21 Common Inventions Defy Improvement

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New inventions eliminate some of the world’s problems. These problems can be big or small, and that goes for the invention as well: it does not need to be complicated to get the job done. Some of these inventions are so good there is no more room for innovation beyond that. It’s human nature to be constantly trying to improve things, to make them better, faster, or cheaper, and many times, new concepts can be improved upon. There are a select few products that still remain the same as when they were first invented decades ago.

1. Mirrors

The use of reflective surfaces has evolved over time, starting with still water and then polished metal. During the Industrial Revolution, the ribbon machine produced glass panes, and in 1835, the modern silver-glass mirror we all know was invented. Though mirrors now come in many shapes and sizes, the classic design remains.

2. The Spoon

A spoon is something everyone uses in the day-to-day world. Even if you prefer a fork, you still need a spoon for cereals or soup. The spoon can not be improved upon; all you can do is change the material it is made out of.

3. Sewing Needle

The sewing needle is a tricky thing to innovate or improve. Like the spoon, the only innovation to be made is what it is made out of. While the sewing needle is excellent, once technology advanced, sewing machines became much more popular.

4. The Schrader Valve

This incredible invention made it easy to pump up anything with a tire. Patented in 1893, the Schrader valve was created by a mechanic who thought of a way to fill tires more easily. He made it and was so confident in its design that he threw his last name on it as well.

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5. P-Trap

A P-Trap is the slight p-shaped curve under your toilets and sinks that keeps smelly sewer gases from coming back up the drain and stinking up the house. This was originally an “s” tube but was later changed to a “p” tube since it was way more effective at keeping the gases out.

6. Rubber Bands

The rubber band was invented in 1843 and was used to hold newspapers and other paper items, but its versatility extends far behind that. Even though there have not been many innovations in rubber bands, they also made rubber bracelets popular.

7. Instruments

Instruments such as the violin or piano did not have much innovation done because they were almost perfect just the way they were. While there had been some playing around to how to make an instrument sound the best, they usually stayed the same with little innovation. 

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8. Cast Iron Skillet

A cast iron pan is one of the most formidable, if not the most formidable, pieces of equipment you will have in your kitchen. A good cast iron skillet should be heavy and have a different cleaning routine. The pan was first introduced in 1707 and is still in very high use to this day due to its exceptionally durable structure.

9. Nail Clippers

This should be essential in everyone’s lives. Nail clippers are very important, not just for keeping your nails nice and short but also for hygiene purposes. Having long and dirty nails can lead to sickness, so everyone should use a pair of these. Nail clippers are a great item that hasn’t required much innovation over the years.

10. The Zipper

The zipper was first introduced in 1913 as a fastener for boots. It was not until 1917 that the zipper was brought to clothes, where it would see most of its popularity. The zipper has very few substitutes, causing it to be famous and impressive to this day.

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11. Paper Clip

The paper clip was first invented in 1867 when a man was granted patent approval for this little metal thing. Not only is the paper clip still around, but this paved the way for other paper holders, such as stapling.

12. Bobby Pins

Invented in the early 1920s, bobby pins have been holding hair in place for 100 years. The design has been unchanged and these handy little tools are just as useful today as they were all those years ago.

13. The Screw

One of the last simple machines to be invented, the screw has been around for thousands of years. The metal screw became more common and mass-produced starting in the 18th century. Though new materials and drives have come along, the design of this fantastic tool remains unchanged.

14. Pinsetter Machine

Bowling is a popular pastime that, at first, required the tedious job of resetting the pins after each turn. The mechanical pinsetter was invented in 1941 and has never been redesigned. Others have tried to improve upon it but didn’t have success because the original pinsetter design is near-perfect for its purpose.

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15. The Soda Can

A lighter option than glass bottles, beer in cans became commercially available starting in 1935 after the repeal of prohibition. Soda in cans soon followed, and though there have been tweaks to the size and top design, the physics behind it have been perfected.

16. Windshield Wipers

In 1896 the first patent for the windshield wiper was recorded. The design was perfect from the start (though the application has changed as cars and technology have progressed), and new changes made are strictly aesthetic and don’t work any better than the original.

17. Springs

Modern coiled springs appeared early in the 15th century in door locks and clocks. Springs of various types and sizes are used in most devices today, and the design is largely unchanged.

18. The Pencil

After a large deposit of graphite was found and the usefulness of graphite pencils was discovered, the modern pencil was well on its way. In the 1560s, the design of the wood-encased pencils we all know and love had been completed, and they are still made in the same way.

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19. Combs

Incredibly, combs have had the same basic design for the last 5,000 years or so. They serve many purposes, have been made of many materials (including whalebone), and come in a variety of sizes, but the simple design remains unchanged.

20. Fly Swatter

The patent for the first commercial flyswatter was issued in 1900, and this tool quickly became a household necessity. Many other traps, zappers, and vacuums have since been invented, but none have replaced the original. Its simple and effective design has stood the test of time.

21. Pipe Wrench

Daniel C. Stillson invented the adjustable pipe wrench in 1869. His invention grips pipes much better than the monkey wrench that was used before. The Stillson wrench is such an effective and well-designed tool that it still works just as well as it did back then.

Source: Reddit.

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