1) A bidet! Got one in the pandemic when toilet paper was scarce and I wanted to be more efficient, but now I'll never go back. The Tushy ones are good.
2) A safety razor & accessories. I get a cheaper, closer, less irritating shave, and I get to customize every part of it. This can certainly be a rabbithole you spend a lot of money on, but you can get a solid customized starter kit for under $100 that will be totally solid, and from then on you're saving money over cartridges and gel unless you really want to splurge.
I'll second the electric toothbrush suggestion too, its great having my teeth fel clean and smooth.
Safety razors are amazing and life changing. Even if you have something basic it's better for your skin than a cartridge razor, plus it's better for the planet (way less plastic), plus it's way less expensive! I don't know how they are still a niche item.
For anyone who wants to get started, I recommend (no affiliation):
- the henson razor for those who want something on automatic. It's less efficient (worse at cutting long hair) but it's basically impossible to cut yourself with it due to the small blade gap
- the rockwell 6s for tinkerers. It has 6 different settings for blade gap so you can choose your favorite, switch it up if you skipped shaving for a day and have longer hair, etc
Same for me. The bidet is absolutely a life changer.
And the BambuLab's A1 3D printer (and mini-AMS) was by far my favorite under $1000 purchase. I've already printed some fidget "tools", toys for the grandchildren, toys for the children, and even a couple of useful tools for me. As a bonus I get some more experience in CAD and other 3D design tools. It's turning into quite a hobby for me.
For me P1S hits the soft spot: it's not terribly expensive, and it just works out of the box, is closed so the temperature is well-controlled (plus a carbon filter to keep the fumes down), you can add AMS easily. With 0.2 nozzle you can basically print figurines with almost resin quality.
I love my P1S. Maybe not a great starter printer, if you don't know if you like printers or not, but definitely the best bang for buck if you know it's not going to be a "let's try 3D printing and see if I like it" purchase.
I do recommend a small length of foam tape for the left side of the door, though, the hinge is not lined and some fumes come out. Putting some foam there greatly improves that.
I get this question a lot, and I never have a good answer. The best way to describe it is that it's a tool, so it unlocks a whole solution space that wasn't there before.
Before, I used to live with random little annoyances so much that I couldn't even see them as annoyances. After you get something that can solve all of them, your mind just unlocks.
Toilet seat won't stay up? Print a hook. Taking my glasses out of the glove compartment takes too long? Make a custom glasses holder. The cat eats too much? Print a cat feeder. My USB hub slides around too much? Print a bracket to hold it down. Too many devices on my desk? Print under-desk mounts for them.
The list just goes on and on and on, I've printed probably thousands of useful things, especially for my hobbies.
For anyone in the UK interested in getting a bidet: most normal bidets are illegal due to our water safety backflow prevention regulations. As a minimum you need a break tank - a double check valve isn’t sufficient.
I know this applies for bumguns —various water boards have published guidance— but a lot of the under-seat bidets retract [without positive water pressure].
There's no risk of the spout sitting in and siphoning dirty toilet water it back into your supply. I'm neither a lawyer or a plumber but these seem like they might be okay.
> There's no risk of the spout sitting in and siphoning dirty toilet water it back into your supply
In many places in Europe tap water is safe to drink. However, hot tap water is not.
The regulations mentioned by GP might protect safety of the cold tap water from intake of hot tap water. Which is easy to do unintentionally when mixing hot and cold water.
Oh so that's why the Brits all have this crazy setup with separate cold and hot taps! I was always wondering why - I'm from a country where you can mix water easily.
Nah, in the UK it's now fairly uncommon to still have a hot water tank. Most houses have mixer taps, and new fittings for bathrooms or kitchens will have mixer taps unless the home owner is masochist.
The separate taps thing is more because it costs to replace a sink. So even if you put a new boiler in an old houses lots of people aren't going to replace the fittings in the kitchens and bathrooms at the same time.
I bought some Tushies for my house and they were awful, they were so thick that they broke my toilet seats. I then bought new toilet seats and little stick-on bumpers, but they fell off.
I then visited a friend who had an older Tushy and it was thin enough that he had no problems.
It's like they switched to a cheaper version without testing it, and then marketed the hell out of it.
I ended up replacing all my Tushies with Amazon's toilet seat with a built in bidet. It's decent.
My parents in law lived in the middle east for a long time, and we all got used to bidets over there. I've had a "mini shower head" version next to my toilet for the last 15 years or so. A bit afraid that it'll start leaking at some point, but so far it's holding up great. I would never go back to TP only.
Without meaning to get too personal, what is the technique for using those? When I took a work trip to India the office had what I think you’re talking about. In the US, it’s like a sprayer on a kitchen sink. I didn’t dare try it out, as I couldn’t think of a scenario where I tried it for the first time and didn’t soak my clothes. I didn’t want that to be my reputation at the office.
You hold it relatively close to the area that needs cleaning. Adjust the pressure as needed using the control on the handle. Then use TP (just to dry), in my experience this is optional in warmer climates.
I have seen that 'mini shower head' in multiple homes and hotels in Finland and Russia (but not in Sweden or Denmark). It is amazing!!
A side-hack for that matter is to switch from plain-TP to wet-wipes. Some time ago I visited a friend who had younglings, and treated myself to a pamper-wet-wipe and it was amazing.
I would asterisk the bidet suggestion just to say that higher end bidet seats that cost starting around $400 are wildly better the cheap ones, especially the unseated ones.
I’ve bought the cheap kind, got tired of it and tossed it, then years later went with a more expensive Toto (around $400) and it’s like a completely different experience.
The Toto keeps itself and the toilet cleaner for longer, it has options for gentle spray and oscillating movement, it’s entirely controlled by electronic remote rather than a crude manual knob, the water and seat are heated, it detects when you are sitting down and operates accordingly, and it even has a warm air dryer.
All bidets I've looked at including Tushy seem really complicated to install (basically having to redo the plumbing) and I don't understand how so many people can just buy and install one like it's nothing. Am I imagining things?
If you can handle putting the nozzle on your garden hose, you should be able to handle it.
In the US, the water pipe almost always connects to the toilet through a small shutoff valve. After the valve, it connects to the toilet through a "supply." The supply is basically a short garden hose, with screw-on connections at both ends.
Shut off the water at the wall.
Flush to empty the toilet tank.
Unscrew the hose at the toilet, and screw that end into what amounts to a y, or splitter that comes with the bidet.
From the splitter, screw one side back into the toilet connection; the other goes to the bidet itself.
Turn back on the water at the wall.
(This is for a simple cold-water bidet. If you need heated water or electricity, it can be more complex.)
I mean, but don't you need warm water and/or electricity? I can't see liking a bidet if it's basically just cold tap water shooting up my bum. Not sure that's going to do it for me.
I've always thought that both hot water and electricity would be a minimal barrier to entry for a bidet. And that neither of these exist in a typical toilet closet. Am I fundamentally wrong about this??
Whether you need it probably depends on your climate and your house.
Water in pipes inside a house's "thermal envelope" is presumably around 72 deg. F. I wash my hands with "cold water" without wincing. Tap water strikes me as tepid if I drink it without ice.
If your pipes run through an outside wall in Canada, it might be a different story.
If you do need warmer water, and the bidet heats it, you probably just need an electrician to fish a wire and add a receptacle. That's not outrageously complex, usually, but I tend toward calling a professional for anything behind the walls.
> Water in pipes inside a house's "thermal envelope" is presumably around 72 deg. F.
The pipes in my house are in the crawlspace underneath the house, which is definitely nothing like 72F this time of year. Any hot water more than 10 feet or so away from the water heater runs pretty cold for several gallons.
That sounds like a good weekend project, putting split foam insulation around your pipes. 8' runs are a couple of bucks at the big box stores.
It's not quite as efficient, but I put in a recirculation pump and a timer to keep the water warm throughout the pipe during the day. The clothes washer was never getting warm water, and we wasted a lot at the shower waiting for warm water to reach it.
It depends on what your toilet supply lines are like and if you use a cold water only or a cold/hot water bidet, but a cold water only one (not nearly as uncomfortable as imagined before trying it) is very easy to install as long as your supply line has a shutoff valve and is relatively flexible.
It takes 15-20 minutes and it basically consists of unscrewing a few things and screwing them back together again.
I feel like Toto is failing with their marketing, since people are not really aware of their products outside of Japan. No good and cheap alternatives either
Toto is failing with their prices. I know they can print money in Japan, but it looks like they don't really want to be competitive elsewhere. Sooner or later someone will persuade the right influencer to start a bidet craze and they will get 10x bigger than Toto overnight.
I’ve got a Duravit toilet here in the US, and I'm on the hunt for a compatible cold-water bidet seat under $300 on Amazon. I originally went for a Brondell, thinking it would match the shape and dimensions. But halfway through the install, I realized it wasn’t going to fit around the seat connectors. Duravit's own bidet seats are around $1,000-- I'm tempted, but they look like a lot of work to install. I’m starting to wonder if I should just upgrade the whole toilet to a model that comes with a bidet.
Those are compression fittings which we also use in the USA for sink and toilet connections. Standard size here is 3/8 inch which is the outer diameter of the tubing. They are easy to work with as you only need a tube cutter (or hacksaw with fine tooth pitch) and a wrench. You cut the tube, slide a compression nut over, slide the ferrule(s) on, insert the tube into the fitting, finger tighten the compression nut, make sure everything is aligned then tighten nut with wrench. No solder, no fancy crimp tools. You can disassemble and reassemble without leaks. The only issue is the ferrule winds up becoming swaged to the tube after wrench tightening so you have to cut the tube end off behind the ferrule if you want to replace the nut.
However, instead of using rigid metal or plastic tubing you commonly find a flexible hose assembly[1]. Only fancy installs use custom formed polished rigid tube for the look. We also tend to leave most of the plumbing in the walls and only the shut off valve protrudes from the wall. Maybe there are flexible hoses available in your region.
When I installed my bidet all I needed was a 3/8 compression tee[2] which they make specifically to tap shutoff valves. The bidet came with a 3/8 connection hose so that went to the tee and I was up and running. The big issue was electric - no outlets in the bathroom. So having seen how Japan loves extension cords I too used one, ran a 12 AWG cord out to the hall to a GFI adapter plugged into a socket. Jank but highly unlikely to cause a fire.
To follow on to user infecto’s sibling comment, for most U. S. homes, it is probably fifteen minutes of work. Shut off water, connect t-line, bolt down new toilet seat, sorted. It shouldn’t be complicated for most installations.
I ended up buying a travel bidet because I couldn’t install one at our house for various reasons. It’s basically just a squeeze bottle with an angled head. Works great!
US based plumbing. You are imagining things. Most/all resi toilets in the US use a flex hose to connect the toilet to your water supply. Its usually a threaded connection. All these style of bidets simply have a T off of this connection.
Not in the US. The pipe just goes straight into the toilet. When googling around seeing articles about installing Tushy when you have rigid pipes they are still much more flexible than mine, with separate parts you can disconnect and replace.
I was in the situation you describe when I got a bidet. It's possible to replace that pipe -- a little more work of course, but it's still turn off water, replace pipe with flexi-hose, connect bidet.
I posted a picture in my original comment. Was it in the same ballpark? The difference with mine is that there are no nuts on the pipes next to the wall. It's one solid construction going from the sink through the toilet to the shower.
I’ll Third a bidet. Once you experience the exhilarating bliss of cleaning your nether regions with fresh, clean water, you’ll never willingly go back to smearing excrement around your fiddly bits with the dry paper.
Sorry if this is getting into TMI territory but how does the bidet avoid dissolving the unwanted material and spraying it all over everywhere? And how does one dry this without toilet paper?
It works under the same principle as pressure washing, as long as the water pressure is high enough the final result is completely clean. Too high pressure can lead to material flying around everywhere but there's a very large range where the pressure is high enough to clean you but not enough to spray things around.
Drying is a personal preference and isn't as important anymore as you're clean down there now. Toilet paper is one option but you don't have to do it (I don't dry for reference) as it'll dry out by itself in a few minutes once you put your underwear on to absorb the water (which is fine because you're completely clean down there so it really is just clean water left).
I'd add a cheap hand massager to that list, just basic compression and some heat with vibration can do wonders for your hand after a day of coding, bonus if it kneads as well.
I've had my safety razor (a Merkur) since 2008 or 2009 and I am still working through the original pack of 1,000 razorblades that I got with it. I keep a beard year-round so I don't really shave much. Incredible value purchase, with very minimal effort it has remained practically as good as new.
Is there a travel bidet that falls into the same category in terms of the quality ? I have tried many but nothing works at the same level as tushy and thought i would make one myself! Would anyone from this community buy one if I made a very strong force bidet thats portable ?
Luxe Neo bidet attachment - easy to tee into supply, fits under toilet seat,
options for rear/male only, or both rear/front male/female separate spray nozzles.
I am so glad you mentioned this. My son is intellectually challenged, and teaching him to wipe himself is . . . challenging. A bidet seems like an excellent game changer. Cheers!
Yes for a bidet! My wife wanted one, I thought I'd hate it but it really is fantastic. We have a Toto Washlet C5. Heated seat, heated spray, warm air dryer. Had to cancel the Amazon toilet paper auto-delivery.
- A dumbphone. Even if I’m not using it anymore, it has shown me what life I could be living without distractions. My anxiety and stress levels went down from about the second day using it, I became much more aware of my emotional state and the environment around me, it was a noticeable shift.
I no longer buy the arguments that we can control our smartphone addictions with will. The technology is too optimised for most of us to break free. And the addictions — too subtle for most to notice.
It may simply be a physiological addiction to checking email or for notifications every now and then. If you feel like you’d be missing out unless you check your phone several times a day, you have it. If you reach for your phone without thinking when you’re bored, you have it. It’s all about compulsive action.
I think much of the population is addicted. Certainly most of the online types.
Every interaction with your phone pulls you out of being present!
I really don't see the point of a dumbphone: it seems a lot like buying a ham radio and trying to use that for your daily life. Who am I going to talk to with a dumbphone? No one actually does "phone calls" any more using voice calling, at least in my corner of the world. (They do for work, but I'm not in a customer-facing job so I don't.)
There seems to be a hole in the market for a dumb phone that does sms well. Perhaps we can even get rid of phone calls entirely and just have an sms device with a camera.
I would suggest an eink phone if this is what you're looking for. I, for example have the Hisense A5. Can do everything a regular android phone can it's just less effective
Then you end up doing all kinds of android things. I don't want a toaster that is also a casino and a web browser. It needs to be a thoughtless process between the idea of having toast and eating it. "lets have toast", "ahh, nice toast"
They just translate, no candy crush, no angry birds, no hero wars, no facebook, no push notifications how you've spend 123 minutes per day using your phone. You can take it to the pub and not end up playing hayday, doom scroll twiiter or hey, I can spend the night reading hn, and ohh is it closing time already? Did anyone else have a good time?
The assumption one can be strong enough to not do that isn't supported by the data.
In the USA -lots- of people use SMS only, and it’s their main communication. You can do that on a dumb phone, and if you tend to get into doom scrolling or TikTok dance scrolling it can allow you to recover a lot of free time back. No SM? Count me in.
>In the USA -lots- of people use SMS only, and it’s their main communication. You can do that on a dumb phone
This is unique to the US (and probably Canada); elsewhere, everyone uses various chat apps to communicate.
Regardless, if we just ignore everyplace else, the main problem I see here is that texting on a dumbphone is really painful once you're used to typing out messages on a modern smartphone's touchscreen. Sure, they had that T9 system back then, but compared to typing on a modern phone it's a huge step backwards in typing speed and usability. On top of that, the tiny screen size makes it much harder to follow a conversation.
Agreed. Only stupid thing is that my dumb phone comes with fb that cannot be deleted, but I have no data-plan. Oh and some games that apparently auto-bill your phone account if you start using them, also cannot be deleted. Still it was the best tech purchase in a long time under 100e for quality of life improvement, and helped me finally escape the depressing 'news/propaganda' streams.
under 1000e: I am still experimenting with, but a water distiller and some glass bottles to try and escape the plastic water bottle madness.
I think I like the “dumbify” apps better. You can install them on a regular smartphone and make it a bad experience for doom scrolling but still have conveniences like MFA apps, Password Managers, audio books, music streaming, etc. that are hard to come by on true dumb phones.
I switched to an iPad plus cellular Apple Watch, and I’m finding it more convenient than a straight up dumb phone. Biggest downside is no ride share apps work on it, but otherwise it has everything I need.
I’m thinking about getting a cellular apple watch and not carrying around a phone most of the time. Can still get critical messages without being able to check the news when I’m bored or anxious.
i did this for some time. I'm probably due to again as I check my phone often. Apple watch does have standalone navigation which is a win. It got annoying not being able to do things sometimes, such as checking a groupme etc.
Sunbeam is a popular one. Also a bunch of Nokias should work.
There is also the Xiaomi/Qin/Duoqin F30. It’s a T9 phone with Android 11. But the “Westernized” version with Google Play Store has tampered with software (hacks applied) as the original Chinese software doesn’t have Google stuff nor is the phone Play verified. Then there are questions about the Chinese software itself. I’ve gone deep into the rabbit hole of trying to verify it’s secure but couldn’t to a satisfactory standard.
The F30 is still considered a dumbphone for how limiting the T9 keyboard and its tiny screen are. You won’t enjoy consuming or searching for any kind of content on it. But you can install many modern Android apps if you are comfortable with the security situation. And that’s quite important sometimes to not get isolated from people, to bank, for 2FA, streaming music, and a few other things. It’s basically then a capable but highly inconvenient phone, which I think is excellent.
Still, if you want privacy and security, how many days are you willing to sink into tinkering with these Xiaomi/Qin/Duoqin devices? You will need at least a few, possibly more.
It’s much less hassle to just get whatever dumb phone with a feature OS you can get on Amazon or Walmart.
Delete the stuff you’re compulsively checking. Turn off notifications, so you need to make the intention to check things, rather than the phone calling for attention. Spend some time now trying to ween, but going told turkey. Go for a walk, leaving the phone at home. Leave it in another room when doing things around the house. Don’t take it with you into the bathroom. Get comfortable with boredom. Allow your mind to wander and see where it takes you.
Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism is pretty good for stressing the importance of spending time in thought without the influence of the internet, podcasts, audiobooks, or anything else. This used to be the norm for large sections of the day for people… now it’s rather rare.
That’s why it’s important to have tech that serves you, like a dumbphone. You throw your smartphone away (leave it in your car, leave it at work, throw it in the deep end of your attic, etc), make it really inconvenient to act in these compulsions.
And then you just suffer through it for a few days. It gets better very quickly.
That’s a nice compendium of methods. I tried almost all of them, they all work to an extent.
I now use a smartphone again, as practicalities of life demand it. But I am switching to an old sluggish iPhone with a 4.X inch screen to hopefully put frictions in my use of it. I will see if that helps.
You can disable Safari in iOS. Search for “Content & Privacy Restrictions” in Settings. Then turn Safari off in “Allowed Apps & Features”. The app will disappear after a few minutes.
You can also turn off the Fitness app this way, even if you have an Apple Watch, and Car Play if you don’t like it for some reason, such as your car auto-connecting.
Voice lessons at the local community school of music. I'm a lifelong musician, but was an almost entirely solitary one. I taught myself different instruments, but I never felt like I could get to basic competency teaching myself to sing. I decided to spend ~$200 for a semester of weekly 30 minute lessons. (The community school cooperates with the local university to offer lessons taught by university students for a low rate.)
My singing improved (more work is needed), but the life-changing thing was getting involved with the local music community. It turns out they have a shortage of piano teachers--I had mistakenly assumed there would be plenty in my town! So I started teaching piano, which had long been a dream of mine. The school also connected me to local performance opportunities that are now a part of my regular music routine. And ultimately, the experience encouraged me to enroll as a (part-time) music student at the university, which itself has been extremely enriching and a tremendously positive community experience.
Not the parent, but I would definitely recommend it. A lot of voice quality has to how you pronounce vowels and where you place the resonance in your mouth. Also, avoiding singing through your nose (hold your nose closed and if there's pressure, then don't sing that way). There are vocal exercises for all of those, as well as exercises for breath support, singing in tune, phrasing, etc.
I think you should pursue anything you're interested in.
I don't have the best singing voice, but after a few years of learning how to sing, it's like I finally "get it". It used to be this very mystical thing, but now I realise how to use my body to sing properly.
If you'd like to improve, definitely! There are all sorts of things involved in singing that some do naturally and others (like myself) do not. Having a knowledgeable teacher who's able to observe you, identify areas of improvement, and help you progress is really beneficial. There's a whole lot of "not knowing what you don't know" at play.
Plus singing is a pretty personal way of making music, and there can be a lot of social fear of doing it badly. Formally studying it can help with getting over the psychological hump from self-identifying as "someone who is attempting to sing" to "singer".
I would temper your expectations. Singing lessons will improve your singing faster than practicing alone but it still may take years and years to develop.
I had always enjoyed singing and I started singing and piano lessons at the same time. With consistent practice you can improve at the piano, learn more complex pieces and see your progress. With singing the process is a lot more mysterious. You probably don't understand the things that are going on inside your body very well and the teacher can't just say "Try putting your first finger on this key and your middle finger on this key".
After three years I could play reasonably complicated pop songs on the piano and read chords. I'm still a few steps the average "someone who likes to sing level".
Under $100
Wireless cooking thermometer
https://store-us.meater.com/products/meater-plus
Since I'm blind this allows me to cook with out worrying I'll eat under cooked food.
Under $1000
Meta Ray-ban glasses.
https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses
I find using them as headphones to be a better option then transparency mode when using my phone. The Meta AI is also pretty good at recognizing flavors of bottles and types of food in packaging.
Even for people with good eyesight, an instant read thermometer is a game changer. Completely takes the guesswork out of cooking meat perfectly, also excellent for cakes, potatoes, and more. There are very decent ones for less that $20.
I have one of those but don't use it that often. I tend to cook burgers which work better on the grill. While I could cook sausage with it it's easier to do it on the grill to get a char. I do like it for chicken and stake though.
The advantage of this one is that I know it works with an app on my phone. ALso it's my understanding that instant read ones can't stay in the food while it cooks? This one can handle temperatures over 500 degrees farenheight.
For oven cooking I have one with a probe and a display that's outside the oven; though I rarely use that, and just open the oven and stick the instant-read. I can't say I have any interest in stuffing around with my phone while I'm cooking.
Related to this, I bought an oven thermometer a while ago - turns out my oven claims it's done pre-heating about 15 minutes before it actually reaches the target temperature. And it's a pretty new oven so this isn't an age thing. Food has come out more consistent since I've started giving it more pre-heating time.
- Robot vacuum (with mapping+LIDAR): Major game changer. I should have bought this years ago! The tech is now good enough that it basically never gets stuck unless you leave cables lying on the floor. It costs about as much as it would to hire a cleaning crew for a day. And this will do clean your house every single day!
- Bidet Seat (Heated)
- Chest freezer: Unlike the anti-car people on Reddit, I don't consider grocery shopping to be something I want to do every day. I can now get by with 1-2 trips for a whole month for two people. It also helps reduce food wastage once you figure out how to freeze your commonly used perishables that take too long to use up (e.g. heavy cream "ice cubes", frozen bread loaves etc.)
- Noise cancelling headphones (Sony XMs): I use them everyday and love the distraction free environment it creates (combine with MyNoise.net at work).
Under 100:
- Immersion blender: surprisingly versatile. The "barrier to entry" is smaller especially since it is super easy to clean compared to a blender (chuck it in the dish-washer).
- Electric toothbrush (granted it could be slightly over 100 for the one I got)
I want to second the recommendation of MyNoise.net. It's phenomenal. Especially at work, it's perfect for getting in the zone. I pay for it even though I mostly stick to the free ones.
If you're working at a computer, I recommend opening multiple tabs at the same time. For example, one with some relaxing white noise, one with a music-adjacent one like Mr Rhodes or 88 Keys, and maybe also a crackling fire for cozy vibes.
I have recently discovered a combo of white-noise + music, but I must tell you crackling fire noise makes me too relaxed, making me feel I need a quick nap! Rainfall sound works better for me :-)
Haven't come across myNosie before, will check it out, thank you for sharing!
Speaking of cleaning your teeth, has anyone used the Waterpik device? A dentist recommended it to me some time ago, but I could not find one online then.
I was always a bit put off by electric tooth brushes since the idea of having another "noisy" device was something I DID NOT WANT.
But after seeing so many recommendations from friends, family, dentists and online over the years. I felt buying one was worth a go.
And I am never going back. The quality of the clean and the massaging of the gums brought me from brushing my teeth as a chore to having a desire to brush my teeth (which I had never understood before).
And don’t mess with your gums as much as. Learnt my lessons after having the pain of my life due to receding gums, switch with sensitive toothpaste and it’s much better now but they never really fully heal. Take care of your gums people!
Same, I replaced mine with a Suri a few months ago because while brushing my teeth I can't help thinking about the amount of plastic waste Oral B and regular toothbrushes produce. I love the Suri - https://www.trysuri.com
I've been using my Suri toothbrush for about 2 1/2 years I think (I had one on preorder before it came out). It's nice, compact, brushes well (according to my recent dentist visit), great battery life (usually over a month of twice per day brushing), and great USB-C charging case (that's the best part IMO).
What I don't like:
- Automatically turns off after 4x 30 seconds - I usually need a little more time than that.
- Proprietary replacements heads - I'm worried that they'll go out of business and I won't be able to get replacement heads anymore. (I could buy them in bulk now, but what if the toothbrush itself breaks and I can't get a new one?)
Interesting, the dentists I have asked (4) all said it doesn't matter (Spain and Germany, maybe it's relevant) at all and it's up to personal preference.
I was traveling in the EU a year ago and was in need of a toothbrush. The one I picked up at an arbitrary pharmacy in Antony, FR has nothing special about it but has lasted (I mean the bristles are not wearing hard or splaying, getting soft, whatever the usual failure mode for a toothbrush is) in 12 months of use. And I'm usually pretty hard on my brushes.
Why can't we in the US just have nice cheap things. Why is everything an electronic life-hack with a fun take on how to be eco-concious, that involves buying something I don't already own?
For what it's worth, the toothbrush was also not the cheapest I could find (that would have been Lidl or somesuch), and was made in France, so maybe that makes a difference.
The usual problem with toothbrush bristles is they become microscopically worn down, so they don't scrape off plaque as effectively. Even if you can't see the problem, it might not be working as well as a fresh head will.
You can find electron microscope scans of fresh toothbrushes and worn ones in this[0] Applied Science YouTube video.
As far as the electric toothbrush all you need is a $30 braun with a 2 minute timer (30+30+30+30 seconds in each quarter of your mouth) and you will be fine. I haven’t had a cavity or issue in the 15 years since I switched, brush twice a day, switch to nano hydroxyapatite for extra credit.
Mine also has a cord but the shaft/head is removable. I sort of assumed that that was the norm. It was some random "chinesium" brand from Amazon that cost $12. Works great so far!
Under $100: A used Instantpot, ideally the Duo Crisp if you can get one. The normal one can also make yogurt though, which might also be interesting. The great thing about these is that you don’t need to babysit them. Have a call or wanna go for a walk, and then eat? Just turn it on and come back anytime after it’s done. It will keep food warm until you turn it off. Bonus tip: Buy two and/or an air fryer to get more options, eg veggies in one and protein in the other.
Under $100 #2: Get a CGM for two weeks and find out what foods spike your blood sugar the most. Or what supplements can help keep it steady (eg vitamin B1, inositol, or Chromium). Say goodbye to food coma and likely improve your long term health.
Under $1000: Get a second freezer. From that point on you can buy frozen veggies etc during sales, and prep meals during the weekend, for the whole week. I don’t know how we got by with just one tiny freezer section in the fridge.
+1 for second freezer. got a chest freezer essentially for free when a friend was moving. was ancient but couldn't go back and upgraded to something that wasn't from the 80s during COVID.
lots of meal prep, makes doing one big Costco run a month work well, and actually gave us an incentive to do lots of gardening, since it got easy to do a little processing and then throw the stuff in the fridge.
I've been using the Lingo so I can't comment on that.
Also, it really important to note that I don't have diabetes or any metabolic disorders. I am mainly interested in learning more about the foods that I eat and their effects on me.
The Lingo is the same hardware as the Abbott Freestyle but the difference is in the app.
The way I've been using mine is to consistently log the foods that I eat (the app is really helpful for this) and then seeing what it does to my blood glucose level. My goal has been to minimize spikes in my blood glucose level.
Things I found interesting:
1. Instant oatmeal spikes my blood glucose level a lot.
2. A honeycrisp apple will also spike it but a granny smith apple is much much more modest.
3. Eating bread and rice will spike it. However, eating rice as part of a meal will cause a much smaller spike.
4. Gelato can cause a modest spike but much less than you would expect, smaller than instant oatmeal or a sweet apple.
5. Dark chocolate has little effect on blood glucose.
6. Running will cause a tiny rise (maybe my body is preparing me for the energy needs?)
7. I become borderline hypoglycemic when I'm sleeping.
A very notable effect from this is that minimizing these spikes has been very helpful with my dieting. My desire to snack has been much much easier to control and I've had much better success with my diet plans (I've lost 10 pounds in 3 months whereas my previous attempts only managed to lose 5 pounds before I just gave up).
Once you see what food does what to your blood glucose you sort of remember what foods or groups of good to avoid. I will also say that I'm now super wary of most processed foods. I don't want to be too cynical but I do wonder if the companies knew the connection between blood glucose level spikes and hunger signals.
Stelo is essentially a binned, feature-restricted version of the G7 that’s available OTC without a prescription. If you qualify for getting a G7, need readings more frequently than every 15 minutes, or have any need for high/low glucose alerts, then you shouldn’t consider Stelo at all, IMO —- it’s strictly an inferior version of the G7.
I asked in a sibling comment but thought I’d ask here too: how does the Stelo compare to the G7? And do you have any advice on how to start with one and systematically get the best insight out of it?
I can’t comment on the differences between the models.
As far as using it, you’ll fall into one of two camps
1. You put it on and go about your normal life. You might discover some unexpected foods that spike your blood sugar, etc.
2. You put it on, but you basically already know what’s going on. So you end up course correcting your diet to avoid seeing something bad. You should not buy a CGM :)
I was in the second group, although I learned that blood sugar can actually spike during _intense_ exercise, as your body releases glucose to fuel you.
- Ember Mug, same as many folks here: 4 years of service, 2 use of their customer service, bought another one for my wife. 100% will reshop when my current mug stop working or is not replaced anymore by their amazing support.
- A memory foam pillow: Had to iterate to find the right one, but once you've it, you know it. You sleep better, less pain in the back/neck/shoulder
- A vasectomy: just taking charge of the contraception in my couple. Simple, painless and effective.
Under $1000
- A gym coach coming once a week to kick my ass and make me sweat. My best investment in nearly 10 years. I've never been so fit and in shape in my life. He's there every week, even when you really don't want to do anything and afterwards, you'll always feel better
- Airpods Pro, I use them between 2 and 6 hours a day and they've become my second pair of ears. I use them often in transparency mode to avoid screaming during meetings and when it's quiet around, it's perfect.
- A standing desk and its screen arm. I use it every day, and sometimes in upper position (yay!)
Over $1000
- A Babboe Curve e-bike to carry my kids to school. 2000km later, it's still an amazing device to move almost all the family without any of the car's downside (yes, I live somewhere in France)
For under $50 you can get “shredded memory foam” which IMO is even better than full memory foam. It’s basically recycled memory foam, shredded and stuffed into a pillow case. You can remove some of it to get the right level of firmness.
If you've decided you don't want any (more) kids in the future, a vasectomy is the easiest way to insure that with the least likely side effects for anyone.
Why would you force your wife to be subjected to the side effects of birth control if you can get a simple out-patient procedure?
Because why would you do something essentially irreversible when the other party has a temporary solution. I’ve changed my mind about things plenty of times, why would I do something I regret 20 years from now.
Well yeah if you don't know yourself well enough to know that you never want kids in the future, you obviously wouldn't get an irreversible procedure.
But everyone has a point after which they decide they don't want more kids and it's insane to force your partner to continue being responsible for that with all the downsides when you can just get a snip.
And if you're thinking you're gonna want kids 20 years from now as a man in his 30s or 40s or later, run that by your partner and see what she thinks about that.
Oh I don't know. Go read a single article about women's birth control and the extreme effects it has in a woman's body and often personality? Also, self empowerment? Also, casual sex and condom use is notoriously not perfect. Curing many STDs is easier than, again, the larger burden that women carry when contraception fails.
Women this and women that. I’m not going to have surgery and close off a bodily function permanently and irreversibly (essentially) when the woman can just stop birth control whenever she wants. Not to mention extreme responses happen in a small fraction of women. Around 30% have mild reactions and around 4.5% have extreme reactions.
Ah, I see, this isn't actually a remote concern to you, for obvious reasons.
> I’m not going to have surgery and close off a bodily function permanently and irreversibly (essentially)
Oh, dear, could you be more ignorant?
> In addition, nearly eight out of ten women who used contraception said they had experienced two or more side effects.
literally first result
> Overall, one quarter of females who are using contraception are not using their preferred method. The leading reason for this is concern about side effects, a theme that comes up in many aspects of contraceptive care. Almost one-third of contraceptive users (31%) say they are experiencing side effects from their current method, and just over half (52%) say the side effects are more severe than they expected.
literally second result
> In the KFF survey, about a third of women using contraception said they currently experienced side effects such as weight gain, headaches, bloating, nausea, mood changes, and menstrual changes. While these issues are usually not severe enough to be medically concerning, they can have a significant impact on quality of life. Studies show that many women who stop using birth control do so because of side effects.
Yeah, we saw the conundrum and went through the inspection and all, and our bike's fit for biking! At that price... well, we earlier hoped it would be recalled and we would buy a competitor's version. But now everything is green, we're back on the road...
The ember mug is great; I got one as a swag item and thought it was silly, but ended up using it every day. Sadly the ember mug is now much more than $100, and the coaster on mine has broken twice, so I just gave up on it. One of these days I will solder on new pogo pins.
How long does it take you to normally drink a mug? I've been interested in it but I find that I tend to drink a coffee quickly before it gets too cold, and with tea I actually enjoy the change in taste as it cools
It greatly depends on how focused I am on what I'm doing. But if I am working on something for 20+ minutes without taking a drink, it can be nice to reach over and still have some tea at the perfect temperature.
Finally bought a rice cooker 6 months ago. No idea why I hadn’t done it sooner. Perfect rice every single time. I believe that qualifies.
Edit: I also bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Saved me twice when my battery suddenly started having issues. Went from feeling “stuck” to back on the road in under 2 minutes.
I'm wondering, If I bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Can I run on a failing battery for a lot longer if I just jumpstart it every time I start the car?
Usually the highest current draw is for the starting right. Post that it runs just on engine generated power?
+1 to the Zojirushi neuro fuzzy. It's an unbelievably good product - I've sold four friends on it and nobody has been disappointed. They go on sale for 180 routinely
We've used our Zojirushi almost every single day for almost 5 years now. It cooks perfect rice and keeps it warm and fresh for 12 hours. 100% worth the investment.
The thing they don't tell you about the expensive rice cookers is that they take 40 minutes to make rice, while the cheap ones make it in 20. To me it's not worth planning my day around having "perfect" rice, so I still use a cheap one every day :/.
I got a small and cheap one, thinking it would be good for 1 or 2 servings and better than getting the microwave rice. It took an hour, made a mess, and the rice was horrible. I should probably experiment more with it and try different types of rice, but it was such a bad experience I don’t want to use it again. I had a rice cooker a long time ago and it was fine, but it was really too big for my needs.
A few months ago I was looking at some of the more expensive ones people see to swear by to see if they could handle small portions and be more clean and reliable. If they are, I think it would be worth the cost.
Almost every family in Japan has an expensive rice cooker. They eat rice 2-3 times a day so I trust them. The end result is a lot better, and water is too important to be eyeballed.
Took me a while but finally found a consistent way to get it perfect.
I use long grain enriched white rice from Costco, wash the excess starch and dump the same amount of rice and water in the pot and let it cook on high for 4 minutes then 10 in low
Semi-recumbent stationary bike that fits under my standing desk.
I've never been coordinated enough to get the hang of walking on the treadmill and typing, but pedaling slowly all day I can do! I've lost 45 lbs so far this year, and adding up the calorie estimate for each day (I've been tracking) and dividing by the 3500 calories people say are in a pound, about 20 of them have been from the bike! (The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues, but that was more expensive.)
The $122 price is about what I paid for it. Dunno when they have ever actually sold it for $350
And what I solved with the dietitian that led to weight loss had more to do with blood sugar balance and what I do and don't react badly to. Cutting out stuff that keeps me inflamed made a big difference as far as actually getting the nutrients from my food and not being hungry all the time. So did a target set of 40g protein, 40g fat, 10g fiber every meal, which brings me in around 1900 calories per day. The nice thing was that at first, that was a 500 calorie deficit per day, but I don't have to recalculate ever, because it's also the maintenance calorie intake for my target weight. Weight comes off slower the closer I get, but I don't really care about speed, just trajectory!
My IBD (some dispute among my doctors whether it was UC or Chrohn's) is now confirmed in remission without medication, which is terrific!
It's at home. I already had an adjustable-height desk behind my sofa (unusual setup, but it works great in my space), but like I said, not that coordinated.
I've only worked remotely since way before covid, so it works out for my situation.
> (The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues, but that was more expensive.)
Just a heads up, if you're in the USA I believe all health insurance plans must fully cover dietitian visits if you have certain conditions, obesity being one of them. Hypertension and pre-diabetes are a couple other common ones.
Under $1000: A Playdate[0] for $200! It got me to finally make a game[1], which is the entire reason I got into programming yet kept putting off. The restrictions of actual hardware with a slow processor, 1 bit graphics, and 16MB of RAM forced me to scale down the decisions that gave me paralysis previously and prevented me from making anything substantial.
Plus other people’s games are downright fun to play, and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had since the Nintendo DS.
In 2020, I bought an old broken clock on eBay for $60 on a lark. I wanted to tinker with something and see if I could figure out how it works.
Since that time, I spent literally thousands of hours immersed in horology. Everything from clock repair where I started, to learning how to use a lathe and a mill, studying the impact of clockmaking on the industrial revolution in early America and the history of maritime navigation, building an atomic NTP server from a rubidium engine bought off eBay and a raspberry Pi, becoming friends with several of the Antique Roadshow experts, volunteering to help build a pollinator meadow at a small clock museum nearby…
It’s amazing to me how much of an effect that little junky impulse buy had on how I’m living my life these days.
I know you're joking, but actually, that is true. That original clock never got fixed. I damaged and lost enough parts that I'd have to fabricate too much for it to be worthwhile, and I have plenty of more interesting clocks to work on now.
I've got mostly antiques at my house, 1750-1880. Not a ton of vintage 20th century stuff that would have radium. I was looking a bit ago at the old W. M. Gilbert Clock Company factory building in Connecticut that was for sale (not actually to buy, just thought it was interesting) and the biggest issue for whoever was going to be the buyer was that it was quite contaminated from the radium dial painting they did there in the 1930's.
<$100:
"Qudelix 5K Bluetooth DAC" Allows you to connect a pair of headphones to an audio source via Bluetooth using high quality (near lossless) codecs (also works as a USB DAC when needed). The killer feature is an onboard Parametric EQ with the ability to save profiles on the device. No more trying to manage EQ profiles on all my devices for my various headphones.
<$1000:
I bought a digital piano to learn to play music. I feel that learning an instrument has had an enormous effect on my life. It's great for getting those synapses going, and find it very relaxing to play after a hard day.
Ill pay the nearly 3x markup in India just for its db meter. I enter the headphone impedance and sensitivity (dB/mW) and it shows the real time (estimated) volume. Also I converted the frequency response to V-shape so my open back headphones sounds good at lower volumnes. I moved from "25 hours a week" volume levels to "168 hours a week".
I would guess most people who listen to music while they work have the volume way too far up for that amount of exposure. Anyone on an iPhone should go into Sounds -> Headphone Safety and reduce loud audio to 75 dB. You'll probably be shocked by how quiet that is.
I wonder how they determine that? Especially with Bluetooth, you have no idea how much sound energy is being put out, and can't infer it from power draw or anything similar.
- Why: lets me drink tea because I hate cold tea. Bleck.
Under $1000:
- 49" ultra-wide monitor to replace my dual monitor
- Why: I use i3-wm. It works fantastically on it.
- 5.1 Soundbar for computer
- Why: I don't have to wear headphones constantly and also sound quality is so much better
- Mount 50" TV above my desk
- Why: Allows others to hang out in my office with me while I work / play games. Additionally, it allows me to turn something on without interrupting my monitor space.
---
Breaking the rules:
Over $1000:
- EightSleep
- Why: Huge huge huge change in sleep quality plus it's really nice to be able to choose whether to get into a crisp, cold bed or a warm, toasty bed. The Autopilot stuff is interesting and does seem to work to keep you asleep but sometimes it can cause you to wake up especially in the transitional periods of the year (spring and fall).
I would agree. Except that now they seem to make it so that it is pretty pointless without a subscription. Kind of sucks that you have to pay $15/month to actually use the product after paying close to $2000 for the product.
I still use mine only because I was grandfathered in to be able to set temperature set-points without a subscription.
If I were to need another one, I would look for an option without a subscription.
That's just insane. And it's not a subscription you can ever stop paying unless you get rid of the 5000EUR bed itself. Absolutely a dealbreaker.
What if they increase the fee to 30EUR a month? Or 50EUR a month? That's guaranteed to happen once main product sales start slowing down and investors still want their quarterly gains.
I am kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop because the company has been nothing but amazing when it comes to their support. It has sprung a leak three times, about once every 18 months, and they've always replaced it with no additional payment.
I have a feeling next time it's going to involve a lot of cash being exchanged and I'll be faced with a choice.
---
The subscription thing is very much a bummer. I hadn't figured out why they weren't shaking me down for it until I also put together the grandfathered in thing. It is extremely distasteful to have a required (?) subscription on a product that is this expensive.
I don't entirely get how spending $2k - $5k on a bed system (not a mattress!) isn't enough. Just pure fuckin' greed if I am being honest.
I get they need to make money and their product isn't a monthly or yearly re-purchase but it's just short-sighted.
Like let's be real honest here: their product almost certainly doesn't cost anywhere near $5k in materials. The margins on their product are likely already completely stupid. My guess-timate would be maybe $500 in parts. It's literally just a pump that heats or cools water that is app-controlled... not exactly anything crazy. If you look at something like Withings sleep tracker, it's $130 so even the fancy pants sleep tracking stuff isn't some crazy tech even if we take Withings' margins as the actual price.
EightSleep mattress cover is a GAME-CHANGER. Precise control over preferred temp, and detailed/accurate logging of sleep metrics == way better sleep, and knowledge of its relative quality (metrics for which let me measure the impact of different variables).
Never heard of them, temperature control sounds amazing.
How is this product from a privacy perspective? Is the data kept local or is it some cloud service that tracks all metrics?
How do they work thermodynamically? It should make the room hotter, but I guess you don’t notice because the surface you are touching gets colder? Is it a closed loop heat exchanger or is it evaporative?
I've never tried a cooling electric blanket. My wife has struggled w insomnia for a long time, and the eightsleep tracking was almost as much a draw as the cooling.
For hot drinks (teas, coffee & etc) I prefer a simple 0.7l thermos and small chinese teacup. Put the hot stuff in the thermos it will stay hot for at least 6 hours, put a bit of the hot stuff in the cup, since it's small it will get to a comfortable level of hotness in 30 seconds. Drink it slowly and refill. |
Works in the park/library too and you only heat the water once and don't need electricity to keep it hot!
A cheaper alternative to EightSleep is Sleep.Me… same concept with a heated/cooled water circulator + mattress pad, and they have an “autopilot” add on. I just manually set my temp schedules based on the season since I don’t like subscriptions for stuff like that, and I don’t want my sleep data on their servers.
I've purchased two ember mugs over the years and end up not using them, a thin double walled glass mug paired with an always on water boiler has been amazing. A kettle is great in Europe because they boil so fast but in the US a boiler is the way to go.
I see that the cheapest Ember is now $130. My first-gen is about six years old, and the battery is about shot. I hesitate to drop another $150-ish on a new mug, but OTOH, is consistently hot coffee worth $25/year? Yeah, it probably is to me, so I'm going to have to suck it up soon.
You can buy only a replacement mug (without coaster/charger). Also, get in contact with customer support mentioning the battery, they usually offer a discount code.
I had to deal twice with them: coaster stopped working 2 years ago and more recently paint inside the cup came out. Both time, they replaced the broken part at no cost. Probably the first time in my life I'm using and happily recommending customer support of any kind.
They're often much cheaper at Costco if that's an option and you don't care about a specific color. They are a complete game changer though, especially if you're a new parent.
Is there anything similar to 8sleep that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles and doesn’t require an app? I don’t care about any of the tracking or alarms or whatever else besides the temp control.
- double-edged safety razors. It blows my mind how much money is wasted on cartridges.
- Bidet - just a basic one that plugs into the existing water line. Everyone in my house makes fun of me for it, but after a year with it, using TP feels barbaric.
- Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. There might be other brands that are just as good, but it's essentially a small electric oven I can use outdoors. I started baking small loaves of sourdough almost daily, and use it occasionally for pizza, chicken, or smoked meat. I'm reluctant to use the indoor oven (especially in summer) because it heats the house so much, plus I'm mindful of my electricity usage.
I second the double edged safety razors. I had to learn not to push down so hard like I have to do with the modern ones. Those things are SHARP! You get a closer shave too. I got the soap and horsehair brush to go with it. I bought a pack of blades that have lasted years.
Living in American public housing, we used our pandemic stimulus money to buy two RabbitAir MinusA2 HEPA air purifiers. At $600 each plus $95/yr (for filter change) they're utterly fantastic and the pre-HEPA stages are easily cleanable with a cheap air compressor and wet paper towels. The multi-stage filter system is quite quiet on level 3 (of 5) but will really blow at 5 and be nearly silent at 2. You can tell how well they work by how the filters build up over time. The build quality is top-shelf with exquisite tolerances.
I can't recommend them enough. In my travels, I learned my favorite aphorism, which comes from China, I believe:
>>> Pay a lot, cry once.
Our RabbitAir units are the finest example we can afford, easily our best quality-of-life investment.
If you're into DIY it's possible to make a cheaper, more efficient and quieter air purifier than many consumer models. From what I understand the problem is that most devices on the market are designed to be small, which reduces the filter area and that again requires a stronger (louder & less efficient) fan. Going DIY also means no dependence on a specific brand's replacement filters.
Then again that doesn't mean off-the-shelf products are bad, for a single room even quite cheap ones can do the job. And they don't look like a fan taped onto filters, so there's that.
The English language version of that saying rhymes better I think:
> Buy once, cry once.
I used to have a large Honeywell air purifier I special ordered to Australia that required a step down voltage transformer, it's really surprising how much better the air feels when it's truly clean.
Thankfully, none of us has had asthma. As far as anecdata:
The device does have a what-appears-to-be-accurate AQ (air quality) sensor on the side. In the presence of smoke, it turns red, cranks itself up, and then returns to blue (clearest) through purple over the course of some minutes. As such, I'd say that the "response curves" looked legit to my programmer brain, besides that the air certainly smells better.
I can definitely say, however, that -- having replaced the filters three times over these four years -- the HEPA layer (the inmost) definitely got brownish. Each 3-6 month pre-filter cleaning cycle had nice gradations of dust and stuff after each cleaning, sometimes a great deal if we were slacking.
Regardless, who knows what's been sucked into and blown through our ancient HVAC unit's ducts over these past decades, what with most people probably just buying the cheapest air filter possible? Why not err on the side of caution w/rt AQ?
Interesting point. I have $cheap brand air purifiers, and the filters never get that dirty—but we have radiant heating in the floors and no AC, so no ducts, so maybe that’s why?
I have allergies. I remember walking home from work one day thinking "Ah, my sinuses have cleared, the pollen must have finally gone." only to wake up the next morning all stuffed up again. Then it dawned upon me that work has HEPA filtered air, but my bedroom does not despite spending ~⅓ of my life there. Having an air purifier in my bedroom means I've avoided almost all symptoms of allergies for the last 5+ years without needing to resort to medication.
I think it’s $89/yr for Walmart grocery delivery. We were doing app orders + self-pickup, and the time savings of having them deliver for no added cost on every order over $35 has been amazing.
Under $1,000:
I bought an Olympic bar and plates from Facebook Marketplace ($250) and the Bells of Steel Light Commercial power cage ($700) from Amazon and started doing StrongLifts 5x5 consistently beginning in January of this year. It’s been nothing short of life changing. Having the safety of the cage, and the simplicity of StrongLifts really opened the door to strength and I would highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, didn’t know where or how to start.
- coffee machine: coffee has now become part of our morning routine (coffee dates) where we sit and talk over coffee with the dog in our laps. Play around with different beans and blends. Saves money, fun to clean.
- proton mail/pass: I now have a super private email, and I spin up aliases when I need to sign up for something. 400+ aliases later and I get less spam, that I can destroy instantly.
- Hoka walking shoes: I have debilitating arthritis (under 30YO) and could barely walk a kilometre. These shoes allow me to walk upto 5kms a day without much pain.
Under $100:
- fallout 4 on PC: modding this old game and playing it on survival mode has reinvigorated my passion for gaming, it’s also unlocked a new hobby in modding existing games.
- automate the boring stuff with Python: this book got me in to programming, a relatively lucrative career and lifestyle booster.
- Ritalin: I’ve gone my whole life without knowing I had ADHD. Taking medication for it has been a complete game changer in terms of happiness and ability to relax
I started balding in my mid 20’s, so I shaved my head with a BIC disposable and shaving cream. I kept up this routine for probably 15 years before seeing a curved electric razor made for heads advertised to me. I picked one up on a whim, and it has been great! It takes me around 1 minute each morning compared to 5-10 before, and I no longer have to worry about nicks. It uses about 1% battery each shave, so I only have to charge it every couple months. It truly has been a great quality of life improvement.
[1] the one I use is called the Hummingbird MK3, available on Amazon for around $60.
A squat rack, barbell, iron plates and bumper plates. Adjustable bench, adjustable dumbbells. A collection of kettlebells.
I started taking my strength and body composition seriously in 2018. To that point, I had been a (ultra)marathoner for the previous decade. Prior to that, I was in the military and trained in a hybrid fashion. But I had gotten pretty out of shape between separating and picking up endurance events. But then I had neglected strength for such a long time.
Today I am stronger and with a better physique than I had over 20 years ago. I also have a resting heart rate that's in the mid-40s, while I myself am in the mid-40s. I lift 2-4 days per week, and I do conditioning 2-4 days per week. I cycle my training with the seasons, I'm currently moving into a more lifting focused phase of training as we move into and through the colder months. In the spring and summer, I focus more on endurance.
Gymnastics rings are one of the best things I've bought lately. I already had gym equipment at home but rings are something else.
Once you try them you realize you're not strong enough and you have a lot to do. And I also feel the workout is different because it's me training on the rings, not me lifting something heavy. They are very versatile, you can do many exercises anywhere you want.
My favorite piece of training equipment by far. I've spent 6-month training blocks with nothing but my gymnastics rings, a 24kg kettlebell and a 32kg kettlebell. At this point I honestly only ever go back to barbell training because I don't like pursuing any single modality for too long, but I firmly believe that if I had to I could live the rest of my life with just rings and a couple of kettlebells (and a pair of running shoes) and I would be perfectly content.
A lot. Mostly zone 2 running but also quite a bit of hill work and some rucking. An occasional mountain bike ride if/when friends ask and I can make it work. Some swimming in the summer. And I walk a lot, like 15k steps daily on top of the running.
Specifically, I follow the Tactical Barbell hybrid training system. Most of my training these days can be lifted directly out of the Tactical Barbell Green Protocol book, but I also incorporate training from the original Tactical Barbell strength book, the conditioning book, the Mass Protocol book, and the Ageless Athlete book.
I get blocked ears due to wax and it's really negatively impactful to conversation etc. Plus they would block when flying/swimming which ruined a few holidays. I used to go to my local (UK) GP which was very inconvenient due to appointment timings etc.
Then somebody recommended buying a bulb syringe for self-treatment. Mine cost about £4 and has been totally game changing.
I can sort myself out whenever and wherever I want. If you suffer the same, get yourself one immediately!
This is adjacent to what I was going to comment, which is a camera for looking inside my own ears. My ears frequently got blocked and/or itchy, and I was almost addicted to sticking qtips in to try to relieve things. There are good reasons they say not to do that! I always felt like there was wax I wasn't quite able to reach, and in trying to do so I only made things worse, often causing inflammation.
The camera cost about £10 and came with a few plastic "scraper" tools (feel kinda gross to say it, heh). It allowed me to remove the wax, and importantly, visually confirm the results. Thinking about it now, it's been over a year since I last had to use it, so I think my ears might've reached a new "equilibrium" point (they are supposed to be self-cleaning, after all).
There is, presumably, a risk of damaging your ears any time you stick something in there, so I was just very careful to not do that.
"Advising patients with ears blocked by wax to try bulb syringing before irrigation is effective and acceptable, and could significantly reduce the use of NHS resources."
So I feel they are a safe method of self treatment.
A related trick is to put a few drops of (olive, or other cooking) oil in your ear canal. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side, and do this for 3 days in a row. This softens up the hard wax in there. Then flush out with a syringe if you want. Obviously don't do either if you have a perforated ear drum.
Yep, a few days of olive oil is generally recommended by GPs... I used to do this but now I self treat I don't really bother. But I guess it I'd have even more success if I did.
Over here we have these peroxide things you can get at the pharmacy. You pour three drops in your ear, it foams up and all the wax goes away. Do you not have those?
Can't you do the same thing by pouring half a capful of H2O2 into your ear while lying on your side? After it stops fizzing (about 10 minutes) you sit up and catch the effluent with a tissue. And no need to add oil or carefully shoot a stream of water at your eardrum.
Check out the ones that have a spray bottle attached rather than just a bulb as it allows for way more water before needing to refill. I think it was popularized under the name "Elephant Ear Wax Removal Kit" but there are knockoffs now as well that are the same thing.
Unlike a trip to the doctor, when two to three flushes sorts it out, at home it is a case of maybe 10-20 repetitions depending how bad. But each one is really quick and I find there is no pain as the pressure is very low, unlike the doctor which did quite often hurt.
If self-treatment doesn't work out for you (I've suffered a few particularly stubborn cases over the years), I highly recommend going to an urgent care clinic. They have always been able to clear my ears out in less than 20 minutes, and it's very cheap with insurance.
I'm gonna hijack this thread to promote sleep apnea machines... if you are tired and you say "well I'm just getting older...", that might not be what's happening:
Under $100 - a gently used bike from the local thrift shop. Added a rack and crate and use it for local errands such as grocery shopping, dentist visits, mailing stuff at the post office, all within a 3-mile radius. Saves driving a car and I get some exercise.
Under $21 - a refurbished Thinkpad T520 with SSD, also from a thrift shop. Not life-changing but I've always loved the keyboard and it works fine for web browsing.
Under $100: a Knipex pliers wrench. Best hand-tool ever! I originally got just the 7.25" size, but now I own everything from even shorter ones to much longer ones. I use them all of the time. If you're cheap, you can even get a knock-off version from Harbor Freight now at about half the cost of the German-made Knipex ones.
I used to be utilitarian and had the minimal amount of everything around the house but I caved in and started buying duplicates. 1/2 cup measuring cup for pet food? I no longer use the same one as baking, I just bought another and now it lives in the container/bag of food. Measuring spoon for supplement powder? Same thing, it lives in the jar now. For under $100 you could buy every duplicate you'll need around your house. Never look for that "thingy" again, never think about what you last used it for or if it's dirty or in the wash again. It's small but it's worth it.
Along the same lines, Spotify. Could I torrent all the music I want, manage a library and set up streaming around the house, sync the files with my phone, etc? Yes. I used to do it too but now I just don't want to even think about it. $15/mo and it's solved. Forever.
I keep a bag of chargers/socks/toiletries/etc packed and ready. Don’t worry about losing a charger or unplugging the one you use daily. For $30, just get a second dedicated to traveling.
If it’s something you struggle with packing or being ready, buy two. I know people who do this with clothes/suits, but that personally doesn’t fit my travel style.
I won't argue that Spotify isn't a fantastic value, but the price has gone up and will continue to do so (especially if artists are ever going to make anything meaningful from streams), and nothing lasts forever..
I find that online services in general degrade and become worse values and experiences for users over time, nearly inevitably. In many cases because initial funding can help to support the early unsustainable pricing.
I guess I'm saying it's good to have a downloaded backup of the all-time favs while using spotify for convenient listening.
Strongly disagree about Spotify. Quality aside, many albums simply aren't there! I have my own routine of discovering new pearls (YouTube used to help me with that years ago, nowadays it just suggests what I already viewed or some random stuff) and I set aside some time for that. After that, I choose the albums I really like, in the best quality.
The problem that Spotify actually tries to solve is that no matter how much we love that particular piece or album, we will get bored with it at some point, even if you dose your pleasure. So in theory Spotify could ease the process of finding interesting music. But in practice, I wound nothing can bet the tedious process of manual research and selection.
Also, what's to keep them from removing stuff later? The streaming video services do this all the time. It's a very common story to hear of someone watching some TV series, and then halfway through, it's removed from their streaming service and either disappears altogether, or moves to some other service that they're now expected to sign up for. It's much easier to just set sail on the high seas than to put up with this nonsense.
I have the same policy for most cheapo stuff. Like measuring tapes.
My good one is always Somewhere(tm), so I just bought a dozen cheap ones from Ikea. They're good enough for random "does this fit there" -measurements and there's enough of them so that it's impossible to lose them ALL at the same time :D
I also have so many screw drivers, torx bits and 10mm sockets that it's impossible to lose them all. Are they the best quality? No. But it's more important to find one when I need one.
Under 100€: a password manager.
Every time I need to sign in to an account I haven't used in a long time, I appreciate how much it makes my life easier.
No need to remember which email address I used to sign up, which of my passwords I used, what special character I added... It makes 2FA a breeze. It works seamlessly across my computers, browsers, phones...
I also use it to store API keys, my social security number, passport number, IBAN, copies of documents I need to keep handy..
Similar. 2 kids, 2 cargo e-bikes, 1 car. My wife has over 3k miles and I'm just under 2k (I work from home every day). We live in Colorado and bundle the kids up in ski clothes, and some nice buffs and hats and they do just fine for rides to school in the winter (if the roads are ok).
With the plethora of bike trails and neighborhood routes, I'm nearly as fast as a car getting around without going overboard on pedal assist (I do about 18 mph).
Cargo e-bikes are tempting. I also have two kids and I've managed to work it out with just two seats on my bike (one front, one back) and now that the big one is tall enough to ride his bike I've got a "follow-me tandem" which allow me to tug him uphill, but carrying sports equipment is starting to be a hassle, so I'm seriously considering buying a cargo ebike to replace my current set-up.
I've gone from follow-me to cargo e-bike (above €1000). The axis of the follow-me somehow broke in coldish weather, and we almost had an accident. Never again.
But the cargo e-bike is fantastic. I've basically stopped using the bus, and everything under 30km with the kid has become no-brainer easy. I've done 1200km in 6 months now. But winter is coming, let's see how it goes.
I got a (non-cargo) e-bike for close to USD1000. Definitely a game changer - faster and more reliable than trains or driving to get to work. Any trip with 5km just becomes a no-friction option, where otherwise it might be tempting to get into the car. An e-bike is an excellent replacement for the second car (or, if you live in a convenient enough place, first car)
Scooters are a fine option that gives you some of the advantages of the bike, such as "I can find a parking spot just about anywhere, suckers!", but I'd strongly consider electric for anyone pondering. For a purely local transit modality, the fact that I can charge it at home on 120v and never have to deal with a gas station is fantastic -- and, in fact, a second bonus is that it reduces how often I need to fill up the car. I've never owned an EV, but the e-bike experience has really started to convince me that whenever we get a new car, it will be electric for convenience alone. I hate the "ah crap, low on gas, can I play chicken with future-me or my wife about filling it up?" dance.
The cargo part of the bike is pretty cool, though. I've seen some people do some cool loading hacks with a scooter, but the amount of stuff you can haul on a cargo bike is really fun. When I bought the e-bike, I rode my road bike down to the bike store, and rode the e-bike back home _hauling my road bike_. That was pretty awesome. :)
You go very very far with a scooter before having to fill up the tank. Motorcycles are in my opinion the best and most realistic option for reducing car traffic. E-Bikes probably second best.
The heat gun mosquito things that some tech folks were mentioning on Twitter. Always get quarter sized terribly itchy bumps for each mosquito bites and using it makes them essentially itch-free immediately.
Under $1000:
Weekly house cleaning. Such reduced cognitive load/increased free time to not have to clean all the time, think about cleaning, etc especially with a toddler.
The real winner this year was the $30 (rainbow, because it's cool) mosquito net. It's been shockingly hard setting it up really well, some still get through, but I can sit outside all day & break out the electric swatter two or three times & be fine. And I keep tuning the net a little... (I used to lug a bunch of fans in and out of the house, to keep them off me, but that was only semi-successful & made it a project each time.)
I have a basic mosquito net above my bed and it is miraculous (I got the first one this year). What is particularly interesting is that I am not bothered by mosquito buzzing even when they fly close because somehow my brain knows that they cannot bite me
I used to just run a spoon under very hot water and then hold it against the bite at the hottest I could tolerate and works pretty well, albeit not very temperature accurate.
Another cheap mosquito bite remedy: NOW Foods Tea Tree Roll-On ($5)
Had some big, angry welts this summer but they just stopped itching and disappeared overnight after applying that stuff, no other topical drug/ointment I tried came close.
~$250: I hate kitchen appliances, but I got a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker and that is the best thing I've ever had. It works perfectly, if you set it to have rice ready by a clock, it will be ready at that time. It makes happy music. I use it multiple times a week.
It was clearly built by engineers with love and passion.
Also have used one for over 5 years and it’s awesome. It can also make the best steel cut oatmeal I’ve ever had. Just measure it with the white rice cup, porridge mode setting, and let it sit over night on timer mode, wake up to perfectly cooked steel cut oats.
I’d like to be contrarian here and suggest that if you happen to be possessed of a sudden impulse to buy something, but you can’t identify any particular thing that you need, consider putting that amount of money into an investment or retirement account instead of searching for a trinket to buy. That way you are scratching the itch and you’ll be better off later on.
In other words, you can have your cake and eat it too.
Under $1000: an oscilloscope, 4 channel 100MHz for about 500 EUR. I've been wanting to learn more about electronics but I learn best by doing and getting a feedback loop. What didn't work was reading books, watching tutorials on Youtube etc. Seeing the actual voltage change on the screen helped me understand circuits much better than before. I've since debugged amplifiers, i2s protocols, IR transmitters. Every time I use it I have a lot of fun!
This year I treated myself to a benchtop power supply for home use.
I've worked with electronics (mostly embedded hardware and lower-level software) for >3 decades professionally where bench supplies are everywhere. My hobby use saw me using various wall-warts, regulators, batteries, and hijacked/hacked-up desktop PSUs as I always thought owning a dedicated supply would be a waste. Purchasing other TE had higher priority.
Surprise!! Life is so much better, unbelievably, having my own benchtop power supply for idiot stuff that I would not have invested the time and effort to try previously. I was adding a fan to a project yesterday so I spent ~2 minutes testing candidates for audible noise when using 12V and 24V at various currents - not a necessary part of the selection process for the expected use but nice when it is low effort (turn on PSU, select output channel,dial in voltage, dial in current, done).
Oh and as this leaves me with ~ $500 of budget I'll include my active tip soldering iron (Aixun T3A T245, holy crap it's hot in 3 seconds), function generator (UNI-T UTG962E), a bunch of ESP32 dev boards and various PCBs I designed and ordered via JLCPCB.
And I absolutely get the “theory doesn’t work” part, I’m the same, probably due to ADHD. Gotta give it a spin yourself at your own timing to understand how it works.
I don’t think people talk about this enough. You can be the poster boy for modern men doing all the chores and taking care of your household all on your own without wife or mother around and a 1950s nuclear family house wife would be proud af.
You are still going to get into arguments if your idea of what „clean and tidy“ means is different from the definition of your partner.
The biggest thing that changed my life wasn't a purchase, but randomly going down a philosophy rabbit hole on wikipedia one day after looking up different "razors" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_razor).
One of the first things I learned was that most arguments in life seem to be mainly due to differences in people's definition of subjective terms, and not understanding how to communicate well enough to figure that out and then do something useful about it.
And when you have a house cleaner you always have a third party that's responsible for every issue: “that's the house cleaner's fault” (my in-laws have one and I'm pretty sure she's not responsible for a quarter of what gets attributed to her, otherwise she'd have gotten fired long ago)
Same here, we got weekly and its done on a Friday. forces you to tidy so cleaning can be done properly and then your house is clean and tidy for the weekend.
Under $1,000: a commercial-style toilet with a pressurized mechanism called Flush-mate, installed by a GC. I have a severely developmentally disabled adult child who… seriously clogged the toilet even without using toilet paper (see bidet recommendations elsewhere on this page) every week or so. I tried 6 different toilets, stationed a wet/dry vac in the living room, added a drain to the bathroom, added a water alarm, etc. etc.
The new toilet never gets clogged. No water alarms now. No cleaning up shitwater. Also while other toilet mechanisms die in a couple of years, this one is guaranteed for 10 years.
I got a pack of basic foam ones (supposedly 33dB reduction), and it meant that my wife and I could keep sleeping in the same bed without snoring getting in the way. Was only about $10 for 50.
And I got a pair of noise reducing Loop earplugs, which means that the one day a week RTO is no longer a sensory nightmare. They're visually subtle enough that my wife couldn't see them when I first tried them on (important if I was going to wear them in meetings), and recessed enough to wear underneath headphones. They're also great for large events (weddings and the like) to extend how long before my social battery gets wiped out. I imagine this is more tied to my autism than the office being particularly noisy though. I can still easily hold conversations with them in, with the only negative being that they kinda reduce spacial perception, so I can't as easily tell where sounds are coming from. These were about $50, though they've got cheaper options, they also come with extra mutes for more reduction, but the baseline is already plenty, so I'd probably recommend against the "Engage 2 Plus".
They're much more subtle than most earplugs, only about 10 dB of reduction, and it's a fairly level reduction across the frequency spectrum. So rather than the normal muffled effect you get from normal earplugs, they sound like you uniformly turned the volume down on everything. In overstimulating environments (noisy HVAC, meetings where the person controlling the dial-in has it too high, coworkers who aren't great at modulating their voices) they're fantastic.
I got the "Engage 2 Plus". Though like I mentioned, they reduce sound by enough on their own that the included removable "Mute" wasn't worth the extra cost over the basic "Engage 2".
And one thing I forgot to mention is that they don't reduce the sounds of your own head. So your own voice sounds the same, and you still get that lip/tongue smacking effect that traditional earplugs have. Neither of those is really an issue, but I may have slightly oversold them with "level reduction across the frequency spectrum".
$180 theragun for muscles. Finds knots that you didn't know you had.
used dell server towers with 128GB RAM for linux
velcro cable ties + phone mount for bicycle + battery tester + usb controllers for emulators + sivga headphones (i think they are 5x more expensive now)
Seconding the vertical monitor from a thrift shop, I did the same thing basically by getting a Fujitsu monitor that can easily rotate and I'm incredibly pleased.
I use it with multiple Emacs frames because PaperWM (Gnome extension) makes it easy to scroll between windows (in this case Emacs frames).
Under $1000 - my first guitar. Started as a pandemic experiment going into Minnesota Winter 2020, and has turned into my favorite hobby. I play almost every day for 4 years straight now, I've started attending local classical guitar concerts, and I do a little volunteering for them, too.
Under $100:
A second hand piano for $80. Learning an instrument is a deeply satisfying experience if you stick to it (as well as frustrating and confusing). Literally no end to how much you can learn. It has given me hours of “in the zone” moments, so well needed in a stressful world. I also see (hear?) music in a different light and can understand it better.
I am interested in learning piano myself having just gotten one for my kid. Did you learn it by yourself? If so any resources you can point in my direction? Thanks!
I've started recently, for an adult absolute beginner I would recommend: Alfred's Basic Adult All-In-One Piano Course (covers all types of music). A popular alternative is the Faber Adult Piano Adventures (more classical). Both books will go over how to position your wrists and fingers, music theory, as well as pieces.
I'm sure Alfred and Faber have books for kids. Check reddit and amazon. But you won't go wrong with books from either probably.
Late reply…
Self taught. YouTube has a ton of resources (recommend Pianote and Matthew Cawood). Learn some music theory basics, if you have the time study sheet music, you will understand what you are doing on a deeper level. I found it motivating to not only play simple pieces in the beginning but also harder ones that you enjoy listening to. They will be reallly hard initially but you will improve!
Good for portioning leftovers. No more guessing which tupperware to grab - you either have a big one, a small one, or a combo. Only one type of lid. Stackable, freezable. Mildly disposable - easy to give food to friends or throw out forgotten fridge nasties. Good for holding ingredients during cooking, like a blend of spices or spare water. Not good for reheating, though.
One downside of plastic food storage in general is that I find it doesnt seem to rinse as clean as glass, ceramic, or metal in the dishwasher (obviously a lot of variables there).
Under $1000:
A road bike. I live in LA (county) and the default is to drive everywhere, but here's the thing: driving sucks. We famously don't have great bike infra, but I thought, would I go more places if I didn't hate getting around? For trips up to a couple miles, biking is faster than driving, and I never have to worry about parking.
Ergo stuff. A kinesis keyboard, a logitech ergo mouse, a standing desk and mat. Between these, I've probably headed off carpal tunnel and back problems by years.
I'm in Portland and I say that anyone that lives on the Eastside within 82nd and works within those bounds should just get a bike, it's sooo much faster to get around the city. We have infamously small city blocks so all those intersections make driving a car very slow through the city and for good reason as it's safer. If you hop on a bike and take a greenway that has all the stop signs facing perpendicular traffic you can zoom around the city no problem. It's the exact same amount of time (from door to desk) for me to drive to work as it is to bike to work (including the shower). It's just shy of 7 miles. No brainer.
1, $100: Fenix LED headlamp, 1200 lum, with red light, made from lightweight magnesium alloy with magnet, waterproof. I use it almost daily, for bike, for work, for reading (red light), camping...
2, $1000 E-reader (Onyx Boox). I never read that much before. Ability to highligh text, make notes by pen and have it in readable, indexable format is something that I miss on paper books.
Under $1000 - samsung washing machine with included full drying. I live in a small home, so didn't have space for a separate dryer. This completely eliminated the "hang clothes out to dry, then collect them back" cycle for me.
Under $100 (actually just over - $106) - instant pot.
1. Eliminated the need to count whistles while cooking rice, and as a bonus, I can also reheat something while cooking.
2. I use it to slow cook overnight as well, which dramatically improves the taste of some dishes like Dal Makhni
An Apollo Automation MTR-1 Multi-Target Radar Multisensor. Starts at $36.99 without doodads. Finding and using it and other devices has sent me all the way down the smart home rabbit hole (Homebridge and Home Assistant running on a Beelink N100 system etc.) and it's been a hoot.
Under 1000:
Steamdeck I love it, as someone who is trying to cope with not having as much time to game it is the best. It is also Linux with a modular body, so I get to tinker with it like no other. Added clicky Dpad and replaced the shell
I was going to say a steam deck as well. I've beaten a ton of RPGs that I never had the desire to play at my desk, but are great in 20-30 minute bursts here and there.
- portable Camera lighting (doubles as a general purpose floodlight) $30
- Literally any tool that improves productivity/quality (impact wrench, ifixit screwdriver set, also applies to software)
- high quality furniture/desk/tables. Not the cheap Walmart stuff that falls apart. Can be hundreds of $ but I've been lucky enough to find good stuff for free often.
I got an Ember mug and use it every day and love it. It keeps my coffee at a set temperature (controllable via my phone over Bluetooth) so it doesn't get cold right away, and I can take my time drinking it. I've bought a couple more as gifts since, and the people I gave them to say they like them a lot. The impact on my life isn't anything to get excited about, but it's been positive nonetheless. I don't feel rushed when I drink my coffee anymore, and I'm able to concentrate on my work without that nagging "my coffee is getting cold" feeling.
I got a Stanley Beer Stein[0] from a sale 2 years ago or something. Th best thing ever. I put in ice + my favourite drink when my day starts and the ice is still there in the evening. Completely crazy performance for an open-topped container.
A desktop heat mat. Cost about $20, it has 3 heat settings, size about 13x30 inches. It goes under my keyboard and keeps my hands and fingers wonderfully warm all day. I don't have good circulation sitting down and cranking up the heat in the room heats all the other parts of me first, so this was a great alternative.
- Schlage Encode Plus: not the nicest looking smart lock, but the best battery life and most reliable (works with Apple Home Key so you can open your door with your watch). You can also program it to auto lock, so it solves multiple problems.
- Meta/Oculus 1/2(/3?): BeatSaber + other apps is a great way to get video game and exercise time in at the same time.
- I recently bought a $200 non-stick wok (the scanpan TechnIq) and it is way better than the ones we previously bought from the local Target/IKEA. Yes, no high heat, but it works for us and has changed the quality of our cooking.
1) Geox shoes: I love this Italian brand for their breathable shoes. I’m now refusing to wear anything else if I know I’ll be walking more than a few kilometers because my feet don’t get tired. I can easily walk 20km+ a day during trips. I just got my 8th pair recently.
2) MUJI T-shirts: I bought several in the same colors, and they’re made of great-quality material with a fit that I genuinely enjoy wearing. It’s surprising how much difference there can be in something as simple as a basic T-shirt.
Under $1000:
1) All-season car tires: I bought Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires for my car, and it’s such a relief. In my climate (EU), you have to change tires twice a year, but when that time comes, it’s hard to book an appointment because everyone does it at once. Now, I don’t have to think about it anymore, and as a bonus, I also save money on those appointments.
2) Bedroom A/C: I finally bought an A/C unit, and I’m sleeping so much better in the summer. We’re not as used to A/C here as in the US, but with global warming, my high-rise apartment becomes unbearable for weeks. Technically, I spent over $1000 since I bought two units, but the bedroom one alone fits this category.
3) Wiim Ultra: I upgraded my vintage receiver with this high-quality streaming media input. The noise level is much lower than any cheap inputs I’ve used before, allowing me to enjoy the quiet parts of familiar songs on a whole new level.
As someone that used all season tires I have moved to proper winter and summer tyres /wheels - the difference in handling and braking performance I find is worth it.
I bought a used Apple Watch
for sleep tracking for $230. It took a few days to get used to sleeping with a watch on but I have a 1.5 yr old daughter and it’s been a game changer to quantify how much I’m waking up for her and how my nightly routine impacts my productivity.
There are apps in the App Store that give you a sleep score.
First visit to a physical therapist for my back. I was in pain and for all intents and purposes, crippled; couldn't walk much, getting out of the chair hurt. I couldn't stand straight. I put it off for 3 years because I'm stupid and I got overweight. The first visit they showed me exercises that fixed it in a few days. Don't put these things off, I wish I had those 3 years back.
Under $1000
Apple Watch to help me lose weight and get my heart healthy. The gamification of it works for me, I've "closed my rings," every day since I got it.
Under $100: Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones. $40 on AMZN right now. Best, minimal headphones. Not my daily driver, but clutch when I just need to plug into my gaming PC or my turntable.
Under $1K: Helly Hansen Alpha Lifaloft Jacket. At ~$600 it's worth every cent in Colorado. No complex layering mechanisms, but works well from 35ºF to -10ºF. Wear it with a t-shirt or a thin down layer. It fits perfect and sits just below my belt. Great pocket layout. etc. etc. It's my go to for everything from snow shoveling to long ski days.
Used it to assemble and repair my desktop computer, swap laptop SSDs, deep clean my mouse after my cat puked on it, and completely disassemble and reassemble an entire printer for a school project. It has easily paid for itself several times over, and is still in near perfect condition after 4 years of use. Invaluable for any computer, electronic, or right to repair hobbyists.
Barely Under $1000
- a Sebo E3 Premium canister vacuum ($950 after using resellers 10% off offer)
Our family's traditional standup vacuum (I forgot which brand but they're almost all identical) died after a few years of use and we were fed up with having to replace it. Most consumer vacuums available in the US suffer significantly from planned obsolescence, so I did some research and came across this German import Sebo e3 canister vacuum. Previously I had never heard of canister vacuums, they're literally never advertised in the US. Apparently Shark makes a few, but I had to specifically google "shark canister vacuum" to find them as there is no mention of them on their official website. It only took a couple raving reviews of canister vacuums to convince me of their potential, so I took the plunge with the Sebo.
I can safely say that this vacuum is a complete gamechanger. It is so much quieter, lighter, maneuverable, easy to use, and cleaner. No longer do floating dust particles cloud the windows' sun rays. No longer does my cat appear covered in dust because she found a spot I neglected to clean. No longer do I have to worry about breaking a weakening but crucial plastic clip or retainer when emptying the vacuum. Every part that experiences stress is metal and designed for longevity rather than aesthetics. Dare I say I even enjoy vacuuming now! It used to be a pain to lug around an entire upright vacuum over every square inch of the floor. Even the bags are better than emptying a canister. The bags are biodegradable and seal inside the vacuum, meaning dust never has a chance to escape. I used to have to empty the canister vacuum outside because of how much dust it released. Yes, the high price tag is rather intimidating for a vacuum purchase, but it's well worthwhile as it's been going for four years strong with absolutely zero issues. Also, most US resellers offer 10% off if you just call them to order it.
Aeropress - quick coffee with easy cleanup.
Waterproof and nonslip cat blanket to go over the couch. Surprisingly comfy. So far saved more spillage from humans than the cats.
Under $1000
Replaced all my Audio RaspberyPis with WiiM devices. They are like $150 - $400.
A bit over $1000
Apple 5K studio display. Can't begin to desribe the difference on my eyes compared to a regular 27" with 1/4 the number of pixels.
Bonus category, things that were shit:
Hand massager. Device you put your hand in and, in theory, it massages it. It tried to bend my finger joints back by pressing down in the middle.
We cook rice every night for dinner, and this saves me about 30 seconds per meal. It holds 25lb of rice and dispenses one cup at a time. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do.
Under $1000 - A Dyson V7 vacuum refurbished on ebay
I hate vacuuming and if you go on forums, they always say "stick vacuums just aren't as strong." I caved when I found a deal on slickdeals and WOW! It works better than my old plug-in, it's cordless (a big blocker to cleaning) and it's fun to use.
As a followup:
1. Global Entry (international travel precheck for American permanent residents and citizens) is $120 and includes TSA precheck.
2. The high-tier credit cards (Amex Plat, Chase Sapphire Reserve) give you credits for Global Entry and/or TSA Precheck. They cost in ~$600, but my Amex Plat pays for itself with:
- Global Entry for wife, parents (as authorized users)
- Uber credit $15/month
- Clear at the airport- I stacked a coupon and got my wife and I Clear for the price of one
- Streaming app reimbursement
I am not a paid shill, I just like saving people money (Getting a fancy credit card is more of a break-even venture honestly)
A fancy credit card is pretty worth it if you travel more than once or twice a year. Airport lounge access, travel insurance for sufficient delays or overnights, longer purchase warranties, cell phone insurance, rental car perks and so on. It’s not really about the money so much as the quality of life and peace of mind perks it offers. And seconding precheck or GE, it’s the best extortion money I’ve ever paid.
Global Entry is available to those from some other countries too. IIRC there used to be a threshold for the minimum number of entries in the previous year or so, but it looks like they've opened it up now.
For people unwilling to invest in Global Entry, Mobile Passport Control [0] is a free program almost as fast as GE at the airports that support it. At the moment it's still sort of a lesser-known "travel hack" but it's becoming increasingly popular.
In my opinion though GE + TSA Pre is still worth it — the only thing better than the shorter preflight security screening is the even shorter GE kiosk line re-entering the US.
Yes! Especially if you have kids -- minors go through TSA pre-check lines with parents with pre-check, even if the kids don't have pre-check on their own.
I've had two Sonys (XM4 and XM5) and a bunch of Boses (QC 1x something, 25, 35II).
These are by far the best ones for me. The fabric on the ear cups doesn't get sweaty, I have tactile buttons for every function (unlike the Sonys), ANC works even when the mic is on (Bose can't do this).
And the best feature: I can charge them while I'm using them. Neither the Sony or Bose can do that, they just go offline.
This might be something I'll end up buying, I've got a pair of xm4s and they're beyond irritating. There's no way to permanently disable speak-to-chat so every time I clear my throat the music pauses. It constantly re-enables if you touch the side whilst taking them off or picking them up, or also possibly for no reason at all. I've read dozens of complaints about this and I've just about had it with them.
Yea, that's annoying as all hell, as is the fact that it takes 5-7 business days to adjust the volume with the stupid swipe-badonk -system compared to a physical knob or button.
I just went back to my Bose because the fabric o top on the max started sagging and were hurting my head. Totally bummed but something for others to know!
Gym membership. Without changing my diet, I lost 30 lbs and became much stronger. With further diet changes and a little bit of walking, I am closing in on 50 lbs lost while continuing to gain strength in every major movement pattern. I.e., I am probably losing little or no muscle.
Waterpik. Flossing for people who don't like to floss.
5k retina monitor. It made me fall in love with using a computer all over again.
I started doing full body three times a week. Then I went to a 4 day upper-lower split. Currently doing 6-day push/pull/legs. I might go to a 6-day upper-lower split in the future.
Tozo openreal headphones. $40 I use them 8 hours a day. They let you hear everything around you while also being decent headphones. In the office where I take phone calls they are much more ergonomic than my Bose QC45s which I used to wear the same amount.
Under $1000, my bambu labs printer. I've fixed things, made things you couldn't buy, it's a staple in my house now.
I've sworn by Plantronics headphones for years for work but started getting ear infections and my open air/bone conducting headphones are a huge improvement... I've got a pair of Aftershockz but these look great as well.
Audio quality suffers a little when it comes to music, but being able to hear conversations around me at the office is worth it.
> Stop prewashing dishes in the sink. Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
In my experience ... no, you're not. Basically any kind of sauce or dessert will get baked on and become much harder to remove, as will anything from a day before the dishwasher actually gets full enough to be worth running.
You can also (if your sink accommodates it), pile your dishes as you're done with them, in the kitchen sink -- then wash your hands over them, thus "pre-soaking" them.
At the end of the day, when you load them into the dishwasher, they're much more likely to come out completely clean.
> Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
If you enjoy the filter cleanup. I personally prefer rinsing the dishes instead of cleaning the filters and on my current dishwasher I didn't have to do anything after two years of use.
Under $100 - almost every fiction book I've bought in the last few years. It's not hard to find books you'll like and enjoy, and they're inexpensive. Personal recommendations, reviews online, in papers or in specialist magazines, they'll all help. Some non-fiction is worth it, but rarely has the same impact as a fiction book, where you get to dive into another life, another World, another set of perspectives completely alien to your own.
Under $1000 - just - would either be a friend's Samsung G9 Odyssey monitor a push-button standing desk. My friend was emigrating so we did a deal and snagged both - and a walking treadmill still in the garage - for less than $1k. The monitor is superb because it's just a great setup, a real upgrade from 2x monitors. The desk gets me moving around a bit more and is great for my health. I'm sleeping a little better, losing a little weight from moving around more, just feeling a lot healthier.
- a non-stick pan (Tefal) - makes cooking much more enjoyable and likely, due to much less hassle while doing it and afterwards when cleaning up.
- a search engine subscription (Kagi). No more bullshit results. It's nice to feel that your search engine isn't working against you!
- a U-shaped pregnancy pillow - ideal for side sleepers
- a preconstructed deck for a trading card game (Magic the Gathering Commander). Bought and started playing it in the local game store. Now addicted.
Under $1000:
- a cordless, bagless vacuum with a light to see dust (Dyson) - it makes such a difference to effectivity and especially motivation if you are actually seeing what you are changing!
- noise canceling headphones (Bose) - invaluable, especially in the vicinity of uncontrollable noise, such as near worksites, in public transport or coworking spaces
- a telescope (Orion) - initiated a years-long and enduring fascination about and activity in astronomy and astrophotography
I threw out all my non stick surface pots and pans and all plastic kitchen implements because I don’t want chemicals or plastics in my food. Replaces everything with stainless steel.
I've encountered many conflicting opinions about this topic (of course sellers will say it's perfectly safe and health advisors/bloggers the opposite), so i'd really like to see some well-sourced neutral information on this
In our household the by far oldest pan is made of glass. It's also the only one that still looks like new despite having been used for 25+ years. It isn't non-stick but it also doesn't scratch just from looking at it.
In terms of health, I'm not sure either but you should never use non-stick pans if you have pet birds. As I understand it the way their breathing and lungs work makes it deadly for them. Aside from that as long as it's not proven safe I don't feel like taking unnecessary risks when multiple safe materials are available. Manufacturers claiming their product is safe when it isn't has probably been a thing before the first factory and will still be a thing after I'm gone.
All non-stick pans deterriorate over time and become stick pans. In case, for example, of Creuset it takes about 2 years of daily use. With Tefal it's less.
Whether non-stick coating peels off when cooking or when washing is an open question, but chances of it being just the latter are slim to none.
A better option is copper-inlayed steel pans, something like Falk. They aren't hard to master and they last for decades and have superior heat distribution profile.
I'm not against non-stick pans for their chemical composition. But I find stainless steel pans much easier to clean because you don't need to be gentle with them. You can take a steel wool to stainless steel pans just fine.
My stainless steel pans also last much longer than my non-stick pans. The non-stick coating seems to deteriorate within only a few years.
When I moved my new place had ALL stainless steel implements. Turns out I LOVE cooking and all it took was discovering how cool it is to cook with stainless steel. Cleaning is extremely easy.
I bought a $2 rice cooker at a yard sale in 2020. Changed my life, yes really. Rice ALWAYS turns out well. I don't know why I bothered to make it on the stove before.
Under $100
- A wet shaving kit! You can buy a good double edge safety razor, a shaving brush, and excellent shaving blades for under $100. I made the switch after growing tired of my Gillette setup. I used to think shaving was a chore, and well, I still do, but it's a lot more pleasant now. As a bonus, my shaves are a lot closer.
Under $1000
- A good espresso setup! I bought Breville Bambino Plus, DF64 Gen 2 grinder and some auxiliary tools for under $1000 this year and it's been a game changer. I can make better-than-Starbucks coffee for a fraction of a price. I did the math, and making my own espresso/latte/cortado is 3x cheaper then buying it from Starbucks. Oh, and it's much tastier.
For me, under $500 for a great pour-over setup. (Manual 1Zpresso grinder, gram scale, V60 and filters, glass carafe.) The coffee is delicious with fresh-roasted beans and I personally appreciate the ritual and skill check every morning.
- Air fryer / Countertop Convection Oven: Good for lots of cooking, fast, crisps well
- Collapsible wagon: Easiest way to transport things places. Previously would drive to target etc. for lots of stuff, now just wheel it.
- Global Entry: Gives you TSA PreCheck. Returning from International Travel is like returning from Domestic Travel.
- Electric Toothbrush: Automated pause means I brush longer than before
- Lyft/Baywheels e-bike membership: No need to worry about parking or keeping bike. Faster than cars in SF often. 2x as fast as trains usually.
- Command Strips: Easiest way to stick things on walls. Cheap from Costco
- Costco Membership: Higher quality of customer. Makes everything better
- Cast Iron / Carbon Steel pans: These are great, and a lot less trouble than people make them out to be. I do wash them myself (no dishwasher) which is primary annoyance, but the oiling is easy and they do stay non-stick!
- Carbon Steel knives: I picked up a couple in Japan, wife had some from SF. They're great.
Over $1000:
- Cleaners: $200/mo
- Google Home/Nest speakers and smart lights: Nice to talk to things to turn them off when tired, shows photos of friends etc. Will have to give up the screens when child is born but till then it's nice.
- Amex Platinum: $650/yr (or something) Centurion Lounges are great. Upgrades at hotels are nice.
- Cordless Waterpik w/ storage reservoir: I still don't use as often as I should, but I do use it
Things that didn't quite work out as I was hoping:
- straight edge razor: used it for 2 years, not worth the effort
- car rooftop storage: used it rarely, it was worth it for then, but not usually
- cheaper credit cards: just spent money, not worthwhile
- Oculus: I bought every one that came out and I played with them for a while and then gave them up. Primarily Beat Saber using sideloaded tracks (which is where a lot of the fun is for me).
Under $100: Pilot g-tec pens and an electric toothbrush.
Under $1k:
- HHKB hybrid type-s, I love this keyboard;
- Kobo libra colour, for the integration with Libby in Canada. I also like that Kobo gives me points with each purchase, which can be used to get more books.
Like many people here, a no-name double edged metal safety razor: I think I got this for around $25 or so with a set of 100 blades and 3 soaps; compared with disposable razors, this has been amazing - a better shave, a nice experience to it and so cheap. it took me about 2 years just to get through the "free" box of blades for it.
Secondly a set of silicon coated spatulas for cooking. These have saved me so much food waste and have made cooking for 2 a lot easier.
Thirdly, few magnetic digital timers I've stuck to the fridge. I've found these brilliant when cooking, it makes it much easier to track when doing several dishes. I start one when I begin cooking as an "overall" time that gives me a reference and then I've two others that I'll use as needed when doing something specific during the overall meal cooking. It's made it much easier to keep everything on track.
And finally a VESA mount bracket for a cheap standing desk I have. I'm not sure what took me so long but having a mount for the monitor instead of it being on the desk completely changed the space available and made it so much more useful. I have a very small workspace so that was a driving factor.
Under $100: A carbon steel wok, along with a Youtube subscription to Chinese Cooking Demystified and to Souped-up Recipes. I always liked cooking, but this has increased my enjoyment 100x. My kids love stir fry, and they eat a lot more veggies this way.
Under $1000: A Kino hand grinder and a Cafelat Robot manual espresso maker. Bought this at the start of lockdowns as a gimmick, but I'm actually using this several times a day. Found an excellent roaster locally, but even store-bought beans taste pretty good this way.
I’ve mentioned it before in a similar thread, but if you shave your head, get a Pitbull Skullshaver that can be used in the shower or while walking around the house, etc. About $100 and adding it to a shower routine is great.
A wand for the vegetable garden hose. About $70 and much better than a normal gun/nozzle for watering plants at the base if not all of your gardens are raised.
$500ish: 12v car fridge. I use mine camping or on work trips but also at home on mains power as a drinks fridge near the outdoor seating when people are around.
Air fryer, I use it for cooking sausages, tenders, salmon, mini pizzas for the kids. Quicker than the oven and doesn't make the kitchen hot.
Robot vacuum, I have a roborock, turns vacuuming into something thats done a couple of times a week, from once a month.
A good camera: a hobby of mine. I got a 10-year old Canon DSLR so it did get under 1000, but with extra lenses I've bought over time for different situations it's more than that.
Under 100:
Nasal rinse, I seem to constantly have sinus problems in the cooler months, this seems to help.
Anything that removes friction from getting you to consistently strength train with progressive overload will do more for your health, quality of life, and appearance than damn near any other possible intervention.
A squat rack, weights, and a bench is probably the biggest bang for your buck version of this and if you can set up a basic home gym, it's a total game changer.
A Waterpik also is great as a tiny pressure washer to clean things in the kitchen or bathroom that might give you problems.
For example there are places around my sink drain that are hard to clean by hand. A blast from the Waterpik on the full setting easily deals with them.
Kinesis Advantage 360 or ZSA Voyager (split ergonomic keyboards with ortholinear layout).
I ended up buying both. I had chronic wrist pain and weakness for a few years that I thought was caused by an acute injury. Turns out I think it was actually typing. I bought the Advantage 360, and after a few days, my wrist pain disappeared and never came back. When I switch back to a standard keyboard, I can't type for more than an hour before I start feeling discomfort.
I bought a Logitech K860 ergonomic keyboard for under $100 for the same reason (wrist pain). Since I use it (2 weeks), the pain alsmot disappeared too.
I wish I bought one years ago.
Also, for less than $100, I have a Kensigton track ball for years.
- A good old fashioned digital timer for $6. I set up the time and do something, like work, read, hobbies, etc. I don't get distracted by other things on phone. I don't have to keep the screen on and use apps like Forest or other pomodoro timers, and it saves battery. I waste way less time now getting distracted. So, it's like a pomodoro timer but my intervals are higher- 1 hr to 2 hr.
- A basic smartwatch for $20 that tracks my sleep and physical activity. I get 8000 steps of walking everyday now, and are more aware of stress. I can now use stress reduction and avoidance techniques before I get stressed, with heart rate monitoring. It really changed my life.
- Several entry level fountain pens in $20/$30 like Lamy Safari, Pilor Metropolitan, etc. You wouldn't believe how great the writing experience becomes when start using FPs.
- A Ukulele at $30, and it is so much easier than guitar for the easier things. Now I can sing and play an instrument. I tried guitar, piano, flute, but they didn't stick.
Under $1000
- At just over $100, a Kindle with background light for reading. I love paper books but Kindles are much more convenient. I read much more and in more situations.
Recently got some over-ear Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancelling for 150 euro.
I knew the audio quality would be worse than with my cabled studio headphones, but the ANC is just amazing in noisy environments - especially while on public transport. I used to hate taking the train for longer rides because it'd be hit or miss, but with the headphones I'm actually looking up to it. Also looking up to trying them on a flight.
They sadly only support the old SBC Bluetooth codec, but their wearing comfort is extremely high which was an important factor for me, and ANC is very good. They do seem to support SBC-XQ though.
Are they hot? I have the Sony wh-1000xm4 and they're amazing, but unfortunately, because how tightly the seal off my ears, they regularly get too warm and uncomfortable.
They don't feel hot while just wearing them, but I did notice I get sweaty if I'm using them on a hike/moderate exercise - which is probably to be expected though.
I'd say wearing comfort is great, I can wear them for hours and barely notice I have them on. I didn't use them in warmer (summer) temperatures yet though.
Under $100
- A portable neck cooling fan with semiconductor cooling pads on it
They sell these all over Amazon and similar places, but the best ones have both the moving air components and at least one little metal strip that rests on the back of your neck. That metal strip gets very chilly, so it makes hot weather so much more tolerable! Only downside is it's not great for long hair due to the fans potentially catching strands.
Under $100:
Reusable respirator masks + P100 replacement filters.
They were harder to get earlier in the pandemic, so I bought a less popular brand in addition to the popular brand one I already had from a repair project.
Reasonably comfortable, and I haven’t had a single respiratory illness since I started wearing them when going out. Also good for allergies, smoke, keeping my face from freezing in the winter, and looking like I’m in a SciFi movie.
Under $1000: Litter Robot 4. It actually works and our two new cats are fine with it (which was one of our concerns). I do need to fiddle with it now and again, mostly WiFi resets, but in comparison to emptying two litter boxes daily that's nothing.
Also, in the category of special interests, the Radiance Films 2024 Blu-Ray bundle was a significantly good purchase for me. They're an English boutique Blu-Ray company that releases 3-4 movies a month; for about $1000 I got 50-odd movies that I never would have purchased otherwise, most of which I enjoyed. In many cases it opened my eyes to whole categories of foreign genre cinema I would have missed otherwise -- say, modern Chinese neo-noirs. Life-changing is a stretch but I'm really happy with the purchase. https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/products/radiance-2025-bundl... for the next year bundle.
Under $100: second the rice cooker and bidet recommendations, although we're considering upgrading to a heated bidet.
This is a very good thread, I’ve already saved a few items on Amazon, a rice cooker being one!
Under £100
- Electric toothbrush - this isn’t new, I’ve used one for 15 years or so but I couldn’t even imagine not using one
- A decent water bottle
- Creatine supplements
I’m sure there’s more but can’t think right now.
Under £1000 - Garmin Fenix watch, I’m sure this would apply to any watch that tracks calories, steps, sleep etc but having one with all this info on my wrist is something I could never go without.
BTW, cooked rice can be frozen and used later without too much loss of quality which can make a larger capacity rice cooker quite useful even if you don't have a large family.
The frozen rice should be fine for at least a month and still OK after a few months although with some loss of flavor and/or texture.
I'm single but have a 14 cup rice cooker. It was a Wirecutter budget choice. They said it makes great white rice but undercooks brown rice. I wanted it for brown rice, and addressed the undercooking by simply putting in enough rice to make 12 cups instead of 14 but filling the water to the 14 cup level so it will cook longer.
After cooking I divide it into 12 one cup plastic covered containers and into the freezer it goes.
I reheat the frozen rice by putting it in a bowl, spraying a little water on it. Enough to wet the frozen block but to not leave much loose water on the bottom of the bowl. I cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave for 3 minutes on high in a 1250 watt microwave.
Quick PSA - cooked rice needs to be refrigirated in small portions within 2 hours of cooking to avoid bacterial growth. It looks like you are aware of this, but bears repeating just in case.
I'm subbed to /r/kitchenconfidential and improperly stored leftover rice is a well-known pitfall and a major concern during kitchen health inspections.
Legal doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical cannabis bud. Home cooked between 200-250F for an hour or so -- no smoking, only eating. Got highest grades (24-28% IIRC); eat only three fingertips pressed into very finely cut buds (pieces the size of a small peppercorn) -- so not very much. Dosage is not precise but close enough, and good for design and programming, for quite few hours, and can re-up after 4-5 hrs and have a good long day. And then a good night's sleep.
It's quite a difference not consuming whatever street cannabis is made with or packed into. It's far cleaner while active and gets flushed out gently and quickly.
I'm very grateful our (American) state finally legalized MM (medical marijuana), and allows telehealth evaluation and prescription, which was, itself, <$100. Then even 7g is <$100. That much lasts me months.
It'll prolly be a total of $400-500 for my first full year. Outstanding bargain and results, finally legally.
(Note: I suggest adding in some good fish oil for EFAs and such, for more optimal results -- <$50 a bottle.)
Under $100:
Electric toothbrush:
Always hated having to brush my teeth and this makes it so much less tedious, also supposedly better for your teeth, from 1-2 times per day to 3 times every day.
Under $1000:
Nespresso machine, was using a mocha pot before but the coffee is much easier to make, no cleanup, and tastes better.
Nespresso machines hide the coffee inside plastic capsules. Why?
1. You don’t know what coffee you get, you cannot really vary the coffee anymore and maybe try a different local one (where I live we have local coffee). Then you don’t even know if it’s just 100% coffee or they add something else
2. Why consuming plastic for a simple thing like a coffee? Plastic is NOT recycled in most of the countries and its bad for environment if not properly managed. Burning plastic increase pollution, but leaving it in the nature can take 500 years to dissolve. Why a simple thing like coffe powder, kept in a glass jar, used in a metal coffee mocha, now has to become the new trend to involve plastic? It’s literally the same thing, just worst for the environment.
They are aluminum and are recyclable. They even have a recycling program. Assuming you aren’t brewing a flavored one, it’s only roasted coffee inside.
I was a bit of a coffee geek and went all out on grinding and brew methods, but then got real busy… nespresso makes good coffee and is super fast.
The downside as you mention is you are stuck with their varieties and can’t geek out on trying different roasts / regions outside of what they offer. But for some people like me that is lower on my priorities now.
> The downside as you mention is you are stuck with their varieties and can’t geek out on trying different roasts / regions outside of what they offer.
Not exactly. In Thailand there are a lot of local roasters thad produce a compatible pods with fresh coffee from different origins.
Also there are washable pods you can fill by yourself with new stuff, use, wash repeat
I've never not used an electric toothbrush (our family has had one since the early to mid 90s I think), to me it sounds crazy that there are people discovering them in the 2020s.
Just get a proper one, the cheap ones are worse than doing it manually. And the most expensive ones with all the bluetooth crap are a ripoff. The only thing that really matters is the rpm or the amount of back and forth motions it does per second, the rest is fluff you may or may not need.
Honestly it was such a revelation once I bought it. didn't buy it sooner because spending £70 on a toothbrush (+ heads) would have been an unaffordable luxury, and anyway I didn't realise how much better it would be :)
I've used Nespresso for ages (still do at my partner's house), and it beats a Bialetti any day, but it's not cheap.
I found a good sweet spot (for me) in a Kamira: it's not as good as a proper espresso and maybe even Nespresso, but it's so much cheaper and still better than a Bialetti. Once you have the procedure down, it's a breeze; and because there are no electronics or pumps, it's unlikely to ever break (I honestly forgot when I got it, must have been at least 4-5 years ago).
Under £10 it’s not espresso but a Hario V60 and the James Hoffman recipe and good coffee beans beats any Nespresso for taste imo. I do drink Nespresso as well.
It’s hard beating nespresso. You honestly either need to get real lucky with a bean to cup machine or get an espresso machine which is a lot more work.
I have a drip brewer (Moccamaster), mocha pot, Senseo, french press, Keurig machine, aeropress, pour over setup, e61-based espresso machine (a heat exchanger), and am upgrading to a dual boiler espresso machine. I also have a Nespresso machine.
Each can make very good coffee and none of them taste bad in comparison to any others.
But if your budget is $1000, I would avoid the espresso category because you also need a grinder and a great grinder is probably more than a budget espresso machine and more important for consistent and good shots.
Both of mine are sleep related today. I've been on a quest to improve my sleep for years and these two things have given me the most success.
Under $100: A weighted blanket. Okay, many of these are just over $100 - in the $130-200 range - but under $100 exists too. So comfy and makes it so much easier to fall asleep. Also great for panic attacks or anxiety generally.
Under $1,000: A CPAP machine. Technically mine was free with insurance, but for many people the cost will be $500-$1,000. If you have sleep apnea, or even suspect you do, please please please get a sleep study and a machine. It has changed my life.
Also, bonus, under $100,000: An electric vehicle. I love my Chevy Bolt. It's the best car I've ever owned and I doubt I'll ever go back to gas for a daily driver.
Plug-in electric hair clippers. During the pandemic I got something cordless and it was serviceable, but seemed to take a long time, and as the batteries drained the performance dropped significantly. I picked up a set at the store while getting groceries that plugs into the wall and everything is so much faster and easier with full power all the time. I can’t believe I suffered with the little cordless one for 3 years.
I was about to start going back to the barber shop, but when I saw the prices were 2-3x what I remembered, the new clippers paid for themselves in 1 or 2 cuts.
I got an awesome rice cooker (Zojirushi NeuroFuzzy) for around $200, and started buying "sushi rice" in 5 or 10 pound bags from various Japanese food companies on Amazon.
Being able to make extremely good rice just like the rice from a good restaurant is incredible, and even fancy rice is cheap enough when purchased in bulk that you end up saving a decent amount of money over time. It takes just a few minutes to wash the rice in the sink and then under an hour to cook it, and you can leave it in there for a while and it will keep it nice and warm.
It's really great with chicken or beef and vegetables cooked in a Japanese BBQ sauce (I like Bachan's, which you can buy in bulk jugs on Amazon for around $40).
- robot vacuum. Now my house gets vacuumed (that should tell you how much I hate doing it.)
- the bidet seat is not tremendously life changing but it's very helpful.
Under 100:
- a quality probe thermometer. I use it for everything baked and most ways of cooking meat. Nothing is over~ or undercooked anymore. I do have another one with 2 probes for bbq/smoking -- you can use the two in the point and flat of a brisket, which tend to cook to different temperatures, or use one to monitor temperature of the grill and the other for the meat. It's also bluetooth so I can monitor temps from the comfort of my computer desk.
- a good rice cooker. Frees up a burner, rice is done when you tell it to be done and it's always perfect.
Can you recommend one you like? This is a hard thing to research without hitting fake reviews and blogspam. Not like there's an established brand a normal consumer would know about.
Yes, that's the one I use. I have a Thermopop and a Dot, which I use less often. It's an oven probe that you'd use on roasts and any large chunk of meat that takes some time.
Thermoworks is absolutely the established name brand. Their thermapens defined the market segment, but their other offerings (DOT) are also very high quality.
1) Kitchen dish towels. The white with blue herringbone kind you see in restaurants or cooking content creators. I bought two dozen of them (~$1.65/each) and keep them all around the kitchen and use them with reckless abandon (some for drying, some for wiping spills, etc.). Having plenty of them means I can use one per day for general use and not run out by the time laundry day comes.
2) Deli containers. Picked up 48 in 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz sizes with airtight lids. Completely changed how I prep food and save leftovers. Almost entirely I've switched to using these over what hodgepodge of tupperware I have accumulated over the years.
I started running again. I have time after the kids are put to bed. I run outside of a small town where it's really dark (no street lights) so I need lots of lights on me. There are occasional cars and I don't want to be run over.
This is during the cold months. During summer it gets dark at 22ish at best.
Under $1000?
The automatic vacuum cleaner was more than this. I bought the most expensive one I could find that had good reviews. It washes the floor as well and cleans the pods used in hot water and soap.
Initially, I asked everyone I knew if they knew of any welders in the area who weren't self taught. None of them knew anyone. I then decided to post an ad on Craigslist. In my ad, I stated that I had no equipment but was interested in learning stick welding and oxy-acetylene welding. I made it clear that I was wanted to learn how to weld safely (given the many hazards involved). I also mentioned that I was willing to pay the going rate. After my CL ad was up for a couple of weeks someone reached out to me indicating that they were interested and had the requisite background. It worked out great. He came to my house on Saturday mornings and brought the equipment. This approach worked great for me. Eventually, I had enough training time to want to buy my own welder. I discussed it with my instructor and he recommended a welder to match my interests and budget.
Under $100 - Ember mug. No more reheating coffee a few times/day or trying to drink cold coffee. I was surprised at how much I enjoy it. A nice napkin holder that is easy to pull napkins from. Vertical magazine/tablet organizer. Whiteboard next to my desk. Anything simple that makes a frequent chore or task 50% easier.
Under $1000 - Twice/week 'house helper' who does dishes and laundry. My wife travels a few weeks/month and we have 2 kids. Having someone do all the dishes and laundry saves me at least 5hrs/week.
It keeps the drink at a specific temperature indefinitely.
With an insulated mug, you aren't putting more heat into the drink but just trying to keep it for longer. In my opinion, insulation works great for cold drinks (I use a giant insulated cup for my cold drinks) but not so much for warm drinks.
The old (maybe incorrect) advice I was always told was that continuing to heat the coffee fouled the taste, hence the recommendation to use an insulated mug/thermos as opposed to a Mr. Coffee style warmed carafe. What makes this gadget different/better?
That makes sense. The mug version of Ember (https://ember.com/products/ember-mug-2) is open on top, which seems like a fancy Bluetooth version of an old-school mug heater.
I could see the sealed one (the "Cup") as working better though.
Much of coffee's flavour comes from a balance of acids and oils. These, particularly the oils, are sensitive to temperature. But unless you're drinking your coffee all day, you're unlikely to notice it. Real spoiling sets in after several hours at the kinds of heat you're probably running your Ember mug at. Most drip brewers with heating elements for the pot keep the temperature too high (often just below boiling). A steady heat is much better for the flavour than reheating. (This is what I remember from working at a coffee shop way, WAY back when I was at university.)
It will hold my coffee at the perfect temperature all day. Also if the battery runs out I can put it on its charger and after ~5 mins it will start heating my now cold coffee back up to temperature. I thought it was kinda gimmicky too before I bought it but I am surprised at how great it is to have perfect temp coffee all the time.
Everything can go in the dishwasher at least once. ;)
But, on a more serious note. Over the years I've replaced everything in my kitchen that isn't dishwasher friendly with something that is. I do not want to waste the small amount of free time I have doing any dishes.
1. Air fryer. I no longer do oil fry at all at home. Oil/fat has so many calories in it, depending on your cooking style this switch can help you a lot. I do still use a bit for flavor, but thats it.
2. Zwift and a bluetooth bike trainer. I swear my fitness improves over winter and decreases over summer... inverse from what I was previously doing. Also, I live in Iowa (very flat and the only resistance comes from the everpresent wind) so it's a different style of riding.
Under $100:
“PureSleep” a mouth device to treat sleep apnea. I tried CPAP but drooled in the face-mask and had congestion with a nose-mask. PureSleep isn’t perfect, but I’m much healthier and productive with it. (I may spend more for a proper dentist-made device.)
Under $100
> Earfun Air Pro 3 - I wanted an affordable wireless earbud with great sound and decent ANC as an alternative to my Airpods Pro 1. This has pleasantly surprised me, and I use it more now than my aging Airpod Pro 1.
Under $1000
> Mackage down winter jacket my partner bought me 10 years ago. Investing in a great winter jacket makes winters much, much, much more bearable!
Under $100 – a Bluetooth receiver so I can use any studio-quality wired headphones or my car stereo with any Bluetooth transmitter (smartphone, computer, etc.). I use this thing every day!
Under $1000 - an e-scooter. It has completely transformed my relationship with my city. I rarely drive a car anywhere anymore. If, god forbid, my e-scooter were to break or get stolen tomorrow, I would immediately purchase a replacement.
Under $1000 - a power cage, a bench, an olympic weightlifting bar and a few hundred pounds of weight plates.
I never liked to go to the gym and having the essential tools at home have been the first time I've stuck with it. I've increased my strength substantially, lowered my body fat, and I generally have a better mental state with regular exercise incorporated into my weekly routine. It does require a good bit of space though.
Under $100: Not really a purchase, but a habit that involved several purchases. Making L. Reuteri "Yogurt" using half & half, biogaia tablets, mason jars, and a sous vide. Helped with gut issues.
Under $1000: An Ooni pizza oven. It's a relatively low-stakes investment and you can produce some pretty phenomenal pizzas after you get over your first few "catastrophe calzones". Just a nice weekend dad hobby.
we had something about that tier - a dewalt. I watched my wife struggle with it, trying to hold square while building cabinets. It was so frustrating to me just watching her, that two years ago I went and bought her a nice saw stop deal. It cost me about $3k, but the fence holds square, its easy to adjust, quiet, and it just works.
Under $100: Some cable management boxes for my desk. No more unsightly power strips and tangles of cables. They go great with velcro cable ties.
Under $1000: A warm water bidet. I had a cold water one for years, but on winter mornings it was...challenging. When it broke I replaced it with an electronic alternative. Uranus is no longer an ice planet.
Under $100: Voice Dream Reader app. I'm not using it as much lately but I must have listened to thousands of articles and hundreds of books with it. I used to drop all sorts of articles and epubs on it.
Under $1000: noise cancelling headphones (qc35 was the first). Living in a busy city with a lot of noise ANC gives me peace.
An iPad Mini. It’s disconnected from all of my accounts and has none of my apps. It gets zero notifications. I strictly use it to sketch and read. It got me to do both a lot more.
AirPods Pro. They are truly wondrous little things. The new ones are even better. It’s crazy just how much use I get out of them.
I got a sound system for TV watching that supports Dolby Atmos to watch movies and TV shows at home. It's been great. I rarely go to the movies any more and this makes watching movies great.
It also made me realize how bad certain streaming services are - Youtube, which don't support Atmos and multi-channel audio.
Under $100: lightweight battery operated LED headlamp
See and be seen in the dark, while keeping your hands free. Great for taking out the garbage or checking the mail at night, especially because we don’t have much lighting outside (unless it’s a full moon) due to light pollution regulations.
Now that the weather is nice I got a helinox chair and a small goal zero yeti and with my a wifi hotspot I can go work in the park outdoors or on a patio all day.
It's heavenly.
I also love my bluetooth headphones with Noise Cancellation.
I can be in my own world at the gym, at work, at the coffeeshop.
I had ear plugs made to size. I think they were 50-100eur. They're comfortable, easy to clean, and very good at their job. I have a pair for sleeping which blocks out pretty much all noise, and another pair for loud concerts which reduce sound without muffling it.
Ear loops. They're a cheap, portable solution for dampening noise. I live in a big city and I also like to go out to bars and noisy places. I can walk around with noisy traffic and it doesn't really bother me anymore.
◦ Aeropress: Quick coffee with easy cleanup.
◦ Electric Toothbrush: Makes brushing teeth more effective and enjoyable.
◦ Reusable Respirator Masks: Useful for preventing respiratory illnesses and allergies.
◦ Cable Management Boxes: Keep your desk tidy and organized.
◦ Command Strips: Easy and damage-free way to hang items on walls.
◦ Lamy Safari Fountain Pen: Great for writing, providing a better experience than plastic pens.
◦ Pentel Pocket Brushpen: Encourages drawing and creativity.
◦ Aeropress: Quick and easy coffee making with minimal cleanup.
◦ Deli Containers: Great for food prep and storage, replacing the need for various types of Tupperware.
◦ Moving Dolly: A simple tool that makes moving heavy items much easier.
◦ Bug-A-Salt: A fun and effective tool for dealing with insects.
◦ Waterpik: A great alternative for those who don't like to floss.
◦ Weighted Blanket: Helps with sleep and anxiety.
◦ Earplugs: Improve sleep quality by blocking out noise.
◦ Air Fryer: A healthier alternative to oil frying.
◦ Instant Pot: A versatile kitchen appliance for quick and easy meals.
◦ Spotify Subscription: Offers convenience for music streaming.
◦ MagSafe Charger: Convenient for keeping your iPhone charged at your desk.
◦ Heavy Curtains and Wedge Pillow: Improve sleep quality by blocking noise and reducing snoring.
◦ Black Socks: Simplifies laundry and reduces the hassle of matching socks.
◦ Portable Neck Cooling Fan: Helps make hot weather more tolerable.
◦ LED Headlamp: Useful for seeing and being seen in the dark, keeping your hands free.
◦ Quies Ear Plugs: Improve sleep quality by blocking out noise.
◦ Ear Loops: Portable and effective for dampening noise in noisy environments.
◦ Cupping Set: Helps relieve neck and back pain.
◦ Shoe Dryer: A lifesaver for drying kids' shoes quickly.
◦ Gym Membership: Can lead to significant weight loss and strength gains.
◦ Physical Therapy: Can provide immediate relief and long-term benefits for back pain.
An air purifier. Note that they'll try to sell you on an infinite supply of replacement filters, but if you do the maintenance aggressively, you keep much of the benefit even just reusing the same filter.
Besides that, they say to never cheap out on anything that goes between you and the ground. Car tires appear to be a scam but most everything else works. Advice for specific items will be highly specific to where you are and what you do, but a general observation is: an object stops being effective long before it breaks entirely.
Since we're computer people, I would point out that there's a huge difference between a $150 ergonomic office chair and a $50 office chair. (though changing position is also important)
Under $100: cupping set for neck/back pain. $20 Amazon. all the same but if you get one with an extension tube you can do it yourself. Otherwise someone else has to perform it.
under 1000k:
dyson vacuum cleaner with laser light (!)- the thing is amazing.. i actually see the progress now and vacuum cleaning is fun all of a sudden! almost relaxing.
Edit: Oh I completely forgot my favorite piece of software rcmd paired with mapping my capslock to right command. Deterministic app switching is amazing. After years of changing up workflows to be grid, spaces, etc, based I finally have my perfect workflow that works on single and multi monitor setups.
DE razor.
Bidet.
Squatty potty.
Morning breakfast is now hulled barley (ground to powder) porridge, the beta glucan (more than in oatmeal) in it makes my entire digestive situation better I prefer it over cream of wheat or oatmeal (which I find disgusting). Barley and humans just really have a thing going, I just add water from my hot water tank, throw in a little sweetener and microwave for 1 min. It's and amazing whole grain hot breakfast.
A hot water tank in the kitchen.
Under 1k:
Rollerblades, I'm nearing 40 and started to notice I'm slowing down some, picking up rollerblading is amazing for balance and flexibility, I have massively improved my cognition, balance and flexibility, it's a crazy core workout I find myself just tooling around for hours trying to do new moves at increasingly faster speeds.
free:
permanently leaving my phone on do not disturb.
I just eyeball it and make sure the water is incorporated into a well mixed slurry, you have to watch it because it expands quite a bit while microwaving and can overflow a bowl if your bowl is too small.
If you have too little water before microwaving it, it won't expand but you'll need to mix in more hot water afterwards otherwise the texture will be subpar.
Barley is cheap, I'd just start with less than a quarter cup ground powder and go from there.
* Moving Dolly / transporte roller - Just four wheels attached to a wood board for moving stuff from/to the cellar. Best money ever spent.
* Lamy Safari fountain pen - I got tired of plastic pens and wanted to try fountain pens with a converter. Turns out an inkpot lasts more than 1 year. Probably 2.
* Pentel pocket brushpen. Addictive to use. Made me draw again.
1. A good backpack [1]. I bought one in such a way that it is technically too big for aircrafts but in such a way that aircrafts won't bother you with it. Mine has 45L and expands to 55L. I got in trouble for it twice. I've flown like 50 times. When I got in trouble for it, I just put everything in my pockets and I'm good to go.
2. A Quikflip rain coat [2]. It's a coat and can transform into a big. Sometimes you need both at the same time, which is a bit iffy but it's harder to forget this raincoat and it is harder to forget this bag compared to other bags/raincoats.
3. A long coat, cut out the pockets so that the whole coat becomes a pocket. I put stuff in here when the airlines are being annoying. I bought mine at a second hand place for $25.
4. Airtags: "where did I put my keys?" BEEP "oh there!"
5. Merino whool socks, underwear, shirts and sweaters. Only got one sweater? That's like 4 days worth of sweaters! It down regulates temperature when it's hot and up regulates temperature when it's cold. Only downside: you need to take good care of them.
6. Tinder: to be fair, I needed to get my hacker mindset to go from 1 match per month to 100 matches per month (it took me a few months to figure out how to get good pictures - average people can look photogenic!). I met my wife on the app, best $120 ever.
7. A dating coach. 12 years back I went to a convention for $100 and a dating coach that wasn't really commercial charged me $400 for being a full week with him. He took me and another person. He just wanted some pocket change while traveling. He changed my life. I've had other dating coaches way above $1000 that didn't help so much. It's about the click first and foremost.
8. Getting diagnosed by a psychologist. This happened quite recently. I knew I was neurodivergent, now I know how I'm neurodivergent and how it screws with my sleep. There's a very big chance I have a melatonin defficiency. I need to test that. In terms of social skills, I've been thriving thanks to #7 and #10. I now see what kind of support I should ask at work (in my case: the ability to work flexible hours is huge).
9. Dutch time-released Melatonin (0.1 mg per tablet) - see #8. I take 0.3 mg two hours before going to bed. My sleep has gone from a 3.5 to a 7 out of 10.
10. meditation retreat [3], it's on a donation basis and I've paid less than $1000. My first retreat was 14 years back. Related the Search Inside Yourself book from Chade-Meng Tan to learn more about meditation. Meditation has allowed me to deal much better with neurotypicals, without realizing as I started meditating 15 years ago whereas my diagnosis is new.
11. Some ear protection blockers that construction workers use for sleep (also for in the plane). I have tinnitus so can't use earplugs well. I could use earphones with noise cancellation but they run out after 4 to 6 hours, waking me up (and it's hard for me to fall asleep). You need to get used to it but afterwards it works fine. An eye mask too. I've slept in the loudest, brightest places and got to sleep well.
12. Spotify: my music listening is much more varied now and it's an automatic mood booster if I don't listen too much. So I use it as a pick me up for when I become gloomy. It took 2 years to get good enough curated playlists for that though.
13. A curated list of downloaded cooking videos from YouTube from recipes that I love that are now linked to in an google spreadsheet that I share with my wife. "What should we have for dinner?" 3 suggestions from the spreadsheet works, videos are there.
14. Traveling and because of it feeling more free to meet people. I met my wife in Valencia, for example.
15. Macbook M1 2020, I have 2. I use the 32 GB version as my "always on computer" and it is with some family members of mine. It sometimes runs certain scripts, I can always use it as a server, etc. The 16 GB version, I travel with. Downloading an LLM on the 32 GB is also more easy and the LLMs are more useful. I've saved my friends a lot of time with the scripts that my "always on computer" has been running (chrome plugins that monitor certain websites and sends push notifications to them).
16. Nothing Ear earphones [4]. If you're in a loud cafe, these are the only earphones that give you a good chance that the call quality is still good. They're better than whatever Apple offers (I have every Apple product).
17. Gyokuru green tea: good nootropic. Ceremonial grade matcha: same. Coffee hits too hard. This is more smooth.
18. A $300 chef's knife from a Japanese brand. I think I could've optimized a bit more, but it is really useful to know how a sharp knife "should cut". My knife is an Anryu Knives Aogami Super Walnut Gyuto 21 cm.
I'll leave it at this. I've noticed quite a few of these entries weren't in there, so I figured I'd share my list and view. If you like it, feel free to reach out!
- NEXUS ($50 for 5 years). Comes with TSA Pre and Global Entry.
- ChatGPT $20/mth and Claude $20/mth. Completely changed how I ideate and work.
- Cosori Air Fryer $70 + a stack of wax paper. Changes my food bill and health. I can buy a bunch of healthy stuff from Costco, and make delicious meals daily in under 20 mins.
- AirTags ($28/piece). I tag my car, my luggage, my wallet, my keys, etc. And I never get anxious again.
- Black socks from Amazon. I bought 17 pairs of identical black socks, so I don’t ever have to match socks again. I can just grab any two.
- Samsers folding Bluetooth Keyboard $60. I pair this compact foldable keyboard with my iPhone and iPad, so I can type with an actual keyboard anywhere I go.
There are also a bunch of high quality grooming tools like a Panasonic electric razor, Tweezerman tweezers, rounded scissors, etc. that improveme my quality of life. There’s also a clever porcelain $4 toothbrush holder from Muji that is amazing. There’s also a toothpaste squeezer from Amazon.
Health wise, I’ve gotten better sleep from heavy curtains which blocks street noise. Also a wedge pillow has helped decrease snoring. An Aroma USB heated eye mask has helped with dry eye.
Under $1000:
- $180 per pair - 2 pairs of AirPods Pro 2. ANC for 10 hour work day, peace of mind.
- $200 Apple Watch Series 7. I charge it twice a day when I shower but otherwise I wear it all the time. Great for health tracking and sleep alarm, but it’s most useful feature for me is Apple Pay. I pay for stuff with a double click on the dial, no need to whip out my phone. It also unlocks my Mac automatically. I used to wear Tissots but no more. I’m sold on Apple Watch.
- $180 Levoit humidifier
- $200 Coway Air purifier.
- $100 Allbirds shoes. They’re expensive but I’ve had mine for 4 years, worn daily. They’re tech bro shoes but they do live up to their reputation.
- $120 Patagonia Better Sweater vest. This is more of a finance bro getup but it is warm and pairs with anything and still looks smarter than a hoodie. This matters. As much as tech people don’t care about dressing well, the person who dresses just a bit better gets taken just a bit more seriously. Humans are hardwired for superficial things unfortunately.
- $150/week up to deductible (I have HSA so high deductible but folks on FSA can get therapy for more cheaper plus most therapists have sliding scale). Best investment ever is weekly therapy sessions. I’ve worked through so many things that I’m a much more regulated person and am able to heal from a lot of stuff that were affecting new relationships. I wish I did this 20 years sooner.
Under $100:
1) A bidet! Got one in the pandemic when toilet paper was scarce and I wanted to be more efficient, but now I'll never go back. The Tushy ones are good.
2) A safety razor & accessories. I get a cheaper, closer, less irritating shave, and I get to customize every part of it. This can certainly be a rabbithole you spend a lot of money on, but you can get a solid customized starter kit for under $100 that will be totally solid, and from then on you're saving money over cartridges and gel unless you really want to splurge.
I'll second the electric toothbrush suggestion too, its great having my teeth fel clean and smooth.
Safety razors are amazing and life changing. Even if you have something basic it's better for your skin than a cartridge razor, plus it's better for the planet (way less plastic), plus it's way less expensive! I don't know how they are still a niche item.
For anyone who wants to get started, I recommend (no affiliation): - the henson razor for those who want something on automatic. It's less efficient (worse at cutting long hair) but it's basically impossible to cut yourself with it due to the small blade gap - the rockwell 6s for tinkerers. It has 6 different settings for blade gap so you can choose your favorite, switch it up if you skipped shaving for a day and have longer hair, etc
I abandoned safety razors because the handles are minuscule. Never found one that didn’t cramp up my big farmer hands.
Yesss bidet post upvote!
Seriously, whenever I stay somewhere without a bidet I feel like a caveman. It's just such a quality of life improvement, it's crazy.
Under $1000: My 3D printer. I just super love 3D printers.
Same for me. The bidet is absolutely a life changer.
And the BambuLab's A1 3D printer (and mini-AMS) was by far my favorite under $1000 purchase. I've already printed some fidget "tools", toys for the grandchildren, toys for the children, and even a couple of useful tools for me. As a bonus I get some more experience in CAD and other 3D design tools. It's turning into quite a hobby for me.
Hell, the A1 mini is something like $199, it's such a steal I'm thinking of buying some to gift to friends.
For me P1S hits the soft spot: it's not terribly expensive, and it just works out of the box, is closed so the temperature is well-controlled (plus a carbon filter to keep the fumes down), you can add AMS easily. With 0.2 nozzle you can basically print figurines with almost resin quality.
I love my P1S. Maybe not a great starter printer, if you don't know if you like printers or not, but definitely the best bang for buck if you know it's not going to be a "let's try 3D printing and see if I like it" purchase.
I do recommend a small length of foam tape for the left side of the door, though, the hinge is not lined and some fumes come out. Putting some foam there greatly improves that.
What do you use the 3D printer for?
I get this question a lot, and I never have a good answer. The best way to describe it is that it's a tool, so it unlocks a whole solution space that wasn't there before.
Before, I used to live with random little annoyances so much that I couldn't even see them as annoyances. After you get something that can solve all of them, your mind just unlocks.
Toilet seat won't stay up? Print a hook. Taking my glasses out of the glove compartment takes too long? Make a custom glasses holder. The cat eats too much? Print a cat feeder. My USB hub slides around too much? Print a bracket to hold it down. Too many devices on my desk? Print under-desk mounts for them.
The list just goes on and on and on, I've printed probably thousands of useful things, especially for my hobbies.
For anyone in the UK interested in getting a bidet: most normal bidets are illegal due to our water safety backflow prevention regulations. As a minimum you need a break tank - a double check valve isn’t sufficient.
Secret bidet is secret.
I know this applies for bumguns —various water boards have published guidance— but a lot of the under-seat bidets retract [without positive water pressure].
There's no risk of the spout sitting in and siphoning dirty toilet water it back into your supply. I'm neither a lawyer or a plumber but these seem like they might be okay.
> There's no risk of the spout sitting in and siphoning dirty toilet water it back into your supply
In many places in Europe tap water is safe to drink. However, hot tap water is not.
The regulations mentioned by GP might protect safety of the cold tap water from intake of hot tap water. Which is easy to do unintentionally when mixing hot and cold water.
Oh so that's why the Brits all have this crazy setup with separate cold and hot taps! I was always wondering why - I'm from a country where you can mix water easily.
Nah, in the UK it's now fairly uncommon to still have a hot water tank. Most houses have mixer taps, and new fittings for bathrooms or kitchens will have mixer taps unless the home owner is masochist.
The separate taps thing is more because it costs to replace a sink. So even if you put a new boiler in an old houses lots of people aren't going to replace the fittings in the kitchens and bathrooms at the same time.
"Bumguns" -Lol - I love it :-)
I bought some Tushies for my house and they were awful, they were so thick that they broke my toilet seats. I then bought new toilet seats and little stick-on bumpers, but they fell off.
I then visited a friend who had an older Tushy and it was thin enough that he had no problems.
It's like they switched to a cheaper version without testing it, and then marketed the hell out of it.
I ended up replacing all my Tushies with Amazon's toilet seat with a built in bidet. It's decent.
My parents in law lived in the middle east for a long time, and we all got used to bidets over there. I've had a "mini shower head" version next to my toilet for the last 15 years or so. A bit afraid that it'll start leaking at some point, but so far it's holding up great. I would never go back to TP only.
Without meaning to get too personal, what is the technique for using those? When I took a work trip to India the office had what I think you’re talking about. In the US, it’s like a sprayer on a kitchen sink. I didn’t dare try it out, as I couldn’t think of a scenario where I tried it for the first time and didn’t soak my clothes. I didn’t want that to be my reputation at the office.
You hold it relatively close to the area that needs cleaning. Adjust the pressure as needed using the control on the handle. Then use TP (just to dry), in my experience this is optional in warmer climates.
I have seen that 'mini shower head' in multiple homes and hotels in Finland and Russia (but not in Sweden or Denmark). It is amazing!!
A side-hack for that matter is to switch from plain-TP to wet-wipes. Some time ago I visited a friend who had younglings, and treated myself to a pamper-wet-wipe and it was amazing.
The sewage system won't be happy with wet wipes. Caused huge problems in some areas as it doesn't break down.
I would asterisk the bidet suggestion just to say that higher end bidet seats that cost starting around $400 are wildly better the cheap ones, especially the unseated ones.
I’ve bought the cheap kind, got tired of it and tossed it, then years later went with a more expensive Toto (around $400) and it’s like a completely different experience.
The Toto keeps itself and the toilet cleaner for longer, it has options for gentle spray and oscillating movement, it’s entirely controlled by electronic remote rather than a crude manual knob, the water and seat are heated, it detects when you are sitting down and operates accordingly, and it even has a warm air dryer.
All bidets I've looked at including Tushy seem really complicated to install (basically having to redo the plumbing) and I don't understand how so many people can just buy and install one like it's nothing. Am I imagining things?
Edit: Not in the US and the plumbing looks a bit like this, but without the nuts so you can't easily disconnect a part of it: https://static.byggahus.se/attachments/images/large/341/3416...
If you can handle putting the nozzle on your garden hose, you should be able to handle it.
In the US, the water pipe almost always connects to the toilet through a small shutoff valve. After the valve, it connects to the toilet through a "supply." The supply is basically a short garden hose, with screw-on connections at both ends.
Shut off the water at the wall. Flush to empty the toilet tank. Unscrew the hose at the toilet, and screw that end into what amounts to a y, or splitter that comes with the bidet. From the splitter, screw one side back into the toilet connection; the other goes to the bidet itself. Turn back on the water at the wall.
(This is for a simple cold-water bidet. If you need heated water or electricity, it can be more complex.)
I mean, but don't you need warm water and/or electricity? I can't see liking a bidet if it's basically just cold tap water shooting up my bum. Not sure that's going to do it for me.
I've always thought that both hot water and electricity would be a minimal barrier to entry for a bidet. And that neither of these exist in a typical toilet closet. Am I fundamentally wrong about this??
Whether you need it probably depends on your climate and your house.
Water in pipes inside a house's "thermal envelope" is presumably around 72 deg. F. I wash my hands with "cold water" without wincing. Tap water strikes me as tepid if I drink it without ice.
If your pipes run through an outside wall in Canada, it might be a different story.
If you do need warmer water, and the bidet heats it, you probably just need an electrician to fish a wire and add a receptacle. That's not outrageously complex, usually, but I tend toward calling a professional for anything behind the walls.
> Water in pipes inside a house's "thermal envelope" is presumably around 72 deg. F.
The pipes in my house are in the crawlspace underneath the house, which is definitely nothing like 72F this time of year. Any hot water more than 10 feet or so away from the water heater runs pretty cold for several gallons.
That sounds like a good weekend project, putting split foam insulation around your pipes. 8' runs are a couple of bucks at the big box stores.
It's not quite as efficient, but I put in a recirculation pump and a timer to keep the water warm throughout the pipe during the day. The clothes washer was never getting warm water, and we wasted a lot at the shower waiting for warm water to reach it.
it's really not that cold. i can't do cold showers at all and tap water bidet feels nothing like it.
Same, I don't even like washing my hands with cold tap water, but cold bidet water is no issue.
The bidet heats up the water instantly, there is no requirement for a hot water supply. Just connect it to the existing water supply the toilet uses.
You do however need electricity. I had to run an extension cord for mine, which I tucked away in low profile conduit to keep things tidy looking.
It depends on what your toilet supply lines are like and if you use a cold water only or a cold/hot water bidet, but a cold water only one (not nearly as uncomfortable as imagined before trying it) is very easy to install as long as your supply line has a shutoff valve and is relatively flexible.
It takes 15-20 minutes and it basically consists of unscrewing a few things and screwing them back together again.
I bought a Tushy during the pandemic, it took about 10 minutes and a flathead screwdriver.
I liked it so much that when I had a new bathroom installed a year later I put in a Toto Washlet.
I feel like Toto is failing with their marketing, since people are not really aware of their products outside of Japan. No good and cheap alternatives either
Toto is failing with their prices. I know they can print money in Japan, but it looks like they don't really want to be competitive elsewhere. Sooner or later someone will persuade the right influencer to start a bidet craze and they will get 10x bigger than Toto overnight.
Yep, this is what I've been thinking!
Is Toto really that better than others? I have both (very old Toto vs Chinese no-name) and I see no difference.
You can pry my toto drake 2 from my cold dead hands.
Duravit aren’t cheap, but are much cheaper than Toto (at least in the UK) whose pricing is kinda outrageous.
I’ve got a Duravit toilet here in the US, and I'm on the hunt for a compatible cold-water bidet seat under $300 on Amazon. I originally went for a Brondell, thinking it would match the shape and dimensions. But halfway through the install, I realized it wasn’t going to fit around the seat connectors. Duravit's own bidet seats are around $1,000-- I'm tempted, but they look like a lot of work to install. I’m starting to wonder if I should just upgrade the whole toilet to a model that comes with a bidet.
Those are compression fittings which we also use in the USA for sink and toilet connections. Standard size here is 3/8 inch which is the outer diameter of the tubing. They are easy to work with as you only need a tube cutter (or hacksaw with fine tooth pitch) and a wrench. You cut the tube, slide a compression nut over, slide the ferrule(s) on, insert the tube into the fitting, finger tighten the compression nut, make sure everything is aligned then tighten nut with wrench. No solder, no fancy crimp tools. You can disassemble and reassemble without leaks. The only issue is the ferrule winds up becoming swaged to the tube after wrench tightening so you have to cut the tube end off behind the ferrule if you want to replace the nut.
However, instead of using rigid metal or plastic tubing you commonly find a flexible hose assembly[1]. Only fancy installs use custom formed polished rigid tube for the look. We also tend to leave most of the plumbing in the walls and only the shut off valve protrudes from the wall. Maybe there are flexible hoses available in your region.
When I installed my bidet all I needed was a 3/8 compression tee[2] which they make specifically to tap shutoff valves. The bidet came with a 3/8 connection hose so that went to the tee and I was up and running. The big issue was electric - no outlets in the bathroom. So having seen how Japan loves extension cords I too used one, ran a 12 AWG cord out to the hall to a GFI adapter plugged into a socket. Jank but highly unlikely to cause a fire.
[1] https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Parts-Supply-L...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Breezliy-Lead-Free-Compression-Outlet...
To follow on to user infecto’s sibling comment, for most U. S. homes, it is probably fifteen minutes of work. Shut off water, connect t-line, bolt down new toilet seat, sorted. It shouldn’t be complicated for most installations.
I ended up buying a travel bidet because I couldn’t install one at our house for various reasons. It’s basically just a squeeze bottle with an angled head. Works great!
Just don't get it mixed up with your water bottle!!
US based plumbing. You are imagining things. Most/all resi toilets in the US use a flex hose to connect the toilet to your water supply. Its usually a threaded connection. All these style of bidets simply have a T off of this connection.
Not in the US. The pipe just goes straight into the toilet. When googling around seeing articles about installing Tushy when you have rigid pipes they are still much more flexible than mine, with separate parts you can disconnect and replace.
I was in the situation you describe when I got a bidet. It's possible to replace that pipe -- a little more work of course, but it's still turn off water, replace pipe with flexi-hose, connect bidet.
I posted a picture in my original comment. Was it in the same ballpark? The difference with mine is that there are no nuts on the pipes next to the wall. It's one solid construction going from the sink through the toilet to the shower.
I’ll Third a bidet. Once you experience the exhilarating bliss of cleaning your nether regions with fresh, clean water, you’ll never willingly go back to smearing excrement around your fiddly bits with the dry paper.
Sorry if this is getting into TMI territory but how does the bidet avoid dissolving the unwanted material and spraying it all over everywhere? And how does one dry this without toilet paper?
It works under the same principle as pressure washing, as long as the water pressure is high enough the final result is completely clean. Too high pressure can lead to material flying around everywhere but there's a very large range where the pressure is high enough to clean you but not enough to spray things around.
Drying is a personal preference and isn't as important anymore as you're clean down there now. Toilet paper is one option but you don't have to do it (I don't dry for reference) as it'll dry out by itself in a few minutes once you put your underwear on to absorb the water (which is fine because you're completely clean down there so it really is just clean water left).
> And how does one dry this without toilet paper?
Normally you still use some small amount of toilet paper to dry away most of the water.
By controlling the water pressure.
I'd add a cheap hand massager to that list, just basic compression and some heat with vibration can do wonders for your hand after a day of coding, bonus if it kneads as well.
Second a bidet. Used one in Asia and bought one immediately on returning to the USA.
I've had my safety razor (a Merkur) since 2008 or 2009 and I am still working through the original pack of 1,000 razorblades that I got with it. I keep a beard year-round so I don't really shave much. Incredible value purchase, with very minimal effort it has remained practically as good as new.
Is there a travel bidet that falls into the same category in terms of the quality ? I have tried many but nothing works at the same level as tushy and thought i would make one myself! Would anyone from this community buy one if I made a very strong force bidet thats portable ?
You’re looking for a culo clean:
https://www.amazon.com/CuloClean-Portable-Compatible-Discree...
I have the high-end Totos installed at home, and occasionally still revert to this. It’s the best.
Have one in my travel bag, car, backup in luggage, briefcase. All you need is a cheap water bottle.
Test it at home so you know how to use it. Keep it in a tiny ziploc with extra tp (for drying in a public WC)
I can’t live without a bidet but the Tushy ones are no good - tight knobs and awkward spray angle.
Luxe Neo bidet attachment - easy to tee into supply, fits under toilet seat, options for rear/male only, or both rear/front male/female separate spray nozzles.
I am so glad you mentioned this. My son is intellectually challenged, and teaching him to wipe himself is . . . challenging. A bidet seems like an excellent game changer. Cheers!
Yes for a bidet! My wife wanted one, I thought I'd hate it but it really is fantastic. We have a Toto Washlet C5. Heated seat, heated spray, warm air dryer. Had to cancel the Amazon toilet paper auto-delivery.
+1 for the bidet
A bidet for under 100$?
Luxe Neo bidets are like $40-60, sturdy, easy to install and yes, rather life-changing.
Under $100:
- A dumbphone. Even if I’m not using it anymore, it has shown me what life I could be living without distractions. My anxiety and stress levels went down from about the second day using it, I became much more aware of my emotional state and the environment around me, it was a noticeable shift.
I no longer buy the arguments that we can control our smartphone addictions with will. The technology is too optimised for most of us to break free. And the addictions — too subtle for most to notice.
It may simply be a physiological addiction to checking email or for notifications every now and then. If you feel like you’d be missing out unless you check your phone several times a day, you have it. If you reach for your phone without thinking when you’re bored, you have it. It’s all about compulsive action.
I think much of the population is addicted. Certainly most of the online types.
Every interaction with your phone pulls you out of being present!
I really don't see the point of a dumbphone: it seems a lot like buying a ham radio and trying to use that for your daily life. Who am I going to talk to with a dumbphone? No one actually does "phone calls" any more using voice calling, at least in my corner of the world. (They do for work, but I'm not in a customer-facing job so I don't.)
There seems to be a hole in the market for a dumb phone that does sms well. Perhaps we can even get rid of phone calls entirely and just have an sms device with a camera.
I would suggest an eink phone if this is what you're looking for. I, for example have the Hisense A5. Can do everything a regular android phone can it's just less effective
Then you end up doing all kinds of android things. I don't want a toaster that is also a casino and a web browser. It needs to be a thoughtless process between the idea of having toast and eating it. "lets have toast", "ahh, nice toast"
These are a good example
https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-digital-translators-4154191
They just translate, no candy crush, no angry birds, no hero wars, no facebook, no push notifications how you've spend 123 minutes per day using your phone. You can take it to the pub and not end up playing hayday, doom scroll twiiter or hey, I can spend the night reading hn, and ohh is it closing time already? Did anyone else have a good time?
The assumption one can be strong enough to not do that isn't supported by the data.
Something like the Light Phone?
The iPhone has a mode, meant for older or less tech savvy people, but could also be used as a means to turn it into a dumber phone.
https://support.apple.com/guide/assistive-access-iphone/welc...
That's pretty much what the Sidekick was: https://www.t-mobile.com/devices/sidekick
It was branded as a smartphone but it was from around 20 years ago and it's unlikely anyone nowadays would call it such.
In the USA -lots- of people use SMS only, and it’s their main communication. You can do that on a dumb phone, and if you tend to get into doom scrolling or TikTok dance scrolling it can allow you to recover a lot of free time back. No SM? Count me in.
>In the USA -lots- of people use SMS only, and it’s their main communication. You can do that on a dumb phone
This is unique to the US (and probably Canada); elsewhere, everyone uses various chat apps to communicate.
Regardless, if we just ignore everyplace else, the main problem I see here is that texting on a dumbphone is really painful once you're used to typing out messages on a modern smartphone's touchscreen. Sure, they had that T9 system back then, but compared to typing on a modern phone it's a huge step backwards in typing speed and usability. On top of that, the tiny screen size makes it much harder to follow a conversation.
Agreed. Only stupid thing is that my dumb phone comes with fb that cannot be deleted, but I have no data-plan. Oh and some games that apparently auto-bill your phone account if you start using them, also cannot be deleted. Still it was the best tech purchase in a long time under 100e for quality of life improvement, and helped me finally escape the depressing 'news/propaganda' streams.
under 1000e: I am still experimenting with, but a water distiller and some glass bottles to try and escape the plastic water bottle madness.
I think I like the “dumbify” apps better. You can install them on a regular smartphone and make it a bad experience for doom scrolling but still have conveniences like MFA apps, Password Managers, audio books, music streaming, etc. that are hard to come by on true dumb phones.
I switched to an iPad plus cellular Apple Watch, and I’m finding it more convenient than a straight up dumb phone. Biggest downside is no ride share apps work on it, but otherwise it has everything I need.
I’m thinking about getting a cellular apple watch and not carrying around a phone most of the time. Can still get critical messages without being able to check the news when I’m bored or anxious.
i did this for some time. I'm probably due to again as I check my phone often. Apple watch does have standalone navigation which is a win. It got annoying not being able to do things sometimes, such as checking a groupme etc.
What are the dumb phone options in the US? I want to get one.
Sunbeam is a popular one. Also a bunch of Nokias should work.
There is also the Xiaomi/Qin/Duoqin F30. It’s a T9 phone with Android 11. But the “Westernized” version with Google Play Store has tampered with software (hacks applied) as the original Chinese software doesn’t have Google stuff nor is the phone Play verified. Then there are questions about the Chinese software itself. I’ve gone deep into the rabbit hole of trying to verify it’s secure but couldn’t to a satisfactory standard.
The F30 is still considered a dumbphone for how limiting the T9 keyboard and its tiny screen are. You won’t enjoy consuming or searching for any kind of content on it. But you can install many modern Android apps if you are comfortable with the security situation. And that’s quite important sometimes to not get isolated from people, to bank, for 2FA, streaming music, and a few other things. It’s basically then a capable but highly inconvenient phone, which I think is excellent.
Still, if you want privacy and security, how many days are you willing to sink into tinkering with these Xiaomi/Qin/Duoqin devices? You will need at least a few, possibly more.
It’s much less hassle to just get whatever dumb phone with a feature OS you can get on Amazon or Walmart.
I think about this a lot! How did you overcome the compulsion? I quickly revert when I try to ween off any tech.
What do you do instead?
Delete the stuff you’re compulsively checking. Turn off notifications, so you need to make the intention to check things, rather than the phone calling for attention. Spend some time now trying to ween, but going told turkey. Go for a walk, leaving the phone at home. Leave it in another room when doing things around the house. Don’t take it with you into the bathroom. Get comfortable with boredom. Allow your mind to wander and see where it takes you.
Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism is pretty good for stressing the importance of spending time in thought without the influence of the internet, podcasts, audiobooks, or anything else. This used to be the norm for large sections of the day for people… now it’s rather rare.
That’s why it’s important to have tech that serves you, like a dumbphone. You throw your smartphone away (leave it in your car, leave it at work, throw it in the deep end of your attic, etc), make it really inconvenient to act in these compulsions.
And then you just suffer through it for a few days. It gets better very quickly.
I wrote about my approach here: https://sjer.red/blog/2023/screen-time/
That’s a nice compendium of methods. I tried almost all of them, they all work to an extent.
I now use a smartphone again, as practicalities of life demand it. But I am switching to an old sluggish iPhone with a 4.X inch screen to hopefully put frictions in my use of it. I will see if that helps.
You can disable Safari in iOS. Search for “Content & Privacy Restrictions” in Settings. Then turn Safari off in “Allowed Apps & Features”. The app will disappear after a few minutes.
You can also turn off the Fitness app this way, even if you have an Apple Watch, and Car Play if you don’t like it for some reason, such as your car auto-connecting.
Remember to replace the bad habit with new activities, filling the void
Mind sharing the one you bought?
I bought a rare one that I needed for a very specific reason. It was difficult to get it imported.
Try one of the mainstream ones. There is a dumbphone finder website online to see what’s generally available, though no such website is exhaustive.
Under $1000:
Voice lessons at the local community school of music. I'm a lifelong musician, but was an almost entirely solitary one. I taught myself different instruments, but I never felt like I could get to basic competency teaching myself to sing. I decided to spend ~$200 for a semester of weekly 30 minute lessons. (The community school cooperates with the local university to offer lessons taught by university students for a low rate.)
My singing improved (more work is needed), but the life-changing thing was getting involved with the local music community. It turns out they have a shortage of piano teachers--I had mistakenly assumed there would be plenty in my town! So I started teaching piano, which had long been a dream of mine. The school also connected me to local performance opportunities that are now a part of my regular music routine. And ultimately, the experience encouraged me to enroll as a (part-time) music student at the university, which itself has been extremely enriching and a tremendously positive community experience.
If I have a horrible voice for singing, do you recommend voice lessons? Just for karaoke and fun.
Not the parent, but I would definitely recommend it. A lot of voice quality has to how you pronounce vowels and where you place the resonance in your mouth. Also, avoiding singing through your nose (hold your nose closed and if there's pressure, then don't sing that way). There are vocal exercises for all of those, as well as exercises for breath support, singing in tune, phrasing, etc.
I think you should pursue anything you're interested in.
I don't have the best singing voice, but after a few years of learning how to sing, it's like I finally "get it". It used to be this very mystical thing, but now I realise how to use my body to sing properly.
If you'd like to improve, definitely! There are all sorts of things involved in singing that some do naturally and others (like myself) do not. Having a knowledgeable teacher who's able to observe you, identify areas of improvement, and help you progress is really beneficial. There's a whole lot of "not knowing what you don't know" at play.
Plus singing is a pretty personal way of making music, and there can be a lot of social fear of doing it badly. Formally studying it can help with getting over the psychological hump from self-identifying as "someone who is attempting to sing" to "singer".
I would temper your expectations. Singing lessons will improve your singing faster than practicing alone but it still may take years and years to develop.
I had always enjoyed singing and I started singing and piano lessons at the same time. With consistent practice you can improve at the piano, learn more complex pieces and see your progress. With singing the process is a lot more mysterious. You probably don't understand the things that are going on inside your body very well and the teacher can't just say "Try putting your first finger on this key and your middle finger on this key".
After three years I could play reasonably complicated pop songs on the piano and read chords. I'm still a few steps the average "someone who likes to sing level".
Under $100 Wireless cooking thermometer https://store-us.meater.com/products/meater-plus Since I'm blind this allows me to cook with out worrying I'll eat under cooked food. Under $1000 Meta Ray-ban glasses. https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses I find using them as headphones to be a better option then transparency mode when using my phone. The Meta AI is also pretty good at recognizing flavors of bottles and types of food in packaging.
Even for people with good eyesight, an instant read thermometer is a game changer. Completely takes the guesswork out of cooking meat perfectly, also excellent for cakes, potatoes, and more. There are very decent ones for less that $20.
I would add an immersion circulator to cook food sous vide as similarly impactful here, though getting a good thermometer is more necessary.
It's made meal prepping incredibly easy and food is always perfectly cooked. You never have to eat a dry or overcooked piece of meat again.
I have one of those but don't use it that often. I tend to cook burgers which work better on the grill. While I could cook sausage with it it's easier to do it on the grill to get a char. I do like it for chicken and stake though.
Agree; though I've gone for an instant pot with a sous vide mode. Temperature controlled cooking is something of a revolution.
The advantage of this one is that I know it works with an app on my phone. ALso it's my understanding that instant read ones can't stay in the food while it cooks? This one can handle temperatures over 500 degrees farenheight.
For oven cooking I have one with a probe and a display that's outside the oven; though I rarely use that, and just open the oven and stick the instant-read. I can't say I have any interest in stuffing around with my phone while I'm cooking.
Related to this, I bought an oven thermometer a while ago - turns out my oven claims it's done pre-heating about 15 minutes before it actually reaches the target temperature. And it's a pretty new oven so this isn't an age thing. Food has come out more consistent since I've started giving it more pre-heating time.
Recommend combustion.inc, their app is the best and they're opening up the Bluetooth based protocol they use for their hardware
Under 1000:
- Robot vacuum (with mapping+LIDAR): Major game changer. I should have bought this years ago! The tech is now good enough that it basically never gets stuck unless you leave cables lying on the floor. It costs about as much as it would to hire a cleaning crew for a day. And this will do clean your house every single day!
- Bidet Seat (Heated)
- Chest freezer: Unlike the anti-car people on Reddit, I don't consider grocery shopping to be something I want to do every day. I can now get by with 1-2 trips for a whole month for two people. It also helps reduce food wastage once you figure out how to freeze your commonly used perishables that take too long to use up (e.g. heavy cream "ice cubes", frozen bread loaves etc.)
- Noise cancelling headphones (Sony XMs): I use them everyday and love the distraction free environment it creates (combine with MyNoise.net at work).
Under 100:
- Immersion blender: surprisingly versatile. The "barrier to entry" is smaller especially since it is super easy to clean compared to a blender (chuck it in the dish-washer).
- Electric toothbrush (granted it could be slightly over 100 for the one I got)
I want to second the recommendation of MyNoise.net. It's phenomenal. Especially at work, it's perfect for getting in the zone. I pay for it even though I mostly stick to the free ones.
If you're working at a computer, I recommend opening multiple tabs at the same time. For example, one with some relaxing white noise, one with a music-adjacent one like Mr Rhodes or 88 Keys, and maybe also a crackling fire for cozy vibes.
- https://mynoise.net/noiseMachines.php My favorites are: "Stormy Weather", "Fireplace", "Irish coast", "88 Keys", and "Mr. Rhodes"
You can also find myNoise sounds on YouTube and Spotify:
- https://www.youtube.com/@myNoiseDotNet/videos
- https://open.spotify.com/artist/1gRJBUyCeihBrgcCtDdEfv
My favorite one is Gregorian Voices : - )
I have recently discovered a combo of white-noise + music, but I must tell you crackling fire noise makes me too relaxed, making me feel I need a quick nap! Rainfall sound works better for me :-)
Haven't come across myNosie before, will check it out, thank you for sharing!
Wow - very cool.
I love my Sony XMs. I only ever use the noise cancelling on flights and I don't even use the bluetooth. just plugged and I love them.
Speaking of cleaning your teeth, has anyone used the Waterpik device? A dentist recommended it to me some time ago, but I could not find one online then.
Electric toothbrush on the list? And possibly over $100?
What benefits have you experienced? Just curious, asking as a lifelong boring toothbrush user.
I was always a bit put off by electric tooth brushes since the idea of having another "noisy" device was something I DID NOT WANT.
But after seeing so many recommendations from friends, family, dentists and online over the years. I felt buying one was worth a go.
And I am never going back. The quality of the clean and the massaging of the gums brought me from brushing my teeth as a chore to having a desire to brush my teeth (which I had never understood before).
Electric toothbrushes clean a lot better than hand-cranked toothbrushes
And don’t mess with your gums as much as. Learnt my lessons after having the pain of my life due to receding gums, switch with sensitive toothpaste and it’s much better now but they never really fully heal. Take care of your gums people!
I've tried OralB's $120 toothbrush, and their cheapest $30 Pro 300. Functionally, they are almost exactly the same!
Same, I replaced mine with a Suri a few months ago because while brushing my teeth I can't help thinking about the amount of plastic waste Oral B and regular toothbrushes produce. I love the Suri - https://www.trysuri.com
I've been using my Suri toothbrush for about 2 1/2 years I think (I had one on preorder before it came out). It's nice, compact, brushes well (according to my recent dentist visit), great battery life (usually over a month of twice per day brushing), and great USB-C charging case (that's the best part IMO).
What I don't like:
- Automatically turns off after 4x 30 seconds - I usually need a little more time than that.
- Proprietary replacements heads - I'm worried that they'll go out of business and I won't be able to get replacement heads anymore. (I could buy them in bulk now, but what if the toothbrush itself breaks and I can't get a new one?)
Dentists pretty much universally recommend electronic toothbrushes, in my experience.
Interesting, the dentists I have asked (4) all said it doesn't matter (Spain and Germany, maybe it's relevant) at all and it's up to personal preference.
I’d recommend to switch dentists maybe. Philips Sonicare is such an improvement for teeth hygiene - how could I live without?
Also: floss and mouthwash. Like floss is really important…
I was traveling in the EU a year ago and was in need of a toothbrush. The one I picked up at an arbitrary pharmacy in Antony, FR has nothing special about it but has lasted (I mean the bristles are not wearing hard or splaying, getting soft, whatever the usual failure mode for a toothbrush is) in 12 months of use. And I'm usually pretty hard on my brushes.
Why can't we in the US just have nice cheap things. Why is everything an electronic life-hack with a fun take on how to be eco-concious, that involves buying something I don't already own?
For what it's worth, the toothbrush was also not the cheapest I could find (that would have been Lidl or somesuch), and was made in France, so maybe that makes a difference.
Also, dentists recommend X-rays A LOT, too.
The usual problem with toothbrush bristles is they become microscopically worn down, so they don't scrape off plaque as effectively. Even if you can't see the problem, it might not be working as well as a fresh head will.
You can find electron microscope scans of fresh toothbrushes and worn ones in this[0] Applied Science YouTube video.
[0]: https://youtu.be/cwN983PnJoA
Maybe in Europe they're not all selling Sonicare on commission like they do in the US.
More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.
A very disingenuous comparison.
As your Dentist I would recommend Viceroys.
As far as the electric toothbrush all you need is a $30 braun with a 2 minute timer (30+30+30+30 seconds in each quarter of your mouth) and you will be fine. I haven’t had a cavity or issue in the 15 years since I switched, brush twice a day, switch to nano hydroxyapatite for extra credit.
>frozen bread loaves
Don't the loaves get soggy when you thaw them out?
I guess I’m stuck with the immersion blender with the attached cord, which makes the dishwasher impossible
I used to have a Braun. I would just immerse it in hot soapy water and turn it on for a few seconds. Occasionally it would need a bit of a scrub.
Mine also has a cord but the shaft/head is removable. I sort of assumed that that was the norm. It was some random "chinesium" brand from Amazon that cost $12. Works great so far!
Second on robot vacuum. Mine is half price than my stick vacuum AND you don't need to do anything. It's no brainer provided you have the right house.
Which Robot Vacuum do you recommend?
You can freeze bread?
Yes but not very long, otherwise it gets dry. But it allows to keep it for a couple of weeks instead of a single day.
Yep!
The ice crystals do change the texture though. Depending on the type of bread and how you’re using it, frozen bread can be very obvious
Under $100: A used Instantpot, ideally the Duo Crisp if you can get one. The normal one can also make yogurt though, which might also be interesting. The great thing about these is that you don’t need to babysit them. Have a call or wanna go for a walk, and then eat? Just turn it on and come back anytime after it’s done. It will keep food warm until you turn it off. Bonus tip: Buy two and/or an air fryer to get more options, eg veggies in one and protein in the other.
Under $100 #2: Get a CGM for two weeks and find out what foods spike your blood sugar the most. Or what supplements can help keep it steady (eg vitamin B1, inositol, or Chromium). Say goodbye to food coma and likely improve your long term health.
Under $1000: Get a second freezer. From that point on you can buy frozen veggies etc during sales, and prep meals during the weekend, for the whole week. I don’t know how we got by with just one tiny freezer section in the fridge.
+1 for second freezer. got a chest freezer essentially for free when a friend was moving. was ancient but couldn't go back and upgraded to something that wasn't from the 80s during COVID.
lots of meal prep, makes doing one big Costco run a month work well, and actually gave us an incentive to do lots of gardening, since it got easy to do a little processing and then throw the stuff in the fridge.
> Get a CGM for two weeks and find out what foods spike your blood sugar the most
Are you in the US, and is it possible to obtain a CGM without a prescription?
Yes! Abbott Lingo (iPhone only for now) and Dexcom Stelo. They go for about $45 per sensor that last for 2 weeks.
I second the OP's suggestion. It's completely changed my eating habits.
How does the Stelo compare to the G7?
Do you have any tips for how to start with one and systematically get the most insight out of it?
I've been using the Lingo so I can't comment on that.
Also, it really important to note that I don't have diabetes or any metabolic disorders. I am mainly interested in learning more about the foods that I eat and their effects on me.
The Lingo is the same hardware as the Abbott Freestyle but the difference is in the app.
The way I've been using mine is to consistently log the foods that I eat (the app is really helpful for this) and then seeing what it does to my blood glucose level. My goal has been to minimize spikes in my blood glucose level.
Things I found interesting: 1. Instant oatmeal spikes my blood glucose level a lot. 2. A honeycrisp apple will also spike it but a granny smith apple is much much more modest. 3. Eating bread and rice will spike it. However, eating rice as part of a meal will cause a much smaller spike. 4. Gelato can cause a modest spike but much less than you would expect, smaller than instant oatmeal or a sweet apple. 5. Dark chocolate has little effect on blood glucose. 6. Running will cause a tiny rise (maybe my body is preparing me for the energy needs?) 7. I become borderline hypoglycemic when I'm sleeping.
A very notable effect from this is that minimizing these spikes has been very helpful with my dieting. My desire to snack has been much much easier to control and I've had much better success with my diet plans (I've lost 10 pounds in 3 months whereas my previous attempts only managed to lose 5 pounds before I just gave up).
Once you see what food does what to your blood glucose you sort of remember what foods or groups of good to avoid. I will also say that I'm now super wary of most processed foods. I don't want to be too cynical but I do wonder if the companies knew the connection between blood glucose level spikes and hunger signals.
Stelo is essentially a binned, feature-restricted version of the G7 that’s available OTC without a prescription. If you qualify for getting a G7, need readings more frequently than every 15 minutes, or have any need for high/low glucose alerts, then you shouldn’t consider Stelo at all, IMO —- it’s strictly an inferior version of the G7.
Dexcom Stelo is $100 for two, OTC
I asked in a sibling comment but thought I’d ask here too: how does the Stelo compare to the G7? And do you have any advice on how to start with one and systematically get the best insight out of it?
I can’t comment on the differences between the models.
As far as using it, you’ll fall into one of two camps
1. You put it on and go about your normal life. You might discover some unexpected foods that spike your blood sugar, etc.
2. You put it on, but you basically already know what’s going on. So you end up course correcting your diet to avoid seeing something bad. You should not buy a CGM :)
I was in the second group, although I learned that blood sugar can actually spike during _intense_ exercise, as your body releases glucose to fuel you.
What were your food comas were before, and how have they improved? What supplements work for you?
I don’t understand your q around food comas completely, but yes they have improved. I take all the supplements I mentioned
(lovely thread!)
Under $100
- Ember Mug, same as many folks here: 4 years of service, 2 use of their customer service, bought another one for my wife. 100% will reshop when my current mug stop working or is not replaced anymore by their amazing support.
- A memory foam pillow: Had to iterate to find the right one, but once you've it, you know it. You sleep better, less pain in the back/neck/shoulder
- A vasectomy: just taking charge of the contraception in my couple. Simple, painless and effective.
Under $1000
- A gym coach coming once a week to kick my ass and make me sweat. My best investment in nearly 10 years. I've never been so fit and in shape in my life. He's there every week, even when you really don't want to do anything and afterwards, you'll always feel better
- Airpods Pro, I use them between 2 and 6 hours a day and they've become my second pair of ears. I use them often in transparency mode to avoid screaming during meetings and when it's quiet around, it's perfect.
- A standing desk and its screen arm. I use it every day, and sometimes in upper position (yay!)
Over $1000
- A Babboe Curve e-bike to carry my kids to school. 2000km later, it's still an amazing device to move almost all the family without any of the car's downside (yes, I live somewhere in France)
For under $50 you can get “shredded memory foam” which IMO is even better than full memory foam. It’s basically recycled memory foam, shredded and stuffed into a pillow case. You can remove some of it to get the right level of firmness.
The vasectomy gives you God status IMO, and dang, for cheap!
Why? If I’m having sex with my wife she can just take birth control and if I’m single and sleeping around I have to use protection anyways.
If you've decided you don't want any (more) kids in the future, a vasectomy is the easiest way to insure that with the least likely side effects for anyone.
Why would you force your wife to be subjected to the side effects of birth control if you can get a simple out-patient procedure?
Because why would you do something essentially irreversible when the other party has a temporary solution. I’ve changed my mind about things plenty of times, why would I do something I regret 20 years from now.
There are reversible vasectomies.
*usually reversible
Well yeah if you don't know yourself well enough to know that you never want kids in the future, you obviously wouldn't get an irreversible procedure.
But everyone has a point after which they decide they don't want more kids and it's insane to force your partner to continue being responsible for that with all the downsides when you can just get a snip.
And if you're thinking you're gonna want kids 20 years from now as a man in his 30s or 40s or later, run that by your partner and see what she thinks about that.
Oh I don't know. Go read a single article about women's birth control and the extreme effects it has in a woman's body and often personality? Also, self empowerment? Also, casual sex and condom use is notoriously not perfect. Curing many STDs is easier than, again, the larger burden that women carry when contraception fails.
Women this and women that. I’m not going to have surgery and close off a bodily function permanently and irreversibly (essentially) when the woman can just stop birth control whenever she wants. Not to mention extreme responses happen in a small fraction of women. Around 30% have mild reactions and around 4.5% have extreme reactions.
>Women this and women that.
Ah, I see, this isn't actually a remote concern to you, for obvious reasons.
> I’m not going to have surgery and close off a bodily function permanently and irreversibly (essentially)
Oh, dear, could you be more ignorant?
> In addition, nearly eight out of ten women who used contraception said they had experienced two or more side effects.
literally first result
> Overall, one quarter of females who are using contraception are not using their preferred method. The leading reason for this is concern about side effects, a theme that comes up in many aspects of contraceptive care. Almost one-third of contraceptive users (31%) say they are experiencing side effects from their current method, and just over half (52%) say the side effects are more severe than they expected.
literally second result
> In the KFF survey, about a third of women using contraception said they currently experienced side effects such as weight gain, headaches, bloating, nausea, mood changes, and menstrual changes. While these issues are usually not severe enough to be medically concerning, they can have a significant impact on quality of life. Studies show that many women who stop using birth control do so because of side effects.
And on and on.
You have contradictory stats. Is it 8 out of 10 or 30%?
…a vasectomy is under $100? That is absolutely mind blowing. What other surgery is that cheap???
Just FYI on the Babboe line of bikes, be aware that there was a recall [0] on some them recently! (And I say this as a Babboe owner myself)
[0] https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Cargo-Bicycles-Recalled-Du...
Yeah, we saw the conundrum and went through the inspection and all, and our bike's fit for biking! At that price... well, we earlier hoped it would be recalled and we would buy a competitor's version. But now everything is green, we're back on the road...
The ember mug is great; I got one as a swag item and thought it was silly, but ended up using it every day. Sadly the ember mug is now much more than $100, and the coaster on mine has broken twice, so I just gave up on it. One of these days I will solder on new pogo pins.
How long does it take you to normally drink a mug? I've been interested in it but I find that I tend to drink a coffee quickly before it gets too cold, and with tea I actually enjoy the change in taste as it cools
It greatly depends on how focused I am on what I'm doing. But if I am working on something for 20+ minutes without taking a drink, it can be nice to reach over and still have some tea at the perfect temperature.
I’ve been happy with an insulated mug
If you got the vasectomy ealier you could have saved ~$1000 on the Babboe Curve e-bike. :)
vasectomy for under 100? even with insurance that seems kinda low.
He did mention he lives in France ...
It's actually free in France.
Finally bought a rice cooker 6 months ago. No idea why I hadn’t done it sooner. Perfect rice every single time. I believe that qualifies.
Edit: I also bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Saved me twice when my battery suddenly started having issues. Went from feeling “stuck” to back on the road in under 2 minutes.
I'm wondering, If I bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Can I run on a failing battery for a lot longer if I just jumpstart it every time I start the car? Usually the highest current draw is for the starting right. Post that it runs just on engine generated power?
+1 to both. If you want more consistent rice, invest in a fuzzy logic rice cooker ($150-$300).
+1 to the Zojirushi neuro fuzzy. It's an unbelievably good product - I've sold four friends on it and nobody has been disappointed. They go on sale for 180 routinely
I find this comment funny. Go to your local grocery store and pick a rice cooker up for $15 and just add the rice and eyeball the water.
…that much for a rice cooker—that’s nuts!
If you’re just starting out, then sure.
But if you cook a lot of rice, it’s a noticeable step up in both quality and consistency. They are extremely common in Japan afaik.
We've used our Zojirushi almost every single day for almost 5 years now. It cooks perfect rice and keeps it warm and fresh for 12 hours. 100% worth the investment.
The thing they don't tell you about the expensive rice cookers is that they take 40 minutes to make rice, while the cheap ones make it in 20. To me it's not worth planning my day around having "perfect" rice, so I still use a cheap one every day :/.
I got a small and cheap one, thinking it would be good for 1 or 2 servings and better than getting the microwave rice. It took an hour, made a mess, and the rice was horrible. I should probably experiment more with it and try different types of rice, but it was such a bad experience I don’t want to use it again. I had a rice cooker a long time ago and it was fine, but it was really too big for my needs.
A few months ago I was looking at some of the more expensive ones people see to swear by to see if they could handle small portions and be more clean and reliable. If they are, I think it would be worth the cost.
What rice meals are you cooking that take less than 40 minutes anyway? Just start the rice first, before prep, and you should be fine.
I just have a cheap rice cooker though. I couldn't find a fancy one that avoids teflon (or other similar) coating that I liked.
Almost every family in Japan has an expensive rice cooker. They eat rice 2-3 times a day so I trust them. The end result is a lot better, and water is too important to be eyeballed.
is instant pot much more versatile device?
I haven't been able to figure out how not to burn my rice in an Instant Pot.
Took me a while but finally found a consistent way to get it perfect. I use long grain enriched white rice from Costco, wash the excess starch and dump the same amount of rice and water in the pot and let it cook on high for 4 minutes then 10 in low
Under $1,000, but just barely over $100:
Semi-recumbent stationary bike that fits under my standing desk.
I've never been coordinated enough to get the hang of walking on the treadmill and typing, but pedaling slowly all day I can do! I've lost 45 lbs so far this year, and adding up the calorie estimate for each day (I've been tracking) and dividing by the 3500 calories people say are in a pound, about 20 of them have been from the bike! (The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues, but that was more expensive.)
What bike did you get?
> The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues
Deficiencies or simply realizing certain intake was higher calories than expected?
This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0789F4Z2M
The $122 price is about what I paid for it. Dunno when they have ever actually sold it for $350
And what I solved with the dietitian that led to weight loss had more to do with blood sugar balance and what I do and don't react badly to. Cutting out stuff that keeps me inflamed made a big difference as far as actually getting the nutrients from my food and not being hungry all the time. So did a target set of 40g protein, 40g fat, 10g fiber every meal, which brings me in around 1900 calories per day. The nice thing was that at first, that was a 500 calorie deficit per day, but I don't have to recalculate ever, because it's also the maintenance calorie intake for my target weight. Weight comes off slower the closer I get, but I don't really care about speed, just trajectory!
My IBD (some dispute among my doctors whether it was UC or Chrohn's) is now confirmed in remission without medication, which is terrific!
Not op but I have a cubii and I love it.
Which one?
JR1+
Interesting, do you have that thing at home? Or do you work at an office and have it there? I don’t really know how I would do that myself.
It's at home. I already had an adjustable-height desk behind my sofa (unusual setup, but it works great in my space), but like I said, not that coordinated.
I've only worked remotely since way before covid, so it works out for my situation.
> (The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues, but that was more expensive.)
Just a heads up, if you're in the USA I believe all health insurance plans must fully cover dietitian visits if you have certain conditions, obesity being one of them. Hypertension and pre-diabetes are a couple other common ones.
Yeah, they have to cover at least some generic ones. They don't have to cover every weird little specialty.
Now that I'm in more of a maintenance mode, I'm working with one who's in-network and free. It just cost more than $1k to get to this point.
Ive got a yoyo bike desk - love it. Being able to pedal an hour or 2 while working
I just wish it had ant+ support - i keep thinking of adding a cadence meter then calibrate it to a .fit file. but then never have the time
What model do you use?
This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0789F4Z2M
The $122 price is about what I paid for it. Dunno when they have ever actually sold it for $350.
Under $1000: A Playdate[0] for $200! It got me to finally make a game[1], which is the entire reason I got into programming yet kept putting off. The restrictions of actual hardware with a slow processor, 1 bit graphics, and 16MB of RAM forced me to scale down the decisions that gave me paralysis previously and prevented me from making anything substantial.
Plus other people’s games are downright fun to play, and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had since the Nintendo DS.
[0]: https://play.date/
[1]: https://sotix.itch.io/plight-of-the-wizard
Nice game. I've built a somewhat similar one (https://github.com/agentcooper/kolya-vs-babushkas), but yours is more advanced and has better graphics!
That’s great! There’s an even more polished version of my game made by someone else on the catalog called Core Fault.
In 2020, I bought an old broken clock on eBay for $60 on a lark. I wanted to tinker with something and see if I could figure out how it works.
Since that time, I spent literally thousands of hours immersed in horology. Everything from clock repair where I started, to learning how to use a lathe and a mill, studying the impact of clockmaking on the industrial revolution in early America and the history of maritime navigation, building an atomic NTP server from a rubidium engine bought off eBay and a raspberry Pi, becoming friends with several of the Antique Roadshow experts, volunteering to help build a pollinator meadow at a small clock museum nearby…
It’s amazing to me how much of an effect that little junky impulse buy had on how I’m living my life these days.
Say you a member of the time-nuts mailing list without saying your a member of the time-nuts mailing list ;)
You thought you spent thousands of hours, but then your clock is broken so maybe not!
I know you're joking, but actually, that is true. That original clock never got fixed. I damaged and lost enough parts that I'd have to fabricate too much for it to be worthwhile, and I have plenty of more interesting clocks to work on now.
Careful, many vintage clocks are radioactive.
I haven't done any work with radium dialed clocks and/or watches... yet.
A friend of mine had many hundreds of vintage clocks and he filled his bedroom with them on shelves and put his bed in the middle.
Until I pointed out they were radioactive.
I've got mostly antiques at my house, 1750-1880. Not a ton of vintage 20th century stuff that would have radium. I was looking a bit ago at the old W. M. Gilbert Clock Company factory building in Connecticut that was for sale (not actually to buy, just thought it was interesting) and the biggest issue for whoever was going to be the buyer was that it was quite contaminated from the radium dial painting they did there in the 1930's.
<$100: "Qudelix 5K Bluetooth DAC" Allows you to connect a pair of headphones to an audio source via Bluetooth using high quality (near lossless) codecs (also works as a USB DAC when needed). The killer feature is an onboard Parametric EQ with the ability to save profiles on the device. No more trying to manage EQ profiles on all my devices for my various headphones.
<$1000: I bought a digital piano to learn to play music. I feel that learning an instrument has had an enormous effect on my life. It's great for getting those synapses going, and find it very relaxing to play after a hard day.
Ill pay the nearly 3x markup in India just for its db meter. I enter the headphone impedance and sensitivity (dB/mW) and it shows the real time (estimated) volume. Also I converted the frequency response to V-shape so my open back headphones sounds good at lower volumnes. I moved from "25 hours a week" volume levels to "168 hours a week".
I would guess most people who listen to music while they work have the volume way too far up for that amount of exposure. Anyone on an iPhone should go into Sounds -> Headphone Safety and reduce loud audio to 75 dB. You'll probably be shocked by how quiet that is.
I wonder how they determine that? Especially with Bluetooth, you have no idea how much sound energy is being put out, and can't infer it from power draw or anything similar.
It's as simple as you'd expect: AirPods and beats have their SPLs hardcoded, everything else is estimated based on volume control.
Although Apple says there can be bad interactions between this and live listen, so maybe there is some realtime monitoring happening.
https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-your-headphone-...
Under $100:
- Ember mug
Under $1000:- 49" ultra-wide monitor to replace my dual monitor
- 5.1 Soundbar for computer - Mount 50" TV above my desk ---Breaking the rules:
Over $1000:
- EightSleep
> - EightSleep
I would agree. Except that now they seem to make it so that it is pretty pointless without a subscription. Kind of sucks that you have to pay $15/month to actually use the product after paying close to $2000 for the product.
I still use mine only because I was grandfathered in to be able to set temperature set-points without a subscription.
If I were to need another one, I would look for an option without a subscription.
That's just insane. And it's not a subscription you can ever stop paying unless you get rid of the 5000EUR bed itself. Absolutely a dealbreaker.
What if they increase the fee to 30EUR a month? Or 50EUR a month? That's guaranteed to happen once main product sales start slowing down and investors still want their quarterly gains.
Yeah, am getting a little worried about that.
I am kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop because the company has been nothing but amazing when it comes to their support. It has sprung a leak three times, about once every 18 months, and they've always replaced it with no additional payment.
I have a feeling next time it's going to involve a lot of cash being exchanged and I'll be faced with a choice.
---
The subscription thing is very much a bummer. I hadn't figured out why they weren't shaking me down for it until I also put together the grandfathered in thing. It is extremely distasteful to have a required (?) subscription on a product that is this expensive.
I don't entirely get how spending $2k - $5k on a bed system (not a mattress!) isn't enough. Just pure fuckin' greed if I am being honest.
I get they need to make money and their product isn't a monthly or yearly re-purchase but it's just short-sighted.
Like let's be real honest here: their product almost certainly doesn't cost anywhere near $5k in materials. The margins on their product are likely already completely stupid. My guess-timate would be maybe $500 in parts. It's literally just a pump that heats or cools water that is app-controlled... not exactly anything crazy. If you look at something like Withings sleep tracker, it's $130 so even the fancy pants sleep tracking stuff isn't some crazy tech even if we take Withings' margins as the actual price.
(also breaking rules to concur)
EightSleep mattress cover is a GAME-CHANGER. Precise control over preferred temp, and detailed/accurate logging of sleep metrics == way better sleep, and knowledge of its relative quality (metrics for which let me measure the impact of different variables).
Never heard of them, temperature control sounds amazing. How is this product from a privacy perspective? Is the data kept local or is it some cloud service that tracks all metrics?
Not sure about the privacy but afaik you can’t use the thing without the app and being connected to the internet. That was a dealbreaker for me
Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know!
How do they work thermodynamically? It should make the room hotter, but I guess you don’t notice because the surface you are touching gets colder? Is it a closed loop heat exchanger or is it evaporative?
Is it _that_ much better than a wifi-controlled two-zone electric blanket?
I've never tried a cooling electric blanket. My wife has struggled w insomnia for a long time, and the eightsleep tracking was almost as much a draw as the cooling.
This does cooling too? OK, I didn't realise that. I can see how that might be useful
For hot drinks (teas, coffee & etc) I prefer a simple 0.7l thermos and small chinese teacup. Put the hot stuff in the thermos it will stay hot for at least 6 hours, put a bit of the hot stuff in the cup, since it's small it will get to a comfortable level of hotness in 30 seconds. Drink it slowly and refill. |
Works in the park/library too and you only heat the water once and don't need electricity to keep it hot!
A cheaper alternative to EightSleep is Sleep.Me… same concept with a heated/cooled water circulator + mattress pad, and they have an “autopilot” add on. I just manually set my temp schedules based on the season since I don’t like subscriptions for stuff like that, and I don’t want my sleep data on their servers.
I've purchased two ember mugs over the years and end up not using them, a thin double walled glass mug paired with an always on water boiler has been amazing. A kettle is great in Europe because they boil so fast but in the US a boiler is the way to go.
> 5.1 Soundbar
5.1 typically means surround sound, but a sound bar (as I know it) sits in front of the listener. How does yours do both?
I imagine most soundbars cheat since consumer protection is dead, but they're still better (and more convenient) than two simple speakers.
They use feedback microphones to tune the output to bounce off of the walls. Or at least that’s what they claim.
I see that the cheapest Ember is now $130. My first-gen is about six years old, and the battery is about shot. I hesitate to drop another $150-ish on a new mug, but OTOH, is consistently hot coffee worth $25/year? Yeah, it probably is to me, so I'm going to have to suck it up soon.
You can buy only a replacement mug (without coaster/charger). Also, get in contact with customer support mentioning the battery, they usually offer a discount code.
Thanks, I’ll try customer support and see how it goes.
I had to deal twice with them: coaster stopped working 2 years ago and more recently paint inside the cup came out. Both time, they replaced the broken part at no cost. Probably the first time in my life I'm using and happily recommending customer support of any kind.
Oh, I wasn't even aware they were that much. I could've sworn they were like $70 - $90 last I saw.
That sucks.
They're often much cheaper at Costco if that's an option and you don't care about a specific color. They are a complete game changer though, especially if you're a new parent.
Thanks for the tip, I’m seeing them for $99 right now. Any color you want, assuming you want stainless steel.
Im pretty sure they used to be less money, as I don’t think I’d pay $130 sight-unseen. But now that I have one…
I'm pretty sure the one I got was $99 but that was a black Friday deal on amazon.
different sizes. The black-10oz is still $91 at Amazon right now. Price goes upwards for other colors and other size (14oz).
Is there anything similar to 8sleep that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles and doesn’t require an app? I don’t care about any of the tracking or alarms or whatever else besides the temp control.
Yes, sleep.me. I had their Ooler and recently upgraded to the Dock Pro.
Was the upgrade worth it?
I used to use a soundbar for my computer but the only way to control volume was 1. With the Bose remote that came with it 2. Bluetooth.
Which 49" do you have? I am looking to improve my setup and wouldn't mind some suggestions.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=43305
I guess _technically_ it's right at $1000 but you'll really struggle to find any big monitor for under $1000.
They last a long time too. Mine is approaching 15 years old and still going strong
hah shout out to monoprice. used to go there to buy cheap CATA6 cables
- double-edged safety razors. It blows my mind how much money is wasted on cartridges.
- Bidet - just a basic one that plugs into the existing water line. Everyone in my house makes fun of me for it, but after a year with it, using TP feels barbaric.
- Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. There might be other brands that are just as good, but it's essentially a small electric oven I can use outdoors. I started baking small loaves of sourdough almost daily, and use it occasionally for pizza, chicken, or smoked meat. I'm reluctant to use the indoor oven (especially in summer) because it heats the house so much, plus I'm mindful of my electricity usage.
I second the double edged safety razors. I had to learn not to push down so hard like I have to do with the modern ones. Those things are SHARP! You get a closer shave too. I got the soap and horsehair brush to go with it. I bought a pack of blades that have lasted years.
(< $1000 category)
Living in American public housing, we used our pandemic stimulus money to buy two RabbitAir MinusA2 HEPA air purifiers. At $600 each plus $95/yr (for filter change) they're utterly fantastic and the pre-HEPA stages are easily cleanable with a cheap air compressor and wet paper towels. The multi-stage filter system is quite quiet on level 3 (of 5) but will really blow at 5 and be nearly silent at 2. You can tell how well they work by how the filters build up over time. The build quality is top-shelf with exquisite tolerances.
I can't recommend them enough. In my travels, I learned my favorite aphorism, which comes from China, I believe:
>>> Pay a lot, cry once.
Our RabbitAir units are the finest example we can afford, easily our best quality-of-life investment.
If you're into DIY it's possible to make a cheaper, more efficient and quieter air purifier than many consumer models. From what I understand the problem is that most devices on the market are designed to be small, which reduces the filter area and that again requires a stronger (louder & less efficient) fan. Going DIY also means no dependence on a specific brand's replacement filters.
Then again that doesn't mean off-the-shelf products are bad, for a single room even quite cheap ones can do the job. And they don't look like a fan taped onto filters, so there's that.
The English language version of that saying rhymes better I think: > Buy once, cry once.
I used to have a large Honeywell air purifier I special ordered to Australia that required a step down voltage transformer, it's really surprising how much better the air feels when it's truly clean.
How have they improved quality of life? Asthma?
Thankfully, none of us has had asthma. As far as anecdata:
The device does have a what-appears-to-be-accurate AQ (air quality) sensor on the side. In the presence of smoke, it turns red, cranks itself up, and then returns to blue (clearest) through purple over the course of some minutes. As such, I'd say that the "response curves" looked legit to my programmer brain, besides that the air certainly smells better.
I can definitely say, however, that -- having replaced the filters three times over these four years -- the HEPA layer (the inmost) definitely got brownish. Each 3-6 month pre-filter cleaning cycle had nice gradations of dust and stuff after each cleaning, sometimes a great deal if we were slacking.
Regardless, who knows what's been sucked into and blown through our ancient HVAC unit's ducts over these past decades, what with most people probably just buying the cheapest air filter possible? Why not err on the side of caution w/rt AQ?
Interesting point. I have $cheap brand air purifiers, and the filters never get that dirty—but we have radiant heating in the floors and no AC, so no ducts, so maybe that’s why?
I have allergies. I remember walking home from work one day thinking "Ah, my sinuses have cleared, the pollen must have finally gone." only to wake up the next morning all stuffed up again. Then it dawned upon me that work has HEPA filtered air, but my bedroom does not despite spending ~⅓ of my life there. Having an air purifier in my bedroom means I've avoided almost all symptoms of allergies for the last 5+ years without needing to resort to medication.
"Buy once, cry once"
Under $100:
I think it’s $89/yr for Walmart grocery delivery. We were doing app orders + self-pickup, and the time savings of having them deliver for no added cost on every order over $35 has been amazing.
Under $1,000:
I bought an Olympic bar and plates from Facebook Marketplace ($250) and the Bells of Steel Light Commercial power cage ($700) from Amazon and started doing StrongLifts 5x5 consistently beginning in January of this year. It’s been nothing short of life changing. Having the safety of the cage, and the simplicity of StrongLifts really opened the door to strength and I would highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, didn’t know where or how to start.
>no added cost on every order over $35 has been amazing.
You don’t tip?
Under $1000:
- coffee machine: coffee has now become part of our morning routine (coffee dates) where we sit and talk over coffee with the dog in our laps. Play around with different beans and blends. Saves money, fun to clean.
- proton mail/pass: I now have a super private email, and I spin up aliases when I need to sign up for something. 400+ aliases later and I get less spam, that I can destroy instantly.
- Hoka walking shoes: I have debilitating arthritis (under 30YO) and could barely walk a kilometre. These shoes allow me to walk upto 5kms a day without much pain.
Under $100:
- fallout 4 on PC: modding this old game and playing it on survival mode has reinvigorated my passion for gaming, it’s also unlocked a new hobby in modding existing games.
- automate the boring stuff with Python: this book got me in to programming, a relatively lucrative career and lifestyle booster.
- Ritalin: I’ve gone my whole life without knowing I had ADHD. Taking medication for it has been a complete game changer in terms of happiness and ability to relax
What kind of stuff did you automate? I also automate stuff with chrome extensions (chrome extensions makes for easier personal scraping)
Nothing in the end, but I made a few chrome extensions to block ads etc
Under $100 - an electric head shaver.
I started balding in my mid 20’s, so I shaved my head with a BIC disposable and shaving cream. I kept up this routine for probably 15 years before seeing a curved electric razor made for heads advertised to me. I picked one up on a whim, and it has been great! It takes me around 1 minute each morning compared to 5-10 before, and I no longer have to worry about nicks. It uses about 1% battery each shave, so I only have to charge it every couple months. It truly has been a great quality of life improvement.
[1] the one I use is called the Hummingbird MK3, available on Amazon for around $60.
Under $100:
Gymnastics rings and straps. A Lebert Equalizer.
Under $1000:
A squat rack, barbell, iron plates and bumper plates. Adjustable bench, adjustable dumbbells. A collection of kettlebells.
I started taking my strength and body composition seriously in 2018. To that point, I had been a (ultra)marathoner for the previous decade. Prior to that, I was in the military and trained in a hybrid fashion. But I had gotten pretty out of shape between separating and picking up endurance events. But then I had neglected strength for such a long time.
Today I am stronger and with a better physique than I had over 20 years ago. I also have a resting heart rate that's in the mid-40s, while I myself am in the mid-40s. I lift 2-4 days per week, and I do conditioning 2-4 days per week. I cycle my training with the seasons, I'm currently moving into a more lifting focused phase of training as we move into and through the colder months. In the spring and summer, I focus more on endurance.
Gymnastics rings are one of the best things I've bought lately. I already had gym equipment at home but rings are something else.
Once you try them you realize you're not strong enough and you have a lot to do. And I also feel the workout is different because it's me training on the rings, not me lifting something heavy. They are very versatile, you can do many exercises anywhere you want.
My favorite piece of training equipment by far. I've spent 6-month training blocks with nothing but my gymnastics rings, a 24kg kettlebell and a 32kg kettlebell. At this point I honestly only ever go back to barbell training because I don't like pursuing any single modality for too long, but I firmly believe that if I had to I could live the rest of my life with just rings and a couple of kettlebells (and a pair of running shoes) and I would be perfectly content.
What do you do for endurance training?
A lot. Mostly zone 2 running but also quite a bit of hill work and some rucking. An occasional mountain bike ride if/when friends ask and I can make it work. Some swimming in the summer. And I walk a lot, like 15k steps daily on top of the running.
Specifically, I follow the Tactical Barbell hybrid training system. Most of my training these days can be lifted directly out of the Tactical Barbell Green Protocol book, but I also incorporate training from the original Tactical Barbell strength book, the conditioning book, the Mass Protocol book, and the Ageless Athlete book.
Under $100
- an ear bulb syringe
I get blocked ears due to wax and it's really negatively impactful to conversation etc. Plus they would block when flying/swimming which ruined a few holidays. I used to go to my local (UK) GP which was very inconvenient due to appointment timings etc.
Then somebody recommended buying a bulb syringe for self-treatment. Mine cost about £4 and has been totally game changing.
I can sort myself out whenever and wherever I want. If you suffer the same, get yourself one immediately!
This is adjacent to what I was going to comment, which is a camera for looking inside my own ears. My ears frequently got blocked and/or itchy, and I was almost addicted to sticking qtips in to try to relieve things. There are good reasons they say not to do that! I always felt like there was wax I wasn't quite able to reach, and in trying to do so I only made things worse, often causing inflammation.
The camera cost about £10 and came with a few plastic "scraper" tools (feel kinda gross to say it, heh). It allowed me to remove the wax, and importantly, visually confirm the results. Thinking about it now, it's been over a year since I last had to use it, so I think my ears might've reached a new "equilibrium" point (they are supposed to be self-cleaning, after all).
There is, presumably, a risk of damaging your ears any time you stick something in there, so I was just very careful to not do that.
Just try the water pistol, it's life changing https://www.amazon.com/BOCOOLIFE-Electric-Earwax-Removal-Irr...
In my area, they’re all labelled as “nasal syringes” because you’re not supposed to irrigate your ears randomly.
The words of my pharmacist: “I don’t recommend you use this for your ears. I do it myself, but officially I don’t recommend it”
Kinda how Q-Tips boxes mention all kinds of uses except jamming them into your ears for hygiene and pleasure.
Here's a UK study that concludes:
"Advising patients with ears blocked by wax to try bulb syringing before irrigation is effective and acceptable, and could significantly reduce the use of NHS resources."
So I feel they are a safe method of self treatment.
Forgot to add the link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2148238/
A related trick is to put a few drops of (olive, or other cooking) oil in your ear canal. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side, and do this for 3 days in a row. This softens up the hard wax in there. Then flush out with a syringe if you want. Obviously don't do either if you have a perforated ear drum.
Yep, a few days of olive oil is generally recommended by GPs... I used to do this but now I self treat I don't really bother. But I guess it I'd have even more success if I did.
Ear wax can vary a lot from hard to sticky depending on your genetic makeup.
For the folks with extra sticky wax, softeners don't help.
I struggled for a long time with ear wax problems before I found the solution.
I was a <$10 plastic ear curette from Ototek. I just use it after I shower and everything is great.
Try this: https://www.amazon.com/BOCOOLIFE-Electric-Earwax-Removal-Irr...
Over here we have these peroxide things you can get at the pharmacy. You pour three drops in your ear, it foams up and all the wax goes away. Do you not have those?
Can't you do the same thing by pouring half a capful of H2O2 into your ear while lying on your side? After it stops fizzing (about 10 minutes) you sit up and catch the effluent with a tissue. And no need to add oil or carefully shoot a stream of water at your eardrum.
Those never did much for me I'm afraid
Hey, I have just started to develop this problem and have been putting off going to the clinic. Can you link to the one you have please?
Check out the ones that have a spray bottle attached rather than just a bulb as it allows for way more water before needing to refill. I think it was popularized under the name "Elephant Ear Wax Removal Kit" but there are knockoffs now as well that are the same thing.
Mine is very similar to this one: https://www.simplymedsonline.co.uk/cold-and-flu/portia-ear-s...
Unlike a trip to the doctor, when two to three flushes sorts it out, at home it is a case of maybe 10-20 repetitions depending how bad. But each one is really quick and I find there is no pain as the pressure is very low, unlike the doctor which did quite often hurt.
If self-treatment doesn't work out for you (I've suffered a few particularly stubborn cases over the years), I highly recommend going to an urgent care clinic. They have always been able to clear my ears out in less than 20 minutes, and it's very cheap with insurance.
I'm gonna hijack this thread to promote sleep apnea machines... if you are tired and you say "well I'm just getting older...", that might not be what's happening:
"An estimated 30–39 million adults in the United States have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but only 6 million have been diagnosed." https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/sleep/sleep-apnea-statistics/
I hope you mean CPAP machines and not machines that give you sleep apnea -_-
Sleep apnea sucks. Get tested. Get treated. It's a hassle but it's worth it. I'm typing this just after putting on my mask.
Under $100 - a gently used bike from the local thrift shop. Added a rack and crate and use it for local errands such as grocery shopping, dentist visits, mailing stuff at the post office, all within a 3-mile radius. Saves driving a car and I get some exercise. Under $21 - a refurbished Thinkpad T520 with SSD, also from a thrift shop. Not life-changing but I've always loved the keyboard and it works fine for web browsing.
Under $100: a Knipex pliers wrench. Best hand-tool ever! I originally got just the 7.25" size, but now I own everything from even shorter ones to much longer ones. I use them all of the time. If you're cheap, you can even get a knock-off version from Harbor Freight now at about half the cost of the German-made Knipex ones.
I used to be utilitarian and had the minimal amount of everything around the house but I caved in and started buying duplicates. 1/2 cup measuring cup for pet food? I no longer use the same one as baking, I just bought another and now it lives in the container/bag of food. Measuring spoon for supplement powder? Same thing, it lives in the jar now. For under $100 you could buy every duplicate you'll need around your house. Never look for that "thingy" again, never think about what you last used it for or if it's dirty or in the wash again. It's small but it's worth it.
Along the same lines, Spotify. Could I torrent all the music I want, manage a library and set up streaming around the house, sync the files with my phone, etc? Yes. I used to do it too but now I just don't want to even think about it. $15/mo and it's solved. Forever.
This is also helpful if you travel a lot.
I keep a bag of chargers/socks/toiletries/etc packed and ready. Don’t worry about losing a charger or unplugging the one you use daily. For $30, just get a second dedicated to traveling.
If it’s something you struggle with packing or being ready, buy two. I know people who do this with clothes/suits, but that personally doesn’t fit my travel style.
This was a huge win for my family, we all have travel chargers that cover our needs and run off of common USBC.
I grabbed a Anker charging station/extention cable (https://www.anker.com/products/a9129-charging-station-67w) and can plug in one device and charge most of my families needs, including laptops in a pinch.
Also, 3 prong splitters for travel -- great for airports, bad ac plugs on planes, hotels with one AC plug, etc. (https://www.amazon.com/GE-Polarized-Three-Outlet-Power-Ivory...)
I won't argue that Spotify isn't a fantastic value, but the price has gone up and will continue to do so (especially if artists are ever going to make anything meaningful from streams), and nothing lasts forever..
I find that online services in general degrade and become worse values and experiences for users over time, nearly inevitably. In many cases because initial funding can help to support the early unsustainable pricing.
I guess I'm saying it's good to have a downloaded backup of the all-time favs while using spotify for convenient listening.
Strongly disagree about Spotify. Quality aside, many albums simply aren't there! I have my own routine of discovering new pearls (YouTube used to help me with that years ago, nowadays it just suggests what I already viewed or some random stuff) and I set aside some time for that. After that, I choose the albums I really like, in the best quality.
The problem that Spotify actually tries to solve is that no matter how much we love that particular piece or album, we will get bored with it at some point, even if you dose your pleasure. So in theory Spotify could ease the process of finding interesting music. But in practice, I wound nothing can bet the tedious process of manual research and selection.
Also, what's to keep them from removing stuff later? The streaming video services do this all the time. It's a very common story to hear of someone watching some TV series, and then halfway through, it's removed from their streaming service and either disappears altogether, or moves to some other service that they're now expected to sign up for. It's much easier to just set sail on the high seas than to put up with this nonsense.
I have the same policy for most cheapo stuff. Like measuring tapes.
My good one is always Somewhere(tm), so I just bought a dozen cheap ones from Ikea. They're good enough for random "does this fit there" -measurements and there's enough of them so that it's impossible to lose them ALL at the same time :D
I also have so many screw drivers, torx bits and 10mm sockets that it's impossible to lose them all. Are they the best quality? No. But it's more important to find one when I need one.
> I also have so many...10mm sockets
Give me three minutes in your garage.
Under 100€: a password manager. Every time I need to sign in to an account I haven't used in a long time, I appreciate how much it makes my life easier.
No need to remember which email address I used to sign up, which of my passwords I used, what special character I added... It makes 2FA a breeze. It works seamlessly across my computers, browsers, phones...
I also use it to store API keys, my social security number, passport number, IBAN, copies of documents I need to keep handy..
The added security is just the icing on the cake.
Passwords app for iPhone and Windows Chrome or Mac users!
It wasn't under $1k but you can do some options for close-ish to that: a cargo e-bike.
It's been amazing and has let us remain a one car family despite two kids with a lot of activities. I adore it. About to hit 2k miles on it.
Similar. 2 kids, 2 cargo e-bikes, 1 car. My wife has over 3k miles and I'm just under 2k (I work from home every day). We live in Colorado and bundle the kids up in ski clothes, and some nice buffs and hats and they do just fine for rides to school in the winter (if the roads are ok).
With the plethora of bike trails and neighborhood routes, I'm nearly as fast as a car getting around without going overboard on pedal assist (I do about 18 mph).
Cargo e-bikes are tempting. I also have two kids and I've managed to work it out with just two seats on my bike (one front, one back) and now that the big one is tall enough to ride his bike I've got a "follow-me tandem" which allow me to tug him uphill, but carrying sports equipment is starting to be a hassle, so I'm seriously considering buying a cargo ebike to replace my current set-up.
I've gone from follow-me to cargo e-bike (above €1000). The axis of the follow-me somehow broke in coldish weather, and we almost had an accident. Never again.
But the cargo e-bike is fantastic. I've basically stopped using the bus, and everything under 30km with the kid has become no-brainer easy. I've done 1200km in 6 months now. But winter is coming, let's see how it goes.
I got a (non-cargo) e-bike for close to USD1000. Definitely a game changer - faster and more reliable than trains or driving to get to work. Any trip with 5km just becomes a no-friction option, where otherwise it might be tempting to get into the car. An e-bike is an excellent replacement for the second car (or, if you live in a convenient enough place, first car)
I experienced a lot of the benefits mentioned in the comments on this one but rather than an e-bike I just got a cheap used 50cc gas scooter
Its so much easier/faster for doing quick errands around the neighborhood
Taking the car now feels overkill in comparison
Just another option to consider rather than getting a second car
Scooters are a fine option that gives you some of the advantages of the bike, such as "I can find a parking spot just about anywhere, suckers!", but I'd strongly consider electric for anyone pondering. For a purely local transit modality, the fact that I can charge it at home on 120v and never have to deal with a gas station is fantastic -- and, in fact, a second bonus is that it reduces how often I need to fill up the car. I've never owned an EV, but the e-bike experience has really started to convince me that whenever we get a new car, it will be electric for convenience alone. I hate the "ah crap, low on gas, can I play chicken with future-me or my wife about filling it up?" dance.
The cargo part of the bike is pretty cool, though. I've seen some people do some cool loading hacks with a scooter, but the amount of stuff you can haul on a cargo bike is really fun. When I bought the e-bike, I rode my road bike down to the bike store, and rode the e-bike back home _hauling my road bike_. That was pretty awesome. :)
You go very very far with a scooter before having to fill up the tank. Motorcycles are in my opinion the best and most realistic option for reducing car traffic. E-Bikes probably second best.
Under $100:
The heat gun mosquito things that some tech folks were mentioning on Twitter. Always get quarter sized terribly itchy bumps for each mosquito bites and using it makes them essentially itch-free immediately.
Under $1000:
Weekly house cleaning. Such reduced cognitive load/increased free time to not have to clean all the time, think about cleaning, etc especially with a toddler.
If you mean Bite-Away, then yes. I bought mine with leftover FSA funds and as far as I can tell it works, placebo effect or not.
https://www.bite-away.com/en/
I got the much smaller usb-c keyring Heat-It, and works so great . Previous submission, https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/12/usb-c-cures-mosquito-bites/ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41548336
There was a study recently on it, which feels fairly encouraging. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3257884/
The real winner this year was the $30 (rainbow, because it's cool) mosquito net. It's been shockingly hard setting it up really well, some still get through, but I can sit outside all day & break out the electric swatter two or three times & be fine. And I keep tuning the net a little... (I used to lug a bunch of fans in and out of the house, to keep them off me, but that was only semi-successful & made it a project each time.)
I have a basic mosquito net above my bed and it is miraculous (I got the first one this year). What is particularly interesting is that I am not bothered by mosquito buzzing even when they fly close because somehow my brain knows that they cannot bite me
I used to just run a spoon under very hot water and then hold it against the bite at the hottest I could tolerate and works pretty well, albeit not very temperature accurate.
A suitably hot shower works well too.
Clever - going to steal this.
Another cheap mosquito bite remedy: NOW Foods Tea Tree Roll-On ($5)
Had some big, angry welts this summer but they just stopped itching and disappeared overnight after applying that stuff, no other topical drug/ointment I tried came close.
~$250: I hate kitchen appliances, but I got a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker and that is the best thing I've ever had. It works perfectly, if you set it to have rice ready by a clock, it will be ready at that time. It makes happy music. I use it multiple times a week.
It was clearly built by engineers with love and passion.
Also have used one for over 5 years and it’s awesome. It can also make the best steel cut oatmeal I’ve ever had. Just measure it with the white rice cup, porridge mode setting, and let it sit over night on timer mode, wake up to perfectly cooked steel cut oats.
Almost about to reach the 5 year mark with ours, its used almost every single day (the exception are when we're out of town, which is pretty rare!)
The non-stick coating is starting to wear out in ours, probably about time to replace that one part, but its still going strong!
I’d like to be contrarian here and suggest that if you happen to be possessed of a sudden impulse to buy something, but you can’t identify any particular thing that you need, consider putting that amount of money into an investment or retirement account instead of searching for a trinket to buy. That way you are scratching the itch and you’ll be better off later on.
In other words, you can have your cake and eat it too.
Or at least sit on the idea for a week or two before pulling the trigger. Lots of stuff I think I want in the moment turns out to be not so important.
I've done this for vacations: Put in 50K into a mutual fund, and every year we use 5% of it for a guilt-free vacation.
Sounds like you are advocating the purchase of peace of mind and future stability. Strongly recommended!
Under $1000: an oscilloscope, 4 channel 100MHz for about 500 EUR. I've been wanting to learn more about electronics but I learn best by doing and getting a feedback loop. What didn't work was reading books, watching tutorials on Youtube etc. Seeing the actual voltage change on the screen helped me understand circuits much better than before. I've since debugged amplifiers, i2s protocols, IR transmitters. Every time I use it I have a lot of fun!
This year I treated myself to a benchtop power supply for home use.
I've worked with electronics (mostly embedded hardware and lower-level software) for >3 decades professionally where bench supplies are everywhere. My hobby use saw me using various wall-warts, regulators, batteries, and hijacked/hacked-up desktop PSUs as I always thought owning a dedicated supply would be a waste. Purchasing other TE had higher priority.
Surprise!! Life is so much better, unbelievably, having my own benchtop power supply for idiot stuff that I would not have invested the time and effort to try previously. I was adding a fan to a project yesterday so I spent ~2 minutes testing candidates for audible noise when using 12V and 24V at various currents - not a necessary part of the selection process for the expected use but nice when it is low effort (turn on PSU, select output channel,dial in voltage, dial in current, done).
GW Instek GPP-4323
Oh and as this leaves me with ~ $500 of budget I'll include my active tip soldering iron (Aixun T3A T245, holy crap it's hot in 3 seconds), function generator (UNI-T UTG962E), a bunch of ESP32 dev boards and various PCBs I designed and ordered via JLCPCB.
Definitely something on my bucket list!
And I absolutely get the “theory doesn’t work” part, I’m the same, probably due to ADHD. Gotta give it a spin yourself at your own timing to understand how it works.
A bi-weekly house cleaner. Saved my marriage!
Did that a decade ago and it saved my marriage as well :D
I'd lived alone before marrying and I did all my chores, but my tolerance for messy stuff until I got to action was way more than my wife's.
I don’t think people talk about this enough. You can be the poster boy for modern men doing all the chores and taking care of your household all on your own without wife or mother around and a 1950s nuclear family house wife would be proud af.
You are still going to get into arguments if your idea of what „clean and tidy“ means is different from the definition of your partner.
The biggest thing that changed my life wasn't a purchase, but randomly going down a philosophy rabbit hole on wikipedia one day after looking up different "razors" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_razor).
One of the first things I learned was that most arguments in life seem to be mainly due to differences in people's definition of subjective terms, and not understanding how to communicate well enough to figure that out and then do something useful about it.
these are all great I love that I can now just refer to the razors by name
And when you have a house cleaner you always have a third party that's responsible for every issue: “that's the house cleaner's fault” (my in-laws have one and I'm pretty sure she's not responsible for a quarter of what gets attributed to her, otherwise she'd have gotten fired long ago)
Fully agree. This crucial bit of information should be spelled out to young people as not everybody realizes that (soon enough).
This! My tolerance was also just above my wife's. We will never go back to not having someone helping us.
Same here, we got weekly and its done on a Friday. forces you to tidy so cleaning can be done properly and then your house is clean and tidy for the weekend.
Haha same. Well worth the 80€/clean
Under $1,000: a commercial-style toilet with a pressurized mechanism called Flush-mate, installed by a GC. I have a severely developmentally disabled adult child who… seriously clogged the toilet even without using toilet paper (see bidet recommendations elsewhere on this page) every week or so. I tried 6 different toilets, stationed a wet/dry vac in the living room, added a drain to the bathroom, added a water alarm, etc. etc.
The new toilet never gets clogged. No water alarms now. No cleaning up shitwater. Also while other toilet mechanisms die in a couple of years, this one is guaranteed for 10 years.
For under $100: earplugs, two kinds.
I got a pack of basic foam ones (supposedly 33dB reduction), and it meant that my wife and I could keep sleeping in the same bed without snoring getting in the way. Was only about $10 for 50.
And I got a pair of noise reducing Loop earplugs, which means that the one day a week RTO is no longer a sensory nightmare. They're visually subtle enough that my wife couldn't see them when I first tried them on (important if I was going to wear them in meetings), and recessed enough to wear underneath headphones. They're also great for large events (weddings and the like) to extend how long before my social battery gets wiped out. I imagine this is more tied to my autism than the office being particularly noisy though. I can still easily hold conversations with them in, with the only negative being that they kinda reduce spacial perception, so I can't as easily tell where sounds are coming from. These were about $50, though they've got cheaper options, they also come with extra mutes for more reduction, but the baseline is already plenty, so I'd probably recommend against the "Engage 2 Plus".
I don’t get it. Ear plugs that let you hold a conversation?
They're much more subtle than most earplugs, only about 10 dB of reduction, and it's a fairly level reduction across the frequency spectrum. So rather than the normal muffled effect you get from normal earplugs, they sound like you uniformly turned the volume down on everything. In overstimulating environments (noisy HVAC, meetings where the person controlling the dial-in has it too high, coworkers who aren't great at modulating their voices) they're fantastic.
That’s amazing. I’d like to turn the sound down on the world many a times. Which model do you have?
I got the "Engage 2 Plus". Though like I mentioned, they reduce sound by enough on their own that the included removable "Mute" wasn't worth the extra cost over the basic "Engage 2".
And one thing I forgot to mention is that they don't reduce the sounds of your own head. So your own voice sounds the same, and you still get that lip/tongue smacking effect that traditional earplugs have. Neither of those is really an issue, but I may have slightly oversold them with "level reduction across the frequency spectrum".
$28 bluelight glasses for the computer.
$18 ceramic pans.
$9 vertical monitor from thrift shop.
$30 chirp wheel for back cracking.
$180 theragun for muscles. Finds knots that you didn't know you had.
used dell server towers with 128GB RAM for linux
velcro cable ties + phone mount for bicycle + battery tester + usb controllers for emulators + sivga headphones (i think they are 5x more expensive now)
Seconding the vertical monitor from a thrift shop, I did the same thing basically by getting a Fujitsu monitor that can easily rotate and I'm incredibly pleased.
I use it with multiple Emacs frames because PaperWM (Gnome extension) makes it easy to scroll between windows (in this case Emacs frames).
Under $1000 - my first guitar. Started as a pandemic experiment going into Minnesota Winter 2020, and has turned into my favorite hobby. I play almost every day for 4 years straight now, I've started attending local classical guitar concerts, and I do a little volunteering for them, too.
Under $100, several fruit trees that sparked a huge interest in gardening and feed my family every year.
Nice!! Any difficulties with birds or squirrels doing the harvest for you?
Under $100: A second hand piano for $80. Learning an instrument is a deeply satisfying experience if you stick to it (as well as frustrating and confusing). Literally no end to how much you can learn. It has given me hours of “in the zone” moments, so well needed in a stressful world. I also see (hear?) music in a different light and can understand it better.
I am interested in learning piano myself having just gotten one for my kid. Did you learn it by yourself? If so any resources you can point in my direction? Thanks!
I've started recently, for an adult absolute beginner I would recommend: Alfred's Basic Adult All-In-One Piano Course (covers all types of music). A popular alternative is the Faber Adult Piano Adventures (more classical). Both books will go over how to position your wrists and fingers, music theory, as well as pieces.
I'm sure Alfred and Faber have books for kids. Check reddit and amazon. But you won't go wrong with books from either probably.
To accompany the books, there are videos where people go over the pieces from the books as a piano teacher. I recommend this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4gizue_ULg&list=PL8hZtgRyL9..., but just search the book name + piece name
Lastly since you're both learning, look into duet books and utilize the split mode on your piano
Thank you!
Late reply… Self taught. YouTube has a ton of resources (recommend Pianote and Matthew Cawood). Learn some music theory basics, if you have the time study sheet music, you will understand what you are doing on a deeper level. I found it motivating to not only play simple pieces in the beginning but also harder ones that you enjoy listening to. They will be reallly hard initially but you will improve!
Plastic deli containers for food storage: https://a.co/d/0ne7FfI ($26)
Good for portioning leftovers. No more guessing which tupperware to grab - you either have a big one, a small one, or a combo. Only one type of lid. Stackable, freezable. Mildly disposable - easy to give food to friends or throw out forgotten fridge nasties. Good for holding ingredients during cooking, like a blend of spices or spare water. Not good for reheating, though.
If you want something a bit heavier duty, check out cambro. For example: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/cambro-rfs1ppsw3190-1-qt-tr...
One downside of plastic food storage in general is that I find it doesnt seem to rinse as clean as glass, ceramic, or metal in the dishwasher (obviously a lot of variables there).
Big +1. It’s like getting all the same socks, all the containers are just the same!
Under $1000: A road bike. I live in LA (county) and the default is to drive everywhere, but here's the thing: driving sucks. We famously don't have great bike infra, but I thought, would I go more places if I didn't hate getting around? For trips up to a couple miles, biking is faster than driving, and I never have to worry about parking.
Ergo stuff. A kinesis keyboard, a logitech ergo mouse, a standing desk and mat. Between these, I've probably headed off carpal tunnel and back problems by years.
I'm in Portland and I say that anyone that lives on the Eastside within 82nd and works within those bounds should just get a bike, it's sooo much faster to get around the city. We have infamously small city blocks so all those intersections make driving a car very slow through the city and for good reason as it's safer. If you hop on a bike and take a greenway that has all the stop signs facing perpendicular traffic you can zoom around the city no problem. It's the exact same amount of time (from door to desk) for me to drive to work as it is to bike to work (including the shower). It's just shy of 7 miles. No brainer.
1) Kindle - best ROI ever, for dollars spent per hour of entertainment
2) Proper Japanese Chef Knife - makes me love cooking again
1, $100: Fenix LED headlamp, 1200 lum, with red light, made from lightweight magnesium alloy with magnet, waterproof. I use it almost daily, for bike, for work, for reading (red light), camping...
2, $1000 E-reader (Onyx Boox). I never read that much before. Ability to highligh text, make notes by pen and have it in readable, indexable format is something that I miss on paper books.
Under $1000 - samsung washing machine with included full drying. I live in a small home, so didn't have space for a separate dryer. This completely eliminated the "hang clothes out to dry, then collect them back" cycle for me.
Under $100 (actually just over - $106) - instant pot.
1. Eliminated the need to count whistles while cooking rice, and as a bonus, I can also reheat something while cooking.
2. I use it to slow cook overnight as well, which dramatically improves the taste of some dishes like Dal Makhni
An Apollo Automation MTR-1 Multi-Target Radar Multisensor. Starts at $36.99 without doodads. Finding and using it and other devices has sent me all the way down the smart home rabbit hole (Homebridge and Home Assistant running on a Beelink N100 system etc.) and it's been a hoot.
1: https://apolloautomation.com/products/mtr-1
Under 1000: Steamdeck I love it, as someone who is trying to cope with not having as much time to game it is the best. It is also Linux with a modular body, so I get to tinker with it like no other. Added clicky Dpad and replaced the shell
I was going to say a steam deck as well. I've beaten a ton of RPGs that I never had the desire to play at my desk, but are great in 20-30 minute bursts here and there.
Under 100:
Guitar lessons. I've played guitar for nearly 30 years, but one year of focused lessons has seen me improve more than the past 15 years combined.
Under 1000:
Shark Hydrovac. We have hard floors throughout our house, this makes keeping them clean so much easier than the manual alternatives.
Whole home humidifier attached to our furnace duct work - huge increase in comfort in winter.
- portable Camera lighting (doubles as a general purpose floodlight) $30
- Literally any tool that improves productivity/quality (impact wrench, ifixit screwdriver set, also applies to software)
- high quality furniture/desk/tables. Not the cheap Walmart stuff that falls apart. Can be hundreds of $ but I've been lucky enough to find good stuff for free often.
- 4k display ($300)
I got an Ember mug and use it every day and love it. It keeps my coffee at a set temperature (controllable via my phone over Bluetooth) so it doesn't get cold right away, and I can take my time drinking it. I've bought a couple more as gifts since, and the people I gave them to say they like them a lot. The impact on my life isn't anything to get excited about, but it's been positive nonetheless. I don't feel rushed when I drink my coffee anymore, and I'm able to concentrate on my work without that nagging "my coffee is getting cold" feeling.
I got a Stanley Beer Stein[0] from a sale 2 years ago or something. Th best thing ever. I put in ice + my favourite drink when my day starts and the ice is still there in the evening. Completely crazy performance for an open-topped container.
[0] https://eu.stanley1913.com/products/adventure-big-grip-beer-...
That sounds up my alley! What kind of material is the cup if that's the one you're using? I couldn't clearly tell from the website.
The mug part is metal, the electronics bit at the bottom is plastic-y rubber.
Under $100:
A desktop heat mat. Cost about $20, it has 3 heat settings, size about 13x30 inches. It goes under my keyboard and keeps my hands and fingers wonderfully warm all day. I don't have good circulation sitting down and cranking up the heat in the room heats all the other parts of me first, so this was a great alternative.
Under $1000:
- Schlage Encode Plus: not the nicest looking smart lock, but the best battery life and most reliable (works with Apple Home Key so you can open your door with your watch). You can also program it to auto lock, so it solves multiple problems.
- Meta/Oculus 1/2(/3?): BeatSaber + other apps is a great way to get video game and exercise time in at the same time.
- I recently bought a $200 non-stick wok (the scanpan TechnIq) and it is way better than the ones we previously bought from the local Target/IKEA. Yes, no high heat, but it works for us and has changed the quality of our cooking.
I bought a Nuki 3 Pro smart lock (now there's a v4) and I like it very much. It allows for continuous usb-c charging, which is nice.
I second on the smart lock, albeit ours is garage door opener. So nice being able to carry only smartphone with you.
Under $100:
1) Geox shoes: I love this Italian brand for their breathable shoes. I’m now refusing to wear anything else if I know I’ll be walking more than a few kilometers because my feet don’t get tired. I can easily walk 20km+ a day during trips. I just got my 8th pair recently.
2) MUJI T-shirts: I bought several in the same colors, and they’re made of great-quality material with a fit that I genuinely enjoy wearing. It’s surprising how much difference there can be in something as simple as a basic T-shirt.
Under $1000:
1) All-season car tires: I bought Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires for my car, and it’s such a relief. In my climate (EU), you have to change tires twice a year, but when that time comes, it’s hard to book an appointment because everyone does it at once. Now, I don’t have to think about it anymore, and as a bonus, I also save money on those appointments.
2) Bedroom A/C: I finally bought an A/C unit, and I’m sleeping so much better in the summer. We’re not as used to A/C here as in the US, but with global warming, my high-rise apartment becomes unbearable for weeks. Technically, I spent over $1000 since I bought two units, but the bedroom one alone fits this category.
3) Wiim Ultra: I upgraded my vintage receiver with this high-quality streaming media input. The noise level is much lower than any cheap inputs I’ve used before, allowing me to enjoy the quiet parts of familiar songs on a whole new level.
As someone that used all season tires I have moved to proper winter and summer tyres /wheels - the difference in handling and braking performance I find is worth it.
Wiim amps are good, but they don't work without an Internet connection, which is completely ridiculous.
I bought a used Apple Watch for sleep tracking for $230. It took a few days to get used to sleeping with a watch on but I have a 1.5 yr old daughter and it’s been a game changer to quantify how much I’m waking up for her and how my nightly routine impacts my productivity.
There are apps in the App Store that give you a sleep score.
Under $100
First visit to a physical therapist for my back. I was in pain and for all intents and purposes, crippled; couldn't walk much, getting out of the chair hurt. I couldn't stand straight. I put it off for 3 years because I'm stupid and I got overweight. The first visit they showed me exercises that fixed it in a few days. Don't put these things off, I wish I had those 3 years back.
Under $1000
Apple Watch to help me lose weight and get my heart healthy. The gamification of it works for me, I've "closed my rings," every day since I got it.
Getting old sucks.
Under $100: Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones. $40 on AMZN right now. Best, minimal headphones. Not my daily driver, but clutch when I just need to plug into my gaming PC or my turntable.
Under $1K: Helly Hansen Alpha Lifaloft Jacket. At ~$600 it's worth every cent in Colorado. No complex layering mechanisms, but works well from 35ºF to -10ºF. Wear it with a t-shirt or a thin down layer. It fits perfect and sits just below my belt. Great pocket layout. etc. etc. It's my go to for everything from snow shoveling to long ski days.
Under $100 - Ifixit's pro tech toolkit ($75)
Used it to assemble and repair my desktop computer, swap laptop SSDs, deep clean my mouse after my cat puked on it, and completely disassemble and reassemble an entire printer for a school project. It has easily paid for itself several times over, and is still in near perfect condition after 4 years of use. Invaluable for any computer, electronic, or right to repair hobbyists.
Barely Under $1000 - a Sebo E3 Premium canister vacuum ($950 after using resellers 10% off offer)
Our family's traditional standup vacuum (I forgot which brand but they're almost all identical) died after a few years of use and we were fed up with having to replace it. Most consumer vacuums available in the US suffer significantly from planned obsolescence, so I did some research and came across this German import Sebo e3 canister vacuum. Previously I had never heard of canister vacuums, they're literally never advertised in the US. Apparently Shark makes a few, but I had to specifically google "shark canister vacuum" to find them as there is no mention of them on their official website. It only took a couple raving reviews of canister vacuums to convince me of their potential, so I took the plunge with the Sebo.
I can safely say that this vacuum is a complete gamechanger. It is so much quieter, lighter, maneuverable, easy to use, and cleaner. No longer do floating dust particles cloud the windows' sun rays. No longer does my cat appear covered in dust because she found a spot I neglected to clean. No longer do I have to worry about breaking a weakening but crucial plastic clip or retainer when emptying the vacuum. Every part that experiences stress is metal and designed for longevity rather than aesthetics. Dare I say I even enjoy vacuuming now! It used to be a pain to lug around an entire upright vacuum over every square inch of the floor. Even the bags are better than emptying a canister. The bags are biodegradable and seal inside the vacuum, meaning dust never has a chance to escape. I used to have to empty the canister vacuum outside because of how much dust it released. Yes, the high price tag is rather intimidating for a vacuum purchase, but it's well worthwhile as it's been going for four years strong with absolutely zero issues. Also, most US resellers offer 10% off if you just call them to order it.
Under $100
Aeropress - quick coffee with easy cleanup. Waterproof and nonslip cat blanket to go over the couch. Surprisingly comfy. So far saved more spillage from humans than the cats.
Under $1000
Replaced all my Audio RaspberyPis with WiiM devices. They are like $150 - $400.
A bit over $1000
Apple 5K studio display. Can't begin to desribe the difference on my eyes compared to a regular 27" with 1/4 the number of pixels.
Bonus category, things that were shit:
Hand massager. Device you put your hand in and, in theory, it massages it. It tried to bend my finger joints back by pressing down in the middle.
Under $100 - an Aroma rice dispenser
We cook rice every night for dinner, and this saves me about 30 seconds per meal. It holds 25lb of rice and dispenses one cup at a time. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do.
Under $1000 - A Dyson V7 vacuum refurbished on ebay
I hate vacuuming and if you go on forums, they always say "stick vacuums just aren't as strong." I caved when I found a deal on slickdeals and WOW! It works better than my old plug-in, it's cordless (a big blocker to cleaning) and it's fun to use.
3/4 cup / one Japanese cup?
TSA pre-check. Best $85 spent to date.
As a followup: 1. Global Entry (international travel precheck for American permanent residents and citizens) is $120 and includes TSA precheck. 2. The high-tier credit cards (Amex Plat, Chase Sapphire Reserve) give you credits for Global Entry and/or TSA Precheck. They cost in ~$600, but my Amex Plat pays for itself with:
I am not a paid shill, I just like saving people money (Getting a fancy credit card is more of a break-even venture honestly)A fancy credit card is pretty worth it if you travel more than once or twice a year. Airport lounge access, travel insurance for sufficient delays or overnights, longer purchase warranties, cell phone insurance, rental car perks and so on. It’s not really about the money so much as the quality of life and peace of mind perks it offers. And seconding precheck or GE, it’s the best extortion money I’ve ever paid.
Global Entry is available to those from some other countries too. IIRC there used to be a threshold for the minimum number of entries in the previous year or so, but it looks like they've opened it up now.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-...
Definitely worth it.
Global Entry counts too (for most airports) and includes TSA Precheck for domestic (at most airports).
For people unwilling to invest in Global Entry, Mobile Passport Control [0] is a free program almost as fast as GE at the airports that support it. At the moment it's still sort of a lesser-known "travel hack" but it's becoming increasingly popular.
In my opinion though GE + TSA Pre is still worth it — the only thing better than the shorter preflight security screening is the even shorter GE kiosk line re-entering the US.
[0] https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-contr...
Yes! Especially if you have kids -- minors go through TSA pre-check lines with parents with pre-check, even if the kids don't have pre-check on their own.
they just made Global Entry free for kids under a certain age, I think, as long as their parent(s) have GE.
Ditto Nexus. Best $50 and has paid for itself many times over crossing the Mexico-US border.
Note that Nexus includes Global Entry and TSA Precheck. If you live near the border, it's the cheapest way to get all of them.
Also, your Nexus card is a REAL ID, so no need to pay extra for an enhanced drivers license.
Echoing this! It has made traveling sooooo much more enjoyable and reduces stress.
AirPods Pro Max
I've had two Sonys (XM4 and XM5) and a bunch of Boses (QC 1x something, 25, 35II).
These are by far the best ones for me. The fabric on the ear cups doesn't get sweaty, I have tactile buttons for every function (unlike the Sonys), ANC works even when the mic is on (Bose can't do this).
And the best feature: I can charge them while I'm using them. Neither the Sony or Bose can do that, they just go offline.
> And the best feature: I can charge them while I'm using them. Neither the Sony or Bose can do that, they just go offline.
I find this amusing considering this is the opposite comment that you see when the apple mouse comes up.
Note: I know the mouse charging is a non issue in reality
This might be something I'll end up buying, I've got a pair of xm4s and they're beyond irritating. There's no way to permanently disable speak-to-chat so every time I clear my throat the music pauses. It constantly re-enables if you touch the side whilst taking them off or picking them up, or also possibly for no reason at all. I've read dozens of complaints about this and I've just about had it with them.
/rant
Yea, that's annoying as all hell, as is the fact that it takes 5-7 business days to adjust the volume with the stupid swipe-badonk -system compared to a physical knob or button.
And the companion app has ACHIEVEMENTS.
I just went back to my Bose because the fabric o top on the max started sagging and were hurting my head. Totally bummed but something for others to know!
I experienced that and the following product solved it: AWINNER Headband Cover Compatible for Apple AirPods Max (https://amzn.eu/d/diJ2eXY)
Gym membership. Without changing my diet, I lost 30 lbs and became much stronger. With further diet changes and a little bit of walking, I am closing in on 50 lbs lost while continuing to gain strength in every major movement pattern. I.e., I am probably losing little or no muscle.
Waterpik. Flossing for people who don't like to floss.
5k retina monitor. It made me fall in love with using a computer all over again.
What has been your workout routine?
I started doing full body three times a week. Then I went to a 4 day upper-lower split. Currently doing 6-day push/pull/legs. I might go to a 6-day upper-lower split in the future.
Tozo openreal headphones. $40 I use them 8 hours a day. They let you hear everything around you while also being decent headphones. In the office where I take phone calls they are much more ergonomic than my Bose QC45s which I used to wear the same amount.
Under $1000, my bambu labs printer. I've fixed things, made things you couldn't buy, it's a staple in my house now.
I've sworn by Plantronics headphones for years for work but started getting ear infections and my open air/bone conducting headphones are a huge improvement... I've got a pair of Aftershockz but these look great as well.
Audio quality suffers a little when it comes to music, but being able to hear conversations around me at the office is worth it.
Try these, they aren't bone conducting. My only complaint is the low volume beep when you try to turn them all the way down.
Free thing that changed my life: Run the kitchen sink until it gets to its max temperature right before you turn on the dishwasher.
Stop prewashing dishes in the sink. Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
I learned this trick from this video or its prequel
https://youtu.be/jHP942Livy0
> Stop prewashing dishes in the sink. Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
In my experience ... no, you're not. Basically any kind of sauce or dessert will get baked on and become much harder to remove, as will anything from a day before the dishwasher actually gets full enough to be worth running.
That shouldn’t be happening. Do you fill both soap dispensers? Check out the video in a sibling comment.
You can also (if your sink accommodates it), pile your dishes as you're done with them, in the kitchen sink -- then wash your hands over them, thus "pre-soaking" them.
At the end of the day, when you load them into the dishwasher, they're much more likely to come out completely clean.
> Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
If you enjoy the filter cleanup. I personally prefer rinsing the dishes instead of cleaning the filters and on my current dishwasher I didn't have to do anything after two years of use.
Under $100 - almost every fiction book I've bought in the last few years. It's not hard to find books you'll like and enjoy, and they're inexpensive. Personal recommendations, reviews online, in papers or in specialist magazines, they'll all help. Some non-fiction is worth it, but rarely has the same impact as a fiction book, where you get to dive into another life, another World, another set of perspectives completely alien to your own.
Under $1000 - just - would either be a friend's Samsung G9 Odyssey monitor a push-button standing desk. My friend was emigrating so we did a deal and snagged both - and a walking treadmill still in the garage - for less than $1k. The monitor is superb because it's just a great setup, a real upgrade from 2x monitors. The desk gets me moving around a bit more and is great for my health. I'm sleeping a little better, losing a little weight from moving around more, just feeling a lot healthier.
Under $100:
- a non-stick pan (Tefal) - makes cooking much more enjoyable and likely, due to much less hassle while doing it and afterwards when cleaning up.
- a search engine subscription (Kagi). No more bullshit results. It's nice to feel that your search engine isn't working against you!
- a U-shaped pregnancy pillow - ideal for side sleepers
- a preconstructed deck for a trading card game (Magic the Gathering Commander). Bought and started playing it in the local game store. Now addicted.
Under $1000:
- a cordless, bagless vacuum with a light to see dust (Dyson) - it makes such a difference to effectivity and especially motivation if you are actually seeing what you are changing!
- noise canceling headphones (Bose) - invaluable, especially in the vicinity of uncontrollable noise, such as near worksites, in public transport or coworking spaces
- a telescope (Orion) - initiated a years-long and enduring fascination about and activity in astronomy and astrophotography
>> - a non-stick pan (Tefal) -
I threw out all my non stick surface pots and pans and all plastic kitchen implements because I don’t want chemicals or plastics in my food. Replaces everything with stainless steel.
I've encountered many conflicting opinions about this topic (of course sellers will say it's perfectly safe and health advisors/bloggers the opposite), so i'd really like to see some well-sourced neutral information on this
Polymer fumes do seem to be a thing at high temperatures apparently https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safet... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_fume_fever
In our household the by far oldest pan is made of glass. It's also the only one that still looks like new despite having been used for 25+ years. It isn't non-stick but it also doesn't scratch just from looking at it.
In terms of health, I'm not sure either but you should never use non-stick pans if you have pet birds. As I understand it the way their breathing and lungs work makes it deadly for them. Aside from that as long as it's not proven safe I don't feel like taking unnecessary risks when multiple safe materials are available. Manufacturers claiming their product is safe when it isn't has probably been a thing before the first factory and will still be a thing after I'm gone.
What does “proven safe” mean? Even stainless steal cookware is a very recent invention.
I think there are some concerns around PFAS, for example: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/7/691
Not really across the research but my suspicion would be that if there are issues associated with non-stick, it’s likely to be PFAS driven.
There was a good discussion about the evidence on PFAS that I watched a while back, but I cannot find it for the life of me, sorry.
All non-stick pans deterriorate over time and become stick pans. In case, for example, of Creuset it takes about 2 years of daily use. With Tefal it's less.
Whether non-stick coating peels off when cooking or when washing is an open question, but chances of it being just the latter are slim to none.
A better option is copper-inlayed steel pans, something like Falk. They aren't hard to master and they last for decades and have superior heat distribution profile.
I'm not against non-stick pans for their chemical composition. But I find stainless steel pans much easier to clean because you don't need to be gentle with them. You can take a steel wool to stainless steel pans just fine.
My stainless steel pans also last much longer than my non-stick pans. The non-stick coating seems to deteriorate within only a few years.
cast iron mafia here - though I do have a nice set of copper cored all clad pots and pans.
When I moved my new place had ALL stainless steel implements. Turns out I LOVE cooking and all it took was discovering how cool it is to cook with stainless steel. Cleaning is extremely easy.
Under $100:
I bought a $2 rice cooker at a yard sale in 2020. Changed my life, yes really. Rice ALWAYS turns out well. I don't know why I bothered to make it on the stove before.
Under $100 - A wet shaving kit! You can buy a good double edge safety razor, a shaving brush, and excellent shaving blades for under $100. I made the switch after growing tired of my Gillette setup. I used to think shaving was a chore, and well, I still do, but it's a lot more pleasant now. As a bonus, my shaves are a lot closer.
Under $1000 - A good espresso setup! I bought Breville Bambino Plus, DF64 Gen 2 grinder and some auxiliary tools for under $1000 this year and it's been a game changer. I can make better-than-Starbucks coffee for a fraction of a price. I did the math, and making my own espresso/latte/cortado is 3x cheaper then buying it from Starbucks. Oh, and it's much tastier.
For me, under $500 for a great pour-over setup. (Manual 1Zpresso grinder, gram scale, V60 and filters, glass carafe.) The coffee is delicious with fresh-roasted beans and I personally appreciate the ritual and skill check every morning.
I bought led panel lights for my shop. 2ft x 2 ft. Bright, cheap, easy to wire.
Proper lighting changes everything. I think the last set I bought were $180 for 6
Under $100:
- Air fryer / Countertop Convection Oven: Good for lots of cooking, fast, crisps well
- Collapsible wagon: Easiest way to transport things places. Previously would drive to target etc. for lots of stuff, now just wheel it.
- Global Entry: Gives you TSA PreCheck. Returning from International Travel is like returning from Domestic Travel.
- Electric Toothbrush: Automated pause means I brush longer than before
- Lyft/Baywheels e-bike membership: No need to worry about parking or keeping bike. Faster than cars in SF often. 2x as fast as trains usually.
- Command Strips: Easiest way to stick things on walls. Cheap from Costco
- Costco Membership: Higher quality of customer. Makes everything better
- Cast Iron / Carbon Steel pans: These are great, and a lot less trouble than people make them out to be. I do wash them myself (no dishwasher) which is primary annoyance, but the oiling is easy and they do stay non-stick!
- Carbon Steel knives: I picked up a couple in Japan, wife had some from SF. They're great.
Over $1000:
- Cleaners: $200/mo
- Google Home/Nest speakers and smart lights: Nice to talk to things to turn them off when tired, shows photos of friends etc. Will have to give up the screens when child is born but till then it's nice.
- Amex Platinum: $650/yr (or something) Centurion Lounges are great. Upgrades at hotels are nice.
- Cordless Waterpik w/ storage reservoir: I still don't use as often as I should, but I do use it
Things that didn't quite work out as I was hoping:
- straight edge razor: used it for 2 years, not worth the effort
- car rooftop storage: used it rarely, it was worth it for then, but not usually
- cheaper credit cards: just spent money, not worthwhile
- Oculus: I bought every one that came out and I played with them for a while and then gave them up. Primarily Beat Saber using sideloaded tracks (which is where a lot of the fun is for me).
Under $100: Pilot g-tec pens and an electric toothbrush.
Under $1k:
- HHKB hybrid type-s, I love this keyboard;
- Kobo libra colour, for the integration with Libby in Canada. I also like that Kobo gives me points with each purchase, which can be used to get more books.
Under $1000 (so far)
A ChatGPT subscription. It has certainly changed the way I work on projects.
Claude (Anthropic) for me, but certainly agree on the productivity-boost -- it has saved me a bunch of time on personal projects.
Four things for me stick out in the under $100:
Like many people here, a no-name double edged metal safety razor: I think I got this for around $25 or so with a set of 100 blades and 3 soaps; compared with disposable razors, this has been amazing - a better shave, a nice experience to it and so cheap. it took me about 2 years just to get through the "free" box of blades for it.
Secondly a set of silicon coated spatulas for cooking. These have saved me so much food waste and have made cooking for 2 a lot easier.
Thirdly, few magnetic digital timers I've stuck to the fridge. I've found these brilliant when cooking, it makes it much easier to track when doing several dishes. I start one when I begin cooking as an "overall" time that gives me a reference and then I've two others that I'll use as needed when doing something specific during the overall meal cooking. It's made it much easier to keep everything on track.
And finally a VESA mount bracket for a cheap standing desk I have. I'm not sure what took me so long but having a mount for the monitor instead of it being on the desk completely changed the space available and made it so much more useful. I have a very small workspace so that was a driving factor.
I’ve found you have to sand the silicone spatula to rough it up. They are so slippery the eggs will actually slip off even at a slight angle
Under $100: A carbon steel wok, along with a Youtube subscription to Chinese Cooking Demystified and to Souped-up Recipes. I always liked cooking, but this has increased my enjoyment 100x. My kids love stir fry, and they eat a lot more veggies this way.
Under $1000: A Kino hand grinder and a Cafelat Robot manual espresso maker. Bought this at the start of lockdowns as a gimmick, but I'm actually using this several times a day. Found an excellent roaster locally, but even store-bought beans taste pretty good this way.
I’ve mentioned it before in a similar thread, but if you shave your head, get a Pitbull Skullshaver that can be used in the shower or while walking around the house, etc. About $100 and adding it to a shower routine is great.
A wand for the vegetable garden hose. About $70 and much better than a normal gun/nozzle for watering plants at the base if not all of your gardens are raised.
$500ish: 12v car fridge. I use mine camping or on work trips but also at home on mains power as a drinks fridge near the outdoor seating when people are around.
Which brand of fridge have you got?
Dometic here in Australia. In the car, I have a lithium battery charged from the alternator.
In the US, I have an Alpicool dual zone fridge/freezer. Powered by a solar-charged lithium battery.
Adding Vevor as a cheap brand of 12 compression fridges at about 200
Under $1000:
Air fryer, I use it for cooking sausages, tenders, salmon, mini pizzas for the kids. Quicker than the oven and doesn't make the kitchen hot.
Robot vacuum, I have a roborock, turns vacuuming into something thats done a couple of times a week, from once a month.
A good camera: a hobby of mine. I got a 10-year old Canon DSLR so it did get under 1000, but with extra lenses I've bought over time for different situations it's more than that.
Under 100:
Nasal rinse, I seem to constantly have sinus problems in the cooler months, this seems to help.
Under $100. A waterpik. My teeth feel so clean after using it.
Under $1000. A squat rack, bumper plates and a bench. Mine isn’t fancy but at anytime I can workout without having to leave my house.
Anything that removes friction from getting you to consistently strength train with progressive overload will do more for your health, quality of life, and appearance than damn near any other possible intervention.
A squat rack, weights, and a bench is probably the biggest bang for your buck version of this and if you can set up a basic home gym, it's a total game changer.
My partner got me a $35 pullup bar, and that has significantly improved my fitness.
A Waterpik also is great as a tiny pressure washer to clean things in the kitchen or bathroom that might give you problems.
For example there are places around my sink drain that are hard to clean by hand. A blast from the Waterpik on the full setting easily deals with them.
Under $1,000
Kinesis Advantage 360 or ZSA Voyager (split ergonomic keyboards with ortholinear layout).
I ended up buying both. I had chronic wrist pain and weakness for a few years that I thought was caused by an acute injury. Turns out I think it was actually typing. I bought the Advantage 360, and after a few days, my wrist pain disappeared and never came back. When I switch back to a standard keyboard, I can't type for more than an hour before I start feeling discomfort.
I bought a Logitech K860 ergonomic keyboard for under $100 for the same reason (wrist pain). Since I use it (2 weeks), the pain alsmot disappeared too.
I wish I bought one years ago.
Also, for less than $100, I have a Kensigton track ball for years.
Under $100
- A good old fashioned digital timer for $6. I set up the time and do something, like work, read, hobbies, etc. I don't get distracted by other things on phone. I don't have to keep the screen on and use apps like Forest or other pomodoro timers, and it saves battery. I waste way less time now getting distracted. So, it's like a pomodoro timer but my intervals are higher- 1 hr to 2 hr.
- A basic smartwatch for $20 that tracks my sleep and physical activity. I get 8000 steps of walking everyday now, and are more aware of stress. I can now use stress reduction and avoidance techniques before I get stressed, with heart rate monitoring. It really changed my life.
- Several entry level fountain pens in $20/$30 like Lamy Safari, Pilor Metropolitan, etc. You wouldn't believe how great the writing experience becomes when start using FPs.
- A Ukulele at $30, and it is so much easier than guitar for the easier things. Now I can sing and play an instrument. I tried guitar, piano, flute, but they didn't stick.
Under $1000
- At just over $100, a Kindle with background light for reading. I love paper books but Kindles are much more convenient. I read much more and in more situations.
Recently got some over-ear Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancelling for 150 euro.
I knew the audio quality would be worse than with my cabled studio headphones, but the ANC is just amazing in noisy environments - especially while on public transport. I used to hate taking the train for longer rides because it'd be hit or miss, but with the headphones I'm actually looking up to it. Also looking up to trying them on a flight.
Which ones did you get?
Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
They sadly only support the old SBC Bluetooth codec, but their wearing comfort is extremely high which was an important factor for me, and ANC is very good. They do seem to support SBC-XQ though.
Are they hot? I have the Sony wh-1000xm4 and they're amazing, but unfortunately, because how tightly the seal off my ears, they regularly get too warm and uncomfortable.
They don't feel hot while just wearing them, but I did notice I get sweaty if I'm using them on a hike/moderate exercise - which is probably to be expected though.
I'd say wearing comfort is great, I can wear them for hours and barely notice I have them on. I didn't use them in warmer (summer) temperatures yet though.
Under $100 - A portable neck cooling fan with semiconductor cooling pads on it
They sell these all over Amazon and similar places, but the best ones have both the moving air components and at least one little metal strip that rests on the back of your neck. That metal strip gets very chilly, so it makes hot weather so much more tolerable! Only downside is it's not great for long hair due to the fans potentially catching strands.
Under $100: Reusable respirator masks + P100 replacement filters.
They were harder to get earlier in the pandemic, so I bought a less popular brand in addition to the popular brand one I already had from a repair project.
Reasonably comfortable, and I haven’t had a single respiratory illness since I started wearing them when going out. Also good for allergies, smoke, keeping my face from freezing in the winter, and looking like I’m in a SciFi movie.
Under $1000: Litter Robot 4. It actually works and our two new cats are fine with it (which was one of our concerns). I do need to fiddle with it now and again, mostly WiFi resets, but in comparison to emptying two litter boxes daily that's nothing.
Also, in the category of special interests, the Radiance Films 2024 Blu-Ray bundle was a significantly good purchase for me. They're an English boutique Blu-Ray company that releases 3-4 movies a month; for about $1000 I got 50-odd movies that I never would have purchased otherwise, most of which I enjoyed. In many cases it opened my eyes to whole categories of foreign genre cinema I would have missed otherwise -- say, modern Chinese neo-noirs. Life-changing is a stretch but I'm really happy with the purchase. https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/products/radiance-2025-bundl... for the next year bundle.
Under $100: second the rice cooker and bidet recommendations, although we're considering upgrading to a heated bidet.
$20 - slanted ceramic soap bar holder.
No more flubbing with liquid refills and added expense/weight of buying water with some soap mixed in.
Have years worth of bars in a small space under my sink.
Buy fancy soaps on vacation.
No more soap dish soapy-watery goop.
Can clean in a dishwasher.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ceramic-Leaf-Shape-Draining-Bathroom-K...
This is a very good thread, I’ve already saved a few items on Amazon, a rice cooker being one!
Under £100
- Electric toothbrush - this isn’t new, I’ve used one for 15 years or so but I couldn’t even imagine not using one
- A decent water bottle
- Creatine supplements
I’m sure there’s more but can’t think right now.
Under £1000 - Garmin Fenix watch, I’m sure this would apply to any watch that tracks calories, steps, sleep etc but having one with all this info on my wrist is something I could never go without.
BTW, cooked rice can be frozen and used later without too much loss of quality which can make a larger capacity rice cooker quite useful even if you don't have a large family.
The frozen rice should be fine for at least a month and still OK after a few months although with some loss of flavor and/or texture.
I'm single but have a 14 cup rice cooker. It was a Wirecutter budget choice. They said it makes great white rice but undercooks brown rice. I wanted it for brown rice, and addressed the undercooking by simply putting in enough rice to make 12 cups instead of 14 but filling the water to the 14 cup level so it will cook longer.
After cooking I divide it into 12 one cup plastic covered containers and into the freezer it goes.
I reheat the frozen rice by putting it in a bowl, spraying a little water on it. Enough to wet the frozen block but to not leave much loose water on the bottom of the bowl. I cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave for 3 minutes on high in a 1250 watt microwave.
Quick PSA - cooked rice needs to be refrigirated in small portions within 2 hours of cooking to avoid bacterial growth. It looks like you are aware of this, but bears repeating just in case.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_cereus#Pathogenesis
I'm subbed to /r/kitchenconfidential and improperly stored leftover rice is a well-known pitfall and a major concern during kitchen health inspections.
(< $500 category)
Legal doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical cannabis bud. Home cooked between 200-250F for an hour or so -- no smoking, only eating. Got highest grades (24-28% IIRC); eat only three fingertips pressed into very finely cut buds (pieces the size of a small peppercorn) -- so not very much. Dosage is not precise but close enough, and good for design and programming, for quite few hours, and can re-up after 4-5 hrs and have a good long day. And then a good night's sleep.
It's quite a difference not consuming whatever street cannabis is made with or packed into. It's far cleaner while active and gets flushed out gently and quickly.
I'm very grateful our (American) state finally legalized MM (medical marijuana), and allows telehealth evaluation and prescription, which was, itself, <$100. Then even 7g is <$100. That much lasts me months.
It'll prolly be a total of $400-500 for my first full year. Outstanding bargain and results, finally legally.
(Note: I suggest adding in some good fish oil for EFAs and such, for more optimal results -- <$50 a bottle.)
any links you can suggest on the practice of cooking and eating buds? its new to me.
Under 100; air fryer; always thought it was some useless fad but picked one up and will never go back.
Under 1000; xreal glasses and refurbisheb samsung flagship phone with dex. Finally have the portability I always craved.
Under $100: Electric toothbrush: Always hated having to brush my teeth and this makes it so much less tedious, also supposedly better for your teeth, from 1-2 times per day to 3 times every day.
Under $1000: Nespresso machine, was using a mocha pot before but the coffee is much easier to make, no cleanup, and tastes better.
Nespresso machines hide the coffee inside plastic capsules. Why?
1. You don’t know what coffee you get, you cannot really vary the coffee anymore and maybe try a different local one (where I live we have local coffee). Then you don’t even know if it’s just 100% coffee or they add something else
2. Why consuming plastic for a simple thing like a coffee? Plastic is NOT recycled in most of the countries and its bad for environment if not properly managed. Burning plastic increase pollution, but leaving it in the nature can take 500 years to dissolve. Why a simple thing like coffe powder, kept in a glass jar, used in a metal coffee mocha, now has to become the new trend to involve plastic? It’s literally the same thing, just worst for the environment.
They are aluminum and are recyclable. They even have a recycling program. Assuming you aren’t brewing a flavored one, it’s only roasted coffee inside.
I was a bit of a coffee geek and went all out on grinding and brew methods, but then got real busy… nespresso makes good coffee and is super fast.
The downside as you mention is you are stuck with their varieties and can’t geek out on trying different roasts / regions outside of what they offer. But for some people like me that is lower on my priorities now.
> The downside as you mention is you are stuck with their varieties and can’t geek out on trying different roasts / regions outside of what they offer.
Not exactly. In Thailand there are a lot of local roasters thad produce a compatible pods with fresh coffee from different origins. Also there are washable pods you can fill by yourself with new stuff, use, wash repeat
The stainless steel reusable pods seem nice. I’ll have to get them a shot.
I've never not used an electric toothbrush (our family has had one since the early to mid 90s I think), to me it sounds crazy that there are people discovering them in the 2020s.
Just get a proper one, the cheap ones are worse than doing it manually. And the most expensive ones with all the bluetooth crap are a ripoff. The only thing that really matters is the rpm or the amount of back and forth motions it does per second, the rest is fluff you may or may not need.
Honestly it was such a revelation once I bought it. didn't buy it sooner because spending £70 on a toothbrush (+ heads) would have been an unaffordable luxury, and anyway I didn't realise how much better it would be :)
I've used Nespresso for ages (still do at my partner's house), and it beats a Bialetti any day, but it's not cheap.
I found a good sweet spot (for me) in a Kamira: it's not as good as a proper espresso and maybe even Nespresso, but it's so much cheaper and still better than a Bialetti. Once you have the procedure down, it's a breeze; and because there are no electronics or pumps, it's unlikely to ever break (I honestly forgot when I got it, must have been at least 4-5 years ago).
Under £10 it’s not espresso but a Hario V60 and the James Hoffman recipe and good coffee beans beats any Nespresso for taste imo. I do drink Nespresso as well.
At least in France you can get a Nespresso machine "for free" of you buy enough coffee for a year (a very reasonable amount).
Otherwise you get promotions at 20 or 30€
It’s hard beating nespresso. You honestly either need to get real lucky with a bean to cup machine or get an espresso machine which is a lot more work.
Did you try a proper brewing technique? Nespresso tastes bad in comparison afterwards. Under a 1000$ you can get decent espresso makers, too.
I have a drip brewer (Moccamaster), mocha pot, Senseo, french press, Keurig machine, aeropress, pour over setup, e61-based espresso machine (a heat exchanger), and am upgrading to a dual boiler espresso machine. I also have a Nespresso machine.
Each can make very good coffee and none of them taste bad in comparison to any others.
But if your budget is $1000, I would avoid the espresso category because you also need a grinder and a great grinder is probably more than a budget espresso machine and more important for consistent and good shots.
Not the OP but I did try a lot. Couldn't get anywhere near a consistent brew. Switched to Aeropress and haven't looked back, since.
An Aeropress and a decent grinder will make a very good coffee with minimal cleanup. Been doing it that way for years.
Under $100: Breathe Right nasal strips.
You can get off-brand ones for about 10ct a strip. For 3 bucks a month I get much improved sleep.
Both of mine are sleep related today. I've been on a quest to improve my sleep for years and these two things have given me the most success.
Under $100: A weighted blanket. Okay, many of these are just over $100 - in the $130-200 range - but under $100 exists too. So comfy and makes it so much easier to fall asleep. Also great for panic attacks or anxiety generally.
Under $1,000: A CPAP machine. Technically mine was free with insurance, but for many people the cost will be $500-$1,000. If you have sleep apnea, or even suspect you do, please please please get a sleep study and a machine. It has changed my life.
Also, bonus, under $100,000: An electric vehicle. I love my Chevy Bolt. It's the best car I've ever owned and I doubt I'll ever go back to gas for a daily driver.
Under $100:
Plug-in electric hair clippers. During the pandemic I got something cordless and it was serviceable, but seemed to take a long time, and as the batteries drained the performance dropped significantly. I picked up a set at the store while getting groceries that plugs into the wall and everything is so much faster and easier with full power all the time. I can’t believe I suffered with the little cordless one for 3 years.
I was about to start going back to the barber shop, but when I saw the prices were 2-3x what I remembered, the new clippers paid for themselves in 1 or 2 cuts.
I got an awesome rice cooker (Zojirushi NeuroFuzzy) for around $200, and started buying "sushi rice" in 5 or 10 pound bags from various Japanese food companies on Amazon.
Being able to make extremely good rice just like the rice from a good restaurant is incredible, and even fancy rice is cheap enough when purchased in bulk that you end up saving a decent amount of money over time. It takes just a few minutes to wash the rice in the sink and then under an hour to cook it, and you can leave it in there for a while and it will keep it nice and warm.
It's really great with chicken or beef and vegetables cooked in a Japanese BBQ sauce (I like Bachan's, which you can buy in bulk jugs on Amazon for around $40).
Under $100: A cooking scale ~$30. It turns every bowl into a measuring cup, so recipes become fairly universal and easier to memorize.
Under $1000: Braun S9 Sport electric shaver ~$200. I can take it in the shower, streamlining my morning routine.
Under 1000:
- robot vacuum. Now my house gets vacuumed (that should tell you how much I hate doing it.)
- the bidet seat is not tremendously life changing but it's very helpful.
Under 100:
- a quality probe thermometer. I use it for everything baked and most ways of cooking meat. Nothing is over~ or undercooked anymore. I do have another one with 2 probes for bbq/smoking -- you can use the two in the point and flat of a brisket, which tend to cook to different temperatures, or use one to monitor temperature of the grill and the other for the meat. It's also bluetooth so I can monitor temps from the comfort of my computer desk.
- a good rice cooker. Frees up a burner, rice is done when you tell it to be done and it's always perfect.
> - a quality probe thermometer.
Can you recommend one you like? This is a hard thing to research without hitting fake reviews and blogspam. Not like there's an established brand a normal consumer would know about.
I guess that applies to a lot of things now.
https://www.thermoworks.com/ Makes excellent thermometer. Even at the low end
Yes, that's the one I use. I have a Thermopop and a Dot, which I use less often. It's an oven probe that you'd use on roasts and any large chunk of meat that takes some time.
Thermoworks is absolutely the established name brand. Their thermapens defined the market segment, but their other offerings (DOT) are also very high quality.
Not parent but look at Meater.
My friends and I all use it.
Which robo vaccum did you get?
It's a Eufy 30C max. There are probably newer models and higher end ones out there, though. There are robovacs that empty their own dustbins.
As someone that likes to cook, two things
1) Kitchen dish towels. The white with blue herringbone kind you see in restaurants or cooking content creators. I bought two dozen of them (~$1.65/each) and keep them all around the kitchen and use them with reckless abandon (some for drying, some for wiping spills, etc.). Having plenty of them means I can use one per day for general use and not run out by the time laundry day comes.
2) Deli containers. Picked up 48 in 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz sizes with airtight lids. Completely changed how I prep food and save leftovers. Almost entirely I've switched to using these over what hodgepodge of tupperware I have accumulated over the years.
While you are at Ikea, load up on a stack of $0.80 bowls. Those are great when cooking, for some mise-en-place action.
+1 for towels, IKEA sells them by a dozen.
Along the same vein - a good high-carbon knife, an end-grain cutting board and a Thermapen.
> Deli containers.
Man I would love these, but my zero-waste partner would kill me for not re-using the old jars...
Turn the jars into spare screws/bolts/etc.
Under $100:
- Head lamp
- Blinking led lamp for running.
I started running again. I have time after the kids are put to bed. I run outside of a small town where it's really dark (no street lights) so I need lots of lights on me. There are occasional cars and I don't want to be run over.
This is during the cold months. During summer it gets dark at 22ish at best.
Under $1000?
The automatic vacuum cleaner was more than this. I bought the most expensive one I could find that had good reviews. It washes the floor as well and cleans the pods used in hot water and soap.
Under $1000: A MIG welder with gasless wire (decent quality). It's like being in control of actual magic.
Under $100: cheating a bit, a Corsair K95 RGB keyboard from the local tip shop. Amazing to type on.
Which brand welder did you go for?
CIG. Might just be an Australian brand though
Welding is a hobby I picked up a couple of years ago. It is indeed like magic!
How did you pick it up? I am interested.
Initially, I asked everyone I knew if they knew of any welders in the area who weren't self taught. None of them knew anyone. I then decided to post an ad on Craigslist. In my ad, I stated that I had no equipment but was interested in learning stick welding and oxy-acetylene welding. I made it clear that I was wanted to learn how to weld safely (given the many hazards involved). I also mentioned that I was willing to pay the going rate. After my CL ad was up for a couple of weeks someone reached out to me indicating that they were interested and had the requisite background. It worked out great. He came to my house on Saturday mornings and brought the equipment. This approach worked great for me. Eventually, I had enough training time to want to buy my own welder. I discussed it with my instructor and he recommended a welder to match my interests and budget.
Just wait til you try an Inverter MIG w/CO2. OMG, so nice.
Yeah, a bit more than $1000 though, I paid $4k for my setup (but it does AC/DC TIG too).
Under $100 - Ember mug. No more reheating coffee a few times/day or trying to drink cold coffee. I was surprised at how much I enjoy it. A nice napkin holder that is easy to pull napkins from. Vertical magazine/tablet organizer. Whiteboard next to my desk. Anything simple that makes a frequent chore or task 50% easier.
Under $1000 - Twice/week 'house helper' who does dishes and laundry. My wife travels a few weeks/month and we have 2 kids. Having someone do all the dishes and laundry saves me at least 5hrs/week.
Okay, this is the fourth Ember recommendation I've seen, so I'll bite. Why is it better than an insulated carafe and an insulated mug?
It keeps the drink at a specific temperature indefinitely.
With an insulated mug, you aren't putting more heat into the drink but just trying to keep it for longer. In my opinion, insulation works great for cold drinks (I use a giant insulated cup for my cold drinks) but not so much for warm drinks.
The old (maybe incorrect) advice I was always told was that continuing to heat the coffee fouled the taste, hence the recommendation to use an insulated mug/thermos as opposed to a Mr. Coffee style warmed carafe. What makes this gadget different/better?
It would foul the taste because in an open carafe it distills the brew via evaporation.
If you don't let the water escape the taste stays fairly stable.
I meant concentrate, my mind is broken due to a cold and for some reason I'm not seeing an edit pathway on the mobile app I'm trying. Apologies.
That makes sense. The mug version of Ember (https://ember.com/products/ember-mug-2) is open on top, which seems like a fancy Bluetooth version of an old-school mug heater.
I could see the sealed one (the "Cup") as working better though.
Much of coffee's flavour comes from a balance of acids and oils. These, particularly the oils, are sensitive to temperature. But unless you're drinking your coffee all day, you're unlikely to notice it. Real spoiling sets in after several hours at the kinds of heat you're probably running your Ember mug at. Most drip brewers with heating elements for the pot keep the temperature too high (often just below boiling). A steady heat is much better for the flavour than reheating. (This is what I remember from working at a coffee shop way, WAY back when I was at university.)
It will hold my coffee at the perfect temperature all day. Also if the battery runs out I can put it on its charger and after ~5 mins it will start heating my now cold coffee back up to temperature. I thought it was kinda gimmicky too before I bought it but I am surprised at how great it is to have perfect temp coffee all the time.
Why do you take all day to drink a coffee? Mine is definitely gone by the time it gets cold in an insulated mug.
Sometimes I forget, sometimes I need to run an errand or take the kids to school or any number of things happen.
Yeah. I make tea in a 68 oz Zojirushi thermos. I don't do this a lot, but if I make it at night it's still reasonably warm in the morning.
The thermos has a sipping cup on top that I can pour a couple oz of tea into.
Who does the dishes? Do you mean cooking?
Dishwasher should take care of all dishes.
I mean washing pots & pans and things that can't go into the dishwasher and loading and unloading the dishwasher.
Everything can go in the dishwasher at least once. ;)
But, on a more serious note. Over the years I've replaced everything in my kitchen that isn't dishwasher friendly with something that is. I do not want to waste the small amount of free time I have doing any dishes.
Under $100:
A sleep blindfold with Bluetooth headphones built in. It's helped me become a deep sleeper.
1. Air fryer. I no longer do oil fry at all at home. Oil/fat has so many calories in it, depending on your cooking style this switch can help you a lot. I do still use a bit for flavor, but thats it.
2. Zwift and a bluetooth bike trainer. I swear my fitness improves over winter and decreases over summer... inverse from what I was previously doing. Also, I live in Iowa (very flat and the only resistance comes from the everpresent wind) so it's a different style of riding.
Under $100: “PureSleep” a mouth device to treat sleep apnea. I tried CPAP but drooled in the face-mask and had congestion with a nose-mask. PureSleep isn’t perfect, but I’m much healthier and productive with it. (I may spend more for a proper dentist-made device.)
Under $100 > Earfun Air Pro 3 - I wanted an affordable wireless earbud with great sound and decent ANC as an alternative to my Airpods Pro 1. This has pleasantly surprised me, and I use it more now than my aging Airpod Pro 1.
Under $1000 > Mackage down winter jacket my partner bought me 10 years ago. Investing in a great winter jacket makes winters much, much, much more bearable!
Under $100 – a Bluetooth receiver so I can use any studio-quality wired headphones or my car stereo with any Bluetooth transmitter (smartphone, computer, etc.). I use this thing every day!
Under $1000 - an e-scooter. It has completely transformed my relationship with my city. I rarely drive a car anywhere anymore. If, god forbid, my e-scooter were to break or get stolen tomorrow, I would immediately purchase a replacement.
What kind of city? I thought of getting one but suburban sprawl means I’m riding it on 45mph stroads.
Under $1000: Phillips Hue bulbs with color temperature.
In what ways do you customize/vary color temperature?
Redder prior to sleep.
What color temperature do you use in the daytime and what temperature before sleep?
Under $1000 - a power cage, a bench, an olympic weightlifting bar and a few hundred pounds of weight plates.
I never liked to go to the gym and having the essential tools at home have been the first time I've stuck with it. I've increased my strength substantially, lowered my body fat, and I generally have a better mental state with regular exercise incorporated into my weekly routine. It does require a good bit of space though.
Under $100: Not really a purchase, but a habit that involved several purchases. Making L. Reuteri "Yogurt" using half & half, biogaia tablets, mason jars, and a sous vide. Helped with gut issues.
Under $1000: An Ooni pizza oven. It's a relatively low-stakes investment and you can produce some pretty phenomenal pizzas after you get over your first few "catastrophe calzones". Just a nice weekend dad hobby.
Ooni - not the Volt model though as it doesn't go high enough to do proper Neapolitanas.
Trader Joe's kefir also has L. Reuteri.
A good stainless steel pan. I cook eggs there. It needs a certain technique to pull off, but once you learn it, the food tastes a lot better.
I bought a table saw during the pandemic. Best purchase ever.
I always wanted to get into woodworking, but I always felt I had to take courses.
Endless hours of YouTube videos and convinced me I could just do it, and the pandemic presented the opportunity and the time.
And voila, I now have tables, desks, a fire pit, bookshelves, all done with the help of that table saw.
If I recall, it was like $450 on Amazon.
we had something about that tier - a dewalt. I watched my wife struggle with it, trying to hold square while building cabinets. It was so frustrating to me just watching her, that two years ago I went and bought her a nice saw stop deal. It cost me about $3k, but the fence holds square, its easy to adjust, quiet, and it just works.
Under $100: Some cable management boxes for my desk. No more unsightly power strips and tangles of cables. They go great with velcro cable ties.
Under $1000: A warm water bidet. I had a cold water one for years, but on winter mornings it was...challenging. When it broke I replaced it with an electronic alternative. Uranus is no longer an ice planet.
High end noise cancelling headphones (we have the Bose). Literal game changer if you have a snoring partner and sleeping is difficult.
Under $100: a shoes dryer - a real life saver when you have a kid with favorite pair of shoes and unexplained love for puddles
Does that work much better than just putting the shoes in front of a cheap box fan?
Under $100: Voice Dream Reader app. I'm not using it as much lately but I must have listened to thousands of articles and hundreds of books with it. I used to drop all sorts of articles and epubs on it.
Under $1000: noise cancelling headphones (qc35 was the first). Living in a busy city with a lot of noise ANC gives me peace.
An iPad Mini. It’s disconnected from all of my accounts and has none of my apps. It gets zero notifications. I strictly use it to sketch and read. It got me to do both a lot more.
AirPods Pro. They are truly wondrous little things. The new ones are even better. It’s crazy just how much use I get out of them.
I got a sound system for TV watching that supports Dolby Atmos to watch movies and TV shows at home. It's been great. I rarely go to the movies any more and this makes watching movies great.
It also made me realize how bad certain streaming services are - Youtube, which don't support Atmos and multi-channel audio.
I spent $0 and I did nothing for a month. Best time I ever spent and my mind was much clear.
Under $100: lightweight battery operated LED headlamp
See and be seen in the dark, while keeping your hands free. Great for taking out the garbage or checking the mail at night, especially because we don’t have much lighting outside (unless it’s a full moon) due to light pollution regulations.
About $100: dynamo-powered light setup for my bicycle. Never forget lights, and they’re always bright.
Now that the weather is nice I got a helinox chair and a small goal zero yeti and with my a wifi hotspot I can go work in the park outdoors or on a patio all day.
It's heavenly.
I also love my bluetooth headphones with Noise Cancellation. I can be in my own world at the gym, at work, at the coffeeshop.
Under $1000:
- Pellet ice machine. I use the GE Opal. It’s life changing! - Dyson battery stick vacuum. Worth the premium
Under $100:
- Capresso milk frother - Moka classic coffee machine. These two together are both fun and you make better Starbucks style lattes at home.
Quies ear plugs. I sleep much much better at night. I haven't slept this well in decades.
I had ear plugs made to size. I think they were 50-100eur. They're comfortable, easy to clean, and very good at their job. I have a pair for sleeping which blocks out pretty much all noise, and another pair for loud concerts which reduce sound without muffling it.
Daily multi-focal contact lenses
Yo Yo Desk Bike - bought it second hand as a bit of fun. Figured if it was rubbish id sell it again
But its really good - I spend my first hour or two at work pedalling away while working
I dont class it as real exercise but its good fun
Cardboard bed frame - they are very quiet and stable and costs 5-10x less than wood.
Ear loops. They're a cheap, portable solution for dampening noise. I live in a big city and I also like to go out to bars and noisy places. I can walk around with noisy traffic and it doesn't really bother me anymore.
I had Copilot summarize for me - Under $100
Household and Kitchen Tools:
An air purifier. Note that they'll try to sell you on an infinite supply of replacement filters, but if you do the maintenance aggressively, you keep much of the benefit even just reusing the same filter.
Besides that, they say to never cheap out on anything that goes between you and the ground. Car tires appear to be a scam but most everything else works. Advice for specific items will be highly specific to where you are and what you do, but a general observation is: an object stops being effective long before it breaks entirely.
Since we're computer people, I would point out that there's a huge difference between a $150 ergonomic office chair and a $50 office chair. (though changing position is also important)
Under $100: cupping set for neck/back pain. $20 Amazon. all the same but if you get one with an extension tube you can do it yourself. Otherwise someone else has to perform it.
under 1000k: dyson vacuum cleaner with laser light (!)- the thing is amazing.. i actually see the progress now and vacuum cleaning is fun all of a sudden! almost relaxing.
Under $100 - Kobo Clara HD Under $1000 - Supernote Nomad
Both are part of my everyday carry. Kobo is amazing for my commute. Supernote nomad was a game changer for notetaking.
Under $1k - electric scooter for $600 from hiboy.
Costs nothing to recharge, no insurance, no license.
It was a one time payment with recurring fun on every use.
Under $100 - tracydog vibrator. More spice.
Assuming the US - are they legal to ride on roads or pavements? In the UK they are not.
Best just keep it in the bedroom.
Every city, county and/or state can typically provide their own rules for this.
Typically in most states they're not permitted on sidewalks except for specialized medical mobility scooters.
Legal anywhere bicycles are legal.
I bought a MagSafe charger for my iPhone to keep at my desk. It’s very convenient, I love it.
Aeroshox bone conduction headphones
Edit: Oh I completely forgot my favorite piece of software rcmd paired with mapping my capslock to right command. Deterministic app switching is amazing. After years of changing up workflows to be grid, spaces, etc, based I finally have my perfect workflow that works on single and multi monitor setups.
DE razor.
Bidet.
Squatty potty.
Morning breakfast is now hulled barley (ground to powder) porridge, the beta glucan (more than in oatmeal) in it makes my entire digestive situation better I prefer it over cream of wheat or oatmeal (which I find disgusting). Barley and humans just really have a thing going, I just add water from my hot water tank, throw in a little sweetener and microwave for 1 min. It's and amazing whole grain hot breakfast.
A hot water tank in the kitchen.
Under 1k: Rollerblades, I'm nearing 40 and started to notice I'm slowing down some, picking up rollerblading is amazing for balance and flexibility, I have massively improved my cognition, balance and flexibility, it's a crazy core workout I find myself just tooling around for hours trying to do new moves at increasingly faster speeds.
free: permanently leaving my phone on do not disturb.
Can provide the amounts of barley & water that you use for your daily breakfast? Thanks.
I just eyeball it and make sure the water is incorporated into a well mixed slurry, you have to watch it because it expands quite a bit while microwaving and can overflow a bowl if your bowl is too small.
If you have too little water before microwaving it, it won't expand but you'll need to mix in more hot water afterwards otherwise the texture will be subpar.
Barley is cheap, I'd just start with less than a quarter cup ground powder and go from there.
Raspberry Pi 400 as my home internet and exercise video computer.
Under $100:
* Moving Dolly / transporte roller - Just four wheels attached to a wood board for moving stuff from/to the cellar. Best money ever spent.
* Lamy Safari fountain pen - I got tired of plastic pens and wanted to try fountain pens with a converter. Turns out an inkpot lasts more than 1 year. Probably 2.
* Pentel pocket brushpen. Addictive to use. Made me draw again.
Sous vide machines are like $40. No more tough steaks.
Unfortunately, a few bacteria strains can survive the process.
And can’t regular frying?
There's a very interesting article on this:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9313622/
In short, if you want to be 100% safe, you should combine it with other techniques to make sure all bacteria have been eliminated.
mattress topper the old saw, for people like me is get good boots and a good bed,because if your not in one,your in the other
You didn't tell yours yet! :-)
Semi digital nomad here:
1. A good backpack [1]. I bought one in such a way that it is technically too big for aircrafts but in such a way that aircrafts won't bother you with it. Mine has 45L and expands to 55L. I got in trouble for it twice. I've flown like 50 times. When I got in trouble for it, I just put everything in my pockets and I'm good to go.
2. A Quikflip rain coat [2]. It's a coat and can transform into a big. Sometimes you need both at the same time, which is a bit iffy but it's harder to forget this raincoat and it is harder to forget this bag compared to other bags/raincoats.
3. A long coat, cut out the pockets so that the whole coat becomes a pocket. I put stuff in here when the airlines are being annoying. I bought mine at a second hand place for $25.
4. Airtags: "where did I put my keys?" BEEP "oh there!"
5. Merino whool socks, underwear, shirts and sweaters. Only got one sweater? That's like 4 days worth of sweaters! It down regulates temperature when it's hot and up regulates temperature when it's cold. Only downside: you need to take good care of them.
6. Tinder: to be fair, I needed to get my hacker mindset to go from 1 match per month to 100 matches per month (it took me a few months to figure out how to get good pictures - average people can look photogenic!). I met my wife on the app, best $120 ever.
7. A dating coach. 12 years back I went to a convention for $100 and a dating coach that wasn't really commercial charged me $400 for being a full week with him. He took me and another person. He just wanted some pocket change while traveling. He changed my life. I've had other dating coaches way above $1000 that didn't help so much. It's about the click first and foremost.
8. Getting diagnosed by a psychologist. This happened quite recently. I knew I was neurodivergent, now I know how I'm neurodivergent and how it screws with my sleep. There's a very big chance I have a melatonin defficiency. I need to test that. In terms of social skills, I've been thriving thanks to #7 and #10. I now see what kind of support I should ask at work (in my case: the ability to work flexible hours is huge).
9. Dutch time-released Melatonin (0.1 mg per tablet) - see #8. I take 0.3 mg two hours before going to bed. My sleep has gone from a 3.5 to a 7 out of 10.
10. meditation retreat [3], it's on a donation basis and I've paid less than $1000. My first retreat was 14 years back. Related the Search Inside Yourself book from Chade-Meng Tan to learn more about meditation. Meditation has allowed me to deal much better with neurotypicals, without realizing as I started meditating 15 years ago whereas my diagnosis is new.
11. Some ear protection blockers that construction workers use for sleep (also for in the plane). I have tinnitus so can't use earplugs well. I could use earphones with noise cancellation but they run out after 4 to 6 hours, waking me up (and it's hard for me to fall asleep). You need to get used to it but afterwards it works fine. An eye mask too. I've slept in the loudest, brightest places and got to sleep well.
12. Spotify: my music listening is much more varied now and it's an automatic mood booster if I don't listen too much. So I use it as a pick me up for when I become gloomy. It took 2 years to get good enough curated playlists for that though.
13. A curated list of downloaded cooking videos from YouTube from recipes that I love that are now linked to in an google spreadsheet that I share with my wife. "What should we have for dinner?" 3 suggestions from the spreadsheet works, videos are there.
14. Traveling and because of it feeling more free to meet people. I met my wife in Valencia, for example.
15. Macbook M1 2020, I have 2. I use the 32 GB version as my "always on computer" and it is with some family members of mine. It sometimes runs certain scripts, I can always use it as a server, etc. The 16 GB version, I travel with. Downloading an LLM on the 32 GB is also more easy and the LLMs are more useful. I've saved my friends a lot of time with the scripts that my "always on computer" has been running (chrome plugins that monitor certain websites and sends push notifications to them).
16. Nothing Ear earphones [4]. If you're in a loud cafe, these are the only earphones that give you a good chance that the call quality is still good. They're better than whatever Apple offers (I have every Apple product).
17. Gyokuru green tea: good nootropic. Ceremonial grade matcha: same. Coffee hits too hard. This is more smooth.
18. A $300 chef's knife from a Japanese brand. I think I could've optimized a bit more, but it is really useful to know how a sharp knife "should cut". My knife is an Anryu Knives Aogami Super Walnut Gyuto 21 cm.
I'll leave it at this. I've noticed quite a few of these entries weren't in there, so I figured I'd share my list and view. If you like it, feel free to reach out!
My email is in my profile.
[1] https://www.snowcountry.eu/lowe-alpine-airzone-camino-trek-3...
[2] https://www.quikflipapparel.com/products/dryflip-rain-jacket...
[3] dhamma.org
[4] https://us.nothing.tech/
Under $100: Rosemary shampoo. Mostly never have to worry about lice.
Under $100:
- NEXUS ($50 for 5 years). Comes with TSA Pre and Global Entry.
- ChatGPT $20/mth and Claude $20/mth. Completely changed how I ideate and work.
- Cosori Air Fryer $70 + a stack of wax paper. Changes my food bill and health. I can buy a bunch of healthy stuff from Costco, and make delicious meals daily in under 20 mins.
- AirTags ($28/piece). I tag my car, my luggage, my wallet, my keys, etc. And I never get anxious again.
- Black socks from Amazon. I bought 17 pairs of identical black socks, so I don’t ever have to match socks again. I can just grab any two.
- Samsers folding Bluetooth Keyboard $60. I pair this compact foldable keyboard with my iPhone and iPad, so I can type with an actual keyboard anywhere I go.
There are also a bunch of high quality grooming tools like a Panasonic electric razor, Tweezerman tweezers, rounded scissors, etc. that improveme my quality of life. There’s also a clever porcelain $4 toothbrush holder from Muji that is amazing. There’s also a toothpaste squeezer from Amazon.
Health wise, I’ve gotten better sleep from heavy curtains which blocks street noise. Also a wedge pillow has helped decrease snoring. An Aroma USB heated eye mask has helped with dry eye.
Under $1000:
- $180 per pair - 2 pairs of AirPods Pro 2. ANC for 10 hour work day, peace of mind.
- $200 Apple Watch Series 7. I charge it twice a day when I shower but otherwise I wear it all the time. Great for health tracking and sleep alarm, but it’s most useful feature for me is Apple Pay. I pay for stuff with a double click on the dial, no need to whip out my phone. It also unlocks my Mac automatically. I used to wear Tissots but no more. I’m sold on Apple Watch.
- $180 Levoit humidifier
- $200 Coway Air purifier.
- $100 Allbirds shoes. They’re expensive but I’ve had mine for 4 years, worn daily. They’re tech bro shoes but they do live up to their reputation.
- $120 Patagonia Better Sweater vest. This is more of a finance bro getup but it is warm and pairs with anything and still looks smarter than a hoodie. This matters. As much as tech people don’t care about dressing well, the person who dresses just a bit better gets taken just a bit more seriously. Humans are hardwired for superficial things unfortunately.
- $150/week up to deductible (I have HSA so high deductible but folks on FSA can get therapy for more cheaper plus most therapists have sliding scale). Best investment ever is weekly therapy sessions. I’ve worked through so many things that I’m a much more regulated person and am able to heal from a lot of stuff that were affecting new relationships. I wish I did this 20 years sooner.
+1 on a large number of matching socks. My only problem is my wife and kids keep taking them because they can’t match their own socks
Under $1000
A hoselink hose. Pricy but worth every penny when you need to reel it in or pull it out.
Under $100
The Konnected smart garage door opening
Far superior to the company that took much of their business behind a paywall
> the company that took much of their business behind a paywall
Chamberlain?
instant pot
Bug-a-Salt
Bug-a-salt