Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Describe The Weird Smells That They Love

Make us preferred on Google

Okay, hear me out.

There's something about the lumber department at Home Depot that just relaxes me. Sure, the smell can't compare to what it's like to be out in a pine forest, for example, but it is soothing nonetheless. I don't go there much–frankly, I do find myself getting annoyed the second I have to enter a hardware store of any kind–but it's a simple pleasure.

People shared their thoughts with us after Redditor Butter_scoo asked the online community,

"What weird smell do you love?"

"Probably..."

"Probably the smell of the hardware store. Something about the unique but strong odor just puts me in a good mindset."

NoelleRobles

It's a very specific smell but sometimes it can just feel dusty more than anything else.

"The beginning..."

"The beginning of rain on a very hot street."

farahriane

You just described soothing summer rains. They're the best.

"A freshly opened..."

"A freshly opened pack of trading cards."

[deleted]

This is very specific but spot on. The ink smells quite good!

"I used to work..."

"Brand new tires. I used to work at a car dealership and this smell is the best."

weinerdoggos

The inside of any tire store, auto section at walmart, or bicycle shop is a good one. Guess it's just the smell of new rubber.

"The smell that comes..."

"Hot electronics. The smell that comes when you run computer hardware at 100% power for days on end. If you've ever been inside a data center, you'll know what I mean."

Vedorias

It sounds like you would probably enjoy industrial motor control centers.

"When I used to go camping..."

"Wet pine trees. When I used to go camping, the best smell ever was at dawn waking up in the woods. It felt so fresh."

subtle_existence

I'm not much of a camper myself but there's no denying how lovely that smell is.

"When you cut or mill it..."

"Walnut. When you cut or mill it, there's an astringent smell that's kind of like mustard, but woodier. Nothing else smells like it."

esp735

This one is a particularly strong smell. The smell of hardwood is quite nice, I think.

"The smell of smoke..."

"The smell of smoke that candles create when they have just been blown out."

[deleted]

Have you been Pavlov’d into wanting cake every time you smell that?

"I hate the smell..."

"I hate the smell of cigarettes smoke. But i love the tobacco smell from the unopened pack of cigars."

OrangeDemiSoda

The fresh cigar smell is also quite smoothing. I'd balk at smoking the things though!

"Gunpowder after..."

"Gunpowder after it's been ignited. Someone needs to make an airfreshener for that. Whenever I smell it I get good memories of going plinking with my uncles as a kid."

Its_RJBtch

The real question however is black or smokeless?

There are so many great smells out there just waiting for you to discover them! And while some people might not agree on what makes some smells so great, that's perfectly okay. It just means more for you!

Have some suggestions of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Jimmy Kimmel; Matthew McConaughey
Scott Kirkland/FXX via Getty Images; Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Jimmy Kimmel Reveals NSFW Way Matthew McConaughey Consoled Him During Emmys—And It Actually Helped

Every awards show has an "In Memoriam" section, and every time it's a tear-jerker.

And at this year's Emmys, even funny man Jimmy Kimmel couldn't keep from crying, following the death of his childhood friend and frequent fixture on his show, Cleto Escobedo III.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joanna Wietrzyk
Fred Lee/Getty Images

HYROX World Champion Who Soiled Herself During Event Speaks Out To Apologize After Controversy

On September 12, Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia won in the Pro Women's solo division at HYROX Beijing 2026 and set off a literal sh*tstorm of controversy. Wietrzyk suffered acute gastrointestinal distress, soiling herself, partway through the course, but she chose to continue and finished in first place.

HYROX is a standardized global fitness-racing series that combines eight kilometers of running with eight functional workout stations. Participants run one kilometer, then complete one of the functional workout stations, then repeat this sequence eight times alongside the other competitors in their division.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Letterman; Donald Trump
Amy Sussman/WireImage; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

David Letterman's Resurfaced Warning About The Future Of The Media Under 'Authoritarian' Trump Is Eerily Accurate

A resurfaced clip of former late-night host David Letterman has gone viral for a prescient warning he gave to the media about the perils of being a "suck up" to an "authoritarian regime" like the Trump administration.

Letterman originally made those remarks during an appearance last year at The Atlantic Festival. He criticized the Trump administration and cautioned media outlets while reflecting on the administration's efforts to silence Letterman's fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Dave Lowe
60 Minutes

Lifelong Texas Republican Goes Viral With Criticism Of Proposed AI Data Center On '60 Minutes'—And Everyone's Saying The Same Thing

Dave Lowe, a resident of Red Oak, Texas, and a "lifelong conservative Republican," went viral for his reaction to a proposed AI data center in his community, giving 60 Minutes reporters a response observers say perfectly sums up conservative thinking.

Data centers—vast, industrial buildings packed with servers, networking hardware, and storage systems—form the physical backbone of modern computing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of JD Vance at rally in North Carolina
C-SPAN

Vance Dragged After 'Accidentally' Coming Up With Juvenile Nickname For The Far Left In Cringey Speech

Vice President JD Vance was widely mocked online after he misspoke while criticizing the "far left" at a campaign rally for MAGA North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley.

Vance was in the city of Greensboro to encourage voters to vote for one of the MAGA candidates that has been endorsed by the White House. Whatley was previously the chair of the Republican National Committee from 2024 to 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less