On a lighter note, the 2024 Shonky Awards were handed down by CHOICE, which places the spotlight on the dodgiest and most questionable products of the year. These awards never fail to entertain, but they also serve as a serious reminder of why safety and compliance (especially in electrical products) are so important.
We always pay extra special attention on any electrical items that make the list, and this year two electrical items made it (for all the wrong reasons):
GroundingWell Growing Socks
This was possibly the most bizarre entry. This product basically connects your socks to a wall socket. While the concept itself is questionable, the part we're interested in is the poor construction. Connection pins were tearing off after very minimal use, so they're clearly not reliable. Although you're very unlikely to come across any socks charging while testing and tagging, it's a great reminder about the dangerous of poorly made electrical items and the importance of testing for safety.
Acerpure Cordless Vaccum Cleaner
Rated one of the worst vaccum cleaners ever, it was not only flimsly and poorly constructed, but it also didn't come supplied with a plugged charger. All you got was a USB-A to USB-C cable. Needless to say, this left customers fairly underwhelmed and concerned about its reliability. If you come across this item in the workplace, we're interested by the test results you'll receive.
What these dodgy electrical products reminds us is why we do what we do in the test and tag industry. We ensure electrical products stay safe and protection people from hazards - it's that simple.
If you're curious about the full lineup of Shonky Award winners, you can check them out on the CHOICE website.