15 Weird Infomercial Products Everybody Bought In The ’90s
The ’90s were truly a golden age for late-night TV shopping and those unforgettable, over-the-top “But wait, there’s more!” commercials that became part of pop culture.
I vividly remember sitting cross-legged on the carpet in front of our bulky, boxy television, completely captivated by the energetic hosts and their dramatic demonstrations. Whether it was a slicer-dicer that could chop an onion in seconds or a miracle cleaner that erased every stain imaginable, these infomercials had a magical way of drawing us in.
They promised to solve problems we didn’t even realize we had—and somehow, they made us believe we couldn’t live without them. Millions eagerly reached for their phones and credit cards, swept up in the excitement of TV’s most persuasive sales pitch.
1. The Clapper Sound-Activated Switch
Household laziness reached new heights with this revolutionary gadget. Two claps turned your lights on, two more turned them off—pure magic for my teenage self who couldn’t be bothered to get off the couch.
What the commercials didn’t mention was how The Clapper would activate during thunderstorms, loud TV shows, or enthusiastic applause. My dad nearly lost his mind when our living room turned into a disco during a football game.
Still, nothing beat the feeling of power when you commanded your electronics like some kind of sound-wielding wizard. “Clap on! Clap off! “
2. Flowbee Hair Cutting System
Connecting your vacuum cleaner to cut your hair seemed totally reasonable in the ’90s. My uncle swore by his Flowbee, proudly sporting what we called his “perfectly imperfect” home haircut every family gathering.
The infomercial promised salon-quality cuts at home. In reality, it delivered what looked like someone took hedge clippers to your head while blindfolded.
Despite this, people couldn’t resist the appeal of saving money on haircuts. The Flowbee created a generation of kids with suspiciously even bowl cuts and adults with mysteriously uniform hair length. Barbershops trembled as America embraced vacuum-powered grooming.
3. ThighMaster Leg Exerciser
Suzanne Somers squeezed her way into our living rooms with this purple contraption promising sculpted thighs without leaving your couch. My mom and her friends all had one, usually collecting dust under the bed after the first enthusiastic week.
The appeal was undeniable: exercise while watching TV! What could be more ’90s than multitasking your fitness?
Everyone conveniently ignored how ridiculous they looked squeezing this thing between their knees. I borrowed mom’s once, got my fingers pinched in the spring, and decided right then that thunder thighs weren’t so bad after all. Still, ThighMaster sold millions to hopeful couch potatoes nationwide.
4. Slap Chop Food Chopper
Before memes existed, there was Vince Offer yelling at us to stop having boring tuna and making our lives exciting with the Slap Chop. My college roommate bought one, convinced it would transform our ramen noodle diet into gourmet cuisine.
The first time we used it, bits of carrot flew across our tiny kitchen like shrapnel. The blades dulled faster than our enthusiasm for cooking.
Yet somehow, slapping that little gadget delivered satisfaction that regular chopping never could. The Slap Chop perfectly captured the ’90s obsession with solving problems we didn’t know we had, while creating new ones in the process.
5. Snuggie Wearable Blanket
Blankets were apparently too complicated for ’90s humans. Enter the Snuggie—a backward robe that let you keep your arms free while staying wrapped in fleece warmth. Revolutionary!
My entire family received matching blue Snuggies one Christmas. We looked like a cult preparing for the comet’s arrival while watching holiday movies. The static electricity generated by those things could have powered a small city.
The commercials showed people wearing Snuggies at sporting events and campfires, activities absolutely no one ever did while wearing them. In reality, they were the uniform of giving up on life for the evening, paired perfectly with ice cream and bad TV.
6. George Foreman Grill
The heavyweight champion delivered a knockout punch to conventional cooking with his tilted fat-reducing grill. This countertop miracle worker promised to make everything from burgers to paninis while the fat dripped away into that little plastic tray.
My first apartment’s kitchen consisted of a microwave, a coffee maker, and my trusty George Foreman. I once set off the smoke alarm cooking frozen chicken breasts, creating a dorm evacuation that made me briefly infamous.
Despite its tendency to cook everything to the exact same flavor profile (vaguely grilled), this gadget was genuinely useful. Unlike most infomercial products, George’s grill actually delivered on its promises—making it the undisputed champion of ’90s kitchen gadgets.
7. The Infamous Chia Pet
My grandmother’s windowsill hosted an army of these terracotta figurines sprouting green “hair” like some bizarre science experiment. The commercials made it look so easy—spread seeds, add water, watch it grow!
Reality check: maintaining that perfect grassy coat required the precision of a brain surgeon. Most Chia Pets ended up looking like they had mange after a few weeks.
The catchy “Ch-ch-ch-chia!” jingle still haunts my dreams sometimes. Despite their questionable aesthetic value, these clay creatures flew off shelves faster than holiday toys, proving Americans would buy literally anything that grew.
8. Topsy Tail Hair Tool
Looking like a glorified plastic crochet hook, this revolutionary hair gadget promised to transform ordinary ponytails into elegant inverted masterpieces. Every girl in my middle school had one, creating a sea of inside-out ponytails that all looked exactly the same.
The commercials featured models with perfect hair achieving salon-worthy styles in seconds. In reality, most of us ended up with tangled messes and pulled scalps.
For something essentially just a plastic loop, the Topsy Tail commanded a ridiculous price tag. Yet we all begged our parents for one because clearly THIS was the tool that would finally make us popular. ’90s logic at its finest—solving non-existent hair problems one ponytail at a time.
9. Miracle Thaw Defrosting Tray
Apparently waiting for meat to thaw was too much for our impatient ’90s souls. The Miracle Thaw promised to defrost frozen food in minutes without electricity, heat, or microwave radiation—just place it on the magical aluminum plate!
My mom bought one after watching the infomercial show a rock-solid steak transform to ready-to-cook perfection in what seemed like seconds. Our family gathered around to watch our first chicken breast defrost, like we were witnessing a lunar landing.
Spoiler alert: it worked about as well as setting the meat on any countertop. Yet somehow, we convinced ourselves it was faster because we’d paid $19.95 plus shipping and handling for the privilege. Ah, the power of infomercial persuasion!
10. Ginsu Knives
“But wait, there’s more!” These legendary knives could supposedly cut through tin cans and then immediately slice a tomato with surgical precision. The dramatic demonstrations had me convinced these were supernatural blades forged by kitchen ninjas.
My parents finally caved and ordered a set. Dad spent the first evening slicing everything in sight, including his thumb (which proved they were indeed sharp).
While not quite the miracle shown on TV, they were surprisingly decent knives. The true genius was the marketing—making us believe we needed knives that could cut through shoes and rubber hoses. Because apparently that’s what everyone was trying to slice in their kitchens in the ’90s.
11. Soloflex Home Gym
Shirtless men with impossible physiques convinced an entire generation that this contraption of rubber bands and metal would transform us into Greek gods. My neighbor’s dad bought one, installing it in their garage like a shrine to potential muscles.
The reality of working out at home never matched the fantasy. That Soloflex quickly became the world’s most expensive clothes hanger.
What made this different from other exercise equipment was the financing option—pay just $19.95 a month for approximately the rest of your natural life! The Soloflex represented peak ’90s optimism: believing we were just one purchase away from total body transformation, without considering the actual work involved.
12. Bedazzler Rhinestone Applicator
Nothing screams ’90s fashion like randomly attached rhinestones and studs. The Bedazzler promised to transform ordinary clothing into glamorous, sparkly masterpieces with just a few squeezes of its plastic handles.
My sister bedazzled everything she owned—jeans, backpacks, sneakers, even our poor cat’s collar. Mom drew the line when she caught her eyeing the living room curtains with rhinestone intent.
The commercials never mentioned how those little gems would pop off in the washing machine, clogging the drain and eventually showing up in random places around the house for years. Still, for a brief, shining moment, we all believed that more sparkle equaled more fashion. The ’90s were truly a simpler time.
13. Juice Tiger Juicer
Before smoothies were cool, the Juice Tiger roared into our homes promising health and vitality through liquefied produce. The infomercial showed vibrant people tossing in whole apples, carrots with the greens still attached, and even unpeeled pineapples—all magically transformed into nutritional gold.
My health-conscious aunt bought one, creating concoctions that looked like swamp water but were supposedly packed with “life force.” The machine sounded like a small aircraft taking off.
Nobody mentioned the cleanup—twenty different parts requiring immediate washing before fruit pulp cemented to them permanently. Or how expensive it was to juice enough produce for a single glass. The Juice Tiger epitomized ’90s wellness: loud, messy, and ultimately abandoned.
14. Big Mouth Billy Bass Singing Fish
Nothing says “sophisticated home decor” like a plastic mounted fish that suddenly springs to life singing “Take Me to the River.” This battery-operated monstrosity became the gag gift of the decade, appearing on walls everywhere.
My dentist had one in his waiting room. Nothing calmed pre-appointment nerves like a surprise performance from a mechanical fish while flipping through outdated magazines.
The true mystery wasn’t why people bought these—it was why they kept them displayed for years afterward. Billy Bass transcended mere novelty to become cultural shorthand for questionable taste. Yet I’ll admit, even after the hundredth time, there was something inexplicably hilarious about that fish suddenly flopping around and singing. ’90s entertainment was easily achieved.
15. Shake Weight Oscillating Dumbbell
Before becoming late-night comedy fodder, the Shake Weight convinced thousands that vigorously shaking a weighted dumbbell would somehow sculpt our arms better than regular weights. The commercial’s deadly serious tone made the suggestive shaking motion even more hilarious.
My college roommate ordered one after a particularly enthusiastic infomercial viewing. His first workout in our shared dorm room lasted approximately 30 seconds before we both collapsed in uncontrollable laughter.
Despite the obvious jokes, people genuinely believed this was revolutionary fitness technology. The Shake Weight perfectly captured late ’90s gullibility—our willingness to believe that a simple (if ridiculous-looking) shortcut could replace actual exercise. Just shake your way to fitness, no effort required!