Ask HN: How to build and distribute *real* products?

Recently, I received a not-so-good programmable coffee maker. I decided to take it apart and fix it: I built what I think it's a better product and now I'm planning to redistribute it, so that other people can benefit from my improvements. However, I'm stuck because I'm afraid of being ripped off by the companies I'm going to talk to.

Does it make sense to patent the invention? I realized the patent process is particularly expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, I thought about speaking to small manufacturers, protect myself with a NDA and forget about the patent thing.

How do "normal people" protect their inventions? How do they build and distribute REAL products?

Thanks