Remember when buying stuff meant it was yours, no strings attached? Those days have almost entirely disappeared and these days, even things like water bottles & razors have become products with a “monthly charge.” And this isn’t just random software—it’s also physical stuff you probably have at home, now asking for rent. Here are thirteen everyday items that now charge subscription fees.
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Razors
Some fancy razors will show up on a schedule if you subscribe, with deliveries running around $15 each time, depending on how often you want them. They’ll include the occasional shiny handle or “exclusive” accessory too, just to sweeten the deal. There’s no way to just pick them up in a store if you want the full setup—lots of razor companies push the plan hard, leaving you to choose between monthly or bi-monthly shipments.
Mugs
Electric mugs keep your drink warm, but apparently that’s not enough, as some manufacturers have created apps that give you “extra” features like battery info & heat settings. But surprise—those perks are behind a paywall, so if you want full access, it’s gonna cost you five bucks a month, although the app still works without the subscription. They also send software updates for new features that you won’t get unless you’re on the plan.
Water Bottles
Even your water bottle wants you to subscribe now and one brand glows to remind you to drink and connects to an app, although basic tracking is free. But if you want things like personal hydration goals and long-term stats, there’s a “Hydration+” level for $7.99/month—this adds streak tracking & adaptive reminders. Without it, you get very basic notifications, yet nothing personalized, and yes, the bottle sends a notification to your phone if you ignore it for too long.
Self-Cleaning Litter Box
A litter box that cleans itself is wild, but the high-tech features that track your cat’s habits are locked unless you’re paying $15/month. These include updates on how often it’s cleaning or which cat is using it more, as well as litter usage data that’s stored in the cloud. You’ll also lose real-time alerts if it jams or runs low on litter unless you’re paying. Essentially, you’re paying for poop.
Smart Showers
A shower that you can turn on with your phone sounds cool, although the “smart” stuff like water usage data and scheduling warm-ups is around $0.99 to $9.99/month. Yes—your shower now has a pricing tier, with the cheaper plan giving you remote start and temperature presets. The pricier one adds usage reports and automation like weekday routines, but it’s not like you have much of a choice since the shower app will nag you about upgrading.
Craft Laser Printer
The majority of craft machines are great for cutting & engraving designs, yet the subscription fees for accessing their full design library are rather ridiculous. You also need to pay to upload your own files quickly—you’re looking at around $50 a month. You also don’t get access to live design previews & certain advanced cut settings without the plan. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a casual user, you’ll need the subscription if you want more than basic templates.
Sous Vide Cookers
Cooking low and slow with a sous vide cooker is fun—until the app asks you to cough up $10/month for full recipe walkthroughs and progress tracking. Without it, the app becomes rather limited, as you’ll only get a few recipes and no real-time cook tracking. It’s not a one-time upgrade either, since many of these apps take away your access if you stop paying.
Fitness Trackers
There are some fitness trackers that only kinda work, as you don’t actually buy them—you pay a monthly fee (starting at $30) and they give it to you “for free.” As soon as you stop paying, it basically turns into a bracelet, meaning you won’t get any data or health insights unless you reactivate your subscription. The app locks everything, like heart rate data & sleep scores, behind a paywall and they also make you commit to a year upfront, so there’s no test run.
Toothbrushes
Smart toothbrushes track how well you brush, with the app giving you feedback & brushing charts for free, but to unlock things like “smart coaching” or dental tips, you’ll need to sign up for the premium version. It’s $4.99/month and the plan also unlocks badges and custom goals, as well as syncing to your dentist’s dashboard if they use the system. Without it, the toothbrush still works, although it won’t push you to fix those lazy brushing habits.
Seat Warmers in Cars
Some car companies have started charging monthly fees for seat warmers and even though the hardware is already built into the car, it stays disabled unless you pay. In one case, it costs $18 a month to turn them on or $180 for a year—worst of all, it’s not tied to a luxury model either. You’re forced to sit on a cold seat all winter without the subscription, regardless of the fact that the feature is physically there already.
Baby Monitors with App Access
Many baby monitors now require a subscription to use their app fully and although you may still see the live video feed, activity history & sound alerts are locked behind the monthly plan. Subscriptions usually start at $4.99/month and some brands charge even more if you want cloud video storage or multiple user access. No subscription means you get the bare minimum—no playback, no push notifications & no tracking information to look back on.
Home Security Cameras
Speaking of cameras, plenty of home security systems now require a paid plan just to do the basics and without it, you’ll get live video only. Anyone who wants cloud storage or smart detection for people & pets must pay around $3 to $10/month, depending on how many cameras you’ve got. Some brands also force you to pay for features like two-way audio or custom activity zones through subscriptions.
Robot Vacuums with Smart Maps
Robot vacuums with Wi-Fi often have smart mapping that allows you to control which rooms they clean, but here’s the catch—scheduled cleanings for specific areas and multiple floor plans only come with a monthly fee. This usually costs around $7–$10/month and you’re stuck with basic functions like auto-clean or spot clean if you don’t get it. What’s worse is that some models disable firmware updates unless you’re paying for the premium app.
Wireless Printers
Many new wireless printers require you to have a subscription, as they refuse to work with any kind of ink other than the one from the company. These ink plans usually charge based on how many pages you print, not how much ink you actually use. Prices start low—around $1.49/month for light users—but go up depending on your usage, and it doesn’t feel right to be locked into a contract with a printer.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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