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47 terrible product designs that make absolutely no sense

Bored Panda · Feb 04, 2026 15:50 · 5 min read

47 Terrible Product Designs That Make Absolutely No Sense

Aesthetics is only one part of designing a product or a structure. Functionality and safety are equally important, and as a matter of fact, are prerequisites. The following photos illustrate examples of poor and dangerous designs. If you’re about to enter a profession that specializes in maintaining structural integrity, these should remind you of what not to do.

Designing a product or structure is more than just aesthetics. Functionality and safety are also prerequisites. Lack at least one of them and you have something that’s bound to fail, if not cause harm or injury, sooner or later.

These photos show what poor and dangerous designs look like. Just browsing through may make you think to yourself, “What was the person who came up with this thinking?”

If you’re a product designer or anyone tasked to ensure structural integrity, let these images be your stark reminder of what NOT to do.

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#1 This Entrance Sign Looks Like A “Do Not Enter” Sign

#2 Long Invisible Steps

#3 Hair Dye Which Looks Like Cereal Box

Since we’re on the topic of design fails, here are some other famous ones, beginning with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. It received high praise for its dual-curved screen and 4GB of RAM, among other features.

However, its major design flaw was its battery system, which caused multiple overheating incidents, including fires and explosions.

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#4 Terrible Design For A Hand Gel I Got As A Freebie From A Rep

#5 Unbalanced Pan. Only Stands Correctly When There Is Weight In It - Pretty Annoying And Even Dangerous With Hot Oil

#6 Been To This Guy’s Place Twice And Have On Multiple Occasions Fallen Victim To The Shin-Blaster 2000

Hoverboards became a trend among young people in the mid-2010s. By 2015, these self-balancing scooters were ubiquitous and had become a must-have, driven in part by celebrity influence.

In 2023, approximately 25,000 Hover-1 Helix hoverboards were recalled. The reason: the lithium-ion battery was prone to overheating, and like the Galaxy Note 7, it posed a fire hazard.

#7 This Gardening Nutrient Mix That Looks Like Ketchup. It Even Says "Great Flavour"

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#8 The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off

#9 This Black Lodge Floor Tiling That Supermarkets In My City Have Now

A certain supermarket chain went through rebranding and is now changing all floor tiling to this. Yes, this is on purpose. Yes, it being uneven is ALSO on purpose. All of this is outlined in a brand book. Basically, it's specifically designed to be uncomfortable to look at to draw shoppers' gaze to the shelves to increase sales. Guess what? They're about to lose sales because this gives me migraines.

When the Nap Nanny came out at the beginning of 2009, it was well on its way to becoming a breakthrough in putting babies to sleep. It included an inclined seat purported to help infants sleep better, particularly during car rides.

However, things took a tragic turn in 2010, when an infant lost its life due to positional asphyxia. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission immediately ordered a recall of 30,000 units after concluding that the recliners put children at risk for entrapment, suffocation, and fall hazards.

By 2014, the fatality count had risen to six, yet many parents continued to use it.

#10 Why Put Meltable Plastics On A Thing That Gets Hot?

#11 A Bicycle Path In Belgium

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#12 Slanted Table Front - Stuff Slides Off

Car enthusiasts will remember the Chevrolet Cobalt, the compact vehicle produced from 2005 to 2010. However, a major design defect in its ignition system put its drivers at significant risk.

The vehicle’s ignition reportedly turned off while driving because of the weight of a heavy key chain or when accidentally bumped by the driver’s knee. It causes a sudden stop, and the driver loses complete control of the vehicle.

General Motors issued a recall on 700,000 Chevy Cobalts, as the company discontinued its production soon after.

#13 Dangerous Design For A Surface Cleaner

#14 These Are Very Sharp, Very Adult Knives

#15 So Is It Off Or Set To 60 Watts?

Firestone is a known brand name for supposedly high-quality tires. That reputation was shattered in November 2000 when the company recalled 6.6 million tires.

It was found that the treads separated at high speeds and high temperatures, causing SUVs to roll over. Ford Explorers were most affected at the time, accounting for at least 174 fatalities and over 700 injuries.

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#16 This “Engineering Building” At My University Which Was So Poorly Designed It Was Deemed Unsafe For Use And Is Now Derelict

#17 Been Stuck Sitting In This Horrid Chair All Afternoon

#18 This Is Elmer's Gue... Don't Eat It?

#19 Accessibility Ramp At The Resort I’m Staying At In Mexico. There Are A Bunch Of Other Awful Ramps Around The Premises, But This Is Definitely The Worst One

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#20 The Hidden Danger Of A Pineapple Lamp

#21 The Entrance Of Possible End

#22 This Door Handle’s Edges Are Sharp, So It Hurts Your Hand To Open

#23 Roof Of University Building Intentionally Leaks Water And It Spatters Everywhere

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#24 These Traffic Light Designs Are Kind Of Dangerous

Taken in Subang outside of (what used to be) Damen USJ. You can see the green lights that aren’t meant for you. Maybe they should install some sort of shade to prevent the light from showing off to the sides.