18 Once-Popular Products That Are Now Useless
Some once-beloved products have been left behind by technology, trends, or just plain common sense.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 6 min read
The world moves fast, and some products that were once everywhere are now practically useless. Whether it’s outdated technology, we’ve all moved past these 18 once-trendy gadgets or household items that have lost their purpose. Looking back, some of them make us nostalgic while others make us wonder why we ever needed them in the first place.
1. Floppy Disks
Myotus on Wikimedia Commons
Once the go-to for saving files, these flimsy plastic squares barely held a few megabytes of data. With the emergence of cloud storage and USB drives, floppy disks are now as useful as a rock in a rainstorm. Even finding a computer that can read one is a challenge today. If you still have some, they’re basically just office décor now.
2. Phone Books
Internet Archive Book Images on Wikimedia Commons
These massive paper bricks used to be essential for looking up phone numbers, addresses, and local businesses. Now, a quick Google search does the job in seconds without taking up half your kitchen counter. The only real use left for phone books is as a booster seat or a doorstop. The trees are definitely grateful we moved on.
3. CD Cases
DiscoA340 on Wikimedia Commons
Those plastic jewel cases were once stacked on every shelf and stuffed into car doors, but with streaming services and digital downloads, CDs are now rare, let alone the cases. They cracked way too easily and were awful for the environment. Today, they mostly collect dust in basements or get turned into DIY projects.
4. VHS Tapes
Jacek Halicki on Wikimedia Commons
Be kind, rewind, but honestly, why bother? VHS tapes were once the only way to watch movies at home, but they degrade over time, take up too much space, and require a VCR, which is another relic. With streaming, Blu-ray, and digital copies, VHS tapes are just nostalgia traps now. Unless you’re hoarding Disney classics, it’s time to let go.
5. Fax Machines
Pittigrilli on Wikimedia Commons
These noisy, paper-gobbling machines were once a staple in offices worldwide. However, with email, digital signatures, and online document sharing, faxing is now a dinosaur-age hassle. Who even owns a landline anymore, let alone a fax machine? If someone asks you to fax, they might as well ask you to send a message by carrier pigeon.
6. Calculator Watches
Koji Horaguchi on Wikimedia Commons
Back then, having a tiny calculator on your wrist made you look like a futuristic genius. Now, every smartphone has a built-in calculator, making these watches completely unnecessary. Sure, they’re a fun retro fashion statement, but functionally, they’re extinct. Unless you’re stuck in a math test from 1985, you’re better off without one.
7. Rolodexes
ArnoldReinhold on Wikimedia Commons
Spinning through a stack of business cards was once the height of office organization. Now, contacts are saved instantly on our phones, complete with email, social media links, and even profile pictures. The only people still using Rolodexes are probably those in museums. At this point, even your grandma has her contacts saved digitally.
8. iPod Classic
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
The iPod revolutionized music, but even Apple gave up on it once smartphones took over. Why carry a separate device when your phone can hold thousands of songs and stream millions more? Nostalgic? Sure. Useful? Not unless you enjoy charging yet another device for no reason. Sorry, iPod, but Spotify won.
9. Pay Phones
Vee Satayamas on Wikimedia Commons
Once a lifesaver when your battery died or you forgot your wallet, pay phones are now rare artifacts. With nearly everyone carrying a smartphone, they’ve become obsolete almost overnight. If you see one, it’s either broken, covered in graffiti, or both. Honestly, they were always gross to use anyway.
10. Disposable Cameras
Stock Catalog on Wikimedia Commons
These plastic clickers were once a vacation essential, but digital cameras and smartphones wiped them out. Waiting for your photos to be developed was half the fun—or half the frustration when they turned out blurry. While some hipsters still love them for the nostalgia, they’re mostly just landfill material now. Filters and instant editing have spoiled us forever.
11. Dial-Up Modems
Frunze103 on Wikimedia Commons
The screeching, the waiting, the frustration—dial-up internet was a struggle we’d all rather forget. With broadband and Wi-Fi everywhere, no one needs to wait five minutes just to load a webpage. If you still hear that awful dial-up noise in your head, you might need therapy. The only thing dial-up is good for now is reminding us how far we’ve come.
12. Pager Beepers
Florian Fuchs on Wikimedia Commons
Once a sign that you were either a doctor or way too important, pagers are now practically extinct. With texting, WhatsApp, and instant messaging, waiting for a beep and finding a payphone is just ridiculous. If someone still uses a pager, they probably work in a hospital or time-traveled from the ‘90s. For the rest of us, it’s just another forgotten gadget.
13. Checkbooks
Yinan Chen on Wikimedia Commons
Writing checks used to be the main way to pay for things, but today, Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay do it faster. The only time most people use checks now is for rent or paying grandparents. Banks barely bother handing them out anymore. If you’re still writing checks at the grocery store, expect some serious side-eye.
14. Blockbuster Membership Cards
Blockbuster LLC on Wikimedia Commons
Friday night movie rentals were a ritual, and Blockbuster was king. Now, streaming has made movie rentals completely unnecessary, leaving Blockbuster cards as relics of a lost era. The last store standing is more of a tourist attraction than a real business. We miss the experience, but not the late fees.
15. Cigarette Lighters in Cars
Frank C. Müller on Wikimedia Commons
Once a standard feature in every vehicle, car lighters have been replaced by USB ports. Fewer people smoke, and those who do just carry their lighters. Now, the only reason to have a car lighter is to use it for an adapter. Unless you’re driving a time capsule, it’s a useless relic.
16. Encyclopedias
Daniel Ullrich on Wikimedia Commons
Stacked on bookshelves like a symbol of knowledge, encyclopedias used to be the go-to source for information. Now, Wikipedia and Google give us answers in seconds without the weightlifting. Most encyclopedias collect dust or get turned into DIY decorations. The internet ensured we’d never need to flip through 20 volumes again.
17. Alarm Clocks
Santeri Viinamäki on Wikimedia Commons
Once essential on every nightstand, alarm clocks have been replaced by smartphones. Who needs a separate device when your phone can wake you up with any song, track your sleep, and even tell you the weather? The only people still using alarm clocks are those who don’t trust their phone batteries. Otherwise, they’re just clunky bedside clutter.
18. Map Books and Atlases
D. Currie on Wikimedia Commons
Before GPS, you had to unfold giant maps or flip through atlases to find your way. Getting lost was a real possibility, and refolding a map correctly was an art form. Now, Google Maps and Waze make paper maps useless unless you’re stranded with no signal. Even then, good luck remembering how to read one.