What Is a Poop Knife? The Reddit Story, and Where to Buy One
One of the internet's most famous confessions, and the gag gift that came out of it.
A poop knife is exactly what it sounds like: a knife kept next to the toilet to break up anything too large to flush. For most people it is a meme. For one Reddit user's family it was an ordinary household object, and the moment he discovered that other families did not have one became one of the best-known posts in Reddit's history.
That story is why "poop knife" is now a product category. Below is the short version of where it came from, then the poop knives and bathroom gag gifts in our catalog.
Where the poop knife comes from
In early 2018 a Redditor posting as u/LearnedButt wrote a confession in r/confession. His family, he explained, used a knife before flushing to chop up large stools so they would not clog the toilet. The knife was an old kitchen knife that hung on a rusty nail in the laundry room. He had assumed every household did the same, and the post's own title says he was 22 when he learned otherwise.
The post collected around 29,000 points, according to MEL Magazine's later interview with its author, and "poop knife" became shorthand on Reddit for any family habit you assume is universal until you say it out loud.
Does anyone actually use a poop knife?
The family in the story did. Everyone else uses a plunger, and a toilet auger for real blockages, which is also what a plumber will tell you to do. The poop knives sold today are mostly bought as gag gifts, although the Original Poop Knife's listing insists that it works.
How we picked
Prices and details were read from each listing on 11 October 2026. The story above is summarised from MEL Magazine's December 2018 article on the post, which links the archived original.
The Original Poop Knife: metal-reinforced silicone, dishwasher safe, with a hole in the handle for hanging, in packaging that takes the joke all the way. It is the version people mean when they say they bought someone a poop knife. About $15.
A stainless spatula blade engraved "POOP KNIFE", with a wooden handle and a chain for hanging it on a nail, which is how the knife in the story was kept. About $10, in a gift box.
A tin with a seat cover, tissues and gloves for public restrooms. Bathroom humour that is also useful, and small enough to put in the same box as the knife.
A toilet-roll holder that plays a recording you make whenever the roll turns. If the poop knife is the punchline, this is the running joke.
A small putting green that rolls out in front of the toilet, with a putter, two balls and a door hanger. The other classic bathroom gag gift.
Frequently asked
What is a poop knife?
A knife kept by the toilet to break up stools too large to flush. The idea became famous from a 2018 Reddit confession by a man whose family kept one hanging in the laundry room.
Who started the poop knife story?
Reddit user u/LearnedButt, in a post on r/confession in early 2018. The post's title says he was 22 when he found out other families did not have one.
Where can I buy a poop knife?
Amazon sells several, including the Original Poop Knife in silicone (about $15) and stainless-steel versions (about $10). Both are on this page with direct links.
Is a poop knife a good gag gift?
For someone who knows the Reddit story, yes, it is one of the funniest gifts there is. For someone who does not, it is just a knife for the toilet, so know your audience.