Have you ever had one of those moments where you notice something in a movie and felt a sense of deja vu? It's like you've seen or even owned it in some capacity. Well, it's probably because you have. There are many movies where, to save on the budget, they repurposed an everyday item in a way that you (normally) wouldn't notice it. Sometimes it's not even to save on the budget, but rather it's just the best way to bring such an item to life. We've compiled a list of the most interesting moments from TV and movies that Reddit users could find. If you want to see what household items are in your favorite movies or shows, just keep scrolling...
Airsoft Vest
One day you might be watching a show and their version of the military come onto the screen. If they're wearing a bulletproof vest, you wouldn't question it unless you know your stuff.
Turns out, Netflix's "Lost in Space" used a $65 airsoft vest to protect their characters. Because it looks pretty legitimate, you might not catch that this vest certainly cannot stop any bullets. Let's hope they're being shot with airsoft guns.
Hand Dryer
Listen, we saw this movie and we didn't even catch this. The trick is to only put it on screen long enough for the audience to not exactly register what it is they're looking at. But now that we've seen it, we can't unsee it.
That is undoubtedly a hand dryer. Like, these exact models are absolutely everywhere. These are the ones that really get your hands dry, unlike the old models where you have to smash a big metal button in.
Creme Brulee Blowtorch
In Alias, one of the characters needs to cut into a metal locker. Thing is, that's not any ordinary blowtorch she's using to get the job done. Well, it is, but it's specialized to something a bit more legal.
If you've ever made creme brulee or even anything that might need some additional fire on top, you might recognize this little gadget. It's typically meant for use in the kitchen, not questionable activities.
Baby Yoda Container
This one is a bit more obscure, so it's understandable if you missed this one. But that also makes this all the more impressive that someone was able to identify this item in the show.
In the Mandalorian, Baby Yoda appears on scene in a U.S. military marmite with some LEDs glued on. Considering these are from the current day military and not some space-age one, it's hard to believe this item is canon.
Tie Fighter Toy
Speaking of Star Wars, we've got a still for The Dark Crystal here that used a replica toy tie fighter in order to craft one of their animatronic. Do you see it? It's right there, used as the eye of this creature.
Sometimes you just gotta use what works. And in this case, the best way to replicate a mechanical eye was none other than a very mechanical-looking Star Wars tie fighter toy.
Greef Karga Folding Knife
There's an endless supply of Star Wars household object movies props, but that's no surprise considering the amount of content they put out. There's bound to be some cheats here and there.
As it turns out, the belt buckle used in Greef Karga's costume is actually just a cheap folding knife. Although a strange choice, wouldn't it be cool if he acknowledged it by whipping it off and brandishing it against his enemies?
Makeshift Lightsaber
If you were looking for even more Star Wars content, you've come to the right place. In "Star Wars: A New Hope" Obi-Wan Kenobi's star wars is made up of an assortment of pieces.
If you were wondering what those parts were, this is a perfectly handy list detailing each and every bit. There's a lot of things there, and it's interesting to see just how they go about creating these props.
Mad Max Muzzle
Mad Max has always been one heck of a joyride and 2015's Fury Road is no different. In keeping with the theme of post-apocalyptic recycling we see in many such films, the opening to Fury Road has a very prominent prop that's right in your face. Literally
The muzzle that Max wears is actually made of a gardening fork without the handle tied down with some straps. It's very, should we say, metal and in a wasteland like that, anything goes.
Terminator Skull Piece
If you've ever wondered how the people behind the terminator animatronic could make such a good-looking model, you're in for a treat. Turns out, they, too, are not opposed to making things from recycled parts (which is definitely great, don't get us wrong).
Tamiya is a Japan-based company that makes everything from model plane kits to remote-controlled cars. So, it was surprising to see that they had found one of their own products in such a famous movie franchise.
Makeup Compact Laptop
Sometimes it's the little things that matter. In this case, even something as simple as a makeup compact can have a great impact if they're given the right angle and lighting.
We're not sure who decided to make a compact look like this, but it's a good thing they did because, otherwise, this episode of Mutant X might not have had such a perfect prop to act as a high-end computer.
William Shatner Mask
If you've ever seen "Halloween" you know just how scary masks can be. But it's not necessarily the mask itself that's the scary bit, but rather what you decide to do with the mask.
As it turns out, the mask used in the movie was actually a William Shatner mask painted white to look creepy. Couldn't they have just asked him to play the part? Nah, that would ruin the fun of the movie.
Total Recall Calculators
Have you seen the original "Total Recall" from 1990? It's one of the most amazing sci-fi films the era had to offer us. And it's no surprise why. But do you remember the guards? Because we do.
You see those fancy wrist communicators they have? Give them a closer look; they're actually just calculators. Ironically, the film won a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects. Just kidding, they really were very good for their time. And that's probably why you didn't notice this little fact.
Cryogenic Car Storage
The show "The Expanse" is a sci-fi series that has been highly praised by critics for its visuals, character development, and narrative elements. But if you weren't watching closely, you might have missed this awesome use of everyday objects.
For their cryogenic pods, they decided to go with a highly advanced and expensive... car-top storage? To be fair, with the framing they've set, it really does seem to resemble some sort of scientific device.
Willrow Wood Ice Cream Maker
Ah, Star Wars. You'll never stop giving us these silly antics and we live for it. This is Willrow Hood, a man who spawned a huge cult following by carrying a Camtono during his evacuation of the Harbinger.
Except, this was no ordinary Camtono. It was, in fact, an unaltered ice cream maker from Hamilton Beach. Although it resembles the prop, since they probably use them to make the Camtono, this one was unforgettably just an ice cream maker.
Batman's Kicks
Have you ever take a good look at Batman's boots in "Batman Returns"? Probably not because if you had, you'd know that they're strikingly similar to a certain basketball player's shoes.
That's right folks, they are most certainly the Air Jordan 6s. They were modified with an extended top and some foam padding slapped onto the front. They even still have the Air Jordan logo on the bottom!
Colonel Shepherd's Nintendo Obsession
This is one of our all-time favorites. In the TV series "Stargate Atlantis", Colonel Shepherd is seen using a microcomputer while in bed. Except that it's one of the best gadgets to come into existence, the Nintendo DS.
We're not sure which fanboy/girl out there had to put this one in, but as a prop, it definitely stands out as one of the best. When we were kids we honestly never thought this would be real and then it came out. Long live Nintendo.
Master Lock Detonator
One of the best movies to grace the big screen, "The Fifth Element" feels like a big-budget movie and a low-budget movie all at once. It's honestly crazy. And there's no shortage of repurposed props either.
Take a good long look at the Mangalore captain's detonator. You'll understand what we're talking about right away. Turns out, he uses a classic Master Lock locker lock with an LED glued on. Try saying that ten times fast.
Lantern Mine
Here's another one from "The Expanse". What clearly seems to be a mining charge is actually much much simpler. It's a simple lantern attached to a tripod, both of which are available on Amazon.
If you've always wanted to make a movie, even just a home movie, you could learn a thing or two from media such as this. You might think film to be an impossible task for everyday people, but while it might be hard, everyone starts from somewhere. And, clearly, they still take shortcuts.
Escalator Hater
This one is really cool, actually. Yes, this is another Star Wars post (are you complaining?), but the thing is that this location has been used so many times in other films, one such film being 28 Days Later.
This is Canary Wharf, used for many movies since it's such a classic look for transportation and it's easy to film at due to its emptiness at night. In this Star Wars film, they used it as a transport hub, covering the escalators to make them more futuristic.
Echo Mic
Sometimes kid's toys can look a lot cooler when given a paint job. In the case of the Knights of Ren from (guess who?) Star Wars, they used the tip of an echo mic as a stand-in for a hand grenade.
While originally meant to give your voice a bit of reverb, it certainly looks like a natural weapon for these men when given its silver coating. We just hope no kids recognize it and feel some sort of way about it.
Salt Lamp
When it comes to Krypton, there should be no shortage of cool items to collect. As we saw in Supergirl, however, even some of the simplest things seem to make appearances on other planets.
While it certainly matches the surrounding scenery, that light on the countertop is actually a rock salt lamp. While certainly cool, it's not something we'd expect to come from a planet outside of our solar system, or outside Earth for that matter.
Thermometer Gun
It's time for another Star Wars prop! "Mandalorian Season 1, Friend Just Started It And Sent Me Proof That This Mechanic's Tool Is Actually A Thermometer!" That title says it all.
To be fair, thermometers these days have gotten fancier and fancier, especially during the pandemic, so it's no surprise that they managed to find something like this. The best tools are right under our noses.
Literally A Book Light
In V for Vendetta (an awesome movie, if you haven't watched it go, go, go!!) Inspector Finch uses a signal jammer, but it's actually a cheap reading light you can get almost anywhere.
It turns out that you just need to turn the light red and it suddenly becomes much more believable. Were you fooled by this one? Wed definitely didn't notice it, but probably will when we rewatch it.
Deadly-Looking Nerf Guns
Soldiers need guns, and in Terra Nova the soldiers definitely got guns. But how do you make a good-looking gun prop for the year 2149? Well, why don't you take a look for yourself:
That's right! You obviously take a gun that doesn't accurately represent guns of the 21st century. And in order to do that, Nerf guns are a great option. They're similar in shape to modern guns, but almost more evolved. Especially when painted.
Blood Glucose Measuring Device
Look, Resident Evil is old, but it's not so old that the movie adaptation couldn't come up with a better idea. Then again, this is the movie adaptation we're talking about here, but we'll give 'em props for creativity.
This time around, we see that they decided to use a blood glucose meter as a code cracker by sticking an antenna to it. Does it need an antenna? Does it not have the algorithms built-in? We're just impressed it's wireless.
Literally A Red Dot Sight
So here we see a swat team member using a fake red dot sight with a sunshade as a prop stand-in for a "laser microphone". That's right, it uses lasers to transmit sound. Guess there's a reason it looks so fake.
To be fair, this technology does exist. It's just probably not as advanced as this. But advanced is a bit of a strong word considering what this really looks like. It's literally just a gun attachment.
Futuristic Ice Cream Bowl
We have no idea why anyone would know what this is. We think someone went out of their way to figure it out because they just knew it was going to be something utterly ridiculous.
Apparently in the end credits scene for The Guardians of the Galaxy, the collector, Taneleer Tivan, drank his martini out of an Alessi "Big Love" ice cream bowl. Whoever did the research for this, good job finding it.
Vintage Razor
Once again, we've got a Star Wars prop, and this time it's a really good one (not that the others weren't, but this one is just wow). In fact, we wouldn't have known this without seeing it for ourselves.
Turns out the comlink is actually a women's Gilette razor! If you've ever owned a razor, you'd definitely understand how they could look similar. And have you ever used it as a mic to practise your singing? The crew of Star Wars sure has.
A Gun, But Better
Another goodie, this Fifth Element scene sees a mugger trying to mug someone with an old "Polish Cold War-era grenade launcher with two AK-47 magazines glued to the barrel"?
For a movie set in the future, it's quite odd to see a gun modeled after such an old weapon. You'd think he'd just take an AK-47 and stick a bunch of grenade launcher magazines on it. Wait, what did we just say?
That's A Dog.
Best. Prop. EVER. There is no shortage of Star Trek stage sets, costumes, and odd creatures. This one is the absolute best. Reddit user Kichigai said it best: "That's a dog."
Yes, and it is the cutest unicorn dog to ever grace the show. We're honestly so happy this happened. Star Trek is iconic for many things, but this needs to be one of the hall of fame episodes.
Vintage Microphone
This is a device that looks utterly familiar. The thing is that it's also so retro that you probably wouldn't have given this "scanner" a second thought. Most of you have one of these, but preinstalled in your phone.
However, back in the day, journalists and other professions who use a microphone might have recognized this device used to scan Data from Star Trek as the same microphone they use in their work.
Luke's Lightsaber
Time for another lightsaber! This one comes from none other than Luke Skywalker himself! Care to take a guess what backstage prop makes up this man's main weapon?
Yes, that is, in fact, the stand to a stage light. Its retro look and perfect monochromatic sheen gave it the perfect look for this futuristic weapon. The button to "unsheathe" the sword is actually the flash button! Guess it's essentially the same, huh?
A Phone?
Yet another item on this list that we don't understand how someone could find out what the item was, this Fifth Element scene uses a couple of Sony RM X4 car stereo remotes glued together to act as a phone.
Although we know exactly wat's happening in this scene, we can't help but notice the look everyone is giving the phone because it looks as if they're also judging the oddly specific instruments used to create this item.
Mr. Fusion
We're actually not surprised that something like this showed up in the movie. The Doctor from Back to the Future is a brilliant scientist and could probably whip anything up from everyday things.
In this case, he uses a Krups coffee machine for the Mr. Fusion on the Delorian. Not only does this thing use garbage a the reaction needed to make fuel, but it makes delicious coffee, too! Yummy!
The Dog Toy
As we've said already, there's no shortage of Star Wars props that are actually things you can find around your house. This one is especially likely to show up if you look hard enough.
That's right, this is a dog toy painted over in silver. As this Star Wars fan found out, he has one of them himself! Even the smallest things you find around the house can be made to look extraordinary.
Gas Injectors
This is something you've likely never seen before, but the good folks over on Reddit seem to have a pretty good idea what it is. In fact, many car repair shops have replaced one of these themselves.
These are fuel injection rails for Volkswagen cars. The Jawas from The Mandalorian use a bunch of these. Since they were recalled, we're guessing Volkswagen was happy to give them a better home.
Snorkeling Mask
We actually know someone who has one of these. We never thought it'd show up in TV in this capacity, however. But judging by the previous entry from The Expanse, we aren't surprised.
While Star Wars likes to make use of all sorts of things, The Expanse goes in hard on the things regular people might have. In this case, they used a snorkeling mask with the top removed as an oxygen mask. Not the furthest departure for what it's used for, but cool nonetheless.
Another Razor
If you've been keeping up so far, there's clearly no sense in creating your own props when you need some future tech. You just need something obscure laying around your house.
Or bathroom, as in this case. In this episode of Stargate, the device used by the doctor is actually an ear and nose hair trimmer! If only it were as easy to make a movie as it is to find the props.
Some Gum
This one comes from Saturday Night Live, so we have a feeling that they might have done something like this on purpose. After all, making a bunch of sketches a week could benefit from low budget props.
In this Kyle Ren sketch, the buttons for god know what on the Lieutenant Colonel's jacket is actually a pack of gum. Though, they do look a bit more like medicine than gum. We're not gonna try one of those.
A Remote, But For A/C
In Watchmen, the scene in the interrogation pod has a lovely addition to it: a Dyson fan controller. Apparently, it was used to control the chamber itself, but we just think someone was turning up the A/C.
All jokes aside, this is one scene you don't want to miss. You just need to suspend your disbelief a little bit, otherwise you won't be able to see past this obvious household product.
Cheap Phone Lenses
The Flash: One of DC's fastest heroes. The show The Flash: Not the most expensive production. While we aren't trying to put a price tag on anything, there's one thing we certainly can't look past.
Cisco's holocube projector is actually made from one of those cheap fisheye camera clips. These things don't work all that especially well, so we're actually kind of glad someone was able to find a good use for them.
Video Game Handheld
God, we love Fifth Element, if nothing than for its pure absurdity. Somehow, this show just manages to hit all the right marks and get away with some pretty silly things, this one included.
If you take a good look at the ZF-1 remote control, you might notice that it's actually just an old handheld game reminiscent of the Game & Watch system. This is probably a cheaper local version painted black.
Might As Well Use Vista
You'd think a show set five hundred years in the future and takes place throughout the solar system would at least be able to hide this little snippet from the audience.
This is from the show Firefly, and if you couldn't tell just from looking at it, the computer in front of this man is running Windows 2000. This is supposed to be 2517, guys!
Blow Dryer
In this Z Nation scene, we can see Addy using his radio. Nothing wrong with this picture, right? That's the thing, it looks completely spot on you'd almost think they used all real items.
The thing is that the microphone is actually a hairdryer's intake lid. It's probably cheaper to use, but microphones literally look like this. Isn't that just the oddest thing? They were probably inspired by a scene of some girl singing into the back of her hairdryer after a shower
Car Escape Tool
So, in Lost, Faraday and his science team attach some GPS transponders to themselves for their safety. And although they aren't exactly "GPS transponders" these props certainly are a real safety measure.
These bad boys are typically used for breaking out of your car in any kind of emergency. To be honest, we feel they resemble attachable flashlights more than GPS transponders. Whatever that looks like.
The Starbucks Cup
This one is a little fun, and you've probably seen the endless memes associated with this. While it's not exactly a hidden object meant to be a prop, it's definitely an easy-to-miss everyday object on set.
In this episode of Game of Thrones, we see John Snow and Daenerys speaking in her chambers. But what's that on her counter? It's a Starbucks cup, alright. Maybe they travelled to another universe to get some of that sweet, sweet nectar.
NES Zapper
This is our second favorite, but only because none of us actually owned one (too young, sorry!). That being said, you might recognize this as one of the most popular toys back in the day.
In this episode of Stargate, the weapons they are holding are actually a bunch of sawed-off NES zappers. These were used at home like one of those shooting arcade games and were probably one of the first of their kind for at-home use.
Sea Urchin
Our last Star Wars-related one! But don't be sad, there will be many more and we're sure you can find some more if you look in the right places. That being said, maybe you can guess what this really is?
In the first episode of season 2 of The Mandalorian, Cobb is handed a vessel from which he is expected to drink. What it really is, however, is the empty shell of a sea urchin. We hope they gave it a try first, those things are supposedly delicious.
Hard Drive
Like we said before, The Expanse loves to use things that you almost definitely have at your own home. Nothing fancy or relatively expensive, just everyday objects useful for day-to-day activities
In this episode, they are actually using stripped-down hard drives as the holding cell hallway lights. We're not sure how they pulled that off, but we do know you can find them in every single computer and laptop available today.
Barcode Sanners
Star Trek doesn't seem to ever shy away from using everyday objects in their movies or shows, regardless of which era you're watching in. And although we didn;t recognize these, we sure love the idea.
That's not to say we weren't curious what they were supposed to represent. In this 2009 movie, they used barcode scanners in the captain's quarters for some undisclosed use. They look way too futuristic for our stores today we must say!