Amazon just made ordering stuff online as easy as tapping a button—a real, physical button. One stuck to your fridge, even.
In the future, our homes will be covered in buttons like these, if Amazon has its way. The company’s insta-ordering Dash Buttons are now available for all Amazon Prime subscribers, and they’re free with rebate as long as customers buy something with one.
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Amazon Dash Buttons can be mounted anywhere, and with one click, they automatically order whatever item you need to restock your pantry, and fill up the laundry room or bathroom.
To visualize how such tappable tech might transform our homes and purchasing habits, we’ve looked at the seven best/worst Amazon Dash buttons. And yes, this is a real product in the actual IRL world.
We’re horrified too.
1. Smartwater button, because bottled water isn’t already wasteful enough.
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2. Gatorade button, for when you’re anticipating the weekend’s hangover and all you’ll want is sugary electrolytes.
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3. A Kraft mac and cheese button because you can never have too much cheesy, chunky goodness. Suggested placement: Directly by the bed.
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4. A gum button for when you’ve got just enough energy to chew, but not go to the bodega.
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5. Pet treats, so you can train your dog to order its own rewards.
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6. Protein powder—because you don’t have time for the gym and grocery shopping.
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7. And of course, toilet paper. When you run out of this stuff, you definitely don’t want to wait two days for delivery.
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Amazon’s button system might be helpful for people who like to plan ahead, though they’re limited to a corporately-curated selection of essentials early on. If Amazon eventually pairs Dash Buttons with Amazon Fresh, its grocery delivery service, then we’ll truly never leave the house again. Why would we?
Illustration by Max Fleishman
