Human development has allowed us to build skyscrapers and land rovers on Mars. But for everyday problems—like needing an adapter for your speakers, fixing a broken lawnmower wheel, or stopping a door from slamming shut—we don’t need the help of billion-dollar industries. Oftentimes, a little creativity is enough.
People who come up with these clever fixes proudly share them on the subreddit r/LowTechBrilliance, alongside with others’ ingenious solutions they’ve spotted out in the wild. So, as a reminder that we regular folks are often far more resourceful than we give ourselves credit for, we compiled some of the best examples below.
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Lost Finger Can‘T Stop A Gamer
The Real Hydrohomies
A Stack Of Cups That You Can Turn To Indicate When Coffee Was Brewed
No Funnel, No Problem
This Low Maintenance Reversible Bench
Cool Mechanical Hand Sanitizer Dispenser W Foot Pedal, No Batteries Or Hand Sensor Needed
Need A Level?
"My Dad ""Fixed"" My Lawnmower"
Old Dude In The Seat Next To Me On My Flight Used A Partially Inflated Baggy As A Phone Stand... Brilliant
Just Found This Sub, This Was A Functioning Lawnmower I Saw While In Bulgaria, Great Use Of Limited Resources
Successfully Used String To Direct AC Unit Condensation Down Into A Pitcher
No Stop Sign? No Problem
For Remote Teaching Without A Document Camera
Six People Can Have Their Own Lock And Each One Can Open The Gate!
Attractive And Humane Mousetrap Vase Made By Aakash Dewan In India
Can’t Have Lower Tech Than A Sundial (Slightly Cheating To Be Made With 3D Printer Tho)
Painting The Ceiling Brilliance
Made Floaties For My Avocado Seeds So I Don’t Have To Remember To Add Water To Them
It Is A Rain Boot
How To Link Up Multiple Barrels For Rainwater Collection
Foot Operated Hand Wash Station I Built For My Wife. Clean Water In Bottom; Waste Water Collected Above
We Needed To Disassemble A Shelf In An Office And We Didn’t Have A Mallet. Rubber Bands + Hammer = Mallet
My Brother Got Tired Of Holding His iPad Up
Combination Beer Cooler BBQ Grill
300 Year Old Device That Lets You Open 7 Books At Once
No Adapter Needed
Low Tech Cooling
How To Stop The Remote From Going Missing
Ingenious Doorstop
Years Ago I Needed To Prop A Camera Pi Up On A Tripod. The 1/4-20-Thread-To-USB-A-Male Adapter Was Born
USB connectors are not know for their structural strength, but awesome while it lasts
Face Shield - Cut Plastic, Punch Wholes, Attach To Glasses (Image Via The Inventor - Tokujin Yoshioka, Japanese Olympic Torch Designer)
Vertical Gardening Using Plastic Bottles And A Drip Irrigation System (Bottle On Top Is Upside Down With A Small Hole In The Bottle Cap Allowing A Slow Water Drip), Project For And With Refugees And People Living In Poverty
Switch Remote Control
Set Up A Siphon Out Of Old Pipe To Drain The Kid's Paddling Pool Quicker, And With Less Mess, Than The Drain Plug. (Or Watering The Plants, Which I Also Did)
No Need For A Slack To Transport Things
Finally Something To Do With An Old Cd Rack: A Ramen Holder
My Puzzle Came With A Stand For The Box
If It Works Then Why Not?
This Device Was Used To Listen For Enemy Planes
Teacher's Solution To Cheating
Just A Branch And A Marker Will Do
Bent Mirrored Steel Turns One Candle Into Four
No Air? Just Use A Pvc Elbow
Turned An Old Trampoline Into A Greenhouse!!
Not totally done yet but I’m already brainstorming what to grow in here. I’m in CT USA. any advice on what vegis I can grow overwinter in it? I’m thinking cold crops might have a chance of survival through most of the winter but I’ve never had a greenhouse before. The plastic isn’t as clear as I thought it would be but I’m reading that might be beneficial heat-wise anyway so I’m Leaving it as is for now.
