15 Products Where Innovation Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
![15 Products Where Innovation Stopped Dead In Its Tracks](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/6/1/890861_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the 20th century. A time of great invention and innovation, when the world was rapidly changing and new ideas and products were popping up left and right. But for some products, innovation seemed to stop after the initial invention. Take toilet paper, for example. It was improved into the soft, splinter-free version we know today in 1930, and then nothing much changed after that. Or take the toaster, invented in 1919 and patented in 1921. It was a great invention, but nothing much changed after that.
It’s the same with bicycles, handcuffs, zippers, rope-making, spoons, screws, pasta, hamburgers, Lindt chocolate, KitchenAid stand mixers, and paper clips. All of these products have been around for centuries, and while their materials and technology have changed, their basic designs remain the same. Even the Moka pot has stayed the same since 1933. So here’s to the 20th century, and all the timeless classics it has left us with.
Ain’t bent, don’t fix.
![You can't improve on... SPOONS During the 18th century, the design of the spoon was established, with a narrow, elliptical bowl and a rounded end of the handle. Except for size variations, this has remained unchanged. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/6/888776.jpg)
Innovation: Flushed away in 1930.
![You can't improve on... TOILET PAPER The 20th century saw the start of innovation. It was improved into the soft, splinter-free version we know today in 1930, and innovation basically stopped after that point. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/8/888778.jpg)
Innovation: toast-ed since 1921.
![You can't improve on... TOASTERS Charles Strite patented the toaster in 1921. His design included a pop-up mechanism still used today, and when pre-sliced bread was introduced in 1930, toaster sales boomed. Innovation didn't, though- nothing much has changed since. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/7/888777.jpg)
Same screw, different century.
![You can't improve on... SCREWS Screw technology changed over time, from the metal used to the shape of the head. But the basic tech of a ramp wrapped around a tapered, pointed column has stayed the same for 150+ years. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/5/888775.jpg)
Zipped in time, since 1893.
![You can't improve on... ZIPPERS The zipper debuted at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. It's stayed mostly the same since then: two rows of teeth pulled together by a slider. Most have a box and pin at the bottom to lock them, and that's more or less it as far as variations go. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/9/888779.jpg)
Rope: same old, same old, just with new materials.
![CRACKED You can't improve on... ROPE MAKING Rope making has been around for thousands of years, but how we make and use it hasn't changed much, just the materials and tech. Nowadays, rope is made from stuff including manila, hemp, linen, cotton, polypropylene, polyethylene, Kevlar, polyester, or a mix.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/4/888774.jpg)
Pasta: timeless, tasty, and good for you.
![CRACKED You can't improve on... PASTA Pasta has been around for centuries, and not much has changed. Even though the way the Greeks and Romans made and ate pasta was different to how we do it now, dishes from the Renaissance period would still look familiar to us.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/3/888773.jpg)
A timeless classic, inspired by Mrs. Bialetti’s curves, apparently.
![You can't improve on... MOKA POTS Alfonso Bialetti created the Moka Express in 1933, and it hasn't changed much since. His wife was the inspiration for the shape - her head, broad shoulders, narrow waist, arm on the hip, and pleated skirt. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/2/888772.jpg)
A timeless classic
![You can't KITCHENAID improve on... STAND MIXERS The mixers have been around since 1922. The design for the 1930s Model K is still recognizable today, and it's even been patented. Kitchen 20 KitchenAid continues > pumping out new colors and finishes, but the silhouette is the same. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/6/9/888769.jpg)
Cuffs have come a long way, but still look the same.
![CRACKED You can't improve on... HANDCUFFS Handcuffs in 1914 had a manual locking system, but then came out with a mechanism activated by a quick jab. They've gotten lighter and thinner, but still look basically the same.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/6/8/888768.jpg)
Same old paper clips, different century.
![You can't improve PAPER CLIPS on... Paper clips haven't changed much in the last century. The ones you can get today look pretty much the same as the ones in ads from the 1890s, with just a few minor adjustments. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/6/7/888767.jpg)
A sweet secret since 1879.
![You can't improve on... LINDT CHOCOLATE Lindt, from Switzerland, has been making their chocolate on the shores of Lake Zurich since 1879, and it still uses the same secret recipe. Cinalt CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/1/888771.jpg)
A century of wheeling.
![You can't improve on... BICYCLES Bikes have been around since the late 1800s, with bigger front wheels for longer rides. Thanks to better metalwork, they became lighter and easier to carry, but bike design has stayed the same for over 100 years. GRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/7/0/888770.jpg)
Ancient wisdom still flows strong, apparently.
![You can't improve on... AQUEDUCTS For millennia, aqueducts have been used to move water from places with lots of it to places with little. Ancient Romans used them to bring water from the mountains to Rome, and they're still used today. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/6/6/888766.jpg)
The hamburger: 100 years and still unbeatable.
![You can't improve on... HAMBURGERS The hamburger has been around for a century and it's still the same as it was when it was invented. It's been everywhere and it's still popular. It's like it's inevitable- you can't really make it any better than it already is. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/6/5/888765.jpg)