What are the best little Quality of Life product improvements you've seen in your lifetime?

[Ken Gargett]

screwcaps!

i see JP has mentioned another one but for me, nothing sums up humanity better than the fact that we were able to put a man on the moon before any one of us thought to put wheels on suitcases. 

[Redgoldband]

Enhanced/increased food (or other items) delivery services. Parking sensors on cars. Abundance of WiFi.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Goldeneye]

The TV remote would get my vote. I can remember having to get off the couch to change the channel to one of three that existed at the time.

[Meklown]

Anything wireless. Batteries/Bluetooth/etc facilitated. Phones, vacuum, lawnmowers, headphones.

[Chibearsv]

6 hours ago, Goldeneye said:

The TV remote would get my vote.  I can remember having to get off the couch to change the channel to one of three that existed at the time.

Good call.

I was my father's TV remote 😁 

I remember the early ones used metallic chimes that would advance the channel knob forward or backward when the button was pressed. No battery, just a spring loaded hammer that struck a metal bar.

[bmac]

Cigars 

[El Hoze]

Since you said “little”…we now have a system where if anyone tries to connect to our home Wifi my wife and I get a message on our phone “approve XYZ for wifi?” and we just click yes and they’re connected. One of my pet peeves has always been people coming over and asking for our wifi password. We always have these needlessly complicated wifi passwords that I can never remember and when I do people type them in wrong.

One less peeve, I will find another to replace it. This happened recently. 

[chasy]

Technology led to a massive increase in the need for passwords. Technology then had to help solve the endless need for passwords… 🤔

[rcarlson]

Microwave oven

Disposable razors

GPS

[griller]

For me, gotta say the internet and electronic banking/financial services. GPS is a big one, too.

[SigmundChurchill]

On 8/6/2025 at 1:09 AM, SUP8333 said:

The heated toilet seat with the bidet spraying warm water, also it sings to you while it flushes. 

I came here to say the iPhone or the PC, but then I saw this and it reminded me to get my priorities straight.  

Mine also lights up the bowl when I walk in the room so I don’t have to turn on the lights in the middle of the night.

[chasy]

36 minutes ago, SigmundChurchill said:

I came here to say the iPhone or the PC, but then I saw this and it reminded me to get my priorities straight.  

Mine also lights up the bowl when I walk in the room so I don’t have to turn on the lights in the middle of the night.

Not gonna lie, I associate a warm toilet seat with someone was recently sitting on it and that's why it's warm. I remember my first job, we had an undesirable staff-to-stall ratio. Anytime I got a cold toilet seat I was happy because it meant I wasn't following up too closely on someone else...

[GaryK 54]

The portability of music available to one with streaming and downloading technology. I go back to the days of cassette tapes and tape decks in cars and the Sony Walkman. Now all of my music collection is available anytime and anywhere through a mobile phone and a bluetooth connection.

[SigmundChurchill]

1 hour ago, chasy said:

Not gonna lie, I associate a warm toilet seat with someone was recently sitting on it and that's why it's warm. I remember my first job, we had an undesirable staff-to-stall ratio. Anytime I got a cold toilet seat I was happy because it meant I wasn't following up too closely on someone else...

While I like the warm feature, which I keep at the highest setting, you can turn it off and still get all the other features.  

[Stogeyfish]

Automatic garage door opener/closer.

[chasy]

One (maybe the only) highlight of Covid is that now canceled flights become travel credits. Used to be so painful to cancel a flight, pay a $250 fee and keep whatever was leftover. I book flights on a whim now and just bank travel credits in the event I cancel.

[JohnnyO]

1st class in Americans 777. Don't see it as often as I used to but its a good feeling when you do. Also the generator I sent down to Cuba. John

[El Hoze]

On 8/7/2025 at 8:22 AM, chasy said:

Not gonna lie, I associate a warm toilet seat with someone was recently sitting on it and that's why it's warm. I remember my first job, we had an undesirable staff-to-stall ratio. Anytime I got a cold toilet seat I was happy because it meant I wasn't following up too closely on someone else...

I used to work on a trading floor, 50 guys all coming into work at 6am. A cold toilet seat was never taken for granted. I consider one of my greatest successes in life that I have not had to sit on a manually warmed up toilet seat in probably 10 years. 

[Wookie]

On 8/8/2025 at 2:56 AM, JohnnyO said:

1st class in Americans 777. Don't see it as often as I used to but its a good feeling when you do. Also the generator I sent down to Cuba. John

In the late 90s/early aughts I was a junior partner at an investment firm that did stuff globally. They used to make me do one or two day trips from Boston to Tokyo to give presentations to our LPs. Only benefit was upgrades to 777 1st class and good hotels/food. 

[chasy]

2 hours ago, El Hoze said:

I used to work on a trading floor, 50 guys all coming into work at 6am. A cold toilet seat was never taken for granted. I consider one of my greatest successes in life that I have not had to sit on a manually warmed up toilet seat in probably 10 years. 

Same CBOE floor for 5 years. 1,000+ guys. The stint I spent in the S&P500 pit was something…

Those toilets were on par with an NFL stadium at halftime. Oh, and lots of extracurriculars going on as well…

[Lucas Buck]

The internet, cigar forums and the ability to buy Cuban cigars on said internet. 

[westg]

On 8/6/2025 at 10:21 AM, riderpride said:

The invention of navigation systems has saved many marriages. 

Same with backup cameras on RVs too lol.

Cheers!

Yep. Great invention!

[BlueRidgeFly]

The automotive power window, massive first world life improvement…unless you don’t spend time in a vehicle. Otherwise I’d say modern high tech clothing fabric.

[Chas.Alpha]

Weather predictions and alerts. 

[Cestis4]

The coffee machine. Any type!