The 1980s was a new era for snake oil salesmen.
The debut of the infomercial upped the ante for selling useless, defective products to the elderly and dumb people of America who owned a TV and a phone. The eighties were a golden age of products like the Thighmaster, the Clapper, the horrifying Rejuvenating Mask, and many other products that promised to improve life but drain your bank account.
Dive into some cheap scams that made a bunch of liars rich.
1
Tony Robbins Personal Power Tapes
1988 marked the beginning of the self-improvment gurus empire.
2
Ronco Buttoneer
The 80s did away with sewing forever.
3
Time-Life Music Collections
Before Spotify, Time-Life mail order was the best way to get the hits
4
Showtime Rotisserie
For chickens who yearn for stardom
5
Flowbee Haircutter
The vacuum that put barbers out of business
6
Veg-O-Matic
A classic that actually works. Somewhat unfortunate name.
7
Pocket Fisherman
The midwest Dad Christmas gift mainstay
8
Inside the Shell Egg Scrambler
The first of many egg-based informercial products
9
Ginsu Knives
Made in the Far East of Ohio
10
Thighmaster
The pre-cursor to the Shake Weight and other humiliatingly named products.
11
The Clapper
An ahead-of-its-time product for the ultra-lazy.
12
Chia Head
The product that would be killed by the far-superior "Pet".
13
ButtMaster
Another from the lower-body obsessed Suzanne Somers
14
Brush-O-Matic
A brush that magically untangled hair, and did not work.
15
Rejuvenique Face Mask
A terrifying electric mask that zapped your face muscles into tightness.
