5 Overpriced Gadgets I Regret Buying (And You Might Too)

As a technical writer, I often tend to buy the latest things the industry has to offer. Most of the time this works great, as I have a number of products at home that I still use long after their support ends. But it also means I’ve spent a lot of money on things that quickly start gathering dust in a drawer or on a shelf.

From expensive gaming consoles to 3D printers that sit unused, I’m often confronted with my regrets every time I sit down in my office. In fact, as I write this article, I can reach out and grab each of the various overpriced technologies I’ve purchased over the years that I’ll feature below.

While not everyone will have the same experience as me, here are some expensive gadgets I’ve purchased over the past few years that you might also regret purchasing. If you’re on the fence about any of these products, the best advice I can give you is to wait for a sale or see if you can buy an older model used to see if it’s really for you.

I’ve wanted a robot vacuum since the first Roomba. The idea of ​​a robot cleaning my floors seemed like a dream come true. Think of all the time I could save if I didn’t have to sweep and vacuum so much in a given week. And since I have hardwood floors throughout my house, a robot vacuum seemed like a smart addition.

And that was for a little while after purchasing the Ecovacs Deebot N79W for just under $300. Now he sometimes wakes up from his dock and makes his way around my house trying to clean up. The problem with this one, as with many more basic robot vacuum models, is that they simply can’t vacuum much, take forever to clean, and often require monitoring.

Mine always gets stuck, battery drains quickly and fills up quickly. Sure, I’ve made a number of common mistakes with my robot vacuum, but it often feels like I’m taking care of a pet. If you’re considering a robot vacuum, avoid used and older models and stick to newer devices. They have better batteries, the ability to self-drain, and advanced sensors that don’t require childcare.

I loved my Xbox Series S console when I bought it for $300 at launch, especially since the Series X and PS5 cost double that. And the Game Pass program was a godsend, especially in the age of COVID. Having access to so many games was great and if I didn’t like something I could just move on and try another game without losing money.

But over the past few years, I’ve found my Series S to be nothing more than a way to stream my Plex server to my office. I ditched Game Pass when Microsoft raised prices last year, realizing I wasn’t playing many games anymore. And the idea of ​​owning nothing hit me hard. If I can’t physically own something, I now try to avoid it.

The Series S is great, but nothing more than an expensive paperweight to me. Don’t end up with regrets like mine and invest the extra money in a disc-based console like the Series X or PS5. You’ll get more powerful consoles and the confidence that the disc games you buy will be playable for much longer, even if services go down.

I really appreciate the concept of VR dating back to the early 90s when I tried out a rudimentary VR gaming kiosk at my local mall. Years later, Google Cardboard made basic virtual reality affordable and accessible. I even regularly used the Oculus Go long after it was discontinued, and I still enjoy it today as I work on archiving lost proprietary software.

Today, the Oculus Rift CV1 is my favorite VR device, still my daily driver. But the Meta Quest 2 I bought at launch for $299 sits on a shelf, mostly collecting dust. This is a great kit, with hours spent playing Beat Saber and Pavlov. But for some reason, I kept coming back to my Rift when I wanted to play most VR games.

I think this has a lot to do with Meta himself. When the company forced Facebook integration, I began to move away from the platform. The confined environment also meant less freedom in terms of available games. If you have a decent PC, I suggest buying a used Rift CV1 for around $80 or less and saving hundreds on a device you might not even like.

I bought an Amazon Echo Show 5 during one of the Prime Day sales that Amazon always has. I was looking for a good replacement for an old clock radio/cassette player combo that I had used since I was in high school. The idea of ​​a digital screen to play YouTube videos in white noise, listen to music, video chat with family, and have access to Alexa seemed like a good idea.

But the longer I had the Echo Show 5, the more I realized that I was using it less and less, barely taking advantage of any of its features. Alexa listening to everything raised too many privacy concerns, the camera feature was never used, and the final straw came when Amazon forced ads on the platform that you paid almost a hundred dollars for.

It was also very slow to load content with its underpowered chipset, making navigation a chore. I figured at least I could jailbreak the device until I realized the model I had was incapable of being modified to run Linux. It’s much better to use your phone on a cheap charging station, as it has all the same functions as an Echo Show device.

I love my Monoprice 3D Select Mini printer that I found at Goodwill years ago for a cool $38. Today, this same model is often almost as affordable on the second-hand market. It features a small print bed, but it’s come in a sleeve more times than I can remember. I’ve printed figure stands, battery covers for controllers, replacement parts, home gadgets and much more.

There are many great 3D printers out there and I figured after enjoying this hobby I would upgrade to something a little more powerful, larger and capable of creating more detailed prints. I lost $300 on an ELEGOO Mars resin printer that I quickly regretted. While the machine itself is great, I don’t enjoy it any more than my smaller filament printer.

And resin, unlike filament, can be dangerous. Printing with resin will release fumes which may pose health risks. The UV radiation used in the printing and curing process can also be dangerous to your eyes, and gloves are almost always necessary due to all the chemicals. You also have to deal with possible resin spills, all issues you don’t have with a traditional filament printer.