[[CodeGeass http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_code_geass_pizza_mecha.jpg]]
[[caption-width:225:Make pizza, not war.]]

->'''Cyclops:''' ''Here, Jean, allow me to cut you a piece of cake in my own way.''\\
''{Uses eye beams to cut a slice of cake)''\\
'''Jean:''' ''Why, thank you, Cyclops, but that's a bit like using an elephant gun to kill a house fly.''
-->-- ''{{X-Men}}'' # 4.

->'''Leonard:''' ''Why are you smashing a flash-frozen banana?''\\
'''Leslie:''' ''Because I have a bowl of Cheerios and I couldn't find a knife.''
-->-- ''TheBigBangTheory''


Awesomeness put to mundane use. Just let loose your [[{{Kiai}} roar of power]] and... cook. Or play video games. Or something.

If you think about it, this is actually rather sensible. Even anime characters aren't going to be fighting for their lives every single minute of every day, and in most cases [[PowerIncontinence the powers won't shut off]]. If it's more convenient, then why ''not'' [[InverseLawOfUtilityAndLethality make your life a little simpler]]? Call it "[[WaxOnWaxOff practice]]" if you have to justify it.

Failure to see possible uses other than this one is a form of MisappliedPhlebotinum. Overpowered characters with a job description like this become SuperPoweredRobotMeterMaids.
MartialArtsAndCrafts is a subset of this trope, for when martial arts abilities are used for reasons other than fighting.
Also an opposite of sorts to UselessSuperpowers, ReedRichardsIsUseless and CutLexLuthorACheck.

For an adult variation, see PowerPerversionPotential and TheRuleOfFirstAdopters. Better yet, don't.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Mai Tokiha of ''{{Mai-Otome}}'' uses her ability to create flaming rings to... [[http://youtube.com/watch?v=iC9TW9BwRNs cook]]. Meanwhile, the robot warrior Miyu doubles as a spiffy eggbeater.
** Which was a ShoutOut to ''{{Mai-HiME}}'''s CookingDuel episode, where Miyu whipped up eggs in less than two seconds, much to Mai and Shiho's surprise.
** Not to mention the ending scene of ''{{Mai-HiME}}'' has Akira using her awesome {{Ninja}} skills to slice an apple.
* In ''FushigiYuugi'', Tasuke's asked to burn some hairs with his fire powers, so he goes into his usual warm-up pose before tossing a tiny flame.
* The AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil in ''CodeGeass'' pulls out an old HumongousMecha to... make a giant pizza.
** Not just any pizza: the ''[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome World's Largest Pizza]].'' And yes, this is the example used above to illustrate the trope.
** In ''R2'' episode 12, Anya (a ''[[PraetorianGuard Knight of Rounds]]'', no less) uses her mech to aid in what is essentially a massive, schoolwide game of tag-your-crush. She nearly calls in the army to help, too.
*** To be fair, it could be said Anya was mistaken about what was going on, and assumed a panic. That still doesn't excuse that the school got a new HumongousMecha to make an even larger pizza...
*** Or the fact that Lelouch and Rolo ''both'' made ample use of their ''magical eye powers'' in the same game Anya busted out her mecha for. Apparently, tag-your-crush is important enough to justify the use of a power that gets harder to control every time it's used...
** In one of the side novels, Lelouch recalls that his mother once used a mech to fend off nobles who were picking on her children. Lucky for those nobles, Knightmare Frames weren't as advanced back then.
* One of the hallmarks of ''{{Naruto}}'' filler is the characters turning their fantastic ninja powers to boring everyday tasks -- the titular character using his absurdly powerful Rasengan jutsu to [[CookingDuel mix noodles]], for example.
**Not to mention the Byakugan's potential to cheat at card games.
*** [[YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries Children's card games?]], he asked hopefully.
*** [[YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries Screw the rules,]] [[NarutoTheAbridgedSeries I have ninjitsu?]]
**** Also see D-rank missions, which consist almost entirely of this trope.
** In the Forest of Death, Naruto jumps into the river with Shadow Clone Jutsu, and forces several fish to the surface. Sasuke tosses kunai at them, and starts a fire with Fire Ball Jutsu.
* In ''CodenameSailorV'', the prequel to ''SailorMoon'', Minako's pen and mirror show the truth. Minako uses said pen on all her tests to churn out expert essays on things she knows absolutely nothing about. Needless to say, her Guardian Cat Artemis, is livid.
**This pops up in Sister Series, Sailor Moon. Usagi tends to use the disguise pen for mundane things, such as turning into an adult to sneak into bar or a Camara woman to sneak onto a boat, much to Luna's horror. Strangely, each time she uses it for something mundane it ends up being someplace she needs to get into to stop the baddies, though it's possilbe she's used off screen without this happening.
***And we were merely spared such episodes as "Sailor Moon Sneaks Into A Live Sex Show And All That Happens Is She Gets {{Squick}}ed [[HeadTiltinglyKinky By The Dog]]"?
* In ''FullmetalAlchemist'', Ed and Al may use alchemy for saving AdventureTowns and fighting homunculi, but they can also use it to repair broken household items. Of course, this is probably why most people ''become'' alchemists.
**It should be noted that their teacher Izumi always tells them to fix things with their own hands and not rely on alchemy all the time. It's never outright stated in the anime, but reliance on alchemy in the FMA world may be the reason why it technologically lags behind our world by several decades.
*** Pretty much confirmed by the movie where a [[MadScientist disgruntled physicist]] rants that alchemists have made his occupation worthless.
*** What the hell are you talking about? Amestris technology is similar to Earth's technology around the same time period. The only difference is that Amestris has automail and a complete lack of air technology, and Alchemy has nothing to do with that.
** Then again, [[PoweredByAForsakenChild considering the cost of performing alchemy]], it's probably not a good idea to use it that way.
* At the start of the ''FateStayNight'' anime, Shirou uses his powers to see patterns to sense where broken appliances need fixing. But then, at that point [[JustifiedTrope he doesn't know how to do anything else]].
** Rin's first order to Archer after he's summoned? "Clean up this mess". The next morning, the first thing Archer does is make tea. ''Damn'' good tea according to Rin, but still...
* In both ''{{Trigun}}'' and ''CowboyBebop'', flamethrowers are repurposed as the world's most dangerous (and wasteful) cigarette lighters. Spike also uses it to broil (well, burn) meat.
** Also in ''Trigun'', a ''machine gun'' was once used to light a cigarette.
** On the ''Cowboy Bebop'' example, Spike actually ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny fails]]'' to light his cigarette.
***Arguably, Spike '''succeeded far too well''' at lighting his cigarette- he reduced it all to ash down to the filter.
* Similarly, ''SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' a soldier once lit a Zentraedi's giant cigarette with ''a [[TransformingMecha Valkyrie's]] gunpod''.
* Suggested by Vita in one of the [[AllThereInTheManual Sound Stages]] of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' when Shamal forgot to heat the water of their bath. Alas, [[LadyOfWar Signum]] was quite vehemently against the idea of using her [[FlamingSword Laevantein]] as an impromptu water heater.
** Hayate suggests using the same with the Book of Darkness' magic, but they agree that if they can't control it, they'll start a fire. Given the type of spells Hayate uses later in the story, [[PersonOfMassDestruction it's fairly obvious that this wouldn't have worked]].
* In an omake for ''{{Bleach}}'' 6th Squad Captain Byakuya Kuchiki jokes that he uses his Senbon Zakura, an attack known to reduce opponents to a status where their bodies can't be identified as human, in order to give himself a haircut.
** Another character, Ishida Uryuu, appears to use hyper-speed for sewing and handicrafts.
** In a filler episode, Hitsugaya uses his shikai ability, a humongous ice dragon known to freeze anything within it's vicinity, to make ice so the group can cool off on their visit to the beach.
* Essentially the point of ''{{Patlabor}}''.
* Season 3 of ''OjamajoDoremi'' (Mo~tto) had the girls baking goods on the side.
** Several of the ojamajo tests in the Magical World involve the girls using their powers like this. [[spoiler:Like the Final Test in the original season, which had them performing little favors to other people ''without'' them revealing their identities]].
* Sena in ''{{Eyeshield 21}}'' once used his special move, the Devil Bat Ghost, to steal a letter a girl had sent to him from a teasing friend. It was even remarked as "the world's number one useless way to use a technique."
** Another time this happened was when Kurita wanted to give his teammates a bone-crushing hug after several days of training alone, and Hiruma put a big roll of bubble-wrap in his path. He hugged the bubble wrap instead, and popped every single bubble. Suzuna's response: "Completely useless, that kind of training."
** Hiruma himself uses his throwing accuracy to set off explosives and generally harass people.
** And then there was the All-Star Uselessly Badass... pillow fight.
* One ''InuYasha'' episode involved Our Heroes using all their awesome power to clean house, do the laundry, and go on a [[FetchQuest booze run]]. Miroku's Wind Tunnel does not actually get applied to vacuum-cleaner duty, but Kagome was considering it. [[spoiler: A bit heartless if you consider that it will consume him if he overuses it]].
** Also made more hilarious when considering the fact that [[http://www.hoover.com/productcategory.aspx?use=95&ds=true there are actual vacuum cleaners called Wind Tunnel]].
* In the first ''{{Slayers}}'' movie, Lina uses fire magic to light a campfire. Also, in the first series she heats a pool of water with a fireball so she can have a bath. This backfires, though, when her travelling companions hear the blast, think she's under attack, and come running to her rescue only to [[AccidentalPervert find her completely naked]]. Lina, being Lina, reacts as expected and they get a fireball in the face for their trouble.
* ''MahouSenseiNegima'' has several examples of this, the most notable being Kaede's introduction. She reveals that she's a Ninja by summoning a bunch of clones to make the search for food go faster and using her throwing knives to catch fish.
** Later on, she does the classic "Ninja-Quick-Change" bit to switch to her school uniform and get a student discount at the theater. Unfortunately the fact that she is [[HugeSchoolgirl six foot tall]] and [[BoobsOfSteel rather well endowed for a 15 year old]] caused the ticket seller to dismiss her efforts as 'cosplay'.
*** Even later on, she successfully gets a discount by using her body manipulation technique to [[{{Lolicon}} Loli-ify]] herself.
*** Another character uses temporary magic pills [[spoiler: [[ShaggyDogStory that cost more than the tickets are worth]] ]] to get the child's discount on the theater tickets.
** Another example: Haruna [[ArtInitiatesLife using her artifact]] to create [[MesACrowd multiple copies of herself]] so she can finish her {{doujinshi}} before the deadline.
** Heck, Negi uses this almost continuously early on, he constantly infuses himself with magic so he can keep up with the girls as they sprint to school. It's more obvious after he [[ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime temporarily seals his powers]] which makes him totally unathletic. He also tried to help Asuna do her paper route faster by giving her a lift on his flying staff, but it didn't quite work out, as [[spoiler:her latent AntiMagic ability screwed it up.]]
** The whole Library Island arc took place because the Baka Rangers wanted to find a magic book that increases the intelligence of whoever is holding it...so they could pass their finals without having to study.
** Then there was the time that [[PlayfulHacker Chisame]] used her [[ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation Artifact]] to make herself the #1 Internet Idol.
* An episode of ''[[MegaManStarForce Ryuusei no Rockman]]'' entitled "Rockman Delivery Service" is pretty much [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin that]]. Subaru mistakenly receives a giant pile of packages in the mail and uses his Rockman powers to set it all right.
** Also, in the second video game to the series Geo/Subaru uses his powers to open a locked door from the other side.
* Canti in ''{{FLCL}}'': He (it?) is the sole character capable of defeating all of the HumongousMecha that come out of Naota's head. What does Canti do when not fighting giant robots? Laundry. Moving boxes. Cooking. Buying groceries (and porno mags for Shigekuni...). Or, if there's no housework to be done, why not just fly with the birds?
* In ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'', Yuki is able to [[spoiler:manipulate the fabric of reality]]. What do they use it for? Cheating at baseball. [[spoiler:Admittedly, they are doing this to try and save the world. Through baseball. Yes, really.]]
* ''TheGirlWhoLeaptThroughTime'', when you discover you can travel through time what do you use this awesome power for? Making sure your sister doesn't eat your pudding.
** And singing karaoke for hours on end!
** Subverted a bit in [[spoiler: the fact that there are severe complications that occur due to her time-leaping frivolously.]]
* ''{{Basquash}}'' rides the line between this and SeriousBusiness with the sport of Bigfoot Basketball, which is what happens when you decide to play basketball with giant mecha.
* Loran does this a fair bit in ''TurnAGundam'', he's used the Turn A to do clothes washing, and to help out on a farm.
** This is referenced in ''SuperRobotWarsAlpha Gaiden'' when he and [[SuperDimensionFortressMacross Milia]] use their mecha to wash everyone's laundry. Then [[MazingerZ Kouji]] comes and tries to use the Mazinger's [[ChestBlaster Breast Fire]] to dry them, which ends up burning some of them.
* Why haven't anybody mentioned ''{{Doraemon}}'' yet? Nobita uses all those awesome 22nd century gadgets, with significant potential military, medical, and obviously scientific applications, to either impress a girl, fight off bullies, and generally escape loserdom for 15 minutes, only for everything to backfire at the episode's end. Averted in the Adventure stories, though.
* In ''DarkerThanBlack'', Hei's first onscreen use of his ShockAndAwe powers are for the sake of fixing his landlady's TV under the guise of PercussiveMaintenance.
* In ''Shina Dark'', a mage uses an ice-based attack spell to conjure a giant pointy ice shard... so it can be chipped apart to make sno-cones. He even complains afterward, "It's not like I studied magic for something like this, you know..."
* In ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'', [[PersonOfMassDestruction Saffron]], {{the Phoenix}} King, is given unbelievable [[PlayingWithFire fire- and light-emitting powers]] because he's supposed to function as his subjects' "power plant," providing them with heat and light so they can carry on with their everyday lives (while he perches quietly on his throne.) Unfortunately, the latest incarnation is quite the spoiled brat, and interrupting his maturation process resulted in a psychotic personality with zero control over his powers and is all too happy to use them destructively.
** Possibly lampshaded, in that Ranma points out, after hearing about this, that the Phoenix People could just get ordinary heating and lighting installed, what with their considerable wealth and bevy of [[MoreThanMindControl magical eggs that reduce people to mindlessly obedient slaves]]. Then again, he could have simply been venting, due to believing that his chance at a cure was being threatened with destruction over something so mundane.
* In ''OnePiece'', Zoro vigorously complains about using his swords to drop a heated rock into a soup pot.
** That's the only one you could think about? Robin uses her extra limbs to read more easily, Luffy's rubber powers allow him to [[BigEater eat more]] by stretching his stomach, [[PlayingWithFire Ace]] lights Sanji's cigarette, Magellan's favorite food is poison, Franky has a cola fridge in his cyborg body...
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Card Games]]
* The ''NinjaBurger'' series has the deliverymen use their elite Ninja Skills to... deliver food. However, they need every bit of it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In several adaptations, {{Superman}} is seen using his heat-vision to shave. In ''{{Smallville}}'', he uses it to make toast. Then again a single one of his hairs can hold a ton of weight comfortably, so it's not like he could just use a razor.
** He tried using his short-lived electrical powers to shave, with... [[HilarityEnsues unexpected]] results.
** ''LoisAndClark'' played this trope up more than any other. Superspeed was commonly used to clean up or paint the house, heat vision was used to heat coffee and ice breath was used to chill champagne. At one point he even played Pingpong with himself.
*** One rather creative and dizzying instance came in the pilot, when Clark, while talking on the phone and deciding how to arrange the furniture in his new apartment, uses his gravity-defying abilities to casually pace along the walls and ceiling.
** In the epilogue to the graphic novel ''KingdomCome'', there's a nice bit with Superman using his heat vision to "fix" Bruce Wayne's underdone steak.
** Just after Lois and Clark got married in the comics they were moving into their new apartment and Lois was taking advantage of hubby’s ability to pick up the sofa with one hand. "How about against that wall, no that wall, maybe there…"
** In [[http://mises.org/story/2242 this]] article, an economist argues that if he were real, Superman [[ReedRichardsIsUseless should also spend his time making billions of dollars doing mundane things]] like lifting satellites into orbit or manufacturing diamonds. The author notes that if Superman objects to the crass materialism of the situation, he could simply donate all his money to charity and likely solve world hunger.
*** Superman ''has'' tried to solve world hunger... [[TearJerker and failed.]]
*** Superman has ''also'' manufactured a ton of diamonds in ''Superman: True Brit''. [[YouFailEconomicsForever Unfortunately, he made WAY too many...]]
*** Diamonds aren't all that [[MegaCorp rare to begin with]].
** SilverAge comics basically turned him into a ''full-bore doormat'' with this; flying dinosaur skeletons into the Metropolis Museum (with a specially-designed removable roof, no less!), smoothing out a ship's transport for Lois Lane by lifting it over his head...
** [[http://superdickery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=685:superlandscaping&catid=36:stupor-powers-index&Itemid=38 Super-Landscaping]]
* The Comicbook/{{X-Men}} are known for their members using their powers for mundane reasons.
** The movie ''X-Men 2'' has Iceman using his freezing powers to chill a bottle of soda that's been left out of the fridge for Wolverine.
*** He also created an ice rose to impress Rogue. Awwwww.
*** He does this in the comics as well, when in college.
*** And in X-3 he freezes the fountain in front of the school to make a mini ice-skating rink.
** [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v57/JessicaRaven/wtfmen.jpg This]] set of panels is the epitome of this trope in this Troper's opinion, why bother walk around a hole or, you know, stop walking when you can use your telekinesis.
** Wolverine himself (depending on Media and writer) tend to do this as well, using his sensitive nose to spout out hidden food (in the 90's toon, he was quite aggravated about smelling salami but not finding it), or using his claws to slice open a beer bottle.
*** This is parodied in a ''[=MiniMarvels=]'' strip where Wolverine cuts bread with his claws... and nobody wants to eat it because of where those claws had been.
*** Wolverine has twice used his indestructible adamantium claws to... [[ActionDressRip trim the hem of Jean and Storm's dresses...]]
** In ''{{X-Men Evolution}}'', Rogue used her ability-absorbing touch to copy Kitty's dancing ability for a school play.
*** And mutant baseball anyone?
** Cyclops picked the lock of the team van when Storm locked the keys inside...with EyeBeams.
*** He's done the same things in the comics. It's something Professor X oddly enough trained him to do.
*** In an interview with ''Toyfare'', the writers of ''Evolution'' said that Scott occasionally forgets himself and uses his eye beams on, say, an uncooperative soda machine to get it to work.
* An issue of the ''{{Flash}}'' comics had Wally West musing on a particular superspeed move that his uncle Barry Allen would do... spinning his hand at high speed to create a little wind tunnel. Wally noted that this was weak enough that Barry primarily used it to catch falling curtain rods from across the room. Wally himself was once shown using this maneuver to catch a bee that was flying near his girlfriend.
**Both Wally and Superman also like to pull the "Honey, I brought home Chinese takeout! From China!" thing.
**After getting married and moving to a new house he got impatient and unpacked everything in an instant. His wife Linda was not pleased with the results: "Books do not go under the sink!"
**There was also that one comic where he was using it to do his Christmas shopping.
* WonderWoman's lasso of truth. Gift from the gods. Unbreakable weapon beyond mortal understanding. Really good for making your friends embarrass themselves by blurting out the truth at inopportune moments.
* [[FantasticFour Mr. Fantastic]] ([[ReedRichardsIsUseless useless though he may be]]) almost uses his powers more for this than superheroing. Any given appearance of him in a comic, including his own, will have him in his lab, stretching his arms and neck so that he can be doing things at three different workstations at once; he's also been shown using his powers to make the world's greatest shadow animals for his son during bedtime stories (and it comes in handy in other places, [[PowerPerversionPotential Bow Chicka Wow Wow]]). All of the Fantastic Four do stuff like this to some level or another, considering the "domestic" flavor of the comic.
** [[http://mightygodking.com/images/Civil_War/cwp_04_20.jpg This]] ([[AffectionateParody improved]]) ''CivilWar'' panel shows what happens when it's raining, and Sue and Johnny don't have umbrellas.
* {{Spider-Man}}'s webbing. Used for his civilian career AND a bit of kink with the wife! (Who the hell is [[DisContinuity Joe Quesada]]?)
**He's also used his super strength to move furniture while helping MJ redecorate.
** Don't forget him using his powers to deliver pizzas.
** One issue of ''Spider-Girl'' has him climbing on the ceiling to fix a banner that MJ had put up for their daughter's party.
** His use of his wall-crawling and webbing in taking photos for the Daily Bugle is occasionally [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by comments that his photos look like they were "taken while hanging upside down" or that it looks like he "just put the camera down and walked away."
* One of the (many) things that pissed [[GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] off about Guy Gardner was Guy's habit of using his ring (a weapon limited only by the will and creativity of the user) to do utterly mundane things like open beers and change the TV channel.
* Sara Pezzini has used her WitchBlade, a cosmic artifact of nigh limitless power to move furniture while moving and make toys for her daughter.
* [[{{Watchmen}} Doctor Manhattan]] constantly uses his god-like powers in the laboratory, and he creates duplicates so he can *ahem* [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean lavish attention on Laurie]] while working on an experiment.
* [[{{Comicbook/X-Factor}} Jamie Madrox]] is greatly upset when he discovers that his duplicates are living beings and develop independent identities the longer they stay separate from him. Once he comes to grips with the metaphysical ramifications, he decides to use his power as a super-learning tool, sending his duplicates off to study different walks of life and learn a variety of skills to rival {{Batman}}. Another story shows him using his power as a super-babysitter.
* {{Marvel}} villain Taskmaster has photographic reflexes and can [[MegaManning mimic any motion he sees]]. He uses this to copy his opponents' fighting styles, learn martial arts by watching movies, and also improve his golf swing and learn to ski from the winter olympics. In high school, he became a star quarterback team after watching one pro football game. And thanks to being an Iron Chef fan, he's also an excellent cook.
** He also uses his power to train people
* In ''TheDarkness'', Jackie once sent the Darklings, (foul-mouthed lesser demons that he creates and controls, typically used to kill at will) [[VillainsOutShopping to pick up his dry cleaning.]]
* One advantage of shacking up with a girl with a [[{{Empowered}} super-strength granting alien battlesuit]]? Darned easy to rotate the tires on your [=SUV=].
* [[{{Hellboy}} Liz Sherman]] uses her pyrokineses to light her cigarettes on occasion.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* In [[http://community.livejournal.com/mgs_slash/219089.html this]] ''[[MetalGear Metal Gear Solid]]'' fanfic, Raikov uses Volgin's [[PsychoElectro electrical powers]] for art projects.
* Super-competent assassin teams used for crimefighting and bodyguard detail. This is ''FanFic/TheOpenDoor''. "It takes a thief to know a thief" comes to mind. Assassins are trained to know how to best assassinate people, so they would know best on how to guard against assassinations, simply by knowing what ''they'' would do in that situation.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* The second ''MenInBlack'' movie has Jeeves saying he used the exhaust from the [[spoiler:Deneuralizer]] to make hot air popcorn.
* In the movie, Dragonheart, as the former knight, Bowen, struggles with two sticks to start a fire to cook his meal, his newly befriended dragon, Draco, uses his firebreath on the pile of logs.
* JamesBond is always using Q's fantastic gadgets for mundane (or just 'other') purposes.
** Example: at the beginning of ''Live and Let Die'', Q demonstrates to Bond a watch containing a powerful electromagnet. Almost immediately after Q leaves, Bond uses it to open the zippered dress of his latest 'conquest'.
* The first ''Film/FantasticFour'' movie has Johnny casually using his flame powers to pop some popcorn in one of those expanding foil bags usually used for barbeque or camp cooking.
** It also has Mr. Fantastic stretching the skin on his face to make shaving easier.
*** And using his stretchy arms to either reload the toilet paper without having to leave the loo or slide his hand under Ben's locked door to open it and check on him.
* In ''Real Genius'', Val Kilmer's character uses a sophisticated cutting tool to carve coin-sized slices of frozen nitrogen, which he uses to cheat the vending machine out of free soda.
* In ''Attack of the Clones'', Anakin uses the Force (which is [[InformedAbility supposedly]] so mighty that the ability to ''annihilate a planet'' pales in comparison) to ... make a pear fly to his girlfriend's fork.
** In the same film, Obi-Wan casually uses the Force to retrieve a data module from a projector as he and Yoda are leaving the room.
* ''ShaolinSoccer'' stars a martial artist who wants to teach people kung fu techniques that can help them with their everyday lives - for instance, parallel parking by pushing your car into place, or trimming a tree using WireFu jumping techniques. To gain publicity, he uses his skills to compete in soccer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Horse drawn antigravity wagons for farmers. ''{{Dune}}'', for all your anachronistic SchizoTech needs.
** In ''Dune: House Harkonnen'', Duke Leto uses a jeweled dagger that was given to him by the Emperor... to cut a paradan melon.
* This is a [[TrainingFromHell training philosophy]] of the ''Asha'man'' in Robert Jordan's ''{{Wheel of Time}}''; all chores have to be done with their powers. If you can't channel fire, you eat cold food. This contrasts with their nun-like female counterparts, who do not permit such flippant uses by ''their'' trainees, since ''Menial Labour Builds Character'' (is there a trope for that?).
** While it is menial-labor-character-building, there's a more important reason the Aes Sedai don't allow trainees to use the Power for tasks where it isn't necessary - channeling is addictive, and doing it too much, especially for the inexperienced, risks burning out one's powers entirely, which usually leads to death or suicide. The Aes Sedai like to protect the investment they put into their trainees; the Asha'man, on the other hand, want more-or-less-competent soldiers as fast as possible and don't mind losing a few trainees (or a lot) along the way. Given that every single recruit is doomed to go cackling mad and die from a horrible leprosy-like disease, the chance increases with every passing day (and they knew it before they even signed up), this philosophy is understandable. They need to get men trained and in the field as fast as possible, to have as many days of sane activity as possible.
**There's also the fact that a large fraction of the girls who go to train with the Aes Sedai end up not actually having much power, and eventually get washed out as novices. The Asha'man, on the other hand, seem to only recruit people who have the potential to develop a useful level of power.
***Actually, there is no way to tell how much power a man will develop untill he develops it. I suspect they just don't mention the weak ones.
* Peter Reidinger of Anne [=McCaffrey's=] ''Pegasus'' books discovers he has powers after becoming a [[DisabilitySuperpower quadriplegic]] at age [[PubertySuperpower thirteen]]; as a result he uses his "Talent" for ''everything,'' including hiding the fact that he's doing it by puppeting his own inert body, which leads to some UncannyValley moments (as well as him ''literally'' levitating with enthusiasm early on when he forgets where his feet are in relation to the ground...)
** Mostly averted with the rest of the really powerful Talents. It's stated that they actually ''enjoy'' manual labor because constantly using their powers makes everything so easy it's boring.
* The mighty weapon of ''{{Discworld}}'''s Chaos is a sword as rule-breaking as he. It is made of blue flame, which burns with absolute coldness. When he's not fighting, it creates a handy freezer that keeps his dairy products cold and fresh. Combining this with teleportation powers akin to Death's he becomes [[spoiler:Ronnie [[SdrawkcabName Soak]], the Discworld's greatest milkman, able to deliver said dairy products anywhere, anytime, always fresh. Most importantly, everyone's milk arrives at 7:00 AM sharp. ''Everyone's.'']] Sir TerryPratchett is making this up, not I.
** On a similar note, Susan, Death's granddaughter, has inherited The Grim Reaper's many talents, among them the ability to exist outside of time. She uses this talent to grade papers.
** There's some mundane uses of magic-derived technology on the Discworld, such as using tiny summoned imps to paint pictures (essentially a photo camera), or as (dis)organizers. However, Magic on the Disc is likened to nuclear power- it's good to know it's out there, but you wouldn't want a pile of it in your living room.
*** Imps aren't magic. They're perfectly ordinary occult.
** On a related note, many nobles in ''{{Discworld}}'' send their children to the Assassin's Guild of Ankh Morpork. There are two main reason for this: A: Knowing how to assassinate people teaches their children how to guard against assassination, and B: it actually is one of the best formal education schools in the world.
** Unseen University's omniscopes are powerful scrying devices that can see anywhere and anywhen. Because of this it's extremely hard to get them to show anywhere and anywhen ''in particular'', so they usually show the blackness of empty space (that being what most of the universe consists of). The wizards mostly use them as shaving mirrors.
* The ''{{Animorphs}}'' frequently use their powers for mundane things, despite the risk that it would blow their cover and lead to the enslavement of the entire planet. For example, doing a science project and watching concerts for free (twice!).
**They technically have a rule against this, which TeamDad Jake is miserable at enforcing--since he wanted to go to both concerts. {{Lampshaded}} in the final book, when Marco morphs a lobster to get his car keys off the pool floor, and Jake makes fun of him because, you know, people who can't morph are just screwed then. Marco then asks Jake if he's thirsty, and Jake snarks back, "Why? Going to morph cow and squeeze me out a glass of two percent?"
* Keith Laumer has written a series of stories about "Bolo" tanks, super sized military tanks. In one of the stories, it is mentioned that after a war an attempt was made to use them for peaceful purposes, including attaching a blade for demolition work to one and calling it a "tractor". The half-megaton/second firepower still available on it tended to belay the "peaceful" status.
** A later scheme was to use an obsolete Bolo's massively powerful AI and large hull space to create an automated tractor/bulldozer/genetics lab for adapting crops to survive on newly settled colonies. While those responsible were smart enough to remove the FrickinLaserBeams this time, they made a really shoddy job of adapting the AI's programming: the result being that when the colony was invaded by hostile aliens it kicked into combat mode and exterminated them all with customised bioweapons, all while thinking they were just a particularly large type of crop pest.
* [[LoisMcMasterBujold Miles Vorkosigan]] in ''Komarr'' is given the position of a Barrayaran Imperial Auditor, which means he is above the law and can issue orders to anyone about anything with the Emperor's personal authority, subject to review only by the Emperor himself. At one point he uses this power to bypass paternal consent on a routine medical treatment for his love interest's son. Lampshaded by his comment "Just like swatting flies with a laser cannon. The aim's a bit tricky, but it sure takes care of the flies."
** Ekaterin's own point of view regarding this scene:
--->''Yes, she realized enviously, he could just wave all ordinary problems out of his path. Leaving only the extraordinary ones... her envy ebbed.''
*** Miles also gets one in ''Memory''. He and Simon Illyan aren't having much luck fishing, so Miles messes with his laser gun's cartridge so that when he discardes it into the water, it creates an explosion of fish.
* In ''HarryPotter'' magic is used for nearly everything imaginable. From making animated Chocolate Frogs, to the various practical joke items, transport, Quidditch, enchanted items that do household chores for you, self stirring cauldrons, semi-sentient owls, radio (no muggle radio for them, which works out fine since wizards apparently get better radioes), the list goes on. It's stated that high levels of magic such as at Hogwarts cause Muggle technology more advanced than a wristwatch to fail to work.
** JustifiedTrope in that, if Arthur Weasley is any example, the magical population of the world hasn't a clue how Muggle technology ''works''. If the wizarding world ever gets hit with an AntiMagic Field or something, they'd die of starvation surrounded by filth.
** The House-elves. A race of powerful magical beings with near absolute loyalty as their ''Hat'', whose magic isn't bound by the same rules as human wizardry, and what do most wizards and witches use them for? ''Chores''. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] by the [[FantasticRacism condescending attitude]] most wizards and witches have concerning House Elves. A few wizards do make clever use of their House elves though: [[spoiler: Crouch Sr. entrusted Winky with the ''very'' important task of keeping his son hidden (and fired her for nearly letting him escape), Regulus Black told Kreacher to destroy Voldemort's locket Horcrux, though even Kreacher's powers weren't enough to break it, and Harry put Kreacher's talents to good use for espionage in ''Half-blood Prince'' and for capturing a thief in ''Deathly Hallows'']].
* ''Bloodsucking Fiends'': Upon concluding that Vampire saliva acts as a healing agent (primarily to keep those tell-tale neck wounds from being noticed), Tommy tries to convince his FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire girlfriend Jody to fix his cuticles and get rid of a blister on his toe. Jody is not amused.
* Many of Nina Kiriki Hoffman's magic-using characters have creative methods of using their abilities in everyday life. The character of Terry Dane from the ''Matt Black'' series is probably the best example. She can cast spells to summon money (in the short story ''Airborn'' she mentions that she paid for a new car by casting spells to make multiple minor wins in the lottery), to make oneself more attractive, and to help someone study better by improving memory and concentration, and is constantly looking for new ways to use magic. She even invented a way to create portable spells in tablet form that can be used by nonmagical people. She runs an Internet-based business where she sells weak versions of these spells to ordinary people (her biggest customer base is college students), and although her mother disapproves of the way she uses her powers, she doesn't complain too much since Terry makes more money than she does and pays at least half the rent. However, Terry is careful about how she uses these spells to avoid attracting too much attention or giving too much of an unfair advantage to her customers.
* Sorcery in ''TheBelgariad'' has nearly limitless application, which all of the sorcerers take advantage of to some extent. The extent is simply a matter of a sorcerer's personal preference; the high end would probably be Belgarath (who prefers to take shortcuts in things like physical labor), and the low would probably be [[spoiler:Durnik]], who prefers working by hand if time isn't an issue.
** In fact Belgarion point this out to Polgara, while she is sewing a mend in a shirt. She demonstrates she knows full well she can use her power to do so and mends the shirt with a wave. She explains she likes to do mundane things as it keeps her hands occupied while she thinks. She then magically causes to rip to reappear and proceeds with her sewing.
* In {{Stephen King}}'s novel, ''The Tommyknockers'', an alien spacecraft is discovered, and it makes the people near it technical geniuses. The main character uses her new abilities to power up her water heater by creating a small sun in it, making a tractor that can fly, and a typewriter that can read thoughts.
* H. Beam Piper's ''Uller Uprising'' features a project to use A-bombs for volcano mining. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], because by the point in the future Piper's novels are set in, people have access to weapons like [[StuffBlowingUp the Bethe-cycle bomb]], which ''creates a miniature sun 2000 miles across'' at its point of detonation (which has ''no'' mundane utility, because it's kind of hard to find a mundane use for a 2000-mile-across fusion fireball lasting several hours).
** How about a really, really, REALLY hot tub?
** Also justified in that the planet they're testing the A-bomb mining on is ''utterly'' uninhabitable by humans, with a chlorine atmosphere and an x-ray emitting sun.
* [[SwordOfTruth Zeddicus Z'ul Zorandor]], Wizard of the First Order, AKA the Wind of Death, has been known to use his exceptional and frightening mastery over magic to cook dinner just a little faster.
** A necessary function, as he is a BigEater.
* [[DresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] uses his magic to light candles and his fireplace, and occasionally to create energy drinks in magic potion form, among other things. Also, Thomas [[spoiler: uses his White Vampire abilities to give the most pleasurable haircuts possible, thus earning his rent and "eating" all at once]].
* In the StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel "[[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yoda:_Dark_Rendezvous Yoda: Dark Rendezvous]]" has [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wookieepedia:Quote_of_the_Day/2_July_2007 a conversations about such uses of the force]] (But of course [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready using the force for such things]] [[ComesGreatResponsibility leads to the darkside]])
* One of the perennial complaints of Marvin the Paranoid Android from ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' is that he has a brain the size of a planet, yet is assigned only simple household tasks that wouldn't challenge a lobotomized goldfish's intellect.
* ''GoodOmens'': The divine / infernal powers are nice for miracling up vintage wines into existence and keeping your car dent-free.
** To the suprise of both the Wine, and the Car, apparently.
* Mendanbar, king of the [[EnchantedForestChronicles Enchanted Forest]], wields a magic sword responsible for choosing the succession and powerful enough to make him a match for "any three wizards" within his own territory. The first thing he does with it in his introductory book is place an improvised and stealthy spell to keep a wizard's staff from absorbing magic from his kingdom. The second? To unclog a sink. He offers to let it do the dishes as well, but is told that would be rediculous.
*In Wilson Tucker's 1954 novel ''Wild Talent'', the psychic protagonist uses his ability while growing up to find out who is willing to hire kids his age for various jobs(extremely useful since the character grows up during the Great Depression), and is also able to learn things more quickly during school, job training as a movie projectionist, and military training as he possesses a combination of telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* The world of ''Gene Roddenberry's {{Andromeda}}'' includes such wonders as {{Nanomachines}} and they're available to pretty much everyone. How does maverick captain Beka Valentine use hers? [[HairColors Instant hair dye.]]
** [[spoiler: And blackmail.]]
* In one episode of ''Series/TheInvisibleMan'', Fawkes is scolded for using his invisibility to get into movies for free.
* In the ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'' episode "Allegiance", the "kawoosh" of an opening Stargate is used in a burial ceremony to disintegrate the bodies.
** And the Stargate itself is used by O'Neill and Teal'c as part of an intergalactic game of golf.
-->'''O'Neill''': "How far away is Alaris, anyway?"
-->'''Teal'c''': "Several billion miles, O'Neill."
-->'''O'Neill''': "That's gotta be a record!"
** But the closest star to Earth (other than the sun) is approximately 25 ''[[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale trillion]]'' miles away...
** When they gain temporary enhanced abilities due to ancient alien wristbands, the team is taken out of action for fear of possible side effects. So they use their super-speed and strength to do things like catch up on their reading and writing, perform experiments, rearrange furniture, and sneak off the base for a big tasty steak dinner.
* In ''StargateAtlantis'', Teyla has some kind of Ancient laser device that she uses to light candles.
** Which was quite possibly its original purpose, at that. The Ancients over-engineered everything.
* Leslie from ''TheBigBangTheory'' has used an infrared laser to heat up her cup noodles, and liquid nitrogen to freeze and shatter a banana for her cereal because she couldn't find a knife to cut it.
* Used in ''PowerRangersJungleFury'', where one of the Kung Fu trained Rangers uses his martial arts skills for dramatic effect when making pizzas for an appreciative audience.
* [[DoctorWho The Doctor]] has in his possession the [[CoolShip most powerful ship]] in the universe, able to appear ''anywhere'' in [[TimeAndRelativeDimensionsInSpace time and space]] in a matter of minutes. It's also capable of [[spoiler:towing entire planets]] and bestowing God-like powers on anyone who looks into its heart. He uses it for sightseeing.
** Kinda [[JustifiedTrope justified]] when you think about it. Taking a planet from its original position can lead to disastrous consequences on its enviroment (he was lucky enough to get Earth back into place quick enough for heavy rain to be the worst of it), he can't fly it perfectly unless theres a total of 6 or more pilots (hence why he's running to every single panel whenever it does travel), and sure you'll get god-like powers for a few minutes, but after that the power just ends up killing you. Also by sightseeing, do you mean saving the universe every other day of the week?
*** To be fair - we don't really know what goes on ''between'' episodes; perhaps he takes two weeks on a sunny beach in some distant quarter of the galaxy after every universe-saving jaunt.
*** The episode "The Five Doctors" ''did'' open with the Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough taking a break in the Eye of Orion, "one of the most tranquil places in the known universe". So when the stress of universe-saving gets to be too much, he does indeed take cosmic vacations.
*** Many episodes contain references to events that never happened onscreen, indicating that the Doctor and his companions have plenty of trips that don't involve extreme danger. We just don't see them because "The Doctor and (companion) watch the fall of the Berlin Wall" (for example) wouldn't be a very exciting episode.
** [[CaptainErsatz Metron]] of the NewGods does the same thing.
* In an episode of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', it turns out that Giles has been using a MacGuffin needed as the focus to restore Angel's soul as a paperweight (a ContinuityNod; when Jenny bought one the shopkeeper said he'd sold a couple as "new age paperweights").
** Buffy herself uses her superhuman strength to open a crate that her mom was unable to.
*** Buffy also used her superhuman strength as a construction worker for about a fourth of an episode. Subverted when her coworkers got pissed off - they were being paid by the hour, so having someone speeding up the process was not welcome.
** Subverted in Season Six where Willow's usage of magic in mundane life was declared an addiction.
*** And then one sentence uttered by Giles in the first episode of the seventh season [[AuthorsSavingThrow tried to make the bad storyline go away]].
** On ''{{Angel}}'', we see Harmony using her vampire super-strength to lift a cabinet in order to retrieve her shoe from underneath.
*** In Season One, Wesley shows Angel a Kek dagger, which is the only weapon capable of killing a Kek demon. Angel informs him that Kek demons are in fact extinct. Then Cordelia grabs the dagger to cut brownies.
* Once the characters on ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' figure their powers out, they frequently make use of them.
** Claire was the first to do this. In the pilot, she recovers her class ring from the garbage disposal... while it is still on. In Season 2, when something falls into a pot of boiling water by accident, she nonchalantly sticks her hand in to retrieve it.
** Micah uses his technopathy to get his cousin free pay-per-view. Earlier, he helps out his family by taking cash from an ATM.
** Matt Parkman reads his wife's mind to help him set up the perfect night with her - such as putting on a song that's been in her head all day.
*** In Season Two, he tests his mind-control by influencing Molly to finish her cereal.
** Meredith Gordon only appears in a few episodes, but she makes frequent use of her pyrokinesis to light stoves and cigarettes.
*** And not a whole lot else.
** Ted Sprague uses radiation to warm up a frozen car quickly.
** Monica Dawson has rarely used her mimicry powers for anything else, the first time she ever uses them is to creates a tomato rose, a ShoutOut to the Marvel SuperVillain and Iron Chef fan Taskmaster with the same power.
** Gabriel Grey/Sylar was using his power to fix watches before he discovered [[MegaManning what else he could do with it]].
*** He uses telekinesis to fetch small objects on a regular basis.
** In Season Four, we see a woman at the Carnival cooking with her powers.
*** Samuel uses his terrakinesis (earth-control) to bury a grave.
** In Season One, Hiro used his time stop to cheat at gambling.
* In the original ''BionicWoman'', her cyborg-enchanced superspeed was used to get dressed in a hurry, and while posing as a duplicate, she used it to hurry up a cigarette's burning (yes, the purpose is mission-base, but it's a rather mundane use).
* Phasers in ''StarTrek'' have occasionally been used to heat rocks for warmth.
** Also, coffee.
* ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The Enterprise: The federation's finest flagship is used for the odd reception often.
** SciFiDebris even lampshaded it:
--> "Tomorrow: Symposium on Tegas III's History.
--> This weekend: Closed for Battle to death with Borg Cube.
--> April 18th: Shriner's Convention.
** Seeing as the ''Enterprise'' *is* the flagship, using it to host receptions is not altogether silly. Nothing beats showing off your big guns to foreign ambassadors, as a way to say: ally with us and this'll protect you, attack us and this'll kick your ass. In fact capital ships have been used repeatedly for such reasons, from the Great White Fleet tour of the Pacific to the Japanese signing the surrender on the deck of the battlehip ''Missouri''. There is a reason for the term "Gunboat Diplomacy".
* In ''{{Farscape}}'', Sikozu's radiation projection has been used not only to kill Scarrans but also to weld control panels and light candles.
** Jool's sonic scream is powerful enough to melt metal; naturally, she's used for welding when power goes out all over Moya.
** Moya's complex amnexus system is often used to clean the crew's dirty laundry.
** D'Argo once used his Qualta blade for blast fishing.
** Occasionally, D'Argo uses his extendable tongue for things besides stunning people: snatching up small objects in a hurry, or hanging from precipices- though this takes "a lot of plactith," according to D'Argo.
** Chiana and Jothee once got in trouble for apparently using "too much lootra oil" while cooking dinner: for those of you who haven't seen "Family Ties," lootra oil is a ''weapons-grade explosive.'' [[spoiler: However, at the time, Chiana and Jothee weren't all that interested in cooking, IfYouKnowWhatIMean.]]
** When it's not being used to produce hallucinogens and poisons, Noranti's impressive knowledge of botany and chemistry (along with the associated hebarium) is being put to use in cooking.
** Once upon a time, Moya's DRDs were only used for repairing Moya, healing pilot and assaulting intruders: it all changed when Crichton taught one of them to sing the 1812 overture...
** In the episode "Taking the Stone," the hedonistic tribe has a habit of using looted alien tech for recreation, entertainment and even ritual. One prominent example is the sonic net- essentially a voice-activated safety net used for aerial training exercises- recycled by the tribe for [[SuicideIsPainless Taking The Stone]].
** Scorpius' neural clone ([[NotSoImaginaryFriend Harvey]], originally created to collect and catalogue the wormhole information in Crichton's brain, is now used to bring some Crichton's funnier fantasies into the light. Harvey doesn't seem to mind all that much...
** Suggested by Harvey but tragically never used:
--->'''Crichton:''' (About Scorpius) If he masters wormhole technology, what will he use it for?
--->'''Harvey:''' Faster delivery of pizzas.
* MundaneUtility was actually subverted in an episode of ''{{Angel}}'' in the first season. Cordelia accidentally orders coffee ''beans'' for the office instead of ground coffee and suggests that Angel grinds them by squeezing the packet with his vampire strength. He tries it and manages only to burst the bag, sending coffee beans all over the office which Wesley promptly slips in when he arrives.
* Ned in ''PushingDaisies'' has the ability to bring dead things to life by touch, which he uses both to solve murders and as a baker - he gets rotten fruit cheap and brings it back to life, ensuring that it will always be as fresh as possible.
* {{Merlin}}, to the great distress of his mentor figure, often uses his magic to do household chores.
* Samantha in ''{{Bewitched}}'' was sometimes seen using her magic to do housework. Even though Darrin didn't approve.
* The aliens from ''{{Roswell}}'' frequently used their powers to do all sorts of mundane things: listen to CD's, reheat food, restyle Maria's hair, etc.
* In ''Warehouse13'', Pete uses [[AliceInWonderland Lewis Carrol's mirror]] to play ping pong. To be fair, he didn't know at the time that [[spoiler:it houses the murderous spirit of Alice Liddel]], so it's not like there was any other use for it.
* The Harry Enfield and Chums sketch, ''The Palace of Righteous Justice''; in which a team of He-man style superheros debate how to deal with the dirty dishes on their kitchen table. The table is frozen solid, then cut in half with what can only be described as a lightsaber. They then burn down the house for some reason.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* The ''FarSide'' cartoon "Moses parting his hair" illustrates this.
** [[JustForPun Well, if Moses had a sea of red hair...]]
* A ''Lio'' comic has Lio making his giant robot clean the gutters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
* The New WorldOfDarkness game ''Mage: The Awakening'' subverts this - while it's possible to use magic for everyday chores, doing so is considered an (extremely minor) act of hubris and dings the KarmaMeter. Okay, you have to be a practical saint to actually lose Wisdom over it, but magic is also inherently risky due to Paradox, so using it for mundane purposes is likely to sting you in the backside.
** The previous game, ''Mage: The Ascension'' played this straight, though. Doubly so with Sancta, small personal areas where a mage could perform ''any'' of their own magic without risk of paradox.
** In ''Awakening'', Demesnes allow the same paradox-free effect as Sancta (though if a Sleeper sees it, all bets are off).
* The ''DungeonsAndDragons'' campaign setting ''{{Eberron}}'' is based on this: there's the Magewright, a special [=NPC=] spellcasting class designed to handle stuff ranging from city light poles to the [[CoolTrain Lightning Rail]].
** The zeroth-level spell "Prestidigitation" is basically this, allowing you to perform minor tricks that can accomplish things like cleaning and mending your clothes, warming and flavoring food, and sweeping the floor with tiny dust devils.
* ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has the Rhino, an APC, used for farming (which it was orginally MADE for).
** More famously is the Leman Russ battle tank, the main tank of the Imperial Guard. The chassis was originally used as a tractor.
* In the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game, there are a number of arcane and divine spells ''designed'' for mundane usage, from spotless cleaning, animal taming and locking/unlocking doors through to perfect cooking, infallible contraception and fertility treatments and gardening. And those are the spells specifically designed for such usage- the Lore of Fire spell 'Diadem of Flame' which creates a flaming crown above the wizard's head is described (in the spell's entry in the rulebook, no less) as being occasionally used for lighting cooking fires, although that requires the wizard to go through "extremely undignified contorions".
** This despite the fact that the setting and rules enforce the idea that magic is really dangerous, with all but the weakest spells having at least 1/10 chance of Bad Things happening. This gets particularly nasty and amusing (as this troper can attest from personal experience) when the optional (and fan made) house rules for high-end Chaos Manifestations are used. It is possible to ''destroy the entire world'' with an unlucky minor spell to (for example) lock your door when you can't find your keys...
* In ''{{GURPS}}: Magic'' knowing really powerful magic almost always requires the knowledge of a bunch of spell with only mundane uses.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''GoldenSun'', Isaac's mother uses Psynergy early on to get an article of clothing for him.
** Isaac also used it to fix the roof toward the beginning.
** You can also use the same power to pick nuts from trees.
* Seen in SNK's ''Gals Fighters'' SpinOff game. The prize for winning the fighting tournament is a talisman that will grant a single wish. Most of the endings result in the winner wishing for something relatively mundane (Athena wishes for her long hair back, Leona wishes away a toothache, etc.). The most egregious example has to be Shermie, who wishes for a larger hamster cage for her pregnant pet rather than summoning Orochi. Yashiro even points this out to her.
* ''{{Okami}}'' features an NPC named Mrs. Orange, who uses ''Shun Goku Satsu'' (A.K.A. ''Instant Hell Murder'' A.K.A. ''Raging Demon'' A.K.A [[ShoutOut Akuma's signature move]] from ''StreetFighter'') to make ''cakes''.
** And they're ''delicious''.
** Ammy herself gains a wide range of elemental-based, borderline RealityWarper abilities. One of the very first things she does with them? Helping the aforementioned Mrs. Orange ''dry her laundry''.
* Marisa Kirisame from ''{{Touhou}}'' has a Mini-Hakkero. It can be used for cooking. And for firing [[KamehameHadoken gigantic laser beams]]. And before you start guessing, she is not a LethalChef.
** Meanwhile, [[{{Miko}} Reimu]] uses her Hakurei Yin-Yang Orbs as an air freshener.
** [[{{Meido}} Sakuya Izayoi]] regularly uses timehax to speed up housework.
** [[MarionetteMaster Alice Margotroid]] micromanages her Doll Army, which can wield weapons and launch [[BulletHell danmaku]], to do chores all over the house, even when she isn't in the same room as them.
** [[{{I Love Nuclear Power}} Utsuho]] gains the power of nuclear fusion and plans to conquer the world with it. After beating her, she provides free electricity for Gensokyo, and also provides heating for [[OnsenEpisode hot springs]].
*** She's also shown to cook things with her nuclear fire in fanworks. Satori and family don't seem to show any signs of radiation poisoning.
** In the fancomic ''Cold Wind, but Warm Winter'', Sanae hangs up the laundry on [[PhysicalGod Kanako's]] Sacred Logs. The Moriya Shrine "family" as a whole tends to make full use of their divine powers to work miracles on their housework.
** In Eientei, Kaguya uses her power to manipulate eternity to make the mansion timeless, so the house would not degrade over time, and food would not go bad. Shortly before the events of ''Silent Sinner in Blue'', however, she stops doing it, and begins to appreciate the passage of time in her home once more.
** The ''Oni'' Suika has been shown in fanworks like ''Miko Miko Suika'' to use her manipulation of density to collect small things, and grows to giant size to easily collect lumber ''by plucking whole trees as though they were carrots''.
** Even the {{Youkai}} of Darkness Rumia has her uses; on especially hot summer days, other youkai and fairies who dislike the sun use her personal bubble of darkness to avoid the heat. Cirno the Ice Fairy is also subject to being used as "Summer Coolant", especially in fanworks.
* In ''{{Sonic the Hedgehog}}'' (360/PS3), Silver, who possesses sufficient psychic powers to lift a large group of cars (during gameplay!) turns his might to... collecting apples.
* Crypto, the alien protagonist of ''DestroyAllHumans'', is a powerful psychic that can manipulate human minds to his own diabolical ends. What does he use this mind control for when he has no mission objective on hand? ''Making civilians do the chicken dance for his own amusement.''
** ''Destroy All Humans 2'' features a hilarious minigame in Bay City, in which Crypto uses his telekinesis to play a game of tennis with a clone of himself. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny The "balls" used are actually live humans.]]
* Kyle Katarn's IdleAnimation in ''DarkForces 2: JediKnight'' features him using his lightsaber to cut his beard.
** Of course, this requires balls of durasteel, because...well...it's a ''plasma sword capable of cutting through starship hull''.
* Inversion in the DOS game ''PickleWars'': Salad Shooters are mundane. They also just happen to be the most effective weapon against the pickle invaders.
** Played straight when the Doomsday Device is said to make good milkshakes.
* In ''Kartia'', the cards which are used for devastating magical attacks and creating weapons and armor can be used for pretty much everything else, from transforming into cleaning implements, to transforming one into a tea cup, and the second into the tea itself. Think I'll stay with the leaves myself.
* What's the best part of being able to enter and travel through dreams? If you ask [[NeverwinterNights2 Gannayev]], it's the extra opportunities for [[PowerPerversionPotential getting laid]].
** In the original ''NeverwinterNights'': how do you open a locked chest if you're a mage? Do you hire the annoying little halfling rogue? No. You hurl a [[KillItWithFire fireball]] at it.
* ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': "[[JediMindTrick We don't need to pay the landing fees.]]"
* It's entirely possible in ''[[JakAndDaxter Jak II]]'' and ''Jak III'' to use a gun to open boxes. If you've activated infinite ammo, you can use the ''tank-killing lightning-bomb gun'' to crack open crates.
* In ''PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', Maya uses her abilities to channel her older sister Mia...in order to have significant enough cleavage to convince a witness to cooperate with them. She also does it to pass messages to Phoenix in desperate situations by writing a note, channeling her sister who then reads a note, and having Mia go to be channeled by Pearl and pass the message along.
* In a skit in ''TalesOfSymphonia'', Sheena asks Genis how he cooks so well. "I always cast Fireball!" While he was joking, Sheena considers the possibility of getting the fire Summon Spirit Efreet to aid in the process.
* The planet Democratus, from ''{{Anachronox}}'', is equipped with a tractor beam that can affect objects almost as large as the planet itself. After they shrink the planet and team up with the protagonists, the tractor beam is used to... reach things on high shelves. Or pick up a very hot rock. They can also construct a fully functional (if small-scaled) nuclear weapons program, which they use against opponents.
** To be fair, the tractor beam can also be used on opponents, and it's fairly effective as long as you're not using it on bosses.
* Shiki in ''{{Tsukihime}}'' tends to use his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception to quietly open locked doors more than kill vampires, poison, brick walls, evil hair or weird things like that. In fact, it's why Satsuki has a crush on him: He used his eyes to cut the lock on the door of a shed she was trapped in. Also vaporized the arm of a national monument statue after accidentally breaking it.
* In ''SecondSight,'' John Vattic uses his telekinesis to restart a generator with a missing starter motor.
* During the Wits Path of ''IndianaJones and the Fate of Atlantis,'' Indy finds a mysterious artefact capable of generating a sizeable burst of electricity: almost immediately afterwards, he uses it as a substitute for a car battery.
* In ''WorldOfWarcraft'', the Blood Elves, despite being driven to consuming demons to get magic fix, still waste a lot of that magic on things like ''[[{{Fantasia}} self-pushing brooms]]'', ''floating lamp posts'', and ''parties''. Also, the Magical City of Dalaran, now rebuilt and flying over Northend, has mages to turn on the lamps at night.
*One may argue that using the [[TheLegendofZelda Master Sword]] to mow lawns is a little bit of overkill.
** ''VGCats'' [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=107 plays with this.]]
* [[{{Portal}} Multidimensional teleportation device with possible applications as a shower curtain.]] Though there's no evidence it was every used as such, this ''was'' the idea that Aperture came up with first.
* Dizzy's attacks in ''GuiltyGear'' are named after the various nonviolent uses she came up with for them. "This Was Used For Fishing", "This Was Used To Get Fruit From Trees" and the like. [[TechnicalPacifist She doesn't want to fight]], but her wings have no such compunctions.
* In ''HalfLife 2'', Alyx says that the Gravity Gun was originally designed for handling hazardous materials, but they mostly use it for heavy lifting. Gordon later repurposes it [[ImprovisedWeapon as a weapon]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''ThePerryBibleFellowship'' proves [[http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/998/caffeinatorse8.jpg here]] that useless superpowers with this can win by sheer rarity value.
* The title character of ''Magical Mina'', part of the ''TsunamiChannel'' ...uh, franchise?... does this sometimes, with [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2002-09-16&comic=MaMi this]] being a particularly good example. She's also adapted her Sword magic for a scalpel. Of course, she was written to be an exceedingly clever and intelligent MagicalGirl. Also, [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2003-10-17&comic=MaMi here]].
* [[http://www.adventurers-comic.com/d/20030430.html This strip]] of ''{{Adventurers}}!'' makes you wish you had an [[KillSat orbital laser]] for just this purpose.
* Dave in ''CollegeRoomiesFromHell'' has used his laser vision to make popcorn.
* Happens all the time in ''SluggyFreelance''. In one arc Torg and Riff summon a world destroying demon to get them a case of beer.
** Then there's the Unholy Evil Death Bringer sword, which actually complains about being used for mundane tasks like prying things open.
* [[http://dresdencodak.com/cartoons/dc_019.htm Kimiko Ross goes to school. WITH SCIENCE.]]
* ''{{The Adventures of Dr McNinja}}'': "[[http://drmcninja.com/page.php?pageNum=9&issue=13 He invented jet-boots, and he used them to kick people.]]" The true effect on the amount of awesome involved is debatable.
* ''NowhereUniversity'''s librarian, the book version of Saruman, [[http://nowhereu.comicgenesis.com/d/20081015.html uses a palantir as a card catalog]].
* Parodied in a ''OrderOfTheStick'' strip where Xykon orders Redcloak to use the Speak With Dead on a fallen Mook, thus tearing said Mook's soul from his eternal resting place so Xykon can ask him... where his keys are (in Xykon's pocket).
-->'''Xykon''': Thanks! The conjuring of his immortal soul saved me the inconvenience of digging out the spare set I keep in my desk.
** There was also a waitress who was training to be a ninja. This allowed her to appear at the table out of nowhere.
** When Belkar decides to multiclass as a Barbarian, part of the guild-leader's pitch is that the enhanced speed the class grants is excellent for getting to the front of a buffet line.
* Used in [[http://exterminatusnow.comicgenesis.com/d/20081124.html this]] ''ExterminatusNow!'' strip. The next strip actually deconstructs this trope a bit; their mundane overuse of the light saber has drained it of its power.
* Pizza Girl (and Chinese Delivery Man) in ''QuestionableContent''. Sure, they ''might'' just be ordinary people delivering food in [[BurgerFool embarassing outfits]], but you can't be ''sure'' of it...
* ''KeychainOfCreation'' would like to present the [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html Glorious Solar [=[desk]=]]]. Because the Glorious Solar Saber is overrated.
* [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2003/06/26/episode-300-the-house-always-wins/ Parodied]] (like everything else) in ''[[EightBitTheater 8 Bit Theater]]''.
* ''{{XKCD}}'': Stephanie Meyer has hordes of rabid fangirls. What does she use them for? [[http://xkcd.com/591/ Dealing with internet trolls]].
* ''GunnerkriggCourt''. Antimony has a Blinker Stone, [[AmplifierArtifact a lens for psychic powers]]. She uses it as a torch, and to hold private conversations with Reynardine.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Some of the WhateleyUniverse characters have used their powers to dry off after a shower (Phase and Chaka both), dry her hair (Fey), shave her legs (Verdant), unpack suitcases (Bugs), keep her clothes clean (Pristine), have {{SnowballFight}}s (a lot of Poe cottage), mop floors and fold laundry (Chaka), paint a room (Plastic Girl), move furniture, shop, and on and on.
** Jade's main trick is to split off independent telekinetic extra 'copies' of herself by 'charging' them into objects; when the charge runs out, the copy re-merges with her and both sets of memories integrate. So what does she quite naturally do? Attend two sets of classes at once and use the same trick to study/do homework/clean her room that much faster. Also, be able to go to the smelly parts of the sewers without danger (Copies can't smell!), work a neat costume, be able to keep an eye out for bullies, not need to use anasthetic...Jade is the MISTRESS of Mundane Utility! (Which often leads to ACTUAL utility!)
* In ''DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'', what does the AntiVillain MadScientist titular character want to use a freeze ray that stops time for? To help him get over his nervousness about talking to a cute girl.
** No, he CONSIDERS it, then loses his nerve. [[TheWoobie You've got to love someone so pathetic.]]
* [[http://qntm.org/?ed Ed]], the man who subconsciously received his brain from the future, built a fleet of {{Humongous Mecha}}s to save the world from invading aliens, and accidentally erased the Andromeda Galaxy by ''hacking the universe''... [[http://qntm.org/?bread puts a time machine to very unorthodox purposes]].
* Happens occasionally with some of the [=SCPs=] of the SCPFoundation. Some examples include SCP-500, pills that can cure anything, being stolen to "cure a hangover"; a young woman who can see and manipulate locations depicted in pictures asked to "punch or stab people over the internet"; and a young man who receives visions about various objects (usually other [=SCPs=]) asked to locate lost wallets and keys. When such abuses are found out, the personnel involved are at least reprimanded, if not terminated.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The ''PowerpuffGirls'' once cut the crusts off their sandwiches with their LaserVision. Enter the FridgeLogic: how do three girls seated at a round table at even intervals make perpendicular eye beams, and did they cut grooves into the walls too?
* Coop from ''MegasXLR'' abused his mecha's abilities at every possible opportunity, usually just for rather mundane things. And that's not counting all the times he's just showing off because he's bored.
** It's also subverted. Even though he's in a giant mech with enough firepower to destroy planets and can ''fly at interstellar speeds'', he still has to deal with things like traffic and annoying drivers.
*** In one episode, Megas got ''towed''. Coop had to jump through all the hoops, including retaking the driver's exam, to get back a giant robot that could smite the world with the press of a button.
* In ''XiaolinShowdown'', the Xiaolin Dragons occasionally use their Shen Gong Wu to do their chores. For example, Clay using the Third Arm Sash for sweeping. The monks also use their elemental powers at one point for the arduous and life-affirming task of...[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome cleaning the dishes.]] And then there's the time they used their powers to throw a pool party.
* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', almost every bender with a decent amount of screen time has done this. On one occasion Iroh ''blew his cover'' by Firebending a cup of tea to warm it up. Other good examples:
** Earthbending is used for a soccer like game called Earthball, and Toph uses it to make a tent. Omashu uses it to power a mail system and Ba Sing Se uses it to fashion together a train system.
** Firebending makes a handy torch, and is useful for metalworking. It is also used for powering engines and hot-air balloons.
** Waterbending makes sailing a breeze. Surfing, too.
** Airbending: Two words for you: Projectile Cakes.
*** Aang uses it to play with a butterfly once by making tiny puffs of wind.
** Also one could use water and earthbending for liquid filtration.
** Keep in mind that elemental bending is something that a large portion of this world's population can do. Having it applied to mundane use is hardly surprising.
* In the first season of ''TransformersAnimated'', Sari used her key for fixing/powering up anything she thought might be amusing. This tapered off during the second season, although she still used it to pirate cable.
** The Autobots themselves frequently use their abilities to repair the city, and once took out a bunch of trash. This is a debatable example, as civilian usage was more or less what they were made for.
* In the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "I, Roommate", Fry uses the starship's engines to dry his hair.
**'''Professor:''' ''Your getting a massive dose of radiation''\\
'''Fry:''' ''...and great lift.''\\

* Professor Membrane of ''InvaderZim'', who invented scores of wonderful and useful devices, is often shown working on the most mundane and/or ridiculous of things. One episode had him welding a ''fork'' for some reason.
** Professor Membrane, at his workbench: "Not now, son! I'm making... ... ''toast''!"
*** In a nod to this, in a later episode he is referred to as "the inventor of supertoast".
* ''TheIncredibles'' uses this a lot. Violet makes herself invisible to hide from her crush at school, Dash uses his super speed to pull pranks on his teacher (moving so fast he can't be seen), and Elastigirl stretches her neck so she can look Mr. Incredible in the eye while she yells at him.
* In ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', Leonardo's swords, in addition to slicing up bad guys, are also used to slice up pizza. In the original movie, he does so in such a manner that each slice lands on one of the Turtles' plates -- except for the last one, which lands on Splinter's head.
* Everyone in ''{{GalactikFootball}}'' uses their incredible superpowers to play soccer. This is rigidly enforced by a Jedi Council, who are worried Galactic war will break out otherwise.
* 3rd ep of ''WinxClub'' had a scene where Bloom tries using her fire powers to cut her dress. The [=4K=] version edited it out. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drGBDXSCau0&eurl=http://www.tvtropes.org Shameless contributor video plug alert.]]
* Danny from ''DannyPhantom'' once used his ghost powers to clean up the messy basement (and his flight to vacuum the walls). We have to ignore the fact that Ghost Rays ''push'' the objects in their proper place instead of blowing it up.
* In the ''JusticeLeague'' Christmas episode "Comfort and Joy", Green Lantern uses his [[GreenLanternRing Ring]] to snowboard and make snowmen. Then Hawkgirl gets in on the act, using her Energy Mace to snowball fight with GL.
** As mentioned above, [[TheFlash Wally]] is very well known for using his super speed for comparatively mundane things. Such as painting houses. No wonder he's so loved in the Central Keystone area.
* In ''LiloAndStitch: The Series'', Lilo attempts to get ''all'' of Jumba's experiments to use their powers like this. For example, an experiment with freezing breath makes snow cones, an experiment that can melt solid objects is sent to a recycling plant, etc.
* ''WordGirl'' villain Tobey, who makes robots the size of skyscrapers for the sole purpose of destruction, finds that his creations apparently also like to paint. And play hopscotch. And shield the elderly from the sun.
* Eponymous ''{{Ben 10}}'' uses his VoluntaryShapeshifting powers courtesy of ImportedAlienPhlebotinum for this almost as much as he uses them for superheroism, mostly to pull pranks on his cousin Gwen. Of course, as a large part of the series consists of Ben [[HowDoIShotWeb failing to use his powers properly]], this rarely works the way he wants.
* While not super-powers per se, KimPossible often uses Wade's super-techno crime-fighting gadgets for mundane things like homework.
* In ''TeenTitans'', Raven is so comfortable with her telekinesis that this Troper cannot recall her ever physically opening a door. Even if she has, it isn't often.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Ted Taylor, a nuclear physicist, used the reflected thermal pulse of a [[NukeEm nuclear blast]] to light a cigarette at one of the atomic bomb tests.
** Reversal: Some of the early physicists used to stick their heads into the beam path to see if there were bright flashes of light on their retina indicating that the particle accelerator was turned on. Needless to say, they had horrible medical histories later in life, but [[ScienceMarchesOn at the time]] who knew?
*** What, no [[ILoveNuclearPower superpowers]]?
* On-duty firefighters often use the fire engine to perform routine inspections or even just buy lunch (there are a variety of legitimate reasons to do this, but it's still impressive). And they're also usually wearing at least part of their turnout gear: watching the reaction of people in a supermarket at the sight of a bunch of firefighters coming in the door is priceless, especially when they see them start shopping.
* Firefighters, police and ambulance drivers (especially the latter for obvious reasons) will often unabashedly clear gridlocks with their sirens. [[DoubleStandard People are not half as amused]].
** Firefighters are all really hot. This [[TheBeautifulPeople mollifies]] people who can see them. Obviously it doesn't work with cops and medics who are in their vehicles.
* Another (and more amusing) real-life example: reportedly, a few Russians soldiers recently used a tank to make a Vodka run. Perhaps just to punctuate exactly how drunk they were, they also proceeded to run over and crush a few cars and the very store they bought the Vodka from in the process.
* In WorldWarOne, water cooled machine guns were occasionally fired just so that the resulting hot water in their cooling jackets could be used to make cups of tea.
** A more recent example is soldiers doing their washing over a long offroad trip by putting dirty fatigues, water and soap flakes in a sealed container and stashing the whole thing in the back of their jeep. It was even used to advertise the vehicle at one point.
** An anecdote I heard about the first Gulf War was that American Tankers used to put their Meals-Ready-to-Eat packs on the exhausts of their Abram tanks and run the huge engine just to heat their food. British Tankers didn’t have that problem though as their tanks have built in kettles ("More tea Guv?").
*** A similar example; during the SecondWorldWar, British tank crews in north Africa fried eggs on their tanks.
** Fishing with grenades, enough said.
*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3XZ4qoKGw0 Fishing with a rocket launcher.]] If it wasn't enough of a {{Crowning Moment of Awesome}} by itself, the music makes it so.
**** Soviet aviators used one of the first mass produced rockets to this end -- RS has time fuse. Vasiliy Stalin (Uncle Joe's [[TheUnfavourite un-favourite son]]) was demoted after an incident when he and deputy commander were wounded and their weapons engineer killed while fishing this way.
*** This troper heard from his father that his old friends in the swedish navy occasionally used depth charges for this purpose.
* In the nonfiction book ''Try Not To Laugh, Sergeant Major'', one of the anecdotes concerns several British soldiers stationed in WestGermany during the 80s. After sneaking away from camp during field maneuvers for a pint, their reaction to having been arbitrarily denied service in a village's only bar by a bigoted tavernkeeper? To ram the muzzle of their Chieftain tank through the bar's front window and then fire a blank charge, temporarily deafening everyone and shattering every glass and bottle in the bar.
** Seems unlikely as told. A blank charge from a tank would be lethal at point blank range.
*** [[SarcasmMode For some mysterious reason]], immediately after the main gun of a tank came in the window, the proprietor and patrons had all rapidly exited the bar.
* Precision Laser Cutter. Possible use? [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3KSfVU5aw&eurl=http://www.uberreview.com/2008/08/precision-pizza-cutting-with-lasers.htm most high-tech pizza cutter]].
** Using a laser to play music or ''point at things'' is pretty overkill from a perspective of not too long ago. As formerly complicated things become ridiculously easy, [[RobinsonGoldbergContraption Rube Goldberg]] rules. (Which is, after all, the point of this trope)
* Laptops make such awesome bedwarmers...
* Need to soften/bring something up to room temperature? The top of a video card works very well. Of course everything has to be sealed and fairly light, but reactions can be quite amusing.
* More examples from [[http://www.rinkworks.com/stupid/cs_abuse.shtml]]:
-->''my personal favourite, a guy who brought food to class every day and warmed his lunch by opening his computer's case and putting his tinfoil parcel onto the CPU's heatsink. Amazingly it didn't cause damage until the stew he brought on the next to last day leaked out and shorted not just his machine but the entire floor of the building. What frightens me most is that he was genuinely shocked that we were shouting at him about it.''
-->''A friend worked for a company that made IC's. Every few months, their yields would go down to about zero. Analysis of the failures showed all sorts of organic material was introduced in the process, but they couldn't figure out where. One evening, someone was working late and came into the lab. There he found the maintainence crew cooking pizza in the chip curing ovens!''
* In 1907, the Stanley Cup was stolen from a house where it was to be photographed. When the thief wasn't able to pawn the trophy, he eventually just left it at the same house. The photographer's wife used it as a flower pot (it was much smaller then) until the team thought to check back there.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plowshare Operation Plowshare]], research into the use of atom bombs for landscaping.
* American soldiers in WorldWarII and Vietnam sometimes heated their meals over campfires fueled by plastic explosive.
** In case you're wondering, you can burn plastic explosive just fine without fear of explosions - that requires far greater heat than an ordinary campfire can provide. Sounds a rather expensive way to make fire, though.
*** It's also quite tricky: although it won't explode, burning PE-4 flames are hot enough to melt aluminium mess tins with any kind of prolonged contact, and have a tendency to throw off sparks in all directions.
**** Not that bad for either reason - one merely ignites a pea-sized blob to start stubborn fuel such as ''soaking wet wood''. But when it's time to leave, you ''have'' to drown it to put it out - stomping on it will cost you a foot.
* Cooling beer with blasts from a fire extinguisher: a costly but effective frat-house short cut, confirmed by ''{{Mythbusters}}''.
* [[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/41904 This article]] from TheOnion about the head of NASA borrowing the space shuttle to get home faster
* Many people are surprised to find out that in a nuclear power plant, the radioactive material which can level cities and cause cancer in minutes is being used to ''boil water.''
** Specifically this is how it produces power. The radioactive material boils the water into steam which runs steam turbines that produce electricity.
** It's also interesting to note that Natural gas and coal fired plants operate much in the same way, by burning the fuel to produce the steam. However, Nuclear Power happens to be the cheapest means of producing steam power.
* Recently, a million dollar bomb-defusing robot went missing from a military base. The culprits? A bunch of off-duty soldiers had ''taken it fishing with them.''
**The soldiers had been taught to think of the robot as a [[CompanionCube team-member]], given that it worked to save their lives (and their superior officers wanted them to take care of it), so when they took a day off, they felt the robot needed to come too.
* What do you get when you take a captured Iraqi tank and stick a pair of jet engines on it? The world's most [[AwesomeYetPractical awesome]] [[http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/08/jet-engines-on-trucks-for-fun-and.html fire extinguisher]].
* A few years back in Albuquerque, NM, a few police officers once used a Police Helicopter to make a run down to the just-opened Krispy Kreme. Subverted due to the fact that they got seriously reprimanded. Played straight soon after because of the overwhelmingly good publicity that made for both the donut shop and the APD.
* Considering many of the recent advances of the last few decades have been made with computers, and just how much technology has come about through computers, not to mention just how much of society is automated and made easier by computers, why are you using yours just to read TVTropes?
* The [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] had a problem with soldiers using the magazine lip of their weapons as a bottle opener, which damaged them. In response to this, the Galil ARM light machine gun incorporated a bottle opener in its design.
** The bipod legs of the Galil ARM can also be used as a wire cutter when folded.
[[/folder]]

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