58 ms·

Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

• drew-y 10y ago
  The 1996 Mazda Miata. Super simple, reliable and fun to drive.
  • SwellJoe 10y ago
    First gen Miata was even simpler, and similarly fun to drive, though not quite as fast or comfortable as what came later. It had a certain charm that I still like a lot whenever I see a well-maintained one driving around.
  • patrickk 10y ago
    Many Japanese cars from the 90s-early 2000s fit the bill. Civic, Skyline, Supras, MR2, RX7, S2000, Subaru WRX, Lancer Evos, many many more. If you like this sort of thing, check out this hilarious and informative youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mightycarmods https://www.youtube.com/user/mightycarmods
  • c0nducktr 10y ago
    Yeah my first car was a 1990 Miata, which I ended up selling, and then later after regretting selling the first one, bought a '97. I haven't driven another car I like more than the NA series Miata.
• clumsysmurf 10y ago
  Zebralight H52 headlamp with eneloops http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_120.html http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_1...
  • falsedan 10y ago
    > eneloops Kind of amazed at eneloops, usually moreso than whatever they're powering
• apankrat 10y ago
  Aeron chair. Aeropress. EIZO monitors - http://www.eizo.com http://www.eizo.com uTorrent, the older versions. Dead serious about uTorrent. One of the best designed and engineered pieces of software ever. Everything you need, where you expect it to be, doing exactly what it should be doing, and nothing more.
  • kchoudhu 10y ago
    I haven't used bittorrent since about 2010. Would a 2006 era uTorrent client still be able to speak to today's network?
    • ky738 10y ago
      Fairly easy to download uTorrent 2.x and it works fine on Windows 10 :)
    • trelliscoded 10y ago
      Yes, mostly due to protocol backwards compatibility. If you stopped using it because of ads, check out pi-hole.
  • Raphael 10y ago
    Deluge and qBitTorrent look much the same.
  • itchynosedev 10y ago
    Sitting on one now. What makes you enjoy its design? I have bought the remastered one a week ago and find myself difficult to fit into it properly (the sizing is right). I feel like the lower back support requires you to fit very rigidly in and one of the reasons I got it was it was advertised in one of promo videos as the chair that moves with the body. I am quite average height and a bit below average on weight but wondering what prevents me from really loving it. It's one of the most beautifully built, though that's for sure.
    • throwanem 10y ago
      I have the adjustable lumbar support, and I know what you mean about fitting into it. Wiggle your rear end a bit and see if you don't settle into place; I've found it makes a world of difference. Failing that, perhaps switching to the non-adjustable support might help.
• broswell 10y ago
  Linotype Line Casting Machine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linotype_machine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linotype_machine
  • dredmorbius 10y ago
    I just ran across a video on how those work (through the History of Information website -- a dangerous timesink but an absolutely fascinating site). The flow of matrices, keyboard, roman and italic typefaces, justification, casting, and return mechanism for the matrices (keyed by teeth) is absolutely fascinating. A study in mechanical logic. Even the automated linotype -- via punched tape -- was only a bolted-on (literally) extension of the original. Here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6wHiddZOfa8 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6wHiddZOfa8
• jgamman 10y ago
  Swagelok - literally everything in the catalogue.
• tedmiston 10y ago
  Herman Miller Embody chair AeroPress Muji pocket notebooks
  • richardw 10y ago
    Love the Embody. It's something I recommend 100% when people have chair issues. Had it for probably 5 years and it should easily hit the 12 year guarantee they give. Issue: cats love it too, so I often have a towel on it to protect against their scratching tendencies. Looks less sexy but whatever.
• vinchuco 10y ago
  The Curta handheld mechanical calculator https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13120233 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13120233
  • Baeocystin 10y ago
    I'm not much of a collector, but I have always wanted one of those. Beautiful design.
    • prezjordan 10y ago
      FWIW if you're not collector you can find some with a repaired handle for cheap! They'll pop up on eBay every once in a while.
      • Baeocystin 10y ago
        Thanks for the heads up! I had not realized that the handle was a common point of failure, and such a thing (if properly repaired ) wouldn't bother me in the least. Any recommendations on what particular sub-model to keep an eye out for?
• conjecTech 10y ago
  Hardware: Zojirushi mugs Creative zen mp3 players Staedtler writing utensils Software: Linux utils, particularly those born out of Bell Labs ggplot Keras
  • outericky 10y ago
    Zojirushi mugs. Magical.
• tradersam 10y ago
  My jet black iPhone 7. A bit of a cop-out answer, but I'll be damned if it isn't the best looking, most comfortable (I use it without a case, and enjoy it), and best overall designed thing I own.
  • gjstein 10y ago
    I almost completely agree with this. The camera is fantastic, but if it didn't stick out from the bottom (or if there were something to balance it on the other side) the iPhone 7 would be the perfect product. I don't like that it doesn't lay flat, and I can't fathom why the iPad Pro's were made in the same way.
    • richardwhiuk 10y ago
      I use it with Apple's leather case which solves this problem.
      • tradersam 10y ago
        I've been thinking about picking one of these up (used it with the 6 and SE) but I'm afraid of it ruining the sleek feel of the 7.
    • ClassyJacket 10y ago
      And considering battery life is nowhere near a consistent full day, to the extent that people are regularly using portable batteries, there's no excuse for making it so thin the camera has to protrude.
      • tradersam 10y ago
        My job prevents me from using my phone at my desk for PCI compliance reasons, so the battery regularly lasts 2 days for me. I even play 3D games at lunch (ex: X-Plane) and it holds up fine.
  • bigiain 10y ago
    Yeah - it's a really nice object, huh? It reminds me a lot of the first time I held(/fondled) the very original iPod - it felt (at the time) like damn-near-magic alien technology. (Somebody else mentioned an eInk Kindle, for me that doesn't come close - sure that screen is really nice to read, but as an _object_ it feels, I dunno, plasticy and uninteresting...)
• jimmies 10y ago
  Aesthetically pleasing: - The Palm Pre (1st edition). It is an absolutely amazing, brilliant piece of hardware (especially back in 2009) that fits just right in my hand like a pebble. The curved screen is brilliant to the eyes and to the touch. It also has an interface that is not cluttered and busy like shit in other mainstream OSes then, and now. But I mainly like things that are designed for ease of maintenance: - The iPhone 4s and iPhone 5. Like the iPhone or hate it, but the iPhone is a marvelous engineering feat. First, the amount of components it could hold. Second, how strong and robust it is for such a small body. Third, how easy it is to replace the most vulnerable component, the screen. - The iPod Nano 2nd Edition. It is such a timeless design that is extremely small and practical. It is really easy to open up the iPod Nano should you need to replace the battery, too. - Dell Chromebook 13 and Acer Chromebook 720: It took 8 screws to open them and get to the battery, CMOS, RAM, SSD, CPU, WLAN card. - Sony Walkmans. It was an eye-opening experience to see a player that is barely bigger than a tape, with features packed in it in the era of tapes, moving motors, pulleys, cogs and such. But my most admired understated design has to be the Thinkpad line. About 10 years ago, when computers were hot, clunky, and easy to break; I had a friend asking me to look at her coffee spilled Thinkpad T42 or T43 (I think). I just moved to the US for college for a month and had only a screwdriver toolset. Thankfully to its brilliant design [1], it only took a single screwdriver to lift the whole keyboard and touchpad up and get to everything, including the CPU. And the keyboard was spill resistant, so not that much liquid leaked either. I asked my roommate to take me to the nearest Radioshack to get a tube of heat spreader, and dried the whole thing with a hairdryer. It worked like new. I could still remember the horror of opening Dell D6x0 laptops at my college IT department. What a fucking joke of a design - there is nothing good I could say about those "business machines" on the inside. It got to the point that if anything went wrong with those computers, the IT department just called the "Dell guy" to go fix it. 5 years ago, I even bet my roommate to pour a cup of water on a running Thinkpad. It survived. And the Thinkpads now are barely different from the Thinkpads then and the Thinkpads from the beginning. It says something about the design, does it? 1: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/IBM+ThinkPad+T42+Teardown/2952 https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/IBM+ThinkPad+T42+Teardown/29...
  • eli 10y ago
    The modern ThinkPads are a lot harder to take apart, even though they superficially look very similar. The T42/43 was a tank. I saw one take such a hard fall that the frame bent and it still booted up.
• mlkmt 10y ago
  Midori traveler's notebook. A great example of wabi-sabi design.
• Kaibeezy 10y ago
  Vertx tactical trousers / shorts - cargo without the bulk, inner magazine pockets hold phones steady rather than flailing around, gussets and pleats for flex Hario V60 coffee cone - perfect results, cheap Ball tritium watches - a watch you can always read in the dark, even after 14 hours of Arctic night
• jameskilton 10y ago
  Dyson vacuum cleaners. I have never once wondered "how do I do this?" when using my Dyson. From cleaning, to extensions, switching modes, and just plain using the thing, every inch of these vacuums is designed to the utmost degree to make them not only super powerful suction machines but also trivially easy to use.
  • dbg31415 10y ago
    Are you kidding me? These plastic toys break like 4 months in. Would never buy another one. Luckily I bought it at Costco so I could return it.
    • jameskilton 10y ago
      Don't know. I've had mine for > 6 years now, not a single problem with it. Newer ones aren't as good?
      • dbg31415 10y ago
        3-4 years ago maybe? DC 33 I think is what I had. The little hose that connected to the bottom near the spinning brush wouldn't stay connected... I had to put duct tape on it... And one of the wheels came out of it's little "axel" and wouldn't stay in... had to super glue that. The canister button broke... had to use like a paper-clip to wiggle that open. And what I think was a major design flaw... When I turned it on, it took like 30 seconds to actually get any suction... when I contacted support on that they said it had to build up pressure. So I would turn the vacuum on, let it sit for a minute before I could use it. Total joke. I wasted time taking it to a repair shop that offered to replace the motor... for basically the cost of a new one. Dyson wouldn't cover it. Anyway they don't make that model any more... and if you're happy with what you got, I'm happy for you. I wasn't happy with what I got and Dyson made me take it back to Costco instead of offering to stand behind their product. I want to say it was something like $400... seems like for that price they should stand behind it. https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-DC33-Multi-Floor-Upright-Bagless/product-reviews/B0043EW354/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=avp_only_reviews https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-DC33-Multi-Floor-Upright-Bagles...
• ronilan 10y ago
  A spoon. Too bad there is none.
• hemisphere 10y ago
  The Kinesis Advantage contoured ergonomic keyboard. Once you've used it for a few weeks, regular keyboards feel awkward and uncomfortable. They are pricy and completely worth it.
  • nunez 10y ago
    Not for me. I've tried this (quite expensive) keyboard for two weeks. It was awkward to use and really, really complicated. The best non-mechanical keyboard I've used is a $20 Anker 84-key Wireless keyboard. It's extremely comfortable, and extremely portable.
    • hkmurakami 10y ago
      That keyboard took me 3 months to use (to be fair I was also switching to Dvorak). Luckily (?) this was while I was sidelined in a bike to car a collision. I have struggled with RSI and it really changed my life. But I agree it's not for everyone. For starters you definitely need large hands!
      • wishinghand 10y ago
        Do you think you can separate out which benefitted you more- the ergonomic keyboard or a Dvorak layout?
    • allan_wind 10y ago
      You may have given up prematurely. It took me a month or so to get used to it. I used the Kinesis Freestyle before, still expensive, but lasted me for years and years.
    • skortchmar 10y ago
      I had one for around 6 months and always found it frustrating to use. Eventually gritted my teeth and started to use it all the time and it's been a huge relief on my hands. Considering getting another one for home so I don't have to lug it back and forth to the office.
  • 10y ago
• sky_projektor 10y ago
  Combs! Best designed, as somebody said, haven't changed for centuries!
• cpt1138 10y ago
  The Reddit app on IOS. Something has always bothered me about most of the apps on IOS but I couldn't put my finger on it until I started using the reddit app. The UX is so good that it makes everything else feel awkward. I think that everything else was actually awkward and that's what I didn't like. Cutco knives. All my life I've known what makes a good knife and that you should pay a lot. I think this is fine in the rare case that you have some someone to sharpen and hone them for you every day. Since getting Cutco knives I've come to realize that no other knives are for regular home use where you never have the time or skill to properly care for "other" knives. Fixed gear bikes. I ride bikes a lot and when I finally got a fixie it was like that was finally the bike that felt like an extension of myself. I watched some videos about how cassettes work and understand the effect of being directly connected is what I'm feeling.
  • macd 10y ago
    I dunno about the cutco thing. You could get a really nice chefs knife, paring knife, bread knife, boning knife, honing steel + a set of 5 steak knives + the best electric sharpener for less than the price of their small set ($682). I would say most people never bother to send in their knives for sharpening (or know/care that they're not sharp anymore), plus shipping knives is a pain and you are out those knives while they're being sharpened. Plus the "guilt trip your neighbors/friends/parent's coworkers into a sale" strategy doesn't really sit well with me.
    • cpt1138 10y ago
      That's exactly what I mean. I've spent hundreds of dollars on "great" knives that I never bothered to send in for sharpening that I never use. The ones that I STILL DO NOT send in for sharpening and remain ultra sharp are the ones I use constantly.
  • halbritt 10y ago
    Cutco is crap. Part and parcel of using a knife is learning to sharpen one. Counter-example: Tojiro DP... Amazing knives for the price.
• sprobertson 10y ago
  The mid-2014 MacBook Pro. I fear that one day I will have to upgrade to a poorly reviewed newer model, or change my system entirely.
  • Veen 10y ago
    Unless you really need a lot of processing power or ram, the backlash against the new MacBooks is overblown. I was hesitant to get one, but I've been very happy with it. The screen is incredible,the keyboard is excellent, and it's by no means a slow computer for most tasks. The touchbar is a wash as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't add much, but it doesn't hurt much either.
    • spilk 10y ago
      the most painful design loss on the new MBPs is the lack of MagSafe. When that came out it was just so obvious that it was the best way to do it, but now it is gone.
      • Veen 10y ago
        I do miss the MagSafe from my old Air, but I like being able to power the Pro from either side. It means the cable isn't put under tension or draped across my knee when I'm using it on my lap and the outlet is inconveniently placed.
      • andrei_says_ 10y ago
        And complete lack of upgrewdability.
  • Willamin 10y ago
    I made the jump from a late 2011 MBP to the late 2016 MBP with touch bar. While I wouldn't recommend it to just everyone, I've been very pleased with it. If you're the kind of person that regularly needs all of the ports that the new MBP lacks (specifically without dongle or dock) then it's not the computer for you.
  • bigiain 10y ago
• red-indian 10y ago
  Bostitch No-Jam Booklet Stapler Trombone Violin Dozuki Saws Atlatl
• synicalx 10y ago
  Odd answer, but probably a Blackberry Passport. Clean and sturdy design, OS is on point (assuming you dont use many 3rd party apps), keyboard is brilliant - it leverages the benefits of a physical keyboard and adds the flexibility of touchscreen keyboards. Not to mention the screen, never thought I'd enjoy using a 1:1 screen but it's so good for reading on. Outside of technology, probably my old man's Eames Classic. I don't even know how old it is, he's had it since he moved out of home 40+ years ago so it's definitely not new. Still comfortable, leather is still in good condition (although it does need cleaning), and it's as solid as a tank.
  • Inconel 10y ago
    I've never owned a Blackberry before but the Passport Silver Edition is one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones I've ever seen. This is the studio responsible for it's design[1] if you're interested in some of their other work. [1]http://objectsandideas.com/projects#/passport-silver-edition/ http://objectsandideas.com/projects#/passport-silver-edition...
    • synicalx 10y ago
      Nice find there, I think I can safely say I like just about everything that studio has done.
  • yousifa 10y ago
    +1 on blackberry. Their keyboard is the most intuitive and comfortable keyboard I have used. BB OS10 was the best designed OS, guestures were intuitive, design was beautiful. It's unfortunate they didn't make it as a dominant platform in the smartphone era.
    • synicalx 10y ago
      I agree, I'd love to see another BB OS phone or two but I think the Passport was their last stand. The Android phones are good and the BB apps work well even on other phones, but it's just not the same. I'll still follow the Mercury very closely because it looks promising, but I'm not sure I really trust Android to begin with.
• wj 10y ago
  Weber Kettle grill (love their smoker as well but points knocked off for cleanup). I have always found Microsoft keyboard and mice to be well designed.
  • sizzzzlerz 10y ago
    I love the Weber as well but you need to take care of them. Look at one wrong and it starts to rust.
• kasperset 10y ago
  Lamy 2000: https://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/2000/101 https://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/2000/101 iMac
• nunez 10y ago
  Apple MacBooks are the best laptops that I have ever used. Nothing comes close to them. Even my Surface. It's a great device (by far the best Windows laptop/convertible available), but it misses on some details (light bleed on the edges, kickstand doesn't align all the way)
  • ryanSrich 10y ago
    The Metal Unibody Macbooks have been first in class since the first introduction in 2008. It's truly a remarkably designed machine.
    • tvmalsv 10y ago
      I agree. I have a mid-2009 15" MBP to which I long ago maxed-out the RAM and replaced the HDD with an SSD, and it's still my daily driver. About the only time I notice its age is when I do something involving very heavy disk i/o. While it is an SSD, it's still only SATA II. The vast majority of the time I don't even notice. It's been a great machine.
  • taneq 10y ago
    My old Snow Leopard MBP was pretty much perfect in its day. It's long in tooth now but with a new battery and an SSD upgrade would still be well and truly usable as a general web-and-email machine.
    • kifki 10y ago
      I still own&use one; I upgraded SSD and ram an it is still pretty ok for small web dev and internet browsing.
    • pidg 10y ago
      I upgraded everything in my Snow Leopard-era 13" MBP and it was still running fine until I stupidly spilled water on it last month. Now replaced by a 2015 13" MBP, which feels almost identical (although that Retina screen is goooood... as is the HDMI port). And I can still sell most of the 2011 MBP parts on eBay to get some of my investment back!
• FreakyT 10y ago
  Another odd one, but my Honda Fit 2nd Generation. So many things about that car are so well thought-out, and even more expensive/luxurious cars miss things that the Fit designers included. Some examples: - Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing. - Window power remains on after turning off the car as long as doors haven't been opened, allowing you to close the windows even if you forget to close them before turning off the car. - Rear seats can fold completely flat, thanks to the fact that the fuel tank is below the front seats - Large, unique-feeling tactile buttons and knobs to control the AC heating, and audio systems. So many cars use tiny identical buttons that are impossible to distinguish without looking.
  • bonniemuffin 10y ago
    Agreed-- the flexible interior layout is particularly incredible. It feels like the inside is bigger than the outside. It's crazy that I can fit a dining table, or a load of 2x4s, or five adults and their camping gear, in a subcompact car that I can also parallel park in even the tiniest spots. If you have a roof rack and a rear hitch you can really turn it up to 11.
    • ethbro 10y ago
      On the subject of car ergo, a 2000 Miata NB. As someone who is 6'+, I'm consistently amazed at how comfortably I fit. It makes you realize how much wasted space there is in most car interiors.
      • al452 10y ago
        Almost this. I'm 6'2", can't sit in the NB without bumping my head on the roof bars when closed. But had a 1995 NA for about 5 years and that was just incredibly comfortable. Could fit a remarkable amount in the boot too.
  • saryant 10y ago
    I have a 2011 Fit Sport. Great little car. Doesn't hurt that it's dirt cheap to maintain and insure. I have maxed-out liability limits on my policy and only pay $35 a month.
• boulos 10y ago
  The Lido 2 Coffee Grinder: http://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-LIDO-2-Manual-Coffee-Grinder_p_14.html http://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-LIDO-2-Manual-Coffee-Grinde... Heath Coffee Mugs Trains in Switzerland (including the great app!) Hosu (chair) Cutipl (silverware) Emile Henry Flameware (Dutch Oven) Mountain Collective Ski Pass Black Diamond Hiking Poles
  • closed 10y ago
    What brewing method do you use the grinder for? I've been using a blade grinder for French press, and the grind is so uneven that part of me feels like it probably doesn't matter, but the other part feels like a barbarian.
    • boulos 10y ago
      The point of the Lido 2 is that it's incredibly consistent (I do French press myself). I'd highly recommend that if you have a standard (presumably electric) blade grinder that you consider an upgrade to say the basic Bodum burr grinder. It makes a world of difference.
    • wastedhours 10y ago
      Upgrade to a burr grinder would be the first step - this one from Krupps[0] I've had for about 4 1/2 years, got as a present but can be had for under £40. The increase in consistency is worth it. [0] http://www.krups.co.uk/coffee-grinder-gvx231 http://www.krups.co.uk/coffee-grinder-gvx231
      • closed 10y ago
        Thanks for the recommendation! I think I was looking at that exact grinder, but was deterred by a review that said it obliterated everything to too fine a grind for French press. I'll definitely have to pick one up.
        • wastedhours 10y ago
          No worries - I'll admit I'm not the best at-home coffee connoisseur, however, this one has served me well for everything from fine espresso powder through to "pretty much still whole beans", with the size dial. One flag, bought one for my dad about 18 months ago, and whilst still functional and holding its own, feels a little less well made.
• dbg31415 10y ago
  2013 15-inch MBP served me very well. Was the laptop I was most happy with.
• dbg31415 10y ago
  My old Honda S2000. Best car ever. * Why The Honda S2000 Is A Future Classic || http://jalopnik.com/why-the-honda-s2000-is-a-future-classic-840861367 http://jalopnik.com/why-the-honda-s2000-is-a-future-classic-...
  • csours 10y ago
    Care to share the top 3 things you like about it/top 3 things you wish other cars did?
    • dbg31415 10y ago
      1) Insanely fun to drive. Handled like a scalpel. Haven't driven a car since connected me to the road as well as that car did. Could turn... or stop... or accelerate... on a dime. Instructions for driving it: "Most people will never drive in the best rpm range (7000 to 8500), shifting too early. Our advice is to treat the S2000 like you hate it and you'll get the most out of it. We did and loved every minute of it." 2) They knew the target audience; didn't have any distractions. Just what you needed to enjoy the drive... leather seats, a top that came off, a gear stick and some pedals... Very minimalist and focused. 3) Easy to maintain, relatively cheap to buy. Biggest expense was new tires every 15-20k miles. Honda makes reliable stuff. $31k I think I paid for it new. 7 years and 80k miles... never needed more than a fresh coat of wax to make it feel like new. Bonus) I loved how it was a conversation piece. Pull up to the pump... instantly people ask you what kind of car it is... they can't believe it's a Honda... or better yet they have one too and they want to chat about it... Had a cop stop me when I was clearly speeding and say, "I'm going to let you off with a warning... I'd be speeding too if I was driving one of these. Man it looks fun." Totally regret getting rid of mine... didn't want to leave it garaged for a year while I traveled for work.
      • csours 10y ago
        Q: Have you driven another roadster since then? Like the Mazda Miata for instance?
        • 10y ago
• vatotemking 10y ago
  The side-stand of a motorcycle that swings backward to retract. Such a simple yet life saving design. For tech stuff, checkout Windows Surface Hub.
  • bigiain 10y ago
    My Honda (Spada) has a neat little rubber spike that projects down below the bottom of the sidestand (and folds over when the bike's sat on the sidestand) - which contacts the road and gently folds the sidestand back/up before anything hard hits the road. It's a small thing, but it's _so_ much smarter that the suicide-stand on my Ducati (which springs up then lets the bike fall over when it's bumped or moved by someone not expecting it) and way less frustrating that my Kawasaki's "kill the engine as soon as you kick it out of neutral whenever the sidestand isn't fully up or the switch has got gummed up and dirty again" approach. (But all three are better then my Caviga's occasional "smash and lever you over" the first time you lean it to the left after moving off without having raised the sidestand.) (Writing all this down, perhaps it's _me_ who needs to get more methodical about raising my sidestand before riding off, eh?)
  • falsedan 10y ago
    > The side-stand of a motorcycle that swings backward to retract A kickstand?[0] 0: https://youtu.be/e8qcqXuZTcg https://youtu.be/e8qcqXuZTcg
• dbg31415 10y ago
  Ikea Jerker Desk. * Ikea's Crime Against Humanity - An Ode to the Jerker - Marketing Mojo || https://www.marketing-mojo.com/blog/ikeas-crime-against-humanity-an-ode-to-the-jerker/ https://www.marketing-mojo.com/blog/ikeas-crime-against-huma...
• Brass 10y ago
  Pentel Client Pens. Go-Ruck Slick backpack.
  • WillPostForFood 10y ago
    On the pen theme: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Gel Pen
    • cynisme 10y ago
      By far the best ball point pens.
• closed 10y ago
  Instant pot pressure cooker. Want to use it as a crock pot? sure. Want to saute things inside it first? sure. Frozen meat or dried beans? Why not! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FLYWNYQ?psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FLYWNYQ?psc=1
  • dflock 10y ago
    Also a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and yogurt maker. Works so, so well.
  • angry-hacker 10y ago
    Does it replace a stove for you?
    • closed 10y ago
      For most recipes, totally. I think many pressure cooker recipes don't involve other pans / the stove, which is convenient.
  • dbg31415 10y ago
    To people who haven't used one... You throw in totally rock-solid frozen chicken breasts, some other stuff... 20 minutes later your taco meat is ready... in a slower cooker that'd take 4-6 hours. If you clicked into the Amazon link above thinking the "5:20" means 5 minutes 20 seconds. Not the slow cooker 5 hours 20 minutes. It's nothing short of magic how fast this thing works. Total game changer for people who want cook at home. 0 pre-planning required, just grab stuff out of the freezer when you're ready to eat.
  • JohnJamesRambo 10y ago
    Thank you for posting this, I'm looking for gift ideas for my brother in college and this looks amazing. I need one too it feels like! I had never even heard of this sort of device.
  • Dowwie 10y ago
    This is a gem, for sure. Dried beans don't turn out exactly as hoped, but this imperfection doesn't stop me from using the instant pot for them.
• navbaker 10y ago
  A maybe overly-broad category, but the style of ceramic coffee mugs that have handles big enough to get all four fingers in. I don't realize how easy they are to hold until I'm using a mug that only allows one or two fingers in the handle.
  • repler 10y ago
    I believe you mean "bistro style" mugs and I emphatically agree.
    • leonroy 10y ago
      Seconded. Anyone ever tried Mazama Mugs? (made in Oregon, US). Saw one on the shelf at a local coffee shop for $42! Had to pick it up and see what the fuss was about. I'm embarrassed to confess but I've never wanted a piece of crockery so bad! http://shopmazama.com/collections/coffee http://shopmazama.com/collections/coffee I didn't give in, but wow, are they beautifully made (and heavy).
      • repler 10y ago
        Whoa, thank you for the tip! Those do look very nice :D
• mturmon 10y ago
  Sawstop Professional Cabinet Saw. Solid, smooth running, all adjustments well thought out. My late 90s Honda Civic. Simple and reliable. Nothing is more fancy or complex than it has to be. Aeropress. Simple, makes great coffee, promotes a ritual. The HP-41C. Just enough programming to be useful. RPN. Great keyboard feel.
• acrophiliac 10y ago
  Post-it notes
• elchief 10y ago
  I use my Wii every day, usually for Netflix or MarioKart. Don't like the Wii U, but I think the Wii was very well made, and is fun and natural to use My 16-year old Subaru Impreza is also an amazing tank of a car. We had crazy snow in Vancouver this year, and I swear it drives better in the snow than on dry asphalt
  • ashark 10y ago
    Counterpoint: I'd consider the Wii one of the worst designed consoles around. 1) Way less portable than its predecessor (Gamecube, famously portable) and, for that matter, most other consoles ever made, aside from a handful of famously-giant ones (e.g. Atari 7800, 1st gen X-Box) due to all the accessories, "light bar", et c. Sure, you could take it with no nunchuck accessories and maybe pay extra for a wireless "light bar" if you really love buying batteries, but that's extra money and less stuff you can do with it when you get where you're going. 2) "Ugh, the light bar fell behind the TV again and all the wiimotes' batteries are dead anyway. Oh well, I just want to play gamecube... oh, I can't navigate the menu with the GC controller. And I need to click on the game I want to play to start it. Guess I'll just play PS3 instead. Oh, its controller's dead too. No big deal, can just plug it in." 3) Have to leave ugly GC ports/memory door open if there's anything plunged into it, even if it's just a memory card. If anyone or anything moves anywhere near your Wii on a regular basis while it's in this state, the door will break off eventually. However, the Classic Pro controller accessor for the waggle 'motes is awesome. I wish someone would make a nicer to-USB adapter for them than the ones from Mayflash, because I've had both revisions of those go bad on me now and I'd like a solid, reliable one.
• lucideer 10y ago
  Automatic mechanical watches. The idea that this tiny device is assembled entirely from macroscopic, tangible, "grokkable", mechanical components, will run "forever" with no direct conscious input of energy and tells you reasonably accurate time is pretty unique. Recent relevant HN thread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13459616 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13459616
  • jtth 10y ago
    I love mine too, but $600 service every 10 years can be a frustrating concept for some.
• klenwell 10y ago
  I'm impressed with the new design of water coolers. It's been a while since I've been in an office with a real water cooler as opposed to a Keurig-like device connected directly to the waterline. But at my new office, we have a good old-fashioned water cooler. Except that it's a newfangled water cooler with a redesigned interface between cooler and water jug. Now, instead of peeling a wax lid off the top of the jug and spilling a couple cups of water as you throw it on the cooler, you just pull off a sticker and sort of plug it into the water cooler. No more water spills. It seems so simple and obvious. Yet how many Olympic-sized swimming pools full of water did we have to spill before someone designed it? I love it. Here's the first video I could find that shows one of them in action (in 3D!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgS5VIwE1WA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgS5VIwE1WA
  • chickenfries 10y ago
    I've never used one that didn't have one of those connectors. What you're describing as the old way sounds like barbarism. How did anyone put up with that?
    • dsfyu404ed 10y ago
      Spilling water was only really an issue for really old and slow people or really small people who weight about as much as the jug.
    • falsedan 10y ago
      The coolers have a probe to pierce the seal, so you put the new jug on unopened & remove the seal with the empty jug…
• chadcmulligan 10y ago
  Dell ultrasharp monitors Logitech trackballs Macbook pro (2016) prismacolor pencils ikea furniture
  • allan_wind 10y ago
    I bought a pair of wireless Logitech trackballs for home and work. Both died at about the same time, and when the warranty replacements died (for a total of 4) I switched to Clear Superior Technology.
    • shanusmagnus 10y ago
      Came here to post about Clearly Superior Technology trackballs. So so so much better than anything else I've ever used. I'm actually sad that most people don't know they exist.
      • chadcmulligan 10y ago
        I've never heard of them. They look less conformable than the trackball's moulded fit that, I find quite comfortable, this is not the case I gather? Whenever I don't use a trackball for any length of time I get wrist pain, so if these are more comfortable then I'm interested in trying one.
        • allan_wind 10y ago
          Ergonomics is very personal. I rest my palm on the CST trackball so my wrist is in a (near) neutral position and fingers are positioned with easy access to the controls. I manipulate the ball itself with my pointer and two other middle fingers usually with the phalanges proximales part.
          • chadcmulligan 10y ago
            thanks, I prefer the trackball using my thumb. I did try one of the logitech ones that you use your fingers with but it didn't really suit me. I'd guess I'd have the same issue with the CST one, though I am curious to try one now, I'll keep an eye out.
• handojin 10y ago
  Magick in Theory and Practice Tractatus Logico Philosophicus Discipline and Punish The Ethics Beyond Good and Evil The Gay Science The Master and Margarita The Prince A Book of Five Rings The Book of Changes A Hero of our Times At Swim Two Birds
  • ygmelnikova 10y ago
    I think you misread the title.
• spade 10y ago
  Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYOGTTG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYOGTTG -easy to clean -great ergonomics -best heat/cold retention vs. other products
  • mudil 10y ago
    Zojirushi neurofuzzy rice cooker. I love it!
  • masklinn 10y ago
    Color irrelevant (up to personal preferences) and specific model w/e, but that aside… good god these mugs really are fantastic: * they just look plain good, no unnecessary flourishes and the few "unnecessary" features (the locking lid) turn out to be pretty much necessary in the end * the opening mechanism is just perfect, it has great feedback, is hard to misuse, it's extremely well designed on its own, the double-action opening is just gorgeous * the entire assembly trivially comes apart for inspection and cleaning * the heat retention is so good it's a bit too good, filling with fresh coffee early morning and scalding your tongue all the way to mid-afternoon is a bit extreme
  • photonwins 10y ago
    I have one of this and you will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands.
  • julian_t 10y ago
    We have several similar Zojirushi products at home (SM-KHE48BA) and I'm convinced that they violate the laws of physics somehow. I've never had a vacuum flask that works so well.
• richardw 10y ago
  Earhoox. https://earhoox.com/ https://earhoox.com/ For whatever reason, all earphones fall out of my ears. Exercise, walking around the house, whatever - they just don't work for me. The Earhoox sort that 100%. Only issues: I had to use a nail-clipper to cut the rough mold edges. They do fall off the earbuds quite easily when e.g. in pockets. But if I lost them, I'd order another pair that day.
  • owenjonesuk 10y ago
    In-ear headphones always fall out of my left ear. At first I thought it was something to do with the ridges in my ear, because they're quite different between my left and my right ear. Then last year I had an ear infection and the doctor told me that I have a narrow ear canal in my left ear, so I'm guessing that's the reason. Apparently it also means I'm more prone to getting ear infections. Bose have something for in-ear headphones called StayHear tips. They work really well for me. They look exactly like Earhoox, so maybe if I'd found Earhoox first I could have just used them.
• kyriakos 10y ago
  Blendtec total blender. Works as advertised, never says no. Feels professional.
• Steel_Phoenix 10y ago
  Norpro 917 Nylon Turner spatula. I just use it for serving or frying things up in a pan. I don't know why everyone else makes long spatulas that are either floppy or hard metal. It feels silly, but I was so happy to find a replacement after I destroyed my beloved spatula that I bought a pile of them and gave them to everyone I know who eats.
• dbg31415 10y ago
  Just about anything Razer. Razer Taipan & Razer BlackWidow are wonderful. Totally reliable, precise, and pleasantly tactile. I've had a few Razer mice over the years and the earlier ones had a rubberize finish that would wear off eventually... had my Taipan for 4 years or so and it still feels like it's brand new. Trackpads will work in a pinch, but after you get used to a high-DPI mouse it's hard to use anything else. Same for mechanical keyboards... ha, maybe we should tell people not to get started... you'll hate typing on anything else after you've used one for a while.
  • azemetre 10y ago
    Really? I find Razer products to be cheaply made and "flashy." When it comes to mice I prefer Logitech, they are the only company whose mice have lasted me more than 5 years. I use to own a MX518 until it died on me after nearly 8 years. Now I own a G502 since they no longer make the MX518. For keyboards I've been using a Noppoo Choc Mini with blue switches at work and at home I have a Pok3r with red switches. Both have been in use longer than the Blackwidow I use to own. If you want to get really crazy about mechanical keyboards checkout https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/ https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/ Might buy a full Ducky in the near future as well.
    • dbg31415 10y ago
      You bring up a good point about the lights... I turn all those off, only light on my keyboard is a subtle backlighting.
    • floatboth 10y ago
      Yeah, Logitech seems to make the most reliable mice… My old MX510 still works, but I bought a SteelSeries Rival 100 and while I really like the design, there was an issue… The little plastic piece under the left button that clicks the actual switch broke: http://imgur.com/a/FcYUH http://imgur.com/a/FcYUH I had to superglue it back, works fine.
      • deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
• trelliscoded 10y ago
  Oxo hand tools. Hermin Miller Aerons. My Olympus skyhawk. Literally the only piece of hardware that's going to outlive me. The FN P90 and the 57 pistol. The flight deck on the Sukhoi SU-34 and the Boeing 787. Basically, anything where the design department went out and asked the customer what their biggest complaints were, then sat down to eliminate them in the design phase.
  • bigiain 10y ago
    I've got a great book about the Boeing 747, it talks about how the design department went out and found out what the physics said, took that back to what was practical and designed "the best" compromise available at the time - but fundamentally based on physics. And thanks to them, 50 years later airport runway lengths and air traffic control approach speeds and 37,000 foot cruise altitudes and a whole bunch of other standards and infrastructure - is the way it is due to the speed of sound (and the lack of early/mid '60s aerodynamics ability to know how to exceed it), the temperature/airdensity efficiency curves of jet engines, and the 60's vintage structural limitations of wingspans.
    • Lordarminius 10y ago
      do you mind sharing the name of the book?
      • bigiain 10y ago
        I suspected someone was gonna ask that... I know exaclty where the book is at home, I can almost picture the cover - but not in enought detail to lever the title out of my brain. Sorry. (If I remember, I'll come back here after I get home tonight and let you know...)
        • kqr2 10y ago
          Perhaps 747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0060882425 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0060882425
• mudil 10y ago
  Grado headphones.
  • blunte 10y ago
    My SR-80s have what many reviewers (and I) say is the best sound for anything under $1k (and these were under $100). That said, they're poorly designed mechanically, and they use lower quality materials - especially the type of plastic. The way the speaker unit attaches to the head piece is just a little pole of metal (textured at the end) stuck into a plastic hole, and the hole can eventually stretch. The result is the speaker unit falling off the headpiece... and there's really no way to fix it. Superglue is a short term solution, and it's hard to get the angle of the can perfect. My point of saying all this is that the sound engineers did a great, great job, but the product/mechanical design guys - or maybe the production guys after them, ruined it.
    • wiredfool 10y ago
      My SR60's broke that plastic yoke -- I wound up replacing the part. They lasted ~20 years until the Y junction of the headphone cord started having intermittent faults. I was going to replace the cord with a detachable mic + volume cable, but wound up just getting a set of SR-80s. Sound wise, I think the high end Sennheisers have better balance and are a bit more comfortable. A little clearer treble, not as heavy bass. But either way, they're really good for the price.
  • phlipski 10y ago
    I'm torn on this. Best-designed things ever? I've got a 20 year old pair of SR-60's that I use daily. I'm on my 3rd or 4th set of foam ear cups, and the left channel solder joint failed about 5 years ago (which was easy to fix - just resolder the joint). However they're not the most comfortable headphones. I'd prefer the foam surround be higher density and/or thicker so that it keeps the plastic grill off of my ears. After about 1-2 hours of listening my ears need a break. From a value proposition - $60 over 20 years and they still sound great - that's hard to beat. But from a perfect design perspective I think they could use a little improvement.
• artimaeis 10y ago
  Seiko 5 automatic watch - Simple, timeless, affordable. It's just a great watch and it always will be. rOtring 600 mechanical pencil - the feel of this pencil is unlike any other writing implement I've found. It's a legend. My new goal is to find a fountain pen that I can enjoy as much as I enjoy this. Though I fear that will be a notably more expensive purchase. Yamaha Custom Series Bb trumpet - before becoming a developer I was a semi-pro musician and this is still the most fantastic instrument I've ever worked with. I've owned it 9 years now and it still feels brand new. Every mechanism on it was perfectly made. There's no unnecessary stiffness or play in any component.
  • quanticle 10y ago
    >Though I fear that will be a notably more expensive purchase. Not necessarily. There are quite a number of good pens in the sub-$100 range. I personally recommend the Pilot Metropolitan or the Lamy Safari. Both are less (much less) than $100, and can either fit ink cartridges or converters.
    • codebeaker 10y ago
      I love my LAMY Safari (€12 in most stationers in Germany, it's a cultural phenomenon that's unfortunately slowly dying out, the previous generation learned "Schönschrift" (cursive) in school with theirs and take their pen through life with them). That said, of the two that I own, I can't use either without getting grubby inky nailbeds, I assume the problem lay with me, not the pen. Also, seconded the rOtring series mechanical pencils are astoundingly good, I'm always close to mine, I never travel without it.
    • artimaeis 10y ago
      I love my Metropolitan! And based on all the feedback from this thread I'll soon be ordering a Lamy Safari as well.
  • sooheon 10y ago
    You're aware that rotring used to make 600 series fountain pens? No longer available retail, but they show up in used markets.
• exabrial 10y ago
  My Alclair Audio custom molded IEMs. You literally haven't heard music until you have a custom pair of IEMs. I'm blown away what I hear in music that I couldn't hear before. *Also protects my hearing from loud drummers
• jimmies 10y ago
  Software: Winamp. It is so simple and stupid and it works really well.
  • poisonarena 10y ago
    years and years, programs like itunes just kept adding more and more features I never use and getting more and more bloated, winamp really kicks the llamas ass
  • fenwick67 10y ago
    Yeah winamp is basically perfect. The library functionality is so amazing and fast, but so simple. I just type in what I want to listen to and click on it. I don't have to hit Enter or wade through recommendations to get to what I want. It's just there. Playback controls are simple and I can easily assign global hotkeys. No buffering, no stuttering.
  • theandrewbailey 10y ago
    I've tried using other players, but I keep sticking to the light, versatile, and familiar Winamp.
  • bootloop 10y ago
    FYI > Waiting on approval from legal dept & TPTB. If it were up to me, a Winamp 5.8 public beta would've been out months ago :) https://twitter.com/ed_rich/status/817065613411713025 https://twitter.com/ed_rich/status/817065613411713025 09:49 - 5. Jan. 2017
  • erikpukinskis 10y ago
    It really whips the llama's ass.
• mrcsparker 10y ago
  My Steelcase Gesture - it is the first chair that I can ignore. It feels so natural. Oculus Rift - for the first generation, it is surprisingly comfortable. Oculus Touch - I can see my hands and it feels natural. Lexus es350 - great car for sitting in Houston traffic. I wish that I could pull back the steering wheel a bit more so that I could stretch out my legs, bit it is still really comfortable. Ibanez Jem - my luthier makes fun of this guitar, but it is a dream to play. Flat neck, large fretboard. It sounds amazing. Nest - just works. Took 5 minutes to install and it just worked
  • lobster_johnson 10y ago
    The Steelcase Leap v2 is also fantastic (the differences are not major, I believe, and it was The Wirecutter's previous top choice [1]), and can be found fairly cheaply on Craigslist. I bought a refurbished one for $250 recently. Compared to most high-end chairs like the Herman Miller Aeron, Steelcase's chairs are very soft and body-hugging. That said, if money were no object and looks were king, I would go for an Interstuhl Every [2] or the FK84 by Fabricius and Kastholm for Kill [3]. [1] http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-office-chair/ http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-office-chair/ [2] https://officefurniturescene.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Interstuhl-Silver-Group-1024x675.jpg https://officefurniturescene.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/0... [3] http://www.modernity.se/office-chair-designed-by-preben-fabricius-and-jorgen-kastholm-for-kill/ http://www.modernity.se/office-chair-designed-by-preben-fabr...
• planteen 10y ago
  The game of Tetris.
• pgreenwood 10y ago
  Almost every bicycle. Our noblest invention.
  • SwellJoe 10y ago
    Agreed. Even a cheapish bike is a miracle of modern engineering, and a great force multiplier even for poor folks or folks too young to drive. I love my bike (a 20 year old Giant mountain bike that I bought to ride to college and have put thousands of miles on since).
    • kalleboo 10y ago
      I recently had to buy a new bike and for the first time sprung for a new one instead used, and was impressed by the equipment even on the entry-level bike I got. I'm used to bike lamps with those side clip-on dynamos, but these days even the cheapest bikes they sold had automatic light sensing bright LED lamps with hub dynamos where you couldn't even tell the extra resistance. Just feels like magic.
    • collyw 10y ago
      Yep, whenever my car needs something repaired I am going to need to pay for someone else to do it. With my bikes I have fixed almost every by myself (except for servicing the forks on my decent mountain bike).
    • antisthenes 10y ago
      A bicycle is also the most efficient form of single-person transportation by a huge margin (even if you generously include the calories burned).
      • SwellJoe 10y ago
        Don't get me started...there's always someone (many someones, usually) arguing that cities shouldn't spend money on more bike lanes, when the auto traffic is so bad and there should be more car lanes. The cost of bike lanes is a rounding error compared to auto lanes; literally, foregoing adding a couple miles of additional highway lanes would pay for a whole small city to get bike lanes crisscrossing it, and could support more people. And, I definitely attribute my good health (well into middle age) at least partially to biking so much throughout my life. Getting a few percent more people out of cars and onto bikes would help save the world in all sorts of ways, IMHO.
• nodesocket 10y ago
  My Altec Lansing ACS48 computer speakers. I paid $299 for them in 1999 and to this day they still work flawlessly and beat most every other computer speaker. Audiophiles swear by them, and still buy them in bulk when they can find them. Here's the Amazon reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-ACS48-Computer-Speakers/product-reviews/B00000JBJF https://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-ACS48-Computer-Speakers...
  • blakes 10y ago
    Ah! The other day I was trying to remember the brand of computer speakers that I had from the 90's that were so, so, so solid. Great sound (for computer speakers), and extremely robust. Dropped off the desk all the time and never had a problem. Now to eBay to see if I can't find them.
    • ethbro 10y ago
      My parents are still (about four computers later?) using the Gateway speakers that came with our 386 system. Built like a brick, internal amp, sound decent enough. https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDE4WDUyMA==/z/ad8AAOSwbYZXVA67/$_86.JPG https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDE4WDUyMA==/z/ad8AAOSwbYZXVA67/$...
      • poink 10y ago
        Gateway used to ship some pretty righteous hardware. The computer my parents bought back in the early 90's, for example, came with this keyboard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_AnyKey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_AnyKey
  • lath 10y ago
    I feel the same way about my Klipsch computer speakers. I saw them for sale at Best Buy the other day and they looked exactly the same. I've had mine for at least 7 or 8 years and still sound great.
  • Aeolun 10y ago
    Ah, I used to have a MIX boombox made by them. Still works, but had to leave it behind when I moved. Best set of speakers I've ever had as well.
• LVB 10y ago
  Redbox. Concept and kiosk. I like the app for finding and reserving movies; my mom, who has never used a smartphone, uses the kiosks easily. They took a familiar business, modernized it a little bit, slashed the overhead, and people seem to like it.
  • beachstartup 10y ago
    i survived my road warrior years thanks to redbox and the whole foods salad bar.
• joe563323 10y ago
  pencil, paper and eraser dell keyboard Model number: SK-8115 (felt like machine gun for the first time) http://dellparts.us/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_4&products_id=16&zenid=7f4e3d44cf8fac479387d1040f5ef1f3 http://dellparts.us/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2... org-mode emacs macros git Qt c++ framework unix pipes matlab npm install --save # dont have to edit the package.json, awesome tmux pm2 # npm package to make the node app as service. Just mindblowing. ssh-copy-id user@ip # no need to type password always for ssh session
  • nailer 10y ago
    You can use a .service file - about 10 lines in ini-ish format - to make node run as a service on most Linux distros
    • joe563323 10y ago
      those 10 lines keep changing b/w different linux distros and thats the problem pm2 solves elegantaly.
      • nailer 10y ago
        Hrm, have been using the same .service file from 2014 to 2017 here and moved from CentOS to Ubuntu and haven't had to change much if anything. Installing a separate app that repeats a lot of the work of the OS seems like overkill.
        • joe563323 10y ago
          I understand that the change must have been simple. The problem with this kind of one time per application task is the developers often forget about how the script worked since it is not being revisited once it got working. So while porting one is forced to understand the whole script(i.e the conventions of systemd, initV or upstart e.t.c) which is not much work, but compared to the third party tool like "pm2 <generate_script_whatever>" it is atleast 10 times the work.
• eappleby 10y ago
  I love my Fogless Shower Mirror: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BQ6QXK?ref_=ams_ad_dp_asin_1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BQ6QXK?ref_=ams_ad_dp_asin_1 Most others use chemicals (I believe) to stop the fogging, which fades in effectiveness over time. Had this one for 5 years and it works perfect! Wish everything I owned just worked like this does.
  • iloveyouocean 10y ago
    I have also used this exact mirror for about five years. And I agree that its great. And it will continue to be because the hot water inside will always be the same temp as the hot water outside, and thus no fogging. That really can't be improved on.
• agjacobson 10y ago
  Macintosh II with Finder 4.6. Never has a computer system maintained a technical lead for so long, 1987-95, with Finder upgrades you loaded from floppies. Bridgeport milling machine. People just copy it. They can't improve it. Ashlar Vellum 2D drafting software for the Mac. Imagine. Drafting objects have properties you can edit. Lambda Physik (Coherent) FL2002E dye laser. Excel 4.0 for the Mac. Wrote invoicing and coating design macros that ran a whole business. Solidworks 2003. Used it till 2008, until I got the "better" newest edition which was a little more capable, but less efficient. Ipad Air. Still use it, smashed-in screen and all, but it's panting. You can see I'm mostly stuck in the past. Many of these products had more capable successors, but felt bloated, and were harder to use.
• SwellJoe 10y ago
  Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker. I've owned it for more than a decade and made maybe hundreds of pounds of rice. Always perfect. Cast iron skillet. Lodge makes cheap, very high quality, pans that just work, forever (there are many brands, several are great).
  • gravyboat 10y ago
    I was also going to say a Zojirushi rice cooker. I've had mine for 6 years and it shows no signs of slowing down. Super easy to clean and makes amazing rice every time.
  • tunesmith 10y ago
    Man, those two things plus my pressure cooker are like my kitchen holy trinity (except for when I'm making cajun food).
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • baby 10y ago
    Counter argument: there is no point putting money in a rice cooker. Get the cheapest and smallest one (unless you're cooking rice for 6+ people) and you will get exactly the same result. The only annoying thing with these cheaper rice cooker is that you need to unplug them when done, but I bought a switch to sit between the socket and the plug and it works fine :)
    • acheron 10y ago
      Disagree completely. Used to have a cheap rice cooker and it sucked. Getting the Zojirushi literally changed how we eat -- we used to rarely have rice, but the Zojirushi makes it so much easier to cook and impossible to mess up, so rice became a staple dinner feature.
      • baby 10y ago
        I don't know how you're managing to do that then. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1487610851&sr=1-3&keywords=rice+cooker https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touc... and make perfect rice every time. How did your cheap rice cooker sucked? Maybe you bought a "bad" cheap rice cooker :) I've had 5 different rice cookers so far, all different brands (moving countries...) and they never failed. It's a simple product really, people who try to sell you something expensive are mostly selling you fluff.
• dsfyu404ed 10y ago
  The interior layout of a 1990s Ford truck or Bronco. All controls can be done by feel without fat fingering anything while wearing work gloves, radio included. The radio is placed so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to tune it anymore than you would the speedometer. They even make the +/- buttons convex/concave and put little bars on the preselects to make it easier to do by feel. The motion ratio on the manual windows is pretty damn perfect. Kind of a shame so much thought was put into something a design was executed using crappy 90s plastic. Honorable mention for industrial vacuum cleaners.
  • EvilTerran 10y ago
    > Honorable mention for industrial vacuum cleaners. It's not quite industrial (although the manufacturer does also make shop-vacs in a similar style), but I'm a huge fan of my Henry[0] - I bought it on the principle of "everyone who vacuums for a living seems to use one, they must be on to something", and it's completely lived up to my expectations. It's light enough to lug around one-handed, but still feels sturdy (and has survived falling down the stairs at least once); somehow manages to be quieter and have more suction than most vacuums I've tried; has a comically-high capacity; the cord-winder is a brilliant in the simplicity of its engineering; ... and, yes, I know how irrational it is to personify inanimate objects, but his happy face still cheers me up all the same. On another note, although it looks like a piece of plasticky infomercial tat... I picked up one of these spider catchers[1] on a whim a few months back, and I still can't quite get over just how damn well the thing works. It's a lot quicker than the old "tumbler and a postcard" technique, is much more reliable at catching them before they get away, keeps them trapped-by-default 'til you squeeze the handle (no more "whoops the card slipped, oh great the spider's escaped again"), doesn't seem to injure even really fragile-looking ones (eg cellar spiders/"daddy long-legs") - and keeps you at a far more comfortable distance throughout the whole process. [0] https://www.numatic.co.uk/product-view.aspx?id=366&r=4&sr=1 https://www.numatic.co.uk/product-view.aspx?id=366&r=4&sr=1 [1] https://www.spidercatcher.net/product.htm https://www.spidercatcher.net/product.htm
• codemac 10y ago
  Conn 79H Trombone. Just gorgeous sound, beautiful design, and even the trombone case just seemed right. Still love it.
• rmm 10y ago
  Lenovo x220. Upgrade ram, add a mSSd. Rockstar
• grogenaut 10y ago
  Just about any good kitchen knife. Pen/Pencil and Paper. A Book. A Cup A Towel A Blanket A Pillow What do these have in common, they're so well designed (over the years) that you don't even think about them.
  • lucideer 10y ago
    Knife, pen, pencil, paper, book I can get behind. The rest seem to be less a case of being "so well designed you don't even think about them" and more a case of being "so elementary there's nothing to think about". A cup is a receptacle. So is half a coconut. A pillow is a soft thing to recline on. Also, I really wouldn't conflate/group pencil and pen just because of their similar purposes. They're very differently designed objects with a good deal of complexity to each.
  • gajomi 10y ago
    I came to write pen and paper myself :). I think cups and books definitely belong here too. But I have always had serious issues with pillows. I don't mean the basic concept and coarse design of pillows, but rather the details of the design and manufacturing. For example different kinds of pillow case may hide or expose seems, that latter be far inferior to the former in my opinion. There is also the question of firmness and size, both of which are the subject of many a pillow focused infomercials. There is a huge variation in overall pillow quality. I could also rant about blankets, but maybe all of this is just my deficiency :)
• kevinqi 10y ago
  Teenage Engineering OP-1, a music synthesizer. Really well built, buttons and knobs feel fantastic, and the display is super fun. The OP-1 in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umatbZ0n4mE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umatbZ0n4mE
  • jordiesaenz 10y ago
    I just got one of these for Christmas, and it's honestly one of the most beautiful and intuitive devices I've ever used. It's such a creative and inspiring tool.
    • pidg 10y ago
      Oh no! I've been ogling these since they came out, and only recently convinced myself I really didn't need one. Now it's back on the table...
  • kfrzcode 10y ago
    Hey, Justin Vernon and I both agree with you. Best small-scale synth ever.
  • cheerioty 10y ago
    Was going to say the same here ;)
  • provemewrong 10y ago
    Only thing bothering me about it is the keyboard. It fits in the overall aesthetic, but I feel like they chose style over substance and regular keys would be more usable. Any comments from first hand experience?
    • stoic 10y ago
      It's a bit tough to play by itself, but I'm okay with the tradeoff for the portability. FWIW it works quite well if you connect it to a MIDI host and use another controller to play or sequence the synths on it. ...just don't connect your 12v AC adapter to the OP-1's USB hub that wants 5v, or you'll lose all data connectivity (USB disk mode and MIDI) to the unit. :(
• traek 10y ago
  Pentel Graph Gear 1000: https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Graph-Gear-1000-Drafting-Pencil-0.5-mm/pd/639 https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Graph-Gear-1000-Drafting-Penc... Best mechanical pencil I've ever used. You can tell a lot of thought has been put into every aspect of its design. The Rotring 800 is similarly well-designed, but I prefer the grip of the Pentel.
  • quanticle 10y ago
    How do you transport drafting pencils? I have a couple of Rotring 600s. They are very nice, but I basically can't take them out of the house because I'm worried about bending the lead sleeves.
    • nsenifty 10y ago
      The Pentels have retractable tips unlike the Rotring 600.
  • walrus 10y ago
    Another great product by the same company - Pentel Twist-Erase III: http://www.pentel.com/store/twist-erase-iii-mechanical-pencil http://www.pentel.com/store/twist-erase-iii-mechanical-penci... Some nice things about it: - The tip is metal, so it doesn't flex and break the lead when you're writing. - The clip is metal, so it won't break off after a couple months of use. - The eraser is about an inch long, so you won't have to replace it every week. - The rubber grip hasn't deteriorated in the 5 years I've had mine.
• Kluny 10y ago
  86 Tercel station wagon. Most comfortable seats ever. Every position works. The wiper and blinker controls are nice and clicky. All the adjustment controls are clicky and located exactly where you expect them to be when you reach blindly. The A and B pillars don't block your vision. There's a little spot between the e-brake lever and the seat that's the right size for a can of pop (handy because there's no cup holders). The trim is impeccable. After 30 years of driving, the weatherstripping doesn't peel off, the handles and latches aren't broken, the upholstery hasn't faded. It was amazing in the snow even the 2WD version. I could go on... I loved that little car.
• kbouck 10y ago
  Eames Aluminum Group Management Chair
• shripadk 10y ago
  1. Macbook Air 2013. 2. Herman-Miller Embody Chair (best chair if you have lower back problems). 3. Apple Airport Time Capsule (best backup device + router). 4. Epson L565 + WiFi. Absolutely great printer/scanner. Easy to configure and use. 5. Merkur-33C Classic (best safety razor in my opinion).
  • mrexroad 10y ago
    +1 for the Herman-Miller Embody chair. Crazy expensive, but far cheaper than medical bills. Aeron and most other ergo chairs never worked for me (properly sized and all).
• ggregoire 10y ago
  Macbook Air 11" (I'm writing this with it)
• rdtsc 10y ago
  * Lenovo T60 laptop: It wasn't pretty, but it was sturdy and well designed. Good resolution for the times. Good aspect ratio. Very nice keyboard. Trackpoint. Serviceable easily - replaced fan, hard drives, added memory. Eventually just got too slow for the stuff I was doing. * Bentology metal fork and spoon. I got a full lunch bento box set. But never liked it much. However really like the silverware. Just the right weight, size, and balance. I just went to check if I can get more, and they are out stock apparently) * Moab Merrell hiking shoes. Really good all-around shoes. Light, sturdy, comfortable. Good ankle support. * Nissan stainless steel thermos. Just very sturdy. I like the cap design. Doesn't leak. I got another one after 4-5 years of a different size, so now have both.
  • hkmurakami 10y ago
    Similarly IBM x23 thinkpad. A foldout sliding keyboard that actually works and feels great? I want to go back to those days.
• dbg31415 10y ago
  Antec computer cases. They're high quality, easily accessible, and promote good air flow. And they're fairly cheap, all things considered (picked up this model for about $45 on sale at Fry's last time I built a computer). * Amazon.com: Antec Three Hundred Two Gaming Case, Black: Computers & Accessories || https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Three-Hundred-Two-Gaming/dp/B006TVQTHW https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Three-Hundred-Two-Gaming/dp/B00...
• hkmurakami 10y ago
  YKK zippers. We never think twice about them and that's the proof of their genius.
  • paleite 10y ago
    Ever since I read an article about them posted on HN, I can never unsee them
    • h1d 10y ago
      I now regularly check for YKK symbols. Gets disappointed if one doesn't use it.
  • tech2 10y ago
    Opti brand zippers are also very good (like, on the same level as YKK). Not sure why they don't get as much good press.
  • flyinghamster 10y ago
    Zipper failures were the reason I quit wearing Levis in favor of Wranglers 30+ years ago. Not surprisingly, Wrangler uses YKK zippers.
• jwolfhn 10y ago
  Any Kindle model with e-ink. The utiluty and simplicity of design of these devices has enabled me to read almost every night before going to bed for the past 6ish years without loosing my place or holding the weight of a book (finally read War and Peace).
  • TeMPOraL 10y ago
    I second. The Kindle single-handedly increased my reading by like 6 - 10x. I commute with public transit, a lot, and an e-book reader is indispensable there. Many books I've read are big enough that I wouldn't bother carrying them around in paper form.
    • Declanomous 10y ago
      I use the kindle app on my phone, but I really like owning physical copies of my books. One of my friends recommended Infinite Jest to me, but told me to buy an e-reader specifically for that book. I got the book itself, and I wish I would have listened to him. It literally occupies half the volume of my backpack, and my arms get tired holding it in my usual reading position.
  • joshvm 10y ago
    Except for some bizarre restrictions on functionality. You can drag and drop books onto the Kindle like a thumb drive (awesome!), but there isn't support for folders (not awesome!). If you want to organise huge quantities of books into collections which is, after all, the point of the Kindle, you have to do it manually on the device. Or you use Calibre, but I feel like that's a negative point because most consumers won't know about it. Is it so hard to view as a directory structure rather than listing all the books recursively? That and they seem to have removed the 3G for web browsing, so now owning a cellular Kindle is pretty much useless unless you're really desperate to get a book abroad.
    • dukeluke 10y ago
      One of my favorite features of the Kindle is that it works with Calibre. I understand that it's difficult for some, but it's a godsend for me.
• ComputerGuru 10y ago
  My Bunn ST Velocity coffee machine [0]. I bought it on September 1, 2011 and have used it every single morning (and then some) since. It has no buttons, no configurations, no options. It makes coffee inside of 120 seconds (because it keeps the water pre-heated). It does not have a glass carafe to break, it does not burn the coffee since it does not use a heated plate but instead pours the coffee into a thermos that keeps it hot for hours. <3 It's not available on Amazon any more (where I got it originally), but I'm not sure if it's actually discontinued or just unavailable. I hope if the former that it's just been replaced by a slightly updated model, but I don't know. UPDATE: There's still the STX model available [1], it's a bit more garish looking but it seems to be otherwise identical. 0: http://amzn.to/2mdtWs3 http://amzn.to/2mdtWs3 1: http://amzn.to/2lZxlhT http://amzn.to/2lZxlhT
• badtuple 10y ago
  The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 backpack: https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks/products/synapse-25?variant=19284331015 https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks/products/synap... I went nomad earlier this year and decided I needed a good backpack. After much research, I landed on the Synapse. It's simply amazing that something as simple as "a bag" can be so well designed. So clearly better. It's the only product I've ever owned where I notice myself stop and admire it regularly.
  • MisterKent 10y ago
    I recently purchased one after a few months of research. I was also impressed at the amount of engineering that went into this bag. Recently, I had someone notice just how well the bag hides how much stuff it is holding without looking bulky.
    • seanp2k2 10y ago
      Mission Workshop Transit and their other stuff is also great https://missionworkshop.com/collections/shoulder-duffle-bags/products/the-transit-laptop-black-camo https://missionworkshop.com/collections/shoulder-duffle-bags...
      • woofyman 10y ago
        Too pricy for me.
      • cossatot 10y ago
        I got a 1st gen Shed in 2010(?) and use it daily. It is definitely a fantastic product, and well worth the money even though I was a grad student at the time.
  • DonHopkins 10y ago
    All of Tom Bihn's bags are of the utmost highest quality, and they last for years. The inner seams are sealed with ribbon sewn over them so the edges of the fabric will never fray and tangle with your cables. So many other little touches like that. They're so durable and timeless that I bet there are a lot of Bihn Bags out there from the George W Bush era whose washing instructions are once again relevant. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/washing-instructions-idiot-president_us_5893ef86e4b0c1284f253d61 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/washing-instructions-idi... Wash with warm water. Use mild soap. Do not use bleach. Do not dry in the dryer. Do not iron. We are sorry that our president is an idiot. We did not vote for him.
• bch 10y ago
  The pouring end of a stainless Bialetti stovetop espresso pot[0]. Beautiful, precise, never a drip. Amazing. [0] http://www.thehomestoreauckland.co.nz/images/_db/MwA1ADkAMAA4AA==/800x600/q80/Bialetti%20Stovetop%20Espresso%20kitty.jpg http://www.thehomestoreauckland.co.nz/images/_db/MwA1ADkAMAA...
• voltagex_ 10y ago
  * After breaking numerous glass ones: https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Columbia-Stainless-Thermal-17-Ounce/dp/B002AJ9JII https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Columbia-Stainless-Thermal-17-O... * The USB charger that came with the Nexus 4 - it's only been replaced because I finally got a decent QuickCharge charger. * A Grundig AM/FM radio with Aux-in, still going strong after 10+ years as a bathroom speaker. One dial broke off. Oops. Still one of the best sounding speakers I have in my house - possibly due to it being wooden * Yamaha NX-P100 Bluetooth speaker - used to use it for the APT-X capability, now I use it because it supports 3.5mm jacks, and USB sound input. Practically bulletproof although the battery life isn't as good as it was.
  • lobster_johnson 10y ago
    Bodum has a lot of great products. I particularly like the range of double-walled glassware: https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Pavina-8-5-Ounce-Double-Wall-Thermo/dp/B0009WX41Q https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Pavina-8-5-Ounce-Double-Wall-Th... https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Piece-double-Latte/dp/B01K7MX8FY https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Piece-double-Latte/dp/B0...
• nether 10y ago
  Meta: /r/buyitforlife has a lot content in this vein.
  • roryokane 10y ago
    Full URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/ https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/
• btschaegg 10y ago
  - Lagiole knifes (more optical design / less practicality) - Victorinox SwissTool (more practical) - Stabilo Worker Pens (amazingly low friction for a ballpoint pen) Edit: - Razer: Merkur Dovo Futur Duoclip (Its predecessor was an overdesigned, brittle mess. But this one is great.)
• dbg31415 10y ago
  Callout to The Wirecutter for doing a great job of reviewing products. * The Wirecutter || http://thewirecutter.com/ http://thewirecutter.com/
• tuyguntn 10y ago
  good old Nokia phones with buttons which only does one thing exceptionally good
• taneq 10y ago
  My Weidmuller Stripax wire stripper. Simple, reliable, works for a wide range of wire gauges, built-in wire cutter. Feels good to use.
  • brusch64 10y ago
    They are great !
• hossbeast 10y ago
  Microsoft Sculpt ergonomic keyboard
  • jon-wood 10y ago
    I really wanted to love it but its just not quite as good the old natural keyboards. The separate numeric pad is never where I want it, there's not enough key travel, and that awful escape key!
• kampsduac 10y ago
  I really enjoy my aeropress (https://aerobie.com/product/aeropress/ https://aerobie.com/product/aeropress/) coffee press. The modern take on a French press, price, and availability on Amazon made me realize anybody can have a great idea, print it in plastic, and sell it to people - arriving two days later. Plus the coffee that comes out is dope.
  • codebeaker 10y ago
    Fun fact, it's made by the same people who make the Frisbee :)
    • grzm 10y ago
      Nit: Aerobie, not Frisbee. Both are fun! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobie
  • nailer 10y ago
    It's really not a take on a French press. An aero press imparts flavour through forcing water through the grounds, a French press imparts favour trough immersion then you push down to remove the grounds.
    • Aqwis 10y ago
      I disagree: try comparing pressing immediately after pouring water into the Aeropress versus pouring after waiting for 20-30 seconds or so. (If you press immediately you're going to end up with some really week coffee.) The pressure helps but most of the extraction is due to immersion even in an Aeropress. Most people who use the upside-down Aeropress method seem to let it brew for even longer, up to two minutes.
    • tedmiston 10y ago
      Many baristas today brew the AeroPress inverted so it also serves as an immersion brewer. I've been gathering AeroPress recipes [1] for about a year now, and I've noticed the trend shifting towards more people doing inverted than regular. [1]: https://github.com/tedmiston/aeropress https://github.com/tedmiston/aeropress
• sputknick 10y ago
  A properly designed kettlebell. The one below is what I use, but other companies also make good ones. The weight transfers around your arm naturally, it's very hard to injure yourself using it. Two indications of a good one are: handle is not flat, and pounds are in 18 pound increments (this comes from an old Russian unit of measure called a "pood".) https://christiansfitnessfactory.com/cff-black-monster-russian-kettlebells.html https://christiansfitnessfactory.com/cff-black-monster-russi...
  • sooheon 10y ago
    I would agree, with the addition that the kettlebell training movements (swing, getup, snatches etc.) are part of the design of the thing. How you use it and how it is shaped/weighted are two equally essential halves.
• davidgould 10y ago
  The wok. A good 13 or 14" pao wok costs about $15. Add another $20 for a spoon, a cover, an wok ring and a steaming grill and you can make almost anything. The thing looks so simple, but it is part of a whole system and way of cooking that is amazingly fun and effective.
• tomcam 10y ago
  U.S. Constitution Eiffel Tower Bosendorfer 214CS piano 1986 Fender Performer guitar 1959 Fender Stratocaster Yamaha YBL 321 trombone Yamaha Q series alto sax Any Zojirushi rice cooker Vitamix Sony SRF-M37w radio Golden Gate Bridge (walk it) Any Porsche 911 Toyota Sienna minivan Any MacBook Air Duluth Trading Longtail T shirts web2py C89 Visual Basic 3.0 Turbo Pascal 3.0 Visual Pascal Vim Eggs, bananas, bell peppers, cocoanuts, water Fender Precision bass Motorola StarTac HN Almost anything Frank Lloyd Wright
  • bigiain 10y ago
    A little surprised not to see a Shure SM28 or 57 microphone near the items at the top of that list... And if you're gonna have the GG Bridge, can I propose the 747as well. They're still building them now, almost 50 years later - the first one rolled out of the factory in '68 (first test flight wasn't till '69)
    • antubbs 10y ago
      The 747 is certainly iconic, but I hate to be the one to tell you that 747 production may be coming to an end as the industry has zero interest in inefficient four-engine jets. Basically no interest in the passenger or freighter model at this stage (the newest series, the -8I/-8F, has attracted barely over 100 deliveries). Same story for the A380, whose orders basically stopped in 2014. Freight and passenger service are both moving to more efficient twin-engine wide-bodies.
      • dredmorbius 10y ago
        I thought the freighter was still alive. I know that active passenger fleets are being retired, completely so among US carriers AFAIU.
      • i336_ 10y ago
        Interesting! Can you give some specific examples of "more efficient twin-engine wide-bodies"? I'm very interested in the aviation industry, but terribly ignorant of it.
• doug1001 10y ago
  "technical friends" (which i believe was name given by the man who invented them, Ray Jardine). "Friends" is still the category name used by Wild Country, which i believe was the first shop to sell the devices. more generically, i believe they are known as spring-loade cam devices (SLCD). these simple devices transformed granite crack climbing from slow, rock-altering aid climbing that required pitons hammered into cracks to clean "free" (ie, no aid) climbing. sure nuts and hexes were (and still are) available but they require some sort of constriction in the crack (change in the width) to hold them in place, which granite cracks often lack.
  • kirrent 10y ago
    In particular, the Black Diamond cams have a double axis which increases the camming range. It's a beautiful piece of gear.
  • tyho 10y ago
    Little known fact. The shape of the lobes is a section of a logarithmic spiral, used to ensure the cam engages with the rock at a constant angle regardless of the size of the crack http://web.mit.edu/custer/www/rocking/cams/cams.body.html http://web.mit.edu/custer/www/rocking/cams/cams.body.html
  • mpalme 10y ago
    Link cams are a marvel of engineering. Thy operate on a simple concept of trisecting a cam lobe so that, as the device is retracted, the cam unfolds and permits an amazing range for a unit of its size. http://www.omegapac.com/itemdetail.php?id=1&secid=9 http://www.omegapac.com/itemdetail.php?id=1&secid=9
    • oftenwrong 10y ago
      Link cams look cool, and have unmatched range, but they have a bad reputation regarding their durability. I have never tried them, though. I don't really climb hard enough to justify them. My cams are almost all C4s.
• rayalez 10y ago
  SideFX Houdini (a tool for 3D VFX and animation) is by far the most brilliant software I have ever used, it is like Emacs of computer graphics. It is designed as a system of nodes that gives you a visual interface for visually "programming" 3D scenes and shaders. It is incredibly well thought out, and every time I learn something new about it - it blows my mind how elegantly and beautifully it is implemented.
  • Buttons840 10y ago
    It is commercial software, right? What's the closest open source alternative? (Not that I'm opposed to commercial software, but as a hobbiest I don't want to deal with it.)
    • rayalez 10y ago
      It has a free version with almost complete functionality, it's definitely usable for learning or as a hobby. I don't know about any open source alternatives. The closest thing I can think of is Nuke, also commercial, which is a compositing software built around the same principle, and also really well designed. I've heard that Unreal Engine has some sort of a node-based system, but I'm not a game developer, so I haven't used it and don't know how it compares. Also Blender has a node editor, and I think it's the closest open source thing to Houdini, but it's not the same thing, and is nowhere near as good, so I would not call them similar.
      • jkneale 10y ago
        Blender has a few addons that can nearly emulate the procedurality of Houdini. One is 'sverchok', the other which may soon become part of Blender core is 'Animation Nodes.' Jimmy Gunawan of Blendersushi goes into fantastic detail about these two on his youtube channel if you're interested. Oh and the best designed item I own? Swiss Tech Utilikey. A key shaped multitool with such a satisfying opening action. I use mine every day. Others. - the scissors on the tiny swiss army knife. BEST nail scissors ever. - Freeplane . Mind mapping software that I find new uses for on every project. So many export options too.
• tyingq 10y ago
  Leatherman tools. Refreshingly usable compared to Swiss army knives.
  • TheGrassyKnoll 10y ago
    I use my Leatherman micra virtually every day, multiple times. Almost lost it at the airport once; walked back to the parking lot to save it.
• kalleboo 10y ago
  * Chopsticks. One-handed eating is just convenient. * Palm Vx. At the time this thing has fantastic functionality (all that freeware!), the OS had great charm, and I still think it looks really handsome. * Sony Ericsson w580. One of the last really small cell phones before huge screens took over. And the slide mechanism was really satisfying - the ultimate fidget
  • zakk 10y ago
    Regarding chopsticks and one-handed eating: you could do the same with a fork, as long as the food is already cut in small bites, like Asian food usually is. On the other hand you cannot eat a steak with one hand, neither with chopsticks nor with a fork. I think that the good design is in the food, rather than in the chopsticks.
    • kalleboo 10y ago
      Forks don't work as well with certain kinds of foods. E.g., you can eat snacks like chips or cheetos with chopsticks without getting your fingers messy which is more difficult to do with a fork. Same with slippery food like certain kinds of noodles, and hard foods like some nuts. There's just a certain simplicity and universality to chopsticks that appeals from a design sense... That said recently I've been into using a Spork which works great for some foods and is another interesting study in design...
      • hawski 10y ago
        I can eat a schnitzel with a spoon. :) I can eat almost anything with a spoon. I can't eat slippery food with chopsticks. With fork I just turn the fork like a screwdriver. Spoon!
    • teknologist 10y ago
      It IS possible to eat a steak with either of those in one hand. Using a controversial method called the stab and bite.
      • 10y ago
• polemic 10y ago
  Ok, this corkscrew: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MONOPOL-Bell-Corkscrew-BAROLO-Germany/dp/B004E1RZY0 https://www.amazon.co.uk/MONOPOL-Bell-Corkscrew-BAROLO-Germa... (Note this appears to be a later design, slightly less pretty as the original IMO) My parents bought one of these years maybe 15 years ago and I was always fascinated how he thread was so smooth, well machined and balanced that you could unwind it and it would smoothly wind back up under its own weight. When it hit the bottom the momentum would allow the inner thread to continue winding so it would bounce a couple of times. Years lately, and we don't get many cork bottles in NZ any more, but I still like to get it out occasionally to check that, yes indeed, it still does it beautifully. A simple thing, made well.
  • nailer 10y ago
    On that note: the Stelvin! No more cork rot and far less spoiled wine.
• nodesocket 10y ago
  My Tag Heuer watch[1]. Extremely well made and beautifully designed and crafted. Had mine for 13 years (daily wear) and it still looks fantastic. [1] - https://storage.googleapis.com/attachments.outofpawn.com/attachments/30720/large/IMG_0078__2_.jpg https://storage.googleapis.com/attachments.outofpawn.com/att...
• MaysonL 10y ago
  Oberon/F on the 68K Macs was the sweetest IDE I've ever used.
• Jaruzel 10y ago
  Logitech MX510 and MX518 Mice: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Performance-Optical-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B0001YGIB0 https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Performance-Optical-Gaming-M... For some reason, these mice are awesome for me. Neither are made any more, and I will cry when mine finally die.
  • ChuckMcM 10y ago
    I can still buy the M510 and I agree they are awesome (I have like 6 of them)
  • simooooo 10y ago
    I have 3 of these, a Proteus core and a g900, and still have a soft spot for the 518.
  • jon-wood 10y ago
    Couldn't agree more. I thought I'd lost my MX510 in a move and then recently found it being used by someone at work. I almost immediately claimed it back, only waiting long enough to find them a replacement mouse!
  • tech2 10y ago
    I just disassembled my MX518 to clean around (and under) the mousewheel. This is a mouse I've carried with me from NZ to the UK, I've owned it since 2005 and it's still going strong. _Such_ a good mouse.
  • strictnein 10y ago
    Absolutely love mine and I can't tell anyone why either. Just feels right.
  • diimdeep 10y ago
    Changed cable on my MX510 like 5 times, 10+ years in use.
  • spangry 10y ago
    Love this mouse. Exactly the right weight and size, and well thought out moulding.
• JoshTriplett 10y ago
  ThinkPad keyboards, with built-in mouse on home row. I like the layout, spacing, and short throw of the keys so much that I have a USB version for my desk, attached to a docking station.
  • codebeaker 10y ago
    Can you tell me what it's called/where to get it? I tried googling and came up short, but that sounds like something I've wished existed since I first used a thinkpad.
    • JoshTriplett 10y ago
      Lenovo's accessories section. You want the USB model, not the Bluetooth model. http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?hide_menu_area=true&GroupID=460&Code=0B47190 http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo... (I wish they still had the classic version, but the current version still beats any other keyboard out there, for my taste.)
      • rosbrith 10y ago
        Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I recently powered on my ancient Thinkpad X20 for the first time in many years and was surprised just how much I felt at home typing on its keyboard.
• simooooo 10y ago
  Dyson vaccum cleaner
• ChuckMcM 10y ago
  Yamaha KX88 keyboard. It was super heavy but excellent key "action". My SY08 is close but still not the same.
  • dperez 10y ago
    I would also mention Korg SV-1 [1]. Despite being quite new to be judged, I think KORG managed to deliver a very nice UX. They removed a lot of features found in every keyboard but they managed to make it more fun and visually attractive. UX of musical instruments is amazing: whereas some companies are creating crazy new designs (e.g. the Teenage Engineering OP-1 mentioned in this thread), others are going back to old but solid designs of the '70s and before. [1] http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/sv_1_black/ http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/sv_1_black/
• antisol 10y ago
  My Amiga 2000. I love it with all my heart. It'll still be going strong when your modern doohickeys become totally useless due to planned-obselescence. It'll outlive me.
  • tech2 10y ago
    I loved my 2000, but the 3000 was a step above (aside for the godawful choice of RAM chips). I loved the scissor-switch design on the keyboard switches though. These days you should get hold of an A600 and Vampire II - http://www.kipper2k.com/accel600.html http://www.kipper2k.com/accel600.html
    • antisol 10y ago
      I still search ebay for a3000s and a4000s every now and then. I want both. I think the machine I want more than anything is an A4000 with a video toaster. But 3000s and 4000s don't come along very often (at least in my country) and they're expensive when they do. And back when they were current I couldn't afford one. I'd also love to get my hands on ab X1000, but they were ridiculously expensive and I couldn't justify the cost, as much as I'd love to have an Amiga OS 4 machine. I actually also have an A600HD. Was my first Amiga. Great machine. The Vampire II looks cool but I'd need another 600 to put it in - my current A600 is a collection piece and is staying stock (except for things you can plug into it like compact flash / SD card adapters).
• gravlaks 10y ago
  Norton Commander back in the DOS days. It was soo fast to use. Which is why I use Total Commander today.
  • WillPostForFood 10y ago
    Norton Commander was great. Simple, fast, powerful. I often wonder why Finder/Explorer don't borrow from it.
  • bambax 10y ago
    I miss Norton Commander!
    • cJ0th 10y ago
      Have you already checked out Midnight Commander? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Commander https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Commander
  • beernutz 10y ago
    I'll add a +1 to Total Commander. That tool along with several others REALLY make a large difference in day-to-day computer work. I'll add these to the list: * Clipmate. The BEST clipboard database. * Evernote. * AutoHotkey. Seriously, play with this a bit and you will see uses all OVER The place. * Midnight Commander for Linux installs. Makes it a LOT harder to shoot yourself in the foot as well.
  • dima_medvedev 10y ago
    FAR Manager back in the Win2k/XP days. Actually nowadays too.
  • glandium 10y ago
    I preferred PCTools, back then.
• MooMooMilkParty 10y ago
  Masakage knives: http://masakageknives.com/ http://masakageknives.com/ There are many other makers of kitchen knives that are comparable to Masakage knives, but if someone who was serious about cooking asked me for a single recommendation of which knife brand they should buy into this would probably be my response. Their knives are reasonably priced, feature beautiful aesthetics, have personality, and perform as well as anyone could reasonably need.
  • wastedhours 10y ago
    On kitchen knives, these are the collection I started with: https://www.robertwelch.com/kitchen/kitchen_knives/signature_knives https://www.robertwelch.com/kitchen/kitchen_knives/signature... Perhaps not the best, but from a design standpoint and the exquisite feeling using them, their blades are perfect for what I use, and their handles are sublime. I went into the shop to spend a huge whack on a set of Globals, but they just felt off. These were perfect.
    • Chestofdraw 10y ago
      +1 for Robert Welch knives, have a few myself. My friend, who's a CDP at a double starred place, said they were comparable to his Globals when he tried them out too.
• 0xcde4c3db 10y ago
  The standard, boring toggle-style light switch (US). Inexpensive, standard, durable, easy to replace, and extremely easy to operate. Basically the polar opposite of the average phone/laptop/game console/etc. power switch.
  • falsedan 10y ago
    I would agree, if they are installed the 'right' way (toggle down to close circuit, up to open) to match the rest of the world. It's extremely hard to toggle up with a full cup of hot beverage…
    • takingflac 10y ago
      This should be the standard, but the exception is always going to be multi switch circuits with multiple switches controlling the same light.
• phamilton 10y ago
  The original Amarok. Amarok 2 killed the simplicity. The original had a great "now playing" queue and decent search.
  • JepZ 10y ago
    Yeah, the original amarok was great. Nevertheless I think nowadays we would need something else (e.g. the library would require optional steaming provider integration).
• l33r 10y ago
  -Concept2 Rowing Machine or SkiErg2 -5.11 Rush 72 Backpack -AirSense 10 by ResMed -Casio Duro MDV106 -NSF Wire Shelving -Amazon Alexa -Beats Wireless Studio (1st Generation) -Plantronic Voyager 5200 Headset & Case -Amazon Kindle -Microsoft Surface 3
• freekh 10y ago
  I loved my Mini Cooper: it was surprisingly versatile, had arguably beautiful estetics (me and my wife felt cool while sitting in it at least), was fun to drive in the small alpine roads, etc For us: 2 (at the time) DINKs living in the middle of Europe, it was a thing of beauty. I bought one with 0 fancy gadgets and I loved that about it. By far the best purchase (albeit expensive) I've made.
  • kagamine 10y ago
    Assuming you are talking about a BMW Mini and not an original?
  • Bud 10y ago
    I've got a 2003 Mini Cooper with 230,000 miles on it and I'd agree with the above. It's still fantastic to drive and has a lot of pleasing design flourishes—some practical, some whimsical—which continue to delight.
• dcw303 10y ago
  The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever. Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design, right? EDIT: Wikipedia says they're only splash proof; I used to swim with mine but there you go. And I'm making up the timer function, that must have been on later models only.
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • provemewrong 10y ago
    Not to mention detonates a bomb like no other.
    • kagamine 10y ago
      I thought that was Nokia phones that did that?
      • provemewrong 10y ago
        Each has their place. Nokia 3310 for remote detonation, Casio F-91W for a time bomb.
        • huffmsa 10y ago
          Best part about the N3310 is that its reusable.
          • deleted 10y ago
            [deleted]
      • mjlee 10y ago
• cnnsucks 10y ago
  Walther PPQ M2 9mm. We're in the midst of a small arms golden age right now and this pistol is the closest to a local optimum as currently exists. You asked.
• v4n4d1s 10y ago
  1. Nokia N9, it was the perfect device, hardware was perfectly fitted to the software and vice versa. 2. DasKeyboard Model S Ultimate.
• MrTortoise 10y ago
  Knife and fork
  • kagamine 10y ago
    chopsticks!
• snizzitch 10y ago
  DJI Mavic Pro. Its flying capabilities are remarkable, the 4K video looks almost surreal, and all fits into a pouch the size of a medium-sized camera pouch. Also very impressed with the build quality of various USB extended batteries, "bullet-proof" USB charging wires, and wall chargers from Anker.
• joshscorp 10y ago
  Japanese toilet bidet...so clean
• donquichotte 10y ago
  SIG 550 assault rifle. I don't particularly like weapons, but this gun can take an incredible amount of abuse and is still accurate and reliable. I feel that the designers really found the sweet spot between complexity and simplicity here. Same for the Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycle. A superb bike, virtually indestructible, and in the unlikely case that something breaks, it's possible to fix it on your own. EDIT: Sublime Text. Fast, simple, no-nonsense, cross-platform, extendable.
  • briHass 10y ago
    Loved my early 2000s KLR 650. I'm hardly a mechanic, but I did my own top end and bottom end work on it (full engine teardowns), and it always started back up. Motorcycles require quite a bit more maintenance than cars, and having one where I was comfortable fixing every part on it was awesome.
  • reitanqild 10y ago
    You reminded me, I though I couldn't add anything I really found well designed but the assault rifle (G3) I had while drafted was amazing. The mechanics, the raw power, the precision. It was kind of awesome. It helped people like me hit targets precisely at 200m, using only the coarse built-in sights. And they mostly worked after years of abuse at boot camp. If I could get hold of one now I would be tempted although I guess I shouldn't have one as to not make my family a target.
• im_ok_at_coding 10y ago
  Satori Reader (https://satorireader.com/ https://satorireader.com/) A tool to help Japanese Learners by providing Japanese articles that let you automatically look up words, phrases, and consolidate them into a review card list in order review at a later date. This comes from a developer of some apps that already exists for mobile devices called "Human Japanese" and "Human Japanese Intermediate". I've been learning Japanese for a year and a half now, and this site is hands down the most enjoyable experience I have ever had the opportunity to use. It provides audio with the articles, provides look ups for words in line, it allows you to add words seamlessly to your review list, it is suuuppper awesome on my mobile device (my primary review tool),and it is just amazing. Even better is the review cards are done within context instead of being the words by themselves, and it goes out of its way to provide many different types of articles. I absolutely love this site. My only regret about it is that I'm not using it enough, and that's just because I'm not being diligent enough with my team. It is seriously such a wonderful experience.
• noonespecial 10y ago
  HP 48G https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_48_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_48_series
  • wiredfool 10y ago
    HP 28S.
• _ZeD_ 10y ago
  Paper and pencil
• iansowinski 10y ago
  - Hoodie. Really. For me it's the best type of top clothes. - Raspberry Pi. You can do everything with this guy. - My girlfriend's Mitsubishi colt Z30. It has great system of adjusting backseats (you can move it back and forward, so that either trunk or cabin have more space). It has also roof quite high (and I'm tall so that's important for me in small cars) - KitchenAid mixer classic. It's just rock-solid. - Karrimor X-Lite X2t. This guy is maybe a little one, but it's drying in miliseconds, has great setting-up system and is light as a feather. Although it's quite tight for 2 persons, it's the best small tent I've ever used. - Ricoh GRD IV. The best camera I've ever used. - HackerNews. Obviously.
  • kimusan 10y ago
    I have killed several Kitchen aid mixers over the last few year in normal usage. The quality has been declining since the day it got re-introduced to the marked and these days it is pretty much useless for real kitchen work. The professional version is a bit better though.
  • strictnein 10y ago
    Was just thinking about how great Hoodies are for fall and winter wear. Comfortable and highly functional. Large pockets and if you live in a cold climate and always having head cover available to you makes life simpler and easier.
• kagamine 10y ago
  iPod Shuffle, the little almost square ones. So easy to operate all of the functions on it that it can be done without ever taking it out of your pocket. Navigate through playlists without having to look at it all. Battery life lasts seemingly forever. It made commuting by public transport in the cold so very much better than fiddling with the UI on a phone. And training meant not having to carry a huge and heavy phone when running because it clips onto your pockets-less training clothes somewhere. Hands down the best designed device I have ever used.
  • brusch64 10y ago
    This device was one of the worst for me. A former girlfriend of mine got one of those for Christmas from her dad. First problem - we didn't had any Mac or Windows at home. So no iTunes. But that's an iPod problem in general. Her dad didn't know this / didn't think of it. I've tried to use the device - but it was unusable for everything we wanted to use it. She didn't like it for music - too little space (1GB), no full albums, just a Playlist (which was pretty hard to update if you don't use iTunes). Listening to music didn't work for me too (I like listening to whole albums). So I've tried to listen to Podcasts (30 minutes to 1 hour) with it. Didn't know where in the podcast I am, fast forward for 15 minutes was cumbersome. Didn't work for me at all. It was small, it was robust, but it didn't fit any of our requirements.
    • nailer 10y ago
      You can fit about 10 albums in 1GB
      • brusch64 10y ago
        You can. But I've put about 30 albums on my phone and I have little internal space, so I just put a "small list" on it. But for what it is worth 1 GB may be fine. Handling 30 albums would be a nightmare with the Shuffle. It works (as the name says) if you want to listen to a playlist in shuffle. But for me (and my ex) it didn't work for anything else. So we both found out we didn't had any use for this device.
• kagamine 10y ago
  Land Rover Series I, II & III. Much like a Jeep, original Willys and CJ, the roof comes off, the panels come off, the body is aluminium, the engine and electrics are simple enough for most people to fix. Most of what can be mechanical like the fuel pump is mechanical, not electric. They are high enough up off the ground that they can be serviced without a jack, for oil and anti-freeze etc. Truly a utility vehicle.
  • dsfyu404ed 10y ago
    >Most of what can be mechanical like the fuel pump is mechanical, not electric. At least the British engineers aren't in denial about British automotive electronics. >They are high enough up off the ground that they can be serviced without a jack Which is a good thing based on the reputation LR has gone out of it's way to build for itself over the last half century.
    • kagamine 10y ago
      Land Rover owners like to joke about how awful they are, I think it's also a British sense of humour thing. LRs haven't been any worse than any other car I have owned. The series 3 ended production in 1985, the reputation of LR being of poor quality or hard to fix came after modernization of the vehicles into consumer and mainstream markets. Series vehicles are bulletproof, sometimes quite literally (https://www.google.no/search?q=armoured+land+rover&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjxjpuipp7SAhWMWSwKHf2RAWYQsAQIGw&biw=1292&bih=887 https://www.google.no/search?q=armoured+land+rover&tbm=isch&...) They were good enough for many of the world's armed forces for over 50 years!
      • tonyedgecombe 10y ago
        I think your seeing it through rose coloured glasses, the early stuff was appalling just like everything else coming out of BL.
        • kagamine 10y ago
          I think you might be in an alternate reality if you think series land rovers were manufactured by BL. Even if Rover and BL were merged, Rovers were built by Rover. I've owned a few, currently have 2 of them so not sure who you are trying to convince.
• dharma1 10y ago
  Fender Rhodes Sennheiser HD650 headphones Uniqlo knitwear
• minikomi 10y ago
  Any of the Olympus cameras designed by Yoshihisa Maitani - pen F and original OM-1 being particular standouts. Simply wonderful objects to hold and even more fun to use.
• patmcguire 10y ago
  Google Reader. It actually let me add feeds, read them, and mark them read reliably. Everything after is focused on value-add instead of just fucking working.
  • zatkin 10y ago
    I think OP meant physical objects, but nonetheless, I agree with you. You know a product is very well designed when people are still missing it years after its closure.
  • Singletoned 10y ago
    Have you tried https://feedbin.com/ https://feedbin.com/ ? It came out as a response to the closure of Reader, and I actually prefer it. They've kept everything very simple.
    • tajen 10y ago
      There is also https://theoldreader.com https://theoldreader.com which looks very much like Google Reader (plus it doesn't tend to share your 'private' posts on Google +!).
  • throwanem 10y ago
    I've found Feedly quite good - better in fact than I ever found Google Reader. I'm sure you have already tried it, but if nothing else, I'd be curious to know why you found it wanting.
    • patmcguire 10y ago
      That's the one I use. That's what I had in mind: doesn't reliably keep track of what's read and what isn't, has a bunch of add-on search functionality that prompts to upgrade. I'm not doing deep text search, I'm typing the name of the feed because I can't remember where I put it in the folders they mandate when I add something new.
  • knight17 10y ago
    I've moved on to Feedly and then to Inorerader, but Google Reader was a wonderful feed reader. Nothing beats its search capability.
• rodionos 10y ago
  AK-47
• ngcazz 10y ago
  - the Ableton Push 2 controller - the iPod mini
• interfixus 10y ago
  Electrolux Twin Clean vacuum cleaner. With a black labrador and several cats in the house, bagless vacuuming is a must. I used to own a Dyson, but it eventually died from old age, and a friend gave me an almost brand new TwinClean, which for some reason they were disappointed with at his place. And this thing beats the Dyson on every count that matters. It is far less noisy, not scaring the life out of cats and dogs, and an absolute breeze to operate. Everything snaps on and of with nice feel and reassuring clicks. And most importantly, emptying is literally a matter of seconds, not a life and death struggle as with the Dyson: You click off, you click open over a dustbin, you click back on. Just a really well thought out machine. Oh, and the Windows 95 interface, which everyone sincerely flattered with imitation for so many years. I haven't used any later Windows versions, but my Xfce desktop i still clearly modelled on the 95 design. I find the Mac-like stuff nearly unusable, or at any rate endlessly frustrating, on the thankfully rare occasions when I'm forced to interact with it.
  • ry_ry 10y ago
    Not the same brand vacuum, but we have more animals than strictly necessary, and until I'd tried a Miele hover I didn't fully appreciate how terrible most vacuum cleaners are.
• nerform 10y ago
  T-72. Is great.
• george_ciobanu 10y ago
  A dishwasher that only had one button: start. A dry cleaning service where they just told me to come back next day after 5p and never asked me how I want my shirts, what kind of treatment etc. For contrast most places ask several questions that I never know the answer to. The best UI is no UI.
  • chime 10y ago
    Unless the dishwasher can differentiate between baby bottles, fine china, and greasy steel pans, it's going to need more than one button.
    • hvidgaard 10y ago
      It would need 2 buttons, 3 at most. Auto and gentle, and you could argue that a button for a hot thorough cycle is needed as well, but with auto sensing I don't see the need.
    • Xcelerate 10y ago
      So you now have me reconsidering whether setting the thing on "heavy" and hitting start every time is the wrong way to do it then...
    • alkonaut 10y ago
      No I'd honestly be happy with throwing out whatever didn't manage the single program just like I don't care about special cold/30C wash clothes -- everything manages a 40C wash, at least once. I assume enough people don't have fine china just like most don't want to "auto cook 1.5kgs of chicken" using a special microwave program, so really there should be a market for really simple appliances in this case too. Edit: I realize there is an environmental aspect here but tbh the machine should be able to tell how dirty the stuff is.
    • Kluny 10y ago
      Fine china and greasy steel pans both get washed by hand at my house. Neither are used often enough for this to be a problem. Only "normal" stuff goes in the dishwasher, so it only needs a "normal" button.
• s_kilk 10y ago
  The Fender Stratocaster
  • s_kilk 10y ago
    [Can't edit] I'll also concede the Gibson Les Paul is a wonderful piece of design too.
• josephpmay 10y ago
  The Juul I don't smoke, but this is literally one of the best designed gadgets I've ever seen. It's beautiful, smaller than a cigarette, self-explanatory to use, holds a full day's worth of battery, and charges quickly. Instead of using e-juice, Pax developed nicotine salt cartridges for it, making it both simpler and hit much more like a cigarette than other vapes. I know multiple people who've instantly quit smoking cold-turkey after getting a Juul. Others: Apple headphones with W1 Bluetooth chips (AirPods, Beats X, and Beats Studio 3), Teenage engineering OP-1, Palm WebOS
• gravelc 10y ago
  My Seiko SARY57 mechanical (automatic) watch. Beautifully made, looks great, does what it's supposed to do, not too expensive. Simply can't ask for more design-wise in my opinion. https://www.amazon.com/PRESAGE-mechanical-self-winding-winding-SARY055/dp/B00KKDWHQ2 https://www.amazon.com/PRESAGE-mechanical-self-winding-windi... Kindle Paperwhite probably comes a close 2nd.
• grandalf 10y ago
  - My cast iron skillet. It's indestructible and once I learned to season it and cook with it, I prefer it over any other. - 15" Macbook Pro w/ Retina display, iPhone 7 - BNC connectors - The Xtrend Professional Rabbit Wine Opener. (Super cheap on Amazon and it has an incredibly well-designed mechanism) - The Mezlan Cordoba men's shoe -- high quality, no break-in needed, durable, fashionable. - Crocs -- indestructible, comfy. - Joybird furniture (good prices, high quality) - Liberté yogurt. Incredible texture. - The Uber app (I think that amid the weird culture at least one person there really understands mobile UX) - HN -- the only place where I look forward to reading the comments more than the articles.
  • leonroy 10y ago
    > - The Uber app Yes! Fast, intuitive, responsive and rock solid. Uber might be a very, very sketchy company but man have they engineered and designed a great UX - I can't think of any other iPhone app with the same level of 'fit for purpose' as Uber's app.
  • AsyncAwait 10y ago
    > 15" Macbook Pro w/ Retina display Superb build quality, agreed. but the thiness and insistance on staying quiet make it get extremely hot when doing anything remotely demanding, which is not a sign of good design.
  • weavie 10y ago
    > - Crocs -- indestructible, comfy. Why these are so berated really dumbfounds me. I love my crocs. So easy to slip on, comfy. Good for all seasons, summer without socks, winter with socks. And (imho) they look awesome too.
    • patrickk 10y ago
      Not to mention that they're the easiest things ever to wash. Just put it under a tap and air dry.
    • kimusan 10y ago
      ..because they are really bad for your feet and most of them are ugly as hell?
• leonroy 10y ago
  * Blendtec Blender - blew my first pay cheque on one nearly 10 years ago and it still looks and works good as new. Absolutely superb design and construction. * AGA Oven - I don't own one, but my parents do and growing up this thing was just incredible. Still looks and works like new. I honestly have never used an oven which looks and cooks so damn good. * Apple (Unibody) Macbook Pro - Despite my present feelings towards Apple right now cough Mac Pro cough. I can't really say enough good things about the unibody Macbooks - no other laptop surpasses it and it's been nearly 8 years since Apple's unibody construction was introduced. * Devialet Phantom speaker - it's an engineering marvel - nothing like it. * HP Proliant Servers - despite HP's awful website and support policies their Proliant range are the most well designed, well thought out servers I've ever used. * And this garlic press - can't recommend it enough :) http://www.kuhnrikonshop.com/product/epicurean-garlic-press http://www.kuhnrikonshop.com/product/epicurean-garlic-press
  • falsedan 10y ago
    > HP Proliant Servers gods I miss the old DL380 G3 we had in 2009. Its internal USB port and rocketship of parts let me use it to replace a server closet with a bunch of VM & got me familiar with Xen & VMware ESXi
    • reitanqild 10y ago
      I used 380 G6 and G7s. Loved them too.
  • roryisok 10y ago
    I have to argue with the last one, I think this garlic press https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grips-reg-garlic-press/1010792223?categoryId=12084 https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grip... is superior. When you're done with this one, you rotate the handle all the way around and the rubber cleaner on the back cleans the press. I've used both, and mine is easier to clean. You've hit on something though - it's amazing how many people out there suffer with badly designed kitchen utensils. it's like a blindspot where you don't realise that you could buy a much better vegetable peeler / potato masher / garlic press that would literally make your life easier every day, for the price of a cinema ticket.
• cJ0th 10y ago
  * that classic Casio watch Personally, I really like its look. Furthermore, its cheap and the battery lasts forever. * Motorola Razr V3i It just looks awesome! Unfortunately, the great design doesn't extend to its software. :( * Roland JV-1080 This one is first and foremost interesting for its engineering achievement. It offers musicians hundreds of great, sampled sounds which are stored on a 8 MB ROM! They make up for the limited amount of material by skillfully layering samples and the application of DSP algorithms.
• jonbaer 10y ago
  - Thinkpad 701C(S) w/ butterfly keyboard - Shouter (for Android) - Amazon Kindle - Leatherman Wave - Collapsable Electric Kettle - Esbit Stoves - Merrell Hiking Shoes - Moleskins
  • walrus 10y ago
    Butterfly keyboard demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLj3aCfqzOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLj3aCfqzOM
• sjm 10y ago
  Happy Hacking Pro 2 keyboard Fuji X-T1 & Fuji lenses with manual aperture rings (e.g. 23mm, 35mm..) Eames chair Slayer Espresso machine ACME cups Audeze LCD-3 MacBook Pro 2015 Emacs (especially org-mode, but the open-ended extensible design in general is genius) Engineered Garments parka
• tech2 10y ago
  The Faber Castell Alpha-matic pencil. Auto-feed, good cut-metal grip. I found this in a field in the early 90's, it still writes wonderfully, the feed mechanism is amazing. It's a device that's so perfectly fit-for-purpose. If I had to replace it I'd be looking at spending a LOT of money these days :( Honda Civic SiR II (EG chassis) - Not hugely powerful, but great fun to drive, everything in the right place, fold-flat seats in the rear, plastic clamshell backs on the front seats, small pull-out tray in the rear, 6 speaker stereo, good suspension design, great little engine, rear gate design allows you to fit quite large items in there. An awesome little car from the early 90's. The MX518 mouse, as mentioned elsewhere. zip ties. I always have some on me. They've saved me countless times, from securing things in place to replacing a broken jubilee clip on one of my current car's hoses so I didn't have to limp home.
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
• JeremyMorgan 10y ago
  Lately, the first thing that comes to mind is the ShuttlePro v2 http://www.contourdesign.com/US/product/shuttlepro-v2/ http://www.contourdesign.com/US/product/shuttlepro-v2/ Recommended highly by other people editing video, and the first time I used it, I felt like an expert. Once I got the keys mapped that I like and started getting good with it, it's become an extension of my hand. Best $100 I've spent on technology in a long time.
• zeptomu 10y ago
  Moka pots. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot It is simple and just works.
  • angry-hacker 10y ago
    What if you have a gas stove? :) But I agree, it's a good product and design. Never read wiki, I always thought it comes from Spain, not Italy.
    • anentropic 10y ago
      everyone I know uses them on a gas stove you need the little wire thingy so a small one can sit comfortably on the stove stand
    • cr1895 10y ago
      It was invented in the 1930s. Did electric stoves even exist then?
      • dredmorbius 10y ago
        They were just starting to become mainstream (though still outnumbered by gas) at the time. The first electric stoves date to the 1880s, and hotplate burners (about the simplest electrical device you can imagine) were likely more common from early days. http://inventors.about.com/od/ofamousinventions/a/oven.htm http://inventors.about.com/od/ofamousinventions/a/oven.htm
    • dalys 10y ago
      I have an induction stove and I use a diffusion plate like these http://www.frabosk.it/ita/prodotto_scheda.jsp?idprodotto=099 http://www.frabosk.it/ita/prodotto_scheda.jsp?idprodotto=099 to be able to use my moka brewer. They work for gas stoves as well.
      • rosbrith 10y ago
        Bialetti make stainless steel versions that are suitable for induction hobs.
• johnchristopher 10y ago
  I don't have the reference at hand at the moment but at work we have a microwave that has one wheel to select wattage and one wheel to select duration (30 secs increment). This UX fits every frozen/industrial food because it corresponds to the manufacturer's cooking information (eg: 3minutes at 700watts, 5 minutes at 500watts, etc.). At home I have a monster with two different alarm settings, not wattage bug a 10 grade scale, a keypad but the only way to set up time is through the plus and minus button, etc.
  • nailer 10y ago
    Let us know the model when you're at work please!
    • m_rcin 10y ago
      All basic microwaves (at least in the UK) have this design. For example http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4007573 http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4007573 or https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-KOR6L77-Microwave-Oven-White/dp/B00DE79P0M/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-KOR6L77-Microwave-Oven-White... I concur that's a better UI than buttons + display.
• pnathan 10y ago
  emacs. it's designed to grow and change, and it does so. It has the Quality Without A Name.
  • bobbylox 10y ago
    Great Christopher Alexander Reference
• subinsebastien 10y ago
  The Nexus Prime. I have been using this particular mobile phone for so long, because of its clean physical design and stock Android experience. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-I9250-Galaxy-Nexus-Unlocked/dp/B005ZEF01A https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-I9250-Galaxy-Nexus-Unlocked/d...
• i_don_t_know 10y ago
  The ancient microwave in my first apartment. It had two knobs: one for time, one for power. It's immediately obvious how to cook something for how long, how to add more time, etc. All other microwaves that I've used I had to have someone explain to me what buttons to press in what order to do even the simplest things. And I've never seen anyone use all of those fancy buttons.
  • Johan-bjareholt 10y ago
    I recently bought a microwave from Samsung that has one know for time, one for power and a button to set the clock. I do love when appliances are stupidly simple, but I do miss the timer function on my old microwave.
  • mdip 10y ago
    Completely agree! The funny thing is the first thing I thought of was an old microwave I owned with a similar setup mainly because the microwave I own, today, is so awful[0]. I have a GE combination convection oven/microwave and it was clearly designed by someone who had their first experience with LSD that day. Every function requires a different, magic, set of key combinations to make it work. Want to set a timer? That's easy, press timer, turn the dial to the right time (which inexplicably increases/decreases the time in 30 second increments). OK, you've done that, now you want to start it. Press "Timer" ... nope. Press "Start" ... nope. Oh, I have to push in the dial... I didn't even know that, too, was a button. Oh, and not once, not twice, but three times is the magic number of times required to start said timer. Starting the microwave with a specific time in mind requires hitting no less than 6 buttons, but there's one button that will start the microwave on high for 30 seconds, so everyone just uses that button and hits it as many times as is required to get close to the desired cooking length. I can hear my wife counting out loud ten beeps for a 5 minute cook time. It's got piles of advanced, useless, features, my favorite of which is a hybrid "microwave/oven cook" mode that manages to bring in the worst of both methods, giving you soggy food, unevenly cooked that takes an eternity to cook. Even the clock is stupid. You punch in the hours/minutes, and thinking you're done, you move on to something else. Later you go to cook something and for some bizarre reason, "AM or PM" pops up on the screen at which point nothing in your previous experience in operating a microwave prepares you to figure out why heating something up requires knowledge of whether it's morning or afternoon. Of course, nothing this microwave does requires knowledge of AM/PM, nor does it display AM or PM anywhere on the screen, but for some reason it just must know. [0] This isn't the exact model but it looks close: https://www.amazon.com/GE-PVM9179SFSS-Profile-Stainless-Microwave/dp/B00EU7AMX4 https://www.amazon.com/GE-PVM9179SFSS-Profile-Stainless-Micr...
• znpy 10y ago
  Thinkpad X220.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• akavel 10y ago
  I've fallen in love with the Parker Jotter pen (the full-steel version) http://www.parkerpen.com/en-US/jotter-us http://www.parkerpen.com/en-US/jotter-us. Stumbled into it by accident (a marketing/promotional gift). Never knew it's apparently "a classic". Other than that, I'm very fond of my Surface Pro 4 (the lowest-specced but fanless version). Though only since I've got my first one replaced, as it was constantly crashing.
• antoaravinth 10y ago
  I would go with Kindle and apple macbooks!
  • antoaravinth 10y ago
    Why downvote? Could you please tell me the reason for downvote?
• hackathonguy 10y ago
  The way I see it, great design is about meshing seamlessly with the end user. If an item or software feel like they extend me they're exquisitely well designed. Here are several such things: - MacBook Pro 13" with Touchbar. The MacBook Pro is the first laptop I've used that doesn't feel like a tool I need to struggle with and manipulate to get the job done. It's powerful enough so I don't need to worry about system resources, light enough that I can carry it everywhere, and sturdy enough that I'm not constantly worried about breaking it. The list goes on - this is truly a magnificent computer. - This leather messenger bag. http://emanuel-w.com/product/קלפה-צד-41071/?lang=en http://emanuel-w.com/product/קלפה-צד-41071/?lang=en Dunno if it's available in the states, but this leather bag by Emanuel has been my companion for five years, and is only getting better with time. It has enough room for anything I need, is brilliantly compartmentalized, and is super comfy to take anywhere. - Kindle, the one with the keyboard. I currently own Paperwhite and it's almost there, but not quite. eInk is a brilliant invention, but it's the Kindle's design that made it what it is today - my go-to solution for reading, anywhere, anytime. Moving on to software: - Mad Mimi is a simple, lovely email newsletter service that is brilliantly designed, and which pioneered the drag-and-drop email design interface. - Basecamp. I love their no-bullshit approach to design, their ability to ignore current "design trends" to focus on simpler aesthetics, and the boldness with which they communicate their promise. It's fantastic. Might think about some more examples a little later. :-)
  • awjr 10y ago
    A good leather messenger bag is worth every penny. The harder you treat them the better they look.
• bschwindHN 10y ago
  - Victorinox Classic SD Pocket Knife - Japanese toilet roll holders - 3M Command Strips
  • dirwiz 10y ago
    One step better is the Victorinox Swiss Army Manager Pocket Tool. Adds a bottle opener, philips driver & pen in a slightly thicker package. http://a.co/gsud2iY http://a.co/gsud2iY
    • bschwindHN 10y ago
      Looks good! I like the SD though because it's cheaper and I'm constantly repurchasing them due to forgetting them when I go through security at airports.
  • h1d 10y ago
    As a Japanese, curious how a toilet roll holder can be different.
    • bschwindHN 10y ago
      These ones in America are fairly common, they're a plastic tube with a spring inside which you must awkwardly compress to remove the old roll and insert a new one. http://www.restroomdirect.com/images/products/detail/ASI_10-0705-Z_Toilet_Paper_Holder.jpg http://www.restroomdirect.com/images/products/detail/ASI_10-...
• icantdrive55 10y ago
  Any Toyota truck/car with a 22R engine, with manual transmission. Old cast iron cookware Flobee (Laugh, but it cuts hair. You need to experiment with the extensions though. For those that despise the annual haircut, hate the small talk, and that lying response at the end of the ordeal, "It looks great!"; pick up a old Flobee at a garage sale.) In my world, a old IWC watch with a 853 movement. (I do watch repair, and this might be my favorite movement. The older IWC's don't look flashy, but that movement is well engineered. I can wear my old watch anywhere; only I know what's under the crystal. I never worry about theft. 3/8" Snap-on combination metric/standard ratchet set. The one with the deep sockets, and the standard sockets. Only buy used though. It comes in a red case. (I once went to automotive school. Much of Snap-on is overpriced, but this ratchet set has served me well.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• gontard 10y ago
  The thermomix: http://thermomix.vorwerk.com/home/ http://thermomix.vorwerk.com/home/
• lukaszkups 10y ago
  Nokia Lumia charger: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lukaszkups/lukaszkups-old/master/content/blog/images/lumia_07.jpg https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lukaszkups/lukaszkups-old/...
• cafebabbe 10y ago
  The legendary Nokia 3310. Military grade build quality, and an amazing UI at the time.
  • tonyedgecombe 10y ago
    It's coming back: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/02/18/nokia-3310-relaunch-still-love-phone-defined-nokia-era/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/02/18/nokia-3310-...
• drewjaja 10y ago
  National Microwave, still going strong after 30+ years
• pricechild 10y ago
  HAProxy & its documentation especially. It's a fantastic piece of software.
• rkangel 10y ago
  Google Chromecast Takes a quite complicated set of things going on (control signals from phone, data signals from internet), and turns them into a seamless intuitive experience. I find the initial setup process particularly excellent. Getting a device with no user input onto a wifi network would normally be a nightmare, but the magic they do with setting up a temporary access point on the device is excellent.
  • endless1234 10y ago
    And it working even when your portable device isn't in the same wifi network ("Nearby devices" option) is pretty magical. Ultrasonic communication between phone and some-other-thing is stuff that you'd expect to read about being done in a lab, yet here it is in a consumer thing that's really cheap, and working flawlessly.
  • owenwil 10y ago
    100% agree - for the price, you get so much mileage
  • huffmsa 10y ago
    Even though its a perpetual beta-program and the engineers break stuff every other update, I can't imagine life without it. I tried watching Youtube on the desktop recently and was appalled at how terrible the interface was, esp without Red and no ABP. Chromecasts are my go-to Christmas gifts every year.
  • baby 10y ago
    I find myself never using them other than to watch youtube. What do people use it for? Why can't I buy something to just stream my screen? Like the steam link but for everything. Not just steam.
    • rkangel 10y ago
      I watch all of my TV through it. I buy box sets from Amazon Video and watch them (which has to be laptop). My girlfriend watches a lot of BBC iPlayer, we both watch Netflix. On occasion I'll download something and it'll happily stream from my phone (Localcast) or laptop (Videostream).
• mattkevan 10y ago
  MUJI 0.5mm gel ink pens [0] - I've used these pens for so long that my handwriting goes haywire when using a different make. Perfect balance of smoothness and scratchiness - with fast drying ink, which as a lefty is vital. Harmon Kardon Soundsticks II – had mine for over a decade and they still sound and look great. Gaggia Colour espresso machine – looks great, built like a tank, simple to repair, and still produces fantastic coffee after years of benign neglect. Chromecast – it just works. Feels like the future to use my phone to stream video from the Raspberry Pi to the TV. AirPlay – it also just works. Recently set up a multi-room audio streaming thing, like a budget alternative to Sonos, using a few Raspberry Pis I had lying about and Shairport Sync [1]. Works much better than I anticipated. [0] https://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=13&Sub=52&PID=5162 https://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=13&Sub=52&PID=5162 [1] https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync
  • omegote 10y ago
    > Chromecast – it just works. Feels like the future to use my phone to stream video from the Raspberry Pi to the TV. Not quite following you here. Why would you need the chromecast if you have a Raspberry attached to your TV?
    • AlecGard 10y ago
      Probably using the Raspberry Pi as a Media Centre, and then using phone to stream from Pi > Chromecast.
    • fao_ 10y ago
      It could be: Raspberry Pi in one room, TV in another, Raspberry Pi -> Chromecast -> TV
      • mattkevan 10y ago
        Yep, exactly that. A RPi3 with Plex media server hooked up to the router and a bunch of hard drives streaming to the Chromecast in a different room. Tried the Plex app on a Fire stick but for some reason it didn't work nearly as well.
• ASipos 10y ago
  Galaxy Nexus with stock Android 4.x. More precisely, when I bought it almost five years ago I was simply shocked at how much more its UI seemed to have been designed with actual phone use in mind, compared to, say, my former late-Symbian Nokia E50. Typical example: the E50 had the well-known idiosyncratic Nokia 'profiles', whereas the Nexus only had the fragment that users usually relied on -- that is, an easy switch between full-settings/vibrate-only/absolute-silence.
• lb1lf 10y ago
  Good question; it caused me to go through the house, looking at lots of objects trying to figure out which one(s) were exceptional, in my book. Here's my top list: The Optimus 00 kerosene stove. Hardly a thing has changed in over a century of production. Utterly unbreakable, not a single superfluous component or feature. Just plain works. Moccamaster drip brewer. Probably the drip brewer to beat. The product is eminently drinkable, it is a reliable and consistent performer, not much that can go wrong except breaking the beaker (no worries, a new one is $20 a five-minute walk from home) - and they even sell spare parts - any component; mine is 28 years old and still going strong, having had its thermostat replaced once. BRIO toy trains. (Tie with LEGO) - unbreakable, and their long-term commitment to compatibility is fantastic; I can buy BRIO odds and ends in the toy shop today which interfaces perfectly with stuff my parents bought for me when I was a kid. Same goes, to a slightly lesser extent, for LEGO.
• mdip 10y ago
  It took me about a second to think of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. These are the perfect nexus of good and cheap. These things have the critical features one looks for in a writing instrument, my favorite of which is that I can put it in my electric pencil sharpener and the lead never snaps just prior to the point at which it becomes sharp. And these guys finally figured out something useful to do with that pink, rubbery, knob at the end of the pencil. I've never been able to figure out what this rubber piece is for on other pencils. On some, it works like a highlighter, but not as well -- leaving this pale, pinkish/carbon smudged mess all over the page. On others, it works like the worlds worst paper shredder, ripping through the page haphazardly, but not in such a useful way as to render the contents securely shredded. On Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, this rubber knob removes any pencil markings that were made in error. It's incredible! The best part, though, is that you can get a box of almost 100 of them for around $14.
  • the_duke 10y ago
    I've never seen someone that excited about pencils. Might this be satire? ;)
    • throwanem 10y ago
      Doubtful; I feel quite the same about the Pentel Twist-Erase III, which, in a variety of lead diameters, has been my implement of choice since high school. This is not least because it excels among mechanical pencils in having the eraser be other than an afterthought - as hinted by the name, the upper barrel contains a twist mechanism which houses an eraser that's a quarter inch in diameter and over an inch in length, and which is immediately available rather than requiring partial disassembly to access. It's also, like that on the Ticonderoga, made of rubber that does its job, which you'd think would be the only criterion but go figure.
    • louhike 10y ago
      No, these pencils are quite famous. I saw them recommended in a beginner's pack for D&D players.
    • Crespyl 10y ago
• poyu 10y ago
  Power Mac G5. If you ever open that thing, you'll know it's really taking computer making to the next level! It's meant to be tool-less all the way, you can change almost everything (RAM, CPU, HDD) using at most one or two screwdrivers. And the way the hinges and interlocks work together is amazing. Not to mention its build quality.
• nsebban 10y ago
  The most perfectly designed thing is IMO the HB or 2B paper pencil. This kind : http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/20000/velka/pencil-and-paper.jpg http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/20000/velka/pen...
• 0xbadf00d 10y ago
  Minaal Backpack - https://www.minaal.com/ https://www.minaal.com/ I got the version 1.0 with kickstarter and have used it almost daily ever since. Lovely bag with thoughtful design for daily work use or as a weekend bag.
  • synaesthesisx 10y ago
    I have both the 1.0 and the Minaal Daily - I actually love the Daily even more since it's the perfect size for commuting or weekend trips. I use it daily as my "office in a bag", and love how accessible electronics/papers are.
• Eric_WVGG 10y ago
  Bench made pocket knife with their "axis" locking mechanism. Never thought I would be a knife guy, but I was given one gen years ago and I'm still smitten with this thing. There is nothing quite like the snapping sound when it opens perfectly.
  • seanp2k2 10y ago
    Yeah, once you figure out that pulling the closing button down combined with a flick opens it, it's basically an assisted-opening-but-not-illegal knife. I always thought that the ban on assisted openers was stupid anyway, since a fixed blade is faster still and 100% legal.
    • throwanem 10y ago
      Fixed blade's harder to conceal.
• jasonkostempski 10y ago
  Those toilet paper holders that are simply just hooks.
• rurban 10y ago
  Macbook Air Nokia N95
• golergka 10y ago
  Traktor Z1 and X1 controllers. There's been a lot of different options for DJ controllers lately, but these two have been a perfect fit for my style and the music I play. They're certainly bad for a hip-hop turntablist, but for a steady BPM 4/4 house/techno set they're just perfect. They're very small, which is perfect for a crowded DJ booth in a bar. They're very easy and fast to setup, with built-in audio interface - which means that there's less gear to haul. They only have the necessary functions - which means that instead of wasting my time on what the sync button can do automatically, I can spend more effort on the human touch. And most importantly, they're modular - which means I'll be buying another pair to control 2 more decks pretty soon.
• sz4kerto 10y ago
  Stokke/Variable rocking kneeling chair. http://www.arredamentisartori.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Variable_Leather009.jpg http://www.arredamentisartori.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/... After all the pricey Aeron crap that is actually _bad_ for my back, this works.
  • ptman 10y ago
    I've heard it said that this is bad for your knees, but I don't know one way or the other.
• tdk 10y ago
  1. Noodler's fountain pens. These are 'Hacker-friendly' pens. With most pens the nib and feed are glued in, but in the Noodlers pens they are push fit, so can be adjusted. You can adjust the amount of flex and flow independently. You can also take out the entire filling mechanism, and use the whole pen body as a reservoir. Neat. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/209380-noodlers-ahab-flex-adjustment-tips/ http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/209380-noodler... 2. Vim It was a bold design concept to use 'modes', but it makes it so much more productive.
  • pkd 10y ago
    Re 1. Almost all fountain pens are "hacker friendly". I have a couple of pens which are much more expensive than Noodler's and I have completely dismantled and then reassembled them multiple times while cleaning. Unless you are using some proprietary filling mechanism, both the nib, and feed are interchangeable.
    • tdk 10y ago
      Most fountain pens have the nib and feed as one glued unit (confusingly, informally called the 'nib'), so you can't adjust the flow. Compare the 'nibs' at the top and bottom of this page. https://www.gouletpens.com/replacement-nibs/c/294 https://www.gouletpens.com/replacement-nibs/c/294 The ones at the bottom can only be used in Noodlers pens. The Noodler's also have the feed made of cutable ebonite instead of cheaper plastic, so you can carve out a deeper ink channel if you want.
      • pkd 10y ago
        I have never used a fountain pen with a glued together nib and feed. The ones on the top of the page aren't glued together, they are the screw on type. These are generally found in hand-tuned pens (like the Edison Noveau) or premium pens (like Pelikan MX00 series). You can still adjust the flow of the nib without tampering with the feed by just using a brass strip and running it through the slit in the nib (to increase the flow). I have never wanted to decrease the flow of a nib unit. What you are saying is true though. Ebonite feeds have their advantages, like you can heat tune them as well to fit to a certain nib shape.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• mozumder 10y ago
  As much as I'd love to say iPhone or my MacBook Pro, I'd have to say the best-designed thing I've used is probably my Nikon D3x, their top-of-the-line professional SLR. It does exactly what I want, and is so perfectly designed.
• pawadu 10y ago
  1. I have products from Bang & Olufsen to be exceptionally well designed. Sure, they cost fives times more but IMHO its worth it. 2. Nokia 3310
• anonlawyer 10y ago
  Nikon FE manual focus SLR. Every control a real photographer needs, nothing you don't, and the match needle exposure meter works better than anything else ever invented. Tough—mine is 35+ years old and works like it's brand new.
• anonlawyer 10y ago
  Nikon FE manual focus SLR. Every control a real photographer needs, nothing you don't. Tough—mine is 35+ years old and works as well as the day it left the factory. The match needle exposure meter is better than anything that came before or after. I love mine, even if shooting film is a pain in 2017.
  • cynisme 10y ago
    I also think that the FE is great, but I think the K1000 is truly one of the best slr's ever made.
• l0b0 10y ago
  The Fisher Space Pen. Small enough to carry in your pocket without even noticing it, no sharp edges, unbreakable and trivially refillable. And it writes, too!
  • throwanem 10y ago
    Small enough to easily lose, too - I miss mine!
    • poink 10y ago
      Ain't that the truth. Mine is around here... somewhere. I periodically find it while cleaning up, put it on my desk, and then inevitably lose it before I need it again. Also, I find that mine accumulates a blob of ink on the tip after a period of inactivity that needs to be wiped off before use.
    • germinalphrase 10y ago
      I went through two bullet pens before throwing in the towel. I understand that a permanently mounted clip would throw off the sleek, classic design - but it would be way more functional if the pen and clip would actually stay attached to each other.
  • vinylkey 10y ago
    I'm left handed, and the Space Pen is the first ballpoint that I've used that consistently works for me.
• Insanity 10y ago
  My G9x mouse. I got it shortly after release, so it is about 8 years old now. It is still going strong and the most comfortable mouse I have ever used. There is nothing that I dislike about it - apart from not being able to buy it anymore.
  • Normal_gaussian 10y ago
    I have a G9 right here. Used it nearly every day for the last decade. Great mouse.
• idonotknowwhy 10y ago
  #1 The Nokia N9 (specifically the alarm clock) When trying to find a clone for Android, I found this guy's blog post which explains why it's perfect: http://www.nition.co/2014/08/the-nokia-n9-alarm-clock/ http://www.nition.co/2014/08/the-nokia-n9-alarm-clock/ The swipe interface of the operating system is also the best I've ever used. If I play around with the N9 for a few minutes now; then go back to android, it feels clunky an inefficient again. #2 The Nintendo Gamecube It just works without having to setup profiles or download updates, the controller is awesome (subjective) and it carries the greatest Mario Kart, Smash Brothers and Mario Party ever created (also subjective).
  • baby 10y ago
    I remember watching an interview of Yamamoto explaining how Sony blatantly copied the N64 controller, even copying Nintendo's mistake of having 4 right-side buttons of exactly the same shape (for the fingers). Nintendo corrected this with the gamecube controller having different shaped buttons on the right (see here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_controller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_controller the A, Y, X and B buttons) For some reason, Nintendo reversed back to the "bad" playstation-like buttons after the gamecube. If anyone knows why I would be interested.
    • coldpie 10y ago
      Maybe it's because I play a lot of games, but I don't know why four identical shaped buttons would be bad. I never press A and think I'm pressing B because they are the same shape. It's not clear to me why you think different shaped buttons is inherently better.
      • baby 10y ago
        One thing where it shines: new players and tutorials. When the button is shown to the screen they can immediately track it. Sony is pretty bad with that, GF always asks "what is R2? What is R3? ..."
        • 10y ago
• JshWright 10y ago
  Plus you can carry a few spares to drop on someone with brown skin, and presto, they're a bomb maker!
  • sctb 10y ago
    Please don't post pure inflammation like this. Civil discussion is no more resilient against incendiary devices than people. We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13685523 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13685523 and marked it off-topic.
    • shiven 10y ago
      I think the poster is referencing this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Hall_reports#Detainees.27_profile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Hall_reports#Detainees.2...
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
• tex0 10y ago
  The Microsoft IntelliMouse 1.1a. It's a shame it's no longer on sale.
  • _pmf_ 10y ago
    A lot of MS hardware has superb usability.
  • s0rce 10y ago
    Had one of these for years, great mouse, it was in my office for all of my PhD, only downside was it got dirty easily. Since replaced with a Logitech M500.
  • pmarreck 10y ago
    I'm not generally a MS fan but this mouse is legendary
• CaRDiaK 10y ago
  A door.
• mohoyt 10y ago
  Canon 5D3 - feels exceptional in your hand, takes fantastic photos out of the box, and with all the more advanced features just as accessible for when you need them. Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket - so light, stuffs into it's inner pocket, sufficiently warm, windproof and layerable. Pretty much perfect.
  • throwanem 10y ago
    That looks like a solid jacket. I've been using a ski jacket (also Patagonia) that's also light, warm, windproof, and layerable, but also not small or compactible and thus inconvenient as hell when it's not needed for all parts of a mass-transit commute. I'll have to check that out further - thanks for the tip!
• throwanem 10y ago
  My grandfather's [1] Nikkormat FTn [2], which is more or less a consumer version of the Nikon F [3]. It's equipped with roughly the same features, but implemented somewhat differently - for example, shutter speed is adjusted via a ring on the lens mount, instead of a knob on the top. It's by far the simplest SLR I've ever used, and in some ways also the most capable - you do still need to know how focus and exposure work, but once you have those basics under your belt, the camera gets right out of your way so you can take the pictures you want to take. It's also built like a tank - the kind of thing where, if you drop it on your foot, it probably won't break, but your toes might. And, like any handheld machine engineered to tight tolerances, it's just a pleasure to use. That camera's served three generations of my family very well; my grandfather and father each used it for years, and I learned the basics of photography with it. It's honorably retired now, but if I ever start to shoot film again, that's the camera I'll use to do it. And if I don't, I'll still have benefited massively from having used it, because the Nikon D5300 I now use (and used to take [1], a few minutes ago) can still take any glass with an F mount - which not only means that I can still use Grandpa's and Dad's old glass, but that if I want, say, a 500mm tele, which I do because the moon is far away and hawks take it amiss when you approach to improve your shot, I can spend $100 on a manual lens that I already know how to use, instead of spending $10,000 or more on one that supports automatic focus and aperture. [1] https://u.sicp.me/gZn97.jpg https://u.sicp.me/gZn97.jpg [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkormat#Nikkormat_FTn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkormat#Nikkormat_FTn [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F
• antirez 10y ago
  The iRobot Roomba is one of the best electronic devices I own. The durability is simply impressive, only the battery breaks eventually since well, there is no escape for this. Even without using crazy AI, it kinda works well, and is one thing that when released looked pretty revolutionary but is actually useful instead of being just a fake induced need.
  • lobster_johnson 10y ago
    Based on the horrifying amount of crap it's able to suck up, a Roomba is absolutely worth it. But I wish they would solve the problem where it gets stuck in seemingly trivial places: I often find mine on top of the base of a floor lamp, or on the gap between a rug and a wall, or, most bizarrely, exactly in the middle of my Steelcase Leap office chair's four wheely legs, which has the exact diameter of a Roomba. It also keeps shutting itself inside my bathroom if I don't wedge the door open. (I don't have cables lying around for it to get entangled with, although it recently dressed itself up in a natty scarf: https://www.instagram.com/p/BQqWAoRBnsi/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BQqWAoRBnsi/)
    • antirez 10y ago
      I've the feeling that now that computer vision works well enough and with affordable enough GPUs to put into appliances, the next generation of Roomba could improve on that tenfolds... Let's see if there is a new release coming :-)
• nicpottier 10y ago
  Ortlieb messenger bag: https://www.ortlieb.com/en/Messenger%20Bag/ https://www.ortlieb.com/en/Messenger%20Bag/ Have had one for over 10 years now, used it for bike commuting in Seattle, motorcycle commuting in Rwanda and a grocery shopping in Ecuador. It is pretty much indestructible, to the point that I wonder how they can afford to make it. The velcro is starting to stick less now but otherwise it is perfect and that seems repairable. Gaggia Coffee Deluxe & Haro Slim Grinder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001KOA4Q/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001KOA4Q/ For roughly $400 you can get yourself a setup that will make you better latte's than 90% of coffee shops. I have a souped up PID'd Silvia with a super fancy burr grinder as well, which is also great, but the bang for the buck of the Gaggia is hard to beat and it is serviceable, so you can take it apart and descale or repair it for decades to come. The hand grinder has enough adjustability for this class of machine, produces a super consistent grind and adds a fun routine to your morning. Dell USB-C Multi-Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DT6KW2/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DT6KW2/ Ethernet, VGA, USB-3 and HDMI in a tiny little adapter which has a cable that folds on itself. This is a pretty perfect companion to the new MBP's and works without drivers. Really nicely done and has been reliable for me, always keep it in my bag. Swiss Tech Utility Key: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001EFSTI/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001EFSTI/ Always have it on my keychain, passes security in airports, super handy. Really see no reason to NOT have one of these. Leatherman Wave: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCN6C8/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCN6C8/ Others designs have come and gone but I've had one of these for 20 years and it is still going strong. Super sharp blades that keep an edge, one handed opening and tools that actually work. I really don't think anyone has improved on its design since introduction, it is the type of thing you can hand down to someone.
  • throwanem 10y ago
    > Swiss Tech Utility Key I had one of these for a while, but came to much prefer the Leatherman Squirt S4, in large part because the blade on the Utili-Key is extremely sharp and ideally placed to slice fingers if the tool is not used with the most exquisite care. Ask me how I know. The Squirt won't pass security screening, but I've never had trouble with it in checked baggage. The closest I've come to having an issue was when I forgot to take it off my keyring before reporting for jury duty last year; I was of course relieved of it before being permitted to pass the entry checkpoint, but was also able to recover it when I departed, with the thanks of the city and no panel assignment (again, dammit!), at the end of the day.
• LeicaLatte 10y ago
  Vim.
• ianlevesque 10y ago
  iPod with the spinning click-wheel
• fredmorcos 10y ago
  The Leopold FC750R(T) mechanical keyboard.
• _orcaman_ 10y ago
  "The C Programming Language" by K&R.
• martin_bech 10y ago
  Back in the 92, this was by far the best TV. Best remote, best everything, and worked seemlessly with a motorised stand, using the same remote. Beovision MX6000 https://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=641 https://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=641
• sergiotapia 10y ago
  My Macbook Air 13-inch 2015. Battery lasts a long time. It recharges super quick. It's incredibly lightweight. It's incredibly thin. It's trackpad clicks "for real". No plastic, or shitty finish. I can't believe they don't make them anymore. It's easily Apple's best hardware hand's down. --- My Logitech G602 mouse. Weighty, not heavy, battery lasts for 8 months. Hands cusps the mouse perfectly and never feels awkward to hold for extended periods of time. Premium feel, no cheap plastics. I love it. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-g602-wireless-gaming-mouse-black/2397012.p?skuId=2397012&ref=212&loc=1&ksid=22172b8e-d4cf-46e8-b227-badb9bef769a&ksprof_id=8&ksaffcode=pg199033&ksdevice=c&lsft=ref:212,loc:2 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-g602-wireless-gaming-mo...
  • schappim 10y ago
    I completely agree. Having had pretty much one of each of apple"s laptops before and since, it is the best laptop they ever made.
  • schappim 10y ago
    I completely agree. Having had pretty much one of each of apple"s laptops before and since, it is the best laptop they ever made.
  • graeme 10y ago
    I have a 2013 air and love it. I'll be replacing it with a 2015 air fairly soon. Secretly hoping I'll help persuade them to keep updating it. The form factor is wonderful.
  • kevinali1 10y ago
    http://www.apple.com/macbook-air/ http://www.apple.com/macbook-air/ The still make them
• SpacemanSpiff 10y ago
  HP 32SII scientific calculator. I had one in high school (not sure what happened to it), recently picked one up on ebay and haven't regretted it!
  • sizzzzlerz 10y ago
    I'd suggest the HP-16c programmer's calculator. It was small, programmable, and did calculations and conversions in hex, octal, decimal, and binary. At the time I bought one, the early 80's, I was doing embedded programming in assembler the thing was a life saver. And what's cool is that I still have it and it still works.
• fergie 10y ago
  Ortleib panniers (https://www.google.com/search?q=ortlieb+panniers https://www.google.com/search?q=ortlieb+panniers): * Are actually waterproof * Don't have lots of unnecessary compartments and pockets * Lift on and off really securely, yet really easily * Can be wiped clean * Super durable * Light * Can be worn as shoulder bag, or carried as a tote * No zips, yet can be completely sealed
  • btschaegg 10y ago
    I second that. However, if you also want to use it as a messenger bag, I prefer my Vaude Bayreuth II, since its hook mechanism can be closed. With my Ortlieb bag, I regularily get stuck with one of the hooks in the back pockets of my trousers, so I have a habit of always removing the hooks altogether if I'm not using my bike, which is a bit of an annoyance. The Ortlieb bag is much more durable however.
    • sjakobi 10y ago
      I always carry my Ortlieb bags with the hooks facing away from me.
  • ndonnellan 10y ago
    I've had mine for almost 10 years now, still going strong. I did switch them out for a boxier, flat-bottomed, insulated pannier for work commutes since it's hard to fit my lunches flat in the ortliebs I have.
  • contingencies 10y ago
    I third that. Have before and since owned others, and truly regret selling them (due to moving). Pricey, but valuable. Most recent trip: 6 days upper Yangtse, camping, for Chinese New Year. Amazing.
  • sjakobi 10y ago
    Not an aspect of the design but an anecdote on their great customer service: I got my pair of Ortlieb Back Roller Classics as a present four years ago. After I had used at least one bag almost every weekday since then, the rubber shoulder pads had recently ripped and the inner pockets frayed over the screw nuts. When I contacted their customer service with pictures of the damage, they sent me replacement shoulder straps and pockets free of charge (they even covered shipping costs) although I had no receipt to prove the age of the bags.
• CodeWriter23 10y ago
  I love a good Estwing hammer. Both the newer rubber handle or the old school handle made from ovals of leather. The simple single piece forging never breaks like hammers with wooden or fiberglass handles.
  • jat850 10y ago
    Estwing absolutely makes the best hammers. Had the same one since I was 12.
• pidg 10y ago
  I love my Pro-ject RPM 1 turntable. It's such a simple design - stripped back to the bare bones of what's needed to play records. http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=rpm13 http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=rpm13
  • tech2 10y ago
    I was looking at the Pro-ject Carbon a while back but couldn't quite stretch to the price, beautiful bits of kit.
• Xcelerate 10y ago
  Dyer and Jenkins black cotton T-shirts. I wear jeans and a black T-shirt basically every day, but I noticed a lot of the black T-shirts I purchased wore out quickly and started to fade right away. So I Googled "best black T-shirts" one day and a Reddit thread led me to Dyer and Jenkins. I've been wearing them for a year now and they have hardly faded and look just about as good as when I first bought them. Dyer and Jenkins often gives away half off coupons as well, so I normally wait for one of those deals before I order a new set: https://www.dyerandjenkins.com/collections/tees/products/3-pack-organic-cotton-tees-black https://www.dyerandjenkins.com/collections/tees/products/3-p...
  • nickreese 10y ago
    Thank you for this. Will check it out. Historically Zara in Spain (where it is from) has the best quality plain v-neck shirts I've found for everyday wear. They are orders of magnitude more durable than the ones in the US and they're slimfit. I'll check these out as they may be a good alternative. Edit: No v-necks, but will try either way.
  • Steel_Phoenix 10y ago
    I've found that even a couple percent of something synthetic, like polyester, seems to make black shirts hold their color. Unfortunately, it also makes them hold odors for some reason.
• CodeWriter23 10y ago
  Any pre-Fiorina HP Laser Printer.
  • tonyedgecombe 10y ago
    LaserJet III was the peak, I worked for a company that sold a ton of them and everything after that had much higher failure rates.
    • tech2 10y ago
      In-office, the II seemed like a battleship. I bought a 6MP second-hand at a university IT sale and that thing kept trucking for _years_ afterward. I'd still have it now if I hadn't moved countries.
    • CodeWriter23 10y ago
      The 4 was a piece of crap. But I've seen the 4050's run forever.
• bungle 10y ago
  Fiskars Axes: http://www.fiskars.eu/products/gardening/axes/splitting-axe-m-x17-1015641 http://www.fiskars.eu/products/gardening/axes/splitting-axe-... Barbour Jackets: http://www.barbour.com/eu/categories/mens/waxed-jackets/barbour-classic-beaufort-wax-jacket/p/MWX0002OL71 http://www.barbour.com/eu/categories/mens/waxed-jackets/barb... Camper Shoes: https://www.camper.com/en_FI/men/shoes/peu/camper-peu-17665-134 https://www.camper.com/en_FI/men/shoes/peu/camper-peu-17665-... Stihl Chainsaws: http://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-tools-A-great-range/Chainsaws-saw-chains-guide-bars/Petrol-chainsaws-for-forestry/243584-131/MS-201-C-M.aspx http://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-tools-A-great-range/Chainsa... Genelec Speakers: http://www.genelec.com/8351 http://www.genelec.com/8351 Desktops: Mac Pro 1st Generation Laptops: Macbook Pro Phones: iPhone Operating System Kernel: Linux High Level Programming Language: Lua / LuaJIT Low Level Programming Language: C Web Server: Nginx
  • baby 10y ago
    basically r/buyitforlife
  • simonpantzare 10y ago
    Speaking of axes. I can vouch for Gränsfors bruk (https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/ https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/). I grew up in the same, small village and until recently I didn't know that they were known internationally for their craftwork. They are one of few businesses that still thrive in the region, supposedly because they stuck to producing quality goods instead of like most other businesses, switch to mass-production. The masters (it takes years before employees get to do axes, starting with simpler things such as nails or shafts) still put their initials on the wares they build.
    • bungle 10y ago
      I agree, those look awesome. I have done some hand forging, so I do understand how much effort goes to make those axe heads. They also look stunning beautiful. Great craftmanship. Fiskars' axes on the other hand are pretty awesome in their own right. It's hard to compare handcrafted tools to Fiskars. I would prefer to use Gränsfors, although they are probably too good for me — do I have a right to use such a great tool?! On the other hand, I have little to complain about Fiskars. Thanks!
• baby 10y ago
  How is this kettle exceptional? I have an electric kettle that boils water ten times as fast (number made up, but it's really faster). As someone who drinks a lot of hot water every day, I find this odd that someone would recommend a non-electrical kettle.
  • JustSomeNobody 10y ago
    But this one is optionally electric.
    • baby 10y ago
      wat?
      • JustSomeNobody 10y ago
        meaning you can use it with an electric range or a gas one or logs on a fire or ...
        • bkjelden 10y ago
          A proper electric tea kettle will heat water way faster than placing a regular tea kettle on an electric stovetop. Electric tea kettles are a single-task device, but they do that one task so exceedingly well a lot of people own one.
          • antisthenes 10y ago
            Not in the United States, they don't. You're artificially limited to 1920W(cont. or 2400W short term) on a 20amp circuit and most kettles will barely do 1600W for safety reasons and legacy (houses with old wiring). It takes an obnoxious amount of time to boil water using an electric kettle in the US. When I go back to EU to visit relatives, I am already drinking tea by the time the kettle boils in the US.
            • 10y ago
• huffmsa 10y ago
  Zippo Lighters. Easy to use (no button to hold down, just spin the wheel), easy to do maintenance, will light unless you got it really really wet or forgot to refill it.
  • enobrev 10y ago
    > will light I'm suddenly reminded of the Zippo scene from Four Rooms. I don't smoke cigarettes anymore, but I did for many years. I'd lost my old Zippo and bought myself a new one (straight from the company) about a decade ago. After daily-use, then sitting in a box for three years, and now using it a few times a year while camping, it works perfectly and looks practically new.
• laktak 10y ago
  paperclips. easy to use / can be hacked.
• cjf4 10y ago
  Probably a Le Creuset dutch oven. Versatile, lasts forever, simple.
  • icc97 10y ago
    Almost any Le Creuset cooking pots
• koja86 10y ago
  * grep, sort, uniq ... * Microsoft Natural Keyboard
  • dbg31415 10y ago
    Agreed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Natural_keyboard#/media/File:MS_Natural_Keyboard_Elite.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Natural_keyboard#/me...
  • dredmorbius 10y ago
    Shouldn't that be: grep | sort | uniq ?
• Dowwie 10y ago
  MSR WhisperLite International Backpacking Stove. It supports a wide variety of liquid fuel. With this stove, I don't have to buy vendor-specific gas canisters. White gas works great with it. The stove folds down to a compact form. It is easy to use. https://www.rei.com/product/830341/msr-whisperlite-international-backpacking-stove https://www.rei.com/product/830341/msr-whisperlite-internati...
  • tombh 10y ago
    Have one as well. There's something primordially symbolic about having this rugged and compact device able to so easily create a safe flame from most practically available liquid and gas fuels.
  • sizzzzlerz 10y ago
    I, too, have one and have used it for decades. Once you get it started, it puts out a flame like a jet engine. The only issues I have with it are 1, it can be temperamental trying to light it when it's cold and 2, it doesn't simmer well. Trying to adjust the flame low enough to not burn the food, I often turn it off completely and have to restart it.
  • TheGrassyKnoll 10y ago
    Used one for years; still have it. It does boil water fast. It also used to produce quite a bit of black soot in whispy sheets (containing some carbon nanotubes ?). Maybe it needed a 'tuneup'.
    • Dowwie 10y ago
      contact MSR.. they're customer service oriented and no doubt will take care of you
• JustSomeNobody 10y ago
  Commodore 64. May just be a bit of nostalgia speaking, but the things that little machine could be made to do... wow.
  • BuckRogers 10y ago
    I don't believe that is just nostalgia. I think the Commodore was the greatest home computer ever made.[0] [0]https://twitter.com/ivansafrin/status/795448709572083712 https://twitter.com/ivansafrin/status/795448709572083712
• clishem 10y ago
  The Logitech M235 wireless mouse.
• baby 10y ago
  Bamboo steamers. First one I found: https://www.amazon.com/2017-Reusable-Chopsticks-Perforated-Silicone/dp/B01H6LJ35I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487598376&sr=8-1&keywords=steam+bamboo+cook https://www.amazon.com/2017-Reusable-Chopsticks-Perforated-S... They usually are dirt cheap, and allow you to steam any kind of food. It's healthy, it's tasty, it's easy, it's fast, ... Just drop whatever in it and wait 15 minutes and that's it.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• rm_-rf_slash 10y ago
  Shopping at Aldi. They display all their groceries on the same pallets they use for storage, and they're ruthless about cutting down cost and shopping time. A shopping trip at Aldi takes half as long and costs half as much as other grocery stores. Excellent design.
• monodeldiablo 10y ago
  The VW Up! (aka Škoda Citigo aka Seat Mii) It weighs under a ton, is only 3.5m long, and has a 1.0L, 3-cylinder engine that fairly sips gas. It shifts like butter and, considering it's powered by a glorified sewing machine, it has decent acceleration and top-end speed. And, if you spring for the Czech rebadge, you can get the basic model for less than 10k euros. But the real killer is that it has almost as much usable interior room as a VW Golf, despite being almost a meter shorter! My partner and I both come from tall families and, upon delivery of the car, her brother (200cm tall) drove his wife (189cm), me (188cm), my wife (184cm), my father (200cm), and our 3 kids for a spin. It wasn't legal and it wasn't roomy, but no reasonable person would be able to guess that such a tiny car could fit 3 small adults, let alone 5 tall adults and 3 kids. For those of us who spent far too much of their childhood playing Tetris, the trunk (if you want to call it that) also accommodates 4 full-sized suitcases. [EDIT] I forgot to mention that it has exposed metal surfaces in the interior (doors, mainly) that are integrated parts of the car. Not only does it look fantastic, each of those panels is one less plastic piece that will eventually require an expensive replacement when it inevitably gets hit/scratched/exposed to too much sunlight/shakes itself to pieces. I don't know why more cars don't feature this (one review called them "cheap exposed surfaces", as if plastic is somehow fancier), but it's incredibly durable, simple, and attractive.
  • utexaspunk 10y ago
    I have to say this reminds me of my 1st generation Scion xB- it's a 1.7L engine, the only car of its size that I (6'4") can sit in the back seat comfortably, and its vertical sides and fold-down seats make it capable of carrying a ridiculous amount of stuff, and quite comfortable for camping in, too. It's an entirely utilitarian car. http://www.scionxb.org/xbreviews.htm http://www.scionxb.org/xbreviews.htm
    • strictnein 10y ago
      My wife got a 2nd gen Scion xB after we had our first kid and were starting to plan for the second one. In its class, it fit a double stroller in the back the easiest. Not quite as tall as you (I'm 6'2"), but I would sometimes ride in the backseat of it with our young son, as opposed to riding shotgun. Lots of room back there and it was comfortable as well.
• toomanybeersies 10y ago
  More Knives (http://morakniv.se/en/ http://morakniv.se/en/). They're super ergonomic, really hard wearing, and great steal. And best of all, they're about 1/4 the price of any equivalent blade. Also, Mercator knives (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_K55K https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_K55K), I carry one every day, and use it most days. Good steel and shape, and super thin so they fit in any pocket.
• csabapalfi 10y ago
  A babyzen yoyo stroller. Folds down to a size of a backpack so can easily bring it on board airplanes. Really light but still has a strong frame.
• malberto 10y ago
  velcro
• louhike 10y ago
  My Amazon wishlist just grew a lot.
• malberto 10y ago
  velcro lego
• gbog 10y ago
  Chopsticks. It is tricky to master but once you get it, you have an agility with your hands that cannot be matched even with bare fingers. I often use chopstick for gardening, for repairing things, and plenty of other. Also, it is very easy to find two ok sticks when picknic if you forgot your stuff.
  • aliencat 10y ago
    lol!
• DonHopkins 10y ago
  Tom Bihn's bags. Not only stylish and usefully designed, but practically indestructible! https://www.tombihn.com/ https://www.tombihn.com/
• samsolomon 10y ago
  First of all, this thread is fantastic. If I wasn't designing and building interfaces, I'd love to give industrial design a shot. There are so many seemingly mundane things that we take for granted. Here's a few favorites: YETI Rambler - 20oz http://yeti.com/rambler http://yeti.com/rambler I've owned so many different insulated coffee mugs, but this is by far the best I've owned. What's particularly interesting to me about this one is the open top, I can drink from it like any to-go coffee, but the temperature stays warm for hours. Alternatively, I've filled it with ice and water and had the ice last my entire workday. — Mochi Drawstring Backpack https://www.mochibrand.com/ https://www.mochibrand.com/ Drawstring backpacks tend to be pretty fickle. Often they get tangled, jam and break. I've had a Mochi drawstring back for the last three years and love it. The strings are much thicker on the Mochi. I'm not sure what is different about the design of the strings, but I have not once had a jam—not in three years. — Withings WiFi Scale http://www.withings.com/us/en/products/new-scales http://www.withings.com/us/en/products/new-scales Ever since I wrestled in high school, I've been obsessed with my weight. Maybe it is a little compulsive, but I weigh myself two or three times each day. Withings has an app keeps track of your weight, body fat percentage and BMI over time. I find it fascinating to see the fluctuations and averages. You can see what the app looks like here. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/health-mate-steps-tracker/id542701020?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/health-mate-steps-tracker/id... — Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-solar-keyboard-k750-mac https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-solar-keyboa... I'm certain everyone here has their own opinions about keyboards. I'm a huge fan of the Logitech solar keyboard. I got sick of changing the batteries on my Apple keyboard every few months so I bought this keyboard. What's amazing is that even a room with very little light, the thing has been running without issue. — Timex Weekender Watch http://www.timex.com/men/collections/weekender/ http://www.timex.com/men/collections/weekender/ Watches are pretty subjective, but I think the weekender is a fantastic buy for the money. You can generally find them for $30 to $40. You can purchase a few different nato bands, and it's like you have several different watches! One caveat is that the watch is incredibly loud. I love it because it reminds me of the clock at my grandmother's house in the country. If you're sensitive to loud watches, it's probably not the right one for you.
  • ohyoutravel 10y ago
• bookofjoe 10y ago
  Sori Yanagi ice cream spoon https://www.amazon.com/Sori-Yanagi-Cream-Spoon-6pcs/dp/B0000TOP1G https://www.amazon.com/Sori-Yanagi-Cream-Spoon-6pcs/dp/B0000...
• psonic 10y ago
  Some djing/music related stuff: Roland 808/909 Technics 1200 MK2 A&H Xone mixer serie Shure SM58 Ikea Expedit
  • cJ0th 10y ago
    > Ikea Expedit Hehe ... in case anyone is wondering how the Expedit is music related: They're good for storing vinyls.
  • devingoldfish 10y ago
    Came here to say the Technics 1200 turntable. Everything you need in a turntable and nothing you don't: pitch adjustment, 45rpm adapter, 33/45rpm speed buttons, and a light. The few controls it has are all intuitive and the quality of the manufacturing is obvious the moment you use it. I've had mine for 16 years and the only thing I've ever needed to replace is the needle.
  • empath75 10y ago
    Absolutely the technics 1200. The great thing is it has affordances that the designers didn't even consider-- the spindle and the edge of the platter. If you're djing, you interact with those two things more than anything else on the turntable. I'd probably pick the Pioneer DJM series over the Xone, though.
  • gukov 10y ago
    I own a Xone:32. It's a great unit, but has a few headscratches, like the gain knobs at the back. Xones sound better, but I have to say the Pioneer products are designed better and easier to use. I'd like to add the 1200 of headphones, Sony MDR-V6.
• agentgt 10y ago
  I have been recently optimizing some of my wardrobe: Darn Tough socks! Seriously life is too short to have clammy feet. Yes they are expensive but they last forever. Carhartt USA made therma lined hoodies are also awesome. I have had one for 17 years and wore it all the time before hoodies became fashionable. To be honest all of their stuff is great for the price if you can get over looking like a construction worker. Icebreakers shifter pants. The best sweat pants. Speaking of wool.. Duckworth wool has some good properly treated USA sheep. Icebreakers is better but Duckworth is USA made. Music: Cambridge Audio DAC magic plus. Expensive but seems to work great. Cooking: Lodge Cast Iron Skillets. Once you learn how to cook on cast iron skillets you will replace many pans in your kitchen with them. Char‑Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker. The best charcoal grill for the money. You can cook everything on it. Pizza, sear steak at 800 degrees and slow cook pulled pork for 18 hours+ on a single load of charcoal. Thermoworks Thermapen thermometer. The best cooking thermometer you absolutely should buy.
  • Tcepsa 10y ago
    I'd like to put in a plug for Finex cast iron. They're milled smooth on the bottom which I prefer to the finish on the Lodge pan that I have. Regardless, +1 for cast iron!
    • agentgt 10y ago
      Finex is for sure superior but they just don't make a lot of sizes (and of course the price). For example I use a 15" cast iron skillet to cooked spatchcocked chicken. With 15" I have even cooked spatchcocked turkey and duck.
    • s0rce 10y ago
      Cool! I haven't seen a modern cast iron pan that I've liked as much as my ancient Wagner Ware pan, the smooth interior surface is so much better than the bumpy as cast surface on the sand cast models that aren't finished. Not sure I would pay the asking price for these Finex ones, you can still get old ones at flea markets, thrift stores and ebay if you look around.
• ksec 10y ago
  Looking at all the replies I realize how everyone seems to have one thing or two that really love and remember. It is a little worrying for me because I dont seems to be perfectly satisfies with any. The only thing I am perfectly happy with (so far) is Cutlery from MUji. Everything else are either too big, Air Con, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, why cant these be combined together? How many boxes and STB do I need hanging out of my TV? Why cant it be ONE. Cooker, Microwave / Oven that is not easy to use or clean. Dyson that is good at suction power but plastic and ugly. Heck Even Kettle, I wanted a Crystal Clear Glass Kettle with a handle that last longer instead of its plastic handle getting greasy and sticky after 3 - 4 years. May be I am just too picky?
• psyc 10y ago
  SFML (2D game framework)
• AndrewOMartin 10y ago
  Bic Cristal Ballpoint pen. Blue.
  • cynisme 10y ago
    Pilot Hi-Tec C's are better having used both.
    • AndrewOMartin 10y ago
      The fact that a box of 100 blue Bics is (presumably) much cheaper than the Pilot equivalent is an important part of the design for me.
• sampo 10y ago
  The Jonas peeler for peeling fruit and veg https://www.amazon.com/Linden-Sweden-Jonas-Peeler-Original/dp/B00176JEY4 https://www.amazon.com/Linden-Sweden-Jonas-Peeler-Original/d...
• fuzzfactor 10y ago
  Hewlett-Packard products before they started making PC's.
• zebrafish 10y ago
  Canvas LMS. Coming from blackboard, Canvas is a god-send.
• lukeinator42 10y ago
  The chemex: http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/coffeemakers/classic-series/six-cup-classic-series-coffeemaker.html http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/coffeemakers/classic-series...
• 0xcb0 10y ago
  I probably could list a handful of items, but the first one who comes up immediately is my TEK keyboard. Since nearly two years I'm using this ergonomic keyboard, and it's just great. It has a real steep learning curve and will drive you insane for the first few "weeks." But after some time you will love it. I can now type blind and type much faster than on any keyboard before. My hands rest in one place all the time only my fingers move. For me, this keyboard is a great design. It has its price, but for something that I constantly use to earn my income, it is more than worth it. The only negative thing is that you get confused when using a "normal" keyboard. But after some keystrokes, your brain will switch modes, and you can type as before :)
• bhollan 10y ago
  When I was an electrician aboard a volunteer ship, I bought some Swedish work pants that saved me SO much walking. It was like wearing a tool belt all the time, but WAY more comfortable. I could carry tools, supplies, a notebook, cell phone, everything. It was amazing. I also had a knife I used for work and the pants had a special pocket at your knee especially for your knife. It was so perfect because it was always available. I could be ankles-deep, laying on my side, in some wall or other, but I just reach down and grab my knife if I need to cut something. Both not exactly what I had, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again: https://www.blaklader.uk/en/product/15001370-trousers-craftsman-x1500#16584 https://www.blaklader.uk/en/product/15001370-trousers-crafts... https://morakniv.se/en/product/pro-s/ https://morakniv.se/en/product/pro-s/
• strictnein 10y ago
  Tupperware orange peeler
• dpcan 10y ago
  I have a thin, fold-out, apx 2 inch box cutter knife that fits perfectly in my small jeans pocket. I need it around work all day long and it's always there for me and I don't feel it otherwise. It locks when it flips out too which I appreciate, and there's a button to press to safely fold it back in. It just has such an elegant, simple, and safe design, I love it.
  • miguelrochefort 10y ago
    You mean a tap knife? https://www.amazon.com/Internets-Best-Cutter-Utility-Retractable/dp/B01MG24EIJ/ref=pd_lpo_328_tr_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VA06EMWQCX2CQW766X0R https://www.amazon.com/Internets-Best-Cutter-Utility-Retract...
• rtcoms 10y ago
  Nokia 1100 - World's best selling mobile phone
• thecupisblue 10y ago
  Nexus 5. Marvelous beauty of a phone. Red panda is especially beautiful. Screen size was just about right at the time, the way the screen blent into the bezels was amazing, the ergonomics were awesome.
  • verbify 10y ago
    I found the Nexus 5 (not the 5x) had poor build quality - it was plasticy, and mine fell to pieces after 18 months - the battery started to run out early, then the microphone, and eventually it just stopped working at all. It had a nice interface, but I moved to the HTC One (installed GPE on it), got a rock solid case and after 14 months it feels like it hasn't aged a day.
• sizzzzlerz 10y ago
  I'm going to go real old school and suggest the slide rule. While there is a short learning curve, once you've mastered a few simple rules, using one is a breeze and if you keep the slide lubricated and don't abuse it, it will perform it's function reliably and accurately for decades. I have a Pickett, it's now 40 years old but works like new, but just about any brand will offer the same performance.
  • dredmorbius 10y ago
    How do you lubricate the slide? Metal or plastic?
    • sizzzzlerz 10y ago
      My ruler is metal and I use graphite to lubricate it. Just take a pencil and run it along the slots and the slide. Lightly wipe it off and then reassemble the pieces. Works great.
      • dredmorbius 10y ago
        Thanks.
• VLM 10y ago
  My steel backplate original IBM Model M keyboard in use continuously from when it was new until today. I can't figure out any way to improve it. Logitech trackman wheel from a decade or two ago, perfect to have a desk with 3 or 4 machines on. Must have thousands of hours of FPS and minecraft on it, feels new, feels perfect. The original Radio Shack wire wrapping tool, you could pay up to 100x more for something less reliable or slower or harder to use but I built entire 8-bit microcomputers with mine. The wire stripper which is perfect for 30 gauge wire wrap wire stores inside the tool. You could pay more for something faster but less reliable or whatever bad engineering tradeoff, but somehow this cheap tool had the perfect engineering tradeoffs. The hyper orthogonal PDP-11 assembly language instruction set. Essentially you wrote C in assembly. That and the 6809/68hc11 general family are the only two architectures I ever miss programming in assembly, everything else is perfectly doable but a chore. I grew up with a surplus Tektronix 531 oscope, the kind with pluggable chassis. There's just something about tools designed by engineers specifically for engineers where everything just feels perfect and everything just worked. If it weren't for weighing a hundred pounds and drawing half a kilowatt every oscope would be a Tektronix 531. Somehow I did electronics for over 30 years before buying a top of the line digital Hakko soldering station. I was so dumb, I should have invested in something of that quality level decades ago. Its perfectly repeatably capable of anything; after some flux cleaning I've had people ask if I own a wave soldering machine given a couple hundred perfect and identical joints on a board. Its weightless in my hand, perfect heating, ESD proof, and a joy to use. It cannot be improved.
  • HeyLaughingBoy 10y ago
    The original Radio Shack wire wrapping tool It's possible that the only reason I care about RS going out of business is that I lost mine and want another. I don't do wire wrap any more, but the stripper that came with it made perfect strips on 30 gauge wire.
  • jedimastert 10y ago
    What would be a good book or article for getting into making electronics with wire wrapping?
• armandososa 10y ago
  My iPod video. I honestly think that the click wheel has to be one of the best designed user interface in the history of the world. It was actually delightful to use, from the texture in the material, the friction and the satisfying click. For all the interactivity touch screens unlocked, I think we lost something when the click wheel went away.
• miguelrochefort 10y ago
  Kinesis Advantage - Ergonomic layout - Cherry MX Brown mechanical switches - Key remapping - Keyboard layout switching (QWERTY/Dvorak) The best keyboard I've ever used. Not cheap though ($300).
• cynisme 10y ago
  Pilot Hi-Tec C PakBoat Canoes Leica MP Opinel No. 6 Lems Boulder Boots MSR Wisperlite
• mitchellst 10y ago
  The Trek 500. It's a bicycle. It's a steel bicycle, which is out of favor these days, but Trek still makes a few each year. And they haven't really changed the design since it was introduced in the 80's. Why? Because it's the perfect bicycle. At least, if you're doing a very particular thing. I rode one from the Oregon Coast to Long Island. It was an unsupported tour, so I had about 50 pounds of gear strapped to it the whole way. While my companions suffered various breakdowns and issues, the 500 was rock solid. It doesn't get fancy on components-- no disk breaks or electronic shifting. Everything on it can be easily repaired, removed, or replaced with your two hands and a compact multi-tool. The steel frame will stand up to any manner of abuse. Hearing about the whole tough-as-nails thing, you assume it won't be that pleasing to ride. You assume wrong.
  • criddell 10y ago
    I have a mail order steel-frame bicycle (Windsor Tourist) and I think it's the springiness of the steel frame that makes it so nice to ride. I bought the bike 5 years ago planning to ride it for a year then upgrade and have no desire to upgrade. There's nothing I would want to upgrade to because it's pretty much perfect.
  • cellularmitosis 10y ago
    There is a counterintuitive slump in quality of experience along the progression of bicycle frame materials technology. One would expect each point along the progression to be completely superior than the last: steel, aluminum, carbon fiber. I had to learn the hard way that isn't the case. Steel is flexible (comfortable ride) but heavy. Aluminum came along and offered lighter frames, but the frames had to be made much stiffer to avoid the perils of repeated stress fatigue (steel's asymptote for strength after repeated stress is some fraction of its original strength. Aluminum's asymptote is zero -- flex it enough and it will eventually accumulate micro strew fractures and break). The progression to aluminum was a trade off: ride comfort for weight. Carbon fiber came along and offered a no-compromise solution: the flexibility (ride comfort) of steel, and lighter than aluminum. Unfortunately, the cost is much higher with carbon fiber. If you are on a budget, I'd agree that you're better off with steel than aluminum.
• JimmyM 10y ago
  DrRacket IDE. Definitely.
• sizzzzlerz 10y ago
  Wireshark network analyzer software. A true swiss army knife utility for capturing and analyzing network traffic. I've used on Macs, Linux boxes, and Windows, and they all are robust and operate identically. It has been a very valuable tool for me.
• s800 10y ago
  CygnusED
  • tech2 10y ago
    Now there's an editor I haven't heard about in MANY years :)
• vatsal 10y ago
  Muji Gel Pen - https://www.amazon.com/MUJI-Ballpoint-0-7mm-color-10pcs/dp/B00M344ZUC https://www.amazon.com/MUJI-Ballpoint-0-7mm-color-10pcs/dp/B... I love this pen, makes me want to write more! The simple minimalist design of the pen (and many other Muji products) is something I admire a lot.
• kar-ma 10y ago
  The Muji wall-mounted CD player. The simplicity in design and the shift in perspective that it brought has been deeply impactful. I study in a design school, and the number of times I have seen it appear on students' collages, inspiration/mood boards, etc is way too high. P.S. Makes me wonder if that can be used as a metric for how influential a design is. Like how credibility of a research paper is based on number of times it has been cited. If there's a way to gather number of times a product has appeared on inspiration/mood board of other products, to determine its influence.
• rs86 10y ago
  I use this as a keyring. It is a bottle opener with a drum key in a single piece. http://www.ebay.com/itm/gibraltar-drum-key-bottle-opener-on-lanyard/131494486014 http://www.ebay.com/itm/gibraltar-drum-key-bottle-opener-on-...
• l3m0ndr0p 10y ago
  A gas powered snow blower
• Tloewald 10y ago
  My picks would be: First hot water jug with a round base (so you didn't need to get a specific orientation). Apple's MagSafe connector (even though it can occasionally be tough to clean grit out) The Mercedes power seat controls (Don Norman devotes some space to them in The Design of Everyday Things) The Leatherman (the Swiss Army knife done right) The original Macintosh mouse The PowerBook 100 Whichever PowerBook introduced the trackpad. Whichever MacBook introduced the buttonless trackpad. The iPhone 4 Google search Google maps Finder WriteNow HyperCard Studio/32 (Deluxe Paint for the Mac, but better) TiVo (series 2 before they lost the plot) The Nikon FM2 (or pick a body in that era)
• kar-ma 10y ago
  CCTV Camera at Dutch train stations. Yes, sounds crazy, but these guys designed a cctv camera that doesn't feel intimidating and big brother-ish but feels more friendly and pleasing. I absolutely love looking at them while at the station. It was designed by a dutch Design firm called Fabrique. You can read more about it here: http://designobserver.com/article.php?id=38335 http://designobserver.com/article.php?id=38335
  • baby 10y ago
    They still look like cameras to me :\ (not that I mind)
• sitkack 10y ago
  Toyota Corolla Wagon Ikea all steel espresso maker DC3 aircraft 90s era steel mountain bike
• whitepoplar 10y ago
  Textmate 2 - It's such a well-engineered piece of software, and it's gorgeous. Bialetti Brikka - Such an elegant design, and it makes delicious coffee, Italian-style. Nespresso - If Apple made espresso machines. The espresso tastes great and it's easy to clean. Patagonia MLC 45L - My pet peeve with luggage is that the good stuff tends to be heavy. Not this! It's big enough for extended travel, has backpack straps if you need it, durable (w/ lifetime guarantee), and is well-designed without being "design-y," if that makes sense. Charles Schwab checking account - Okay, not a physical product, and doesn't have very impressive visual design, but well-designed regardless. No account minimums or fees, the best customer service I've ever experienced, no foreign transaction fees, and they rebate any and all ATM fees worldwide. It's the absolute perfect money bucket. Blundstone boots - The perfect footwear if you're unsure of conditions. Hiking--check. Going to dinner--check. Walking in the city--check. Walking through snow--check. Traveling--check. They're very, very comfortable. Elixir (programming language) - This is what happens when a tool is made for one's own use, as opposed to being designed for a hypothetical "other" who doesn't exist. It's magical.
  • PTRFRLL 10y ago
    Has Schwab upgraded their web security recently? Last time I looked at them, they had a 8 character upper limit on their password field that they then lower-cased.
    • deftturtle 10y ago
      Lol this kind of stuff isn't a priority for most websites. But you'd think financial operations would be the first to update.
    • whitepoplar 10y ago
      Yes: http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/client_home/password_format http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/client_home/password_for... They also have 2-factor auth, which can be enabled by request.
  • rkuykendall-com 10y ago
    I'm so annoyed that the awful Textmate 1 website is still the first result on Google, and has not been replaced. Every time I recommend it, I have to go into an explanation of how to ACTUALLY find the editor, so they don't just see the one from 2005 and leave. https://github.com/textmate/textmate https://github.com/textmate/textmate
• PascLeRasc 10y ago
  Any coffee addict like me knows that some methods of brewing are impossible before you've had a cup. The AeroPress understands this and is really simple to use, and makes amazing coffee. Everyone in my family has one and some other method as well, like a Mokapot or French press, but for the first cup in the morning it's Aeropress every time. I also love Papermate Sharpwriter pencils. They feel so comfortable to hold, and if you like spinning a pencil while thinking they're really well-balanced for that.
  • tacostakohashi 10y ago
    Yes, AeroPress is great for the simplicity. Although the coffee is not the best in the world, it works out well per unit of effort. In particular, the good thing about AeroPress is that if you get distracted at any stage of be process, it's not a disaster. Unlike, say, a Moka pot where you have to monitor it and take it off the stove during a small window of time between the coffee being done, and the whole thing getting way too hot and destroying the rubber seal.
  • teamonkey 10y ago
    Every part of the Aeropress is well designed, not just because it's a clever way of making good coffee, but the way it all stacks neatly in a tower, how easy it is to clean. The stirrer is flanged and of the perfect length just not to touch the filter paper.
    • tedmiston 10y ago
      Even the stirrer is perfect. I often use it with other brewing methods for similar reasons.
  • tedmiston 10y ago
    Likewise, I'm a huge fan. I keep a GitHub repo of AeroPress brew guides [1] if you're looking to try other recipes. [1]: https://github.com/tedmiston/aeropress https://github.com/tedmiston/aeropress
  • thenomad 10y ago
    I like the Aeropress, but my favourite coffee production method is the Kalita Wave. Again, it's beautifully designed - almost impossible to damage, very simple to use, comparatively quick (about a minute longer than an Aeropress for one or two large mugs of coffee), arguably even easier to clean than the Aeropress (invert over bin. Done.). The pouring jug's great, too: tough, well labeled, fits perfectly, easy to store.
• bookofjoe 10y ago
  I've been reading this thread since I clicked on it 3 hours ago: every contribution/comment. Wonderful stuff, I've learned SO MUCH. Time to give back — here are my faves: — Fiskars all-purpose scissors (they make a L-handed version for weirdos like me, such a delight after growing up with R-handed iterations): https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-All-purpose-Left-hand-Scissors-12-94508697WJ/dp/B00006IFN8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487611853&sr=8-2&keywords=fiskars+scissors+left+handed https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-All-purpose-Left-hand-Scissor... — Fiskars scissors with non-stick blade coating (wonderful for cutting tape) https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Non-stick-Titanium-Softgrip-Scissors/dp/B003YNI688/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1487611894&sr=8-5&keywords=fiskars+scissors+all-purpose https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Non-stick-Titanium-Softgrip-S... — iPod nano Gen 7 [latest] (FM radio; Podcasts; video; photos; bright 2.5" screen; super-thin & light; beautiful esthetically; Bluetooth lets me run with my music without wires) http://www.apple.com/ipod-nano/ http://www.apple.com/ipod-nano/ — BlueAnt Bluetooth earphones: ≤1/6 the price of AirPods/Beats wireless; comfortable; good sound; easy to sync & operate; lightweight; they stay in; connecting cord so you don't lose one earphone; cool looking IMHO) https://www.amazon.com/BlueAnt-Pump-Wireless-Sportbuds-Black/dp/B00ISRUFXY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1487612394&sr=8-10&keywords=blueant+bluetooth+headset https://www.amazon.com/BlueAnt-Pump-Wireless-Sportbuds-Black... — O'Keefe's Working Hands cream (unbelievably effective, best thing ever for cracked/chapped skin) https://www.amazon.com/OKeeffes-Working-Hands-Hand-Cream/dp/B00121UVU0/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1487612691&sr=1-1&keywords=okeefes+working+hands https://www.amazon.com/OKeeffes-Working-Hands-Hand-Cream/dp/... — DuraScoop Cat Litter Scoop (the Maybach of litter scoops) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DCAAP4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DCAAP4?psc=1&redirect=... Easton Bat Weight (so many uses around the house: paperweight; equipment/furniture support; door stop; small item container; weapon in extremis; I could go on) https://www.amazon.com/Easton-Bat-Weight-Royal-16-Ounce/dp/B0000C8WFB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487612891&sr=8-1&keywords=easton+bat+weight https://www.amazon.com/Easton-Bat-Weight-Royal-16-Ounce/dp/B... Trombone paper clips (so much better than regular ones, it's not even funny, plus they look cool) https://www.amazon.com/ACCO-Regal-Length-Silver-A7072130/dp/B001RRZ71C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487613049&sr=8-1&keywords=trombone+paper+clips https://www.amazon.com/ACCO-Regal-Length-Silver-A7072130/dp/... — Rain Design mStand Laptop stand (functional; beautiful; lasts forever) https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Design-mStand-Laptop-Patented/dp/B000OOYECC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487613107&sr=8-1&keywords=rain+laptop+stand https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Design-mStand-Laptop-Patented/dp... — Pioneer Kuro Elite Plasma TV [2007] Yes, it cost $5,000 10 years ago — still works perfectly, never had a single problem, picture is sometimes 3-dimensional it's so lifelike; as good as ANYTHING at the very highest end today INCLUDING LG 4K OLED and top-of-the-line Samsungs. — Stagg Pour-Over Kettle with Integrated Thermometer (if you're a fanatic about your coffee and demand the water be 200° ± 5° when you pour, this is your baby. Beautifully designed, a pleasure to use) http://fellowproducts.com/shop/stagg/ http://fellowproducts.com/shop/stagg/
• MrTonyD 10y ago
  I really miss simple old thermostats. For a few years, they used a simple combination of two manual controls - one for temperature and a couple more for start and end times for maintaining that temperature. Made it easy to turn off at night and while I was at work. No worries about power outages. No worries about WiFi. No need to keep the user guide around. No need to worry about whether guests would be able to figure it out. No batteries to run down. No programming/re-programming hell. No dependency on updates being bug free. I can't believe how horrible thermostats have become - I think most people have forgotten how easy and effective they used to be.
• miguelrochefort 10y ago
  - Kinesis Advantage - Darn Tough socks - Microsoft Surface Pro 4 - Instant Pot - ChefSteps Joule - Hydro Flask - Tom Bihn 25 - GORUCK GR1 - ThermoWorks ThermaPen Mk4 - humangear capCAP - Leatherman Wave - Leatherman Squirt PS4 - Victorinox Bantam Alox - Google Chromecast - Fisher Space Pen - Herman Miller Aeron - Buff Merino Wool - Lace Anchors
• meggar 10y ago
  A violin. 200 years old and it still worked.
• ArlenBales 10y ago
  The FlipBelt - https://flipbelt.com https://flipbelt.com Ingenious and works perfect. Lets you run/cycle with your phone/keys/cards/food-gels without any discomfort. I can barely tell it's there, and certainly beats having your phone strapped to your arm and looking funny and offsetting weight on one arm. The belt is invisible under my t-shirt. I don't know if FlipBelt were the first to come out with product, there's other brands on Amazon if you look, but they were the only ones I found when I first bought it years ago.
• MisterBastahrd 10y ago
  Any cast iron piece of cookware. They're non-stick. They're durable. They will outlast your grandchildren if you take good care of them. Any gooseneck kettle. The water flows from the bottom of the kettle so you're assured a steady stream of water. Zojurushi electric grills. I've owned several of them. I usually buy one and then give it away when I move. They have all performed perfectly, and every single one is still operational. Iwatani ZA-3HP gas stove I live in a warmer climate and prefer to relax while preparing food outside with a stogie in one hand, a glass of rye in the other, and a cooking spoon... somewhere. This thing cranks out the heat. I use it to sear steaks, do stir fry, etc. Joule sous vide device This thing is small and beautiful, and unlike a lot of other sous vide products, it can operate in only a few inches of water. Grado SR-80 headphones There's nothing remotely close to these things when considering quality of sound versus price... and they look great too
  • TheGrassyKnoll 10y ago
    I should be flogged for it, but embarrassingly, I broke a cast iron skillet off at the handle once, whacking something in the yard with it. I guess cast iron is kind of brittle.
  • BuckRogers 10y ago
    I would love to hear more about the SR-80s. I'm a Koss guy, love the 60ohm sets (PortaPro) and always been Grado curious but heard they don't have a lot of bass and very bright. $100 is about my limit for headphones (no amplifier will be purchased). Headphones have to be one of the most difficult things to purchase, and I've been burned enough that I keep coming back to my Koss.
• ljsocal 10y ago
  Most Patagonia products. The last 5-6 years they've greatly increased their range of offerings with no noticeable diminution of quality (from my perspective).
• dansman 10y ago
  Hiking boots: Meindl http://www.meindl.de/produktwelten/berg-wandern/modelle-berg-wandern/ http://www.meindl.de/produktwelten/berg-wandern/modelle-berg...
• andrei_says_ 10y ago
  A one-hour kitchen timer. Turn the dial to the desired time and that's it. The dial also shows the remaining time.
• oxguy3 10y ago
  I'm a big fan of my Logitech M510 wireless mouse: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510 https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510 It runs for ages on just two AAs (their website promises a 2-year life, which honestly sounds about right from my experience). It's very ergonomic, fits my hand perfectly. The back/forward buttons are positioned perfectly -- you can easily press them when you want to, but you'll never press them accidentally. The scroll wheel is nice and even has horizontal scrolling (not something I need often, but nice on the rare occasion I'm in Photoshop or whatever). The USB receiver is tiny enough that I can leave it in my laptop all the time. Logitech's been selling the M510 for years with almost no design changes, because it simply doesn't need improving.
• lisper 10y ago
  Coral Common Lisp on a Mac Plus. Still viable today, over thirty years later, as Clozure Common Lisp. The Sharp EL-5813 (http://www.rskey.org/el5813 http://www.rskey.org/el5813). I still have the one I bought in 1980. Works like a charm. I can't even remember the last time I changed the batteries. The original Keurig K-10 mini (the one without the DRM).
  • lakkal 10y ago
    The first calculator I owned was a Sharp EL-506C (1981?). I loved that thing, but it died and I replaced it with an EL-506G, which I used into the late 90s. And now I need to dig it up again for use in a class I'm taking (phone calculators are not permitted for use during exams). Looks like Sharp is up to the EL-506W model now, still recognizably the same lineage as your 5813 or my 506C.
• lobster_johnson 10y ago
  Jura superautomatic coffee machines. Jura is a Swiss brand that is like the Apple of superautomatics. Their range extends from small, somewhat expensive consumer machines to rather expensive, excellent machines for industrial use. They're really solid, stylish workhorses, with excellent availability of spare parts and repair shops (though I've never needed any). I have the ENA Micro 9 [1], which comes with an excellent "cappuccinatore" frothing mechanism for milk espressos (unlike those frothers that spin a little whisk around in the milk, the frother uses pressurized air). The step-up model, the ENA 9 One Touch, is not worth the higher price (it's not even as good-looking), while the little brother ENA Micro 1 is only good for coffee (no hot water or milk frothing). [1] https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines/ENA-Micro-9-OT-MicroSilver-UL-13625 https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines/ENA-Micro-9-OT-...
  • kimusan 10y ago
    I have the Jura Impressa S9 Classic and love it. Use it for espresso and coffee every day. It is still going strong after 70.000+ cups of coffee and I would expect it to work for at least 50.000 cups more before it needs service.
• nathan_long 10y ago
  My dad's old stereo receiver from the 70s. It was easy to connect an MP3 player invented decades later. By contrast, my 5-year-old car has a useless built-in GPS that can't be replaced.
• reitanqild 10y ago
  Netbeans. Sublime text. KDE 3 and KDE 5. My fathers old IBM 486. (Had working suspend resume back in 95.) The G3 back in military.
• allard 10y ago
  Ducati Monster
• pmarreck 10y ago
  It's a bit on the expensive side but this toaster is possibly the last one you will ever buy: https://smile.amazon.com/Breville-BTA830XL-Die-Cast-4-Slice-Toaster/dp/B00AZY3TFE/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1487639049&sr=1-2 https://smile.amazon.com/Breville-BTA830XL-Die-Cast-4-Slice-... I mean... it has a button called "A Bit More" and another one called "Lift And Look", which do exactly what you think they would. It's fucking fantastic. Honorable mentions: Eddie Bauer Boxer Briefs, the most comfortable underwear a man could get, while still looking sexy. (Seems they don't sell them currently? Too bad, they make up 100% of my underwear.) And this windproof USB-rechargeable flameless arc lighter: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DEVKI4Y/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DEVKI4Y/ref=oh_aui_se...
  • rdnetto 10y ago
    I have the same toaster and it is awesome. My favourite feature is that its Frozen button works perfectly, which is great if you don't have bread that often.
• lobster_johnson 10y ago
  Re writing and drawing materials, I love Kunst & Papier's minimalist sketch/notebooks [1]. Aside from having great paper quality, they have a rigid cardboard cover, and the spine is fabric and flexible, so you can open the book completely flat over and over without destroying it. They come in all sorts of sizes, from small to absolutely huge, and the minimalist design makes them look very clean on a shelf. [1] https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3Dblended%26field-keywords%3Dkunst+papier https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3...
• sasaf5 10y ago
  This is the most satisfying thread I have read in years :) My contribution: Pilot Frixion pens. The ink erases with heat, which can be applied by rubbing the other end of the pen on the paper. This pen has eliminated my need for pencils.
• andrei_says_ 10y ago
  Davinci Resolve is a fullly featured professional video editing and color grading suite. The free version has pretty much much everything I'll ever need For video editing.
• brett40324 10y ago
  Fender American Made Stratocasters Amish rocking chairs Audio cables by Monster Timberland shoes Chicago thick crust pizza:)
• BuckRogers 10y ago
  1. Apple iPhone 4 and newer (hardware & software) 2. Commodore 64 (greatest desktop PC design for many reasons from hardware, software and documentation) 3. Apple Macbook Pro 2016 and all unibody MBPs (hardware) I also really like my Victorinox Waiter Swiss Army Knife. The corkscrew is better than on my Leatherman and I use these at least once a week as we take a bottle of wine out to dinner.
• sprocketonline 10y ago
  Something I use and love is a chopping board and knife set: https://www.josephjoseph.com/en-us/index-with-knives https://www.josephjoseph.com/en-us/index-with-knives In terms of parts it has exactly the same as any other; 4 knives, 4 boards and a block. It's simple but it's exceptionally well designed. Without meaning to sound like an informercial, I'll mention some of the improvements over the standard. Firstly, it's colour coded for improved food safety, with matching logos on the board to help understand the semantics of the colours. The knife blade sizes/shapes are matched with the food types and similarly coloured. You can throw it all, including the block, in the dishwasher. The block is open ended to the bottom to allow it to drain (I hate those blocks that let damp, dirt and bacteria accumulate at the bottom of the knife holes). The block also holds the boards apart, to prevent spread of bacteria and allow them to air dry. The boards can be flipped around, and the knives moved to match. This doesn't sound like much, but it reveals the designer having thought about the ergonomics of taking the board out and always using (and wearing down) the same side of the board. Allowing it to be flipped and the knives to fit into corresponding flipped sockets is actually pretty clever. A lot of thought has gone into it and without adding any complexity (sensors, motors, extra parts) or much manufacturing cost, they've kept it simple and greatly improved upon the standard (and probably selling it with a much higher markup). It's an example of the kind of applied design thinking I appreciate.
• sprocketonline 10y ago
  The Red Solo Cup. http://www.slate.com/articles/business/branded/2011/10/red_cups_how_solo_s_disposable_drinking_vessel_became_an_america.html http://www.slate.com/articles/business/branded/2011/10/red_c...
• buzzybee 10y ago
  Nobody has mentioned the Minimoog Model D and its modern variants(Voyager, Sub37, etc.), so I will. As synthesizer instruments go, it's astoundingly hard to match the number of "sweet spots" the genuine article has. There are lots of synths with more complex architectures, polyphony and timbral possibilities, that are more affordable and ship with lots of presets, and there are lots of bad digital knockoffs that don't reproduce the sound correctly or correctly handle parameter changes, but an original one in good condition sounds good from nearly any starting point and allows for continuous development of a sound just by holding one note and turning knobs. You don't "program" a Moog and then play, you "perform" it as you play - and that's a key difference between their style and what most other synth makers put out.
• lessclue 10y ago
  Muji kitchenware. Their bowls, spoons, forks. High quality steel, beautiful dull-silver finish, even and smooth corners, no unnecessary crevices or embellishments. Just perfect. The off-white ceramic bowls, whew.
• rhelsing 10y ago
  Vitamix Blender - The power of a lawnmower, easy to use, easy to clean, 5 year warranty. It's a power-tool.
• michalptacek 10y ago
  Sega Genesis/Mega Drive as a kid. I mean that console looks great even by today’s standards :)
• codingmonkey23 10y ago
  I always loved the Apple G3 Powerbook for it's design. It has the silhouette of womens hips and is a piece of simplistic beauty. Also loved the two shades of spy-black they used for the body :-)
• probinso 10y ago
  spoons are pretty well designed
• netrap 10y ago
  I haven't used a Mac in a long time but BBEdit left a lasting impression on me. I really quite like it, but I use Windows mostly :(
• hector_ka 10y ago
  Spracht Konf-X Buds Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds. Lifetrak c410 watch - battery life more than 6 months. Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Squared.
• michalpt 10y ago
  For me it is Nokia 3310. I could not afford it as a kid but I always "borrowed" it from my dad and play with it for a while :)
• julian_t 10y ago
  Lowden acoustic guitars. Never found anything to match the design (never mind sound) of my '82 L23. La Pavoni coffee maker. Replace O-rings and give it a service every couple of years and it'll last forever. Copper cooking pans, especially old ones by Leon Jaeggi. Amazing cookware that will last forever, given the odd retinning.
• icc97 10y ago
  Bikes - Cateye bicycle lights - Cateye Astrale wired cadence cycle computer: all the information I need and nothing more - '98 Specialized Stumpjumper: My balance is useless and this bike is the only one I can ride comfortably without holding the handlebars. I forever feel like I'm going faster that I really am. Solid steel frame made in Japan, zero suspension - Brooks saddles - Brompton folding bicycles. No other bike folds up so naturally. Kitchen equipment - My current Kenwood Kmix Kettle [0] is the best designed / most solid / prettiest I've used so far. The main down issue is that it's made in China. The handle is stainless steel - so won't break over the years. Very nice shape and lovely colours. - Kenwood Major mixers. Especially old ones, but even the modern Chinese made ones are still good quality. - Dualit stainless steel toaster [1]. Simple lever mechanism for putting the bread in, simple dial timer. Served as a toaster in my University halls and always worked and easy to use whilst hungover. Other - Pentel refill leads and the parellelgram shaped packets they come in. (Made in Japan still) - I was a fan of the Pentel automatic pencils back in school - the black 0.5mm one, but I kept losing them. - Maglite torches. Tried buying a fancy ass Thrunite mega-lumens torch, but I prefer the simplicity of Maglite. [0]: http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en-int/products/kmix/kmix-kettles/kmix-traditional-kettle-skm035a [1]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dualit-2-Slot-Classic-Toaster-Stainless/dp/B00008BQZE/
• maxchasser 10y ago
  MacBook and Iphone!
• Cub3 10y ago
  The first thing I though of was a Trangia Stove [0], simple and clever design, cheap to run, has saved me a few times in the bush and built to last (still have the one I inherited from my father). [0]: http://trangia.se/en/camping-stoves-series-27/ http://trangia.se/en/camping-stoves-series-27/
• h1d 10y ago
  Happy hacking keyboard professional. Typing feel is exceptional and it's in a small form, so every key is within your reach. (Doesn't mean the keys are small.) Especially great for vim mode typing. You can even easily carry it with you. Being using it for nearly 10 years and not failing. Highly recommended. http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pdkb400b_l.jpg http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pd... There's also a one without a print for serious typers which I use. http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pdkb400bn_l.jpg http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pd... (Lite version is a completely different thing, I don't consider it worth buying.) https://www.google.com/search?q=happy+hacking+keyboard+professional https://www.google.com/search?q=happy+hacking+keyboard+profe...
  • johnwheeler 10y ago
    I ctrl-f on this page looking for HHKB. I've got both the Type-S and the regular and went for the carrying case. These keyboards are two of my favorite things.
• pcvarmint 10y ago
  Casio FX-4000P and FX-7000G calculators
• shravanj 10y ago
  -Herman Miller Aeron (the original and remastered models): thoughtful design and very comfortable, albeit pricey -2013 Retina MacBook Pro: my daily laptop and still to date the best laptop I have ever used -Logitech Performance MX: the cheaper and older alternative to the MX Master but is still a high quality mouse -Rolex GlideLock Bracelet: possibly the greatest stainless steel bracelet to ever go on a watch. the balance of its form, fit, and function is simply unmatched. -The North Face Apex Elevation Jacket: not too bulky but stays very warm -Pentel Hi-Polymer Erasers: superlative erasers that are reasonably cheap
• rachkovsky 10y ago
  Nest Learning Thermostat: https://store.nest.com/product/thermostat https://store.nest.com/product/thermostat
• JohnJamesRambo 10y ago
  I'd have to say my Moto X first generation was the best phone I've ever used. I leave for other phones or break the screen but always go back to it and buy another one used. It is just the perfect size and fast and everything works as it should (except for a few flaws like the headphone jack which craps out after extended use).
  • loco5niner 10y ago
    I LOVE my frist-gen Moto X Had it 3 years and don't want to give it up.
• akshatpradhan 10y ago
  I'm not affiliated in any way with this website, but I've been purchasing products recommended by www.ConsumerSearch.com since 2007 and I've been extremely pleased with all of their recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been with me for 10 years and the designs are still easy on my brain.
• wallflower 10y ago
  Bonavita tea kettle. Set the temperature exactly. http://bonavitaworld.com/products/10l-digital-variable-temperature-gooseneck-kettle http://bonavitaworld.com/products/10l-digital-variable-tempe...
• Roverlord 10y ago
  Logitech MX Revolution mouse, c2005. Gone but never forgotten.
• dennisvdvliet 10y ago
  A 1982 Toyota Landcruiser we just bought to take a road trip with. https://clipboard-dvdv.s3.amazonaws.com/WhatsApp_Image_2017-02-20_at_14.02.18.png https://clipboard-dvdv.s3.amazonaws.com/WhatsApp_Image_2017-... Great car, easy to work on, easy to fix and simple.
• dbtc 10y ago
  Books.
• jborrel00 10y ago
  Without a doubt, the most elegantly designed products I've ever used are the sequencers and synthesizers made by Teenage Engineering (https://teenage.engineering/ https://teenage.engineering/). I own the original three pocket operators (PO-12, PO-14, PO-16) and every aspect about them, from the packaging to the board design itself (the whole instrument is just the PCB its made on), is a work of art. Granted, they're not necessarily the most intuitive thing to use, but when you consider TE has shrunken a desk's worth of electronic music equipment into something the size of a Raspberry Pi, it's hard to not be impressed with their design methodology.
• gok2 10y ago
  This little game called Pokemon Yellow.