I know some companies offer 90-day returns etc, but what item would you think everyone would benefit from if it was an industry standard to have a test drive like new cars?
My nitpick would be microwaves. I have tried picking out what I thought was decent microwaves in the past but it’s hard to know exactly how it functions without using it. For instance, my microwave has an express button (30 seconds) or a minute plus button. You can only use one of them, if you’ve hit the minute button the express button doesn’t let you add 30 seconds while it’s active and vice versa. Also the beeping, even if you hit the stop button and open the door when it gets to 0 seconds, it still goes through it’s “I’m done” beeping which is loud and repetitive making you stop it at 1 second and still having to click cancel which makes noise. So what’s your choice?
Fyi some microwaves have a way to set it to silent mode. I think in some models it might even be an undocumented button combination to do it. Web search your exact model to see if there’s a way to do it
Blu tak over the speaker hole mutes them nicely too.
Mine is super annoying so the silent mode is clutch. You just have to remember that you were heating something if you’re also distracted with other stuff. Whenever the power goes out and I have to reset it, I swear I turn the sound off before I do the clock because every button press is super loud. Even my MIL commented on it once when she was visiting, before we figured out how to turn the sound off.
I had to buy a new microwave because the one I got didn’t have a silent mode. The beeping makes me irrationally angry,
TVs
Most comments have covered the biggest ones, but I’m going with a toaster. I have bought some really fancy toasters that can’t consistently toast a slice or bread or bagel and burn the edges and I’ve have some non-name junk tier that do great. It really seems like this should be a solved problem at this point, but nope.
My GF did extensive research before buying our new toaster because almost every single one seems to suck. She finally got an expensive one from SMEG. Nice name. How hard is it to make a toaster that doesn’t suck? They’re SO simple.
The youtuber Technology Connections did an episode about toasters and how much better they were in the past. Retro toasters are apparently the way to go.
Coffee machines. Every one I’ve gotten for years now ends up leaking water. Tried a load of brands.
Pet owners.
Spatulas with overly-long handles. Nothing like constanty banging it all over a small kitchen.
Those little lights made to look like light switches, with their weak-ass magnets.
Clamp lamps that have scant threads on the reflector. They like to pop off and can actually instakill an incandescent.
As far as a house itself: installed carpets. It’s everything you hate about carpets, but permanent. They’re especially loathesome in bathrooms.
