Core77

Combining Bed Risers with Power Strips—Badly

Here's another design opportunity, as it appears there's a demand but no good solutions

By Rain Noe - September 16, 2015

in Object Culture

We here at Core77 are always on the lookout for things that need designing, in hopes of inspiring you entrepreneurial designers to attack the problem and make yourself some bread. So take a look at this thing, the unwieldily-named Studio 3B 4-Piece USB Bed Lift Set:

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It's ugly as sin, innit? Yet it exists and people are buying it, because there's a need. Folks want power near their beds to charge up their phones and tablets, and adding height to the bed is meant to clear up storage space beneath it.

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The reason we say it's an opportunity is because although the product is sold at major outlets like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Amazon—indicating there's demand—it's getting awful reviews. (Sample: "Don't waste your money. Wish we'd bought cinder blocks and a power strip instead!")

The problem, according to the reviews, is that the product doesn't seem to last for more than a couple of months. Those ugly vertical ribs that are apparently meant to strengthen the structure don't appear to offer true durability and the product breaks. One person reports that their bed collapsed, another writes that they bought three sets and all of them broke, et cetera.

So you've got your work cut out for you. Can you design something durable that fits a variety of bed post sizes and perhaps has different height options? How would you handle cable management, which this product does not appear to offer? And for those of you that don't want to go through the UL certification process, perhaps you could design your product to simply integrate, say, a commonly-available Ikea power strip? Lastly can you hit, or beat, the $29.99 price point?

If your answer to some or all of these is "yes," we've got one word for you: Kickstarter. Get it right, and we'll help you promote it here with an entry.

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Ray Jepson

9 years ago

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Seems like a trip hazard...glad I'm not their liability insurer!

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Noodle Time

9 years ago

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It would be simple to design a 'module' that fit inside a standard 16x8x8 block... but i am curious as to how much the openings vary across the country.

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- Rain Noe
  
  Noodle Time
  
  9 years ago
  
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  Reply
  
  If it would be simple, put your money where your mouth is! I'm serious that if you can design something better and work up a Kickstarter, I'll write an entry on it to help you promote it.
  
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  - Amin Shirazi
    
    Rain Noe
    
    9 years ago
    
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    I'm not sure it would even have to interact with the block to that extent. I feel that a power strip with a elastic latch that wraps around the leg/riser would be a much better design... So much better that Im sure it already exists.
    
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  - Noodle Time
    
    Rain Noe
    
    9 years ago
    
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    this is the 'simple' design i was thinking of. taking it a step farther and making it upgradeable, so you can add a powered speaker and RGB nightlight, for ambience/mood setting. the modules would be encased in foam so that they fit all variations of the standard 16x8x8 cinderblock. also added a cloth cover, to clean up the look of the raw concrete block.
    
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  - Noodle Time
    
    Rain Noe
    
    9 years ago
    
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    if it didnt show already, those are just 'quick' models, and 'quick' renders.... to get the point across.
    
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  - Eric Ludlum
    
    Rain Noe
    
    9 years ago
    
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    This is great.
    
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