General product recommendations
I'm a pretty conscientious person and I like to research stuff before I buy it - I'm not obsessive about getting The Best Whatever In Class, but like anyone I'm interested in a good deal for a product that suits my needs.
Between the prevalence of review-stuffing bots, Google's results getting worse, and reviewers themselves sometimes having questionable financial backing, I'm finding it harder and harder to find reliable information. So the gold standard is personal recommendations from real people!
I checked and it's been a while since we've had a general recommendations thread on Tildes so I thought it might be nice to start up another one with the influx of new folks!
Possible points of discussion:
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Are you looking to buy something and hoping to hear from people about what's good and what's bad? Post the type of thing you're looking for in a top-level comment and others can chime in!
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Is there a product you enjoy or that has improved your life, fills a niche or special requirement really well, or stands out to you as being a big improvement over its competitors? Is there a particular company you had a great experience with? Share with others who might also benefit!
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Is there a product you tried, HATED, and want to warn people about? Something that's all hype, no substance? I think that also fits here.
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Are there any reviewers or sites you trust in particular?
I hereby bestow my personal seal of approval on the Aeropress. It does not make espresso, despite some hand-waving advertisements, and it does not make the best coffee in the world; but for $30 (on sale) or $40 (regular price), it punches far above its weight class and is hands down my go-to coffee maker.
I have always used the Prismo attachment with my Aeropress, and I believe that is a must-have accessory. And I just found out now that Aeropress is making their own Prismo-like attachment which might be worth checking out.
In addition to making good coffee, some other advantages of the Aeropress are that it takes up very little counterspace, it is very fast to use, and it is extremely easy to clean.
While I do love espresso, I hate fussy, finicky kitchen contraptions, and I would rather settle for very good coffee from the Aeropress rather than deal with the cleaning, the risk of breakdown and the high cost of a decent espresso machine.
This reminds me, it's time to go make some coffee.
I'm not sure this is how I'd present it. In a way, it does make the best coffee in the world.
Espresso is the one area of coffee brewing where things do go farther with better equipment, but espresso is not "better" than filter coffee you'd get from an aeropress, or a clever dripper, or a v60, or a french press. It's just different. They have a different taste, not a better or worse taste.
In the world of filter coffee, the brewers tend not to be that expensive. A v60, a pretty legendary brewing device, is also in the $20 ballpark - it just a cone with a particular shape that fits onto carafes.
So in that aspect, coffee made from an aeropress is no better or worse than espresso, v60 filter coffee, turkish coffee, and so forth. They're just different, and in that way equally have a claim to "the best coffee".
I'd also note that the aeropress can do much more than make espresso like coffee! If you look into the recipes that go far in the Aeropress World Championship, more of them use it like a particular type of immersion brewer, where they're brewing ~150-200 mls of coffee.
In a world full of coffee snobs, this comment nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I've lost count of the number of times I've heard people making dumb claims about coffeemaking equipment and techniques.
My "favorite" one is when they claim that coffee made in a Chemex is drammatically different from pourover because reasons.
I would actually be in that group about the chemex, though I would say it tastes dramatically worse than my V60 daily driver. Years ago I had this argument with a friend and told her I could make a 'chemex' brew for her with my V60, when presented with it she agreed it tasted more like a chemex than usual I told her i had put a piece of kitchen roll in the cup and then squeezed the coffee out of it, its paper, the taste difference is the chemex uses a shit ton of crap paper.
The Chemex produces a much different texture and SLIGHTLY different flavor than a V60. The filter thickness has a lot to do with it.
You can taste the difference if you taste coffee frequently, control variables, and taste between two brewed at the same time with the one difference.
But at the end of the day, coffee is all about preference. What's getting the cup of coffee that you like brewed? That's all that matters - if you enjoy your coffee, or if you have fun making it, then it's perfectly fine.
It's becoming more common in my experience to see this kind of viewpoint in the coffee scene. I'm relatively new to it myself, but I did get my own espresso machine and fancy grinder (though not at the standard price points, I'm at like $400 in equipment). I can definitely say it's the best coffee I've ever had - but that the filter coffee I made in a cheap pour over was the best coffee I had before that. And I'd even go as far as saying that the gas station coffee I used a ton of cream and sugar in was perfectly fine, too, because it served its purpose.
Just do what you enjoy, and don't hesitate to get some tips from people who jumped in because plenty of people in the community just want to see people enjoy a good cup of coffee.
Fairly said. I prefer a good espresso shot over all others so I personally rank them that way; but you’re absolutely right that it’s really comparing apples and oranges.
Now, I’ve never heard of the clever dripper and I’m going to have to resist looking that up so I don’t get tempted into buying yet another coffee device… :)
The clever dripper (and the hario switch) are basically a mixture between a v60 type of brewer and a French press. They’re conical like a v60, but have a stopper at the bottom. You brew them by adding grounds and water first, letting them brew immersion brewer style (like a French press), then activating a lever that loosens the stopper, letting the water drain out like a v60.
In many ways immersion brewers for filter coffee produce easier to replicate results - v60s are genuinely very finicky and those “techniques” aren’t for nothing - but cleaning French presses is pain.
The Aeropress does it all. Heavy espresso-like brews, pourover style extractions, immersion brewing, even a solid cold brew
Nobody can make a comparable or improved product, either. It's the perfect coffee device.
EDIT: I definitely second the Prismo, and probably Aeropress's own sealing cap as a game-changer.
I recently bought an Aeropress for my brother-in-law and he's a huge fan. I enjoyed the cups he made for me as well. Curious, though - the wording in the description of the Prismo attachment (and Aeropress's Flow Control Cap) leads me to believe that it's intended to emulate "espresso-style" coffee, though per what you already said and what I've heard about Aeropress, it's not really intended for espresso. When you use these attachments, do you still use regular coffee beans and just appreciate that it's closer to an espresso-style brew, or are you actually using espresso beans when you utilize these attachments?
As a huge coffee nerd, allow me to speak definitively on a very silly and subjective topic.
Espresso is pushing water through grounds at high pressure and temperature. Aeropresses, with or without a Prismo-style attachment, is not designed to allow non-bodybuilders to build that degree of pressure. The closest you can get is approaching a mokapot-style brew, which, in many regions, is treated as "the next best thing" to real espresso, particularly Italy.
Traditionally, you use ultra-dark roasted coffee in an espresso machine, but the only reason is really that in the old days coffee was almost-exclusively traded as a commodity, there was nowhere near the same specificity in selecting your beans. Way back when, you wouldn't even expect to get be able to reliably get coffee coming from just one country, let alone a region, or specific hills like you can today. As a result, since espresso is such a complete extraction from the grounds, that variance would have been very noticeable. Therefore, for the craft of espresso, it became typical to just roast everything to near-carbonization, for consistency. See Starbucks' approach for drip as a modern comparison: they buy bulk lots, combine, and roast to death. That heavy, syrupy flavor stands up well in a mixed milk drink (especially in North America style 12+ oz cappuccinos), but it's really very bitter and can come across as flat to a 21st century coffee nerd's palate.
Nowadays, "espresso beans" refers to that style which became popular in Italy for those historical reasons. In the hip new-style coffee shops in major cities around the world today, espresso is typically brewed with darker roasts, but there's no real distinction between an "espresso roast" and any other beyond the taste of the drinker.
In the context of a mokapot or high-saturation aeropress brews, those ultradark roasts will extract more thoroughly than lighter roasts, as carbonized material is simply more water soluble than intact fibrous matter. As a result, it can be easier to mimic traditional espresso using those traditional roasts, even beyond simple association. More dissolved solids is nearly always better when trying to replicate espresso.
Subjective? Yes. But certainly not silly! This is a great outline of something I've always been hazy on and I really appreciate the insight. It helps ease me into the idea of trying "espresso-friendly" beans using traditional brew methods just for comparison's sake. Since you're clearly well-versed on the subject, I have to ask if you have a recommendation for a budget espresso machine, or what your thoughts are on a Mokapot by comparison.
Yeah, brewing any roast level of any bean can be delicious to the right person, it's a matter of exploration. There are no rules in matters of taste.
I can't honestly recommend any espresso machines, I don't own one. It's not very cheap. In comparison to a mokapot, they're rather similar in "milk drinks", but a shot of espresso is a very specific thing. There's no great substitute.
If you like lattes and mochas, and that motivates an interest in espresso, an aeropress or mokapot can actually be superior for a lot of people. You get a less concentrated brew out of them, but it's still plenty flavorful, and in those contexts steaming or at least foaming the milk will be having more of an impact on "mouthfeel" than the texture of the coffee added, and you can even substitute some of the milk for cream to sort of even out the fat composition.
Just in case you meant a mokapot compared to the aeropress: they are similarly flexible, but the metal body and stovetop nature guarantees at least a little bit of "cooking" of the ground coffee, and you have less control over pressure, timing, agitation, etc. However, when it comes to the kind of coffee the aeropress really excels at brewing, over and beyond other methods, the mokapot is the closest comparison. You can add a paper filter to the basket, above the ground coffee, place it on a very low stove with some attention, and it will be very similar to the aeropress. You can't really brew a half pot though, nor experiment with extremely low water temps, and it really needs a better grinder than the aeropress.
One point of the moka pot vs aeropress for me is that I have never exploded an aeropress... I did prefer the moka pot coffee, though.
I was young, stupid, living by myself for the first time and had never had to think about hard water before. Build-up accumulated in the release valve resulting in the creation of a little stovetop coffee steam bomb. I was thankfully unhurt because I was outside of the blast radius when it occurred, but it was still NOT fun to clean coffee off of the ceiling. 😬
I actually got a new moka pot as a gift a couple years ago that is sitting shiny and new in a cupboard because I'm a little shy about using one again. This discussion kind of wants to make me bring it out, but maybe I'm just meant to be a Mr. Coffee person.
I definitely agree that mokapot and aeropress are probably more similar to each other than to other brewers in terms of the coffee they produce. Personally though, my favorite feature of moka pot coffee is how much body it has. The texture is super thick without bring grainy. Not everyone's cup of tea (lol) but something that's definitely worth appreciating. Aeropress as I understand it usually produces similarly strong coffee with more clarity and less body? But I don't have one so that's secondhand on my part.
For sure! The metal filter lets more oils through, and it contributes to a great body. With a metal filter, a fine grind, and some thorough stirring, the aeropress can sort of start to approach that. They're definitely not interchangeable though.
Really appreciate the discussion. I pulled the trigger on an Aeropress last night, as well as the filter control cap that @cmccabe originally called out along with a metal filter and a few paper filters to compare. Looking forward to a fun weekend of experimenting with some brews and I have you all to thank for it!
I usually get dark roast (Is that synonymous with espresso beans? I honestly don’t know.) and grind them to a fairly fine coarseness. But I think it’s more common for people to use more coarse grounds in the AP. It can be much harder to push through with fine grounds but I like the output better. I would just call it strong coffee rather than espresso-style.
Noted! There are a few roasters that I follow (Including Wonderstate and Intelligentsia) that have offerings they dub as "ideal for espresso," like Wonderstate's Heartstrings, but it seems to be more of a suggestion than a rule. At this point, it feels to me like I ought to just pull the trigger and try them out myself. Thanks for sharing out about it!
Espresso roasts are generally roasted a bit darker to allow for an easier extraction. But there is no absolute reference point for what qualifies as that and is more like a suggestion by that particular roaster. One roaster's light could be another's dark. You can totally use filter roasts but depending on the roaster, your equipment, and especially your understanding, they could prove to be difficult to properly extract.
That's very helpful to know, thanks! While I like experimenting, at the end of the day, I'm not terribly picky, so it sounds like a couple of purchases followed by some experimenting is in order. At the end of the day, I wind up with a bunch of coffee (of varying qualities) - can't complain too much about that. Appreciate your insight.
I recently got something called the clever dripper as well, and I would recommend you try it out too if you're ever looking for something a bit different. Similar hybrid of immersion and drip brew and it replaced my French press thanks to it being so easy to clean.
I've got to be the voice of dissent here. I used one for about a year but just did not enjoy either the taste from it or the fuss of using it. I went back to just a pour over. Zero counter space, cleanup is a breeze, and tastes better to me. But that's just my two cents.
I love my Aeropress - it's such a workhorse for the past 2-3 years that I've been using it. Works like a charm - no additional accessories and makes the best coffee for my house.
That being said recently the company has moved into a more Reddit-style management - i.e. they are looking at cost cutting random things (they do not give a filter holder, or a funnel with new Aeropresses any more) and generally adding random new products which we'll see how it goes.
James Hoffman's latest video , where he reviews the new clear Aeropress, talks about this. I had no idea, but it is interesting.
These changes wouldn't stop me from recommending an Aeropress, but it still makes me worry about the future of the product. It's been so good for making coffee more accessible, it'd be a shame if their tinkering ultimately makes it harder for people to get into the hobby.
They good thing is that, at least the current models, can be used for years. I have had mine for 10 years and have only replaced the rubber plunger. I might need to get one of the existing brown plastic ones, just in case the quality decreases with their new lineup.
I think you convinced me, looks like I'll be putting this as a gift suggestion in case my wife is looking for a present for my birthday 😬
Ask for the Prismo attachment or the Filter Control Cap too if possible. They make a huge difference!
What's funny is that he just figured out what I should get my wife for her birthday this month!
I don't have pictures but I can confirm that the Aeropress is fully capable of making something like crema when using the Prismo attachment. I say "something like" because I've seen debate about what crema really is, and I'm no coffee expert, so I don't know if this counts.
If I use a fairly oily medium roast bean ground to not-quite-fine size, I can make huge crema that easily lasts for 2 minutes. The trick I use to do this is to use both the metal filter and a paper filter in the Aeropress.
The reason I'm not sure that is counts as crema is because it's really just a froth of air bubbles in the coffee, whereas I've heard some people argue that crema is actually made from gasses released from the coffee grounds. --there are a number of real coffee experts on Tildes so maybe one of them can fact check me here.
The older I get the more I find anticonsumption appealing.
I feel that some forms of shopping are addictive in nature. Particularly when it comes to collectables, fashion, and IP-branded merchandise (think along the lines of all the Star Wars branded mugs, shirts, tumblers, etc.).
These are all fairly wasteful. Not only are they generally overpriced, but they are overproduced. If you look at the clearance section of any store you’ll find that these items tend to make up the majority of it. Fashion is actually the worst of them all because a huge portion of the items they create get destroyed or burnt to keep the price of their items high. It’s actually a huge contributor to climate change.
They’re some of the worst things but they aren’t the only things I tend to avoid. When it comes to food I no longer buy name brand anything because that stuff is generally bad for my health. That stuff tends to be very high in caloric density and eating it encourages you to eat more than you should. Even with my basics I buy from the bulk bins instead of getting the packaged stuff when I can.
But I imagine that you probably wanted recommendations for durable goods.
The Breville Fresh n’ Furious blender has a stupid name but it is the midrange blender that is recommended by America’s Test Kitchen. My husband bought me one for my birthday, and having come from always using inexpensive blenders, this was practically a game changer. Vegetable smoothies actually taste smooth! Soup has no lumps! I’m extremely pleased with it.
There are a few recommendations I can make for people who are into electronics as well, because there are many cases where good tools pay for themselves in preventing botched operations, wasted time, and frustration. A miniware pencil soldering iron works as well as a much more expensive soldering station, but it’s much cheaper and more convenient. I have a TS-100 but they have upgraded versions now and I hear the Pinecil is just as good at a lower price.
Likewise if you are needing to crimp some cable connectors, invest in the Engineer brand crimpers. If you switch to them you will wonder why you ever wasted time with anything else.
Same on anticonsumption. My favorite brand is "thrift". I used to feel a little bad, but considering the horrible quality of the new in store stuff, and especially for the price point, I've been usually very happy with reused items.
But for things you obviously can't re-use:
Shiseido skin care. Asian skin care products in general tend to be much more light weight and not at all oily or greasy. Good formula, been around for ages, easily purchasble online or even in remote places in rural Canada.
I adore Shiseido, but if thats a little pricey i use HadaLabo products, specifically gokujyun moisturizer. My all time favorite, also easily found online.
Oooh thanks I might give those brands/products a try, especially since they're online :)
I often think about how distant future archaeologists will dig through the earth and find a layer of sheer crap from the 20th and 21st centuries: pop culture collectibles, shirts for one-day events, cheap disposable electronics and appliances that suddenly die after their 2-year warranty, and so on.
It's pride month and I'm queer, but I hard-cringe at all the rainbow plastic crap that gets peddled everywhere. Do we really need rainbow-colored sunglasses, light-up bracelets with non-replaceable batteries, fans, and hats that we all know is going to end up in the landfill in a few months?
Two weeks ago, I stumbled over a rainbow isle in the shop of the „Europapark“ in Germany.
(Because we just need to buy overpriced rainbow themed crap right in the middle of rollercoasters, overpriced food, and flat drinks)
Saw a rainbow SKULL!
My wife and I discussed if that product is pro LGBTQ or not, still unsure….
While I'm not hard anti-consumption, I would say that mindful consumption is a pretty core value for me. I volunteer for a non-profit that has sustainability as a mission, and while I'm emphatically NOT handy at all I know all kinds of people who are - the building I work out of hosts their classes on sewing, woodworking, etc. Lucky for me they tend to not be tech-savvy, so we'll trade small services sometimes. Quality stuff holds up and is repairable while less-good stuff will simply disintegrate.
Once the outdoors stops being... on fire... I plan to start my first furniture restoration DIY project to hopefully start developing my small-repairs skills and confidence. I'm really looking forward to it.
Regarding food, I definitely recommend looking for local produce/farmer boxes if you can. I live in a seasonal climate, so every year I pay a local farm upfront for the growing season and they prepare weekly boxes of vegetables and berries that have ripened appropriately that I go pick up. (The farm I buy from also has options for including meat or eggs.) The farmers get predictable money, the customers get fresh local food, it's a great arrangement - I think the only real downside is that buying the entire season upfront can be inaccessible for many.
I agree in how everything has become so disposable in the last decade(s). One-time or limited use everything plastic-wrapped and ready to toss into the trash, buy a new whatever every year. My parents are terrible about stuff like that, but even worse at "prestige" brands. It seems they've gotten to the point that my mom will piss away hundreds of dollars on a product just because it's more expensive; as though expensive means it's quality. My $30 Hamilton Beach toaster from Target can toast 2 bagels just as fast and just as well as your $200 SMEG toaster!
Less a product than a vendor, but if you like books, I highly recommend buying them used through Thrift Books. I have saved a huge amount of money by using this site. Their books are inexpensive, their rewards program is generous, and they have free shipping too. Overall, I've purchased 119 books for $638.30 - an average of $5.36 a book. The median price is probably even lower, as this includes the dozen or so books I've bought for $15+ as they were out of print and simply not available anywhere else.
Being used books, they often have a bit of wear and tear, but they are graded by quality so you can avoid really busted copies if you so desire. Their selection is pretty good, provided you are not looking for books released in the past 5 years or so, as these are less likely to have reached the 'used book' stage of a book's life cycle. Obviously, e-books are slightly cheaper (or free, if you sail the high seas, so to speak), but I really like having physical copies of my books. Having a full bookshelf just looks nice, and I also like that I can easily loan out books to friends and family.
Ebooks are arguably worse than dead-tree books as producing a book isn't that bad compared to the sheer resource use needed to manufacture a kindle (note: don't buy kindles, buy basically any other ereader).
That said, I personally much prefer ebooks in every sense except the legal sense - dead-tree books are never vendor-locked or DRMed, and a dead-tree book collection can reliably be legally loaned or gifted to someone else in a way that ebooks can't.
Speaking of the legal problems with ebooks, I realized a while ago that it's sort of a mirage - there's two reasons to buy an ebook instead of sailing the high seas - legal and moral. Legal is true for commercial usage and in theory for personal use, but in practice there's nothing they can do to stop you from goin to TPB. So the only real argument for buying from a publisher is that they have a monopoly on the moral high ground, or so they imply.
The argument goes "you should buy the book to support the author", and you supposedly can only buy the book from the author, so it looks like the only way to support the author is through the publisher. But, what exactly is stopping anyone from simply 1) pirating the book, then 2) directly sending the author $5? What's more, it's not illegal to facilitate sending money to authors, so there's no reason it needs to be some underground site like TPB/etc.
Regarding your question at the end, I have thought more and more that authors should just have a donation button. I am waffling on the idea of regularly using my local library again as a source for books, and on top of that I generally buy books second hand as it is. It would be nice to donate directly to an author that wrote something I really appreciated.
Also, check to see if your town has a book recycling center, or sells used books at a coffeeshop (or similar). I used to live in a college town where the recycling center had a book-exchange bin, where people could drop off old, unwanted books and anyone could take what they wanted, and at least one of the coffee shops had a sizable collection of frequently stocked books for sale. I found several niche academic nonfiction books that way, including some I was looking for as well as other ones I had no idea about, but which turned out to be fascinating (Art Worlds by Howard S. Becker, University of California Press 1981, a foundational text in the sociology of art, was one such find).
Tub shroom for your shower. None of the other hair catchers come close to how much hair this thing catches. Your tub will never clog again.
I love my tub shroom because it's easier to clean than the drain itself, but it doesn't catch everything - my drain definitely still clogs and needs snaking occasionally.
I concur. As redshift pointed out, yes, it'll still clog. I use this Bio-Clean enzymatic powder to clean it, but honestly it's better to get a reusable drain snake for those (hopefully less common) times when it clogs.
More accurate would be to say that my tub has not clogged and I don’t think it’ll likely get clogged anytime soon.
There are also those live culture enzymatic bacterial cleaners that I on occasion remember to put down my drains.
Just the basic one from the original TubShroom company: https://amazon.com/dp/B01M0H7YC2
I second the bidet sprayer - I truly don't know how I lived without it before March 2020! WHAT are we thinking in this country? Why are they not pre installed in every home, on every toilet?! If you got s*** on your arm one day, would you just wipe it off with a piece of toilet paper? Obviously not.
That said, I have installed the 'SmarterFresh Bidet Sprayer for toilet' (search that on Amazon or the like). About thirty bucks each, not leaking after 3 plus years.
I'm looking at bidets seriously for the first time. Do you have to put holes in the drywall or do any other maintenance that landlords don't approve of?
My previous space had a commercial toilet model and going back and forth with maintenance just wore me down so I gave up.
No, it attaches to the cold water line of the toilet itself, and it hangs on a hook suspended from inside the toilet tank (does not need mounting). I am not handy, but YouTube videos reassured me that it really was as simple as it looked. It even comes with the plumbers tape you need to seal the connection.
Edit: the only thing I would consider 'maintenance' is just making sure you discharge left over water out of the line after turning it off after using. It could potentially leak if you left it to withstand the regular house water pressure day after day. It's no biggie, though, you're already holding the thing, just takes a second.
Ok, thank you, that makes me feel a lot better about it! I'll have to go shopping and watch a few videos!
Had mine installed since covid and had to replace the hose and heads twice due to leaks. Still only a fiver a go but wouldn't be ideal if it leaked when your on holiday or something.
That sucks :/
I have had zero issues for years now, same units. Just have to make sure it's pressure is discharged after turning off, and they've never leaked.
I just leave mine on all the time unless I'm away. Presume the internals can't take the strain. I'd rather that than put my hand behind the toilet everytime I take a shit. I installed my valve in an awkward place to save too much pipe work modification
Aaaaahh thank you so much. I'm actually moving to a student apartment as a campus staff member because it's more accessible for my partner than the current (built fifty years ago) staff apartment I'm in. So going from a commercial/industrial style toilet to a traditional stool+tank toilet I'm hoping to make this much easier. So much appreciate the videos too. Once the move is over I'll be watching in more detail!
I've got the Tushy bidet, the "classic" one. Super easy install. Landlord won't have a single clue. Easier than hanging up a picture. Reasonable price.
There’s a lot of love for bidets/washlets here, and I love mine too, but I want to second the recommendation for good nail clippers. I bought Seki Edge Satin Sim clippers several years ago and still use them today. After all these years they still cut, rather than break, the nail cleanly and precisely. I don’t think I’ve ever cherished a personal hygiene product like I do these.
If you're looking for a more "full featured" bidet but don't want to spend a grand, biobidet has some more reasonably priced options.
For the frequent travelers, I've been using the same Osprey 45L duffel (current comparable model) for ten years. This is a genuine BIFL bag - it's got no visible wear, every detail is exactly as needed, from the strap padding to the well-designed ID holder. It's a Bag of Holding - I've managed to get 10 days worth of summer clothing, 7 days winter into it. And never once has it been questioned for domestic or international travel sizing - it's gone in overhead on the tiniest commuter planes. Yes, a roller bag might be easier on your body, but for light weight, portability in all terrains, durability, and compactness, this bag can't be beaten.
I have a 45l osprey pack that I’ve had for about 7 years and still works great. Also never had any problems hauling it carry on. It’s a bit beat up and some of the tinier bits are damaged but I wear my stuff hard and the first year I had it I was living out of it, as I hitched tens of thousands of miles and hauled it just about every day. Honestly zero complaints about how well it’s done.
The other thing to note is that Osprey has a lifetime guarantee on everything they make. They'll repair if they can, or replace if they can't. I've moved from military rucksacks to an Osprey bag, and am looking to expand the Osprey collection as funds allow.
I’ve got a Fairview, Porter and the day packs that attach to them. Absolutely love them, have traveled internationally and domestically (one has a laptop sleeve so it’s better for domestic, the other is larger and better for longer trips). We also recently grabbed the Osprey Poco Plus for the kiddo. Definitely a brand I recommend to others.
Can confirm. My ~20 year old Osprey Scarab is still going strong, with zero signs of damage.
I have a similar Osprey Snowkit Duffel, still going strong, I use it for gym and travel, one of my best product investments.
This might sound weird at first, but hear me out. Roller blade wheels for your office chair instead of the default ones they come with. These wheels are super cheap, I bought mine on Amazon for around 20£, and they are a game changer. The chair is now super quiet and rolls butter smooth. It doesn't get stuck on a small rug or anything like that.
Sitting on these right now. They're amazing. If you have wood, tile, or laminate floors you can also ditch the floor mat.
Seconded, but I'd suggest getting a set that contains wheels with a couple of brakes, especially if you're using them on a hard floor.
Uniqlo’s AIRism undershirts. I’m someone that isn’t comfortable at home or in public without wearing an undershirt regardless of the attire. These specific shirts have lasted me over 10 years and I buy a few new ones each year to add to the collection.
They are so thin that they’re invisible to others but still feel like there’s a barrier between my skin and whatever shirt I’m wearing.
I haven't paid attention to how sustainable or human-rights-friendly Uniqlo is these days, but I don't want to look because their clothes are so useful. Their basic wireless bras can't be beaten, their Airism and Heattech lines are amazingly comfortable in a wide range of climate conditions, their unisex clothes are friendly, and some of their higher-style items have made my travel business wardrobe choices very easy.
Yeah dont look.
I try to even it out by wearing longer, visible mending, and buying less....
Modal (bamboo) undershirts are pretty good too
Looking for: bed sheets
Currently I have jersey sheets from Pact. I love how soft they are, but they’re thin and a hole is already forming in my fitted sheet after only a few years with them.
I would love something a little stronger and more buy-it-for-life, but still want it to be comfortable. Also, sustainable is preferable. I’ve been looking into linen sheets from that angle and am considering something from Linoto, but I’d love to hear people’s opinions. My worry is that linen will be too tough/rough and won’t give me the comfort that I want for 8 hours every night.
I can't give you recommendations on what linen to buy because (a) wrong continent and (b) I can't remember where I got my linen bedsheets from but, big yes to linen. It's a little rough at first but after a few washes there's nothing like it, and I prefer our linen sheets to high-thread-count Egyptian cotton. They're not smooth, but they're very soft and incredibly comfortable. I do recall the sheets we bought were very expensive (like £60 each for superking) but they've worn incredibly well in the years we've had them.
Vaguely related I would also give a very strong endorsement to wool duvets. Again, expensive, but you only buy them once and they're definitely better than feather.
Fabrics have kind of gone to the dogs over the past 10 years or so, so honestly I don’t think there are any good answers for this except for trying to learn to sew so you can repair your sheets instead of replacing them. If sustainability is important then it’s actually the best way to go.
That being said I would also love to hear some recommendations because I am tired of bad bedsheets as well.
Will be following this, I recently upgraded my bed to a King size and only have one set of cotton sheets now and I'm not a fan. Interested in linen but I share your concerns!
On my old bed I had Tencel (lyocell) sheets from the brand BeechBliss; admittedly, them being a Canadian brand factored into my decision. The fabric type overall might be something worth checking out at a store directly to see if it appeals to you.
They are VERY smooth and they don't wrinkle easily. They're moisture-wicking and cool - my primary sleep comfort issue is being too hot, and unfortunately I married a human furnace, so this was important to me. Some report that this moisture-wicking quality also makes them prone to staining, but they hold up well to washing in my experience. Compared to the bamboo sheets I had before them, I found them more durable.
They are made from eucalyptus and supposed to use less water in their production than cotton sheets by a pretty big margin, but I'm not sure how else they are in terms of eco-friendliness.
I've been using Bamboo blend sheets for quite a while. I got my initial set from Woot! years ago and recently upgraded to a King size bed, so picked up another pair from Groupon (who knew that groupon has turned into a market place...). For $30-40 they are super soft and last for quite a while. This is similar to a set that I got recently from Groupon. You can also find similar ones at Walmart etc.
This may be an outlier, but I feel like bamboo blend sheets don't survive large dogs jumping on and off the bed for very long. Seems like all the sheets we have or had that ended up with holes were bamboo blend.
But, I will admit they are very comfy.
This was going to be my exact reply. Very comfy, but do not recommend if you’ve pets that sleep in the bed. We’ve two cats and a dog, none of which are rowdy or claw at things (in bed at least) but just hopping in and out of bed wore out our bamboo blend sheets very quickly in a way we’d never had with anything else.
This probably isn't very helpful but just as an FYI, if you have a spare non-fitted sheet laying around that you like, it can take the place of your fitted sheet if you learn to fold "military corners" or whatever they're called: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Hospital-Corner
It looks more complicated than it is, when I first tried it I thought for sure the sheet would slip out and I would go back to a fitted sheet. But these days I totally half-ass the corners instead of tucking them in perfectly and I've never had a problem. Personally I've grown to like not having to deal with the weird rounded corners of fitted sheets. It's a small thing and not something I ever really noticed before making the switch, but the lack of well-defined corners on fitted sheets always made it take a few moments to figure out which side was longer and how to orient the sheet on the bed.
Fitted sheets are also harder to fold neatly.
This is how I've been taught to fold fitted sheets and it works really well, even with a king. You might need to practice on the floor or the bed for a bit to get the hang of it, but it does get faster.
Thanks! The other tutorial I need is “how to put a comforter inside a duvet cover without ending up in a fit of rage and without getting the whole thing caught in the ceiling fan.”
I don't have a tutorial of that! I just buy comforters instead. We actually got this amazing extra large king comforter and it's wonderful. I wanted an extra large merino comforter too, but I haven't found one that isn't $1000USD.
This is how we do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzbpdAawx4Y
Thanks. I actually watched it. I normally use the inside out method, but I’m going to try the roll method now. I just have to see that in action.
I use the method and I still can't believe it works. It's like a magic trick.
I love my Cultiver linen bed sheets. I was worried that linen would be too rough for extended use. However, these sheets are very soft and don’t bother me at all.
I’m on week two with my Cultiver sheets and, my god, it’s solved a huge chunk of my issues getting to bed. I sleep hot, so these have really improved my comfort and I have yet to wake up drenched in sweat—even through an AC outage this week.
The texture is definitely different, but I’m a fan. I find the sheets soft and weighty, yet breathable and not smothering. I will say, though, that if OP is worried about the longevity of their sheets, I’ve heard that linen is likely not the way to go as they do tend to thin out faster than other materials.
Honestly as someone who sleeps almost exclusively on Jersey, pact sheets sound great for me. I’m at the point where I have to buy 1-2 sets of $40-60 jersey sheets a year because they wear out so quick. If I could find a nice quality set that lasts multiple years, I’m all for it.
Besides the lack of longevity in your eyes, how are they?
Love them. Not only are they soft and comfortable, but they have remained that way over time. After I bought my set, my husband tried them out and ended up buying some for his bed too (yes, we sleep in separate beds, and yes, we’re okay 😆).
I’m also not nice to them: because of my allergies I wash them frequently in piping hot water, which I’m assuming does a good amount of damage over time.
That could be a big part of why they haven’t lasted for me. I just checked my account, and I ordered them in July of 2021. Only getting roughly two years out of them is a bit of a bummer, but I’ve thoroughly liked them for those two years.
I’ve thought about repairing them like @Akir suggested, but I’m not sure if that’ll really hold. The material on my fitted sheet in particular is noticeably thinner than it used to be. I expect to see some more holes soon.
Also, the fact that you’re going through two sets a year actually makes me feel a lot better about how long mine have lasted! It made me realize I don’t actually know what the expected lifecycle for jersey sheets should be in the first place.
Yeah, thinning means that they're probably not long for this world given how often tears will come up.
In my experience the temperature of your wash doesn't wear down fabric nearly as much as your detergent does, so if you're using very a very caustic formulation you might want to switch to something more mild. I don't have any particular recommendations but the last one I bought was the Method brand fragrance-free laundry detergent which I liked because it's less watered down than most brands so you don't have to deal with a giant heavy bottle.
I’ve been using the fragrance free (because allergies) laundry detergent sheets from Grove, but it looks like Target just stopped carrying them, so I’ll be switching to the same product from Ecos once my current supply runs out.
cc: @rogue_cricket, since you said you were following this
Update: I ended up going with @patience_limited's recommendation for the Casaluna linen sheets from Target. The pricier options elsewhere were giving me a bit of sticker shock, and I genuinely wasn't sure if I was even going to like the feel of the linen despite some enthusiastic endorsements from several of you (particularly @mat -- you sold me on it!). While I like the idea of paying well for something that is going to last me a long time, I ended up playing it safe and getting this as my "starter set" for linen that I can always replace down the road once they wear down.
Preliminary verdict is: I like them! A lot!
It's weird because if I feel the linen and the jersey side-by-side, the jersey is way softer by comparison and feels like it should be better. But, when I put the linen sheets on my bed and climbed in, it was still thoroughly comfortable and I didn't really notice a difference. I was worried they were going to be rough or scratchy, but they're neither.
They are thinner than I was expecting (perhaps because I went with a cheaper option), but the fabric itself also seems stronger than jersey and, hopefully, less prone to holes/ripping. Also, I haven't had any temperature issues. I've been neither too hot nor too cold.
I've been sleeping on them for maybe a week so far, and I've only washed them once. Hopefully, as they get more worn in and go through a few more laundry cycles, they get even more comfortable, but honestly, I'm fine with them even if they stay the way they are.
Time will tell how they hold up, but right now I'm quite happy with my purchase. A big thank you to everyone that helped out!
@kfwyre, glad to hear they're working well for you!
I will caution that reviews on that Casaluna linen sheet set now show a pattern of warnings about fragile fabric after a year or two of use and washing. We may not have gotten to that point yet because we switch to flannel sheets for the colder six months of the year.
If you've still got the option, now you know linen sheets are desirable, I'd think about returning the ones you've gotten from Target and holding out for a sale on one of the better-made brands.
Thanks for the heads up.
I'm going to keep them. Not only do I like them (which makes returning them feel wrong), but I'm pretty sure they would just get discarded if I did, which is wasteful, which is one of the things I'm trying to avoid in the first place.
I'm actually curious to see what the life of these sheets is over the next couple of years. I'm also better equipped to make my next decision when I need to replace these, since it's clear I'm quite happy with linen. Even if they die out two years from now, I'll still definitely have gotten my money's worth out of them. Thanks again for the recommendation!
Huzzah! I am very happy to hear this. Good sleep is so important and comfort plays such a big role in that.
I suspect that in a few months you'll be amazed by how soft the linen has become after regular washing.
I normally hate laundering my sheets, but with these I’m outright eager to get them back in the washing machine so I can speedrun comfort. 😆 So, not only do I like sleeping on them, but I also like washing them better too? Unexpected victory!
Thanks for tagging me on this!
I've recently been working through my wardrobe - there are some fabrics that literally give me that "nails on a chalkboard" goosebumps feeling and I've accumulated a lot of clothing I straight up hate wearing. I'm slowly working on getting rid of the stuff I dislike the feel of, and buying slow fashion replacements in natural fabric textures.
Last week I got my first linen shirt and oh my word, it's an instant favourite. Between that and this reply I'm 100% sold on linen sheets.
I actually came here to mention Pact's apparel as well. I've got shirts, pants, shorts, PJs from Pact. They are all very comfortable and visually appealing. This on top of the ethical philosophy of fair wages, water usage, and end-of-life they seem to embody. They're my current go-to for anything textile.
I don't know how available they are outside the U.S., but Target's house brand Casaluna linen sheets have been great through multiple washings. The spouse and I have very different temperature comfort zones, yet we're both satisfied with these sheets. They're not quite as soft as jersey, but the breathability is fantastic.
Recommendation for linen sheets: https://www.westelm.com/products/400tc-organic-pleated-edge-sheet-set-b3536/
We bought this set when we were in the same boat, we’d had a couple sets get ratty and we’re tired of throwing out a set every year or 2. They’re very comfortable, not rough, and linen stays fairly cool if you’re a hot sleeper. They’ve held up to us and our dog using them daily for just over a year now with no fraying or damage. Another plus is they’re Fair Trade Certified!
We went with this route because most of the newer bedding brands you find on google are known to be cheap, lower quality products with great marketing. Hope this helps!
I've had a super good experience with sheets from California Design Den.
We use the bamboo sheets and silk pillowcases - bamboo isn't for everyone but holy shit it is so soft. As others have mentioned, don't use these with pets though - but they have a ton of other material options and they seem to be well and fairly made.
When it comes to jeans, I know the go-to for most people is Levi's due to their durability and price point. However, I discovered two brands that have quickly become my favorite:
The Perfect Jean
Revtown
Let us start with my favorite - The Perfect Jean makes some of the softest, stretchiest and most comfortable pairs of jeans I've ever worn. They have begun to add a huge variety of different fits in the past year and just recently released a khaki colored pair of jeans. They have gone up in price since I first started buying them (was originally $79 a pair, now $89 a pair) but still cheaper than some big name brands that, personally, I never found comfortable. I've had a couple pairs for about two years now and they definitely hold up! I personally like their Slim Thick fit the best as they aren't too tight fitting but not too loose fitting either. Honestly, they almost feel like I am wearing sweatpants when I'm wearing them. They currently only make jeans for men and I am not sure if they have any plans on making any for women.
Next up is Revtown. I first purchased my Revtown Jeans because they offered khaki colors, green, grey, and a few other colors that I could wear to work. They are very comfortable but a step down from The Perfect Jean. Had them for a couple years as well and they are still holding up well. Their price point is about the same as the Perfect Jean's at $79-89 a pair. Unlike the Perfect Jeans, Revtown makes jeans for both men and women.
If you're looking for a pair of jeans for doing yard work etc. in, then you're best bet is to stick with Levi's, but of the two brands, Revtown would be the pair I'd say would hold up better. They are a bit thicker material and I feel will hold up to the demands of working outside.
I have a recommendation for casual shoes... I got ads for Vessi brand shoes over and over, and like anything I get a ton of social media ads for I assumed they would be kind of cruddy and paid them no mind. But eventually I got served an ad for a limited colour run they were doing of my favourite colour - right after my ankle-height rubber boots in the same colour had fallen apart. I caved and got a pair.
I got the Vessi Everyday women's shoe in yellow and... they hold up! I've had them for I think three years now, and use them daily in the spring, summer, and autumn. While there's a bit of wear they're still my favourite going-out-for-errands or walking-the-dog shoes. They're very comfortable, light, durable, quick to take on and off, and 100% waterproof so I love them for rainy days. I have zero fear of puddles unless they're more than ankle-deep. (Though I've seen occasional reports of the waterproof-ness fading after enough wear, this has not been my experience.)
The only con is that I find them difficult to clean, I don't think it'd be possible to keep the white ones looking crisp for long. If I ever have to replace mine I'll probably get them in black. Otherwise I'm really satisfied!
One warning I will give is that Vessi does NOT sell outside the US (they won't even ship internationally) and there are SEVERAL scam sites that duplicate their site's layout pretending to sell as them in other countries. For some reason vessi does pretty much nothing against these kinds of sites so they've been allowed to proliferate. I almost got taken in by one of these until I got suspicious at how much lower the prices were compared to the US site.
As an alternative to Vessis, I got a pair of Allbirds Mizzles and they're great. Super comfy and breathable, can where them even without socks, and they've done great walking through dirty streets in the rain.
Seconding Allbirds, I have four pairs now. They don't last forever and they're pretty expensive but are really comfortable and look nice.
Shokz bone conduction hearphones. Not only is it safer for you while you're out and about by allowing you to still hear your surroundings, its like having actual soundtrack for your life. Its super comfortable that I usually forget I have it on. I use it for working out at the gym, biking, snowboarding or just walking around.
Have you tried cheaper bone conduction headsets, and did you find a significant difference in sound quality?
I have not. When I bought them, they were still marketed as Aftershokz, and there wasn't really any competition on the market other than much lower priced products and preferred to buy something from a company that specialized in the technology.
This comment is how I learned the company name changed...
My office mate had some that gave him terrible headaches, I never had that problem though.
I have the Open Run Pros and like them a lot for running. But some of the marketing is quite misleading. It makes out like the bulk of the sound is coming via bone conduction and that others won’t hear your audio, but the truth with my model at least is there is a dedicated speaker as well as bone conduction and that speaker provides most of the audio. Also, it’s extremely easy to hear that audio just by being near it. This isn’t an issue for running, but if using it as an everyday headset, I could see it being an issue since it literally sounds like a mini speaker.
Interesting about Logitech. After using a mouse since the days of the Mac Plus, I bought my first Logi trackball, the MX Ergo a couple of years ago. Dont think Ill ever go back to a mouse again. I find the battery time exceptional - I think I only have to charge once a month, and the control is exemplary now that Im used to using my thumb.
But now that I think about it, you're right, the primary button on the first one did wear out. Which is really unfortunate for an otherwise fantastic trackball.
I'm a finger trackball person and rate Elecom too.
I use an Elecom Huge and love it.
The EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener
This feels like the scamiest possible thing someone could possibly recommend but it's not. Let me tell you a story. I'm 43. When I was a kid my mother had this metal can opener with off-white vinyl grips. I'm sure they started off life white but they're off-white in my memory. She has moved twice since then and still has the same can opener.
When I moved into my own place I bought a can-opener and it broke. I bought an electric can opener and the motor died. I bought can openers from Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon, and Target. I bought store brand can openers and name brand can openers and every single one of them had the same flaw: the entire thing was either one of these ultra-light-weight all-metal jobies or it had plastic handles with the metal parts seated into them and the handles inevitably failed after a few months of use and dishwasher cycles.
So I began to wonder: how did mom manage to hang on to a single can-opener that always works for at least 40 years? That lead me down a rabbit hole which eventually brought me to the John J Steuby company in Hazelwood, Missouri which has been making these things since the 1960s. The upshot is that, scammy sounding brand name notwithstanding, they're an all-metal can-opener made in the United States which, once you know the name of it, unearths a veritable flood of glowing reviews and happy customers.
Mine is almost a decade old now and still going strong.
I have a slightly different recommendation: a side cut safety can opener (something like what's shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8YUA4bP6A0). It basically deconstructs the lid part so it can be taken off - no sharp edges, no burrs, no leftovers stuck under the edges. As weird as it sounds, this thing changed my cooking life. The are a lot of cheap ones available on Amazon, I got the cheapest one a year and a bit ago,, and it's still working as new. Seriously amazing stuff, and I love it to death - highly recommended!
To add to this - This video by Technology Connections (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_mLxyIXpSY) goes into depth about why these side cut openers are far superior.
My parents have one of each style of can opener. My mom favours the safety can opener because she doesn't want the recycling collectors to cut themselves; my dad prefers the traditional-style one because he is a hypochondriac and the safety opener exposes the glue securing the lid to the rest of the can.
Wow, a 20+ minute video about a can opener. And I watched it all - thank you! Really love mine, I even use it to open canned drinks, because it's easier to pour/drink that way and you can get every last drop too, since there's no rim for the liquid to hide under.
My parents have had an electric can opener for like 30 years. I didn't know people actually used the hand ones until I was like 20 something
USB chargers / power supplies
Anker
like probably a lot of Tilderinos, I have a lot of USB-rechargeable gadgets. Anker stuff is consistently in that sweet spot of "high quality / not overpriced". several years back I donated my motley assortment of "it came in the box" and "bought it at a gas station because I went on a road trip and forgot to bring one" USB chargers and standardized on having a big multi-port Anker charger in every room where I wanted to plug something in. I haven't had any of them break or fail yet.
in particular, I recommend this travel power strip - 2 full AC outlets (one on the top, one on the bottom), a USB-A port, and 2 USB-C ports (one of which delivers 65W for a laptop).
the extension cord part of it is especially well-designed. it packs away by wrapping around the charging brick and getting covered up by a flexible plastic skirt. a bit tough to describe, but pictures are worth 1000 words:
https://i.imgur.com/DRVWNK4.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9lFkjr9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NMg717E.jpg
I recently got a new ebike. It's the specialized globe haul st and I love taking it around the neighborhood for small errands and plan to use it to transport the kids to/from school and daycare.
I haven't bought a lock for it yet and need to find one so I can be away from it for longer periods. I'd prefer a combo lock because I don't want to carry keys, but could be convinced otherwise. I think I've watched too many lockpicking lawyer videos and trust nothing. I would be parking it in places with low foot traffic so maybe super secure isn't really that important?
Whichever brand you chose, do not get one of the foldout ones, like this:
https://www.galaxus.ch/de/s3/product/kryptonite-keeper-585-folding-lock-85-cm-veloschloss-9418647?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ba7mp7C_wIVg8F3Ch3gtAlMEAQYCCABEgIhrfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
This design is perfect for thieves because you can basically put a pipe in between and twist the lock open.
At a hospital a friend of mine works at, e-bikes get stolen regularly, and the culprit is these locks.
Unfortunately its a lot worse than just one bad lock design. The bikes that get stolen most are simply the highest value / effort ratio, and that lock might be easy to break, but all bike locks are vulnerable to thieves. Yes, even those $80 Kryponite locks that weigh a ton and are wrapped in some sort of "anti grinder" mesh.
I've given up on owning a decent bike for this reason. There is no secure ebike storage option in big US cities unless you literally bring it into the building with you and watch it constantly, or only store it inside your apartment. The police really do not care one bit about bike theft, so the thieves are not at all afraid of getting caught.
I have an escooter now because its smaller and I can take it inside with me. The only way I'd let it out of my sight is if there was a service with a security guard constantly standing at racks, checking IDs for dropoffs and pickups, with the security company being liable for theft.
This lock would work the same right?
Yes, and that picture is almost perfect to describe the problem.
Imagine the part of the frame we see in that picture is a thief's pipe. stick it through the lock like that and twist... the hinges will pop right off, takes ~2seconds to do.
Ironically, fastening your bike to a sturdy lamp post or similar will make it easier for thieves, as it provides the necessary hard point to break the lock.
I'm glad I saw your comment because I was planning on buying it and now I won't, thank you.
Any suggestions on a better bike lock? I know there's no lock that's thief-proof but I really just need something that will take as long as possible to break.
Having actually bought one of those, and having been blindsided by the reports - I honestly can't tell you.
My guess would be that a good U lock or one of those chains covered with thought cloth/nylon would be the way to go next.
Maybe someone else has an idea?
As for Kryptonite, I have only heard awful things about their actual support when a bike gets stolen.
Their slogan of "We will pay for your stolen bike" seems to be very much BS.
I use an ABUS Bordo (XL) with my Specialized. Ofc any lock will fall at the hands of LPL, including this one, but just looking tough is enough for most opportunist thieves to pick a different target.
Kryptonite and ABUS are both pretty good brands. Kryptonite makes a decent lock (I've used the keyed version of the Keeper for years without issue).
My Kryptonite lock was cut very quickly, but I live in a major city. Bike was locked in a "secured" garage but turns out my landlord's security cameras are all fake and the garage was left unlocked by a careless tenant.
I have a couple of recommendations:
Sandals
I used cheap sandals for a while that seemed comfortable, but eventually lead me to start feeling some pain while also destroying the sandals themselves. I looked around and saw Chacos hiking sandals recommended. They seemed pricey at the time but I still went for it and I'm really happy I did. These sandals I can use in any environment, I did not get them with the intention of hiking at all, and not only are they good an durable but also very comfortable. These also have a lifetime warranty but I'm not seeing myself needing that any time soon.
Earplugs
I'm an avid concert goer and to protect my ears I purchased a pair of Etymotic earplugs. I love them, now I don't need to worry about what my hearing will be like in a few years and I never leave a concert with my ears ringing. I think the main benefit for me has been not having to worry about people whistling next to me. Somehow it seemed I always had someone whistling very loud in close proximity and I think that was doing more damage than the concert speakers themselves.
Another recommendation regarding earplugs: I have weird ears. None of the usual cone shaped standard earplugs will hold for more than five minutes. Only recently, I discovered a model of earplugs named Howard Leight Honeywell Laser Lite. They are resonably cheap to not be sad if you lose a pair of gift a pair to someone asking at a rave or concert. But most importantly, they actually fit my ears. They are light and squishy and the weirdly formed back makes it easy to press fit them into my ears to prevent them from falling out during singing or dancing.
In regards to the earplugs, have you tried other brands to compare against? I have a busy summer coming up, I'm seeing Clutch, Queens of the Stone Age, and going to Elements music festival, so I'd like a pair that fit and work well. The review I saw from Wirecutter showed the Loop Experience plugs as better than the Etymotic ones, but I've also heard Wirecutter isn't always the best yardstick to measure by. Any thoughts?
I've done a bit of research into this and some of it comes down to personal preference. Like @gco I ultimately decided on the Etymotic ER20XS and love them because they're one of the cheaper options out there (so if I lose them I don't feel bad), they come with a neck cord, and for $5 you can get foam tips (which are my personal preference, silicone tips tend to slip out of my ears). They're the best value for the money.
I did look at the Loops (specifically the Experience Plus) and liked that you could switch between two noise reduction levels. They also are the best looking earplugs. But I feel they're a bit too expensive for what they are. Plus they don't have a neck cord which is something I find important.
If you're okay with spending more than the Etymotics I'd check out the Earpeace Music Pro. From what I've read, they're the best sounding plugs. They also have the highest noise reduction option I've seen (27db). You can also get a neck cord with them.
Sorry, I have not tried any others but the Etymotics have worked perfectly for me so I don't even feel the need to do that.
Weed pulling
As mentioned in my intro post, I have a lot of weeds. My only hope for changing this without hired help is Grampa's Weeder. Once you get the hang of it, you can use it without from start to finish (including putting the weed in a bucket) without bending your back much.
I'm hoping to tame my front flower garden this year but unfortunately have had a (temporary) physical issue pop up that has made it difficult, so this is awesome - I hadn't even considered that something like this might be out there. Thanks so much for sharing! If it works out it will improve my summer a lot.
I have a really large mulch pit in my backyard that gets lots of various weeds growing in it. The best tool I've found for it is an action hoe
I can rip up all the weeds in around 30 minutes for a very large space. I just let them sit on top at it pulls them out and I let the critters eat them.
For anyone located in Australia, a very similar product is the daisy weeder by F.D.Ryan. Just be aware that there may be a bit of a wait to get one, especially if you order in spring, because they are handmade to order.
We are on a large property, and we have two of them that we use for pulling up thistles, capeweed, couch grass, docks, plantains, and assorted other small invasive weed with long or large root systems. It's so much easier (and easier on your back) than any other weeding method I've tried.
You use it pretty much the same way: press it into the ground with your foot at the base of the weed, then lever it back up with the handle. The weed gets yanked up by the prongs, and then you can shake it off where you want it.
Hello, old thread but hoping to hear some new comments re cute / graphic print T-Shirts
does anyone remember woot shirts circa 2000's? they got bought out by Amazon and for while the quality of the fabric went downhills, then I stopped buying from them.
Anyone know if they are good again? And anything about their supply chain etc --
What I'm truly looking for is cute T-shirts of decent quality that isn't awful for the earth or for the humans who made them. Uniqlo was under fire for a bit in 2001, and rightfully so -- I haven't really been in the market for cute / graphic T-shirts for a while, just re-wearing old stuff.
But now I have need for brand new cute shirts. Would appreciate any insights thanks
I keep a Gerber Folding Utility Knife with me pretty much all the time. I switched from a standard pocket knife to this one because I can easily swap out the blades when they get dull. It earns its keep around the holidays cutting up boxes and opening packages.
Another thing that has been great is a vertical mouse. It takes some getting used to but once I did it’s been a game changer. It’s eliminated some nagging RSI pain I was having in my arm. I’ve had several and currently use the Logitech Lift.
I just recently found my old Gerber (this one) from 25ish years ago.
Still working great, and I've started carrying it everywhere again. I forgot how damn useful having scissors, pliers, and a screwdriver in your pocket at all times is.
I have the lite version of that knife and also get a lot of use out of it. I was afraid at first that it might come open in my pocket and I’d slice myself on it; I’m still a little afraid of that, actually; but it hasn’t happened so far.
Similarly I carry a Leatherman Wave+, one of the most useful tools I’ve ever bought. I also have the bit set and ratchet driver for it, keep it in a small “emergency” case in the car with some other stuff.
We're a pretty anticonsumption family too. I can barely think of anything over a few bucks that we buy new - cars, clothes, appliances - we check and buy from the local thrift stores or fb marketplace before resorting to new. I always find it odd that in an age with such a focus on climate change that there is rarely a word in the press about reusing and repairing rather than manufacturing new.
But as for durable goods I find the most durable thing I own are hand tools. Ive built up a collection over more than a few decades of fixing and repairing. And out of all of those Id say the one thats endured very well is my Westward socket set (made by Grainger). Its a small set, with the basic SAE and metric sockets, a 3/8" ratchet and an extension but Ive had it for about 40 years now. Have done many auto repairs with it. No socket has ever broken and the ratchet still works like it did 40 years ago. Cant ask for more than that. Ive often thought its one of the only things I want to pass on to my son.
Insta Air Fryer (or any decent air fryer in general) - I resisted getting one of these for a long time because I really disliked the marketing of it being a "fryer". I also have a range with a convection feature. But my impulse shopping gave in when I saw one of these 30% off. I use this thing so much it's earned a permanent spot on the counter. It heats up like 100 times faster than my oven and works exactly as you'd expect a convection oven to work. Also it doesn't noticeably heat up my home like my range does which is nice on warmer days. It especially nice for reheating fried food like battered chicken or chinese food as it refreshes the crunchiness.
Beats flex wireless - I hate that my phone doesn't have a jack, mainly because I've had wireless buds in the past and I am too irresponsible to be spending $150+ on these things everytime I lose one or my dog decides to eat it. The Beats Flex are tethered and magnetic so they easily hang on your neck when you're not using them, I can get them in bright yellow so I cannot easily lose them and they cost <$80 so when they are damaged it's not such a hit to the wallet to replace.
I really like my air fryer too! I received it as a gift, I think the brand I have is Sunkist - the UI leaves something to be desired but the overall concept is great. My kitchen is quite small and there's a lot of stuff competing for real estate not just on the counter but in storage, so I'm pretty aggressive about pruning out stuff I don't need. But the air fryer is staying despite its bulkiness because it makes up for it in usefulness.
I was a bit resistant to getting one because for a while it was trendy and that always makes me a bit leery, and the marketing seemed to make it out to be something that was a dieting tool or a replacement for deep frying. I wish they had just marketed them as little OVENS instead of little deep fryers, I probably would have gotten one sooner. I would often turn on my oven to cook a small amount of food for just my partner and get irritated that it takes so long to pre-heat all that volume when all I wanted was a couple baked potatoes.
I have hesitated on this one because I fell down the same "I use my instant pot for everything rabbit hole, and got my own, and never use it. I like the idea of the air fryer, but really don't want to buy another thing that I won't use.
I don't have one but the GF does and she uses it a LOT. One interested thing though, you won't find a better way to reheat a slice of pizza than one of those.
I have a ninja air fryer, not an Insta pot one, but it has a permanent spot on my counter. I use it to cook and reheat almost anything that I would otherwise put in the oven. Bacon, leftovers, dumplings, French fries… I haven’t done vegetables in it because I prefer to pan-fry those, but it’s astonishingly useful and fast. I use it more than my microwave.
try garlic bread in it, dynamite
Unfortunately Instapots parent company just went out of business . I'll probably statt looking at Ninja for my future kitchen appliances.
I love my Hoka One One shoes. I feel like I'm proselytizing any time I mention just how amazing they have been for my feet. my first pair literally cured my plantar fasciitis and I'm about to buy another pair specifically with high tops to protect my sprained ankle and hopefully help heal my ligament laxity. They're expensive and the quality has dipped a small bit since they got super popular, which makes sense, but they're still the best in town for wide, flat feet with issues. Aside from the ones I'm about to buy, I bought the flip-flops and the slides when they were first released (a few years now) and I'm really hard on shoes. They're still in near-perfect shape minus some scuffing from my clumsiness. I also have a newer pair of Graviota 4s (I really do go through a pair of shoes a year because I used to be a dancer and my feet are messed up but also stupidly strong). I got them super muddy the first time I took them out and they cleaned up super nicely. They still look brand new after washing.
Need to find a replacement for buildapcsales, but I still use slickdeals a lot. Recently theres a lot more bots and sponsored posts, but old posts are a good source of info on pricing and stuff like reliability and alternatives.
I love shoes from the brand Altra. Much wider toebox so the shoe actually fits the shape of a normal human foot! With other shoes my big toe starts to rip it and eventually tears a whole in it. Not so with my altras!
One not mentioned in here, and probably is a niche product, but Bedjet is the one thing I have that makes a huge difference in my quality of life and I use it every single night. It's not cheap, I think I bought mine for $350 and I have the Bedjet V2, sleeping is much better than it used to be.
Bedjet is like a fan and space heater unit in one, and you can choose to just turn on the fan or you can turn on the fan and the space heater together, and it stows under/beside your bed with a tube that comes up under your covers to push the air UNDER your covers. A fan in the room simply blows air in your face or whatever part of your body isn't covered and doesn't let you set a warmer temperature if you prefer.
It's not without its flaws, other than the price, the app/device control is pretty awful, at least with my V2 it is, and judging by reviews on the app store it's not better for V3 either. It connects to the Bedjet via Bluetooth and many times it fails to connect and generally the only way to get it to connect is to power cycle the Bedjet. I resorted to putting this on a 15A smart plug so I can more easily power cycle the device rather than get out of bed and unplug it. Once it connects it's simple enough for me, I turn it to the setting I want, set the time I want it to stay on for, and that's it. It also uses quite a bit of electricity if you use the "space heater" functionality of it, as anyone familiar with a space heater knows they draw a lot of electricity.
I used to have a hard time sleeping, part of it I think came from switching my mattress from an innerspring to a memory foam but I think even before that I had issues but I was younger and didn't care as much. Basically I'd just either wake up in the middle of the night too hot and sweaty, or to avoid that I'd minimize covers and then wake up freezing cold. Or part of my body under the covers would be hot and sweaty, and part of it, typically my feet would be uncovered and freezing.
There's other products on the market that also seem to try to address this problem, I don't know whether they're better or not, but when I bought this Bedjet like 5 years ago there weren't as many options.
I wanna buy a punching bag. A large one that is good for kicks too. I'm big dude, so the bigger the better. The problem I'm facing is that it is hard to buy one that is already filled because shipping is more expensive than the product. And I'm not sure how hard would be to source the filling material myself. Maybe I'll go to a physical store that sells it already filled, but that would be a little more expensive.
There's a large thread here already about the aeropress already so I know there are some coffee enthusiasts around. Kindly forgive me for tagging (or please don't be offended if I didn't tag you, haha, I just grabbed some people who had commented with Coffee Opinions at random and didn't want to mass tag): @cmccabe @acupofcoffee @AAA1374 @Akir @stu2b50
I'm looking for recommendations for a coffee grinder for occasional use! I'm just looking for something compact and reliable, and I don't need a huge amount of control over grind size beyond maybe "fine/medium/coarse". My main coffee prep method is drip coffee, but I'm also interested in trying pour-over.
Shortly after flipping through that thread I accidentally shattered my old coffee maker that barely worked and figured it was a sign to start loving myself again and stop drinking instant. I grabbed some grocery store coffee for now to use with my new drip maker (my grocery store has a grinder so I can grind there). While I am pleased enough with the cost/benefit of that for most days it'd be nice to treat myself now and then to something more interesting, and if I'm gonna shell out for nicer coffee I might as well get a grinder.
Honestly grinders might be the roughest thing to suggest for people looking to improve. Grinders are, maybe surprisingly, the area where your money really does make a big difference. I think having a good burr grinder is actually pretty important, and will make your coffee taste a lot better, especially if you get light roasts (and if you don't, it's an opportunity to try; light roasts are where all the coffee specialties/hipsters go for, because dark roasts mostly just taste like the roast, so you can't taste the "characteristics" of the coffee).
For a basic but good automatic burr grinder, consider the Baratza Encore for ~$150. Yes, that's a lot, but that's the price for a entry level electric burr grinder.
If you want to go much cheaper, then you'll have to go manual. I don't know enough about manual grinders to offer a suggestion but the internet will give you answers. You can also try used, especially for hand grinders. Lots of people that give it a shot, and either upgrade to electric or move away from being a coffee weirdo.
It's not just about the level of control, what's arguably more important is the level of consistency. A good grinder will make grinds that are the same size. This is important for even extraction of coffee - with light roasts, they become incredibly sour if you have mismatched grind sizes.
It will matter more for pour overs and drip, and less for immersion brewers like a french press, aeropress, or hario switch/clever.
I use an 1Zpresso J-Max manual grinder and really like it (even though it cost me around $200...). It is small and can make a wide range of grind sizes. It is easy to disassemble and clean, although I rarely need to clean it. It also feels like a rugged piece of military hardware and I can imagine it lasting forever. The one drawback I find is that grounds from some oilier beans end up clinging onto the bottom of the grinder and brushing them out can get messy. I actually use a rubber mallet (not included with the grinder, of course) to tap it after grinding to shake loose some of those clinging grounds.
Since you tagged me, I'll give my opinion BUT I really believe that @stu2b50, @cmccabe, and @AAA1374 have all given GREAT answers. Good work, folks!
I agree, money does make the difference in grinders. Obviously when you go from hand-crank to electric, the price-to-quality jump is going to be a MASSIVE leap.
If you can get by with using those muscles, I would 100% recommend a 1Zpresso J-Max. The reason to get the Max is the ability to do 30g+ of beans at one time. For pourovers, depending on your ratios, that's HUGE. This hand grinder will outclass, with some effort, most of the electric grinders you'll see until you start spending $500+, and for espresso even more. That grinder could allow you to dabble in espresso down the road, if you so choose.
If that's just not an option, the Baratza Encore is a good choice. The Fellow Ode is a good choice. There's no shortage of grinder options that can handle pourover. I believe James Hoffman has done multiple videos comparing grinders for pourover, so my first recommendation would be to look through some of that content.
I use a Niche Zero, and it does well enough for espresso and pourover. My next upgrade in grinder will PROBABLY be a Lagom P64, but who knows when that will be! Maybe something better will be on the market at that price point by then!
Feel free to always reach out and tag me for any coffee questions!
I love James Hoffman's videos - they're excellent to show people for understanding and getting into coffee.
He gives such great in depth analysis and testing, I sincerely trust his results and would absolutely follow his recommendations as starting points. Can't recommend him enough!
I use the Fellow Opus as my daily grinder. It's probably far more than you need and it's definitely not "cheap" (by coffee standards, sure but not in the abstract) but it's definitely given me the best coffee I've made so far.
I've used cheap and slim flat burr grinders, and those work excellently if you can dial them in consistently for drip or pour over, and really well for something that benefits from more course grinds like immersion brewing. The reason I like the Opus is I'm able to get anywhere from immersion to espresso grinds without much trouble - so if I want to brew a particular way on any given day I have the choice.
I'm not just gonna shill for them though, manual grinders can give you more bang for your buck because they don't have to have expensive motors - it also saves a ton of space. Personally though, I don't enjoy doing the physical work of grinding the beans. I've done it many times, and it's just not my preference. It will get you good quality coffee though, and usually with quite good granularity on your grind size.
It just depends on how much you want to invest in it - I found I was really enjoying making various forms of coffee so the $200 investment in that grinder was a valid one for me.
Headphones: Koss Porta Pros
These look super cheap but they are great. You can get them on sale for $30 sometimes. I've bought five. They are so lightweight that you can wear them all day and not notice. They are "open back" so you can hear other things in the room around you, and other people next to you might be able to hear some of the sound, if thats a problem. But they sound great, probably the best sounding headphones you can buy for under $100.
These headphones may as well be a religious artifact over at /r/headphones.
Keychain Flashlight: Fenix E03R
Super bright, very tiny, and USB-C rechargeable. I've had one on my keys for years. Everyone will be impressed.
Sunrise Alarm Clock: Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light
I've had this for years and it changed my life. The light slowly comes on before the alarm sounds, so if you're in deep sleep, you keep sleeping until the sound starts to play. If you're not sleeping deeply, the light wakes you up very gently. I'm never ever going back.
Chef Knife: Victorinox Classic
Not too fancy. Very reasonable price. Sharp. Probably the most common knife used at restaurant kitchens because of how much quality you get for the price. Lasts a long time.
Gaming Mouse: Logitech G502
Another religious artifact type of product. Workhorse mouse. Super reliable. Inexpensive to replace. Plenty of features. Regularly $50 on sale.
Bumping to ask if anyone has any suggestions on cat food. I'm looking to see if I should swap away from Blue Buffalo on a suggestion from a vet student friend, but I don't really know what I should buy. The classic is Science Diet but I'm not actually sure if that's better than Blue Buffalo.
@supergauntlet, I have suggestions but your wallet might not appreciate them... First of all, the best resource I've found is CatFoodDB. They do receive revenue from affiliate links, but none from the manufacturers.
CatFoodDB is basically just reviewing on the basis of published label information across multiple brands and products, but U.S. Dept. of Agriculture/FDA regulations are fairly strict about pet food labeling. CatFoodDB compiles this comprehensive data on macronutrient composition, ash content, organic vs. conventional, lower-nutrient fillers, and common allergenic components, so you can make your own judgments. Be aware that nutrition can vary substantially within a brand, by flavor and formulation.
Also, based on the experience of a cat that died of kidney failure from tainted cat food ingredients, I don't feed them any single brand exclusively. Your cats' tastes and sensitivities will have to guide you as well; I've learned not to try to feed mine anything with beef or herring.
My spoiled fur kids are currently getting a canned assortment of Chewy's house brand, American Journey; Halo Indoor; Wellness (specific flavors); and occasional Weruva when it's on sale. Origen lower-fat dry food, and the odd bit of Stella and Chewy's freeze-dried raw for treats.
I don't discount some foods for carbohydrate ingredients quite as much as CatFoodDB does. Outdoor cats left to themselves eat more vegetable matter than you'd think. So greens, seeds, pumpkin, and a little fruit are acceptable.
I've had cats all of my life and have done my best to learn from my mistakes over the years. I believe the health problems that led to their deaths at 16 and 17 years old were related to their diets. Now, I'm aware those are fine ages for a cat to reach but I want to do better. With my first kitty I learned how important adding moisture to their food was, as cats have a very low thirst response. She passed away from kidney failure. With my next cat, I would wet his kibble and give wet food sometimes, but he still passed from kidney failure. Now my current cat was on the same diet and has been diagnosed with pancreatitis, which I believe was caused by the high carbohydrate content in kibble. All of this leads me to recommend cat food with little to no vegetable matter and as much moisture as you can add while still being palatable. BJ's store brand (Berkley Jensen) canned food is surprisingly good for this, and great value for its price. I add a bit of water to their patés and it's been great for my old man. He's made it to 17 and is still looking great with silky thick fur and clear eyes. If you don't have a BJs near you, I would also second @patience_limited 's Stella&Chewy's reccomendation if you can afford something premium.
Yes, a high moisture content wet food diet is important to prevent urinary tract and kidney problems. I feed my cats dry food at < 25% of daily calories mainly for dental health, since one of the two cats is strictly indoor except for leash walks. Vegetables are not necessarily the same thing as high carbohydrate (usually grain) content, though. Cats eating a wild diet do consume a significant amount of fibrous greens, and whatever seeds and plants their prey may have eaten. I've seen figures indicating that plant matter up to 10% of calories is fine, as long as the protein content is otherwise high quality, Vegetables are also useful for avoiding excessive fat content, which can contribute to obesity in less active indoor cats.
I keep a wheatgrass/oatgrass garden that the fur kids are delighted to graze on during the winter. The indoor/outdoor cat mows down every grass stem around the house foundation in the spring, and the indoor cat makes a beeline for the catnip plants when he's out on a leash.
I think you're right that for most cats <10% is fine, but unfortunately with many foods it's hard to quantify just what percentage of the food is that brown rice or pea protein or pumpkin etc. It's listed as ingredients but there's no easy way to tell just how much of it isn't meat. At this point I would suggest doing pure meat/meat byproducts when buying canned or kibble, and then letting the cat eat wheat/cat grass as you do.
Looking for: a laptop riser/stand
(edit: I now realize that what I'm looking for is actually called a "standing desk converter" -- wish I'd figured that out earlier)
I just received this and I'm not happy with it. I try to avoid Amazon in general but needed something in a pinch because of some back issues I'm having.
In terms of a stand, it technically works, but it's not very sturdy. The whole thing shakes when I type, and I really should have thought about the fact that I was choosing to elevate my expensive laptop on cheap plastic before I bought it. It feels like it could break at any moment, and then I’d have to replace not just the stand but my whole computer as well.
What I'm looking for is something sturdy that can sit on a desk top and basically turn it into a standing desk. It needs to be sized to fit a 17" laptop and raise up at least 10 inches/25 centimeters or so. I'd also like for a mousepad either on/attached to it as well so my arms are at comparable heights when I'm using it. I'd rather not rely on my trackpad.
If you have any recommendations, let me know. I'll be returning this one.
EDIT: Adding this for posterity's sake, in case anyone stumbles upon this in the future. I went ahead and got this, which I am very happy with. It's very stable and fits my space wonderfully.
My one complaint is that I didn't read too closely and didn't realize there's a crosspiece that has to be screwed into place. I thought the whole thing was interlocking pieces, and I was hoping that I could assemble/disassemble it quickly when I need to hide it away. Not a dealbreaker though.
One thing that wasn't mentioned in the listing that's a good thing is that the top and bottom shelves are interchangeable. I have a full laptop on the top shelf instead of just a monitor, so it has a large footprint that wouldn't fit on the narrower shelf. I put that one on top, and the smaller shelf on bottom.
I would love to hear if anyone has recommendations for dumb (or as dumb as possible) TVs. My current TV has a fire stick baked in and I'm constantly having to beat back the ads, and updates that make it slow. It would be great to go back to the days where my TV was just a display for whatever I wanted to put on it. 🙄
my favorite purchases:
Tom Bihn backpack
Vitamix blender
Bicycle
I have a couple of recommendations. Might circle back and add more later.