In the beginning, HowToBasic's shtick was showing people how to perform very simple tasks. It was amusing for a little while, but something else was needed. That's when the idea got crafted to start off a video completely normal following instructions correctly, but then spiral out of control more and more as it goes on.
When this channel was introduced to me by a friend, I thought it was some of the funniest stuff you could find on YouTube. The way every situation managed to go off-the-rails in the worst way possible was uproarious, and very creative. The weird noises he made as well added to the humor. The best video he made has to be How To Make A Porno. It's wrong on every single level, but oh so ingenius.
The only problem was that, after HTB had found the recipe for success, he got into a rut. It became easier to predict how things would go, and although amusing the material started to feel tired. Once in a while however, he can still make me laugh just as much as before. The recent How To Fix A Water Damaged Laptop is just as good as his best work.
In short, this might not be the absolute pinnacle of comedy, but it's enjoyable for what it is and occasionally a riot. HowToBasic has a "basic" idea, but one that for the most part works.