35 Cool Things Other Countries Have That Make The U.S. Look Pretty Stupid And Behind The Curve

The U.S. has a lot to offer, but let’s be honest, other countries have plenty of cool things that make us Americans green with envy. Just check out these 35 cool things you can only find in other countries. We’re talking about those mind-blowing, one-of-a-kind experiences that leave you wondering, “Why can’t we have that here?”

From nifty sunscreen machines to genius shopping cart cleaning machines, these exclusive gems will make you wish they were available in the good ol’ USA. So get ready for a wild ride and come along with us as we uncover the awesomeness that’s still out of our reach. Consider yourself warned – the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is about to hit you like a ton of bricks.


1. “A hands free sunscreen machine that rotates as it sprays your body with sunscreen”

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2. “Public air shower in Tokyo to blow pollen off hay fever sufferers”

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3. “There’s a privacy button that plays sound in the toilet in the background in Japan so your bombing sound wouldn’t be heard”

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4. “In Norway the packed meat has a “thermometer” that tells you how many days are left until its no longer safe to eat it”

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5. “Traffic light with shining pole”

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6. “These two different sets of shopping baskets at a department store in Bangkok – for those that need help or want to be left alone.”

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7. “This sidewalk for smartphone users in Warsaw, Poland”

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8. “Lights to get your waiters attention silently in Maastricht, Netherlands”

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9. “Solar power benches actually exist (includes USB and wireless charging)”

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10. “This pizza box in Japan that has a handle in the middle to keep the pizza flat.”

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11. “These bins in Sweden show you what to recycle.”

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12. “This emergency elevator toilet in Japan”

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13. “This car park in France has soft barriers between parking spaces to stop people scratching other cars.”

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14. “This bill in Turkey tells you how much each person would need to pay if you split it equally”

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15. “Paris has sparkling water fountains”

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16. “This crosswalk pedestrian pushbutton has a tactile display of the intersection”

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17. “In Morocco, Utility Poles are disguised as Palm Trees”

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18. “They have umbrella vending machines in Hong Kong”

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19. “They have pet carts in grocery stores in Italy”

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20. “My neighbourhood (in Singapore) has an umbrella sharing project.”

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21. “Shopping cart cleaning machine in Germany.”

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22. “Shopping carts in germany have a special beer crate holder in the back”

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23. “Lift Emergency button at floor level too should you collapse (or are incredibly short). UK.”

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24. “This cinema in Croatia has beds instead of seats in the last row”

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25. “UPS in Italy uses these ‘bicycle trucks’ to deliver packages to places in narrow streets of Rome”

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26. “In Belgian train’s toilets there is a Sos Button close to the ground in case people fall and can’t get up”

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27. “Cool bike repair equipment on a bike path”

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28. “These sprinklers on the road near the ski resort I’m at in japan to keep the road from freezing over. (Salt Water if you were wondering)”

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29. “Height adjustable headrest in Denmark”

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30. “Bottle caps in Italy designed to stay attached to bottle”

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31. “This Belgian supermarket has a parking spot just for pregnant women.”

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32. “This is a book vending machine! Found in Madrid, Spain. I’ve never seen one before.”

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33. “Bus stop in Norway with books you can read while you wait.”

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34. “This toilet in Japan has a system of occupied/vacant toilets information”

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35. “Adult and child sized toilets in a single stall – Auckland International Airport.”

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Stefanie

Stefanie Mustian

Stefanie is an architect with 15+ years of working both independently as well as on teams of some of the top Architectural Firms in the country located in Atlanta, Washington D.C. and New York. She currently runs BoardBatten.com a coastal architecture and design service in Port Aransas, Texas. She is also the wife of the dude who runs Pleated-Jeans.