It’s easy to fall into a cycle of buying new products, especially gadgets, that promise to make certain tasks a tad easier. However, more often than not, they don’t live up to their hype, and customers end up with products that are quite useless and a waste of money. While many brands claim their gadgets to be must-haves, customers don’t necessarily need to invest in them. Here are some gadgets that aren’t worth the money:

1. Disposable power banks
Power banks are excellent for emergencies. They can help charge a phone, tablet, headphones, and smart wearables. However, investing in a disposable power bank is not worth the money. Most of them come with lithium batteries, just without charging circuits. They are incredibly wasteful and end up in landfills because most people don’t properly dispose of electronic waste as they should. A normal power bank does the job and can be used more than a hundred times. It is environmentally friendly and easy to carry around.

2. VR headsets
Virtual reality (VR) headsets are a big hit among users. However, this immersive experience comes at a cost, and a huge one at that. This is because most kinds of content are not made keeping in mind the usability of a VR headset. With limited VR-compatible content, people are left with just a few options to enjoy the experience. This means paying more than is necessary for a limited-time experience. Investing this money in another gadget that can offer better use is better. Also, those who want to view VR-compatible content can always rent a VR headset.

3. Trendy wearables
Fitness bands and rings are great for keeping track of one’s health, especially one’s pulse rate, resting heart rate, sleep cycle, and more. That said, with rapid technological advancement, new wearables with advanced interfaces are being launched multiple times a year. This also brings additional functionality to the table. However, this also means that people constantly investing in new wearables are paying for the full price of a product for an added feature or two. The core function of these bands and watches remains the same, and all the additional functions are not a necessity to invest in. Instead, one can invest in a functional product that will last them for a good few years.

4. Single-function gadgets
The market and the Internet are filled with kitchen tools that claim to revolutionize the cooking experience. However, most of these tools come with very specific functions and are therefore of little use. More often than not, these tools, such as electronic bottle openers, milk frothers, and potato-peeling robots, end up gathering dust.