136. Sprinkler System

Price: $15-$40*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Amazon, Possibly
This toddler couldn’t look more underwhelmed, and we can’t say we blame him. He’s dressed in his swim shorts and swim t-shirt, all ready to go, and the water toy isn’t doing what it is supposed to.

Sprinkler System r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Rather than create an insanely-fun, twisting and turning spire of water for him to play in, this pool toy just doesn’t seem to have any juice. Though a tad sad, the disgruntled expression on his little face makes this fail photo quite funny.

137. Robin Decoration

Price: $5.06*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: The U.K. (Location)
In the U.K., this four-pound ($5.06 in USD) needle felting kit promises to give you a cute little robin decoration that you can hang anywhere in your house. Apparently, it’s not quite as easy to make as you may think.

Robin Decoration r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
This person took this robin decoration kit and made a bird that looks like a nightmarish version of Justin Bieber from the 2010s. This isn’t a quaint piece of décor—this robin looks like it belongs in Angry Birds. 

138. Chris Hemsworth Toy

Price: $5-$10*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Undisclosed
Chris Hemsworth as Thor is the casting choice of the century for Marvel. We can’t think of anyone but the blonde-locked, muscular Aussie to play the Norse God of Thunder. The Thor movies have grossed millions at box offices around the world.
Chris Hemsworth Toy r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Obviously, that means that there has been a ton of Thor merch out there, including toys and action figures. This one isn’t one of the best, with the purchaser calling the toy “derpy.” It definitely looks like a knockoff version of Hemsworth, that’s for sure.

139. Bacon Mac & Cheese

Price: $5-$10*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Grocery Store
It’s easy to see why people like microwavable meals, as they are fast and tasty, requiring little to no effort to make. That’s especially beneficial if you’re tired from a long day of work. Sure, they’re processed and bad for you, but they’re convenient.
Bacon Mac & Cheese r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
…They also don’t always look like they do on the box. As you can see from this photo, this person’s “Bacon Mac & Cheese” turned out a bit differently than the photo, though we’re sure it still tasted meaty and cheesy, in the end.

140. Baby Grogu (Baby Yoda)

Price: $29.99*
Made by: IRONTREECO
Purchased at: IRONTREECO
Can you believe this hideous toy was almost $30? One person ordered a Baby Yoda toy from IRONTREECO, only to receive a blue, elderly, decrepit-looking stuffed animal instead of the cute baby from Mandalorian.
Baby Grogu (Baby Yoda) r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
What’s crazy about this toy is that it has a five-star review on the company’s website, making us wonder what is going on with that. This isn’t the cute little green guy from Mandlorian—this critter is a fantasy creature all its own.

141. Dollar Store Puzzle

Price: $1*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Dollar Store
According to the person who posted it on the Reddit thread r/ExpectationVsReality, they purchased this puzzle at the “dollar store.” Not only were there five pieces of the puzzle missing, the image looked nothing like what was pictured.

Dollar Store Puzzle r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Where’s Bob Ross? While there is a mountain in the background, that is the only similarity we can see, really. This person deserves a lot of credit for figuring out this puzzle with no reference image to help. 

142. Frozen Banana Ghosts

Price: $10 to make*
Made by: A (Frustrated) Baker
Purchased at: N/A
This one really isn’t a “not as advertised” post so much as it is a user-error one. Making recipes isn’t always easy, especially if you’re trying to match a perfectly-shot photograph you see on the Internet.

Frozen Banana Ghosts r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Such was the case for one person, who tried to make “cutesy frozen banana ghosts” as a Halloween snack. As the baker stated, the “melted horrifically,” creating tragic treats that do keep with the horror spirit of Halloween.

143. Red Rooster Fries

Price: $4*
Made by: Red Rooster Australia
Purchased at: Red Rooster Australia
“It’s been 3 years,” @squidmittens announced on Reddit, “since Red Rooster Australia served this up to me.” As the poster put it, he or she is “still saltier than their chips” (fries, if you’re in America.

Red Rooster Fries r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
These loaded fries are supposed to look, well, loaded. They are made to have gravy and roast chicken, but the fries @squidmittens received looked anemic and dry. They definitely weren’t worth whatever the poster paid for them.

144. Heavy Duty Combat Boots

Price: $22*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: E-Commerce Site
If a price is very low for something for which it seems like it should be high, you might not want to buy it. These “Heavy Duty Hiking” boots cost just $22 on this e-commerce website, when a comparable product might have cost $100 to $200.

Heavy Duty Combat Boots r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Still, this buyer took a chance, and he received the boots in the image…just as a size 0, rather than size for a human. These boots are good for people who want to take their Barbies hiking, not for human walkers.

145. Christmas Donuts

Price: $10 to make*
Made by: A (Frustrated) Baker
Purchased at: N/A
“Nailed my Christmas donuts!” was the sarcastic post from @Sof-y three years ago on Reddit. This baker went to make vegan Christmas-themed donuts, using a lovely recipe from baker Erin McKenna.
Christmas Donuts r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
Her donuts didn’t turn out like Erin’s, that’s for sure. Rather than look festive, these donuts looked like a babyish attempt at Christmas cookies. Hopefully, they at least tasted good, making up for their appearance.

146. Dairy Queen Cone

Price: $1.99*
Made by: Dairy Queen
Purchased at: Dairy Queen
This photo was captioned, “Not quite,” and it went viral on the Internet for being a perfect example of how disappointing false advertising can be. While Dairy Queen is an awesome place to get ice cream, we’re not too keen on this vanilla cone.

Dairy Queen Cone r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
The cone on the left looks nice and filled, while the one on the right looks like a piece of abstract art. The “Not quite” caption hit the nail on the head when it came to this rather disappointing sweet treat.

147. Scooby-Doo Ice Cream Cone

Price: $1-$3*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Ice Cream Truck
Ice cream strikes again, as we see here yet another example of a below-average ice cream cone. This Scooby-Doo Ice Cream doesn’t look the way it should, and luckily, it probably only cost a buck or two at the ice cream truck.

Scooby-Doo Ice Cream Cone @collegehumor/Instagram
Rather than look like an accurate depiction of everyone’s favorite investigative pup, this ice cream looks like it came out of a melted hellscape. It’s giving more hellhound than Scooby-Doo; that’s for sure.

148. Chunkee Cookies

Price: $1.89*
Made by: Mrs. Goodman
Purchased at: Grocery Store
Chunkee Cookies seem, from the packaging, as though they would be what their name states: chunky with white chocolate chips. Alas, this $2 pack of cookies was quite disappointing to one buyer in the Philippines.

Chunkee Cookies /imgur.com
He or she got the short end of the stick with these cookies, as their white chocolate chip count was sadly low. These cookies look nothing like the ones on the front of the package, making them worthy of the “Not As Advertised” tag.

151. Transparent Nikes

Price: Undisclosed
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Online Store
There is no harder smack in the face (metaphorically, of course) than shopping online, buying a product, receiving it, and realizing it isn’t even close to what you ordered. This happens to millions of people every year, so don’t feel too bad.

Transparent Nikes /imgur.com
For example, this shopper purchased a pair of transparent Nikes, only to receive semi-transparent shoes that looked like a sad attempt. We’re sure the company was mysteriously not accepting returns, either, when he tried to send these back.

152. Bearded Man Mask

Price: $5-$15*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Online Store
Online shopping strikes again. Back in 2020, we were all masking up, and a lot of people chose to eschew regular medical masks for something creative. No problem there. But, online stores took advantage of that, making their own silly products as a result.

Bearded Man Mask r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
One man tried to buy a bearded man mask to wear. What he received was a mask that was all nose, looking almost nothing like the image pictured. We’re sure he got made fun of quite a bit, if he wore the mask in public (which we doubt).

153. Gray Hoodie

Price: $10-$30*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased at: Online Store
If this man is into crop tops, then he just bought the perfect hoodie. As mentioned many times on this list, it’s always risky to shop for clothing online. Sometimes, it works, and, other times, it is a total bust.
Gray Hoodie user/ThePenneyTosser/Reddit
This man’s experience fell into the latter category when he purchased a gray men’s hoodie. Though the hoodie was meant to be tight, what came in the mail could have barely fit a small child, let alone a grown man.

154. Green Hoodie to Dress

Price: $38.99*
Made by: Undisclosed
Purchased from: Amazon
When shopping online, it seems the “add to cart” button can sometimes be a portal to an alternate fashion universe. Take our friendly Redditor’s experience: the hunt for a comfy, unisex hoodie on Amazon took a wild turn into the land of unexpected tailoring.
Green Hoodie to Dress r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
What was supposed to be a classic hoodie turned into a knee-length hoodie-dress hybrid, tailored for a man but fit for a fashion runway in Narnia. The pockets? They decided to join the rebellion too. It’s a comedic tale of expectation vs. reality, and a reminder that sometimes the “Prime” choice can lead to an unexpected wardrobe expansion.

155. More Boo than Bear

Price: $24.99*
Made by: Playtime. Co
Purchased from: Undisclosed
Imagine a toy that leaps off the shelf with promises of the squishiest, warmest hugs imaginable, its arms outstretched on the box in a forever embrace. That’s the dream sold by Playtime Co.’s packaging, with a creature so blue and grinning it could be a lost character from a children’s TV show.

More Boo than Bear r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
But plot twist: upon unboxing, it seems our plush pal has been dipping into the energy drinks. With a zany tuft of hair that defies gravity and a smile that’s one part joy, two parts mischief, this toy’s ready to turn playtime into a haunting experience. It’s not just a hug you’re getting; it’s a whole performance—a nightmare that cuddles back!

156. Popeyes Wings

Price: $7.99*
Made by: Popeyes
Purchased from: Popeyes
Popeye ads have a knack for transforming chicken wings into supermodels of the snack world—perfectly plump, impeccably sauced, and ready for their close-up. This ’s wings are the life of the party, a carnival of calories that look too good to be true. Then comes the plot twist: the wings you get are more like the underdressed, wallflower cousins.

Popeyes Wings r/ExpectationVsReality/Reddit
The sauce seems like it’s playing hide-and-seek, and the crispiness isn’t quite doing the crunchy conga. It’s a light-hearted reminder that sometimes in the world of grab-and-go dining, the runway-ready dishes are a bit more “ready-to-run” than they appear on the big screen!