Coworker complained about her 'inappropriate' 3D tea steeper after mistaking the fisherman for a toilet. HR banned it — then asked for one herself

An employee (u/electronic-sell-6402) got inadvertently pulled into a corporate conflict after their co-worker was disgusted by something as simple as a tea steeper. It happened when they brought a 3D-printed all-white tea steeper designed like a fisherman catching fish. A coworker apparently found it offensive because it looked like a person on the toilet seat. Soon, HR intervened and demanded the employee remove the tea steeper, but asked for a similar 3D-printed one for herself. The employee’s post, shared on September 29, 2026, has received over 170,000 upvotes.

A steeper sparks drama

The author was quite happy with their tea steeper. But only because they printed it in all white; a coworker took offense and complained to HR. "Someone made a comment in front of my boss's boss that it looks like the little guy is sitting on a toilet," they explained. Soon, the author received an HR email claiming they had an "inappropriate" object on their desk that should be removed. The employee was naturally puzzled, because they couldn't understand what made their tea steeper so improper. Frustrated, they talked to their immediate boss, who also didn't see any problem with the tea steeper. Shortly after, the employee emailed HR. They asked the department to come and identify the inappropriate object on their desk.

"HR just left my office. Saw no problems, thinks the whole complaint is dumb, and is going to write it up that way," the person shared. Not only did she cancel the complaint, but she also asked the employee to print a similar tea steeper for her. She even asked the employee if they wished to file a harassment case against the co-worker. The employee denied it, except that they’d write a note in the HR files for the future.

Workplace nuisance

Unreasonable co-workers aren’t just a workplace nuisance, but they also significantly affect the workflow. For instance, a KickResume survey of 2,894 employees found that 85% have had an experience with an annoying coworker. Similarly, 58% reported that their annoying coworkers significantly impacted their productivity. Another 32% said they prefer distancing themselves from annoying coworkers, which is probably what the author did by not complaining about the harassment. 

'How is that unprofessional?'

The internet sided with the employee. u/okanagan_man84 commented, "It's a dude or dudette with a fishing pole. How is that unprofessional? Seems like whoever is complaining has nothing better to do or is, at the very least, jealous of what you have. Therefore, if they can't have one, neither should you.” U/Zanii added, “Some people just seem to have to find something to do. Nitpicking everybody's small joys is apparently one thing to do. I'd want one of those stands!”

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