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9 classic 'As Seen On TV' products you could not resist buying
How did we live without these products?
Image: ecrater.com
Have you ever been watching TV and all of the sudden a commercial comes on for a product you absolutely need? You didn't know you needed it before, but now that you've seen the commercial, there's no question — you must have it!
Those scenarios were all too real in the '70s and '80s, when some really neat "As Seen On TV" products were being sold. Who still has their Ginsu knife from 30 years ago? Or a collection of K-Tel albums sitting in their basement?
We either love them today or suffer serious buyer's remorse. Whatever the case, these nine products were the ones that stuck with us through the years. Which one was your favorite?
1. The Clapper
Clap on... clap off! For years, people had the jingle for the early '80s product stuck in their head. Using the product was as simple as that. All you had to do was plug the gizmo into the wall and clap twice to turn almost any electronic device on and off.
Image: Terapeak
2. K-Tel albums
In the 1960s, the Canadian company K-Tel had the brilliant idea of releasing compilation albums that included music from some of the biggest artists of the day. In a world without iTunes and Spotify, it was one of the only ways to get your favorite songs without paying for a full album. It was a cool concept, but the songs never really sounded the same as the original, did they? Popular releases in the '70s included the disco themed Night Moves and the rock inspired 20 Power Hits.
Image: Flickr
3. Chia Pets
Ch-ch-ch-chia! One of the most unnecessary as-seen-on-TV products was also one of the most fun. Chia Pets exploded onto the scene in the early '80s faster than it took the chia seeds to grow on terracotta dogs, alligators and bears. Today, Chia Pets remain popular, and you can now grow chia seeds in the shape of characters like Scooby-Doo, Shrek and Garfield.
Image: about.com
4. Egg Scrambler
Have you ever been fatigued from whisking eggs for too long? Well, Ronco created a solution for the problem all the way back in the late '70s. The Egg Scrambler easily scrambled egg yolks and whites — while still in the shell. We have to admit, it's a pretty cool way to scramble eggs, albeit a little unnecessary.
Image: viralviralvideos.com
5. Ginsu Knife
Don't be fooled by the Japanese-sounding name. The razor-sharp knives were actually created by a company based in Fremont, Ohio. Even if they weren't foreign, these knives were actually pretty handy, cutting through any tough surface while staying sharp. The quality paid off, because up to three million were sold between 1978 and 1984.
Image: YouTube
6. Buttoneer
It's a problem as old as clothing. Well, at least that's what Ronco made it seem like in its commercial for the Buttoneer. Buttons always fall off your outfits, leaving mothers and grandmothers in charge to sew them on the old fashioned way. The Buttoneer sought to change all that by letting people punch fasteners into their clothing, thereby reattaching those pesky buttons.
Image: ebay
7. Flowbee
What happens when you slap a vacuum cleaner and razors together? You get the Flowbee. The device sucked up hair and cut it to a set length — from a half inch to six inches long. Buyer beware: People's hair undoubtedly didn't look as good as the people in this commercial.
Image: YouTube
8. Mr. Microphone
Any aspiring singer who wished to be on the radio probably flipped out when Mr. Microphone came on the market in the early '80s. Once you set the dial on the FM radio, you could broadcast your beautiful singing voice for all your friends to hear.
Image: YouTube
9. Armourcote
Did the image of a woman dumping an egg on her diamond ring shock you into buying this product? The whole point was to show that even though diamonds are the world's strongest non-stick surface, you can't cook on it. Enter Armourcote — the world's second toughest non-stick surface! Luckily for us, we could cook all our favorite meals on it.
Image: YouTube
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