There’s a category of product I’ve come to love: the thing that replaces something you already own, does exactly the same job, but just… better. No new features. No smart connectivity. No learning curve. Just the same thing, but without the annoyances.
I call them boring upgrades, and they’ve been some of my best purchases.
The Appeal of the Boring
We’re drawn to exciting products. Revolutionary this, breakthrough that. Marketing teams know that “slightly better version of what you already have” doesn’t make for compelling copy.
But there’s something to be said for products that just work. A can opener that actually opens cans without slipping. A phone charger that charges faster and doesn’t fall out. A water bottle that doesn’t leak no matter how you throw it in your bag.
These aren’t the products that trend on social media. But they’re the ones you reach for every day without thinking about it.
Why We Resist Replacing What Works
Most people use subpar versions of basic products for years. That mediocre kitchen knife. The pillows that went flat two years ago. The desk lamp that gives you headaches.
We resist upgrading because the old version technically works. It opens cans. It supports your head. It provides light. Spending money to replace a functional item feels wasteful.
What we don’t account for is the daily friction. The small frustrations that add up over hundreds of uses. The knife that requires extra force. The pillow that needs constant readjusting. The lamp that’s never quite bright enough.
Finding the Sweet Spot
The trick with boring upgrades is finding the right price point. Too cheap and you’re getting the same quality you already have. Too expensive and you’re paying for features you don’t need.
The sweet spot is usually 2-3x what you’d normally spend on the category. Enough to get meaningfully better quality, not so much that you’re buying luxury for luxury’s sake.
A $40 can opener is ridiculous. A $15 can opener that’s twice as good as your $5 one? That’s a boring upgrade that makes daily life slightly better.
My Favorite Category
The best boring upgrades are things you use every single day without thinking about them. Kitchen basics. Bathroom essentials. The everyday carry items that are always in your pocket or bag.
Frequency of use is everything. A marginally better product that you use twice a year isn’t worth upgrading. A marginally better product that you use twice a day absolutely is.
Do the math on annoyance. If something frustrates you for 10 seconds every day, that’s an hour of frustration per year. Worth spending a few extra dollars to eliminate, I think.