They Paid Me to Apologize to a Broken Toaster 🍞🙏💵

“I’m sorry, Mr. Toastington… I didn’t mean to press ‘Defrost’ again.”

That was the moment I earned my first $1.25 from ApologyPay, an app that pays users to apologize sincerely to malfunctioning appliances. And yes, that’s a real sentence I just typed.

This is not a drill. This is the weirdest side hustle I’ve ever tried—and I’ve gotten paid to name worms in tuxedos and pretend to be a sandwich for seven minutes.

But this one? This one’s pure emotional therapy… for machines.

Let me walk you through how I got involved, what it pays, why it exists (apparently), and what kind of emotional connection you can actually build with a dead toaster—and still walk away with real money in your digital wallet.

🧠 The App That Pays You to Apologize (No, Seriously)

I found ApologyPay while doomscrolling through a Reddit thread called “Passive Income Ideas That Shouldn’t Exist”. Nestled between “Watch Slugs Race on LiveStream for Crypto” and “Sneeze into Your Microphone for AI Data Collection”, someone posted:

“Get paid to apologize to broken toasters and other emotionally neglected appliances. Actually works. $1/video.”

— u/BreadGuilt_79

Naturally, I clicked.

The app’s premise? Simple: Record a 30 to 60 second video apology to an appliance that no longer works. Microwave, blender, smart kettle—anything goes, but it has to be broken. The tone must be genuine, emotional, and preferably include remorse for how you used (or abused) the appliance.

In return, you get paid.

The rate varies depending on the “depth of apology,” the emotional tone, and the uniqueness of your appliance. Toasters are common. Air fryers that overheated during your breakup weekend? Gold mine.

🤖 Why Would Anyone Pay You for This?

At first, I assumed it was performance art. Some weird, AI-backed, dadaist experiment.

Turns out, it’s a bizarre fusion of:

• AI empathy training (to teach robots what human guilt sounds like),
• Entertainment content (the best apologies get featured on the app’s TikTok clone),
• And psychological reflection therapy (yes, people get closure from this).

According to the company’s FAQ:

“Machines can’t feel guilt. But humans do—sometimes irrationally. ApologyPay lets users process guilt by redirecting it toward harmless, familiar objects. It’s catharsis, monetized.”

Even weirder? Some therapists reportedly recommend it to patients with pent-up frustration. Think of it as emotional cosplay meets digital grief counseling—except the toaster is the therapist, and you’re the one saying sorry for burning Pop-Tarts in 2016.

🍞 My First Toaster Confession

I dusted off our old family toaster. Chrome-plated. Crumbs fossilized in the tray. One side still worked. The other side? More char than coil.

I set up my phone. I lit a candle (for ambiance). I pressed record.

“Toastington, I owe you more than an apology. I owe you an explanation. I knew you were overheating, and I kept pushing. That wasn’t right. You deserved better.”

I choked up halfway through. Was I joking? Yes. But did I also feel… real guilt?

Maybe.

I submitted the video. Twenty minutes later:

“Approved. $1.25 has been added to your wallet.”

I laughed. Then I cried. Then I filmed another apology to our microwave, who I once yelled at during finals week.

💸 How the Payment System Works

The app runs on a three-tier payout system:

Users can withdraw earnings via PayPal, crypto, or “redemption toast points” (which can be exchanged for toaster-themed merchandise, like a crying bread plushie).

I earned $17.85 in my first week. I apologized to:

• Our blender (for stuffing it with frozen mangoes daily),
• An old VCR (that I used as a doorstop for two years),
• And my hair straightener (for taking it to a camping trip… during monsoon season).

Each time, I felt a mix of absurdity and actual reflection.

🧼 Emotional Rewiring or Capitalist Theatre?

You might be wondering: is this just stupid, or stupid genius?

Let’s break it down:

PROS:

• Funny, low-effort side income.
• Therapeutic value, surprisingly.
• Viral potential on social media (some apologies get thousands of views).

CONS:

• You will question your sanity. Often.
• Some appliances “don’t qualify” if they’re too new or irrelevant (RIP, my electric pencil sharpener).
• Neighbors may think you’ve lost it if you’re sobbing to a rice cooker at 2 a.m.

🧠 The Psychology of Apologizing to Objects

ApologyPay isn’t just satire—it taps into something deep. Ever cursed at your laptop? Kicked your printer? Said “come on!” to your TV remote?

That’s anthropomorphization: assigning human traits to inanimate objects.

According to Dr. Nell G. Canfield, a behavioral psychologist at MIT:

“Humans bond with machines out of routine and reliance. When those machines fail—or we fail them—it triggers emotional residue. Apologizing helps the brain close the loop.”

In other words, the app monetizes our subconscious need for resolution.

📲 What’s in the App?

Here’s what ApologyPay’s interface looks like:

1. Home Feed: Apologies from users around the world.
2. Submit: Record your apology with filters like “Melancholy,” “Gratitude,” or “Regretful Bread.”
3. Leaderboard: Top earners include usernames like “ToasterWhisperer” and “MicrowaveMonk.”
4. Weekly Challenges:
   

• “Apologize to an appliance you inherited.”
• “Film an apology outdoors (for drama).”
• “Use a Shakespearean monologue structure.”

There’s even a “Forgiveness Mode”, where you pretend to be the appliance and forgive yourself back. Disturbing? A little. But weirdly powerful.

📉 When It Got Too Real

One night, I recorded an apology to my broken coffee machine.

I told it I was sorry for the times I slapped it instead of cleaning it. I blamed my 8 a.m. classes. I blamed capitalism. I teared up.

Halfway through the apology, the machine made a sound.

It wasn’t plugged in.

I deleted the app for three days.

Then reinstalled it.

🌎 Global Appliance Guilt Movement?

The app has gone viral in unexpected corners of the world. In Japan, teens apologize to malfunctioning vending machines. In Germany, a TikToker got 2 million views apologizing to a burned-out waffle iron.

A Brazilian artist reportedly staged a 12-hour apology marathon to his family’s broken rice cooker, live-streamed with donations going to “emotional compensation funds.”

Some therapists love it. Others call it “emotional nonsense.” But one thing’s clear: people keep apologizing.

And they’re getting paid.

🧾 Final Thoughts from Someone Who Apologized to a Fan Heater

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Humor and healing can mix.
• Even ridiculous tasks can bring in passive income if they’re designed right.
• Our emotional relationship with machines is deeper than we admit.

Would I recommend ApologyPay? If you enjoy performance, comedy, light emotional introspection—and money—yes.

Just don’t apologize too hard. You might end up crying over a broken blender named “Blendy.”

And yes, I named all my appliances now.

✅ Sources

1. Canfield, N. G. (2024). Humans and Machines: Emotional Projection in the Digital Age. MIT Press.
2. ApologyPay Official FAQ. Retrieved from www.apologypay.io/faq
3. Reddit Thread: r/PassiveIncome — “Apps That Shouldn’t Exist But Do” (2025)
4. TikTok Compilation — “Top 10 Funniest Toaster Apologies” via @ApologyPayOfficial
5. Dr. Sheila Torrez (2025). Interview on Digital Empathy Trends, Emotional AI Podcast
6. “Why We Blame Objects for Our Failures,” Psychology Today, Oct 2024.
7. User Submission Data (Screenshots collected during app test week, July 2025)
8. ApologyPay Leaderboard Archive – www.apologypay.io/board

Written by the author, Fatima Al-Hajri 👩🏻‍💻