They finally fixed my shampoo. It’s been redesigned so it can sit upside-down, so you don’t have to endure the wait-and-shake, trying to coax the shampoo to the mouth of the bottle. I was so happy, I didn’t even mind that they raised the price, from $1.19 to $1.49. It’s Suave.
Similar work has been afoot in the food department. There’s inverted ketchup and grape jelly, and probably other products I haven’t noticed yet. I applaud this trend. Presumably there’s a slightly increased danger of leakage, but it’s totally worth it.
Now I’d like all of the other viscous ingredients get on the upside-down bandwagon. Sriracha and oyster sauce come to mind.
I love seeing a product redesign that is so obviously superior. The soda can “fridge pack” is another recent example. I don’t actually ever buy canned soda, but if I did, I would totally go for the fridge pack.
This isn’t exactly *packaging,* but the availability of individual celery stalks in the produce section is a major advance.
What are some other cool packaging redesigns I’m forgetting?
I’m a big fan of the fridge pack, too. My mom and I were just talking about it over the weekend.
In the realm of squeezables, there’s toothpaste, of course, in the not-so-new stand-up tubes. And I just bought Maille mustard in a squeezy bottle, which made me irrationally happy.
Pull tab cans! No tin opener!!
Zip lock bags – LOVE THEM!!
May I also add screw top bottles of wine. Although I love the ease, I do feel stoopid trying to open a screw top bottle with a cork screw…..
I don’t know if this product is out yet, but I did one of those mall market research studies last year on baking soda with a plastic flip-top lid. I told them I would pay a lot more money for baking soda if it came with a flip-top lid. (of course baking soda is cheap, so “a lot more” still isn’t much.) I’m hoping this comes to pass.
I put things upside down all the time anyways, even if they’re not designed to be.
I recommend making sure things are tightly closed though. Molasses + fridge = big mess.
Lore, I do buy cornstarch in the can with the plastic lid, rather than the box, even though it costs three times as much. So I know where you’re coming from.
Laurel, I also do that, but some things just don’t work. Like those skinny bottles of Mae Krua oyster sauce.
Maybe I’m crazy, but I get annoyed by the inverted ketchup bottles. The hole (nozzle?) has a sort of valve that requires a certain amount of pressure before ketchup will come out. That’s all well and good for keeping the ketchup in the bottle when it’s in the fridge, but I hate the way it does come out when you use it. The pressure buildup before the valve opens forces you to blast your ketchup at your food, making it hard to distribute a nice even pattern over your fries (or tuna casserole or what have you).
How’s a guy supposed to draw a good smiley face in his food when that first burst creates such an uneven line thickness? Seriously, it’s outrageous.
I’ve never had a problem with the regular upright plastic squeeze bottles – give it a quick, single shake before opening the flip top lid, then squeeze. I still buy that style when I have the choice.
My favorite French honey:
http://www.furansunocafe.com/produits.php?no=291&lg=en&base=ptitdej
And wow is it a godsend – whenever I need honey for a bread recipe, frostings, honey barbecue chicken, etc., I just squeeze and go.
Josh, I had no idea there was a special valve in the ketchup (I haven’t actually bought the inverted bottle, since we go through a bottle of ketchup in like three years here). I can see the problem.
All of my cool packaging stuff relates to medical supplies, which I get really, really excited about, but I can’t see anyone else around here caring whether a Foley catheter is packaged with a lot of accessories or a la carte…
“it’s Suave” is a nice phrase to say. You sound like Julian in Gone-Away Lake.
In Japan, where everything is so darn cute, they sell plastic holders specifically for your upside down ketchup and mayo bottles. I saw some at Maruta the other day and I’m sure Uwajimaya has them as well…it would work for the skinny Mae Krua bottles!
well, sure, the initial blast of ketchup may be off-putting, but i am willing to pay the price of blown-away toppings to never have that “oh, crap” moment where you realize you forgot to shake the condiment, and have just leaked ketchuppy (or mustardy) water all over whatever it is you wanted to be enjoying.