I’m curious – is there anything you've bought in the past few years (since 2020) that really changed something in your life? Could be anything, like a gadget, a course, a subscription, even a massage or some random item you didn't think much of at first.
Let’s split it up into two categories:
- Under $100 - Under $1000
What did you get? And what was the impact? I’d love to hear the stories – big or small changes, whatever made a difference for you.
Thanks in advance for sharing!
- Ember mug
- Why: lets me drink tea because I hate cold tea. Bleck.
- 49" ultra-wide monitor to replace my dual monitor
- Why: I use i3-wm. It works fantastically on it.
- Why: I don't have to wear headphones constantly and also sound quality is so much better
- Why: Allows others to hang out in my office with me while I work / play games. Additionally, it allows me to turn something on without interrupting my monitor space.
Breaking the rules:
Over $1000:
- EightSleep
- Why: Huge huge huge change in sleep quality plus it's really nice to be able to choose whether to get into a crisp, cold bed or a warm, toasty bed. The Autopilot stuff is interesting and does seem to work to keep you asleep but sometimes it can cause you to wake up especially in the transitional periods of the year (spring and fall).I guess _technically_ it's right at $1000 but you'll really struggle to find any big monitor for under $1000.
That sucks.
EightSleep mattress cover is a GAME-CHANGER. Precise control over preferred temp, and detailed/accurate logging of sleep metrics == way better sleep, and knowledge of its relative quality (metrics for which let me measure the impact of different variables).
5.1 typically means surround sound, but a sound bar (as I know it) sits in front of the listener. How does yours do both?
I would agree. Except that now they seem to make it so that it is pretty pointless without a subscription. Kind of sucks that you have to pay $15/month to actually use the product after paying close to $2000 for the product.
I still use mine only because I was grandfathered in to be able to set temperature set-points without a subscription.
If I were to need another one, I would look for an option without a subscription.
Works in the park/library too and you only heat the water once and don't need electricity to keep it hot!
I'd lived alone before marrying and I did all my chores, but my tolerance for messy stuff until I got to action was way more than my wife's.
You are still going to get into arguments if your idea of what „clean and tidy“ means is different from the definition of your partner.
One of the first things I learned was that most arguments in life seem to be mainly due to differences in people's definition of subjective terms, and not understanding how to communicate well enough to figure that out and then do something useful about it.
Edit: I also bought an emergency jumpstart battery for my car. Saved me twice when my battery suddenly started having issues. Went from feeling “stuck” to back on the road in under 2 minutes.
…that much for a rice cooker—that’s nuts!
But if you cook a lot of rice, it’s a noticeable step up in both quality and consistency. They are extremely common in Japan afaik.
Also, your Nexus card is a REAL ID, so no need to pay extra for an enhanced drivers license.
- Global Entry for wife, parents (as authorized users)
- Uber credit $15/month
- Clear at the airport- I stacked a coupon and got my wife and I Clear for the price of one
- Streaming app reimbursement
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-...
Definitely worth it.
In my opinion though GE + TSA Pre is still worth it — the only thing better than the shorter preflight security screening is the even shorter GE kiosk line re-entering the US.
[0] https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-contr...
It also made me realize how bad certain streaming services are - Youtube, which don't support Atmos and multi-channel audio.
In other words, you can have your cake and eat it too.
[0] https://eu.stanley1913.com/products/adventure-big-grip-beer-...
Under $1000 - Twice/week 'house helper' who does dishes and laundry. My wife travels a few weeks/month and we have 2 kids. Having someone do all the dishes and laundry saves me at least 5hrs/week.
With an insulated mug, you aren't putting more heat into the drink but just trying to keep it for longer. In my opinion, insulation works great for cold drinks (I use a giant insulated cup for my cold drinks) but not so much for warm drinks.
If you don't let the water escape the taste stays fairly stable.
I could see the sealed one (the "Cup") as working better though.
The thermos has a sipping cup on top that I can pour a couple oz of tea into.
Dishwasher should take care of all dishes.
But, on a more serious note. Over the years I've replaced everything in my kitchen that isn't dishwasher friendly with something that is. I do not want to waste the small amount of free time I have doing any dishes.
Along the same lines, Spotify. Could I torrent all the music I want, manage a library and set up streaming around the house, sync the files with my phone, etc? Yes. I used to do it too but now I just don't want to even think about it. $15/mo and it's solved. Forever.
I keep a bag of chargers/socks/toiletries/etc packed and ready. Don’t worry about losing a charger or unplugging the one you use daily. For $30, just get a second dedicated to traveling.
If it’s something you struggle with packing or being ready, buy two. I know people who do this with clothes/suits, but that personally doesn’t fit my travel style.
I grabbed a Anker charging station/extention cable (https://www.anker.com/products/a9129-charging-station-67w) and can plug in one device and charge most of my families needs, including laptops in a pinch.
Also, 3 prong splitters for travel -- great for airports, bad ac plugs on planes, hotels with one AC plug, etc. (https://www.amazon.com/GE-Polarized-Three-Outlet-Power-Ivory...)
My good one is always Somewhere(tm), so I just bought a dozen cheap ones from Ikea. They're good enough for random "does this fit there" -measurements and there's enough of them so that it's impossible to lose them ALL at the same time :D
I also have so many screw drivers, torx bits and 10mm sockets that it's impossible to lose them all. Are they the best quality? No. But it's more important to find one when I need one.
I find that online services in general degrade and become worse values and experiences for users over time, nearly inevitably. In many cases because initial funding can help to support the early unsustainable pricing.
I guess I'm saying it's good to have a downloaded backup of the all-time favs while using spotify for convenient listening.
The problem that Spotify actually tries to solve is that no matter how much we love that particular piece or album, we will get bored with it at some point, even if you dose your pleasure. So in theory Spotify could ease the process of finding interesting music. But in practice, I wound nothing can bet the tedious process of manual research and selection.
Under $1000: Nespresso machine, was using a mocha pot before but the coffee is much easier to make, no cleanup, and tastes better.
Each can make very good coffee and none of them taste bad in comparison to any others.
But if your budget is $1000, I would avoid the espresso category because you also need a grinder and a great grinder is probably more than a budget espresso machine and more important for consistent and good shots.
Just get a proper one, the cheap ones are worse than doing it manually. And the most expensive ones with all the bluetooth crap are a ripoff. The only thing that really matters is the rpm or the amount of back and forth motions it does per second, the rest is fluff you may or may not need.
Otherwise you get promotions at 20 or 30€
1. You don’t know what coffee you get, you cannot really vary the coffee anymore and maybe try a different local one (where I live we have local coffee). Then you don’t even know if it’s just 100% coffee or they add something else
2. Why consuming plastic for a simple thing like a coffee? Plastic is NOT recycled in most of the countries and its bad for environment if not properly managed. Burning plastic increase pollution, but leaving it in the nature can take 500 years to dissolve. Why a simple thing like coffe powder, kept in a glass jar, used in a metal coffee mocha, now has to become the new trend to involve plastic? It’s literally the same thing, just worst for the environment.
I was a bit of a coffee geek and went all out on grinding and brew methods, but then got real busy… nespresso makes good coffee and is super fast.
The downside as you mention is you are stuck with their varieties and can’t geek out on trying different roasts / regions outside of what they offer. But for some people like me that is lower on my priorities now.
Not exactly. In Thailand there are a lot of local roasters thad produce a compatible pods with fresh coffee from different origins. Also there are washable pods you can fill by yourself with new stuff, use, wash repeat
I found a good sweet spot (for me) in a Kamira: it's not as good as a proper espresso and maybe even Nespresso, but it's so much cheaper and still better than a Bialetti. Once you have the procedure down, it's a breeze; and because there are no electronics or pumps, it's unlikely to ever break (I honestly forgot when I got it, must have been at least 4-5 years ago).
The heat gun mosquito things that some tech folks were mentioning on Twitter. Always get quarter sized terribly itchy bumps for each mosquito bites and using it makes them essentially itch-free immediately.
Under $1000:
Weekly house cleaning. Such reduced cognitive load/increased free time to not have to clean all the time, think about cleaning, etc especially with a toddler.
There was a study recently on it, which feels fairly encouraging. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3257884/
The real winner this year was the $30 (rainbow, because it's cool) mosquito net. It's been shockingly hard setting it up really well, some still get through, but I can sit outside all day & break out the electric swatter two or three times & be fine. And I keep tuning the net a little... (I used to lug a bunch of fans in and out of the house, to keep them off me, but that was only semi-successful & made it a project each time.)
Proper lighting changes everything. I think the last set I bought were $180 for 6
Waterpik. Flossing for people who don't like to floss.
5k retina monitor. It made me fall in love with using a computer all over again.
- Schlage Encode Plus: not the nicest looking smart lock, but the best battery life and most reliable (works with Apple Home Key so you can open your door with your watch). You can also program it to auto lock, so it solves multiple problems.
- Meta/Oculus 1/2(/3?): BeatSaber + other apps is a great way to get video game and exercise time in at the same time.
- I recently bought a $200 non-stick wok (the scanpan TechnIq) and it is way better than the ones we previously bought from the local Target/IKEA. Yes, no high heat, but it works for us and has changed the quality of our cooking.
1) A bidet! Got one in the pandemic when toilet paper was scarce and I wanted to be more efficient, but now I'll never go back. The Tushy ones are good.
2) A safety razor & accessories. I get a cheaper, closer, less irritating shave, and I get to customize every part of it. This can certainly be a rabbithole you spend a lot of money on, but you can get a solid customized starter kit for under $100 that will be totally solid, and from then on you're saving money over cartridges and gel unless you really want to splurge.
I'll second the electric toothbrush suggestion too, its great having my teeth fel clean and smooth.
Drying is a personal preference and isn't as important anymore as you're clean down there now. Toilet paper is one option but you don't have to do it (I don't dry for reference) as it'll dry out by itself in a few minutes once you put your underwear on to absorb the water (which is fine because you're completely clean down there so it really is just clean water left).
There's no risk of the spout sitting in and siphoning dirty toilet water it back into your supply. I'm neither a lawyer or a plumber but these seem like they might be okay.
In many places in Europe tap water is safe to drink. However, hot tap water is not.
The regulations mentioned by GP might protect safety of the cold tap water from intake of hot tap water. Which is easy to do unintentionally when mixing hot and cold water.
Seriously, whenever I stay somewhere without a bidet I feel like a caveman. It's just such a quality of life improvement, it's crazy.
Under $1000: My 3D printer. I just super love 3D printers.
Edit: Not in the US and the plumbing looks a bit like this, but without the nuts so you can't easily disconnect a part of it: https://static.byggahus.se/attachments/images/large/341/3416...
I liked it so much that when I had a new bathroom installed a year later I put in a Toto Washlet.
It takes 15-20 minutes and it basically consists of unscrewing a few things and screwing them back together again.
In the US, the water pipe almost always connects to the toilet through a small shutoff valve. After the valve, it connects to the toilet through a "supply." The supply is basically a short garden hose, with screw-on connections at both ends.
Shut off the water at the wall. Flush to empty the toilet tank. Unscrew the hose at the toilet, and screw that end into what amounts to a y, or splitter that comes with the bidet. From the splitter, screw one side back into the toilet connection; the other goes to the bidet itself. Turn back on the water at the wall.
(This is for a simple cold-water bidet. If you need heated water or electricity, it can be more complex.)
I've always thought that both hot water and electricity would be a minimal barrier to entry for a bidet. And that neither of these exist in a typical toilet closet. Am I fundamentally wrong about this??
You do however need electricity. I had to run an extension cord for mine, which I tucked away in low profile conduit to keep things tidy looking.
Water in pipes inside a house's "thermal envelope" is presumably around 72 deg. F. I wash my hands with "cold water" without wincing. Tap water strikes me as tepid if I drink it without ice.
If your pipes run through an outside wall in Canada, it might be a different story.
If you do need warmer water, and the bidet heats it, you probably just need an electrician to fish a wire and add a receptacle. That's not outrageously complex, usually, but I tend toward calling a professional for anything behind the walls.
However, instead of using rigid metal or plastic tubing you commonly find a flexible hose assembly[1]. Only fancy installs use custom formed polished rigid tube for the look. We also tend to leave most of the plumbing in the walls and only the shut off valve protrudes from the wall. Maybe there are flexible hoses available in your region.
When I installed my bidet all I needed was a 3/8 compression tee[2] which they make specifically to tap shutoff valves. The bidet came with a 3/8 connection hose so that went to the tee and I was up and running. The big issue was electric - no outlets in the bathroom. So having seen how Japan loves extension cords I too used one, ran a 12 AWG cord out to the hall to a GFI adapter plugged into a socket. Jank but highly unlikely to cause a fire.
[1] https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Parts-Supply-L...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Breezliy-Lead-Free-Compression-Outlet...
For anyone who wants to get started, I recommend (no affiliation): - the henson razor for those who want something on automatic. It's less efficient (worse at cutting long hair) but it's basically impossible to cut yourself with it due to the small blade gap - the rockwell 6s for tinkerers. It has 6 different settings for blade gap so you can choose your favorite, switch it up if you skipped shaving for a day and have longer hair, etc
I’ve bought the cheap kind, got tired of it and tossed it, then years later went with a more expensive Toto (around $400) and it’s like a completely different experience.
The Toto keeps itself and the toilet cleaner for longer, it has options for gentle spray and oscillating movement, it’s entirely controlled by electronic remote rather than a crude manual knob, the water and seat are heated, it detects when you are sitting down and operates accordingly, and it even has a warm air dryer.
There are apps in the App Store that give you a sleep score.
Under $1000 - just - would either be a friend's Samsung G9 Odyssey monitor a push-button standing desk. My friend was emigrating so we did a deal and snagged both - and a walking treadmill still in the garage - for less than $1k. The monitor is superb because it's just a great setup, a real upgrade from 2x monitors. The desk gets me moving around a bit more and is great for my health. I'm sleeping a little better, losing a little weight from moving around more, just feeling a lot healthier.
I knew the audio quality would be worse than with my cabled studio headphones, but the ANC is just amazing in noisy environments - especially while on public transport. I used to hate taking the train for longer rides because it'd be hit or miss, but with the headphones I'm actually looking up to it. Also looking up to trying them on a flight.
- Air fryer / Countertop Convection Oven: Good for lots of cooking, fast, crisps well
- Collapsible wagon: Easiest way to transport things places. Previously would drive to target etc. for lots of stuff, now just wheel it.
- Global Entry: Gives you TSA PreCheck. Returning from International Travel is like returning from Domestic Travel.
- Electric Toothbrush: Automated pause means I brush longer than before
- Lyft/Baywheels e-bike membership: No need to worry about parking or keeping bike. Faster than cars in SF often. 2x as fast as trains usually.
- Command Strips: Easiest way to stick things on walls. Cheap from Costco
- Costco Membership: Higher quality of customer. Makes everything better
- Cast Iron / Carbon Steel pans: These are great, and a lot less trouble than people make them out to be. I do wash them myself (no dishwasher) which is primary annoyance, but the oiling is easy and they do stay non-stick!
- Carbon Steel knives: I picked up a couple in Japan, wife had some from SF. They're great.
Over $1000:
- Cleaners: $200/mo
- Google Home/Nest speakers and smart lights: Nice to talk to things to turn them off when tired, shows photos of friends etc. Will have to give up the screens when child is born but till then it's nice.
- Amex Platinum: $650/yr (or something) Centurion Lounges are great. Upgrades at hotels are nice.
- Cordless Waterpik w/ storage reservoir: I still don't use as often as I should, but I do use it
Things that didn't quite work out as I was hoping:
- straight edge razor: used it for 2 years, not worth the effort
- car rooftop storage: used it rarely, it was worth it for then, but not usually
- cheaper credit cards: just spent money, not worthwhile
- Oculus: I bought every one that came out and I played with them for a while and then gave them up. Primarily Beat Saber using sideloaded tracks (which is where a lot of the fun is for me).
<$1000: I bought a digital piano to learn to play music. I feel that learning an instrument has had an enormous effect on my life. It's great for getting those synapses going, and find it very relaxing to play after a hard day.
A hoselink hose. Pricy but worth every penny when you need to reel it in or pull it out.
Under $100
The Konnected smart garage door opening
Far superior to the company that took much of their business behind a paywall
Chamberlain?
Semi-recumbent stationary bike that fits under my standing desk.
I've never been coordinated enough to get the hang of walking on the treadmill and typing, but pedaling slowly all day I can do! I've lost 45 lbs so far this year, and adding up the calorie estimate for each day (I've been tracking) and dividing by the 3500 calories people say are in a pound, about 20 of them have been from the bike! (The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues, but that was more expensive.)
> The rest have been from hard work with a dietitian who helped me solve some longstanding issues
Deficiencies or simply realizing certain intake was higher calories than expected?
The $122 price is about what I paid for it. Dunno when they have ever actually sold it for $350
And what I solved with the dietitian that led to weight loss had more to do with blood sugar balance and what I do and don't react badly to. Cutting out stuff that keeps me inflamed made a big difference as far as actually getting the nutrients from my food and not being hungry all the time. So did a target set of 40g protein, 40g fat, 10g fiber every meal, which brings me in around 1900 calories per day. The nice thing was that at first, that was a 500 calorie deficit per day, but I don't have to recalculate ever, because it's also the maintenance calorie intake for my target weight. Weight comes off slower the closer I get, but I don't really care about speed, just trajectory!
My IBD (some dispute among my doctors whether it was UC or Chrohn's) is now confirmed in remission without medication, which is terrific!
I've only worked remotely since way before covid, so it works out for my situation.
Just a heads up, if you're in the USA I believe all health insurance plans must fully cover dietitian visits if you have certain conditions, obesity being one of them. Hypertension and pre-diabetes are a couple other common ones.
Now that I'm in more of a maintenance mode, I'm working with one who's in-network and free. It just cost more than $1k to get to this point.
The $122 price is about what I paid for it. Dunno when they have ever actually sold it for $350.
We cook rice every night for dinner, and this saves me about 30 seconds per meal. It holds 25lb of rice and dispenses one cup at a time. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do.
Under $1000 - A Dyson V7 vacuum refurbished on ebay
I hate vacuuming and if you go on forums, they always say "stick vacuums just aren't as strong." I caved when I found a deal on slickdeals and WOW! It works better than my old plug-in, it's cordless (a big blocker to cleaning) and it's fun to use.
It was clearly built by engineers with love and passion.
The non-stick coating is starting to wear out in ours, probably about time to replace that one part, but its still going strong!
- an ear bulb syringe
I get blocked ears due to wax and it's really negatively impactful to conversation etc. Plus they would block when flying/swimming which ruined a few holidays. I used to go to my local (UK) GP which was very inconvenient due to appointment timings etc.
Then somebody recommended buying a bulb syringe for self-treatment. Mine cost about £4 and has been totally game changing.
I can sort myself out whenever and wherever I want. If you suffer the same, get yourself one immediately!
Unlike a trip to the doctor, when two to three flushes sorts it out, at home it is a case of maybe 10-20 repetitions depending how bad. But each one is really quick and I find there is no pain as the pressure is very low, unlike the doctor which did quite often hurt.
The words of my pharmacist: “I don’t recommend you use this for your ears. I do it myself, but officially I don’t recommend it”
Kinda how Q-Tips boxes mention all kinds of uses except jamming them into your ears for hygiene and pleasure.
"Advising patients with ears blocked by wax to try bulb syringing before irrigation is effective and acceptable, and could significantly reduce the use of NHS resources."
So I feel they are a safe method of self treatment.
For the folks with extra sticky wax, softeners don't help.
I was a <$10 plastic ear curette from Ototek. I just use it after I shower and everything is great.
The camera cost about £10 and came with a few plastic "scraper" tools (feel kinda gross to say it, heh). It allowed me to remove the wax, and importantly, visually confirm the results. Thinking about it now, it's been over a year since I last had to use it, so I think my ears might've reached a new "equilibrium" point (they are supposed to be self-cleaning, after all).
There is, presumably, a risk of damaging your ears any time you stick something in there, so I was just very careful to not do that.
I've had two Sonys (XM4 and XM5) and a bunch of Boses (QC 1x something, 25, 35II).
These are by far the best ones for me. The fabric on the ear cups doesn't get sweaty, I have tactile buttons for every function (unlike the Sonys), ANC works even when the mic is on (Bose can't do this).
And the best feature: I can charge them while I'm using them. Neither the Sony or Bose can do that, they just go offline.
I find this amusing considering this is the opposite comment that you see when the apple mouse comes up.
Note: I know the mouse charging is a non issue in reality
/rant
And the companion app has ACHIEVEMENTS.
$18 ceramic pans.
$9 vertical monitor from thrift shop.
$30 chirp wheel for back cracking.
$180 theragun for muscles. Finds knots that you didn't know you had.
used dell server towers with 128GB RAM for linux
velcro cable ties + phone mount for bicycle + battery tester + usb controllers for emulators + sivga headphones (i think they are 5x more expensive now)
I use it with multiple Emacs frames because PaperWM (Gnome extension) makes it easy to scroll between windows (in this case Emacs frames).
It's been amazing and has let us remain a one car family despite two kids with a lot of activities. I adore it. About to hit 2k miles on it.
But the cargo e-bike is fantastic. I've basically stopped using the bus, and everything under 30km with the kid has become no-brainer easy. I've done 1200km in 6 months now. But winter is coming, let's see how it goes.
With the plethora of bike trails and neighborhood routes, I'm nearly as fast as a car getting around without going overboard on pedal assist (I do about 18 mph).
Its so much easier/faster for doing quick errands around the neighborhood
Taking the car now feels overkill in comparison
Just another option to consider rather than getting a second car
The cargo part of the bike is pretty cool, though. I've seen some people do some cool loading hacks with a scooter, but the amount of stuff you can haul on a cargo bike is really fun. When I bought the e-bike, I rode my road bike down to the bike store, and rode the e-bike back home _hauling my road bike_. That was pretty awesome. :)
- robot vacuum. Now my house gets vacuumed (that should tell you how much I hate doing it.)
- the bidet seat is not tremendously life changing but it's very helpful.
Under 100:
- a quality probe thermometer. I use it for everything baked and most ways of cooking meat. Nothing is over~ or undercooked anymore. I do have another one with 2 probes for bbq/smoking -- you can use the two in the point and flat of a brisket, which tend to cook to different temperatures, or use one to monitor temperature of the grill and the other for the meat. It's also bluetooth so I can monitor temps from the comfort of my computer desk.
- a good rice cooker. Frees up a burner, rice is done when you tell it to be done and it's always perfect.
Can you recommend one you like? This is a hard thing to research without hitting fake reviews and blogspam. Not like there's an established brand a normal consumer would know about.
I guess that applies to a lot of things now.
My friends and I all use it.
Under $100 #2: Get a CGM for two weeks and find out what foods spike your blood sugar the most. Or what supplements can help keep it steady (eg vitamin B1, inositol, or Chromium). Say goodbye to food coma and likely improve your long term health.
Under $1000: Get a second freezer. From that point on you can buy frozen veggies etc during sales, and prep meals during the weekend, for the whole week. I don’t know how we got by with just one tiny freezer section in the fridge.
Are you in the US, and is it possible to obtain a CGM without a prescription?
I second the OP's suggestion. It's completely changed my eating habits.
Do you have any tips for how to start with one and systematically get the most insight out of it?
Under $1000: An Ooni pizza oven. It's a relatively low-stakes investment and you can produce some pretty phenomenal pizzas after you get over your first few "catastrophe calzones". Just a nice weekend dad hobby.
A ChatGPT subscription. It has certainly changed the way I work on projects.
First visit to a physical therapist for my back. I was in pain and for all intents and purposes, crippled; couldn't walk much, getting out of the chair hurt. I couldn't stand straight. I put it off for 3 years because I'm stupid and I got overweight. The first visit they showed me exercises that fixed it in a few days. Don't put these things off, I wish I had those 3 years back.
Under $1000
Apple Watch to help me lose weight and get my heart healthy. The gamification of it works for me, I've "closed my rings," every day since I got it.
Getting old sucks.
- Bidet - just a basic one that plugs into the existing water line. Everyone in my house makes fun of me for it, but after a year with it, using TP feels barbaric.
- Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. There might be other brands that are just as good, but it's essentially a small electric oven I can use outdoors. I started baking small loaves of sourdough almost daily, and use it occasionally for pizza, chicken, or smoked meat. I'm reluctant to use the indoor oven (especially in summer) because it heats the house so much, plus I'm mindful of my electricity usage.
It's heavenly.
I also love my bluetooth headphones with Noise Cancellation. I can be in my own world at the gym, at work, at the coffeeshop.
No need to remember which email address I used to sign up, which of my passwords I used, what special character I added... It makes 2FA a breeze. It works seamlessly across my computers, browsers, phones...
I also use it to store API keys, my social security number, passport number, IBAN, copies of documents I need to keep handy..
The added security is just the icing on the cake.
- A dumbphone. Even if I’m not using it anymore, it has shown me what life I could be living without distractions. My anxiety and stress levels went down from about the second day using it, I became much more aware of my emotional state and the environment around me, it was a noticeable shift.
I no longer buy the arguments that we can control our smartphone addictions with will. The technology is too optimised for most of us to break free. And the addictions — too subtle for most to notice.
It may simply be a physiological addiction to checking email or for notifications every now and then. If you feel like you’d be missing out unless you check your phone several times a day, you have it. If you reach for your phone without thinking when you’re bored, you have it. It’s all about compulsive action.
I think much of the population is addicted. Certainly most of the online types.
Every interaction with your phone pulls you out of being present!
What do you do instead?
And then you just suffer through it for a few days. It gets better very quickly.
under 1000e: I am still experimenting with, but a water distiller and some glass bottles to try and escape the plastic water bottle madness.
Under $1000, my bambu labs printer. I've fixed things, made things you couldn't buy, it's a staple in my house now.
Audio quality suffers a little when it comes to music, but being able to hear conversations around me at the office is worth it.
I bought a $2 rice cooker at a yard sale in 2020. Changed my life, yes really. Rice ALWAYS turns out well. I don't know why I bothered to make it on the stove before.
Aeropress - quick coffee with easy cleanup. Waterproof and nonslip cat blanket to go over the couch. Surprisingly comfy. So far saved more spillage from humans than the cats.
Under $1000
Replaced all my Audio RaspberyPis with WiiM devices. They are like $150 - $400.
A bit over $1000
Apple 5K studio display. Can't begin to desribe the difference on my eyes compared to a regular 27" with 1/4 the number of pixels.
Bonus category, things that were shit:
Hand massager. Device you put your hand in and, in theory, it massages it. It tried to bend my finger joints back by pressing down in the middle.
Since that time, I spent literally thousands of hours immersed in horology. Everything from clock repair where I started, to learning how to use a lathe and a mill, studying the impact of clockmaking on the industrial revolution in early America and the history of maritime navigation, building an atomic NTP server from a rubidium engine bought off eBay and a raspberry Pi, becoming friends with several of the Antique Roadshow experts, volunteering to help build a pollinator meadow at a small clock museum nearby…
It’s amazing to me how much of an effect that little junky impulse buy had on how I’m living my life these days.
Until I pointed out they were radioactive.
I think it’s $89/yr for Walmart grocery delivery. We were doing app orders + self-pickup, and the time savings of having them deliver for no added cost on every order over $35 has been amazing.
Under $1,000:
I bought an Olympic bar and plates from Facebook Marketplace ($250) and the Bells of Steel Light Commercial power cage ($700) from Amazon and started doing StrongLifts 5x5 consistently beginning in January of this year. It’s been nothing short of life changing. Having the safety of the cage, and the simplicity of StrongLifts really opened the door to strength and I would highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, didn’t know where or how to start.
It's made meal prepping incredibly easy and food is always perfectly cooked. You never have to eat a dry or overcooked piece of meat again.
Ergo stuff. A kinesis keyboard, a logitech ergo mouse, a standing desk and mat. Between these, I've probably headed off carpal tunnel and back problems by years.
Living in American public housing, we used our pandemic stimulus money to buy two RabbitAir MinusA2 HEPA air purifiers. At $600 each plus $95/yr (for filter change) they're utterly fantastic and the pre-HEPA stages are easily cleanable with a cheap air compressor and wet paper towels. The multi-stage filter system is quite quiet on level 3 (of 5) but will really blow at 5 and be nearly silent at 2. You can tell how well they work by how the filters build up over time. The build quality is top-shelf with exquisite tolerances.
I can't recommend them enough. In my travels, I learned my favorite aphorism, which comes from China, I believe:
>>> Pay a lot, cry once.
Our RabbitAir units are the finest example we can afford, easily our best quality-of-life investment.
The device does have a what-appears-to-be-accurate AQ (air quality) sensor on the side. In the presence of smoke, it turns red, cranks itself up, and then returns to blue (clearest) through purple over the course of some minutes. As such, I'd say that the "response curves" looked legit to my programmer brain, besides that the air certainly smells better.
I can definitely say, however, that -- having replaced the filters three times over these four years -- the HEPA layer (the inmost) definitely got brownish. Each 3-6 month pre-filter cleaning cycle had nice gradations of dust and stuff after each cleaning, sometimes a great deal if we were slacking.
Regardless, who knows what's been sucked into and blown through our ancient HVAC unit's ducts over these past decades, what with most people probably just buying the cheapest air filter possible? Why not err on the side of caution w/rt AQ?
I used to have a large Honeywell air purifier I special ordered to Australia that required a step down voltage transformer, it's really surprising how much better the air feels when it's truly clean.
Then again that doesn't mean off-the-shelf products are bad, for a single room even quite cheap ones can do the job. And they don't look like a fan taped onto filters, so there's that.
I'm sure Alfred and Faber have books for kids. Check reddit and amazon. But you won't go wrong with books from either probably.
To accompany the books, there are videos where people go over the pieces from the books as a piano teacher. I recommend this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4gizue_ULg&list=PL8hZtgRyL9..., but just search the book name + piece name
Lastly since you're both learning, look into duet books and utilize the split mode on your piano
Costs nothing to recharge, no insurance, no license.
It was a one time payment with recurring fun on every use.
Under $100 - tracydog vibrator. More spice.
Typically in most states they're not permitted on sidewalks except for specialized medical mobility scooters.
Under £100
- Electric toothbrush - this isn’t new, I’ve used one for 15 years or so but I couldn’t even imagine not using one
- A decent water bottle
- Creatine supplements
I’m sure there’s more but can’t think right now.
Under £1000 - Garmin Fenix watch, I’m sure this would apply to any watch that tracks calories, steps, sleep etc but having one with all this info on my wrist is something I could never go without.
The frozen rice should be fine for at least a month and still OK after a few months although with some loss of flavor and/or texture.
I'm single but have a 14 cup rice cooker. It was a Wirecutter budget choice. They said it makes great white rice but undercooks brown rice. I wanted it for brown rice, and addressed the undercooking by simply putting in enough rice to make 12 cups instead of 14 but filling the water to the 14 cup level so it will cook longer.
After cooking I divide it into 12 one cup plastic covered containers and into the freezer it goes.
I reheat the frozen rice by putting it in a bowl, spraying a little water on it. Enough to wet the frozen block but to not leave much loose water on the bottom of the bowl. I cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave for 3 minutes on high in a 1250 watt microwave.
A wand for the vegetable garden hose. About $70 and much better than a normal gun/nozzle for watering plants at the base if not all of your gardens are raised.
$500ish: 12v car fridge. I use mine camping or on work trips but also at home on mains power as a drinks fridge near the outdoor seating when people are around.
In the US, I have an Alpicool dual zone fridge/freezer. Powered by a solar-charged lithium battery.
No more flubbing with liquid refills and added expense/weight of buying water with some soap mixed in.
Have years worth of bars in a small space under my sink.
Buy fancy soaps on vacation.
No more soap dish soapy-watery goop.
Can clean in a dishwasher.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ceramic-Leaf-Shape-Draining-Bathroom-K...
A desktop heat mat. Cost about $20, it has 3 heat settings, size about 13x30 inches. It goes under my keyboard and keeps my hands and fingers wonderfully warm all day. I don't have good circulation sitting down and cranking up the heat in the room heats all the other parts of me first, so this was a great alternative.
I started balding in my mid 20’s, so I shaved my head with a BIC disposable and shaving cream. I kept up this routine for probably 15 years before seeing a curved electric razor made for heads advertised to me. I picked one up on a whim, and it has been great! It takes me around 1 minute each morning compared to 5-10 before, and I no longer have to worry about nicks. It uses about 1% battery each shave, so I only have to charge it every couple months. It truly has been a great quality of life improvement.
[1] the one I use is called the Hummingbird MK3, available on Amazon for around $60.
Under $1000. A squat rack, bumper plates and a bench. Mine isn’t fancy but at anytime I can workout without having to leave my house.
A squat rack, weights, and a bench is probably the biggest bang for your buck version of this and if you can set up a basic home gym, it's a total game changer.
For example there are places around my sink drain that are hard to clean by hand. A blast from the Waterpik on the full setting easily deals with them.
Stop prewashing dishes in the sink. Put them straight into the dishwasher and you’re good.
At the end of the day, when you load them into the dishwasher, they're much more likely to come out completely clean.
If you enjoy the filter cleanup. I personally prefer rinsing the dishes instead of cleaning the filters and on my current dishwasher I didn't have to do anything after two years of use.
Under $1K: Helly Hansen Alpha Lifaloft Jacket. At ~$600 it's worth every cent in Colorado. No complex layering mechanisms, but works well from 35ºF to -10ºF. Wear it with a t-shirt or a thin down layer. It fits perfect and sits just below my belt. Great pocket layout. etc. etc. It's my go to for everything from snow shoveling to long ski days.
I got a pack of basic foam ones (supposedly 33dB reduction), and it meant that my wife and I could keep sleeping in the same bed without snoring getting in the way. Was only about $10 for 50.
And I got a pair of noise reducing Loop earplugs, which means that the one day a week RTO is no longer a sensory nightmare. They're visually subtle enough that my wife couldn't see them when I first tried them on (important if I was going to wear them in meetings), and recessed enough to wear underneath headphones. They're also great for large events (weddings and the like) to extend how long before my social battery gets wiped out. I imagine this is more tied to my autism than the office being particularly noisy though. I can still easily hold conversations with them in, with the only negative being that they kinda reduce spacial perception, so I can't as easily tell where sounds are coming from. These were about $50, though they've got cheaper options, they also come with extra mutes for more reduction, but the baseline is already plenty, so I'd probably recommend against the "Engage 2 Plus".
- NEXUS ($50 for 5 years). Comes with TSA Pre and Global Entry.
- ChatGPT $20/mth and Claude $20/mth. Completely changed how I ideate and work.
- Cosori Air Fryer $70 + a stack of wax paper. Changes my food bill and health. I can buy a bunch of healthy stuff from Costco, and make delicious meals daily in under 20 mins.
- AirTags ($28/piece). I tag my car, my luggage, my wallet, my keys, etc. And I never get anxious again.
- Black socks from Amazon. I bought 17 pairs of identical black socks, so I don’t ever have to match socks again. I can just grab any two.
- Samsers folding Bluetooth Keyboard $60. I pair this compact foldable keyboard with my iPhone and iPad, so I can type with an actual keyboard anywhere I go.
There are also a bunch of high quality grooming tools like a Panasonic electric razor, Tweezerman tweezers, rounded scissors, etc. that improveme my quality of life. There’s also a clever porcelain $4 toothbrush holder from Muji that is amazing. There’s also a toothpaste squeezer from Amazon.
Health wise, I’ve gotten better sleep from heavy curtains which blocks street noise. Also a wedge pillow has helped decrease snoring. An Aroma USB heated eye mask has helped with dry eye.
Under $1000:
- $180 per pair - 2 pairs of AirPods Pro 2. ANC for 10 hour work day, peace of mind.
- $200 Apple Watch Series 7. I charge it twice a day when I shower but otherwise I wear it all the time. Great for health tracking and sleep alarm, but it’s most useful feature for me is Apple Pay. I pay for stuff with a double click on the dial, no need to whip out my phone. It also unlocks my Mac automatically. I used to wear Tissots but no more. I’m sold on Apple Watch.
- $180 Levoit humidifier
- $200 Coway Air purifier.
- $100 Allbirds shoes. They’re expensive but I’ve had mine for 4 years, worn daily. They’re tech bro shoes but they do live up to their reputation.
- $120 Patagonia Better Sweater vest. This is more of a finance bro getup but it is warm and pairs with anything and still looks smarter than a hoodie. This matters. As much as tech people don’t care about dressing well, the person who dresses just a bit better gets taken just a bit more seriously. Humans are hardwired for superficial things unfortunately.
- $150/week up to deductible (I have HSA so high deductible but folks on FSA can get therapy for more cheaper plus most therapists have sliding scale). Best investment ever is weekly therapy sessions. I’ve worked through so many things that I’m a much more regulated person and am able to heal from a lot of stuff that were affecting new relationships. I wish I did this 20 years sooner.
Voice lessons at the local community school of music. I'm a lifelong musician, but was an almost entirely solitary one. I taught myself different instruments, but I never felt like I could get to basic competency teaching myself to sing. I decided to spend ~$200 for a semester of weekly 30 minute lessons. (The community school cooperates with the local university to offer lessons taught by university students for a low rate.)
My singing improved (more work is needed), but the life-changing thing was getting involved with the local music community. It turns out they have a shortage of piano teachers--I had mistakenly assumed there would be plenty in my town! So I started teaching piano, which had long been a dream of mine. The school also connected me to local performance opportunities that are now a part of my regular music routine. And ultimately, the experience encouraged me to enroll as a (part-time) music student at the university, which itself has been extremely enriching and a tremendously positive community experience.
Plus singing is a pretty personal way of making music, and there can be a lot of social fear of doing it badly. Formally studying it can help with getting over the psychological hump from self-identifying as "someone who is attempting to sing" to "singer".
- Robot vacuum (with mapping+LIDAR): Major game changer. I should have bought this years ago! The tech is now good enough that it basically never gets stuck unless you leave cables lying on the floor. It costs about as much as it would to hire a cleaning crew for a day. And this will do clean your house every single day!
- Bidet Seat (Heated)
- Chest freezer: Unlike the anti-car people on Reddit, I don't consider grocery shopping to be something I want to do every day. I can now get by with 1-2 trips for a whole month for two people. It also helps reduce food wastage once you figure out how to freeze your commonly used perishables that take too long to use up (e.g. heavy cream "ice cubes", frozen bread loaves etc.)
- Noise cancelling headphones (Sony XMs): I use them everyday and love the distraction free environment it creates (combine with MyNoise.net at work).
Under 100:
- Immersion blender: surprisingly versatile. The "barrier to entry" is smaller especially since it is super easy to clean compared to a blender (chuck it in the dish-washer).
- Electric toothbrush (granted it could be slightly over 100 for the one I got)
What benefits have you experienced? Just curious, asking as a lifelong boring toothbrush user.
Also: floss and mouthwash. Like floss is really important…
Why can't we in the US just have nice cheap things. Why is everything an electronic life-hack with a fun take on how to be eco-concious, that involves buying something I don't already own?
For what it's worth, the toothbrush was also not the cheapest I could find (that would have been Lidl or somesuch), and was made in France, so maybe that makes a difference.
Also, dentists recommend X-rays A LOT, too.
You can find electron microscope scans of fresh toothbrushes and worn ones in this[0] Applied Science YouTube video.
If you're working at a computer, I recommend opening multiple tabs at the same time. For example, one with some relaxing white noise, one with a music-adjacent one like Mr Rhodes or 88 Keys, and maybe also a crackling fire for cozy vibes.
- https://mynoise.net/noiseMachines.php My favorites are: "Stormy Weather", "Fireplace", "Irish coast", "88 Keys", and "Mr. Rhodes"
You can also find myNoise sounds on YouTube and Spotify:
Legal doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical cannabis bud. Home cooked between 200-250F for an hour or so -- no smoking, only eating. Got highest grades (24-28% IIRC); eat only three fingertips pressed into very finely cut buds (pieces the size of a small peppercorn) -- so not very much. Dosage is not precise but close enough, and good for design and programming, for quite few hours, and can re-up after 4-5 hrs and have a good long day. And then a good night's sleep.
It's quite a difference not consuming whatever street cannabis is made with or packed into. It's far cleaner while active and gets flushed out gently and quickly.
I'm very grateful our (American) state finally legalized MM (medical marijuana), and allows telehealth evaluation and prescription, which was, itself, <$100. Then even 7g is <$100. That much lasts me months.
It'll prolly be a total of $400-500 for my first full year. Outstanding bargain and results, finally legally.
(Note: I suggest adding in some good fish oil for EFAs and such, for more optimal results -- <$50 a bottle.)
They were harder to get earlier in the pandemic, so I bought a less popular brand in addition to the popular brand one I already had from a repair project.
Reasonably comfortable, and I haven’t had a single respiratory illness since I started wearing them when going out. Also good for allergies, smoke, keeping my face from freezing in the winter, and looking like I’m in a SciFi movie.
Air fryer, I use it for cooking sausages, tenders, salmon, mini pizzas for the kids. Quicker than the oven and doesn't make the kitchen hot.
Robot vacuum, I have a roborock, turns vacuuming into something thats done a couple of times a week, from once a month.
A good camera: a hobby of mine. I got a 10-year old Canon DSLR so it did get under 1000, but with extra lenses I've bought over time for different situations it's more than that.
Under 100:
Nasal rinse, I seem to constantly have sinus problems in the cooler months, this seems to help.
Guitar lessons. I've played guitar for nearly 30 years, but one year of focused lessons has seen me improve more than the past 15 years combined.
Under 1000:
Shark Hydrovac. We have hard floors throughout our house, this makes keeping them clean so much easier than the manual alternatives.
Whole home humidifier attached to our furnace duct work - huge increase in comfort in winter.
2. Zwift and a bluetooth bike trainer. I swear my fitness improves over winter and decreases over summer... inverse from what I was previously doing. Also, I live in Iowa (very flat and the only resistance comes from the everpresent wind) so it's a different style of riding.
They sell these all over Amazon and similar places, but the best ones have both the moving air components and at least one little metal strip that rests on the back of your neck. That metal strip gets very chilly, so it makes hot weather so much more tolerable! Only downside is it's not great for long hair due to the fans potentially catching strands.
Under $100
- Ember Mug, same as many folks here: 4 years of service, 2 use of their customer service, bought another one for my wife. 100% will reshop when my current mug stop working or is not replaced anymore by their amazing support.
- A memory foam pillow: Had to iterate to find the right one, but once you've it, you know it. You sleep better, less pain in the back/neck/shoulder
- A vasectomy: just taking charge of the contraception in my couple. Simple, painless and effective.
Under $1000
- A gym coach coming once a week to kick my ass and make me sweat. My best investment in nearly 10 years. I've never been so fit and in shape in my life. He's there every week, even when you really don't want to do anything and afterwards, you'll always feel better
- Airpods Pro, I use them between 2 and 6 hours a day and they've become my second pair of ears. I use them often in transparency mode to avoid screaming during meetings and when it's quiet around, it's perfect.
- A standing desk and its screen arm. I use it every day, and sometimes in upper position (yay!)
Over $1000
- A Babboe Curve e-bike to carry my kids to school. 2000km later, it's still an amazing device to move almost all the family without any of the car's downside (yes, I live somewhere in France)
- coffee machine: coffee has now become part of our morning routine (coffee dates) where we sit and talk over coffee with the dog in our laps. Play around with different beans and blends. Saves money, fun to clean.
- proton mail/pass: I now have a super private email, and I spin up aliases when I need to sign up for something. 400+ aliases later and I get less spam, that I can destroy instantly.
- Hoka walking shoes: I have debilitating arthritis (under 30YO) and could barely walk a kilometre. These shoes allow me to walk upto 5kms a day without much pain.
Under $100:
- fallout 4 on PC: modding this old game and playing it on survival mode has reinvigorated my passion for gaming, it’s also unlocked a new hobby in modding existing games.
- automate the boring stuff with Python: this book got me in to programming, a relatively lucrative career and lifestyle booster.
- Ritalin: I’ve gone my whole life without knowing I had ADHD. Taking medication for it has been a complete game changer in terms of happiness and ability to relax
Under $1k:
- HHKB hybrid type-s, I love this keyboard;
- Kobo libra colour, for the integration with Libby in Canada. I also like that Kobo gives me points with each purchase, which can be used to get more books.
See and be seen in the dark, while keeping your hands free. Great for taking out the garbage or checking the mail at night, especially because we don’t have much lighting outside (unless it’s a full moon) due to light pollution regulations.
Besides that, they say to never cheap out on anything that goes between you and the ground. Car tires appear to be a scam but most everything else works. Advice for specific items will be highly specific to where you are and what you do, but a general observation is: an object stops being effective long before it breaks entirely.
Since we're computer people, I would point out that there's a huge difference between a $150 ergonomic office chair and a $50 office chair. (though changing position is also important)
I never liked to go to the gym and having the essential tools at home have been the first time I've stuck with it. I've increased my strength substantially, lowered my body fat, and I generally have a better mental state with regular exercise incorporated into my weekly routine. It does require a good bit of space though.
- a non-stick pan (Tefal) - makes cooking much more enjoyable and likely, due to much less hassle while doing it and afterwards when cleaning up.
- a search engine subscription (Kagi). No more bullshit results. It's nice to feel that your search engine isn't working against you!
- a U-shaped pregnancy pillow - ideal for side sleepers
- a preconstructed deck for a trading card game (Magic the Gathering Commander). Bought and started playing it in the local game store. Now addicted.
Under $1000:
- a cordless, bagless vacuum with a light to see dust (Dyson) - it makes such a difference to effectivity and especially motivation if you are actually seeing what you are changing!
- noise canceling headphones (Bose) - invaluable, especially in the vicinity of uncontrollable noise, such as near worksites, in public transport or coworking spaces
- a telescope (Orion) - initiated a years-long and enduring fascination about and activity in astronomy and astrophotography
I threw out all my non stick surface pots and pans and all plastic kitchen implements because I don’t want chemicals or plastics in my food. Replaces everything with stainless steel.
Polymer fumes do seem to be a thing at high temperatures apparently https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safet... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_fume_fever
Whether non-stick coating peels off when cooking or when washing is an open question, but chances of it being just the latter are slim to none.
A better option is copper-inlayed steel pans, something like Falk. They aren't hard to master and they last for decades and have superior heat distribution profile.
Not really across the research but my suspicion would be that if there are issues associated with non-stick, it’s likely to be PFAS driven.
There was a good discussion about the evidence on PFAS that I watched a while back, but I cannot find it for the life of me, sorry.
In terms of health, I'm not sure either but you should never use non-stick pans if you have pet birds. As I understand it the way their breathing and lungs work makes it deadly for them. Aside from that as long as it's not proven safe I don't feel like taking unnecessary risks when multiple safe materials are available. Manufacturers claiming their product is safe when it isn't has probably been a thing before the first factory and will still be a thing after I'm gone.
My stainless steel pans also last much longer than my non-stick pans. The non-stick coating seems to deteriorate within only a few years.
1) Kitchen dish towels. The white with blue herringbone kind you see in restaurants or cooking content creators. I bought two dozen of them (~$1.65/each) and keep them all around the kitchen and use them with reckless abandon (some for drying, some for wiping spills, etc.). Having plenty of them means I can use one per day for general use and not run out by the time laundry day comes.
2) Deli containers. Picked up 48 in 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz sizes with airtight lids. Completely changed how I prep food and save leftovers. Almost entirely I've switched to using these over what hodgepodge of tupperware I have accumulated over the years.
Man I would love these, but my zero-waste partner would kill me for not re-using the old jars...
Along the same vein - a good high-carbon knife, an end-grain cutting board and a Thermapen.
Under $100: cheating a bit, a Corsair K95 RGB keyboard from the local tip shop. Amazing to type on.
Used it to assemble and repair my desktop computer, swap laptop SSDs, deep clean my mouse after my cat puked on it, and completely disassemble and reassemble an entire printer for a school project. It has easily paid for itself several times over, and is still in near perfect condition after 4 years of use. Invaluable for any computer, electronic, or right to repair hobbyists.
Barely Under $1000 - a Sebo E3 Premium canister vacuum ($950 after using resellers 10% off offer)
Our family's traditional standup vacuum (I forgot which brand but they're almost all identical) died after a few years of use and we were fed up with having to replace it. Most consumer vacuums available in the US suffer significantly from planned obsolescence, so I did some research and came across this German import Sebo e3 canister vacuum. Previously I had never heard of canister vacuums, they're literally never advertised in the US. Apparently Shark makes a few, but I had to specifically google "shark canister vacuum" to find them as there is no mention of them on their official website. It only took a couple raving reviews of canister vacuums to convince me of their potential, so I took the plunge with the Sebo.
I can safely say that this vacuum is a complete gamechanger. It is so much quieter, lighter, maneuverable, easy to use, and cleaner. No longer do floating dust particles cloud the windows' sun rays. No longer does my cat appear covered in dust because she found a spot I neglected to clean. No longer do I have to worry about breaking a weakening but crucial plastic clip or retainer when emptying the vacuum. Every part that experiences stress is metal and designed for longevity rather than aesthetics. Dare I say I even enjoy vacuuming now! It used to be a pain to lug around an entire upright vacuum over every square inch of the floor. Even the bags are better than emptying a canister. The bags are biodegradable and seal inside the vacuum, meaning dust never has a chance to escape. I used to have to empty the canister vacuum outside because of how much dust it released. Yes, the high price tag is rather intimidating for a vacuum purchase, but it's well worthwhile as it's been going for four years strong with absolutely zero issues. Also, most US resellers offer 10% off if you just call them to order it.
Also, in the category of special interests, the Radiance Films 2024 Blu-Ray bundle was a significantly good purchase for me. They're an English boutique Blu-Ray company that releases 3-4 movies a month; for about $1000 I got 50-odd movies that I never would have purchased otherwise, most of which I enjoyed. In many cases it opened my eyes to whole categories of foreign genre cinema I would have missed otherwise -- say, modern Chinese neo-noirs. Life-changing is a stretch but I'm really happy with the purchase. https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/products/radiance-2025-bundl... for the next year bundle.
Under $100: second the rice cooker and bidet recommendations, although we're considering upgrading to a heated bidet.
* Moving Dolly / transporte roller - Just four wheels attached to a wood board for moving stuff from/to the cellar. Best money ever spent.
* Lamy Safari fountain pen - I got tired of plastic pens and wanted to try fountain pens with a converter. Turns out an inkpot lasts more than 1 year. Probably 2.
* Pentel pocket brushpen. Addictive to use. Made me draw again.
"An estimated 30–39 million adults in the United States have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but only 6 million have been diagnosed." https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/sleep/sleep-apnea-statistics/
Sleep apnea sucks. Get tested. Get treated. It's a hassle but it's worth it. I'm typing this just after putting on my mask.
Under $1000 - A good espresso setup! I bought Breville Bambino Plus, DF64 Gen 2 grinder and some auxiliary tools for under $1000 this year and it's been a game changer. I can make better-than-Starbucks coffee for a fraction of a price. I did the math, and making my own espresso/latte/cortado is 3x cheaper then buying it from Starbucks. Oh, and it's much tastier.
Plus other people’s games are downright fun to play, and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had since the Nintendo DS.
[0]: https://play.date/
