Buzz
While the shortest path between two points is a straight line, a 300-step mechanical marvel is far more captivating. Rube Goldberg brought fame to the concept of performing simple tasks in the most convoluted ways through his iconic cartoons in the early 1900s. Over the years, countless innovators have crafted their own wildly imaginative Rube Goldberg machines. Below are 13 incredible creations that value creativity over practicality.
1. THE 300-STEP MASTERPIECE // PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Annually, creative thinkers come together to participate in the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. Each year features a unique challenge—in 2012, the goal was to inflate and burst a balloon. The victorious team from the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers outdid themselves by not only completing the task but also incorporating every challenge from the contest’s 25-year history, such as juicing an orange, replacing a light bulb, crushing a can, and sharpening a pencil. Their 300-step machine earned them a Guinness World Record for the largest Rube Goldberg machine at the time. In 2015, a Hungarian team surpassed this feat with their 382-step giant.
2. PHOTOGRAPHY-INSPIRED MACHINE // 2D HOUSE
The inspiration behind this grand machine by Canadian photography studio 2D House is unmistakable. This photography-themed creation, conceptualized over three months in 2011, required two months to construct—and its video quickly went viral. Since then, 2D House has designed numerous Rube Goldberg machines, including projects for Target and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
3. THIS TOO SHALL PASS // OK GO
OK Go is renowned for their extraordinarily inventive music videos, and in 2010, they drew inspiration from Rube Goldberg for their video This Too Shall Pass. Engineers from Syyn Labs, an arts and technology collective in Los Angeles, were tasked with building the setup, which was captured in a single take after more than
4. MELVIN THE MACHINE // HEYHEYHEY
The Dutch design studio HEYHEYHEY described their invention as a "Rube Goldberg machine with a unique twist." During its performances, “Melvin the Magical Mixed Media Machine” would capture photos and videos of its audience, uploading them to its blog. According to the team's website, Melvin has been inactive for several years. However, even without its interactive features, watching footage of the machine's umbrellas, pinwheels, and parachuting toy soldiers remains highly entertaining.
5. THE STORY OF PASSOVER // TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Building Rube Goldberg machines isn’t a traditional Passover activity, but this creation by students at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology makes a compelling argument for it. The chain reaction begins when wine is poured into a kiddush cup. From there, a toy Moses in a basket, a burning tin foil bush, and matzo cracker dominoes depict the holiday's story. The sequence concludes with the unveiling of a traditional Seder plate.
6. THE WORLD’S SMALLEST // SEIKO
A Rube Goldberg machine doesn’t need to be large to be remarkable. The Japanese watchmaker Seiko crafted their tiny device using 1200 miniature mechanical watch parts. The final objective? Delivering the last component to a meticulously assembled watch.
7. SODA MACHINE // BERLAGAWESOME
Fortunately, most vending machines don’t require 175 steps to dispense a can of Coke. However, if you’re patient, YouTube user berlagawesome’s Rube Goldberg soda machine is worth the four quarters it takes to activate it. He dedicated 140 hours in total to creating the video above. After such dedication, the soda surely tasted exceptionally refreshing.
8. RUBE SLOWBERG // BOB PARTINGTON
Inventor Bob Partington went all out to create what he calls the world’s slowest Rube Goldberg machine. Techniques like growing grass, melting popsicles, a stream of molasses, and even a tortoise were used to move a golf ball from one end of the structure to the other. The entire process lasted six weeks, three days, seven hours, and two minutes. Thankfully, the video has been significantly sped up for viewers.
9. THE PAGE TURNER // JOSEPH HERSCHER
Among Rube Goldberg machines, kinetic artist Joseph Herscher’s creations stand out for their practicality. The Page Turner lives up to its name—Herscher activates it by sipping coffee, and by the time he finishes reading the front page of the newspaper, the next page is flipped automatically. This highlights how Rube Goldberg machines and relaxed mornings are a perfect match.
10. THE FORTUNE TELLING MACHINE // HEVESH5
This fortune-telling machine doesn’t rely on an animatronic psychic or require coins to function. Instead, YouTuber Hevesh5’s invention uses balls, beads, and dominos to achieve its final objective. The process concludes when a dumbbell crushes a fortune cookie, revealing the fortune inside.
11. DOG GOLDBERG MACHINE // PURINA BENEFUL
Dogs can be trained for many tasks, even serving as parts of a living Rube Goldberg machine. Purina collaborated with the creative agency Deep Focus to bring this idea to life. The agency meticulously planned the video with sketches and tests to ensure seamless execution, even creating a 3D miniature model to identify potential issues beforehand. During filming, tennis balls, kibble, and frisbees were used to motivate the canine participants to perform their roles.
12. LEGO PHYSICS // CHRISTIAN BECHINIE
LEGO bricks can be used to replicate scenes from literature, build a fully functional caravan, and, as Christian Bechinie shows, create intricate machines. The LEGO builder’s Rube Goldberg machine knocks over 200 dominoes during its minute-long sequence. If you’re searching for ideas to use your childhood LEGO collection, this video is sure to inspire.
13. MAGNETS AND MARBLES // KAPLAMINO
While many Rube Goldberg machines on this list are incredibly complex, simpler designs can be just as captivating. This creation by domino artist Kaplamino relies on marbles and magnets as its main elements. After the painstaking process of perfecting each step, the result is a deeply satisfying and mesmerizing display.
