/r/OnlyInTheory

Photograph via snooOG

A place to point out & discuss seemingly awesome ideas and/or products that on second thought are actually only cool in theory.

Only In Theory

Where we point out & discuss initially awesome-seeming ideas and/or products that on second thought have some serious drawbacks or deficiencies.

Huge bonus points for things that went viral as great ideas & a title properly explaining exactly what's faulty with it.


Post Title Format

The easiest format to submit your OIT if you're comin' up short:

"<insert awesome item!>... except <insert reason why it's not so awesome on second thought>"


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/r/OnlyInTheory

3,644 Subscribers

31

The rarely seen trampoline assisted air ball

1 Comment
2018/04/05
12:31 UTC

2

Vodka, meet smoke.

2 Comments
2018/02/09
13:25 UTC

7

The Centaur class starship from Star Trek Loos really cool. Until you realise it's two totally different ships glued together...

2 Comments
2018/01/31
18:33 UTC

7

Marmalade beer is now a thing. We were NOT impressed...

0 Comments
2018/01/21
19:42 UTC

7

There is a beer in Scotland made to taste like a weird lumpy pudding boiled in a dishcloth. And I drank it.

1 Comment
2018/01/17
04:00 UTC

7

Camden Town Brewery sent a thank you box to my pub for stocking their beer. We don't stock their beer...

1 Comment
2018/01/14
00:55 UTC

11

Uber Tesla / Uber ONE launches in Dubai

0 Comments
2017/10/09
08:55 UTC

41

Water Bottle Bazooka

2 Comments
2016/08/31
23:40 UTC

97

This sub, apparently

2 Comments
2016/05/11
05:05 UTC

16

A kit that lets diabetics make their own insulin

I'm the creator of this kit that lets people create their own GMOs by playing with DNA. And then I thought, what if i could promote my kit for diabetics or make a kit specifically for it? But I think i'll get my ass sued from people getting infections using unsafe syringes and injecting something that isn't insulin into their blood :S

(https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/glowgene/glowgene-create-new-lifeforms-by-mixing-up-dna/)

10 Comments
2015/09/16
14:06 UTC

19

Sounds fun: a helicopter with 54 drone rotors spinning at neck-height...

1 Comment
2015/09/15
15:32 UTC

54

Well, it's eye catching and it shows how the product works, but....

8 Comments
2015/09/07
03:03 UTC

46

I can only imagine how much crap builds up from falling into the holes for the analog sticks

4 Comments
2015/06/28
15:49 UTC

67

Bacon alarm clock - wake up to the smell of bacon cooking!... except leaving slices of raw bacon overnight for six+ hours & you're gonna have a bad time

12 Comments
2015/06/16
23:32 UTC

35

Saving a sheep stuck in a fence! Yeah!... except the steep slope behind you! (x-post /r/yesyesyesyesno)

3 Comments
2015/06/13
23:48 UTC

51

Ass cheek tanner (xpost from Funny)

12 Comments
2015/06/11
02:33 UTC

25

Man Sack Fanny Pack - what a hoot! Have fun lewdly reaching in/around your fannypack balls for loose change & getting mocked by your buds with as many innuendos they can possibly think of

4 Comments
2015/06/11
01:12 UTC

50

Smell-based alarm clock - "wake up to a delightful scent – and not an incessant beeping alarm – with this smell based alarm clock"... but considering smell is actually tertiary to the senses of sight & sound AND these scents are considered relaxing & pleasant, this just won't work as an ALARM clock.

4 Comments
2015/06/06
04:20 UTC

51

Glass vibrator urn. Let's sidestep the obvious necrophilia comments & just go with "wait... a hollow glass vibrator?!?!?!"

4 Comments
2015/05/30
23:04 UTC

17

Email headlines like "Intelligent people have this in common"

All the intelligent people go, "wait a minute, this is probably bullshit."

0 Comments
2015/05/28
07:24 UTC

31

A USB power station that's SUPPOSED to get wedged between the couch cushions. What're the odds after an hour or two of moving around on your couch that thing'll slip under & get lost in the depths just like everything else?

5 Comments
2015/05/25
22:50 UTC

28

A gruesome-yet-hilarious final destination scene just waiting to happen with these ninja star coat hooks

4 Comments
2015/05/23
01:13 UTC

35

Toilet bowl coffee mug: hilarious in theory, instinctively repulsive in practice

5 Comments
2015/05/16
18:43 UTC

41

"Enjoy a quick smoke break during a marathon study session by discreetly toking on these Hilighter pipes - minimize the risk of getting caught!" ...but wouldn't putting a smoking neon highlighter up to your mouth attract MORE attention?

12 Comments
2015/05/14
05:30 UTC

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