40+ Cute, Clever, And Creative Inventions To Make Life Easier…That You Can’t Find In The USA
By Farah J
Most of us believe that America is the heaven on earth that has it all. But it’s nowhere near true. Sure, it may seem like it as Americans like to boast about themselves in front of the whole world, unlike any other country. Non-Americans like to keep their amazingness to themselves for some reason. So, chances are, you won’t know how much Americans are missing out on until you travel around the globe. Non-Americans are geniuses who try to keep their country up-to-date by introducing super cool stuff for the general public’s ease. Well, Americans should take notes here. These amazingly genius products may include as simple ones as multiple flavored Fanta or as extravagant as bullet trains with cheap tickets! It’s all about accommodating ease and comfort for the citizens, so why are Americans’ shelves still empty of this goodness?
Cupcake ATM
Most of us, especially those with a sweet tooth, would find this cupcake ATM as the most sacred thing we never knew we needed until now. We’ve all been through those times when we wanted a cupcake to urge down the sudden cravings without going all the way to the bakery.
This is the modern vending machine that is available around the corners. So, when you are on the stroll, and you feel like eating a cupcake with frosting and sprinkles, this would be the angel you need. Although, the freshness is something you’re going to have to compromise.
Zombie traffic lights
In this modern age, you’d see a huge number of pedestrians walking down the sidewalk with their heads hanging low, staring at the little screens in their hands. Apparently, it became an issue in Israel that they had to come up with “zombie” traffic lights.
People are too busy to look up from their screens to see if it is safe to cross the road. So, they put LED strips on the sidewalk and connected them with the traffic lights. The red or green strips would be hard to miss when you are constantly looking down!
Bicycler’s Achilles heel
European countries, as far as we’ve observed, are always looking for ways to make stuff easier and cruelty-free for the public. Maybe that’s why European countries have higher happiness indices. Like, when they have escalators for the people on foot, they also have escalators for the cyclists!
Only a guy who cycles several hundred feet up the hill would know the struggle of climbing a steep slope on a bicycle. And that’s what got the next generation of cyclists pure ease! They made foot escalators that saved them from the treacherous climb.
Urinal guards
We all have been dying to see this useful invention of urinal guards in the bathroom, haven’t we? Splash-free urinals are something that should be a common thing all around the globe. It might be a gross task to clean the urinal guard, though.
Urinals are common; now, all we need is to make urinal guards in front of them to protect us from urine splashes. Urinating in public washrooms wouldn’t remain as gross as it originally was. We hope they find a way for the urinal guard to clean itself, too.
Calorie counting receipt
We’ve all been there at some point, when we take a lot of time calculating the calories of the products we wish to buy. We wasted precious time doing math in the grocery aisle. Well, someone understood our struggle and came up with this idea.
This calorie counting receipt allows you to see how many calories your items will give you, and you can drop them if they cross your limits. It’s the least to say; every country should take notes, including America, where calorie intake is way above the threshold.
Live crab vending machine
China is always looking for ways to outsmart other countries. Even if you didn’t know, you’d probably be able to tell that this must be China trying to outrun other smart inventions. Seeing as they love crabs and seafood, this idea wasn’t very shocking to us.
This Nanjing station has a vending machine that sells live crabs. The inner environment keeps the crabs semi-hibernating yet frozen in containers. Usually, people had to travel outside the city to get their favorite meal. Bet this invention made their entire life!
Recycling machine
Nothing is impossible when it comes to technology. Japan has introduced a recycling machine in public places where you can trade in your plastic bottles for train tickets, rather than throwing them in the trash with everything else that goes to the landfill.
This way, you are helping the environment with just one simple deed. Not only that, but you save a lot of money! Imagine how much nicer it would be to get to work by recycling. We wish every country had a system like this in place.
Rainbow Fanta
Foreign Fanta enterprises came up with different flavors to complete the basic rainbow spectrum. And, needless to say, the US doesn’t have any of these except for the original Fanta orange. These flavors are more popular in Europe than anywhere else.
The reason for this not being seen in America might be that Fanta decided to lower the sugar level in their products up to 33%, and it doesn’t taste like regular orange Fanta. At least, Americans won’t appreciate this drastic change.
Pringle scooper
Unless you are willing to get your hands and forearms full of chip dust, this Pringles scooper invention will make you cry out of joy. We didn’t know how much we needed this until now. How come this isn’t a thing in American Pringles?
This scooper easily fits along the curve insides of the Pringles cylinder. It sits at the bottom of it under all the chips while the handle straightens along the wall. So whenever your chips go lower than your hands can reach, simply pull up the chips scooper!
Currywurst
It is German, and it is good! This German dish full of deliciousness has touched everyone’s hearts. If you’ve ever had a taste, you’ll know what we’re talking about. This simple yet filling dish of fries and steamed and fried pork chunks is a German classic.
It’s a casual dish served with spicy ketchup. You may not only find this delicious goodness in restaurants; this is more commonly found as street food. Especially Berlin. If you ever go to Berlin, don’t miss out on this regional delicacy!
Anti-aging face wear
Asians, especially Japanese, are famous for their youthful skin and looks. Even middle-aged Japanese people have fewer wrinkles and aging signs than most youngsters in their thirties in the US. Well, they have this genius invention that keeps them young.
If you are afraid of aging and even more scared of needles and plastic surgeries and fillers, this simple Japanese face wear is the one for you. Wearing this activates your facial muscles and keeps them from sagging prematurely. Other than looking stupid, there is no harm in this.
Upgraded traffic lights
These traffic lights got a serious sci-fi upgrade. A designer/engineer in Ukraine created a new traffic light that looks both futuristic and simple. Honestly, this setup looks like the lights you need when you need to factor in flying cars.
If you have a car, then you probably know the frustration of being stuck behind a car that blocks your view of the traffic light. Sure, you can’t go until they do, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t know when the light turns green!
Free sparkling water
We’ve been paying for sparkling water bottles from the very start. The only water we get for free is the flat water from water fountains in public places. And most of the time, we hope that the water in the drinking fountain is fresh and not stale.
However, France upped its game and installed public sparkling water drinking fountains. Now you can fill up your water bottles with fresh tingly water in France whenever you want! There are SodaStreams in the US. What’s stopping them from installing these machines in public areas?
Smart bins
This is one of the most innovative methods to make people throw trash in the bin instead of on the side of the road. Of course, it was Singapore that came up with the idea of “smart bins.” These receptacles are powered by solar panels and emit free Wi-Fi within a 98 ft radius.
People always need Wi-Fi to scroll through their emails or check their Instagram while they wait for the bus. These smart trash cans in public places make it possible for them to do so without using expensive data. On top of that, it is environmentally friendly!
Dubai’s cooling mechanism
We all have heard about air-conditioned buildings and hotels, and even public areas like grocery shops. But when you enter a wealthy city, not only do you see flashy sports cars, you may also witness lots of air-conditioned bus stops, too!
Dubai’s scorching heat is dangerous, to say the least. It’s been almost two decades since they started making air-conditioned bus stops, so people can be safe from the blistering sun while they wait for their ride. Imagine getting to work without already being a sweaty mess. How wonderful!
Pokéburgs, I choose you!
The Australian version, “Down N’ Out,” of the famous American fast-food chain “In N’ Out,” introduced their Pokéburgs – Pokémon as burgers – to their menu, each for just $15, and they’ve been a hit since. These pokéburgs are too cute to eat, though!
Pokémon featured here are Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur, the top three favorites of Pokémon lovers. Pikachu is the classic, while Charmander has crusted chips added to the mix, and Bulbasaur is the health freak with lettuce and broccoli in it.
Golden ticket
Want to take a guess who started this? Well, none other than Abu Dhabi, of course. If you guessed Dubai, you were close, as it is the second place to install ATMs that sell actual gold bars! It was first installed at Frankfurt train station, and it has gone viral since.
The story behind gold-dispensing ATMs was quite interesting, too. Well, it all started with someone trying to impress a lady with something lavish. And apparently, flowers “wilt,” and they weren’t enough to “win a girl’s heart.” The idea of presenting gold bars followed.
Slide n’ stairs
Asians have our utmost respect for coming up with this amazing “sliding your way down” strategy. You may think that they made it solely for kids. However, you might be surprised by the number of adults who prefer sliding down instead of taking the stairs.
This is another way to brighten up your mood and day altogether. Also, for those of you who haven’t been in touch with your inner child, this may be a great way to awaken it up and rejoice in their childhood. There is no age limit for slides!
Water fountain for pets and their person
One thing that seems oddly universal is broken water fountains. Sure, there are plenty that work, but we have all been stuck standing in front of a fountain with water splashing at us or running down the side, creating a puddle at our feet.
Instead of just adding a drain to deal with the overflow, this awesome water fountain doesn’t let a single drop go to waste! Now your overheated pupper can cool off with a fresh drink when you stop to get some water for yourself.
Seats facing out
The long train rides are stressful, and it strains our necks from looking outside for long periods. Not to mention, it comes with motion sickness. Japanese inventors found a genius, innovative way to reduce this boredom and physical pain to the bare minimum.
Their trains now face outwards instead of turned to face the front or rear. This is the best creation for socially awkward introverts! Now, you can see the beautiful views outside as if you are sitting in a 3D cinema.
Magnetic bracelets
Carrying tools, especially the little screws and nails, is a major hassle; ask anyone who uses hardware frequently. They either need someone who holds and passes them the tools they need, or they need to carry a bag with heavy tools that just weighs them down.
Someone genius, most probably a craftsman who was tired of this daily hustle, came up with a convenient solution: magnetic hardware gauntlets. All you have to do is wear the bracelet around your wrist, attach the little tools to it, and get to work!
Water cars
No, we are not talking about boats; water cars are what the name suggests – the cars that travel both on water and land. A little known yet interesting fact about this water car is that Americans invented this car, but they sell them in Dubai.
Inspired by a water car made in the 60s, an American made a replica of it – the Panther. The Crown Prince owns six water cars! How cool would owning a water car would be! Among you are some coastal dwellers or maybe even some adventurers who would adore this invention.
Stall vacancy
Trying to find a vacant bathroom stall in a public place to do your business, especially on a busy day, can be pretty frustrating. It’s annoying and embarrassing to wait in a stinky place, gently trying all the doors to find an empty stall.
So some genius decided to put sensors in the ceiling! Sensors under the ground are connected to lights above the stall. When a presence is detected, the previously green light turns red, which means “occupied.” Now you can enter the stall, confident that you’re not bothering anyone.
Bad bananas for banana bread
For those of you who don’t know the recipe for making banana bread, it requires bananas that have gone bad and black, i.e., extra ripe ones, not the green. Ripe ones are sweeter and have the most richness in flavor as well as proteins.
If you want some yummy banana bread, you either need to wait or store your bananas in a way that they’ll ripen faster. Bakers in the UK were too impatient to wait, so they started bagging bananas in a paper bag complete with recipes on the side!
Bicycle highways
Now, this is something that we can get behind. When we hear the word ‘highways,’ we think of major roadways for cars that connect cities. But Japan is ahead of us: seeing as the population is so dense, and the environment needs fixing…
They built highways specifically for bicyclists. Japanese of every age and gender use bicycles in their daily routine, unlike Americans who are still stuck to cars and cabs. This idea saves them from polluting the environment and lessens the traffic on roads.
Smart medi-cap
This is one of the handy, non-American inventions that everyone all around the world could benefit from. According to a medical survey, medicine adherence is a huge problem everywhere. People who have regular medications often miss a dose or forget about it.
Sounds like a life-threatening disaster, doesn’t it? Well, this smart medicine bottle will keep track of it for you – it shows how much time has passed since you last opened the bottle! With this handy dandy invention, you can remember when you last took the pill.
Cheesy vending machines
Although vending machines were American inventions – and a genius one, at that – the non-Americans are doing the upgrading and making vending machines a whole lot cheesier and more awesome. They are not backing down when it comes to making better use of them.
Like how Bavaria started putting different kinds of cheese in the vending machines – the dairy goodness which everybody loves in every shape, size, and flavor! Well, unlike Americans, who still sell junk snacks and Coke in their vending machines.
Free public Wi-Fi
One thing Americans find attractive in other countries, while also suffering at home, is the access to Wi-Fi on roads and in public areas. You have to go buy a coffee from Starbucks to sit there and use free Wi-Fi.
Unlike the US, many countries, such as Estonia, have installed free Wi-Fi for certain hours of the day to be accessed by the public when they are out. They don’t have to enter a café or a mall to reply to their important emails.
Roadside little shrines
Greece is one of the most heavenly countries, with its natural sceneries as a magical view for the ones driving on long roads. If you’ve ever been to Greece, you may see little shrines on the roadside. Not in particular distances or anything, though.
These shrines increase in number depending upon the location. And these are definitely not the aesthetics of your pictures; rather, these little shrines serve as a tribute to those who died at the location, as well as a safety caution for the roads.
USB sockets
USB plugs are something we all need. Most devices’ charging cords have a USB at the end, but we always need to remember to bring a brick to plug it into. But they take up space that could be saved with a simple USB already built into the socket!
These are starting to pop up in some houses in the US, but it’s far from the norm yet. We always need a separate USB port and its socket to plug it into the switchboard. Various countries have started making USB ports; it’s about time the US does it too.
Wonky Veggies
The UK came up with the “wonky veg box,” which contains slightly less aesthetically pleasing and weird-shaped veggies that nobody buys. People prefer to get round, smooth, unmarred veggies. We don’t even think about how much food is wasted because it isn’t “pretty.”
Veggies that look different from Instagram-worthy snacks are usually passed by, and no customer buys them. But they taste just the same! So, Wonky Veg came up with a solution for all the food waste: sell the “wonky” veggies for a lower price. It’s a win-win!
Emergency evacuation plan
During a fire emergency, the walls of a building – apartments or offices – are the first things that either go down in flames or are clouded with smoke. So, what’s the point of hanging an evacuation plan on the wall when you won’t be able to read it?
So, as we all know, we lay down on the floor to reduce inhaling smoke. Now, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the evacuation plan was stuck near the floor? This way, you could access it when needed and plan your way to the nearest exit while crawling on the floor.
Siestas
It is not a genius invention, just an ingenious daily practice in European countries, especially Spain and Greece. Siestas are the mid-afternoon naps that everybody takes and wakes up mentally and physically refreshed and charged. That’s right; naptime isn’t just for kindergarteners.
Especially in summers when it can be long and tiring to work from early morning till night time. A quick half an hour midday nap reduces fatigue. Americans should adopt this practice before workers run out of their biological batteries.
Work workout
Sitting at the same spot for elongated hours of the day is not only physically unhealthy, but it also drains you out of mental capacity to retain any information and leaves you frustrated, stressed, and unproductive. Japan has the best solution for this problem…
They don’t compromise when it comes to productivity during work hours. So, they have adopted this workout practice during work hours when they stretch their bodies. This energizes them, boosts their morale, and relieves physical aches. Maybe that’s why they live longer; more exercise on a daily basis.
Thalys, the bullet train
A three-hour ride on the bullet train, only for $35? Well, it is not only amazingly possible, but it is also true! And Europeans take advantage of this lightning-fast ride every day. Thalys is the bullet train that has only two stops: Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Paris, France.
Whether you are a Frenchman working in Amsterdam, or you’re a tourist who is enthusiastic about touring most areas of Europe, consider yourself a lucky one! You can travel between countries on the bullet train, with way cheaper tickets than an airplane!
Candy-free checkouts
It may seem like a bad thing to those who have never been manipulated by the cashiers sitting at the checkout counters to get candy bars. It is a collective trick by the companies to get as much money out of us as possible.
Even when we don’t need candy, we end up buying it — also known as impulse purchases. Someone in Denmark was so tired of these manipulative tricks that they ended up changing routes and making candy-free checkouts for those who don’t want to risk wasting money.
Parking wall markers
Public parking lots are often tightly packed, and it is difficult to park your vehicle in a tight spot. Sure, they have parking markers on the floor of the lot. We are sure every American goes through this frustration in a dark parking lot.
Especially the amateurs have to face this trouble – they often have to pull in and out several times to get in the right spot. This is why wall markers are essential. These allow you to see where you are heading and how further inside you need to pull in.
Pet loss candle
Sometimes, small gestures and the littlest things can help a lot. It’s not some extravagant invention; it is a small, wholesome deed and a respectful practice to give someone the time and respect when they are saying goodbye to their beloved pet best friend.
You may see this pet loss candle in a few vet clinics in America, but it is not very common there yet. Unlike the UK, where every vet has this burning candle to let their waiting clients know that their patience and respect are required at that moment.
Cart with map
How amazing and helpful would it be to have a grocery cart with a built-in map on it so we don’t have to walk the entire grocery store looking for a toothbrush. Sometimes, the signboards on the top of the aisles aren’t helpful enough.
You have to go to every aisle and read the sign until you find the one you are looking for. This is plain frustrating. Why can’t we be like Sweden, which came up with built-in maps on the cart? All you have to do is follow the map and get your thing!
Innovative seat savers
Sitting in a public place and saving a seat for someone can be pretty awkward and embarrassing when you have someone come up to you every two seconds, asking if this empty seat beside you is taken. It may be anxiety-provoking if you are antisocial.
Asians are innovative when it comes to innovative tricks to avoid awkward, unwanted social interactions. All you have to do is buy this seat saver designed as a spilled drink or melted ice cream and put it on the seat next to you. No one will sit on a “spoiled” seat!
Color-coded baskets
This is the kind of creative and helpful invention that every grocery store needs to adopt. Most of us find it really disturbing and frustrating when we have store employees come up to us uninvited and ask if we need help.
Like, we’d ask for help if we needed it. This is the reason why we need these baskets. If someone needs help while shopping, their basket color can be a code for the employee to approach them to help them with whatever they need.
Pizza vending machine
By now, you may have an idea how everyone has surpassed America in their invention of vending machines. The rest of the world is upgrading their vending machines like there is no tomorrow, while the US is sitting there with its meager bags and soda cans.
Croatia turned their simple snack machine into a full-on vending machine that makes pizza for you on the spot, with your choice of toppings! We don’t guarantee freshness, though. But some Italian goodness is better than stale chips, we’re sure.
Peeping Tom blocker
Going to a public bathroom always comes with a Peeping Tom, the anxiety of being exposed to the outsiders, the sounds coming from inside the stall, etc. We cannot go into a public bathroom and do our business in peace.
Vietnam started this bathroom stall gap blocking innovation where the doors are sealed with soundproof doors and gap blockers which give you much-needed privacy and keep the peeping toms outside. Public bathrooms never seemed so stress-free! Combine this with bathroom lights and it’s the perfect restroom!