Sometimes we take things we have around for granted. Basically, we assume that this one useful thing we always have available will be like this whenever we travel around the world. And then we learn how wrong we were.
Just like these inventions named in today’s listicle. Apparently, they’re only popular among people from certain countries and not elsewhere. So, just imagine getting used to utilizing in your day-to-day life only to learn that doing that outside of your country’s borders is nearly impossible, because it simply doesn’t exist there.
More info: Reddit
#1
Sauna sausage pipe. You put the sausage in the stone cylinder, place it on the sauna stones and you get a cooked sausage as a post-sauna snack.
Maybe the reason it didn’t become an international success is that it makes the whole sauna smell of sausage grease.
Image source: PersKarvaRousku, PersKarvaRousku
#2
Automatic pasta machine. Guzzles flour and eggs, craps tagliatelle.
Image source: SomeWeirdBoor, SomeWeirdBoor
#3
The dish drying cabinet was developed in Finland in the 40s. It was build in practically every kitchen but has declined a bit in popularity since dish washing machines have become popular. Still very useful for non-machine-washable stuff.
Image source: bubophile, bubophile
Quite a lot of people dream of being the inventors of something big and meaningful, especially when they’re little. In the young days, such a dream seemed like an inviting career path.
Then, over time, you start realizing that, in reality, becoming a renowned inventor might not be as easy as it looked, and you start looking for other career opportunities. And yet, for many, his dream remains in the back of their minds, even if it is an unrealistic one.
#4
Kimchi fridges.
Honestly not exactly useful outside of Korea I guess.
Image source: CommercialChart5088, CommercialChart5088
#5
The *harrumph* “Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher”, a device for people with OCD who also like a boiled egg in the morning. You place it on the egg, pull the ball up and let it *clack* fall down. Creates a perfectly round defined breaking circle to lift the head of the egg…☝️😀…!
Image source: Don_Krypton, Don_Krypton
#6
A bicycle made out of plastic. Go figure why it failed.
In fact, some even go out of their way to try to make it a reality. Whether doing that in their free time or in their job, sometimes giving up on a dream might seem more impossible than realizing it. And it’s not like no one is successful in doing that – some people do make it as inventors.
Then, they have to go through with filing a patent, which would grant them exclusive rights for their invention, so no one else could take the credit for it, make, use, or sell the creation. Of course, the process of patent filing depends from country to country, but the general idea of it still stands.
#7
The Robertson screw/fastener. Henry Ford wanted to use the Robertson screw because it was faster and better for assembly, but the inventor wouldn’t give Ford control over manufacturing. The deal collapsed, Ford adopted Phillips instead, and the Robertson never became a global standard.
Image source: poopsack_williams, poopsack_williams
#8
I guess this tortilla press. You use it literally to make homemade tortillas. Surely they exist in the southern US or something but I would imagine nobody else has it.
Image source: Jlchevz, Jlchevz
#9
The „Superfest“ Glass. Scientists in the GDR developed it, trying to make standard glass more durable. They used the ion exchange method, replacing sodium ions on the glasses surface with potassium ions, this is the same method Gorilla Glass is fastened with. The glass was 15 times more durable than normal glass. When they tried to sell the glasses to other companies and into other (western) countries, they failed, because no one wanted to sell glasses that don’t break. After the reunion of Germany the production got stopped, but today there are still plenty of glasses (mostly in eastern Germany) in use, just because they are so durable.
Image source: Franzzbrot, Franzzbrot
Just as the possibility of patent rejection. Just because you think you invented something big, doesn’t mean that the people who are responsible for giving out patents will think the same thing.
The fault in getting the patent might fall to inadequate disclosure while filling out the application, or a lack of utility to be patentable. The creation might be viewed as not enough of an “improvement” of the existing creations or just as not a novel thing at all.
#10
Ham Holder/Stand. Don’t really know how to call it in English. It is very common here in Spain to buy and cut ham legs yourself. For that purpose, we have this ham holder to cut ham confortably. Also we have specific ham knifes that I don’t know if they are useful besides cutting hum.
Edit: hahaha I’m sorry friends.I definitely failed in my “Spanish-only device”. Looks like this device is all around the world.🤣.
Image source: el_gran_gatsby, el_gran_gatsby
#11
Behold the Brazilian eletric shower.
Image source: Known_Natural2143, Known_Natural2143
#12
The Minitel, used before internet became mainstream. Minitel made it possible to use services (like book train tickets, buy stuff, chat, check opening hours etc., all this just through the telephone lines. As far as I know it never took off outside of France…
Image source: pax_fiat, pax_fiat
Yet, this shouldn’t be taken as a discouragement – after all, we live during the times where a few innovation booms have passed. Here, solely from 1900 to 1949, many groundbreaking inventions, such as airplanes, radios, and safety razors, were made. Not to mention the boom of technology innovations in the second half of the 20th century and the first part of the 21st century.
And that’s just taking into account the most well-known innovations. Besides them, there are plenty of others that are known only in certain contexts. Just take a look at the list we’re serving you today.
#13
I believe garbage disposals are very uncommon outside the US
Image source: Scar1203, Scar1203
#14
The famous Dutch ‘trekmuur’ (pull-wall). Deep fried snacks that are kept warm like this. You pay with coins (or card for modern ones) and you pull on the lid to open and get an unhealthy snack. Found in cities, amusement parks etc. Really popular at 02:00 in the night with all the drunk folk looking for some food.
Image source: _Steven_Seagal_, _Steven_Seagal_
#15
Rumour has it, is this is quite unique in Germany: The „egg piercer“. You pinch an tiny hole into the bottom part of the shell an it reduces the risk of cracking open while cooking the eggs in a pot of boiling water. Easy physics 😉
There is also the egg-slicer and ofc the „Sollbruchstellen“-tool that earned some popularity in internet puns. But both are more gimmicky, while the piercer is very common in most households.
It’s full of people listing things that are a grand creation in the countries they’re from, but not really anywhere else. Sometimes, some innovations shouldn’t be groundbreaking on a global scale; just a nationwide scale is more than enough.
Does your country have anything that you have never seen anywhere else? What is it?
#16
Turkey deep-fry pots
Why wait hours for your turkey to roast in the oven when you can turn it into a piece of charcoal in 30 minutes?
It’s of the most disaster-prone cooking vessels ever invented. Every Thanksgiving there are reports of people setting fire to their yards, decks, and homes.
Image source: SabreLee61
#17
Cuscuzeira. It’s a specific type of kitchen utensil used to make Brazilian-style couscous (known as “cuscuz”), most prevalent in the Northeast region of the country.
Image source: luiz_marques, luiz_marques
#18
I was very surprised to not see this so often outside of post-Soviet countries
Not particularly an invention but still
edit with explanation: it’s a champagne/ vine cork putten into a metal lid handle. It doesn’t take heat so you can take a lid off without using pot holder
edit2: I was told that champagne ones work much better so here is some more knowledge for you
Image source: EugeneStein
#19
The traditional South Indian coffee maker. Makes creamy, mellow coffee that would probably send black coffee drinkers into conniptions but is very tasty and easy on the stomach.
Image source: VolatileGoddess, VolatileGoddess
#20
Half Boiled Egg maker from Malaysia.
We eat our eggs here on the runnier side, with soy sauce and black pepper. This invention makes the perfect version of Malaysian Half Boiled eggs. Theres no guessing or timing. Just follow the water.
Image source: wikowiko33, wikowiko33
#21
Electric solo BBQ grill
Image source: CAMOME_SENSEI, CAMOME_SENSEI
#22
Girolle.
While a lot have some kind of Fondue pot or Raclette device, I never saw this in a private household outside of Switzerland.
Image source: Highdosehook
#23
Swans that made from tires, I guess. Used for decoration
Update: today I learned that this thing is much more common across the world than I thought. Cool
Image source: Kris_from_overworld, Kris_from_overworld
#24
Probably this thing: the Poffertjespan. The best ones are made of cast iron. It’s sole purpose is to be able to bake one of our national sweet dishes: poffertjes.
Edit: this is NOT the same as an æbleskiver pan. Poffertjes are shallow diskshaped, not ballshaped like æbleskiver, so the pan’s shape is different.
You can’t make ballshaped dishes in a poffertjespan, and you can’t make decent æbleskiver using a poffertjespan. Trust me, I know 😅
Image source: dingesje06, dingesje06
#25
Hjell. Wooden rack used for drying fish outdoors in cold, windy coastal climates.
Image source: Peromano
#26
Technically it wasn’t legal anywhere but “The Cornballer” was successfully marketed in Mexico.
Image source: Endless_Change, Endless_Change
#27
“Spätzlepresse” Noodle maker common in southern Germany.
Image source: Miserable_Cow5221, Miserable_Cow5221
#28
The lunch dabba! There’s a whole network of workers called [dabbawalas]
#29
This is a water filter made of clay.
Very popular in Brazilian homes.
It keeps the water fresh, but with a questionable taste. They say the older the better.
Image source: fisiqueira, fisiqueira
#30
Biltong maker. Make dried meats, like Biltong and Droëwors at home. Just a box with a fan and light. I feel like dried meat is popular kinda everywhere, but not a lot of countries have this in thier homes.
Image source: Afreak-du-Sud, Afreak-du-Sud
#31
In Poland when we go to the beach we take that thing called “parawan” and make our own small private spaces. Not only that but it also stops wind which is common on beaches at the Baltic sea. I don’t think I ever saw something like this anywhere else.
Image source: Peterkragger, Peterkragger
#32
For the UK
Sinclair C5 Perfect exhaust pipe inhalation height
Image source: Otherwise_Craft9003
#33
In Australia (predominantly in South Australia), we have the ‘Stobie Pole’ – it is a utility/power line pole that is made of two steel beams with a slab of concrete in between them. It was invented out of necessity due to a lack of suitable timber. You can ask permission from the power company to paint artwork onto the pole.
Image source: FlorisLDN, FlorisLDN
#34
The electric cargo bicycle. Commonly used to pick up kids from school, or transporting larger cargo. It’s cheap to use, easier to navigate in a busy city than a car, and parking is always available and free.
Image source: Slobberinho, Slobberinho
#35
Freaking “Videoke” machines. Basically a karaoke machine with a tv built in. There’s one in every tio’s house.
Image source: sumthinsumthin123, sumthinsumthin123
#36
Bottle scraper. You use it to scrape the contents out of a bottle or jar that you normally would throw away along with the bottle. Purest example of Dutch thrift.
Image source: Freya-Freed, Freya-Freed
#37
Although there are similar items in certain zones of Portugal, the “botijo” or “búcaro” is one of the most Spaniard things you can have. It keeps water cold even in the worst of Summer.
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