Since 2009,?? ??? ?? Shark Tank — the reality show that invitesentrepreneurs to show off their weirdest, wildest, and most innovative inventions — has brought dozens of cool products into the world.
Sure, we have the show to thank for absurd inventions like wine for cats and dogs, chips made out of crickets, and the Guzzle Buddy wine bottle glass (everyone knows it's far easier to drink straight from the bottle.) But Shark Tankalso helped turn a variety of brilliant ideas into useful products that could enhance our daily lives.
The best part? Some of them cost less than $100.
SEE ALSO: This shower loofah was fully funded on Kickstarter in less than 24 hoursWhile many of the show's most impressive pitches have painfully costly price tags, like the SolSource Solar Cooker or PolyGlide Ice, which each cost several hundred dollars, here are 14 relatively affordable (and actually useful) products that rose to fame after being featured on Shark Tank.
Via Giphy1. Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook — $27.00
As a stubborn lover of paper and pens, I refuse to take notes on digital devices as often as possible. But for the Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook? I'd definitely make an exception.
Rocketbook Wave looks and works like a traditional notebook. Using the FriXion pen provided, you simply write, draw, and doodle your way around the pages, and when you're done you can transfer your work into digital images that can be viewed and saved on portable devices or easily shared with others.
Founders Jake Epstein and Joe Lemay created the smart notebooks to allow people to save their notes to cloud services like email, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs, or OneNote, without sacrificing the dying art of handwriting. Using the Rocketbook app you can assign symbols to seven cloud services and digitally transport your notebook pages by taking photos of them.
But perhaps the mostimpressive part is that when the pages are filled you can put the notebooks in the microwave with a mug of water to make all the writing vanish. Though the sharks weren't down to back the notebook, it didn't stop the creators from achieving success.
2. Hater dating app — ✨Free✨
There's a fun, clapback saying along the lines of, "Haters to the left," because absolutely no one wants to hang with a bunch of haters. But when it comes to the dating app Hater you're going to want to see those haters front and center. Heck, you might even want to date, propose to, and eventually marryone of them.
Why? Well, Hater matches you with people who dislike the same things you dislike. It's essentially matchmaking for humorous grumpy people who hold their dislikes so dear to their heart that they want to bond with others over them. Romantic, no?
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable The app lets users swipe through 3,000 different topics, such as fedoras, vaping, cargo shorts, vegan food, and more. Simply swipe down to hate, up to love, left to dislike something, right to like something, and then wait to find your hatemate.
Via Giphy3. Dessert Hummus — $5.99
Delighted By Hummus is a dessert lover's dream come true. Founder Makenzie Marzluff created the sweet spreads using chickpeas as the main ingredient with four delectable flavors: Vanilla Bean, Snickerdoodle, Choc-o-Mint, and Brownie Batter, to make the healthy snacks taste like some serious indulgence.
"This shit is good," Shark Tankjudge Mark Cuban so eloquently said upon trying it. "I have to admit, it's damn good," judge Kevin O'Leary added.
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The hummus selections are perfect for dipping graham crackers, pretzels, fruit, or creating your own concoctions. And they're also vegan, gluten-free, andhave zero preservatives, making them essentially guilt-free as well.
Another noteworthy Shark Tankdessert mention: Cupcakes in jars.
Via Giphy4. Scrub Daddy — $3.59 (prices vary)
The name "Scrub Daddy" is a bit cringeworthy, yes. And I'm not sure a sponge (aside from SquarePants) has ever been thought of as cool, but nevertheless here we are.
The Scrub Daddy is a high-tech scrubber that changes texture based on water temperature to ensure you're properly washing your dishes. When Scrub Daddy is placed in cold water it becomes rigid to tackle messes that might require some extra effort, and in warm water the scrubber becomes "soft and fluffy."
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Uniquely designed in the shape of a cheerful smiley face, it features eyes and mouth openings that allow users to clean hard-to-reach places. The scrubber is gentle enough not to scratch your pans but sturdy enough to wipe down appliances, bathtubs, tires, and more. Cleaning's more fun if you're holding a large, non-edible french fry, right?
5. SmartGurlz Coding Robot Dolls — $79.99
Dolls just got a lot smarter thanks to SmartGurlz, a Danish company that created robot dolls designed to teach young girls to code while they play. Both educational and fun, the SmartGurlz dolls each come with bluetooth powered Siggy Robots, or mini segways, that can be controlled by a free app via smartphone or tablet.
The dolls — equipped with more than 100 different coding combinations —aim to teach programming skills and inspire girls to actively take an interest in STEM fields.
6. Bombas Socks — $10+
Bombas socks were created with a mission to give back to those in need. For each pair purchased, Bombas donates a pair of socks to homeless communities.
In addition to working with shelters, nonprofits, and other organizations Bombas specially engineered their socks to be more comfortable than regular socks, moisture repellent, and temperature adaptable.
They're a little more costly than normal socks, but seem well worth it. So far, the company has donated over five million pairs.
7. Tipsy Elves Ugly Holiday Sweaters — $30 (prices vary)
Tipsy Elves is here to deliver "the most outrageous clothes known to mankind" in an attempt to brighten all of our lives.
The witty apparel company creates everything from ugly holiday sweaters for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day to regular clothing and sportswear. Tipsy Elves is the perfect place to shop for holiday gatherings or presents with a little flair.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable 8. Phonesoap Charger — $59.95
Phones carry a ton of germs, but who has the patience to take time out of their days to clean them? Have no fear — Phonesoap Charger will do the dirty work for you!
Simply insert your phone into the sanitizing device and two UV-C lights will work to destroy 99.9 percent of the bacteria. The process can last five minutes or you can leave your phone in overnight, because guess what? The device simultaneously charges your battery. A true win-win.
9. Baker's Edge — $35.95
I'm a huge fan of gooey middle brownies, but sometimes everyone is craving an edge piece and there are never enough to go around. With the Baker's Edge pan, whether you're making cakes, brownies, or lasagna, the days of fighting for end pieces are long gone.
*GIF of Oprah shouting "You get an end piece, you get an end piece, everyone gets an end piece!"
*
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable 10. The Eggmazing Egg Decorator — $29.99
It's tradition to dye hard-boiled eggs around Easter time, but with the Eggmazing Egg Decorator we could be enjoying beautifully decorated eggs year-round.
The unique device makes the decorating process much less messy by using markers, rather than dipping the eggs in colored water, to draw designs. Simply place a hard-boiled egg in the container and color it while it spins. Go forth and create egg-celent works of art.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable 11. InstaFire Fire Starter — $24.95+
Ever in the mood to start a fire but just plain suck at it? Don't worry, your lack of skill is so relatable that someone invented a product to help.
Say hello to InstaFire, an innovative fire-starting product that requires only a match to use. Simply light a match and ignite InstaFire — a mixture of wood pellets, volcanic rock, and paraffin wax — to get a blaze going.
How could anyone notbe intrigued by this product? Especially after watching this informational video set to an instrumental loop of "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional...
Via Giphy12. Stasher Silicone Food Storage Bags — $9.99+
Love using plastic bags to store your food but hate harming the environment? You're in luck. Stasher bags are here to change your world.
These eco-friendly bags were created to cut down on plastic waste, made from 100% pure platinum silicone which means they're safer for microwave and oven, and can even be boiled in water. Stashers come as sandwich bags, snack bags, and half-gallon storage bags, so you can say goodbye to plastic and make a total storage bag transition.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable 13. Wireless record player — $99
Referred to as "a different spin on vinyl," the RokBlock by Pink Donut is an innovative, portable, and wireless record player.
The small device can play 33s and 45s for four hours and houses its rechargeable lithium battery in a block made of bamboo and medium-density fiberboard. Simply place it on top of a record and let it spin.
The block contains a built-in speaker, but is also Bluetooth compatible so users can play their vinyl hits from any speakers of their choice or connect to Bluetooth-enabled headphones.
14. Christmas Tree Hugger — $17.95
Fake trees are nothing like the real thing, although many people choose them due to allergies or for ecological reasons.
Though the Christmas Tree Hugger is also a fake stump, it at least LOOKS real, which means you can finally cover up those unsightly metal rods on the bottom of artificial trees and pretend you've got the real deal.
A Christmas miracle, indeed.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable BONUS:
Mini Lumio — $150
Calling all book lovers, Lumio is the mood lighting for you. Okay, this product costs a bit more than $100, but it's worth it.
To turn the LED lamp on, simply unfold Lumio like a book and its accordion-style "pages" — powered by rechargeable batteries that last right hours — will illuminate. But Lumio is much more than just a lamp, it's a modern work of art that can take your decor to the next level.
Lumio can lay flat, stand up straight, connect to another Lumio, and even be mounted on flat surfaces like walls, closets, and more. It might not be the mostfunctional source of light in your house, but hey, it looks hella tight and emits a sexy little glow.
Shark Robert Herjavec certainly approved.
Via GiphyThank you for taking this journey down Shark Tankmemory lane with us. And if you're now so obsessed with the show you want to learn about every single product ever featured, you can re-watch old episodes or check out allsharktankproducts.com — an unofficial website created by a fellow entrepreneur and fan of the show.
Correction —An earlier version of this story incorrectly noted that Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook founders Jake Epstein and Joe Lemay graduated from The University of Cambridge. Epstein graduated from Purdue and Lemay graduated from Cornell.
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