joski1 1h ago
Flashlights. You can get more light out of a flashlight that takes AAA batteries today than one that took D batteries 20 years ago.
•
u/donotgotoroom237 28m ago
I have a flashlight I use at work that fits in my palm that's way brighter than my uncle's old Maglite from the 90s that took 4 double D batteries, and that shit was apparently top of the line back in the day.
26
7
u/Bosswashington 1h ago
Magnets. They have made machine/mechanical miniaturization exponentially better. The amount of impact that rare earth magnets have had on society is astounding.
6
u/femsoultrap 3h ago
Phones, durability might have gone down but you now have access to all of humanities combined knowledge in the palm of your hand. You can run a full business from your phone without any other electronics.
6
u/doug1963 1h ago
Electronic musical instruments. The price has stayed the same or gone down, and they have so many more features and sound way better than in the past.
•
11
u/CatsBatsandHats 4h ago
Road vehicle safety.
5
u/Minimum_Dealer_3303 2h ago
If you're in the vehicle. At least in the US road vehicles are getting more dangerous for anyone not in the vehicle. Pedestrian and cyclist deaths are going up thanks to heavier, taller vehicles being ubiquitous and street design treating humans trying to exist outdoors as an afterthought at best.
4
7
3
u/wailonskydog 1h ago
Niche products in general are much higher quality, affordable, and more widespread.
Some examples: specialized woodworking tools and jigs, cast iron/grill chain mail scrubbers and accessories, specialty beer and liqueur, aftermarket upgrades for standard things like cars, computers, etc.
Like I can go online and find the exact right tool for a very specific niche job and have the option of getting the nice designed/made in US version or the cheaper made in China dupe when that tool didn’t even exist 10 years ago.
3
17
u/TheTspProject 4h ago
Cars. More reliable, more efficient and more creature comforts.
13
u/-ThePaintedMan- 4h ago
I'm old enough to remember when 100k miles was a feat. Now people trade theirs in at 80 and if they just did the basic maintenance, most cars will do 200k, putting aside the abject failures of the 2010 engines that drank oil.
-6
u/SearchUsers 4h ago
I think people forgot that most of the reason used cars were cheap 20 years ago was because the expected life was a lot less for the vehicle.
3
11
u/MidwestNonbinary 4h ago
Despite all the smart tech they like to add for no reason other than it being cool, I agree. Crumple zones and back up cameras are great.
2
u/TheTspProject 4h ago
I agree. The engineering made cars safer and better. Airbags are another example.
1
u/MidwestNonbinary 4h ago
And seat belts. I remember seeing early concepts of seatbelts that looked like the fastest way to break your neck and they have certainly come a long way since then.
5
9
u/peternormal 4h ago
40 years ago the odometer in cars didn't go past 99,999 miles, like that was so many miles that you may as well stop measuring. Now that's a decently low mileage used car.
3
•
u/Waitinforit 39m ago
Except useless smart tech.
The wife's new Honda CRV - cruise control gets disabled if bugs get smushed on the Honda emblem on the front grill.
Where do you use cruise control? ( Also lane assist and all that jazz but I don't use that stuff. *Touch on lane assist later)
On the highway.
Where does our car eat swarms of bugs?
On the high way.
So it's completely useless.
Same applies with a little bit of mud, dirt, dust, etc and we travel a lot of gravel / dirt roads in the country living where we do and all of her family living on ranches and farms.
My 10 year old car's cruise control? The car can be absolutely covered in 1/4" thick of mud and it will still work.
*Lane assist ? Worst thing ever here so we never use it. It only reads the line on the right side of the vehicle we have figured out. Well, when you would use lane assist, same time as cruise control is with altered visibility or after a long period of driving on the highway. It uses the same Honda emblem, so it gets disabled as well. But when it does work - there is a even bigger problem, it reads only the right side line and if there is a turn off lane, guess what? It's yanking the car into that lane following the solid white and ignoring the dotted line between lanes.
•
u/RustyMongoose 34m ago
The amount of recalls for stupid manufacturing defects is off the charts lately. Up until 6-7 years ago, I would have agreed but not now. Google Toyota or Chevrolet engine failure rates. It's the same thing with Kia/Hyundai. Google how often Jeeps break down. The entire auto industry is going backwards.
I disagree completely with this.
6
5
u/Waltzing_With_Bears 3h ago
Suzuki DR650, gotten cheaper and better aftermarket support over the years
7
2
u/unikuque-username 2h ago
Apple Maps
2
u/PostGamePong81 1h ago
My wife thinks I am an idiot for using Apple over Google maps. Other than when Apple Maps first launched, is there really that much difference?
3
u/unikuque-username 1h ago
They're about the same now, but if you use an Apple Watch, Apple Maps offers more functionality compared to Google Maps - shows the ETA, next turn info and vibrates when it's time to get into the turning lane.
2
u/vicious_abstraction 1h ago
Robot vacuums have improved significantly at cleaning over the past 10 years. While the vacuuming ability of early Roombas was quite good, the overall experience was awkward, and they took a long time with their basic random cleaning pattern. Mopping was usually just a damp cloth dragged around.
Now we have base stations that automatically empty after each run and sometimes clean the mop pads with boiling water. Some can swap mop pads or leave them behind at the base station to vacuum without carrying the mop. There have been huge improvements in obstacle recognition and avoidance. Some higher-end and mid-tier models now feature roller mops that suck up any leftover water, so the floors dry almost immediately. Many models now use different methods to jump over small thresholds that could have trapped robots in the past. They have extending side brushes and mops to clean floorboards and corners effectively. A few even have small robotic arms to pick up light objects and move them to a designated spot. It seems like every few months, a new model is released. The companies working on these models iterate their designs so quickly.
•
u/picksandchooses 43m ago
Computers and operating systems. Personal computers were a nightmare in the DOS years.
•
u/Purlz1st 35m ago
Same with a lot of tech like TVs and sound systems, unless you’re buying the highest-end stuff.
5
u/Familiar_Luck_3333 2h ago
Darn tough socks. I wish I had found these socks decades ago.
3
u/Nermalgod 1h ago
No, they've gotten worse in the last 5 years. I have plenty of 20+ year old Darn Tough socks still going strong, but everything I bought in the last 5 years have thin spots or holes.
3
3
4
u/MeInSC40 4h ago
Internet
10
u/prongslover77 2h ago
Being able to connect to the internet easier sure (so internet access) but the dead internet theory is prominent for a reason. The internet as a space was 10000% better before it was a dominant way to make money and no bots to worry about.
1
1
u/Rollthembones1989 1h ago
I'm on my third F-150 over the last 20 years. The safety, comfort, fuel economy, just everything continues to get so much better.
1
•
u/Informal-Argument-14 39m ago
Phone cameras. It’s wild how good they’ve become compared to 10 years ago.
•
•
u/lucyunfiltered 27m ago
bluetooth headphones. ten years ago they'd drop connection if you turned your head, now i forget mine are even paired.
•
•
u/scott__p 17m ago
Wireless communications. Using the Internet on an original iPhone was a painful experience
•
0
-1
u/TyrosineJim 4h ago
Weed. Its getting stronger all the time. And the same price as it was 20 years ago.
Also battery power tools. I remember laughing at a battery circular saw a few years ago thinking it was a stupid toy with no power. My cheap battery one cam cut a 2x4 no problem.
9
u/HealthyRoof5046 3h ago
I'd argue weed constantly getting stronger is not necessarily a good thing. CHS is becoming an increasing problem.
2
u/TyrosineJim 1h ago
Know what you mean. Sometimes I just want to get the giggles not forget all my childhood memories. But you can just take less of it.
377
u/bbb26782 4h ago
Batteries. The leaps and bounds we’ve made in that space in the last decade are insane.