Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022 • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#151

Post by lfodofod » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:38 PM UTC

lucb1e wrote: post #142

Space heater, 20 bucks. In the past I chose to heat the bedroom a little on cold days and otherwise suck it up and dress while shivering (no point burning a ton of gas to heat an entire bedroom). Now, I use 1.5 kW for ~3 minutes (0.01 kWh) to have hot air be blown on me while getting dressed in the morning. Because it changes how warm I feel while going downstairs, I also don't need downstairs to be as warm to get wa…

I took this even further, put air purifiers in most rooms and hooked them up to air quality sensors.

Mostly they run on the very quiet setting (or not at all), but they’ll automatically spin up if someone cooks, farts, opens a window or hits a vape pen.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#152

Post by time0ut » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:38 PM UTC

An AeroPress. $30 for a fast and good enough way to make espresso.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#153

Post by xwowsersx » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:38 PM UTC

orzig wrote: post #44

A keyboard tray, that attached to my desk, I never realized how many of my frustrations were just the slightly awkward ergonomics of my keyboard being a few inches too high

So true. Thanks for reminding me, I really need to get myself a tray. I have the autonomous standing desk and even at its lowest height, the keyboard is still too high. The only way I can get the angle of my arms/hands to feel normal is if I raise my chair really high, but then that comes with its own issues.

Which keyboard tray did you get?

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#154

Post by spaceman_2020 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:39 PM UTC

An air fryer.

It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids.

It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop.

The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes. Never have to check on the chicken (unlike a pan) or wait too long (unlike an oven). Mix them together and dinner is ready.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#155

Post by jonfw » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:40 PM UTC

We set up a motorized curtain in our bedroom. It's been really nice to black everything out at night while sleeping (some of our neighbors leave outdoor lights on) but in the morning, wake up with natural light

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#156

Post by shafyy » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:41 PM UTC

dougmwne wrote: post #147

Airpod Pro 2 They are basically bionic ears. Headphones, headset, earplugs, hearing protection, hearing aids, extendable ears, and more. Wish they could act as universal translators, but I suppose that's still yet to come.

"Probably the oddest thing in the Universe." [0]

0: https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Babel_Fish

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#157

Post by mft_ » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:41 PM UTC

nicbou wrote: post #3

A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts. A retractable USB-C to C cable for my backpack. Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. It’s a drop in replacement that delays a new laptop purchase. Warm wool socks and sweaters Paperlike screen protector and metal nib for my iPad mini and Apple Pencil A 3 meter long USB-C to C cable

> A keychain that acts as a coin to unlock shopping carts.

Likewise :) If you've got access to a 3D printer, this works well: https://www.printables.com/model/167637-removable-trolley-eu...

> Replacement keys for my butterfly keyboard MacBook. It’s a drop in replacement that delays a new laptop purchase.

Can I ask for more details of this? Was it the Apple replacement, or 3rd-party/DIY?

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#158

Post by user1029384756 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:41 PM UTC

sambapa wrote: post #109

1. Gymnastic rings - cheap, so simple yet so complicated. Magic ancient alien technology from the future (whatever that means) 2. Anki - free, you remember what you want to remember, but you have to RTFM to use it properly. 3. Wax earplugs - cheap. My sleep quality is at least 2x better since using them. 4. Org-mode - free.

I’ve been tempted to get a set of gymnastic rings for a while. For someone like me who tries not to accumulate too much junk, buying any kind of bulky gym equipment is not an option.

Gymnastic rings seem like the perfect minimalist’s exercise equipment… the only thing is I have no idea where I would hang them.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#159

Post by Topgamer7 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:41 PM UTC

Havoc wrote: post #146

Sodastream. Has significantly increased the amount of water i drink and conversely decreased other crap being drunk High end ricecooker ended up getting more use than expected. USB KVM style switch to change mouse/kyb over between work and personal device

Sodastream and a quarter glass of OJ is a great way to save orange juice, but still have it taste great :)

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#160

Post by bitwize » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 3:43 PM UTC

A Sanpao TJ800 mini TV. It's a really stinking adorable display styled like a retro CRT TV and it has the guts of a cheap Android TV box inside, or you can plug in an HDMI input.

I found the HDMI input on mine didn't work but I figured out how to put Armbian on the TV box inside and so now I can turn it into a mini retro emulation console!

A $60 shaved ice maker attachment for my wife's KitchenAid mixer. Now she can make Snoballs any time of year. Seriously, if there's someone in your house who loves to cook, you need a KitchenAid mixer. It's a godsend, like Visual Studio Code for the kitchen.