Watering can: Design Mysteries Series

This morning I went searching for a new watering can at Home Depot and since it’s Fall thought I would find a serviceable can to replace the one I had for 15 years, maybe even on sale. By the way the broken one came with the house when I bought it 15 years ago and probably was 5 years old when I got it. So, it failed after 20 years. Pretty good product life.

I walked around looking for a watering can, which I couldn’t find till one of the Home Depot helpers directed me to shelf six feet in the air, which explains why I didn’t see them. When I took one down, with considerable trouble I might add, I was struck by how “crappy” it was. It was blow molded and had the heft of a plastic bag. I couldn’t believe that someone might actually purchase it and remarked to the Home Depot Helper that I thought a Tropicana Orange Juice container might be a better bet as a replacement for my watering can. It even came with a cover and a spout.

Not sure where this leaves all the designers, marketers and sales people who created the “Faux” watering can for Home Depot, but I’m going with my Tropicana “recycled” watering can. I think it’s better, stronger and easier to use than the one Home Depot might have pawned off on me and it is “free” with every purchase of Tropicana Orange Juice. So, I will probably station one at each of my outside faucets. (Comment by Ignacio Urbina Polo: “It’s amazing how big companies do not want to embrace second life of an object as a strategy for a more sustainable planet.”)

This watering can is free; the Home Depot “Bloem” watering can the orange juice costs of $5.43 costs $15.97 empty.

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Design Mysteries Series
Bruce Hannah 2017©