Electric toothbrushes rank No. 8

Electric toothbrushes have ranked 8th on a list of 50 products that have improved everyday life in the last two decades. Corkscrews with arms that rise up as they bite into the cork to assist in its removal ranked No 1.

The research for British product consultancy, User Vision, also revealed that automated call centre phone systems are among the innovations which have made life far more difficult. Other items on the least useful list included pay-at-the-pump petrol stations, digital control washing machines and self-scan supermarket tills.

500 consumers were invol-ved in the survey and asked to pick the five most useful products and services from a list of 50 developed in the past 20 years. Technology hardware such as computers, mobile phones and interactive TV systems were not included in the list of options.

TOP TEN products that have improved everyday life

1. Armed corkscrews
2. Disposable nappies
3. TV remote controls
4. Central locking
5. Gas barbeques
6. Push-button telephones
7. Electric screwdrivers
8. Electric toothbrushes
9. Tabloid newspapers
10. Ready-tied bow ties