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Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

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181–190 of 618 posts

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#181

Under 1000: - robot vacuum. Now my house gets vacuumed (that should tell you how much I hate doing it.) - the bidet seat is not tremendously life changing but it's very helpful. Under 100: - a quality probe thermometer. I use it for everything baked and most ways of cooking meat. Nothing is over~ or undercooked anymore. I do have another one with 2 probes for bbq/smoking -- you can use the two in the point and flat o…

Which robo vaccum did you get?

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#182
post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All bidets I've looked at including Tushy seem really complicated to install (basically having to redo the plumbing) and I don't understand how so many people can just buy and install one like it's nothing. Am I imagining things? Edit: Not in the US and the plumbing looks a bit like this, but without the nuts so you can't easily disconnect a part of it: https://static.byggahus.se/attachments/images/large/341/3416...

US based plumbing. You are imagining things. Most/all resi toilets in the US use a flex hose to connect the toilet to your water supply. Its usually a threaded connection. All these style of bidets simply have a T off of this connection.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#183
For under $100: earplugs, two kinds.

I got a pack of basic foam ones (supposedly 33dB reduction), and it meant that my wife and I could keep sleeping in the same bed without snoring getting in the way. Was only about $10 for 50.

And I got a pair of noise reducing Loop earplugs, which means that the one day a week RTO is no longer a sensory nightmare. They're visually subtle enough that my wife couldn't see them when I first tried them on (important if I was going to wear them in meetings), and recessed enough to wear underneath headphones. They're also great for large events (weddings and the like) to extend how long before my social battery gets wiped out. I imagine this is more tied to my autism than the office being particularly noisy though. I can still easily hold conversations with them in, with the only negative being that they kinda reduce spacial perception, so I can't as easily tell where sounds are coming from. These were about $50, though they've got cheaper options, they also come with extra mutes for more reduction, but the baseline is already plenty, so I'd probably recommend against the "Engage 2 Plus".

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#184

Under $100: - Ember mug - Why: lets me drink tea because I hate cold tea. Bleck. Under $1000: - 49" ultra-wide monitor to replace my dual monitor - Why: I use i3-wm. It works fantastically on it. - 5.1 Soundbar for computer - Why: I don't have to wear headphones constantly and also sound quality is so much better - Mount 50" TV above my desk - Why: Allows others to hang out in my office with me while I work / play ga…

> - EightSleep

I would agree. Except that now they seem to make it so that it is pretty pointless without a subscription. Kind of sucks that you have to pay $15/month to actually use the product after paying close to $2000 for the product.

I still use mine only because I was grandfathered in to be able to set temperature set-points without a subscription.

If I were to need another one, I would look for an option without a subscription.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#185
post #146

I’ve mentioned it before in a similar thread, but if you shave your head, get a Pitbull Skullshaver that can be used in the shower or while walking around the house, etc. About $100 and adding it to a shower routine is great. A wand for the vegetable garden hose. About $70 and much better than a normal gun/nozzle for watering plants at the base if not all of your gardens are raised. $500ish: 12v car fridge. I use min…

Which brand of fridge have you got?

Dometic here in Australia. In the car, I have a lithium battery charged from the alternator.

In the US, I have an Alpicool dual zone fridge/freezer. Powered by a solar-charged lithium battery.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#186
post #141

Under $100: 1) A bidet! Got one in the pandemic when toilet paper was scarce and I wanted to be more efficient, but now I'll never go back. The Tushy ones are good. 2) A safety razor & accessories. I get a cheaper, closer, less irritating shave, and I get to customize every part of it. This can certainly be a rabbithole you spend a lot of money on, but you can get a solid customized starter kit for under $100 that wi…

All bidets I've looked at including Tushy seem really complicated to install (basically having to redo the plumbing) and I don't understand how so many people can just buy and install one like it's nothing. Am I imagining things? Edit: Not in the US and the plumbing looks a bit like this, but without the nuts so you can't easily disconnect a part of it: https://static.byggahus.se/attachments/images/large/341/3416...

To follow on to user infecto’s sibling comment, for most U. S. homes, it is probably fifteen minutes of work. Shut off water, connect t-line, bolt down new toilet seat, sorted. It shouldn’t be complicated for most installations.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#187

Under $100 - an ear bulb syringe I get blocked ears due to wax and it's really negatively impactful to conversation etc. Plus they would block when flying/swimming which ruined a few holidays. I used to go to my local (UK) GP which was very inconvenient due to appointment timings etc. Then somebody recommended buying a bulb syringe for self-treatment. Mine cost about £4 and has been totally game changing. I can sort…

A related trick is to put a few drops of (olive, or other cooking) oil in your ear canal. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side, and do this for 3 days in a row. This softens up the hard wax in there. Then flush out with a syringe if you want. Obviously don't do either if you have a perforated ear drum.

Ear wax can vary a lot from hard to sticky depending on your genetic makeup.

For the folks with extra sticky wax, softeners don't help.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#188

Under $100. A waterpik. My teeth feel so clean after using it. Under $1000. A squat rack, bumper plates and a bench. Mine isn’t fancy but at anytime I can workout without having to leave my house.

Anything that removes friction from getting you to consistently strength train with progressive overload will do more for your health, quality of life, and appearance than damn near any other possible intervention.

A squat rack, weights, and a bench is probably the biggest bang for your buck version of this and if you can set up a basic home gym, it's a total game changer.

Re: Ask HN: Life-changing purchases since 2020? (Under $100 and under $1000)

#190
post #94

Under $100: - A dumbphone. Even if I’m not using it anymore, it has shown me what life I could be living without distractions. My anxiety and stress levels went down from about the second day using it, I became much more aware of my emotional state and the environment around me, it was a noticeable shift. I no longer buy the arguments that we can control our smartphone addictions with will. The technology is too opti…

I’m thinking about getting a cellular apple watch and not carrying around a phone most of the time. Can still get critical messages without being able to check the news when I’m bored or anxious.

i did this for some time. I'm probably due to again as I check my phone often. Apple watch does have standalone navigation which is a win. It got annoying not being able to do things sometimes, such as checking a groupme etc.
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