We’re all about hardware. So we made a list of our favorite hardware products ever designed (that were small enough to fit on a wall, sorry Italian cars) and scoured eBay for less-than-loved versions that we could afford. Each product was meticulously disassembled (sometimes carefully disinfected, yuck Roomba) and mounted to sheets of semi-opaque white PETG. At the end of the day, we wound up spending under $500 and decked our walls with:

Polaroid SX-70

Braun 5567U Razor (original Dieter Rams version)

Microsoft ArcTouch Mouse

Microsoft XBox Controller

3COM Palm V

Dyson Air Multiplier

GoPro Hero2

iRobot Roomba 780

OLPC XO-1

Apple iMac (“lamp” version from 2002)

Apple iPad 1

Apple MacBook Pro (unibody, late 2009)

Sony Flip Clock

Closeup of Dyson Air Multiplier

Our ‘art’ was initially intended to decorate the walls, but the longer it’s been up the more often we actually USE it. Companies find it helpful to reference specific parts during design reviews. Molded parts showcase the difference between different plastic textures. Looking up PCB components used by the established giants can guide component selection early on in the design phase. Correct motor selection and efficient gearbox design can make all the difference to BOM cost and can sometimes be tricky to design without a great reference.

One of my favorite mechanical linkages in a consumer product, the 2002 “lamp” iMac display arm

More importantly, great products inspire us. We spend our days carefully crafting user experience and product feel. The internal workings of these famous products reminds us everyday how important exquisite design and meticulous engineering are to the success of a business.

Building a great hardware product is brutally hard work and our walls remind us of that everyday.