Before there was QVC , there was Ron Popeil , an inventor who became a multimillionaire by pitch task - rescue , albeit unusual , devices on TV . But wait . . . there ’s more ! Here are some of Ron Popeil ’s illustrious and infamous products .
1. Veg-O-Matic
Popeil learned to be a pitchman from his father , Samuel , who was also an artificer and salesman of kitchen gismo such as the Chop - O - Matic , which later became Ron ’s Veg - O - Matic and together sold more than 11 million units . The Chop - type O - Matic was introduced in the mid-1950s at the awe-inspiring lowly price of $ 3.98 . Ron rename it the Veg - O - Matic and peddle it as " the capital kitchen appliance ever made . . . . "
2. Pocket Fisherman
Popeil promote this gadget as " the big fishing innovation since the hook . . . and still only $ 19.95 . " The handle was a mini fishing gear box bear a bait , line , and sinker . . . worm were up to you since it did n’t get with a scoop power shovel . The Pocket Fisherman was devise in 1963 by Ron ’s father after he was nearly injured by the tip of a fishing terminal . Today ’s version sells for $ 29.99 and has a doubled - flex rod hinge that blossom forth to a fully extendable locating . Together , both versions of the Pocket Fisherman have sold more than two million units .
3. Mr. Microphone
Launched in 1978 , Mr. Microphone was a modest - power FM modulator that turned radio set into annoying precursor of the karaoke machine . The television set commercial featured Popeil ’s daughter and her boyfriend driving a convertible and using Mr. Microphone , which made one wonder why he did n’t follow this conception up with Mr. Earplugs . mayhap it helped that he sold more than a million of them at $ 19.95 .
4. Smokeless Ashtray
The Smokeless Ashtray was a tiny gadget that promise to suck up the smoke come from cigars and cigaret before it filled the way , and in the 1970s , Ron sell more than a million of these contraptions at $ 19.95 each . With most smoking being done outside today , the Smokeless Ashtray has been replaced by something less expensive – jazz .
5. Inside-the-Shell Egg Scrambler
Not one of Popeil ’s best sellers , but here ’s how it sour : A bent on flag pierces the eggshell , rotates inside it , and creates perfectly shin eggs and yolk - innocent hard - moil eggs . Only about 150,000 have sold at $ 19.95 .
6. Dial-O-Matic
If the Chop - O - Matic and Veg - oxygen - Matic do n’t cut veggie small enough that the nipper ca n’t recognise them , the Dial - type O - Matic will . This food slicer debut in the mid-1950s , preceding the modern nutrient mainframe , and at the original toll of $ 3 , took a much small gash out of the family budget . The Dial - O - Matic has sell two million units and is still available – now for $ 29.95 – and can still turn century of potatoes into Gallic fries in minutes .
7. Automatic Pasta Maker
This gadget allow you to make 12 different shapes of preservative - loose homemade pasta in just five bit ! you could even use it to make homemade sausage balloon . Since 1993 , more than one million people have buy the Automatic Pasta Maker for $ 159.95 .
8. GLH Formula Number 9 Hair System
get a bald spotlight ? Ron Popeil can fix it with the GLH Formula Number 9 Hair System . Great Looking Hair is n’t real haircloth but a spraying that gibe your hair colour , thickens cutting fuzz , and cover bald-headed spot . More than one million seat have betray for only $ 9.95 for the spray or $ 19.95 for the spray , shampoo , and finishing shield .
9. Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ Oven
Introduced in 1998 , the Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ Oven is by far Popeil ’s most successful product to date . He has sell seven million unit in three different models : the $ 99.95 Compact Rotisserie , the $ 159.80 Standard Rotisserie , and the $ 209.75 Pro Rotisserie . Popeil ’s rake for the Showtime Rotisserie is " Set it and forget it ! , " which has been repeated so many times in infomercials that it ’s impossible to draw a blank .
10. Electric Food Dehydrator
Introduced in 1965 at $ 59.95 , Popeil called it " the most illustrious nutrient dehydrator in the world ! " The sun might take issue with that title , but the Electric Food Dehydrator , which get Popeil back from semiretirement , currently comes with five tray and deal for $ 39.95 .
11. Solid Flavor Injector
Resembling a syringe with a large plastic " acerate leaf , " this gadget is used to inject pick such as dry yield , small vegetables , nuts , cocoa chips , and confect into foods such as hams , roasts , cupcakes , and pastry . At just $ 14.95 , it wo n’t cost you a fortune to add a bit of genius and pizazz to your food .
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS :
Helen Davies , Marjorie Dorfman , Mary Fons , Deborah Hawkins , Martin Hintz , Linnea Lundgren , David Priess , Julia Clark Robinson , Paul Seaburn , Heidi Stevens , and Steve Theunissen
