20 Late Night TV Products We All Somehow Ended Up Owning

I used to flip past late-night infomercial ads and somehow end up locked in. One minute I’m half asleep, the next I’m fully invested in a guy yelling at the camera about a ShamWow. Those ads had time to work on you. They’d show the problem, the fix, then hit you with a bonus deal at the end.

Now it’s basically the same thing, just faster. Late-night infomercials turned into late-night scrolling. Instead of one long pitch, it’s a hundred quick clips all trying to convince you this random gadget is the missing piece of your life. Same promise, less patience.

And somehow, whether it was from TV back then or your phone now, a lot of us still ended up with these.

1. PedEgg Foot File

That little cheese grater for your feet. Weirdly satisfying and slightly alarming at the same time.

2. Slap Chop

Press down, food gets chopped. Also responsible for at least one aggressively enthusiastic infomercial guy.

3. ShamWow

A towel that drinks spills like it’s been dehydrated its whole life.

4. MyPillow

For people who want their bedding to feel a little confrontational

5. George Foreman Grill

Lean, mean, countertop machine that convinced everyone they could grill indoors.

6. Bowflex Home Gym

Looked like a medieval torture device, but technically you could get shredded on it.

7. Snuggie

A blanket you wear like a robe so you can feel cozy and ridiculous at the same time.

8. ThighMaster

The inner-thigh workout that lived in everyone’s closet and somehow doubled as a stress toy.

9. Proactiv Acne System

Three-step skincare that convinced a whole generation their pores were a personal failure.

10. The Clapper

Peak innovation: turning your lights on like you’re summoning electricity.

11. Abdominizer

A plastic backboard that promised abs in minutes. Mostly delivered… mild confusion.

12. Ronco Digital Rotisserie Oven

Because sometimes you want to casually spin a whole chicken like you work at the Costco meat department at 2am.

13. P90X

The workout program that made exercise a personality trait.

14. Total Gym

A sliding bench that made you feel like you were doing something serious… even if you weren’t. Great for hanging laundry, too.

15. NutriBullet

Turn fruits and good intentions into a smoothie you swear you’ll drink every morning.

16. Ginsu Knives

Cut through a tomato, a can, and probably your expectations. Sharp enough to make you nervous just looking at them.

17. Bowflex Max Trainer

Part elliptical, part stair climber, all “this will finally be the thing I stick with.”

18. OxiClean

The powder that made stains feel like they were about to get interrogated.

19. Chia Pet (Cat Planter)

Grow grass… on a ceramic animal. A pet you can forget to water and still feel guilty about.

20. Dance Workout (Sweatin’ Style)

Bright colors, big energy, and cardio that felt like a party you didn’t RSVP to.