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The very best, most lovingly designed products will strike a balance between form and function. Not only are they going to be aesthetic and intuitive to use, but they’ll also do what they’re meant to do well and leave you feeling like one satisfied customer.

Some designers go above and beyond the call of duty, finding out-of-the-box and intriguing ways to improve the consumer experience even more. Today, our team at Bored Panda is featuring some of the most creative product ideas that have genuinely surprised people in the best ways possible. Scroll down for a big dose of design inspiration and a reminder that no matter how much the world changes, imagination will never go out of style.

#1

Cat Tree Came In A Box With Instructions To Make A Cat House

Cardboard box cat house with a black and white cat inside, and another cat nearby, showcasing cool-products-with-surprises.

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    #2

    This Supermarket Has Magnifying Lenses On Their Carts To Help People Read Product's Lables

    Shopping cart with an attached magnifying glass handle, showcasing cool product surprises.

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    #3

    My Tire Has A Ingraining That Shows Up Only When It's Time To Replace It

    Worn tire with the word "REPLACE" revealed, showcasing surprises in cool products.

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    As per legendary German industrial designer Dieter Rams, good designs are innovative, aesthetic, unobtrusive, honest, environmentally friendly, long-lasting, thorough to the last detail, and useful, as well as understandable. And they should involve as little design as possible.

    Finding the right balance between how a product looks (its form) and what it does (its function) is harder than it sounds. If you steer too much in either direction, you risk pushing your potential customer base away. You also need to consider how you market it. The reality is that no matter how gorgeous and efficient a product is, it also has to sell well to be considered successful. The most ‘perfect’ product is useless if it’s sitting in a warehouse, completely ignored.

    #4

    These Moving Boxes I Ordered In England That Also Contain 1 Teabag To Help You With The Move

    Cardboard box with surprise items: tape, pen, and Yorkshire tea, showcasing a cool product with hidden delights.

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    #5

    Toothbrush With Replaceable Bristles So You Don’t Have To Keep Buying A New Handle

    Removable toothbrush head beside its handle, showcasing a cool product with surprises.

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    #6

    The Cream I Ordered With My Coffee At A Swiss Cafe Was Served Inside Of A Chocolate Treat

    Coffee cup with a chocolate surprise on a sunny table setting.

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    If your product is beautiful to look at, you’re going to get a lot of attention. However, if it’s over-designed or overly complicated aesthetically, you might end up confusing your target audience. A product that looks more like an art piece than anything else can be difficult to use and hard to grasp in terms of function, from the very first glance

    An over-the-top focus on form over function also alludes to a disconnect between the designer’s vision and the consumer. The former is important, of course! But you can’t alienate the people you hope to sell to. Unless you’re catering exclusively to the luxury market and high-end clients, you can’t rely on an approach that makes showpiece-worthy yet confusing things.

    #7

    This Hairbrush I Bought Came With A Tool To Remove Hair From The Brush

    A hidden brush cleaner is revealed from a round hairbrush, showcasing cool products with surprises for easy maintenance.

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    #9

    My Newspaper Came With 2 Printed Pattern Pages To Wrap Presents

    Newspapers with hidden patterns reveal cool product surprises on a table.

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    sbj
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A lot of chain stores in The Netherlands, including supermarkets, have big rolls of wrapping paper for your use for free and there's also ribbon available

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    On the other side of the scale are perfectly functional products that do what they’re meant to do, but have little to no aesthetic appeal in their designs. To put it simply, human beings enjoy looking at beautiful things.

    So, if your product lacks charisma and presence, it’ll end up being ignored in favor of something more stylish or ‘loud.’

    #11

    The Barbie Tent I Bought For My Daughter Has A Mini Tent For Her Barbies

    Colorful unicorn-themed play tent for kids, featuring princesses and a small matching backpack, on a vibrant rug.

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    #12

    My New Umbrella Has A Vented Top To Let The Wind Pass Through Instead Of Turning Inside-Out

    Hand holding a black umbrella with a hidden pocket flap, displaying a cool product with surprises.

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    Like it or not, if you want to sell well and keep your business afloat, you have to find a way to make your product visually appealing.

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    People often identify with the things they buy, seeing them as extensions of their personality, lifestyle, and values. Ignoring form entirely and ending up with a bland-looking product is going to hurt your company’s profits and your reputation as a designer.

    #14

    My Shoes Came With A “Handle” Rather Than Being Packed In A One Time Use Bag

    A hand holding a Vans shoe box with a surprise hidden storage feature.

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    sbj
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And much easier to carry around than a box in a bag that's never the right size

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    #15

    This Titanium Coated Butter Knife With Internal Copper Alloy Heat Tubes. It’s Made To Heat Up When Held In Your Hand, So That It Is Easier To Spread Butter

    Serrated metal knife with the label "Spread That," showcased as a cool product with surprises in a kitchen setting.

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    Some designers think that if their invention works well, everyone should rush to buy it, regardless of how it looks. They don’t want to ‘pander’ to people’s tastes. And there’s a kernel of truth in that.

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    That being said, it’s not so much pandering as keeping a finger on society’s pulse and having a deeper understanding of how human and consumer psychology both work. If you’re in design, sales, and marketing, you can’t ignore what fundamentally drives people, from the desire to save time (efficiency) and money (being economical) to appreciating stylish things (love of beauty).

    #16

    A Suitcase That Can Measure Its Own Weight

    Digital luggage scale with LED display showing weight, an unexpected cool product.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It would be interesting to see whether it is different than the airline's weighing system and what they'd do if they differed. I am guessing the airline's measurements would have more weight. Oops, sorry, that last bit wrote itself.

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    Designers and companies that manage to create an authentic relationship with their customers win out over the long run. Where there’s good communication, quality products, customer support, and mutual values and respect, you’ll also find profitability. Case in point, Investopedia draws attention to the Harvard Business School’s findings about how brand loyalty and profitability strongly correlate, where increasing customer retention rates by 5% leads to increased profits ranging anywhere from 25% to 95%.

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    #19

    I Bought This $5 Cane From The Thrift Store And When I Got Home I Realized It Had A Secret

    Wooden walking cane unscrewed to reveal hidden sword, showcasing cool products with surprises.

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    #21

    Doll Came With A Tiny Phone That Has A Tiny Broken Screen

    Hand holding a tiny cracked phone, a cool product with surprises.

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    MJisME
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So relatable. 😂 Look her phone screen is broken like mine too! 🤭

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    Microsoft’s findings mirror a similar sentiment. The company reported that just a 7% increase in brand loyalty improved the customer lifetime value of each client by 85%—in other words, leading to higher long-term profitability and growth. On the other hand, Investopedia explains that 83% of customers would switch brands due to bad customer service, while 74% said they stay loyal to brands due to product quality.

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    Meanwhile, around a quarter of millennials and Generation Z are willing to spend more on a brand’s products if that company takes a strong stance on corporate social responsibility issues, such as environmental impacts, ethical and financial responsibilities, and philanthropic endeavors.

    #25

    My Dishwasher Has A Spot Specifically For Chopsticks

    Chopsticks with cartoon design in dishwasher holder, showcasing cool products with surprises.

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    Warren Peece
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I use stainless steel chopsticks that I bought in Korea. I don't know if that fact is relevant - just thought I would throw it in.

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    #26

    My Pizza Box Gave Suggestions For Alternate Uses

    Cardboard box with illustrated repurposing ideas: cat house, sled, costume, more—cool products with surprises.

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    Cindi Antrobus
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have used a pizza box as an oven to make S’mores for preschoolers when my daughter was little “ reduce reuse repurpose”

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    #27

    The Gum I Bought In Hong Kong Comes With Paper To Wrap Your Gum In After You're Done Chewing It

    Container with white tablets and a folded note, a cool product with surprises inside.

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    The best way to gain and keep trust is to follow through on your promises, Forbes writes. Furthermore, you want to be able to be empathetic and understand your customers' opinions, experiences, and concerns. The caveat is that you can’t fake this. All of this has to be authentic if you want to build genuine, long-lasting trust.

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    #28

    Townhouse In Dc Has A Cute Little Model Townhouse In Its Front Yard (And The Model Has Its Own Model!)

    A mini house library in front of a blue building, featuring cool products with surprises inside.

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    #29

    This New Stick Of Oldspice I Just Opened Has A Little Ship In The Deodorant Part

    Deodorant stick with a ship design etched inside, exemplifying cool products with surprises.

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ... because who wouldn't want to smell like the crew of an eighteenth century oceanic sailing vessel?

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    #30

    A Camera-Less iPhone Issued To My Buddy That Works At A Nuclear Plant. No Cameras Allowed

    A black iPhone with visible scratches on a green marble surface, part of cool products with surprises.

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    Which of the products featured in this list impressed you the most with their creativity? Which designs do you wish that you had come up with first? What are the most imaginative, out-of-the-box design ideas that you’ve seen firsthand?

    We’re always interested in hearing your thoughts, so if you have a moment, share them in the comment section at the very bottom of this post.

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    #32

    This Record Is A Piece Of Chocolate That Will Actually Play Once. The Foil Wrapping Unravels As It Is Played, Revealing The Chocolate Inside

    Chocolate record featuring Mozart, combining music and edible surprises, with intricate design and packaging.

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    #33

    Plug Has A Diagram Showing The Layout Of Its Wires Inside And Shows Which Is The Ground

    Person holding a UK plug with wiring diagram, showcasing cool products with surprises.

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    Miriam Insidecor
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The diagram is included on all plugs in the UK and has been for years. Surprised to see it in this list.

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    #34

    This Toothpaste Has Its Own “Key” To Help Roll The Tube

    Tube of Davids toothpaste with a metal squeezer, showcasing a cool product with surprises.

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    #37

    My New Cat Tower Came With Instructions To Turn The Shipping Box Into A Play House

    Instructions for assembling a box from a surprising product, held by a person with a black watch.

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    #38

    This Bag Of Beef Jerky Came With A Flosser

    Pack of beef jerky with hidden floss pick surprise, showcasing cool product feature.

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    #39

    The Spatula That Came With The Cake From A Korean Bakery Has Matches Inside And A Spot On The Back Of The Spatula To Light Them

    Cool product with hidden matches and a striker, revealing a surprising and practical design.

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    #41

    My LEGO Pyramid Set Came With An Extra Unlisted Piece, An Alien Ray Gun

    Lego pyramid model with hidden surprises and a river in the background.

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    #43

    This Cup Reveals The Picture Of A Woman When It‘S Held Into Light

    Hand holding a translucent cup revealing a hidden image, illustrating cool products with surprises.

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    Dianne Lasalle
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1930s-1960s Japanese Lithophane tea cup. The etching cannot be felt as both the inside and outside surfaces are flat. I have a full service tea set that I enjoy. There are many different designs and more than dishes lithophaned.

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    #45

    The Tin Cap To This Whiskey Bottle Is Its Own Shot Glass

    Tin Cup whiskey bottle with metallic cup, showcasing cool product surprise on an airplane wing.

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    Mason Kronol
    Community Member
    18 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Remember when Cuervo came with a little red hat? So many cats were annoyed.

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    #46

    The Box My Underwear Came In Can Be Turned Into A Birdhouse

    Wool base layer packaging with a hidden glass bottle surprise inside, combining cool products with unexpected elements.

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    Panda McPandaface
    Community Member
    1 day ago

    This comment has been deleted.

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    #47

    My Pizza Came With Recommended Reheating Instructions On The Inside Of The Box

    Pizza box with surprise reheating instructions, featuring a baked pizza.

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    #49

    My Dog’s Ramen Cup Toy Had A Flavor Packet Toy Inside It

    Hand holding two plush toys with "Flavor of Love" and a smiling face, showcasing cool products with surprises.

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    Michael None
    Community Member
    16 hours ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    To make sure your dog destroys the toy and you have to buy another.

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    #50

    Our New Grill Came With Instructions On How To Turn The Box Into A Playhouse

    Cardboard box with illustrated instructions showing assembly steps for a structure, resembling cool products with surprises.

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    M O'Connell
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Back in my day, you just gave your kids a box and let them figure it out for themselves!

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    Note: this post originally had 95 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.