The 50 Most Iconic Designs of Everyday Objects
They're all around you.
Image via Complex Original
We rarely think about the design of the objects we use everyday. You don't usually catch yourself pondering the origin of your ballpoint pen or coffee maker when you're trying to write a paper or wake up after a night out. The fact is you're not suppose to; these everyday objects have been meticulously designed to work so well that you never have to notice them - that's what good design is all about.
These everyday objects could arguably be the best examples of successful design: they have stood the test of time, they were easily adopted by a vast majority of the population, and, as objects, they are so user-friendly that they disappear into our daily routine.
Take a moment to appreciate these unsung heroes, both the classic designs that will never change and the ones that were pivotal in raising the bar of design. Learn a little more about the everyday objects that help you get through the everyday with our list of The 50 Most Iconic Designs of Everyday Objects.
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50. Opinel Folding Knife
50. Opinel Knife
Year Invented: 1890
Designer: Samuel B. Fay
Created as a simple workman's knife, the Opinel knife, designed by Joseph Opinel in 1890, became popular with farmers, herdsmen, and winemakers of France.
49. Michael Graves Tea Kettle
49. Michael Graves Tea Kettle
Year Invented: 1984
Designer: Michael Graves
Although it's one of the few successful mass-produced post-modern products, the bird-whistle tea kettle by Michael Graves sells over 100,000 units annually and is seen as a design landmark. Graves' concept was simple—a molded plastic bird that provides the sound for the kettle and recalls the memories of the American 19th century Federal tea and coffee services.
48. Le Creuset French Oven
48. Le Creuset French Oven
Year Invented: 1925
Designer: Armand Desaegher and Octave Aubecq
Le Creuset was founded in the French town of Fresnay-le-Grand, Aisne, Picardy by Armand Desaegher and Octave Aubecq. Desaegher (a caster) and Aubecq (an enamel specialist), created the French Oven as their first product, which is still their most famous item and one your mother (or you) probably own to make casseroles.
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47. Little Trees
47. Little Trees
Year Invented: 1952
Designer: Julius Samann
Air fresheners can be found in almost any car these days. The tiny tree shape has become synonymous with "fresh air" (and used cars). Little trees, invented in 1952 by Julius Samann, are the original tree-shaped air freshener. This iconic design has found its way into pop culture and movies like The Fisher Kind, Seven, and Repo Man.
46. Amazon Kindle
46. Amazon Kindle
Year Invented: 2007
Designer: Labl26/Amazon
Amazon's answer to reading books in the electronic age was the Kindle, an E-Ink electronic paper reader. The display of the Kindle was revolutionary, because instead of a backlight screen, it rendered 16 tones to simulate reading on paper, making it easier for the reader and minimizing power consumption.
45. Post-It Note
45. Post-It Note
Year Invented: 1968
Designer: Art Fry/Spencer Silver
While attempting to develop a super-strong adhesive, Dr. Spenser Silver accidently created something that was pretty much the complete opposite—an adhesive that could be applied, removed, and applied again, without damage to the object it was applied to. He attempted to market the "low tack" adhesive to 3M to no avail. In 1974, Art Fry overheard Silver talking about his invention and quickly realized a use for the tack; he applied it to paper and created the Post-It Note.
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44. Pyrex Measuring Glass
44. Pyrex Measuring Cup
Year Invented: 1915
Designer: Corning Class Works
75% percent of American homes have some kind of Pyrex in their cupboards—either baking dishes, measuring cups, or other items from the line. Pyrex, invented by upstate New York glass company, Corning Class Works, is known for its strength and durability.
43. Greek Diner Coffee Cup
43. Greek Diner Coffee Cup
Year Invented: 1963
Designer: Leslie Buck
Leslie Buck, of the Sherri Cup Co., designed the Anthora coffee cup. The cup features an image of an amphora, an ancient Greek container. Because of its Greek styling, the cup appealed to Greek-owned coffee shops in New York City and became ubiquitous with the metropolitan, being called "perhaps the most successful cup in history" by the New York Times.
42. Panton Plastic Chair
42. Panton Plastic Chair
Year Invented: 1968
Designer: Verner Panton
Eero Saarinen's famous tulip chair, designed in 1955, was one of the first plastic chairs to be produced. But in 1968, Verner Panton created the first single-form injection-molded chair—his stackable, cantilever Panton chair. The sleek lines and singluar form of this chair have made it an icon and secured it a place in design history.
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41. Chinese Food Container
41. Chinese Food Container
Year Invented: Early 20th Century
Designer: Unknown
What we know now as the Chinese take out container was originally an oyster pail. When oysters were more prevalent (and cheaper), the container was used to carry them home from the store (at one point they were also used to hold honey). Once the price of oysters went up, demand decreased, and the containers weren't widely used. But after World War II, the demand for take out and take-home meals rose, and the oyster pail was soon adopted as the container of choice, especially for cuisines like Chinese and Thai.
40. Compact Table Service
40. Compact Table Service
Year Invented: 1964
Designer: Massimo Vignelli
Massimo Vignelli's compact table service created a thoughtful solution to limited storage space. Vignelli designed each of his dining objects to fit within each other, allowing them to be stacked in a small space.
39. Red Telephone Box
39. Red Telephone Box
Year Invented: 1920
Designer: Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
The red telephone boxes found scattered around the UK and occupied territories have become an iconic symbol of England. The first standard telephone kiosk was introduced in 1920. Because of widespread dissatisfaction with the original design, the London Metropolitan Borough Joint Standing Committee organized a competition to find a more appealing design. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott won the competition, and the post office chose to produce it in steel and paint it red.
38. Kitchen Aid Mixer
38. Kitchen Aid Mixer
Year Invented: 1918
Designer: Herbert Johnson
The idea for the stand mixer was developed by Herbert Johnson, an employee at The Herbart Corporation. The first incarnation of the machine was used on Navy battleships. The first household, Kitchen-Aid branded mixer was unveiled in 1918.
37. Burberry Trench Coat
37. Burberry Trench Coat
Year Invented: 1901
Designer: Burberry
The Burberry trench coat is a staple of everyday attire. It was originally developed as an alternative to the heavy coats worn by British and French soldiers in World War I. The garment was an optional part of the uniform for officers, but it was not permitted to be worn by any other rank. Because of their original role as a staple for military officers, the trench coat gained respectability as businesswear.
36. Planner Group Compact Furniture
36. Planner Group Compact Furniture
Year Invented: 1949
Designer: Paul McCobb
Paul McCobb's planner group compact furniture was the first system of modular furniture components to be produced for the mass-market.
35. Swingline Stapler
35. Swingline Stapler
Year Invented: 1939
Designer: Swingline (originally Parrot Speed Fastener Company)
Swingline was founded in 1925 in New York City by Jack Linsky. In 1939, the company created a stapler that would set the standard for the office product. This new design had an opening on top that allowed the user to easily drop in a new strip of staples. The Swingline stapler has also become an iconic everyday object of the screen, appearing in TV shows like The IT Crowd, Scrubs, and The Simpsons, and most notably, the movie, Office Space.
34. Jansport Backpack
34. JanSport Backpack
Year Invented: 1967
Designer: Murray Pletz, Skip Yowell, and Jan Lewis
JanSport came to be through a backpack design competition. An aluminum company sponsored the competition to solicit new backpack designs. Murray Pletz won the competition; with his winnings, he started a new company with his cousin, Skip Yowell, and his girlfriend, Jan Lewis (the namesake of the company). During the '70s, after the company was under new ownership, they started marketing their backpacks more heavily to schools and colleges, and by the 1990s, JanSport was the supplier for almost 30% of backpacks in the U.S.
33. Hunter Rainboots
33. Hunter Rainboots
Year Invented: 1856
Designer: Henry Lee Norris
In the 18th century, the Duke of Wellington instructed his shoemaker to create boots based on the Hessian Boot. This shoe became known as the Wellington (and later the Wellie). The style grew in popularity with patriotic British men. So it's no surprise that by 1852, when Hiram Hutchinson met Charles Goodyear, who had just invented the process to create vulcanization rubber, he would base his design for rubber boots on the Wellington. Hutchinson bough the patent and moved to France, where he set up shop under the name AIGLE. Because of the high population of farmers and laborers in the area, his rubber boots became a huge success, keeping the workers' feet dry while they toiled out in the field. The extreme functionality of the boots, and their popularity as work boots, lead them to be instated as a uniform requirement for the British Army in World War I (and later in World War II). The contract for this went to Henry Lee Norris's company, The North British Rubber Company (now Hunter Boot), who is the most popular manufacture of the iconic boots today.
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32. Polaroid Camera
32. Polaroid Camera
Year Invented: 1948
Designer: Edwin Land
Edwin Land, the founder of Polaroid, invented instant film in 1947. A year later, he unveiled the first commercial instant camera, the Land Camera. Although other "instant" cameras were available before Land's camera, they were more like portable darkrooms than instant cameras or film.
31. One Fifty Vacuum Cleaner
31. One Fifty Vacuum Cleaner
Year Invented: 1933
Designer: Henry Dreyfuss
Henry Dreyfuss' One Fifty vacuum cleaner didn't just deliver an aesthetic redesign of previous models, it was a total overhaul of all aspects of the design. Dreyfuss modified the materials used to create the vacuum, making it lighter and allowing more of the parts to be custom designed.
30. 40 in 4 Chair
30. 40 in 4 Chair
Year Invented: 1963
Designer: David Rowland
David Rowland's 40 in 4 chair was conceived to allow for more compact storage. Intended for use in public spaces with small storage areas, the chair quickly became popular for domestic and international use, as well.
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29. Q-Tip
29. Q-Tip
Year Invented: 1920
Designer: Leo Gerstenzang
By sticking cotton balls on either end of a tooth pick, Leo Gerstenzang invented the cotton swab, or as it is most commonly referred to, the Q-tip. Gerstenzang originally named his design "Baby Gays," but it was renamed and marketed as the "Q-Tip" (the Q stands for quality).
28. Valentine Typewriter
28. Valentine Typewriter
Year Invented: 1969
Designer: Ettore Sottass
Olivetti regarded design as a top priority in product development, collaborating with influential designers like Le Corbusier and Louis Khanh. Not surprisingly, many of their products are in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. One of Olivetti's most famous designs was their Valentine typewriter, designed by Ettore Sottass and Perry King. The Valentine was unique, in that it was designed to be an attractive object. The designers wanted something that was anti-machine, anti-work, and something that people would enjoyed using.
27. Track Lighting System
27. Track Lighting System
Year Invented: 1963
Designer: Lightolier
Lightolier's track lighting system rethought the possibilities of lighting. By creating a long electric strip that lights could snap into, the track lighting allowed for more flexibility in lighting options.
26. Converse Sneakers
26. Converse Sneakers
Year Invented: 1892
Designer: U.S. Rubber Company
The sneaker we are familiar with today stems from the U.S. Rubber Company's design for Keds shoes. These rubber-soled, canvas-topped shoes were mass-produced until 1917. That same year, Marguis Converse produced the first shoe made for basketball, the Converse All Star. In 1923, Chuck Taylor, an Indiana basketball player, endorsed the shoe and the name was changed to Chuck Taylor All-Stars.
25. Thermos Vacuum Flask
25. Thermos Vacuum Flask
Year Invented: 1892
Designer: Sir James Dewar
Chemist and physicist Sir James Dewar invented the vacuum flask in 1892. The flask consists of two walls that have air vacuumed out from between them to keep liquids hot or cold longer. Unfortunately, Dewar never patented his invention, and a German company, Thermos GmbH, ended up manufacturing it in 1904, subsequently patenting the design and leaving Dewar with no rights to the product.
24. RC-M90 Boombox
24. RC-M90 Boombox
Year Invented: 1991
Designer: JVC
Arguably the most iconic boombox there is, the JVC RC-M90 has been referenced numerous times in music and film, and it even appeared on a few album covers (like Solid Gold Hits by the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J's Radio.) While the boombox itself is an icon of everyday design, the RC-M90 has become an icon of pop-culture as well.
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23. Weber Grill
23. Weber Barbecue Grill
Year Invented: 1950
Designer: George A. Stephen
George Stephen worked for Weber Brothers Metal Works, a metal fabricator that primarily made buoys. Stephens was frustrated with his open-brick grill, because he felt that it produced uneven heat and too much smoke. The open top also allowed too much wind to blow ashes into his food. So Stephen took half of a buoy and welded three steel legs onto it. This marked the beginning of the Weber-Stephen Products Co. and one of the most iconic cooking objects to date.
22. Safety Pin
22. Safety Pin
Year Invented: 1849
Designer: Walter Hunt
The invention of the safety pin is a story of caution. In order to repay a $15 bet, Walter Hunt designed a fastening pin out of copper wire and a clasp to hold the end of the wire. His invention is the basis of the modern day safety pin, but Hunt sold his patent to WR Grace and Co. for $400, using the money to pay off his friend. As we know today, the safety pin is an invention that is used throughout the world, and one that made WR Grace Co. millions of dollars. Mr. Hunt only made $485.
21. Bic Ballpoint Pen
21. Bic Ballpoint Pen
Year Invented: 1938
Designer: Lazlo and Gyorgy Biro
Lazlo and Gyorgy Biro presented their pen design at the Budapest International Fair in 1931. By this time, many variations on the ballpoint pen had been patented, but none of these were as commercially viable as the Biros' design. The Hungarian Biro brothers panted their design in 1938, and in 1943 they moved to Argentina, where they formed Biro Pens of Argentina. The design was licensed to the British, and in 1945, Marcel Bich bought the patent, which soon became the star product of his Bic company.
20. Swiss Army Knife
20. Swiss Army Knife
Year Invented: 1890
Designer: Wester & Co.
The Schweiser Officersmesser (or the Swiss Army Knife as U.S. soldiers called it during World War II, because they couldn't pronounce the German name), was designed by West & Co. for the Swiss Army. The knife was designed to open food containers and disassemble rifles, among other things. The original knife had a blade, reamer, can opener, and screwdriver. In 1891, Elsener took over production of the model. His company Victorinox is the producer of the classic Swiss Army Knife we see and use today.
19. Phonosuper
19. Phonosuper Phohograph and Radio
Year Invented: 1956
Designer: Dieter Rams/Hans Gugelot
The cabinet design of Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot's Phonosuper revolutionized the series from Braun and introduced the concept of the transparent plexiglass cover. The sleek, minimalistic styling of the Phonosuper epitomized the company's dedication to modern design aesthetics and set the standard for high-quality styling.
18. Flint 1900 Kitchen Tools
18. Flint 1900 Kitchen Tools
Year Invented: 1946
Designer: Ecko
Ecko's Flint 1900 line set the production and design standard for kitchen tools. Ecko's modification of materials from wood and stamped metal to plastic and steel made the Flint 1900 line more resilient and durable.
17. Band-aid Bandage
17. Band-Aid
Year Invented: 1917-1921
Designer: Earle Dickson
Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson, and he also had a very clumsy wife. This aided Dickson in creating one of the best-selling bandages ever. Sales were initially slow; they only sold $3,000 worth of Band-Aids the first year, but once Johnson & Johnson decided to give free Band-Aids to Boy Scout troops as a publicity stunt, the sales started picking up. Now the company says that sales have topped over $100 billion.
16. CIFRA 3 Table Clock
16. CIFRA 3 Table Clock
Year Invented: 1966
Designer: Gino Valle
Gino Valle employed the same technology in the CIFRA3 travel clock as he did in his airport and train station projects for Solari. His travel clock told time by clipping numbers. As the center rotating cylinder turned, it allowed the number tiles to drop and change the time. He also designed the type of numbers that could be more easily read from across the room, bolding the hour number so that it was differentiated from the minute numbers.
15. T-Shirt
15. T-Shirt
Year Invented: 1913
Designer: U.S. Navy
The origin of the t-shirt is murky. Some say that the British wore the garment under their military uniforms during World War I, and others say that the French may have worn them even earlier. Most people cite the U.S. Navy as the originator of the shirt—first requiring it in their issued uniforms as early as 1913. Other branches of the military were soon to follow; in the late 1930s, the Marines adopted the garment, and by the end of WWII, the Army had it as well. It was the popularity among the armed forces that allowed to shirt to transition from just a piece of uniform to an everyday clothing staple. By the late 1950s, the T-shirt had seeped into American pop-culture, sported by Hollywood icons like James Dean and Marlon Brando.
14. John Deer Tractor
14. John Deere Tractor
Year Invented: 1938
Designer: Henry Dreyfuss
Arguably one of the most influential industrial designers in America, Henry Dreyfuss was a pioneer of automotive design. So it seems natural that he would be approached by America's leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery to give its best selling tractors, the Model A and Model B, a modern facelift.
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13. Dualit Toaster
13. Dualit Toaster
Year Invented: 1952
Designer: Max Gort-Barten
Max Gort-Barten, a German-born entrepreneur, started Dualit in Britian after World War II. Gort-Barten designed the first six-slice toaster with a built-in timer in 1952. The toaster's iconic design (virtually unchanged since its conception) makes it a staple in homes today.
12. Tupperware
12. Tupperware
Year Invented: 1945
Designer: Earl S. Tupper
Earl S. Tupper's storage containers were revolutionary to their class of kitchen supplies; they were durable, flexible, and beautiful. House Beautiful even gushed about the line in 1947, calling the products "art objects."
11. Safety Razor
11. Safety Razor
Year Invented: 1847
Designer: William S. Henson
The basic razor was invented by William S. Henson. The design was easier to use on oneself than the previous straight razor design, but in 1880, Fredrick and Otto Kampfe improved it by adding a blade holder that distanced the blade from the handle, and allowed the hair to be cut without damaging the skin. In 1901, King Camp Gillette improved upon the razor again, creating a disposable double-edge blade, which was widely used by American troops in World War I. In the 1970s, a disposable version of the design was adapted to further reduce risk, and the razor blades were embedded into a disposable plastic cartridge, which is similar to the disposable razors we see today.
10. Zippo Lighter
10. Zippo Lighter
Year Invented: 1933
Designer: George G. Blaisdell
Zippo lighters became popular in the military, primarily during World War II. Initially the lighter was made of brass, but due to the war, it had to start being manufactured in steel. Although Zippo was not officially contracted by the U.S. Military, the product was so popular among soldiers and armed forces that they became stocked in base exchange and post exchange stores.
9. Glass Coca-Cola Bottle
9. Glass Coca-Cola Bottle
Year Invented: 1916
Designer: Root Glass Co.
Coca-Cola wanted to create a bottle that could be easily identified by shape alone, so in 1916, Root Glass company designed the 6.5 ounce bottle, inspired by the gourd-shaped coca pod.
8. JC Penny's Coffee Maker
8. JC Penny Coffee Maker
Year Invented: 1976
Designer: JC Penny
The JC Penny coffee maker, introduced in 1976, was one in a series of products that brought high-quality, modern design to the mass-market, along the same lines as Braun.
7. Levis Denim Jeans
7. Levis Denim Jeans
Year Invented: 1873
Designer: Jacob Davis/Levi Strauss
Although the denim fabric was invented long before, jeans as we know them today were not invented until 1873, when Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss designed the first pair out of denim with strategically placed, reinforced copper rivets to prevent ripping.
6. Angelpoise Lamp
6. Angelpoise Lamp
Year Invented: 1932
Designer: George Carwardine
The Angelpoise Lamp, also known as the architect's lamp or the task lamp, is a staple amongst people who do desk work. The adjustable lamp was designed by George Carwardine, a car designer, in 1932. In addition to multiple variations and knock-offs that have been created, key elements of Carwardine's lamp have also been copied, most notablly the adjustable arm.
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5. Predicta Television
5. Predicta Television
Year Invented: 1958
Designer: Philco
Philco's Predicta television set was the first TV in America to break away from the standard cabinet format. It was also the first to swivel, allowing the viewer to move the set as needed.
4. Apple IIc Personal Computer
4. Apple IIc Personal Computer
Year Invented: 1982-1985
Designer: FROGDESIGN/Apple
The Apple IIc was the first truly user-friendly computer. By creating a clean, sophisticated design and scaling down components, Frog Design, along with Apple, was able to create a modern, easy-to-use product that was immediately copied by competitors.
3. Apple iPhone
3. Apple iPhone
Year Invented: 2007
Designer: Jonathan Ives/Apple
The iPhone revolutionized cell phones. It took a basic object, with a purpose to only place and receive phone calls, and turned it into a hub of all electronic communication.
2. Sony Walkman
2. Sony Walkman
Year Invented: 1970
Designer: Akio Morita and Mazaru Ibuka
When Sony's Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka became unhappy with the weight of their portable tape recorder, the Pressman, they decided to refine it with a stereo amplifier. The new product, the Walkman, soon took off. Sony had to design new machinery to handle the growing demand.
1. Model 302 Telephone
1. Model 302 Telephone
Year Invented: 1876
Designer: Henry Dreyfuss
Western Electrics Model 302 was the first widely-used telephone to include a ringer and network circuitry in the same unit. Its iconic form was designed by predominant industrial-designer, Henry Dreyfuss. The phone was first deployed on the Bell System in 1936 and appeared in many TV shows and films, including a memorable scenes in I Love Lucy. The phone is still referred to as "the Lucy phone" by collectors.