Here’s an old idea we wish some intrepid manufacturer would update and put back on the market.

The concept behind the Anti-Pest Doorbell couldn’t be simpler: Make strangers who come to your door pay for the privilege of ringing the bell.

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As often happens, we stumbled on this undated archival clipping while searching for something totally unconnected on the Web and immediately became captivated by the idea.

Our inventor — the epitome of an engineer from computing’s Big Iron Age (i.e.- the 1970s) — appears to have simply adapted a lock from a pay toilet stall to disable the door bell until a dime is inserted in the coin slot.

If it’s a friend at the door, you simply give them their dime back. If it’s a salesman, a religious canvasser or some other stranger you don’t want to talk to, the need to insert a coin could have a strong deterrent effect on their initial desire to ring the bell.

One upgrade any contemporary manufacturer would have to consider would be to increase the tariff from a dime to some amount reflecting the effects of inflation since 1970. A quick canvas of TLP editorial staffers suggests $1 would be an effective deterrent today…

3 Responses to Retro Tech: Anti-pest door bell


  1. Evolving Squid
    Mar 02, 2009

    Presumably this also requires a metal door and wiring it to a television flyback transformer (another relic from the olde days), lest the caller save their dime and simply knock.


  2. Maggie James
    Mar 02, 2009

    Ah… Well, I think a clarification is in order: The do-it-yourself kit for the ‘revival’ model should definitely include a sign for the door saying ‘Bell only – The resident will not answer knocks’.


  3. Anonymous
    Mar 04, 2009

    I much prefer a simple sign: Keep knocking, I’m reloading.

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